"Potter." Theo's voice was flat, his elegant fingers delicately pinching his nose as his eyes closed in exasperation.

Harry flinched, knowing that Theo only called him by his last name when he was frustrated beyond words. When Theo's eyes opened, Harry tried his best to give an innocent smile, though he was fairly certain it came out as more of a grimace.

Theo leveled his most unimpressed stare at Harry, the one that the shorter teen had rarely seen directed at him since they had become friends in the midst of the Heir of Slytherin debacle in second year, and never since they had started dating during their third year.

"Potter, are you seriously telling me that your insane amount of power has allowed you to become the youngest Animagus on record - beating out even your father and godfather, by the way - and you're mad about it ?" Theo shook his head with obvious disbelief. "The amount of self-deprecation that a wizard of your power can sink to shall never cease to amaze me."

Lowering his hand from his face, Theo watched as Harry flinched away. He carefully controlled the rage that filled him at the Muggles his boyfriend was forced to stay with every summer, and at the Headmaster that forced the issue. Rage wasn't what Harry needed right now, even if Theo wasn't yet exactly sure what he did need.

Keeping his movements slow and exaggerated, Theo reached out to grasp Harry's hands. He gently pried them apart, stopping the younger boy from tearing at his cuticles. Clenching the calloused fingers in his own manicured hands, Theo soothed his thumbs across the abused fingers before bringing them to his mouth to kiss softly.

Pushing the rage even further behind his Occlumency shields, he took care to make his voice as soothing as possible when he spoke again. "Perhaps if you could tell me why you're so upset about this, I could help you figure out a solution."

Harry pulled his right hand free, using it to tug at his hair as he gave a frustrated growl, searching for the right words to explain his dissatisfaction. "I'm no more powerful than you, or anyone else in our year, Theo." He ignored the scoff his boyfriend gave at that, still searching for a way to explain without spilling anyone's secrets.

Finally deciding that if he was going to date Theo, he had to trust him, Harry took a deep breath. He tugged at his hair one last time, then grabbed Theo's hand again. Emerald green eyes locked with deep blue, and Harry took another breath, reaching for his Gryffindor courage. "I told you about my dad and his friends becoming Animagi. They started in their second year and succeeded in their fifth. What I didn't tell you is why they did it."

Theo nodded slowly, thinking back to when Harry had started his own Animagus transformation at the beginning of their third year. Harry had explained about the Marauders, that his dad was one, and that three of the four had become Animagi. He had talked through the time frame they had done it in, and if Theo thought back hard enough, he was pretty sure Harry had even mentioned the forms two of them took. He never talked about the other two Marauders, and Theo had tried to respect that boundary, even though he was curious.

It had been before they had started dating, and Theo had been too busy watching Harry's lips move to really pay attention to all of the words he was saying. He thought hard, trying to remember the specifics, but they were few and far between. Overall, Theo remembered he had left that conversation with the impression that Harry wanted to gain his Animagus form as a way of connecting with his dad.

"Your dad was a deer, right?" He spoke quietly, not wanting to stop Harry from talking now that he had started.

Harry smiled faintly. "A stag, but close enough, I suppose." His voice took on a teasing tone as he continued, "And here I thought you didn't listen when I'm talking to you."

Theo smirked, glad to be back on somewhat familiar ground. "Of course I listen, Harry, but you can hardly blame me if your mouth is bloody distracting."

Harry frowned slightly as he thought back. "I didn't think we were dating when we had that conversation."

Theo's smirk turned into a feral smile. "Oh, we weren't. If we had been, no doubt that mouth would have been too busy with activities far more pleasurable than talking." He watched with pleasure and his smile turned more genuine as an absolutely captivating blush spread across his boyfriend's tan cheeks.

"Theoooooo."

His boyfriend was clearly shooting for a stern tone, but his voice trailed into a whine at the end, his lower lip sticking out in a pout.

Giving into temptation, Theo leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Harry's chapped lips. He pulled back before he could get carried away. As much as he loved to get lost in the very essence of Harry, he was anxious to find out why his boyfriend was so bothered.

Keeping Harry close, Theo put his mouth next to the brunet's ear and practically breathed the words, his mouth barely moving. "Tell me what's wrong, love. I only want to help."

Harry shivered at the endearment, as Theo had known he would. Even before they had started dating, Theo had noticed how Harry reacted to being called various names, both friendly and not. How the smaller boy leaned into any favorable touch, no matter how small. He had quietly vowed to touch Harry as often as he was allowed, starting with gentle claps on the shoulder or one-armed their friendship had grown and Theo had felt his feelings deepen, he had slowly made his hugs longer and the claps became caresses, before he finally worked his nerve up to press a chaste kiss to Harry's cheek just before the Express had pulled into King's Cross at the beginning of the Christmas holidays.

He was pulled from his thoughts as Harry pulled back, then reached out and tangled their fingers together. The smaller boy took a deep breath, then blurted, "Professor Lupin was one of the Marauders."

Theo was silent for a moment, trying to sort through what had just been revealed. "So… that was before he was – bitten?"

Harry's shoulders stiffened and he pulled his hand from Theo's. Theo pulled his public mask into place, determined not to show how much that instinctive action had hurt him. It was clear that he had misstepped in the conversation, but he couldn't fix it until he figured out what he had done.

Harry's voice was low and cold when he answered. "No. Remus was bitten as a child. He had never known anything but the pain and stigma of being a werewolf until he came to Hogwarts and met the other Marauders." His voice grew bitter as he continued, "His own parents kept him locked up, as though he was a beast."

