Don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 2- Under the weather

Thankfully Petunia didn't interfere much when Remus came to see Harry during the week, and Harry seemed to be doing better. He was clearly fed more often, and was out and playing more often when Remus came to see him. The changes were small, but her fear of Remus helped make sure that at least Harry wasn't being totally neglected, and of course Remus did everything he could for Harry every day he could come. Petunia still often glared suspiciously at the wizard, and seemed to be unsure of whether she mistrusted him too much to leave him alone or feared him too much to be in the same room with him.

The times when she would compromise by sending them out to the garden were the best for Remus and Harry of course. With nobody to interfere Remus could entertain the child with magic, making things change colors or birds appear, and he made sure to bring a broom for Harry to ride as often as possible. They were wonderful times, as close to life with Lily and James as Remus could make them, but soon the weather started turning cold and the time spent outside had to end.

It so happened that the next full moon fell in the middle of the week, and Remus was too ill to go to Privet Drive until the weekend, and so he had to wait until the following Monday to avoid Vernon. He was looking forward to seeing Harry again so much, but he was also worried about how Harry would have suffered being without him for so long. Petunia let him in and as always he went strait to the cupboard. He opened it and if it were possible he felt even worse than the first time he'd seen Harry locked in it. At least that time Harry had been what could be called healthy, but now his face was red with fever and Remus was startled at how hot the child was when he touched him. Harry coughed in his sleep.

"Why wasn't he taken to a healer, er, doctor?" Remus demanded.

Petunia didn't answer. There were so many things she could have done to help Harry feel better even without magic. Remus remembered some of the remedies his muggle mother had used to help him feel better when he himself was little. She could have propped him up with pillows to help his breathing, given him cough syrup or medicine to lower his fever. She could have cooked some hot broth for him, or at least held him and let him know someone was thinking of him. Anything but let him just lay there miserable. But Petunia had simply not cared.

Harry woke up, and looked groggily at his friend with those startling green eyes.

"Hot, Moony. Too hot."

"I know, Pronglet. I'll have you feeling better in a minute."

His monthly transformations always left him exhausted, so a portion of Remus' meager income went toward buying some Pepper Up potion from St. Mungo's when he could afford it. He had only a small bottle of it left, but right now Harry needed it worse than he did. Remus turned to Petunia knowing she would likely become hysterical seeing the side effects of the potion.

"I'm going to give Harry some medicine. You'll see some effects you wouldn't get with your kind of remedies, so just know that whatever you see is normal." Petunia hurried into the next room, apparently not wanting to see what a wizard thought was normal.

Remus didn't know how he was going to get Harry to take the potion. He remembered the first time Harry had ever been ill and nobody could get him to take it. That time it had been Sirius who had finally gotten the bitter tasting stuff down the baby. Remus shook his head. He still could barely believe that the man Harry had adored so much, someone who everyone believed was a close friend to all of them, had been a traitor. Nobody would ever have thought that of Sirius. He, James, Remus, and Peter had all been like brothers. Part of Remus still believed that someday they'd find out Sirius was innocent and it had been someone else who had killed Peter and all those muggles, but for now there was no other explanation for Voldemort finding Harry's parents.

Of course Harry had always loved Remus too. It was just that Remus had been the mature, responsible one while Sirius had been the fun one. He had used some sort of game to get Harry to open his mouth. How had that been played again? Remus knew he should be able to remember, but for some reason couldn't. It was probably his worry over Harry that kept him from remembering. He would just have to hope Harry would willingly take it. He set Harry on the table and poured the potion into a spoon. Harry must have been sicker than he'd realized, or else not have know what he was being given. The baby opened his mouth and willingly took the potion. In a second the smoke that would last for a few hours started coming out his ears. Remus picked him up and started pacing the floor with him.

