Summary…Just days after the DOM a mysterious letter arrives and Harry is faced with a decision. Reject the offer and continue on the path Dumbledore has set for him or forge a new one and challenge every opinion ever forced on him.
SLASH. Creature fic, new school, Grey/Powerful Harry, possibility of Mpreg but will maybe take a vote on it…
Oh if anything else warning worthy develops I will put the warning in the authors note. I'll also try to highlight it in the text. K?
A/N…Right as stated in the summary this is SLASH so i would hope that anyone whose got to this point has got that by now, so remember if you don't like it don't read it. HBP and eventual DH spoliers, but I think most people will have read that by now, so just in case. Will mention Mpreg but it isnt likely it will actually happen in the story. Could do but i doubt it.
Sorry I havent mentioned anybody here, i'm going to try and reply to everyones review directly instead of in the chapter. The only time i'll put a reply in the chapter is when it addresses something that I think needs explaining.
Pairing news... I recieved a few more votes for ocs but Remus is still in the lead. And I am considering a threesome but I'm not yet sure whether the characters figuring out the dynamics of their relationship would ruin the story. I'll keep you posted but I will not go with the threesome unless I am entirely comfortable with it.
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Flashbacks and memories whether from Harry's life outside of Mysteria or inside it will be in italics.
A/N…I am very sorry it took so long to update. I've been having internet problems and then laptop problems. I am actually using a computer from the stone age right now that can only hold off from crashing long enough for me to check emails. So, sorry but hopefully I'll be back to the normal updating schedule now. Still havent got my computer situation sorted but it's a bit better now.
I was asked why Harry was wondering what would be happening over the next year as he was getting the memories from his other self. So just in case anyone else was still a little confused as to the double, I thought I'd take this opportunity to explain a little more. Harry is effectively living a double life, the difference is that it isn't a single person living through separate events. In this case it is one person and an animated copy of him. The copy is living the other life for Harry, he does as Harry would do in every situation, he's just a little more self-preserving. Think of the copy as a Slytherin, Slytherins are all about self-preservation after all.
Even though the copy is a separate entity to Harry there is still a connection. This allows Harry to receive the memories of his double from the past twenty four hours. While he sleeps Harry essentially downloads and runs the memories of his previous self, but just as a computer can't download a program that hasn't been invented yet. Neither Harry or his copy can see what will be happening in a day, a month or a year. The future is still very much a mystery to them both, (not that the copy really thinks about anything except what he needs to but there ya go).
About the self-preserving, not drawing attention to oneself thing. I've got a good example. In HBP where Harry sneaks into Draco's compartment and Draco stuns him and stomps on his nose. Well in this world that hasn't happened. Because A) Copy Harry wouldn't have snuck into the compartment, because he doesn't have the initiative, (he avoids dangerous situations that could reveal him to be not what he appears) and B) Copy Draco wouldn't have the initiative to stun n stomp either. Mainly because doing anything violent (other than trading insults, cos that's been programmed into them) would potentially cause problems. I.e. if Copy Harry had the initiative to report the nose breaking then Copy Draco would be drawing attention to himself and possibly revealing he wasn't all he appeared.
Hope that helps.
Oh and I was also asked why they needed to learn the muggle methods of survival, the answer for that is what would happen if your wand broke? Not everyone can apparate, or even likes to do it. And definitely not everyone can do wandless magic. So basically you are covering for any eventuality. So they're learning both wizarding and muggle methods.
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Mysteria
Chapter Ten
Harry sighed tiredly, leaning back in his chair. He hated Rituals. He really did. He could see the uses of the class but that didn't mean he had to like it. He was thankful that the damn thing only lasted one year. Sitting forward he rolled up his now dry parchment, closed his book and returned it to the shelf next to his desk by leaning slightly out of his chair and stretching his arm as far as it could go. He didn't have the energy to even stand up right now. The Library was quiet for midday on a Saturday. Neville was in a meeting with his Mentor Kire. Chrysan was putting in an extra half hour training before starting his homework. And Melaisa was over at another desk surrounded by a mountain of books and papers. She'd been here for hours, working on one assignment then immediately moving on to the next one, the books she'd used for the last just being pushed aside before she began again.
