Author note-Thanks for indulging me in a couple of little cliffhangers. Enjoy and please Review. 😊
Chapter 44
The Wolf and The Kitten
Severus swallowed hard as he watched Black creep closer to Lupin. The wolf hadn't moved at all. He was just lying there. Though Severus could see his side moving. He was clearly still breathing.
He could feel the sweat on his palms and a slight tremor in his hand. He felt frozen to the spot. Torn between wanting to flee the beast and wanting to help the man.
Black made a low whining noise and gently nosed at Lupins paw. The black dogs' yellow eyes flicked up to Severus. He could tell Black was worried even in this form. His eyes begged for Severus to do something. Severus took a deep breath and stepped forward.
When the wolf paid him no mind he took another hesitant step.
Black went back to his whining and nosing at Lupin.
Severus froze when the wolfs head rose off of its paws and it made a quiet whimpering noise. He looked back and forth between the two dogs. He waited for any sign of what was happening.
Then to Severus relief Black rubbed his muzzle against the wolf before taking a step back and popping back into his human form.
"It's okay. He's okay." Black said, reaching out his hand and gently running it between the wolf's ears.
Severus released a breath and walked closer.
"Can you communicate with him?" Severus asked walking up next to Black.
"Yeah, it's not quite the same as talking as a human though. The thoughts are simpler. Like an animal. He's exhausted." Black said as he continued to pet the wolf.
Severus nodded.
"That's common with the first Animagus transformation. You and your friends might not have noticed it as much since you were young, but those who undertake the process later and life usually need a day to recover. Lupin will be a bit of a study. His body is used to the transformations, but it is weaker because of the trauma it has sustained." Severus explained.
Severus was now thankful for the extensive studying he had done about werewolves when he was younger.
Black nodded.
"I…um…I want to thank you Severus." Black said, turning to look up at him.
"You didn't have to do this. You didn't have to be here. But you are. You didn't have to look for Harry when he was missing. You didn't have to take him in. You didn't have to take care of him, but you have. I'm thankful for what you have done for my family. It's much more than I deserve." Black said, keeping his eyes on Severus.
Severus was shocked by the honesty on Black's face.
"I also want to apologize." Black said, glancing back down at Lupin.
"I was horrid to you in school. I hated my family. They were cruel and…and they were especially cruel to me. When I came to Hogwarts, I just wanted to push everything they wanted me to be away. I didn't care about blood purity. I didn't want to be a Slytherin. I hated the Dark Arts. I guess once James set his sights on you, you became the symbol of all the things I hated. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. And I'm sorry. James was too." Black said.
Severus clenched his jaw. He knew that Sirius and Regulus had been abused by their parents. Though Regulus had never confided in him, the Blacks were well known. Deep in the dark arts and crazy. It wasn't a leap to draw the conclusion that they hurt their children. There pureblood mania was unparalleled. Severus had known plenty of Purebloods in his life. The ones that believed in there superiority would do nearly anything to make others believe it too. Even hurting and threatening their children into sharing their beliefs.
"I also want to apologize for that last prank we pulled. I was hurting and angry. I could have gotten you killed. I didn't even care then. I only really felt remorse when I realized that if you had been killed, that they would have killed Remus. He wouldn't talk to me for weeks. I thought he'd never talk to me again. James was furious. I know having a shitty home life isn't an excuse. We were assholes. I just want you to know I am sorry. I can look back now and see it. See how what we were doing was making a bigger rift between people. We were just kids. And we were staring down a war. A war that took my best mate. Some of my best friends. My brother." Black said shakily, raising a hand and angerly wiping his face.
Severus looked away from Black and into the woods that surrounded the property. He took several deep breaths as he took in what Black had said.
"Now were facing it all again. Who will we lose this time? I worry Harry won't make it out of this war. Voldemort is too focused on him. How many times can Harry facedown that psychopath and walk away?" Black said with a sigh.
Severus heard Lupin whine and looked down again. Black had his head leaned down against the wolf's head.
Severus swallowed thickly. He also worried about the boy. He had long ago sworn to protect him. Now though he wanted to for the boy himself. Not just for Lily but for Harry. He was a good kid who hadn't deserved the life he had been handed.
He thought about what Sirius had said.
"We were two abused boys pitted against each other by the colors on our ties. I don't think you were the cause of the rift between houses, it has always existed. People want to have a 'them' to blame for the problems in the world. I wasn't a saint Black. I was also hurting and angry. I, like you, had few friends and wanted to blame all of my problems on someone. It cost me my best friend. I think we can bury the past. It only holds ghosts. I also fear for the boy's safety, and I will do what I can to keep him safe." Severus said looking towards the ground near Black and Lupin.
To Severus' surprise Black stood and stepped closer to him. Then he extended his hand.
Severus looked from the hand back to the man's face before nodding. He took Black's hand in a quick but firm handshake.
Severus could feel things finally changing. Perhaps there was a chance for redemption after all.
Black nodded before he looked back down at Lupin.
"What should we do?" Black asked.
Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The adrenaline had worn off and the emotional upheaval of Black's apology had left him exhausted as well.
"He should attempt to shift back if he can. If he can't I will help you get him to the house where he can rest until he has the energy to do so." Severus said.
"Right." Black said with a nod.
Black popped back into the dog and walked back over to the wolf. There were whines and whimpers and then with a pop Lupin was back in human form curled on his side.
Severus stepped forward to look the man over. He seemed physically uninjured.
Black popped back into human form.
"Will you help me?" Black asked.
Severus nodded and they each reached down and took one of Remus' arms before pulling him to his feet.
Once he was up, they slung his arms over their shoulders and walked the short distance back to the porch.
When they made it inside, they walked down a narrow hallway and into a room. Severus helped Black get Lupin on the bed and then exited the room. He stood awkwardly in the living room debating whether or not to leave.