Harry fell back to sleep, and when he woke up he looked better and seemed more lively. The fever had broken, but he was covered in sweat. Remus was so relieved. He'd known the potion would work, but the idea of anything happening to Harry terrified him. He cleaned Harry with a charm to remove the sweat, and could tell the little boy was still not feeling totally well again. It would take several more doses of the potion to do that. Remus could have hexed himself for leaving Harry as long as he had. He knew he couldn't have kept Harry from getting sick, but he still blamed himself.

Harry wrapped his arms around Remus' neck, and the wizard hugged Harry tight. He'd been worried that Harry would be mad at him for being away so long.

"Get a grip Lupin. You were only away four days," he tried to tell himself. But four days of being ill with a high fever was a very long time, especially to a baby. He was lost in his own guilt until Harry touched his face. Then Harry babbled "Kohlit Moony," pointing to the table where the Dursleys had left a bar of chocolate. For the first time since that terrible Halloween night Remus laughed. Now that Harry was old enough to chew a little Remus had started giving him a small piece of chocolate when he had to leave, hoping the cheering effect would help make the separations easier on the baby. If Harry felt well enough to ask for chocolate he must be better.

Not wanting to take anything from the Dursleys Remus took a bar of the sweet from his own pocket, broke off a piece, and offered it to Harry. To his surprise, Harry pushed it back towards Remus' mouth. Harry hadn't been asking for the treat. He'd wanted Remus to have it. After all he'd been through, loosing his parents and being forced to live with relatives who despised him for just existing, his thoughts were of how to make Remus happy.

"You sure have your mother's kindness in you, wanting to be nice to me when you're not feeling well yourself. OK Harry. I'll have some. You have to have some too though, OK?"

"Tay," Harry answered, and they each took a piece of the candy.

Now that the immediate worries for Harry were taken care of, Remus took Harry into the next room where Petunia was taking care of Dudley's every whim. She looked fearfully at Remus, noticing the angry look in his eyes.

"I was under the impression that you were going to make sure things improve for Harry. I don't ever want to find him like this again. Now if you want the protection for your family you will make sure Harry has a decent room and decent things. If he is ill you will take him to a doctor. Understand?" Only the fact that he didn't want to frighten Harry kept him from shouting.

Petunia nodded, backing away holding her son as if Remus would suddenly glare at him and make him burst into flames or some such terrible thing.

"One other thing. Christmas is coming up. I will be taking Harry with me until after the holidays. Use that time to set up Harry's new room. If either you or your husband give any trouble about it…" Remus casually fingered the wand in his pocket and Petunia gulped. Normally he hated being feared. All his life people acted as if he'd transform if he was angry, not just during the full moon. As if he weren't enough of an outcast already. But this time he would use that fear. And it wasn't as if Petunia knew he was a werewolf anyway.

"Y-yes. Of course. There won't be any problems. I p-promise."

"Good. Harry and I will be back after New Year's. And you can be sure I'll continue to visit as often as before once he's back here."

Taking only enough time to gather a few bottles, diapers, and clothes for Harry, Remus and the baby left the house. If the Ministry found out, which they certainly would eventually, they wouldn't like it, but as long as Harry would be going back to Privet Drive the protection would hold, so it wasn't as if he was in any danger. Once outside they Apparated to Remus' apartment.

It was small and the furniture was as shabby looking as Remus's robes, but it was the best he could afford to rent, and there was no doubt Harry would be much happier there. Although Harry squirmed a bit after Apparating, he was already looking over every inch of the apartment, smiling as if he somehow knew the next few weeks would be the best he'd had in a long time. Remus cast a few spells and soon a crib with a mobile of golden snitches hanging above it and a heavy red quilt stood where an unused dresser had been, next to Remus' bed. A high chair had been magically added to the dining room, toys appeared next to the little boy, and everything else Remus could think of to make the place suitable for a baby had been taken care of.

Harry clapped his hands at each wonder the wizard created for him. It was more the magic than the items, and Remus was sure somehow Harry understood that this was part of a world that had once been dear and familiar to him, once again safe with someone who loved him. It would be just the two of them with no Dursleys to make life miserable, if only for a little while.