Harry had joined her after his customary lie in. After all it was a Saturday, no matter the amount of work he had he needed a lie in. He'd already completed his potions and rituals essays. He still had to practice a spell for healing class on Monday. He had an essay for transfiguration, also due on Monday and a spell to learn for Friday's lesson. There was no homework for DADA, which currently made it his favourite lessons. It always had been before but no matter the lesson, getting homework demoted them from favour for a week. It was tiring enough doing the classwork let alone homework. If he finished researching his Blood Magic formulas today he'd have nothing else to do for Monday's afternoon classes, transfiguration being in the morning, which meant he might for once have an entire lunch time to relax.
He had until Tuesday to figure out what the first curse he wanted to create would do for IOC, which wasn't going well, he wasn't exactly the most creative person around, never having access to drawing pencils, musical instruments, books or even TV (regularly) his imagination seemed to have suffered horribly.
He didn't have an essay for Dark Arts as they had just finished their theory work and would be moving on to the practical aspects of the course this week. A lot of it had been debate work, arguing for and against the use of 'Dark' spells. Harry'd had serious reservations about the lesson from the beginning but after the first lesson his opinions had changed a little. Now he was quite looking forward to learning the Dark Arts. It was magic, powerful magic but exactly the same as the 'Light' magic he used everyday.
The argument of course that had convinced him was being called a hypocrite, as another student helpfully pointed out, he was taking Blood Magic and learning to invent his own curses and had made no secret of wanting to take Necromancy in his second year. If he was willing to work his will on people by using their blood and 'reanimating corpses' then why couldn't he use a 'Dark' spell?
That had gotten him thinking. And really the other guy was right. He'd already used an unforgivable on someone and he'd do so again if he ever came face to face with her. Neville would do the same, there was no doubt about that, the other boy had become a lot more confidant since coming to Mysteria, the teachers working with his strength as opposed to either giving up on him or belittling him had made a huge difference to him.
Yes both their opinions had changed but it was more than that for Harry.
Since he'd heard the prophecy he'd been obsessing over what it would mean. He didn't really dwell on his own death, it was a possibility but what really frightened him was what he'd become if he survived. He didn't want to be a murderer.
That debate had made him look at his life a little more closely. His earliest memory involved Avada Kedavra, fair to well he hadn't cast it but that green light had still touched him.
The next memory of importance had been his confrontation with Quirrell. He remembered thinking that he had to hold on to the man, that if he kept hold of him he'd keep it safe. Quirrell had screamed and he'd still held on. Harry had killed him. He hadn't meant to but it had still happened. He was already a murderer. The revelation had hit him hard. He'd spent half a week sulking before Chrysan had knocked him out of it.
He'd been sitting on his bed, absently stroking Mir as Silvera slept in his lap. He'd left the door open so that if Mir chose he could get up and leave without Harry having to open the door for him. He kept thinking about adding a cat flap but didn't know how that would affect the wards on the room.
"You've been brooding again." the quiet voice made him start, Silvera woke up hissing and Mir hissed and hid under the bed.
Harry'd almost hissed himself. "Do you have to surprise people?"
Chrysan chuckled before entering the room proper. He gracelessly dropped onto Harry's bed, regarding him with his perceptive eyes. Harry tried hard not to think about an almost naked man sprawled across his bed. No man could fail to appreciate the demons beauty, anyone would react to it and Harry certainly was doing that. Especially since the mans garment of choice was a loincloth! Neville had been trying to get the demon into trousers, so far he'd had no luck.
"You've been brooding."
Harry looked at the demon in disbelief. "So what if I have?" he'd asked defensively.
Chrysan just shook his head. "Harry, do you know that your eyes dim when you do that?"
The strange comment knocked him out of his frustration. "Huh?"
"When you allow things to consume you they harm the soul. You close everything off, your eyes shutter. I do not like seeing it."
"You don't understand!"
"I understand, you have things on your mind. People go through it every day but the difference between someone who broods and someone who works through their problems is survival." He saw Harry's confusion and continued. "You have been distracted, distant, how would you have responded if challenged in that state, no one has made the attempt yet but you will become awfully tempting if this state continues. If someone saw your inattention and tried to make a name for themselves by killing you, would you see it coming with your first year skills or would you fall. You have said to all of us, don't travel alone if you can help it. We don't but what do you do when you brood, remain alone, with the door open…" He gestured. "So lost in thought you didn't hear me, even when I made deliberate noise to alert you. Inattention like that will get you killed here Harry. Now tell me what is worrying you and I will try to help."