"Thank you." Black's voice said from behind him.
Severus nodded.
"Do you think it has worked? If he does the transformation's every morning, do you think the full moon will be like Harry described?" Black asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
Severus took a deep breath before he spoke.
"It was previously believed that a werewolf could not become an Animagus. We have accomplished that. Lupin's ability to shift back on his own proves that. I think that the silver color that we saw in the potion and the silver substance that Lupin was coughing up were part of the Lycanthropy curse. So, yes, I believe there is some likelihood that this has been successful. We won't know for sure until the full moon." Severus said thoughtfully.
Black nodded and sighed.
"The next full moon will be the night before Harry's birthday. We are hoping to have him with us by his birthday. I think it would be amazing to spend the moon with him and Remus…. But I know it's not safe." Black said with a sigh.
Severus nodded. It wasn't a safe idea. If they knew for sure that this had worked, it wouldn't be an issue. However, until they knew, Severus wouldn't agree to it. Lupin wouldn't have wolfsbane this month since this potion was supposed to replace it. However, a werewolf without wolfsbane was unpredictable and dangerous. They wouldn't be able to predict Lupin's behavior until the night of the full moon.
"I'm sure that if this works Lupin will be well enough to celebrate the boy's birthday. If you have yet to get the wards in place perhaps you can spend the day with him at the school." Severus suggested.
Black sighed and nodded.
"How long do you think Remus will be like this?" Black said, gesturing down the hall.
Severus brows furrowed.
"I would suspect only a few hours. He will likely be sore and tired today, but I think he should be back to normal by tomorrow morning when he needs to shift again. The subsequent shifts should not be as tiring." Severus said.
Black nodded.
"Is he in pain?" Severus asked.
Black shook his head.
"No. just tired." Black said.
"Very well. I'll leave this here. If he's not better in four hours have him take it. If that doesn't help him floo me and I will come back and check on him." Severus said holding out a pepper-up potion that he had pulled from his pocket.
Black nodded and took the vial.
"Thank you again." Black said.
"Your welcome, Black." Severus said with a nod, heading to the fireplace.
"You can call me Sirius if you like. I was never very fond of being a Black." Black said off-handedly.
Severus looked over his shoulder and could see the stress in the man. He knew it was a simple request. However, it was a big step for them. Two people who had spent a lifetime fighting. He didn't want to fight with people he was supposed to be on the same side as anymore. He was no longer even pretending to be a Death Eater. He could be himself. He could accept the man's offer of peace and his apology.
Severus nodded.
"Have a good day, Sirius." Severus said as he tossed the floo powder in and went back to Spinner's End.
Harry gasped as he felt himself sink. His mouth was full of pond water. His heart pounded and his mind raced.
Harry closed his eyes. He forced his mind to clear as his feet hit the bottom of the pond.
He held his hand out and imagined the water pushing away from him. The crushing pressure of the water around him disappeared.
Opening his eyes he coughed up water and looked around him. He was standing in a swirling hole in the middle of the pond. Even the rain seemed to be running away from the little bubble around him.
Harry looked around quickly hoping to spot Edgar.
He gasped when he saw the little black kitten just outside his bubble. Harry raised his hand and summoned the cat.
Edgar's limp body flew into his arms.
"No!" Harry cried, cuddling the little creature to his body.
The storm continued to boom around him as Harry cried. He rubbed the soaking wet fur.
Harry's heart clenched. Why hadn't he just summoned Edgar from the edge of the pond? He was so stupid. He could have saved him. He pulled the wet cat closer to himself. He needed to get out of the pond before someone saw him.
Harry took slow steps back towards the tree. To his amazement the bubble moved with him.
When he was back on the soggy bank of the pond he fell to his knees. He laid Edgar gently on the ground and continued to rub his side. Tears trickled down Harry's face.
Then something surprising happened. The kitten coughed and water poured out of his little mouth. Harry gasped and kept rubbing the kitten's side. A pitiful mew came from the cat and Harry let out a choked laugh.
Edgar was alive.
"Oh god. Oh god. You're alive." Harry babbled.
The bubble around them seemed to disappear and the rain began to pelt them again. Harry held out his hand and summoned his bag. He quickly shrunk it and shoved it in his pocket before scooping up the weak kitten and cradling it to his chest.
Harry coughed hard and grabbed his chest. His lungs burned even more than they had before. A shiver ran through his body as he got to his feet. He needed to get Edgar to Snape. He was still too weak. He could still die. He wouldn't let him down again.
With all the energy he had, he ran through the pelting rain with the kitten clutched to his chest.
Severus stepped out of the floo and sighed. It was only just after ten in the morning, and he was ready to go back to bed.
He flinched slightly as the house shook with a loud clap of thunder. He stepped over to the window and looked out. Rain was coming down in buckets. Well, he supposed he would need to wait on going to check on Harry.
The thunder continued to boom right over the house. He hoped it would end soon. He had never minded rain, but the loud and unpredictable thunder had always put him on edge. It reminded him of his father's drunken rages through the house. The slamming of doors and breaking of cheap dishes on the kitchen walls.
With a deep sigh he entered his bedroom and stripped off his outer layers. He stunk of stress sweat and his body was starting to ache from the tension in his muscles earlier. He stripped off the rest of his clothing in disgust and headed for the bathroom. A long hot shower was what he needed.
Severus had just stepped out of the shower when he heard the phone ring. He groaned. He was hoping to get in comfortable clothes, and then settle in with a good book and a warm cup of tea.
He wrapped his towel around his waist and quickly made his way down the stairs to the kitchen.
The phone let out another loud ring just as he reached for it.
"Hello." Severus grumbled.
"Severus! Where have you been? This is the third time I've called!" Mary chided through the phone.
