Chapter Three :)

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The Meaning of the Mark

The walk back to the castle seemed to take forever. All Remus could think about was Harry and the fact that he'd been marked and labelled as a werewolf's... mate. He cringed at the word.

"Remus?" a soft voice asked. "Are you okay?"

It was Hermione.

"I'm fine," he said with a weak smile.

Hermione smiled back warmly and turned her attention to her unconscious friend. Harry was lying on a stretcher which was being levitated by Moody. His arms dangled freely over the sides and Hermione took one of his hands in her own.

"You'll be alright," she whispered.

* * *

Harry ran as fast as his human legs would carry him, but looking over his shoulder he saw the wolf who was chasing him closing in. He pumped his legs faster but it didn't seem to do him any good. Even though the possibility of outrunning a werewolf was slim, he found he didn't want to stop; running made the inevitability of getting caught seem less real.

Suddenly a heavy weight had slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

"Hello, mon petite," whispered a familiar voice in his ear. "I've come to collect you."

He felt a large pair of canines scratching at his neck as he tried to push himself up. Then, without warning, they punctured the skin, causing blood to flow freely...

He screamed and thrashed about, trying to entangle himself from the beast on top of him, when suddenly he felt his arms being held down.

"Harry!" A voice cried.

"Remus, he's waking up!" said another.

Harry's eyes snapped open and he found himself looking up at a white ceiling. He pulled his arms away from the person who was holding them and immediately felt his neck.

He relaxed slightly as he felt the absence of blood that he thought would be running down his neck. What a horribly graphic dream.

Taking deep breaths he pushed himself up to find four blurry figures at the end of the bed he was in.

"Awake at last," said a gruff voice which Harry recognised to belong to Alastor Moody.

"How are you feeling?" came Hermione's voice as she handed him his glasses.

Shakily he put them on and said, "Fine. How's everyone else?" He was referring, of course, to the battle which had been taking place before he fell unconscious.

"Honestly, mate, you need to think about yourself a lot more," Ron said grinning. "But everyone's fine... apart from... apart from Dumbledore."

And then it all came back to him. He'd been with Dumbledore at the top of the Astronomy tower when Snape had cast the unforgivable killing curse.

"Snape," Harry growled out.

"What?!" said everyone in his presence.

"Snape killed Dumbledore."

Remus was the first to speak.

"Harry, I think you're confused. You've been through a great ordeal and –"

"No," he said shortly. "I know what I saw."

There was a long silence before Ron spoke up.

"It always was Snape, wasn't it?" he said with a wavering smile.

"Anyway, Potter," Moody said loudly. "We need to discuss you."

"Me?" he asked, confused. "Why?"

"Because of that thing on your neck!" the old Auror said.

"What thing?" Harry asked nervously as, once again, he felt his neck. As he ran his hands up and down his neckline, he felt a patch of skin that was rougher than the rest of his usually smooth neck.

"Harry, what do you remember?" Remus asked leaning forwards.

Harry looked around at the four people clustered round his bed and saw Ron and Hermione exchange a nervous glance; he narrowed his eyes.

"I... I think..." He closed his eyes trying to remember. A number of images flashed through his mind: running from the battle, a forest, a clearing, a sense of fear, and a fierce man leaning over his head. But it wasn't a man, Harry knew. It was a... a...

"Werewolf," he whispered. His dream seemed to make more sense now.

Remus grimaced, Moody – for once – looked scared, Ron looked knowing and Hermione had her hands to her mouth in shock.

"Harry, you need to tell us everything that happened," Remus said seriously, moving to sit next to Harry on his bed. "I think I know how that mark got there, but... I need to hear from you what happened."

Harry looked into Remus' saddened eyes and nodded.

"I can remember the Forbidden Forest, and... being shoved to the ground by..." Harry racked his brains and tried to recall what the man/werewolf looked like. He scrunched his eyes up tight and, all of a sudden, a frightening, domineering face presented itself in his minds eye. "By Fenrir Greyback."

Remus gasped, Moody swore under his breath, Hermione shook her head and Ron exclaimed, "No!"

The night's events came back to Harry, all in very quick succession.

"I was battling Yaxley – a Death Eater," he said to his audience's clueless faces. "I stunned him and was going to try and find you guys when I heard a growl behind me." Harry shivered as he recalled the fear that had coursed through him. "He... he chased me into the forest and... and kept saying strange things."

Everyone was silent, not wanting to interrupt Harry's story, now that he had remembered it.