Chrysan was right, so Harry told him. The demon had listened to all his fears, his hatred of what he had done. Then he had quite literally told him he was an idiot.
"A murderer Harry in my mind is someone who does something unforgivable, he takes the life of someone and ruins the lives of countless others. You did no such thing, killing this Quirrell did no harm to the world. The man was twisted, he believed that Voldemort's policies were right and he would have done anything to see him accomplish it Harry. It was justice what you did. Life should not be taken for any other reason, except maybe to give relief to those who are suffering. You are not a murderer Harry and everybody who matters knows that. I'm not saying some people wont think that of you, it is human nature to be different but your friends will understand. Forget about this and concentrate on other things. The Dark Arts won't change you. Look at this man Snape you tell me about. He may not be perfect, he may use the Dark Arts but he is on the light side. He's gray, in my mind the best thing to be."
After that he'd forgotten about his fear of the Dark Arts and had begun enjoying the lessons on debate. He'd spent more time listening than participating in the various questions their Master brought up, but the more informed he was the better he felt about the lessons. They would be beginning practical Dark Arts lessons on Tuesday and he couldn't wait.
Stretching Harry glanced around, the library was still pretty empty. Quiet, the best environment to research formulas for Blood Magic in. But he didn't want to. Suddenly he remembered something he'd been promising to do for weeks. After a quick word with Melaisa he headed back out into the main library.
Madam Pierce was the school librarian and she reminded Harry too much of Madam Pince for him to be comfortable around her. She was a severe looking woman, younger than Madam Pince but still as strict and authoritarian around her books. She made Harry wonder if all Librarians were so protective over their domains.
"Excuse me Madam where could I find the record book for previous students?"
Wordlessly the woman pointed to the alcove directly opposite the desk, he'd walked right past it. He blushed, smiled sheepishly but didn't see a softening of the woman's facial expression. Sighing he went to the book, wondering why Librarians seemed to be generally disapproving of anyone wanting to actually look at a book. Maybe he just had bad luck with the Librarians he'd met.
The alcove was a cylindrical shaped depression off the Reception area. In the centre of the 'room' was a plinth with a thick book bound in green leather, surrounding the plinth was a circular cushioned bench.
The book was embossed in silver, the title 'Student Records' seemed rather ordinary for such an ornamental looking book. Opening it he found a list of instructions. Basically all he had to do was place his wand on the first page and either state the name of the person he wanted to look up or the year in which they would have entered the school.
Since he knew two people who'd come to the school he decided to look them up by year first. Taking out his wand he placed it on the book and stated clearly after a bit of math, "1976".
Immediately the pages began to flip, in a matter of moments over three quarters of the pages had been turned before it came to a stop. Writing filled the pages, a list of names and other things. Columns of facts, time taken to reach the school, the school that they went to previously and so on. One column indicated date of death (if applicable), another if the student had been an Apprentice and one marked Special Considerations.
Trailing his finger down the list of names he realised that they weren't in alphabetical order but in order of when they walked through the doors. At the bottom were those who had died before entering.
Looking at the list he noticed Remus had been the second person to enter the school that year, Severus the fourth and further down in sixteenth place…
"Lily Evans."
The sudden flipping of the pages startled him and by the time he realised they'd stopped he was gazing at a picture of his Mother. She was smiling and had her arms wrapped around two other people, neither of which could be seen in the shot. The information was barely a page long but Harry still devoured it, he didn't know much about his Mother. Most people seemed to want to talk about his Dad.
Lily Jane Evans
Born: 30th January 1960
Married: Pureblood, James Landon Potter (20th June 1979)
Children: Half-Blood, Harry James Potter (Born 31st July 1980)
Ancestry: Predominantly Muggle but includes introduction of several undetermined Squib lines.
Term of Schooling: August 1st 1976 - February 10th 1977.
Memories Terminated: N/A. Recommendation made by divinatory professor Cassandra Valblatsky to leave this student's memory intact. Student left with all knowledge gained at Mysteria in her sixth months of schooling.
Harry stared at the page in complete shock.
His Mother came here. She came to this school but only stayed six months! Why did she leave? He decided to read on to try and find out.
Species: Human
Apprenticeship: N/A
Special Abilities: None
Intelligence: Considerable, but varied within subjects.