Severus felt his stomach clench. Mary never called more than once. What had happened?
"What's wrong?" Severus asked urgently.
"Is Harry there?" Mary asked.
Severus brows scrunched together. No, the boy wasn't in the house. He hadn't seen any sign of him having been there.
"No. Why?" Severus asked.
There was some soft cursing on the other side of the line.
"He came to the shop an hour ago, ill. Said he was headed to your house. I was worried he wasn't going to go, so I called you and got no answer. I just called Maggie and she said he never came back to the Sundown and now the storm is right overhead. I was worried I was going to lose power before I got through." Mary explained.
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Are you sure he didn't go to work at the grocery?" Severus asked.
"No, I called Jack." Mary added.
Severus sighed.
"All right. I'll…" Severus was cut off by the sound of the front door banging open.
"Snape!" Harry screamed from the hall.
"He's here. Thank you for calling." Severus said before hanging up the phone and quickly heading for the hall.
"Snape!" Harry called again.
Severus was alarmed to see the boy collapsed in front of the open door. He was soaking wet, wheezing, and shivering. He had something black clutched to his chest. His long locks dripped water on the floor. Alarmed green eyes looked up and met his.
"Please. You have to save him. He was breathing but I don't think he is now." Harry pleaded.
Severus took long strides towards Harry and realized that he was cradling the black kitten from the park.
"Give it here." Severus said reaching down.
Harry handed the cat over to him and Severus pulled the cold and wet ball of fur to his bare chest. He inwardly scolded himself for not getting dressed before he had trapesed down to answer the phone.
"Go get a towel." Severus ordered and the boy pulled his shaking body from the floor and disappeared down the hall.
Severus summoned his wand to his hand.
A moment later the kitten was laid out on the towel on his couch.
Severus waved his wand over the kitten and cleared its airway. He then cast a drying spell over the small thing.
"What happened?" Severus asked as he continued to cast spells to warm the cat.
"The tree by the pond got hit by lightning. Edgar was in the tree and the branch he was on fell into the pond." Harry said a little breathlessly.
Severus nodded.
"Did you summon him from the pond?" Severus asked casting a diagnostic.
When Harry didn't answer Severus looked up. The boy was blushing and looking down. Severus raised an eyebrow.
"I jumped in the pond to get him." Harry said quietly.
Severus gave him his most incredulous look.
"I wasn't aware you had learned to swim in the last week." Severus drawled, as he pulled the diagnostic from the air.
Severus could hear Harry shuffling his feet.
"I…um…I didn't realize how deep it was." Harry mumbled.
Severus rolled his eyes.
He quickly looked over the diagnostic. The kitten had inhaled water, but it looked like its lungs were clear now. It was borderline hypothermic though. Severus cast a warming charm around the cat and turned to stare at Harry.
"You know you're a wizard, right?" Severus growled.
Harry lowered his head and nodded.
"Sorry." Harry said softly.
Severus sighed.
He took a step away from the kitten and watched as the boy kneeled next to the couch.
Severus cast a drying spell over the boy too.
Damn impulsive Gryffindor, Severus thought.
"I'm going to go get dressed." Severus said awkwardly.
Harry looked up and seemed to finally realize Severus' state of dress. His face got a little pale and he looked away. Harry tried to shrug like he wasn't bothered but his posture gave him away.
"I know it makes you uncomfortable. I'm sorry." Severus added.
Harry blushed and kept his eyes on the kitten.
"It's your house, sir." Harry said softly, as he ran a gentle hand over the kitten.
"I'm sorry for showing up unannounced." Harry added.
Severus sighed.
"I told you; you are always welcome here. All you have done by showing up was save me from having to go out in this storm." Severus said.
Harry glanced his way with a questioning look and then looked away again shaking his head.
"Mary called. I know you're sick." Severus said softly.
Harry shrugged his shoulder.
"Just a cold. I was going to come get a pepper-up and go back. I won't take up more of your day." Harry said quietly.
Then he began coughing. He sounded terrible.
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. It always seemed to be something with the boy.
Severus waved his wand over Harry and cast a diagnostic. He grabbed the parchment from the air when it was done and looked it over.
"You have pneumonia and the flu. How's your stomach feeling?" Severus asked.
Harry shrugged.
"Fine, I guess. I…um…I haven't eaten much. I slept most of yesterday." Harry replied.
Severus groaned.
"You're going to need more than a pepper-up. I don't suppose you have your things with you?" Severus asked.
Harry nodded.
"In my pocket." Harry answered.
"Very well. I imagine you'll need to stay for a few days. With your asthma, pneumonia can be dangerous. Your jaunt through the rain and swim in the pond have almost certainly aggravated the problem." Severus said.
"Sorry." Harry said softly.
Severus wanted to shake the boy. He wasn't upset with him, but he wished he would stop with the unnecessary apologies.
"It's fine." Severus said.
"Why were you in the park anyway?" Severus asked curiously.
Harry was still looking down at the kitten.
"I went to feed Edgar." Harry answered.
Severus raised his eyebrow. It explained the bag of cat food they had found in his bag. Severus wondered how long he had been feeding the little stray.
"How long have you been feeding it?" Severus asked.
"I found him the first time I slept in the park." Harry answered.
"I…um…I was taking him breakfast scraps. Sorry." Harry added.
Severus had never noticed the boy taking food from the table. Not that he particularly cared. It wasn't like they didn't have enough food.
"It's fine. I saw the cat food in your rucksack." Severus said.
Harry nodded as he continued to pet the cat.
"I know what it's like to be hungry. I didn't want him to be hungry." Harry said quietly.
Severus felt his heart clench.
"I know you do." Severus said softly.
"I'll be back." Severus said as he headed out of the sitting room.
