"I never am," Harry replied wryly. Neville knew he didn't like his muggle relatives, and he grimace.
gave
Harry
a
sympathetic
"Maybe you could come visit me and gran for a bit," he suggested. "Dumbledore can't keep you locked up with the muggles forever, right?"
Harry wanted to point out that the headmaster could and definitely would if he thought it would help his plans, but he stayed quiet. "Yeah, maybe." That would be nice, going to Neville's house. His gran could help Harry learn about the Wizengamot, and what to do about Dumbledore.
"I wonder what our Defence teacher will be like next year," Neville mused, digging his fingers into the sand. "It's a shame about Professor Lupin. I mean, if he made it this far without eating anyone, clearly he can't be that bad."
"What?" Harry stared at him in alarm. Neville cocked his head.
"You haven't heard? Professor Lupin is a werewolf, Harry. Apparently Snape told all the Slytherins this morning. Everyone in the school knows by now. He's resigned, I heard. Packing up his stuff today."
Harry froze. No, Snape wouldn't… he couldn't. Lupin was leaving?
He scrambled to his feet. "I have to go." Neville called out after him, but Harry was already sprinting back towards the castle. He couldn't let Lupin leave, not yet.
Lupin's office door was open when Harry ran towards it, and he flung himself into the room, gasping. Most of the man's things were already gone, and a steady stream of books were floating off the shelf and packing themselves neatly in a trunk, guided by Lupin's wand. The man looked up when Harry entered, his eyes sad. "Hello, cub," he greeted. "Heard the news?"
"You can't leave," Harry blurted.
"I'm afraid I have to, Harry. This time tomorrow, the owls will start pouring in. Attitudes are better, but there are plenty of parents who won't want a dangerous, bloodthirsty beast living in the castle with their children." His tone was wry, resigned. Harry glared at him.
"You're not dangerous," he insisted. "You're the best Defence teacher we've ever had."
That made Lupin smile. "Thank you, Harry. But I'm afraid not everyone is as open-minded as you."
"I can't believe Snape," Harry growled. "I was just starting to think he might be alright. How dare he tell everyone!"
"Severus didn't say a word," Lupin told him firmly. "I can assure you of that. No, my secret was spilled by… another source. Severus was part of the conversation, but he didn't realise one of his Slytherins was eavesdropping until after Dumbledore left."
Harry looked at his professor, comprehension dawning, and his face grew dark when Lupin nodded. Dumbledore. Of course. "He did it on purpose." He had no proof, but he didn't need it. Remus nodded in agreement.
"Most likely. I got too close to you, Harry. He doesn't like that." Lupin reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a familiar piece of old parchment. "However, now I'm no longer your teacher, I feel no remorse about giving you this back. This, too; Severus retrieved it from the Shack this morning." He brought Harry's invisibility cloak out from behind his chair, neatly folded. "From one Marauder to another. The legacy you should've had since the very start."
Harry's breath caught in his throat as he took both items from Lupin. It was ridiculous, he'd had both of them in his possession before, but being given them now felt… bigger. His father's legacy. "Keep them safe, Harry."
"I don't want you to go," Harry said quietly, sounding far younger than his thirteen years. Lupin smiled, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder.
"It's for the best, cub. I'm about to have some other priorities, once I catch up with an old friend," he said with a pointed glance. "And you could do with more allies outside the castle." "But I just got you back." Harry hated how desperate it came out. Lupin softened, pulling him into a brief, tight hug.
"You still have me, cub, I promise," he vowed, lips pressed to Harry's hair. He let go, smiling. "I'm not about to let you slip out of my life a second time, regardless of what happens. You're family."
"Family," Harry echoed, a slow smile creeping across his face. He'd never had one of those he actually liked before.
"I'm proud of you, you know," Lupin said, turning back to his packing. Harry stowed his map and cloak away in his bag, raising an eyebrow. "Rumour has it, you performed quite the Patronus charm last night."
"It was a stag," Harry boasted, and Lupin beamed. "That was Prongs, right?"
"Indeed it was. Your father's animagus form was really quite something. James would be over the moon to see your Patronus take after him."
Harry beamed at the thought, his heart clenching. At least this way it was like he had his dad with him still, after a fashion. "Are you alright?" he asked, brows furrowing in concern. Lupin seemed to be moving a little stiffly. "After last night and everything."
"Oh, don't worry about me, cub. I'm more than used to the whole process by now," Lupin assured with a shake of his head. "I'm just glad none of you got hurt. I've not been that irresponsible about a moon since… well. Never mind. I suppose, under the circumstances, priorities were a little off last night. But Severus got me back to the castle safely this morning, and I'll be right as rain in a day or two."
Harry bit his lip; it was awful to think that his friendly, quiet professor had to go through such a painful-looking ordeal every month, that he was so accustomed to it he didn't even flinch at the memory. Lupin was far stronger than he looked; stronger than Harry had given him credit for.
The latter half of the man's words made Harry pause, his thoughts returning to the night before. "Look. Um. About SnProfessor Snape." The professor paused in his packing, face turning apprehensive. "I know you said that you know him differently — I mean, clearly; you went to school together and all. And he was decent last night. But all the rest of the time… he hates me. He's constantly singling me out and giving me detention even though my Potions' work is no worse than Ron's, and it's way better than Neville's! He's awful to me all the time and I know he hated my dad but I'm not him, and surely— can you talk to him, or something?"
He winced at the slight crack in his voice; the last thing he wanted was to sound like a whiny little child. He just didn't understand. Snape seemed to have two totally different personalities these days, and Harry brought outtheworstinhim.
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