Magical Talent: Considerable
Magical Control: Variable depending upon subject.
Creativity: Considerable
Mind Defences: Negligible
Best Academic Performance: Charms
Worst Academic Performance: The Dark Arts
First Year Optional Subjects: Defensive Magic, Rituals, Runes, Arithmancy, Wizarding Politics and Occlumency and Legilimency.
Second Year Optional Subjects: N/A
Third Year Optional Subjects: N/A
Career Goals: Auror
Scholastic Achievements: N/A
After School Achievements: Became Head-Girl at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Began Auror Training but took a sabbatical whilst pregnant.
Notes: Owing to personal reasons student decided not to continue her schooling. Had possibility of becoming an Apprentice in several fields, most notably Potions and Charms.
Special notes: Regarding possible offspring, it is highly likely based on magical potential of the Mother that any child produced would be a viable candidate for Mysteria.
Harry sighed, it wasn't much but it helped him understand his Mother a little better. Now though he just had a lot of questions to ask Remus in his next letter.
Speaking of Remus.
"Remus Lupin."
The pages again turned but this time instead of continuing towards the back the pages turned back towards the front. Remus' picture was a surprise. Never really seeing the other man as anything other than a Professor/Mentor he'd never really thought of him as a student. He'd seen Remus in Snape's memory of course but he hadn't been paying attention then, much more interested in his Father and Sirius. Remus Lupin had looked good, there was no way of getting around it. If they'd both been in school at the same time Harry would definitely have fancied him. The younger Remus though tired, with strain around his eyes and aging features was undeniably attractive. He wore his hair quite long, or at least longer than he'd ever seen the man wear it. It reached his shoulders and hung in soft waves. There was no gray in the colour and Harry saw that when allowed to grow out he had a rather distinctive shade, honey or toffee, he couldn't make up his mind which one.
Both Remus and his Mothers pictures had been taken one after the other. He could see his Mother's arm cutting into the picture from the side. She had her arm around Remus' waist as Harry knew he had one about hers. They were both wearing their own clothes. Remus's shabbier than anyone else's which meant the photos had to have been taken during the first night. Harry could see the marble steps behind them and could tell that they didn't know the photos had been taken. They weren't posing or smiling fakely, but genuinely at something one of them had said, both of them slightly turned towards each other.
Looking away Harry began to read Remus' info.
Remus John Lupin
Born: March 10th 1960
Married: N/A
Children: N/A
Ancestry: Half-Blood, but predominantly Pureblood family.
Term of Schooling: August 1st 1976 - June 30th 1981
1981? Harry was shocked. Remus hadn't finished school until after he was born, had Remus even been around during the only year he'd spent with his family and their friends? And if he was, was it him or just his double that had been there? He definitely had questions to ask the older man.
Species: Werewolf
Apprenticeship: Joint Apprenticeship of Blood Magic and Conjuring.
Special Abilities: Extraordinarily high tolerance of pain. In situations of extreme pain student seems to go into a trance-like state and does not feel anything until he is snapped out of it.
"Shit! Never knew that." Harry exclaimed. Although he supposed it made sense though, Remus was a Werewolf. But the record seemed to imply his pain tolerance was stronger than normal, so didn't that mean it was stronger than other Werewolves his age?
That was dangerous, extremely dangerous. If Remus didn't feel pain like a normal person then in a battle situation he could get hit with a cutting curse and bleed to death and never notice. That was a serious weakness, not something that should be available to just anyone. That was something that only a nurse should know. Or someone Remus had told himself.
Animagus: Yes.
"WHAT? You have got to be kidding me. No one ever mentioned that… Remus you have a lot to answer for."
Intelligence: Very High
Magical Talent: High / Very High. Depending on Lunar Cycle.
Magical Control: Very High
Creativity: High. Strong ability to blend different disciplines to create new effects.
Mind Defences: Occlumens through Lycanthropy, Legilimens through study.
Best Academic Performance: Spell Casting, DADA, Dark Arts, Conjuring, Blood Magic.
Worst Academic Performance: Rituals.
First Year Optional Subjects: Rituals, Conjuring, Essence/Spirit Magic, Blood Magic, Spell Casting and Occlumency and Legilimency.
Second Year Optional Subjects: Defensive Magic, Spell Casting (2nd year), Transformations, Spell Crafting, Inv of Curses, Necromancy.