Remus groaned as he peeled his eyes open, then quickly clamped them shut. The sun was shining brightly in the room. He guessed it must be around noon.
Remus threw his arm over his eyes and groaned. His muscles ached. Then he slowly remembered what had happened. The potion. It had worked. He had turned into the wolf. Remus smiled as he sat up, then winced at the tightness in his back.
It worked! His mind sung happily.
He pulled himself off the bed and stretched. He felt sore but nothing like the morning after a full moon. The fact that he had stood from the bed unassisted was proof of that.
Remus smirked. He wondered if he could shift again. He reached out and grabbed his wand off the side table. When he had it firmly in his hand, he closed his eyes and imagined himself as the wolf.
A moment later he opened his eyes and was looking down at grey paws. His tail swished back and forth. He had done it. He padded closer to the door and nosed it open.
Sirius sat at the kitchen table nibbling at a sandwich and reading one of Remus' psychology books. He needed the distraction. This morning had been terrifying. He had thought he was losing Remus. Watching him scream on the ground and not being able to do anything had been one of the hardest moments of his life.
With a sigh he shook his head to push the sight from his mind.
Watching Remus struggle had brought forth all of his regrets. He regretted not telling Remus he loved him sooner. He regretted not being James and Lily's secret keeper. He regretted going after Peter. It had all circled around in his mind as he had sat there petting Moony. Then he thought about how kind Severus was being. He was trying to save Remus. He had even risked his own safety to do it.
He hadn't meant to spill his guts to the man, but the apology had felt long overdue.
Sirius ears caught the squeak of a door. He turned his head towards the hall. Then to his surprise the wolf emerged. Tail wagging.
Sirius smiled.
"Hey Moony." Sirius said, standing from the table and walking towards Remus.
With a pop Remus was standing before him with a grin stretching across his face.
"Hey." Remus said.
"I'm so glad your awake." Sirius said wrapping Remus in a hug.
"I'm okay. I told you to have faith." Remus said softly.
Sirius smiled and shook his head as he pulled away from Remus.
"You scared the hell out of me." Sirius said.
Remus gave him a sad little smile.
"I'm sorry. I'm really okay." Remus said.
Sirius nodded and headed back to the table. Remus sat next to him and snagged half of the sandwich off Sirius plate.
"Hey now, that's my lunch." Sirius jokingly protested.
Remus gave him a cheeky grin.
"I'm starving." Remus said around a large bite of sandwich.
Sirius laughed. He remembered that kind of hunger.
"Yeah, it takes a lot of energy to shift. I remember those early days. I swear it was like James and I were competing to see who could eat the most." Sirius said with a bark of laughter.
Remus grinned back.
"Yeah, I remember that. I thought you guys were going to gain a stone before the end of the school year. Pete too." Remus laughed before some of the humor left his eyes.
Sirius gave him a tight smile. Peter was a difficult subject. He had been there close friend for years. What he had done was unforgiveable. Now though, they never really knew how to talk about those times. Did they pretend he hadn't been there? Did they act like he had always been a bad person? That they had always had suspicions of him? They hadn't. The four of them had been close. His betrayal had been completely unexpected. Did they remember those times fondly and pretend that the person they knew hadn't been the one to betray them? Sirius didn't know.
Sirius looked away from Remus and shook his head. He would never understand what had happened.
With a sigh he picked up the remaining half of his sandwich and took a bite.
They ate in silence for a few moments. When Remus was done, he stood and headed into the kitchen. Sirius rolled his eyes and laughed a little. They would need to go shopping if Remus needed to shift every day.
"Was the pain too bad before you shifted? It looked horrid." Sirius asked as he joined Remus in the kitchen.
Remus shook his head.
"There wasn't pain." Remus said closing the fridge after loading his arms with an assortment of foods.
Sirius looked at him disbelievingly.
"You were screaming." Sirius said.
Remus brows furrowed as he set the food on the counter.
"I…I think I thought I was back in my bedroom, when I was four. I…it was like I was back in the moment I was bit. But…there wasn't pain. I...um" Remus mumbled and looking down at the food.
"You were afraid. It's okay. I understand. I'm glad you weren't in pain." Sirius said wrapping his arms around Remus shoulders in a slightly awkward side hug and kissing his head.
"I'm glad you were there." Remus said softly.
Sirius smiled.
"Always. I promise I'll never leave you again." Sirius said.
Remus smiled and picked up a piece of cheese and popped it in his mouth.
Sirius smiled. He loved Remus. He loved seeing him happy.
He smirked and reached out, snagging the last piece of cheese from the container and walking away.
"Oi, I was going to eat that." Remus called after him.
Sirius just hummed.
"You snooze, you lose." Sirius said, heading for the sitting room and flopping on the couch.
Remus huffed and followed him with an arm full of snacks that he dumped on the coffee table. He then sat down on the couch next to Sirius.
"We're going to need to go shopping." Remus said a few moments later.
Sirius snorted.
"Yeah." Sirius said bumping into Remus' shoulder.
Remus gave him a big smile.
Sirius was so happy this had worked out. This would be the first day of the rest of their life. They would have to wait until the full moon to know for sure, but this was promising. Things were finally going their way.
"We need to get Harry something good for his birthday. Let him know how thankful we are. This is a gift I never thought I would get." Remus said.
Sirius nodded. They would definitely need to show Harry how special this was.
Severus went to the kitchen and made tea after he was properly dressed again. He glanced at the clock and wondered if Lupin was up yet. He wondered if he should floo them and check in. Severus shook his head. Sirius would call if anything went wrong. Well at least he hoped he would. Knowing Gryffindors he would try and do something imbecilic.
Severus sighed. He couldn't believe Harry had jumped in the pond in the middle of a storm to save a damn cat. He was lucky he hadn't drowned.
Severus collected the mugs of tea and headed down the hall to the sitting room.