"He kept calling me, 'mon petite' and 'my little lamb'."

Remus shuddered at the mention of the pet names.

Harry took a deep breath before saying, "And then he said I was his 'mate'."

Remus froze. So he was right about that sickening mark on Harry's neck.

"He shoved me to the ground and asked me if I wanted to be like him, to change into a werewolf."

When Harry didn't continue, Remus prompted him.

"What happened, Harry? What did you say?"

Harry's gaze met Remus' and he said, bravely and honestly, "I didn't say anything. I didn't object and I didn't agree." Harry hit his head with the heel of his hand in frustration. "What was I thinking? Why didn't I say no?"

"Harry, it's not your fault; I know Fenrir Greyback – he bit me," Remus said coldly.

"What?!" Ron, Hermione and Harry cried out.

"He bit me when I was eight years old, but I remember it as though it were yesterday." Remus shivered and continued. "I remember his way of talking, the way he made it sound like a good thing to be turned into a werewolf. Harry, I didn't object either. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm so sorry, Remus," Harry said hoarsely.

"It's fine," he said, waving a hand impatiently. "But that mark he left you, Harry... I know what it means."

Harry looked at him weakly.

"Tell me."

Remus moved closer to Harry and sighed.

"As you've probably guessed, it's not going to be good. You may be wondering why he left you in the forest." Harry nodded slowly. "That mark he left on your neck means that he will come back to... well, to claim you. Tonight was not a full moon so he wasn't allowed to take you and aver you as his mate."

Harry paled dramatically and he tried to digest what his father's friend had just told him.

"So... the next full moon I'm screwed," Harry said, trying to lighten the situation.

It didn't work.

"I don't know what to say, Harry," Remus said desperately. "I'm so sorry."

"Now wait one second, Lupin," Moody said. "You said that beast will take Potter at the next full moon. Are you suggesting that we're not going to try and stop it? If Potter remains in Hogwarts he'll be under the best protection we could offer him!"

"You're forgetting one thing," Remus said quietly. "This place was safest when Dumbledore was alive. The wards he put up were the strongest anyone could hope for. With him gone, the wards we put up won't be nearly strong enough to hold the pull a wolf has to its mate."

Moody looked like he wanted to argue but couldn't think of a counter-argument so left it.

"So are you saying," Harry started slowly, "that Greyback's going to take me while I'm in school?"

Remus shrugged. "Possibly, yes. He'll do whatever it takes."

A shrill ahem startled Harry, Ron, Hermione, Remus and Alastor out of their thoughts. They looked up to find Madame Pomfrey with folded arms, tapping her foot impatiently.

"I'm sorry to say that Mr Potter has been through quite an ordeal. One person may remain behind but the rest of you must go."

Harry looked at Lupin.

"Will you stay?" He needed someone with him who could answer his questions.

"Of course I will," Remus said, squeezing Harry's hand.

"Bye, Harry," Hermione said with a forced smile, giving her friend a kiss on his forehead.

"See you, mate," Ron said with a nod, and he left with Hermione.

"I'll see you soon, Potter," Moody said gruffly, and he limped out of the hospital wing.

Once Harry was left alone with Lupin, he asked his next question.

"What do I do when he comes for me?" He couldn't stop his voice from breaking.

"I don't think there's anything you can do, Harry," Remus said, the words causing him pain.

"I thought you'd say that," Harry said as he lay back down in his bed. "What side-effects are there to this mark, then?"

"I believe it will start to tingle at first, then sting, followed by throbbing as the full moon approaches," Lupin said, his head in his hands. "Why couldn't I have been there for you?" he growled out.

Harry shot up in bed.

"What are you talking about?" Harry said. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this!"

"But Harry –"

"I don't want to hear it!" Harry snapped. "This is no one's fault."

Remus looked up at his best friend's son and ran a hand through his hair.

"I still can't get over how much like you're mother you are," he said softly.

Harry smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Yeah, well, I doubt I'll be like her when Fenrir comes for me."

"No!" Remus snarled, causing Harry to jump. "Nothing can take her away from you. Or James for that matter."

Harry stared at Remus with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry," Remus said after seeing the shock on Harry's face. "I'm just so angry for you."

"Don't worry," Harry said. "Go and get some food, I'll try and get some sleep."

Remus nodded and clasped Harry's hand before leaving.

Harry lay his head back down on his pillow and tried to get some sleep, ignoring the tickling feeling on his neck.

*hugs reviewers*