Third Year Optional Subjects: Offensive Magic, Necromancy (2nd year), Spell Crafting (2nd year), Inv of Curses (2nd year), Transportation via will and Sex Magic.
"OH MERLIN! Remus took Sex Magic!" Harry was utterly gob smacked. From everything he'd heard about Remus he would never have said the man was the type. Then again he was a Marauder.
'Wow, you think you know a person.' Harry smirked, the Marauder in him relishing the thought of teasing Remus.
Career Goals: Spell Crafter, Conjuror.
Scholastic Achievements: Using a combination of Spell Crafting, Conjuring and Essence/Spirit Magic student was able to create a spell that can be fused with either an object or a person. The spell reveals either a mental or physical map, showing detailed environments, access spells for gaining entry to secured facilities, the locations of people and in some instances the person's thoughts and intentions. Spell has been modified in intensity for various purposes.
Student has also created several mainstream spells and curses. The majority of which are improvements on standard healing spells. Spells include, a charm to remove infections from the blood (Continues to experiment with this, intending to cure Lycanthropy).
Has worked on refining wand movements in various fields, decreasing the movement and therefore the time needed to cast.
After School Achievements: Achievements few due to prejudicial nature of the Wizarding World in general. Served as a test subject for Potions Master Mir Fasari during creation of the Wolfsbane. And continues to offer assistance in finding a true cure.
Final Grades:
Student attained his Mastery in both Blood Magic and Conjuring.
First Year…
Transfiguration: Outstanding
Charms: Outstanding
DADA: Outstanding
Dark Arts: Outstanding
Potions: Exceeds Expectations
Herbology: Acceptable
Healing: Acceptable
Natural Magic: Exceeds Expectations
Rituals: Acceptable
Conjuring: Outstanding
Essence/Spirit Magic: Exceeds Expectations
Blood Magic: Outstanding
Spell Casting: Outstanding
Occlumency and Legilimency: Outstanding
Second Year…
Transfiguration: Outstanding
Charms: Outstanding
DADA: Outstanding
Dark Arts: Outstanding
Potions: Acceptable
Herbology: Acceptable
Healing: Acceptable
Defensive Magic: Outstanding
Spell Casting (2nd year): Outstanding
Transformations: Acceptable
Spell Crafting: Exceeds Expectations
Inv of Curses: Exceeds Expectations
Necromancy: Acceptable
Third Year…
Transfiguration: Outstanding
Charms: Outstanding
DADA: Outstanding
Dark Arts: Outstanding
Potions: Exceeds Expectations
Herbology: Acceptable
Healing: Exceeds Expectations
Offensive Magic: Outstanding
Necromancy (2nd year): Exceeds Expectations
Spell Crafting (2nd year): Outstanding
Inv of Curses (2nd year): Exceeds Expectations
Transportation via will: Exceeds Expectations
Sex Magic: Exceeds Expectations
Special notes: Was offered a Professorship after the former instructor was promoted but for personal reasons declined.
"Well." Harry sighed, rubbing his eyes. "That was informative. Especially the Exceeds Expectations in Sex Magic. I think Remus might be getting a very embarrassing letter in the near future." Harry smirked.
Chuckling to himself he took a glance at the main library, it had filled up considerably while he was checking the records. He didn't know if he had the energy to check Snapes record. And he really should go and finish his Blood Magic homework. The record would be here tomorrow and the day after that. And right now he would rather deal with Blood Magic formulas and symbols than Snape, in any form. His other self's defence lessons were bad enough, without bringing Snape into his life here.
He closed the book with a little reluctance but stopped before he could walk more than a pace. On the floor where he hadn't noticed it before was an old, frayed at the edges, book. He glanced at it curiously wondering how Madam Pierce had missed that. He better return it to its shelf or she'd have his hide thinking he'd done it.
"Now where do you go." Harry mused aloud. The book wasn't overly large but when Harry picked it up he noticed it was bound in leather with silver skulls and pale gemstone ornamentations. The spine proclaimed the book to be 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard'.
Glancing inside Harry saw it was nothing more than a collection of Wizarding children's tales. Without a second thought he returned it to its shelf.
He wouldn't think about that book again for another year.