He was surprised when he returned to the room to find the boy asleep hunched over the couch. His hand was still laying on the cat. He could hear Harry wheezing. He needed to take his potions before he couldn't breathe.
He set the mugs down on the table and hesitated as he reached out to wake Harry up. He didn't want to startle him.
With a deep breath he laid his hand gently on the boy's shoulder.
"Harry." Severus called.
Harry grumbled and raised his head a little.
"Waz happenin'" Harry slurred.
"You need to take some potions and go to bed." Severus said softly, keeping his hand on Harry's shoulder.
Harry hummed and sat up more, rubbing his eyes. His long hair tangled around his face.
"Is Edgar going to be okay?" Harry asked, gently running his hand down the cat's side again.
Severus nodded.
"Yes, he'll be fine." Severus said firmly.
Harry nodded and pulled himself off of his knees and stretched his back.
"Head up to your room and get changed. I need to gather a few things and I'll be up." Severus said.
Harry nodded and looked at the cat once more before making his way out.
Severus pulled down the serving tray and placed both of their mugs of tea on it. Then he added a bowl of warmed up soup. He was thankful he'd acquired a few cans when he had gotten groceries. Not something he usually bought, as homemade was better, but it was something simple when he worked in the lab too late.
He pulled the potions he had collected from his pocket and added them to the tray.
He headed down the hall. He glanced into the sitting room and was alarmed to realize that the kitten was gone.
Severus' eyebrows pinched together. Then he was startled by something brushing up against his leg. He looked down and found the kitten weaving between his legs. It looked up at him with bright blue eyes and gave a weak mew.
Severus raised an eyebrow.
"I suppose you think you need something to eat as well?" Severus said blandly.
Severus rolled his eyes.
"Well come along, I suppose. The boy has your food." Severus said, then continued up the stairs being mindful not to step on the little creature.
He shook his head. He was not talking to a stray that his own stray had dragged home. How did he get to this point?
When Severus reached the boy's door, he found it open slightly.
The kitten darted from between his legs and into the room.
"May I come in?" Severus called.
"Yeah." Harry answered softly.
Severus pushed the door open further. He smiled a little at the sight of the boy curled up in bed with the kitten snuggled close to his chest.
Severus set the tray on the desk and pulled out the chair. He collected the potions and took a seat.
"I brought tea and some soup. You don't need to have them now. I put a stasis spell on them, but I would like you to take your potions." Severus said holding out the first of three vials.
Harry groaned a little before pushing himself up on his elbow. The kitten turned and glared at Severus.
Severus raised his eyebrow.
Harry took each of the potions before lying back down.
"You didn't need to bring me anything. I just need to rest. I'll be out of here soon." Harry mumbled with a yawn before his eyes fell shut.
Severus took the empty vials and tucked them back in his pocket. He looked at the boy curled up with the kitten. They looked peaceful. Harry's breathing was still ragged. He settled into the chair and summoned his book. He just wanted to keep an eye on his breathing, he told himself. He wasn't fussing over the boy. Absolutely not.
Harry gasped as he woke up, he felt like he had a boulder sitting on his chest. His heart began to pound in panic.
"Shh. It's okay. Here." Snape said from somewhere.
A moment later his inhaler was in his hand. He used it quickly and relaxed back on his bed breathing heavily.
It took him a moment to remember where he was. Back at Snapes. Something vibrated against his side, and he looked down to see blue eyes looking up at him. He smiled and rubbed the kittens' ears.
"He seems to be fairly attached." Snape drawled.
Harry smiled.
"Yeah." Harry said softly.
Harry looked at Snape and saw that he was still sitting in the desk chair. He wondered how long he had been there.
"Do you think you can eat something?" Snape asked.
Harry thought for a moment, then shook his head. He felt dizzy and nauseous.
"Why are you still in here?" Harry asked not looking at the man.
He wasn't sure how he felt about having Snape watching him while he slept. It was hard enough for him to sleep in the dorms with everyone else, but they were all in their own beds. Snape was just sitting next to his bed watching him. Although he could admit it was nice to have someone there. He wasn't sure he could have found his inhaler as quickly as Snape had.
Harry leaned back. He was thankful one of the potion's Snape had given him had lessened his headache.
"Your breathing has been a little rough. I wanted to be here if you started to struggle to breathe." Snape said.
Harry nodded his understanding.
They sat quietly for a few moments. Harry half expected Snape to leave but when he didn't, he began searching his mind for something to say. Then he remembered he wasn't the only one that had face potential death today.
"Is Remus, okay?" Harry asked, turning to look at the man. He didn't think Snape would lie to him, but he worried that if something had gone wrong the man might not tell him.
Snape got a pinched look on his face.
Harry felt his heart plummet to his stomach.
"Did I kill him?" Harry whispered fearfully.
Snape shook his head.
"No. The spell and potion both seemed to have worked. There were some unexpected moments, but I think it went as well as we could have expected." Snape said.
Harry looked for deception. He didn't think Snape was lying but he still looked like he wasn't telling him everything.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"After he took the potion there was a moment where he appeared to be in significant pain. He began vomiting what I initially thought was blood." Snape said.
Harry sat back on the bed and stared at the wall. He hadn't meant to cause Remus pain. He closed his eyes and hoped that Remus would forgive him. He hadn't meant to hurt him.
"Was he able to transform?" Harry asked quietly.
"Yes." Snape answered.
Harry nodded. At least they were able to accomplish something. Although Harry didn't know if that really was something. If the transformation was still painful perhaps it would have been better to leave the matter be.
"Was he okay after?" Harry asked.
There was a long pause and Harry looked back at Snape. He had that pinched look on his face again.
"He was very tired. I'm unaware of how he was overall. He was asleep when I left." Snape answered.
