Here goes...

IS A WEREWOLF WORTH TRUSTING?

Harry didn't have his first lesson with Lupin to learn a "certain skill" until school was back in session and Harry was absolutely positive by this point that his D.A.D.A. professor was a werewolf, which frightened him, but it appeared the Potions Master was all right with him being there, which meant Harry had to trust him...right?

Wandering into the History of Magic classroom at eight o' clock on a Thursday night, far from the sanctity of his fellow Housemates and his Head of House, Harry felt about as vulnerable as he had in the Chamber of Secrets...okay...a little less, but damn close.

Lupin wasn't there, but he didn't have to wait long before the man arrived with a large packing case, which he claimed had a boggart inside it, not a dementor as he didn't think Harry would much appreciate a real dementor at this point in time. Harry did his best not to panic at the idea of being alone with a werewolf. What did he know about werewolves anyways? And Dumbledore let Lupin teach here and it was clear Snape was giving Lupin the Wolf'sbane potion, so he knew too and permitted it...well, he was probably silenced by Dumbledore, but that was beside the point. The staff had to all know and therefore they had to all trust him...especially trusting him with Harry alone while Sirius Black was on the loose.

He learned he would be trying to cast a Patronus Charm to dispell dementors by thinking up a happy thought and casting the spell, but this turned out to be incredibly difficult and several tries left Harry feeling rather weak and pathetic. He did share what he saw, which seemed to cause Lupin some distress. Finally, Harry was able to push the dementor back a little bit, enough for Lupin to cast the Riddikulus spell and Harry was able to sit down, feeling a little less weak and pathetic.

As they sat there, Harry gobbling down chocolate, Harry couldn't help the question bubbling up inside him and spilled out, "Are you a werewolf?"

The stunned look his professor gave him was enough of an answer, but Harry still gave the man a questioning look. He wanted to hear Lupin say it.

"Where did you hear this, Harry?"

"I didn't." Harry shook his head. "I've just kind of...you know...assumed...based off of evidence."

For some reason Harry felt like Sherlock Holmes all of a sudden, deducing that his professor was really a werewolf.

"You're very bright." Lupin murmured quietly. "Much like your mother. I'm not surprised you figured it out. You and Professor Snape seem rather close and he did assign the essay and you did finish it...faithfully."

There was a long pause before Harry finally asked, "So are you?"

Lupin sighed, suddenly looking even older and mumbled, "Yes, Harry. I am a werewolf."

"Oh." Harry wasn't sure how he felt at having this confirmation. He just quietly played with the wrapper of his finished candy bar.

"I have a question for you, Harry."

Harry's head lifted to look at the professor, mildly shocked by this, but he gave the go-ahead.

"Why Slytherin?"

This wasn't a question Harry had ever wanted to answer. He remembered how the hat hadn't given him much time to think about whether or not he could change its decision. He remembered the words "fame" and "glory" and, yet...he didn't feel like being Slytherin was helping him that direction at all really and he hadn't wanted to go that direction to begin with. "Fame" he already had and he didn't appreciate it and "glory"...sounded like a Gryffindor trait, didn't it? He just wanted to be happy...to get rid of Voldemort for good, thereby avenging his parents...and he wanted to then live a quiet happy life away from the media and danger. Sure, adventure was exciting, maybe even fun, and all, but people got hurt and he didn't like that at all. He didn't belong in Gryffindor and he wasn't smart enough for Ravenclaw nor was he very Hufflepuff-like whatever Hufflepuffs were (kind...gentle...dumb...). Slytherin, as it turned out upon a great deal of mulling over, was really what fit him as they prefered to stay clear of prying eyes, but they were rather...flashy despite this.

"I don't know." Harry finally said. "I think Slytherin...fits me. I mean...I don't know...the hat put me there and as I've been living there, I feel more and more like it's where I'm supposed to be."

"Being put into a House does that." Lupin nodded. "Even if you were meant...say, for Gryffindor and you had been put there, being there would have helped shape you into a Gryffindor. What we surround ourselves with often affect who we become."

Harry frowned. "I...like Slytherin. The Gryffindors just seem like a bunch of bullies and they're mean to me. Especially Ronald. He and his gang..."

"Gang...huh..." Lupin pursed his lips and then sighed heavily again, "So you're a Slytherin and you're friends with Professor Snape, is that it?"

"Is that wrong?" Harry tried to keep the venom from his voice, but it was almost impossible.

"I was just finding it ironic since...well, since your dad..."

"And Professor Snape didn't get on?" Harry shrugged at Lupin's shock. "The Headmaster told me...in my first year."

"And knowing this didn't bother you?"

"Not really. Professor Snape...he's...well, before you and besides the Headmaster, he's really the only one who's been nice to me...kind of like...the dad I never had...sort of."

Lupin's brows were high on his forehead at this, but he kept his gaze at the ceiling this time, leaned back in a casual position. "Your dad would be very shocked...very shocked indeed."

"I have another question."

"Go on."

"If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well, right?"

Lupin sat up straight very quickly and gave Harry a stunned look. "What gives you that idea?"

"Nothing...I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too..."

Lupin seemed to relax. "Yes, I knew him. Or I thought I did. Well, you'd better be off, Harry. It's getting late."

Posting this even though I totally could be adding more...I just don't feel like it. :P Hope you enjoy. I'm gonna try to stay awake so I don't get in trouble at work.

Review if you like, but please, understand the difference between constructive criticism and bullying someone into writing what you want to hear. This is my version. If you don't like it, write your own. It's not as if I'll sue you for it.

That said: I'll post again...sometime...next week...probably...hopefully...maybe Tuesday...maybe...