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Harry awoke Sunday morning, the memories of his 'lesson' with Dumbledore playing through his mind. It had been a strange thing, he'd been expecting to be taught some of the magic he'd seen Dumbledore using against Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries. Nothing made sense, the memory, the ring, Dumbledore's injury. Harry really couldn't see the importance of what he'd been told. So he put it out of his mind until Dumbledore decided to tell him more.
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It was breakfast on Monday morning when Harry received a letter from Remus. He eagerly finished his breakfast, made his excuses to his friends and ran back up to his room to read the letter in private. He didn't want to read Remus' answer around his friends, a few of the questions he'd been asked had been rather personal. Absentmindedly disabling the wards on his bed and avoiding the cat that was winding around his ankles, Harry flopped down on his bed and took out the letter.
Harry
First of all how are you? You seemed to be a little excited when writing your letter and forgot to tell me that. Second, FINALLY I thought you'd never read that record. It's a bit of a bother al this secrecy, especially when you want to tell somebody that there Mother went to the school that they are currently attending.
She didn't stay long no. Do you remember what I told you on your first day, how the Headmaster used to let us go home on weekends and holidays? Well your Father had been asking your Mother out for years and I don't know I guess she just got used to it. I guess absence really does make the heart grow fonder. One day in February, he just happened to ask her out. Not really expecting anything to come of it, he'd been asking for years and I think had started getting used to rejection (didn't stop him from trying though). So anyway, he asked and she accepted. I wish you could have seen his face Harry, I've never seen anyone so shocked in my life. I don't think he believed her at first, thought Snape was playing a prank. One day I'll have to show you the memory. I'm sure Dumbledore would lend us his pensieve. After that I don't think she ever looked back. Barely a day later she was pulling me aside and telling me that when I went back I was to tell her Mentor and the friends she'd made. After that whenever I came home your parents were inseparable, completely and totally in love. I don't think even Voldemort bursting through the doors of the Great Hall could have stopped them from staring at each other.
As for my studies, well what can I say I was a teenager same as anybody else. And while we're trying to embarrass people, I bet you've taken the subject yourself. I could tell you exactly what to expect. You see Harry when two people love each other very much…
Harry squirmed. 'Alright, alright you win!' There was no doubt Remus was a Marauder, Harry just didn't have the experience to take him on, there was no way he wanted to have that sort of conversation with Remus, even if it was in a letter.
…only kidding Harry.
'I'm going to kill him.' Harry vowed, 'either that or get my own back, there's gotta be some dirt I can dig up on him around here.'
Remus was right though he was taking sex magic so he couldn't really tease Remus without expecting the older man to do the same.
And Don't forget Harry I was around during your first year of life and I have plenty of other embarrassing stories I could let slip to our favourite potions master.
'Huh.' Maybe he wouldn't do anything after all, it suddenly seemed the safer option.
You can't win against a Marauder lad.
Harry chuckled. He was beginning to see that.
I am an animagus, I never told James or anybody either. I couldn't really have explained it to them at the time. I used to tell them everything so they would have known I'd never studied the transformation. I took the lesson in seventh year and it came naturally to me. It didn't take me long to complete the transformation. They knew I hadn't been studying it before hand and it would have raised too many questions if I managed the transformation in less than a year. So I kept it secret, it's served me really well. No one knows I can do it, well except you and anyone else whose read that bloody record. When you get out of school it can be another thing I'll have to show you. I would have told them eventually, I would have just waited a little to make it easier to explain.
Regarding anything academic, well do you find it so hard to believe that I would want to help find a cure for Lycanthropy?
A little surprised by the sudden change in the letters tone Harry looked back on his words in his own letter and realised he might have been a little harsh on the man. He hadn't intended it to seem that way, he hadn't been angry when he'd started writing but somehow he'd ended up almost ranting in the end. He didn't like Remus risking himself. It might be selfish, but he wanted the other man around. Apart from that rat Peter and Snape, there was no one left who could tell him about his parents, or Sirius. He liked Remus, the man was the only adult who actually treated him like he had his own mind. Or at least he used to be, now he had teachers that saw him as an adult and not as James and Lily's little boy. Remus had never seen him that way. Even when he was thirteen the man had treated him like he was older, trusting him to learn magic that should have been too advanced for someone his age. And only really telling him off when he was recklessly endangering his life. But even then Remus hadn't dressed him down, hadn't made him feel like a child, he'd just shown his disappointment. One adult to another.