Harry nodded.
"I had planned on checking in with them. Would you like me to do that now?" Snape asked.
Harry nodded firmly and looked pleadingly at Snape. He needed to know that Remus was all right.
"Very well. Would you like your tea?" Snape asked.
Harry smiled a little. Snape was being very kind to him. He nodded a little and quickly found a warm mug of mint tea in his hands.
"I'll be back shortly." Snape said as he walked out of the room.
Harry tried to take a deep breath and found himself in a coughing fit that had Edgar running for the end of the bed. Harry tried to keep the mug in his hands level.
When the coughing subsided, he took small sips of the tea and Edgar slowly slunk back up the bed and settled in Harry's lap.
Sirius laughed as Remus ran his fingers through his hair and kissed him lightly. They had been having a quiet conversation when Remus had mentioned how sore his back was. Sirius had offered to massage it and work the knots out. The massage had been going fine and then he had found himself with a lap full of topless werewolf.
"Could you two please find a better place for that then in front of the floo." Snapes voice called startling Remus off of his lap. He landed with a thump on the floor.
Sirius rolled his eyes.
"What can we do for you Snape?" Sirius asked as he watched Remus scramble to pull his shirt back on.
Sirius smirked.
"Your son is concerned. He wanted to know how you were doing Lupin." Snape drawled.
Sirius stood from the couch and moved over to the fireplace.
"You saw Harry? How's he doing?" Sirius asked, completely forgetting everything else.
Snape made a face.
"He's upstairs in bed. He has pneumonia and the flu, which he exacerbated walking in a storm and taking an unplanned near fatal swim in a local pond." Snape answered.
Sirius felt his heart sink. He looked over his shoulder to find Remus also looking concerned.
"What happened? Can we come see him?" Sirius asked looking back at Snape.
Snape seemed to be considering before he finally nodded.
"I suppose that wouldn't be the worst idea. He was concerned he had killed Lupin. I assured him that he hadn't though perhaps seeing you in person would help him feel more settled. I'd like him to get more sleep, but I think a short visit would be all right." Snape answered.
Sirius nodded.
"Okay. We'll be there in just a minute. I just need to find my shoes." Sirius said standing up.
"Very well. Also, Lupin, your shirts on backwards." Snape said before disappearing from the floo.
"Git." Sirius said with a smirk as he walked to the door and grabbed his shoes.
Sirius walked back to the couch and sat down. He looked up and found Remus blushing heavily.
Sirius laughed.
"It's not funny Sirius. That was mortifying. Caught fooling around like students." Remus growled, straitening his shirt.
Sirius only laughed harder.
"Your adorable Remy." Sirius said with a smile as he pulled his shoes on.
Harry was laying on his back with Edgar cuddled on his chest. His eyes felt heavy. They kept slipping shut. He felt exhausted. He hadn't had much energy to start the day with. However, after the panic in the pond and the run here, he felt like he had used any energy he had left.
He kept jerking himself awake, wanting to stay awake long enough to know how Remus was doing. He had been optimistic that the potion would work but doubts kept floating in his mind. The idea that he had caused Remus pain was weighing heavily on him.
Just as he was starting to drift off, he finally heard footsteps on the stairs. He felt slight alarm when he realized they weren't the measured steps of Snape. He felt his heart begin to pound and pulled himself fully upright in the bed. Just as he was about to cast a locking spell at the door the familiar honey-colored locks appeared.
"Remus." Harry said with a smile.
Remus smiled back from the door and then Sirius appeared behind him.
"What are you guys doing here?" Harry asked, settling back on the bed.
Remus and Sirius walked into the room and came to stand next to Harry's bed.
"Severus said you were a little under the weather. We wanted to come see you." Remus said.
Harry smiled. He felt a warmth settle in his stomach.
"I'm fine. How are you? Snape said the process was painful. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I…I didn't think it would cause pain." Harry said remorsefully.
Remus gave him a tight smile and shook his head.
"No pain. It was startling and I have to admit I'm a bit stiff now but I'm ok. But Harry, I need you to know that even if this process had caused pain, it wouldn't have been your fault. I would have been willing to take on a considerable amount of pain for this to work." Remus reassured.
Harry wasn't sure about that, but he was thankful that the process hadn't been painful.
"Can I…um…I mean if you can…can I see?" Harry asked awkwardly. He wasn't sure how someone was supposed to ask to see someone transform.
Remus and Sirius smiled.
"Of course." Remus said, taking a few steps back.
"Oh…um…Wait. I'm not sure how Edgar will react." Harry said.
Remus smiled at the ball of purring black fur in Harry's lap.
"When did you get a cat?" Sirius asked.
Harry blushed.
"Oh…um…He's not mine. I just um…I've been feeding him in the park. He got himself in some trouble today, so I brought him here and Snape helped him." Harry said petting the kitten.
Sirius smiled and sent a look at Remus that Harry didn't understand.
Harry bundled the cat into his arms and nodded at Remus.
"Go ahead. He does okay when I shift so hopefully, he'll be okay." Harry said.
Remus nodded. With a pop Harry was looking at a large grey wolf. Harry smiled widely. It was amazing. They had actually done it.
Edgar began to wiggle in his arms. Harry held tighter but the little kitten slipped out of his arms.
"Edgar." Harry called as the kitten climbed off of the bed.
Everyone stood still as the kitten fearlessly walked up to the wolf. The kitten sniffed the air and mewed softly then weaved his way between Remus' legs. Edgar then jumped up and put its little paws on the wolfs chest. He attempted to bump its head against Remus chin but only managed to brush his ears against the larger animal's neck.
With another mew the kitten strutted away from the wolf. He wove through Sirius' legs then leapt back onto the bed and settled in Harry's lap.
Harry pet him gently and smiled down at the curious kitten.