Those few words - and the tone they were spoken in - filled Theo in on more than Harry had likely intended. His boyfriend never purposely talked about his childhood, but Theo had been able to put quite a bit together from comments and reactions over the last couple of years. As more pieces slotted into place, Theo swallowed back the first harsh words that wanted to pour out. It wouldn't do to make Harry think Theo was angry with him. No, he would save that anger, and someday, he would have a discussion with those disgusting Muggles.

"...sert Remus!" Harry's voice had risen, and Theo shook his head, realizing he had gotten so lost in his thoughts that he had missed what Harry was saying.

Before he could gather his thoughts enough to try to respond, Harry was shoving his hands through his hair, practically vibrating with his frustration. "I just… I know I can't be a replacement. Those shoes are way too big for me to fill. But I wanted to- to-" Harry's breath exploded from his lungs as he growled in annoyance.

The door to their carriage rattled, and Theo quickly shot locking and silencing spells at the door to keep people out. He vaguely heard Harry mumbling under his breath, and thought he caught the words, "...so much easier in my head," somewhere in there. Satisfied that nobody would be bursting in on them any time soon, he reached out and gently untangled Harry's fingers from his hair, then gripped them in his own.

"You can tell me anything, love, I hope you know that. I won't judge you, or look down on you. I just want to help." He kept his voice calm and felt the exact moment that the tension released from Harry's fingers.

A smile flashed across Harry's face, then he squeezed gently. "I know. I know you won't judge me . But I don't want you judging my family, either."

Theo felt his mask slip before he could stop it and Harry laughed lightly. "I don't mean the Dursleys. I meant my real family. My friends. Sirius and Remus. You. The people that matter most to me."

At that, Theo tugged his hand free and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. He held him tightly until he felt the tension start to drain, then pressed his lips against a soft ear and started speaking quietly. "I would do anything for you, Harry, and that includes accepting whomever you consider family. I may never be completely comfortable with Lupin, or want to spend a full moon in his vicinity, but outside of the full moon, I will either be nice or I will be quiet. I will do nothing to cause discord amongst your loved ones. You are my- you are mine, Harry Potter, and I will not allow anything to change that."

Harry pulled back and searched his eyes, and Theo concentrated on leaving his mask down so the younger boy could see whatever he was looking for.

After a few moments, Harry dropped his gaze and nodded. His voice was quiet when he started to speak, and Theo had to lean closer to hear him. "My dad and his friends became Animagi so they could run with Moony, and I wanted to do the same. Not to- not to replace my dad, I know I could never do that. But as a way of connecting with him, somehow? But my Animagus form… well, it isn't exactly suited to running with a werewolf."

Theo hummed thoughtfully, trying to figure out the best way to respond to Harry's concerns. He took a slow breath, then spoke slowly. "Harry. Please… may I see your Animagus form?"

Harry stared at him silently and Theo cursed internally, thinking he had upset his boyfriend. He looked away, no longer able to handle the piercing green eyes.

Closing his eyes, Theo took a deep breath, trying to steady himself enough to bring his Occlumency shields up. Before he had succeeded, he felt something soft brush against his fingers, and his eyes popped back open.

"Merlin, Harry, you're absolutely adorable!" Theo exclaimed, delighted at the sight of his normally tense boyfriend reduced to a fluffy kitten.

Harry hissed at him and Theo laughed. "Well, if that doesn't demonstrate what I want to say perfectly, I don't know what would." He sobered quickly when he felt sharp claws flex into his leg, a clear warning.

"Okay. Okay, I do understand why you're upset, Harry. But will you allow me to tell you why I think your Animagus form fits you perfectly?"

Bright green eyes gazed at him steadily, but Harry didn't move to shift back to his human form. Theo took that as permission.

Lowering his voice, he quietly murmured, "You're cuddly, when you're in the mood to be. Feisty when you're not. You're so bloody obvious and open with your love when it's on your terms, but even to those you care about your claws can come out and scratch, sometimes when you don't intend it." At that, the claws that had been pricking Theo's leg were quickly retracted and he smirked.

"In your human form, you have a sharp tongue. You rarely use it to be purposely cruel, but you're more than capable of doing so. And your sass is practically legendary by this point."

There was a noise almost like a hiss, and Theo quickly looked back down at the kitten that was now sitting fully on his lap. Seeing clear amusement on the kitten's face, it didn't take Theo long to figure out that the strange noise had been Harry's Animagus version of laughter.

"I know you want to run with the were- with Lupin. I don't know a lot about werewolves, but everything I have read suggests that they will go to any lengths to protect those they see as their pack. Doesn't he call you 'cub'?"

The small kitten gave a nod, and Theo hummed thoughtfully. "Precautions would need to be in place obviously, but I really think the fact that he sees you as a part of his pack will protect you. Maybe an introduction in your Animagus form close to the moon, so the wolf is closer to the surface but Lupin is still in control would be a good starting place…" He trailed off, deep in thought about the safest ways to introduce his boyfriend's Animagus form to the werewolf.

Theo didn't realize how far he had sunk into his own mind until he felt paws hit his chest and a small head butt against his chin. He looked down and met bright green eyes, looking at him in concern, the small body tense.

Shifting his arms to scoop the kitten close to his chest, Theo nuzzled his nose into the soft fur. "We'll figure this out, Harry. There's nothing you can't do, and I promise to be by your side the entire time."

Harry continued to watch Theo for several long seconds. Finally, he stood from Theo's arms, leaped to his shoulder, and licked his cheek. That done, he climbed back down and curled on his boyfriend's lap, content to sleep the rest of the way to Hogwarts.