I was quite happy to help Mir in her research, not only did it help other people Harry, it helped me as well. And speaking as a Werewolf I would go through all the testing again to have the wolfs bane potion. I may have a high threshold for pain but even I am defeated by it. And since 'my trance' only serves in battles or duels I'll take what kind of relief I can for everyday life.
My own studies are progressing nicely enough, I am working with a healer friend of mine, he performs my newly written spells on me prior to each full moon. I feel a little less pain each month but we are nowhere near a cure as of yet. I will continue with my research Harry, despite the pain it costs me.
As for not accepting the teaching position they offered me before. Well it was for the post of Conjuring Professor, Calfora had just been promoted. I was offered the place and I considered it but there was a war going on and even though people believed I wasn't of much use I wanted to help. But there was another reason, I wanted to spend time with my friends. Even though I had seen them, it wasn't enough. I wanted to spend time with my friends and their new baby. With you all being in hiding I saw less of you than what I wished, some of that of course was your parents and Sirius' belief that I was the spy, either way I knew that I would see even less of you if I took the teaching position. So for those reasons I chose not to.
Harry sat quietly for a while, just thinking over what Remus had said. It seemed so wrong. Remus wasn't treated as a human even by his own friends. And Harry really felt bad for telling the older man he shouldn't risk himself as he did. Remus had suffered for being a werewolf, what right did he have to question it if even the man's best friends didn't trust him. What other reason could there be, other than the fact that Remus was a werewolf to make them believe he was a spy. If they could believe Peter over Remus, then to Harry a little bit of prejudice had to be there, for Remus was the most trustworthy person he knew. Harry shook his head. No he didn't have a reason to question Remus.
As to your final question, yes I did come up with the concept of the Marauder's Map on my own. It was a little side project I began in my first year, using Blood Magic, Essence Magic and Conjuring. I finished it in my first year with a little help from my mentor, the Spell Crafting teacher. I told my friends about it, knowing how useful it would be to us. I did all the bits that I knew they would protest against, the blood magic and so on beforehand. All they did was help place the spell on the parchment but I never told them that, they always believed that we did everything together. But they wouldn't have understood the necessity of Blood and Essence Magic, to them that would have been Dark Arts. And if they thought that, they might have then turned me in as a Deatheater instead of just having suspicions.
And yes, my doppelganger is the reason why my friends thought I was a bit of a spoilsport. I still pranked and joked with them even though I was a Prefect but once my doppelganger took my place and began 'playing it safe' they began calling me names. That's the only downside to going to Mysteria Harry, to your friends you may still be present in their lives Harry, but in reality you are only a spectator. Your lack of interaction, even though they don't know its there, still affects everything. And you don't know what it will do to your friendship until you're back.
Now I thought I should give you an update on what's happening back home. I know you get a lot of news at the school but I thought I'd give you a bit more personal detail. To begin with I hear Snape is sure you are trying to lure him into a false sense of security. He can't seem to understand why you aren't rising to his baiting. Silay because of the protections obviously can't tell his brother who his new student is. Then again I don't think it would take long for Snape to figure it out on his own. So expect a howler or something when he does.
I have heard from Mrs Weasley, I know you'll know both Ron and Hermione are well but I thought I'd tell you anyway. Dumbledore has no idea that your doppelganger isn't really you. He actually told me he's rather glad you appear to be knuckling down and not getting into fights with Malfoy. Although the Slytherins and Gryffindors seem to be a little bewildered by it. As for the Order, nothing is really happening. Voldemort and his Deatheaters are still participating in raids, Snape gives us as much information as he can for us to prevent it or help in the aftermath. Other than that there is nothing new on that front. Sorry. Hope everything's well there, next time give me a little detail of what's going on in your life instead of so many questions. Only kidding, Harry.
Remus
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A/N…I checked the Harry Potter Lexicon for all the dates and so on so everything is as accurate as I can make it. If somethings wrong then please tell me. I made up the date of James/Lilys wedding. Only other thing I'm unsure on is that on the Lexicon there seemed to be debate on whether his parents got together in their seventh year or not. For the purpose of this fic they got together in what would be their Hogwarts sixth year. Oh and just in case anyone doesn't know, N/A means Not Applicable. Meaning the situation or subject does not apply to the person.