Remus popped back into his human form with a smirk on his face.
"That's quite a brave cat." Remus remarked.
Sirius laughed and Harry smiled.
"Do you mind if we sit?" Remus asked.
Harry nodded and Remus waved his wand over the chair and transfigured it into a short couch. Remus and Sirius both took a seat.
"So, tell me what happened with the spell and potion. I would have loved to have seen it. I…um…I just figured I'd be underfoot." Harry said.
Remus nodded.
"Of course, we'd like to hear about your day as well. Severus said you had a bit of excitement." Remus said.
Harry blushed and looked away from them but nodded. Excitement was one word for it. He knew he hadn't made the best choices today, but he supposed he could tell them. His hand ran over Edgars soft fur. He may not have handled the situation properly, but it worked out in the end. He had saved Edgar.
Remus and Sirius sat and told Harry all about the potion and the first transformation. He then told them about the storm and saving the cat from the pond.
Remus could tell Harry was losing the battle to sleep. They should let him rest. He had to stop the conversation several times to bouts of coughing. He had even needed his inhaler at one point.
He was thankful that Harry had seemed so relaxed talking to them. He wondered if Harry had realized he was in base form. He seemed so at ease. They had eventually talked him into eating a few bites of the soup that was sitting under a spell on the desk.
"How are things going being back at the motel?" Sirius asked.
"It's been fine." Harry answered with a nod.
Remus wondered if any part of Harry wished to stay here again.
"Severus said you would be here for a few days while you get better. How do you feel about that?" Remus asked.
Harry shrugged.
"I'm going to try and head back tomorrow. I don't want to put Snape out for longer than necessary. Plus, I need to find a place for Edgar. I… I think I'll take him to Julie. She runs a pet shop in town. I'm sure she can find him a good home. He deserves better than living in the park." Harry said softly rubbing the kitten's face.
Remus felt his heart swell at the affection Harry was giving the little creature. It was obvious that the cat had bonded to Harry, whether he realized it or not. The cat had even scented them, rubbing all over them to mark them as his. Remus didn't think the cat would do well in a new home. It also seemed to be supplying Harry with significant comfort. This was the first time Harry had seemed truly calm without the aid of potions. Harry had been open to conversation and had spent the whole time petting the cat.
"Did Severus show you the parchment I gave him?" Remus asked.
Harry shook his head.
Remus sighed and rummaged in his pocket until he found a scrap of parchment. With a wave of his wand the words appeared. He then held it out to Harry. He looked it over and then nodded.
He held the paper out in his hand and in a flash of flame the paper was gone.
"You're the secret keeper?" Harry asked.
Remus nodded.
Harry bit his lip before pulling a piece of muggle paper from the side table. He wrote on it quickly and held it out to Remus.
Remus' brows creased as he looked down and read the paper.
'Honeysuckle house is located at number four Privet Drive, Surrey.'
Remus raised an eyebrow before giving Harry a questioning look.
"They made you secret keeper?" Remus asked worriedly.
Harry nodded.
"I asked them to." Harry stated firmly.
Remus nodded and went to hand the paper back to Harry.
"Give it to Sirius." Harry said with a nod.
Remus held it out to Sirius.
"Why Honeysuckle?" Sirius asked, handing the slip of paper back to Harry before he burned it as well.
Harry had a sad smile on his face.
"They were always my favorite in my aunt's garden. She would always make me cut them down. She hated them. I once read a book that said that Honeysuckle represents innocence and joy. When I learned what they represented it felt almost poetic. I spent my whole life having my innocence and joy cut down by them. I didn't want my aunt and uncle to keep having that power over me." Harry said softly.
Remus felt his heart clench at Harry's answer. He had expected it to have been something at random. Perhaps there were some on the property or someone else had recommended it. However, Harry's answer was heartbreaking.
He was proud of Harry for sharing that with them though. He knew Harry was having a hard time talking about his relatives at all. This was a sign that things were improving.
"You look pretty tired pup. We should probably go." Remus said.
Harry had slowly sunk further and further into the bed as they had talked, and he was now blinking sleepily.
Harry yawned and nodded.
"Is there anything we can do for you before we go?" Remus asked.
Harry looked between them and blushed before shaking his head.
He clearly wanted to ask for something but wasn't willing to. Remus wished there was an easy fix for building that kind of trust. Fixing Harry's unwillingness to ask for anything was deeply rooted in the abuse he had faced. It would take time for them to overcome that issue.
"It's okay to ask for things you need or want Harry." Remus said softly.
Harry bit his lip.
"Um…it's just kind of childish. I'll be okay. Thanks for coming. It was good to see you guys." Harry mumbled.
Remus smiled softly. Harry had never been allowed to be a child. If he wanted something childish, Remus would be happy to give him that.
"That's okay. What is it?" Remus pushed a little.
"Er…um…could you just stay until I fall asleep. I…um it was kind of nice to wake up earlier and realize Snape had stayed with me. I don't need you guys to stay but…um…maybe if you could just stay a little while longer." Harry said hesitantly.
Remus smiled and nodded.
"How about you close your eyes and I'll tell you a story about when you were a baby." Remus said.
Harry smiled softly and nodded.
He snuggled down and cuddled with his kitten before closing his eyes.
Remus and Sirius descended the stairs ten minutes later. Harry had barely closed his eyes before he had begun snoring. Remus had teasingly joked that he must have gotten that from Sirius.
When they made it to the sitting room, Severus was kicked back in his armchair and also about to fall asleep.
"I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to let the boy rest." Severus said dryly.
"He's asleep now, we also got him do eat a little of his soup." Remus said in return.
"Good." Severus said with a nod.
Remus bit his lip a little. He wanted to discuss a few things with Severus but felt awkward asking to stay longer. Sirius had already pushed the matter by asking to come in the first place.
