Curiosity killed

Harry could hear snatches of conversation as he stood outside with his ear pressed against the door. He heard the name "Remus Lupin". Who was that? Dumbledore's voice was loud enough for him to hear, but Sev's voice was quiet and muffled, a sure sign that he was upset.

"… lost all of his friends in one night, Severus. Be reasonable."

Mumble mumble.

"… was never possible for him to take Harry in."

More mumbling. Harry leaned in further to try to hear what they were trying to say.

"Of course it's your choice whether you want Harry to meet him or not, Severus…"

Crash! Harry fell through the door sprawling face first into the carpet. He quickly got to his feet blushing as he faced the two men. Dumbledore was smiling with amusement but Severus's eyes were narrowed and disapproving. Harry gulped nervously.

"Eavesdropping, Harry?" Severus asked in a dangerous voice.

"I – I'm sorry. I just wanted to know what was going on," he muttered, not making eye contact.

"Curiosity is not a sin, Harry, but it must be exercised with caution," Dumbledore told him gently.

"Yes sir. Who's Remus Lupin?" he asked deciding there was no point in pretending he had not heard.

Dumbledore and Sev exchanged glances. "I shall be off now, my boy," Dumbledore said gripping Sev's shoulder briefly. "Your present, Harry," Dumbledore smiled as he gave Harry a large box wrapped in brightly colored paper.

"Thank you, sir," Harry said.

Dumbledore exited through the floo, leaving Harry to the mercy of an irritable and agitated Potions Master.

Sev rubbed his head and began to pace by the fire. Harry took a seat at the edge of a sofa, waiting for Sev to say something. He abruptly turned around and regarded Harry carefully.

"Remus Lupin was an old friend of your father's. One of his best friends in fact," he told Harry finally, "Lupin left the country after the death of your parents and certain… other friends but has now returned and wishes to meet you."

Harry took a moment to absorb all of this. An old friend of his father's. He didn't know much about his father except that he was a good Quidditch player, something Dumbledore mentioned in passing. To meet a friend of his father's would be spectacular.

"If you wish to meet him, Harry, I will not stop you," Sev said resignedly.

"Yes, I would like to meet him," Harry said unable to look Severus in the eye, but his curiosity was overwhelming his guilt.

"Very well," Sev agreed, "I shall set up a meeting within the week. Now what punishment will be fitting for eavesdropping?"

The next day, Harry was thus relegated with the task of preparing the Potions ingredient Severus needed to make a cauldronful of a new, and very tiresome potion Severus wouldn't tell him about.

Remus Lupin looked tired and haggard, his hair graying and his robes frayed and patched. He was supposedly as old as Sev but he looked older, Harry thought as he peaked into the room. Sev had decided to set up the meeting at Prince Manor so that he could be around, and Tinky had just called Harry downstairs to meet his guest.

Harry knocked shyly on the door before entering. Warm, amber eyes greeted him as Lupin stood up with a smile and murmured, "You look so much like James, Harry, but you have your mother's eyes." Harry smiled and sat down.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Lupin. Sev told me you were an old friend of my father's."

Lupin looked shocked at the use of Harry's name for Severus but managed to school his features quickly and say, "Please call me Remus, Harry. It's true, your father and I used to be the best of friends of schools. We had a little gang of sorts. Used to call ourselves the Marauders…"

"Fascinating, Lupin. But I don't think Harry needs to be related with tales of your brave and cunning exploits," Severus drawled as he entered the room.

There was a stiffness to his walk and a harshness in his voice which Harry had never seen or heard before.

"Severus," Lupin said smiling despite Severus's biting tone, "It's good to see you again."

"If only I could say the feeling is mutual."

Lupin laughed. "You haven't changed a bit, have you Severus?"

"I should certainly hope I have, Lupin, as have you," Severus added pointedly at Lupin's haggard appearance, "And I don't believe I gave you permission to use my given name."

Lupin sighed but didn't comment further.

"Do go on, Lupin. I believe you were discussing something with Harry," Severus said sitting stiffly and schooling his face into a cold impenetrable mask. One Harry did not like at all.

"Oh. Of course. Anyway, your mother was a good friend of mine as well. She was brilliant at Charms and Potions, but I suspect you already know that," he said nudging his head in Severus's direction.

Harry nodded.

"So tell me something about yourself, Harry. What do you like doing?" Lupin asked after a strangely awkward pause.

"Er – I like flying," Harry said, the answer seeming more like a question.

