Don't own Harry Potter
Chapter 5- All or Nothing
Remus stood in the courtroom, his eyes on the baby who was being held by one of the Ministry officials. In a short while the wait would be over. The werewolf could only be grateful that he'd had a chance to recover from the last full moon, and hope that those making the decision would want what was best for Harry without letting prejudice play a role.
"Remus Lupin." Fudge spoke Remus' name as if the werewolf were a criminal condemned to receive a dementor's kiss. Remus acknowledged that he'd heard him with a nod but didn't say anything.
"You consider yourself able to raise a child?"
"Yes, I do," Remus stated simply, hoping he sounded confident enough to convince everyone of what he was not convinced of himself.
"You have a steady job?"
"I have a position waiting for me at a school in London, not far from my apartment. I will be starting there as a literature professor at the beginning of next month."
Fudge looked confused.
"There is no wizard school in that area."
Remus knew some wizards and witches were almost as much against muggles as against werewolves, but there was only one answer he could give.
"It's a muggle school."
Everyone seemed stunned and suspicious that a wizard had accepted a such a position.
"Why at that particular school?"
Remus wasn't sure how to answer that. What could he say? That no wizard or witch would give him a chance at a job? He didn't want to bring up his illness until he had to, so he merely said "I have my reasons. Let's just say everything I've done since Harry's parents died was done with the intention of helping Harry. As long as it's a job that provides money to raise Harry what does it matter whether it's a wizard job or a muggle one?"
This wasn't going the way he'd hoped at all, although Fudge didn't give an answer.
"And you've known the baby in question for some time, is that correct?"
Finally a question Remus could feel good about answering.
"Since the day he was born. I have been helping to raise him since late November. In fact I've been the one taking care of almost all his needs. I knew his father and mother since we started school at Hogwarts together. We've always been like family."
"What about the baby's remaining birth family? Have they agreed to this?"
Remus had gotten the Dursleys to sign a paper that said they agreed to give up any rights they had to keep Harry. Since they'd never applied to adopt him there weren't many legal tie ups over that. All he'd had to do was tell them he'd bring Harry to their house for a few weeks each year to keep the blood protection, and they had been more than happy to be rid of their nephew.
"Willingly," Remus answered.
"The Ministry has been informed that Harry is currently protected by staying with his mother's sister. Do you have means of protecting him?"
"I have several charms protecting my home, including a Fidelius charm…"
"Hem hem." The witch in the pink dress Remus had talked to on the day he'd first applied to adopt Harry interrupted. "I believe the Potters also had their home protected by a Fidelius charm? It is no guarantee of the child's safety." She gave what must have been intended to look like a polite smile. Remus clenched his fists, but kept calm.
"Lily and James were betrayed by their secret keeper. That's not going to happen this time. And there are other protections in place. Besides, Harry will visit his relatives part of each year to keep that protection." He had chosen Arthur Weasley as his secret keeper.
"The Potters believed the same of their secret keeper." The witch gave that same irritating smile. Remus did not have an answer to that. Just then Harry decided he didn't want to be held by any Ministry official. He wanted the man who had become his only friend.
"Moony," the baby cried, reaching out to Remus. Poor Remus couldn't help wishing Harry had kept quiet, or at least not used that name for him. Unfortunately it hadn't escaped Fudge's notice.
"Moony? Was the baby calling you that?"
"Er- it's just a nickname he's heard used for me."
Fudge wasn't convinced.
"Any particular reason for that nickname?"
"Hem hem."
Why couldn't that pink toad shut up?
"I believe the nickname is an appropriate one. Surely everyone here is aware that Mr. Lupin is a werewolf?" She said it in a voice as sweet as honey, but with intent that was pure poison. She'd just been waiting for her chance to ruin everything.
There was a buzz of murmuring. Remus felt as if he'd been his full force with the cruciatus curse. He'd counted on the witch's comment about Harry being safer with his relatives than with him not meaning what he thought it had. He'd hoped the Ministry hadn't bothered checking the werewolf registry. It was all over now. He had only one defense left, and could only pray it would work.
"No parent would want their child locked in a cupboard. And Lily and James wanted Harry left with me."
Fudge looked at Remus as though he were insane, which no doubt he thought every werewolf was. He didn't even seem to hear what Remus said about how the Dursleys treated Harry.