"Have a seat." Severus said.
Remus nodded and sat in the other armchair while Sirius took a seat on the couch.
"Did Harry explain what happened today?" Severus asked.
Remus nodded. The story was worrying. Harry could have drowned in the pond. At least Harry seemed to realize the severity of the situation.
"Yes, his story was rather upsetting. I wasn't aware he didn't know how to swim. I remember hearing about the tournament having a task in the lake. How was he able to complete it?" Remus asked.
Severus sighed.
"He nearly drowned in the lake. I've noticed an interesting pattern when it comes to Harry's reactions. He doesn't think like a wizard. He has a very muggle response to most things. I think it would be beneficial for him to work on some reactionary training. Get him to start using magic as if he had grown up with it. Most children who come from the muggle world adapt quickly to magic. Harry hasn't done that and I'm not sure why. Unfortunately, it could be the difference between life and death for him. He is unfortunately a major target in this war." Severus said.
Remus nodded. He had some suspicions as to the cause, but he would wait until he had a chance to talk to Harry more before making an assumption.
"That would probably be a good idea." Remus responded.
"Do you think it was wise to make Harry the secret keeper for that house?" Sirius asked.
Remus had concerns about that as well.
Severus sighed.
"Harry made the request to Albus. I had planned on taking on the responsibility, but I was overruled. He is very protective of his friends. I think he needed to know that he had a safe place for them." Severus answered.
Remus nodded. Harry did seem to think he needed to be responsible for everyone's safety.
"Was there anything new you learned going to the house?" Remus asked curiously.
He knew the house was likely empty but perhaps Harry had shared something with Snape.
Severus closed his eyes and sighed.
"I'm not sure it's my place to share what I saw in that house. I discovered several things. I suppose I will share that they seemed to like to lock him up. When the twins were here, they told me to stop closing his door but didn't explain. I assume that is the reason. Something that might be important for you to know when he comes to live with you." Severus said quietly.
Remus nodded.
"Yes, I was aware. When we collected him last summer, we had to unlock his door to let him out. I was furious. Harry brushed it off, but He was pretty shaky, so I dropped it." Remus answered.
Severus sighed.
"He was suffering from untreated dementor exposure." Severus answered.
Remus sat back. He had read over the exam. He remembered now that there had been an untreated dementor exposure on there. He just hadn't put it together. He had known before they went all about the dementor showing up in little Whinging. He hadn't thought to bring him chocolate. He felt like an idiot.
"I should have thought about it. It wasn't the first time Harry had been exposed. When we went, I figured he would have already had chocolate. He knew how to treat it…. Though I suppose he didn't have access to any." Remus said frustration thick in his voice.
Sirius reached out and laid his hand on his arm.
Remus gave him a soft smile.
"We argued to go get him sooner." Sirius said.
Remus sighed. They had told Albus it wasn't safe for Harry to stay there. He had insisted that he was fine as long as he stayed in the house.
Remus closed his eyes and tried to refocus. He was getting tired, the day had been exhausting.
"I have two request to make." Remus said.
Severus raised an eyebrow. He wondered what they could possibly want now.
"Harry told us he plans to leave tomorrow. He said he doesn't want to be underfoot. I think he may be willing to come back to stay here but I doubt he would be willing to voice that desire. I think you may need to make the offer if you are willing to have him back." Lupin said.
Severus sighed. He would like to have Harry back. The house had felt empty with him gone. He could make that offer. And what was this about the boy leaving tomorrow? He'd already told him; he would need to stay here for a while.
"The boy's out of his mind if he thinks he's leaving tomorrow. He's an asthmatic with pneumonia. He is going to require regular potions and monitoring for at least the next three or four days." Severus said sternly.
"As far as having the boy stay. I told him earlier; he is always welcome here. I will make a clear that I would like him to return, though I will not force the matter. If he wishes to return to the Sundown once he is well, I won't stop him. We gave him the choice. I don't think taking that choice away now would be wise." Severus said.
Black and Lupin both nodded.
"I agree. I don't want to force him either, but I get the feeling he would like to come back here." Lupin said.
Severus raised an eyebrow, but he did not explain further.
"What is your second request?" Severus asked with a sigh.
Lupin looked to Sirius and nodded and then looked back to Severus.
"Harry said he plans to take the kitten to some pet store in town. That he thinks it needs a home better than the park. I hate to ask but if Harry does stay here would you allow him to keep it? We are willing to pay for its upkeep if necessary. However, I think it's offering Harry a significant amount of comfort. It sat with him the whole time we were up there, and I don't think I've ever seen Harry so relaxed." Lupin said.
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. He had somehow known that would be the request. The kitten had slept with the boy the whole time he had been asleep earlier. It was obvious that Harry was attached. He'd nearly died trying to save it, for Merlin's sake.
"When he leave's that cat goes too." Severus said firmly.
Lupin smiled and Severus rolled his eyes. He was going soft.
"Of course." Lupin said.
Severus nodded.
"Very well. I'll let him know the cat can stay." Severus grumbled.
Lupin and Black both stood.
"Thank you, Severus. Please feel free to call if you need anything." Lupin said.
Severus waved him off.
"Please call tomorrow and let us know how he is doing." Black added.
Severus nodded.
"Don't forget to do your transformation in the morning. I would hate for all of our hard work to go to waste because you overslept, wolf." Severus said to Lupin as he reached for the floo powder.
Lupin smiled at him again.
"I won't forget. Thank you again for everything today, Severus." Lupin said as he through in the floo powder.
A moment later he was alone again in his sitting room.
Severus rubbed his face. He was glad the day was finally over. It had been a long and exhausting day. He wanted to check on Harry and then go to bed.
With a sigh he pushed himself out of the armchair and headed upstairs to do just that.