I've been made aware that FF's smallprint in a notification passed several people by - you have to actively sign up to get email notifications. It's on your accounts settings.
This one is for Remus fans; the assumption being that the wolf objected to being told to stay away from Harry for his own good when James and Lily never minded; and that Remus manages to man up enough and grow a pair of Alpha ones
Wolfpack
The old man's words rang in Remus's ears and made the wolf within him howl in concert with the roaring in his ears.
"I'm sorry, my boy, but I can't let you approach Harry. You're too much of a danger to him, and it's best not to let him even know you for now."
The wolf howled again, and Remus, on his way out of Hogwarts, leaned on the wall to try not to pass out.
Use the wolf and let his rage work so I can help you.
Who had spoken? Remus did not care.
He put back his head and howled.
Up in the headmaster's office, Dumbledore shuddered. One tended to forget that the mild-mannered Remus Lupin could really be dangerous. But he despised the idea of embracing his inner wolf, something Dumbledore had encouraged him in. It made the poor lad hurt himself more each month, and aged him, but it was for the greater good that he never found out that he could possibly depend more on the wolf within than on the mighty Albus Dumbledore, who held his leash.
Inside Remus, several compulsions broke. Compulsions which should not have taken on a werewolf, had he not been subject to will-weakening potions at the vulnerable age of pre-pubescence, when Dumbledore had used a combination of alchemy and charm work to tie the boy's loyalties to him as an alpha, convincing him that the boy was an omega.
The howl of rage was not forced this time, and anyone observing would have seen that Remus's eyes had gone yellow.
That's better, said the voice. Keep your hands on my walls. I am Hogwarts and I have a duty of care to all my pupils. You will find Harry with his mother's sister. Remember all the conversations with Lily and you will be able to use muggle means to find him. Be safe, Remus, and go to Gringotts. As a beneficiary of the Potter will, they can show you privately their copy, and execute it, and help you to become Harry's guardian. Let them see the warrior within; they will respect you more.
Thank you, Hogwarts, said Remus, grimly. Warrior! Well, he would fight, and if need be, die for his cub.
Something silvery fluttered down in front of him.
It was James's invisibility cloak! Hogwarts had retrieved it... did that mean Dumbledore had it?
The headmaster asked to borrow it shortly before James and Lily were killed, said Hogwarts.
Remus howled again.
If James had had the cloak on that Halloween night...
Did Albus Dumbledore know?
He did not have to wait for confirmation from Hogwarts to be aware that Dumbledore knew.
...
Remus stood on Privet Drive, assessing number 4. He had a clipboard in his hand, and made a mark every time a car went past. One more traffic counter, invisible to the residents by having a believable job, rather than being someone loitering with intent. He was nicely dressed, having accessed the account set up for him, less reluctantly than he might have had, since James had insisted that he take on the job of House Potter Steward, to assist Sirius in bringing Harry up. If only James had known how Sirius would betray the Potters! It behoved a steward to dress for the job, and Remus had nice muggle clothes and some good robes, and wore the steward's ring. He had also been to Brighton to check out the Potter holiday home hidden between one and three Vine Place, between Brighton and Hove. It was a 17th century cottage, which shuffled apologetically into view between the terrace houses when he tapped his steward's ring on the join between the properties.
It would be a good healthy place to rear Harry, and Remus planned to buy number one as well, as a convenience address for schools and the like. He had called for any Potter elves, and had found that only two remained, an ageing couple forced to work at Hogwarts; their children had been sold.
Remus's anger and wolf-powered magical emanations allowed a young elf named Dobby to break his bonds with the Malfoys, and return to his parents.
He had needed a lot of healing.
Dumbledore was responsible for this as well.
The wolf was not happy.
"My pack," he growled. "You will find out where the others were sold. We will retrieve all we may."
Lobby and Kissa nodded, unafraid of Mr. Wolfy, who had always been courteous to them.
And so, Remus watched, saw Petunia take her fat little lard-ball out to play in the park, which as Vernon was at work meant that Harry was alone in the house.
Remus crossed the street, and walked up the drive. He made as if to knock, and murmured, 'alohamora.' He let himself in, making out that he shook hands with someone before doing so.
He sniffed. He could smell Harry.
And he could smell Harry in the cupboard under the stairs.
The wolf within howled again.
More unlocking spells, and he was peering into a dirty, spider-ridden space into the green eyes of Lily and her son.
"Mooey?" said Harry.
"Yes, it's Unca Moony," said Remus. "Come on, pup; we're going home."
Arms covered in bruises from pinches reached up to him. The child stank, and was dressed only in a nappy put on cruelly tight, despite it being November. A nappy? Harry was eighteen months old, for goodness sake, and long since potty trained. Plainly Petunia considered letting him use a potty too much trouble. His ribs were bruised too, and the side of his face.
Remus picked Harry up, went into the kitchen, and turned on the gas oven and hobs. He used an old trick, lighting a match, and jamming it back into a matchbox, so that when it burned down it would ignite all the other match tops. By the time it did so, the gas should have reached it.
He apparated away with Harry.
v
A later enquiry had Dudley Dursley taken into care, and Petunia indicted for child endangerment, having left her nephew alone at home where he had plainly been playing with matches and the gas. She had burst out that he could not have done so, having been locked in the cupboard under the stairs; and the charges became child abuse, and Petunia's shock at returning from the park to find her house blown up rattled her enough to involve Vernon in the abuse.
Dudley was up for adoption whilst his parents served long terms of imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the wards fell the instant Remus told Harry they were going home, but by the time Dumbledore had got there, 4 Privet Drive was a pile of rubble, and a hysterical Petunia was telling the police that there was nobody home but her nephew.
As Harry was now behind a fidelius put up by Remus, with Dobby as the secret keeper, the old meddler reeled in horror when his tracking charm failed. The saviour of the world was dead! He would have to plan with care, and if he was to replace Harry with Neville, then he would have to deal with the horcruxes himself.
All because the stupid Dursleys took to abusing the boy, rather than just keeping him humble, and doubtless the explosion was caused by some freak outburst of accidental magic. Petunia must have left the oven on, and Harry had burst out of the cupboard where Dumbledore had planted the suggestion would make a good bedroom for a freak to protect the Dursleys from him.
After all, Harry had a bit of Tom in him, and it would be rapidly apparent whether the original Potter child dominated, or whether Tom was in charge, in which case, losing a muggle family was unfortunate, but at least proved that Harry needed to die as soon as possible, rather than merely to kill that part of Tom.
And nobody questioned had seen anyone else in the neighbourhood; because who sees men with clipboards?
v
Harry was a bit nervous at first, but he had not been being slapped about for long, and soon bounced back into the happy baby Remus knew. He asked about Mamma and Dadda, of course, but Remus told him they could not be there right now. He and Sirius had always babysat, though Harry had disliked Peter. How Sirius could...
Remus froze.
Of a dog or a rat, dogs are man's best friend and rats are... well, rats.
He wrote to the DMLE for a transcript of the trial, as a friend of James Potter, asking if there could not be a mistake. Explosions don't leave one cleanly cut finger, and he pointed out that Peter was an unregistered rat animagus.
If Peter was dead, this would not hurt him; but if Sirius was innocent, it behoved his last living friend to make some effort to rescue him.
v