Lupin's eyes brightened. "So you know how to fly?"

"Yeah, Sev taught me to fly. And to ride a bicycle."

Lupin's eyes sharply turned to Severus who was still wearing his emotionless mask. "Your father was a great flier as well. He was a Chaser for the Gryffindor team. He and Sirius – " Lupin paused abruptly. "Gryffindor won for three years in a row when he was the Chaser."

"Who's Sirius?" Harry asked, immediately picking up on Lupin's hesitation as he said the name, much to Severus's displeasure. Harry was much too perceptive and Severus for one was definitely not buying his innocently curious act.

Lupin looked at Severus confused. Severus refused to make eye contact. "Just an old friend, Harry," Remus said and then hastily changed the subject to topics of his and James's schooldays. Harry did not comment on the abrupt change but Severus steeled himself for the questions later.

"Lupin, can you not manage a single conversation without dragging Black into it?" Severus said furiously as he led Lupin to the door.

"I'm sorry, Severus," Lupin said wearily, "I assumed that Harry would know."

"Know? That his father's best friend betrayed him and his mother to the Dark Lord? Yes, Lupin, it's perfect dinner-time conversation for a seven year old."

"So Harry stays with you often?" Lupin asked curiously.

"Yes, he does," Severus growled, "And don't change the subject! What am I supposed to tell him now? He will ask."

"He has to know sometime, Severus. He cannot go to Hogwarts not knowing."

Severus glared. "Then why don't you explain it to him yourself, Lupin. He was your friend after all."

"I you insist, Severus. I will talk to him the next time I come. But that will have to be after at least two weeks."

"I have not told Harry about your lycanthropy yet. I suggest you do that as well," Severus said coldly. "Dumbledore has requested that I brew the Wolfsbane Potion for you. At his insistence, I have prepared a cauldronfull." He waved his wand, and a smoking goblet appeared in his hand. "You may collect the rest from Dumbledore's office."

Lupin looked speechless as he took the goblet. "Severus, how can I ever thank you enough?"

By staying out of Harry's life, Severus thought, but merely nodded to Lupin as he showed him out the door.

Harry didn't say anything all through dinner and as he went upstairs to bed.

"Did you enjoy Lupin's visit, Harry?" Severus asked as he walked over to the window in Harry's room, apparently "making sure it was closed", though he always put the blanket over Harry before Harry went to sleep. Not tucking Harry in of course.

"Yes sir. I really enjoyed talking to him. I liked his stories."

"I'm sure you did," Severus muttered. Lupin had told the tamest of the Marauder's stories, without mentioning any name other than James. The stories had mainly been when they had gotten into some scrape or other, nothing relating to the 'pranks' they had played.

"You don't like him," Harry stated.

"No," replied Severus easily.

"Just like you didn't like my father."

Severus paused as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Your father and his friends and I never got along well, Harry. I… disliked him, but that has nothing to do with you and me."

Harry fiddled with the corner of his blanket. "Okay," he said, but Severus had a feeling he was not convinced. Before he could call Harry on that however, Harry quickly asked, "Who is Sirius?"

"Just an old friend of Lupin's," Severus answered vaguely. Harry opened his mouth to ask more but Severus interrupted him, "Some things are better left in the dark, Harry. It's simply best for all if you do not to pry in things that may hurt you, and curiosity should only go so far. There is such a thing as the consequences of too much knowledge, similar to the Muggle saying, Ignorance is bliss. Do you understand, Harry?"

Severus looked on the wall opposite, at a drawing Harry had made, though his mind was far away as he remembered what had happened when he had found out more than he should have.

Harry was watching him with big green eyes. "I guess so, Sev."

Severus got up to leave when Harry said, "Sev? What happened when you were too curious?"

Severus sighed. Damn the boy's observation skills! "Suffice it to say, Harry that my curiosity led to the greatest mistake of my life." With that he put the light out with his wand and left the door slightly ajar, leaving an incredibly curious boy in his wake.

Severus shook his head as he walked downstairs to the library. He knew better than anyone the consequences of knowing things you shouldn't and he certainly hoped Harry's curiosity wouldn't get the better of him. It was one flaw he would have to work on before Harry started Hogwarts. He sighed, wishing there was not so much to hide.

A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! I really enjoyed reading them all. It's getting harder and harder to update- it's exam time! Anyway some possible foreshadowing in this chapter. I broke the chapter title mold! Oh well.

Next up: Sirius Black!