"I believe the Potter's will stated they wished Sirius Black to be Harry's guardian, and since Sirius Black is currently in Azkaban for betraying them, murdering thirteen muggles and the wizard Peter Petigrew, that is impossible."
"The will states in the event Sirius is unable to care for Harry, custody of Harry goes to me. I have a copy of the will with me if you would care to see it."
There was another round of murmuring, and the witch dressed in pink said "I don't believe this. Why has this even come to a hearing? An extremely dangerous half breed awarded custody of a helpless baby?"
If they'd listen, Remus could have told them he'd never bitten anyone and would never take the chance of doing so, especially with Harry. He'd always made sure he was locked up every full moon. Well, except for those monthly outings at Hogwarts. But even then he'd never bitten anyone, and he'd become a lot more careful since then.
"Unfortunately the law does not outright state that a werewolf can not apply to adopt." Fudge said, sounding almost terrified of what he might have to do "I don't think there's ever been a case of a werewolf trying such a thing. It's simply never come up. I didn't even think to check."
"Does the will have to be upheld?" someone else asked.
"The Wizengamont will take a recess until tomorrow morning at ten to determine this. The child will be placed with a Ministry family for the night."
"No. Please. At least let Harry stay with me for the night."
"Our decision has been made about that matter. Tomorrow you will know our decision about the adoption. Good day Mr. Lupin."
Remus felt like he'd already lost. He could tell that once Fudge knew he was a werewolf he would do everything he could to break the will's binding magic. And the Minister had the entire Wizengamont to help him do it. Fudge didn't care if Remus loved Harry and Harry loved him back. All Fudge saw Remus as was a dangerous animal. He probably thought the werewolf only wanted Harry to bite him and raise him to hate wizards the way Remus had heard at least one werewolf was doing. He forced himself to watch for Harry's sake as the baby was taken away, reaching out to him the whole while, for what would probably be the last time they'd ever see each other. Poor Harry was crying again, not understanding why Remus wasn't taking him. And there was nothing he could do about it.
That night, Remus sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the crib where Harry had slept during that happy Christmas holiday. What would happen to the child now? No doubt the Ministry would find some way around the will, and then what? The Dursleys had signed away their rights to Harry, so would he be put in a wizard orphanage? Who would end up adopting him? He hoped it would be some nice family like the Weasleys, but he knew the Weasleys themselves could barely afford the children they had, so they wouldn't be the ones allowed to have him. Would it be some family that only wanted Harry because of his money and his name? And no matter what, any family that adopted Harry wouldn't want a werewolf coming to visit. He'd never know if Harry was happy in his new home or not. He buried his face in his hands.
"I'm so sorry James," he said in a choked voice as he looked at the stars through the window, wondering if James and Lily were somewhere out there together. "I tried. I've done all I can."
Remus sat the rest of the night, wishing evil on Voldemort, every death eater he could think of, and most especially the werewolf who bit him. If only he weren't a werewolf, he might have been trusted enough to be secret keeper and Harry's real parents would still be alive. If only he weren't a werewolf he could have gotten custody of Harry easily. So many "if onlys" went through his frantic mind, but all of them started with "If only I weren't a werewolf."
Maybe it was better this way. Maybe now Harry could have a normal life with a normal wizard family, never having to worry that he had once known a werewolf. No. He told himself he had to stop thinking that way.
The next morning Remus entered the courtroom looking worse than he ever had during a full moon. He hadn't slept at all. His normally gentle amber eyes were bloodshot, his face was red with tension, and his hair somehow had more gray in it even though he was only twenty two. His knuckles were white from his hands being clenched. He'd made himself look as tidy as possible though, telling himself he wouldn't give up. He was Harry's only real chance, and he had to keep fighting for him, even if there was nothing he could do except try to stay strong.
"Mr. Lupin?" Remus looked up, taking only a second to look at Harry, who was squirming like he was trying to escape the official who held him.
"The Wizengamont would never freely allow a werewolf to adopt a child, but in this case it appears we have no choice."
Remus stared. Was Fudge actually saying what he hoped he had said?
"The binding magic of the Potters' will is unbreakable. Custody of Harry James Potter is granted to Remus Lupin."
Many members of the Wizengamont groaned, and the official who handed Harry to Remus jumped backwards as soon as he baby was in the werewolf's arms. But it didn't matter to anymore to Remus what any of them thought. The only thing that mattered was he had Harry now, and would be able to do his best to give the child he loved so much a better life.
The end