Chapter 29-  Dreams and Progress

After making sure they left the Gaunt’s house exactly as they found it, with a replica of the ring in the wall’s hollow and protection enchantments back on the wall. Remus, Albus and Sirius set back to Hogwarts. They had a lot to prepare for the coming school year and it’s special activities. Sirius was not particularly happy with some, or more specifically one of the guests they would be hosting during the year, but there was little he could do about it. The most he could do was help improve the protection wards on the castle before he went back to Grimmauld Place. This was good because as they worked they got their minds away from the coming full moon in three weeks. That would be the potion’s first test and they were worried. The next two months would be anguishing.

XXXXXXXX

Severus woke up suddenly and it took a moment to realize why. The bed was shaking.

“What the hell?” he murmured. He looked up. The light coming from the street lamp was enough to see well, if not enough to bother. He saw that the mattress lump was moving and the wire net that held it was squeaking. He got up in a huff, “Harry! Will you stay still?” he said angrily.

When he looked on the top bed though he stopped. Harry wasn’t awake. He was sleeping and by the way he was trashing, he was having one hell of a nightmare. He gently shook Harry, “Harry, wake up?” But nothing happened so he tried more forcefully. Still Harry wouldn’t wake up. This worried Severus, as Harry was not a hard person to wake. He was actually a light sleeper, a consequence of living with a prankster and having to avoid waking up purple or some other ridiculous way.

Severus turned the light on and hurried back to the bed. Harry was still trashing and moaning. Severus couldn’t make exactly the words but it was in the neighborhood of “run” and “he’ll kill you”. If that wasn’t enough to make Severus want to wake Harry, what he saw on Harry’s face was. Harry was sweating and pale; his brows were knitted as if in pain but what scared Severus was his forehead. In contrast to his pale skin, his lightning bolt scar was light red instead of the normal white as if inflamed. The last time it had been like that was in Harry’s first year right after his encounter with Voldemort.

Severus started shaking Harry harder, “Harry, wake up. Come on. Wake up!”

It was a good extra five minutes before Harry bolted upright, almost hitting his head on the low ceiling if Severus hadn’t stopped him, and crying “No!” He was pressing his hands to his forehead and breathing hard. Severus gently laid him back down and tried to pry Harry’s hands from his forehead. He rubbed Harry’s forehead to try and ease where he thought Harry had been in pain.

“Harry, does it hurt?” he asked gently.

Harry nodded and whispered, “He killed him.”

“Who killed who?”

“Voldemort, he killed the old Muggle.”

Severus inhaled sharply but didn’t stop massaging Harry’s forehead. As his fingers passed over Harry’s scar, he saw it was once again white. It was as if nothing had ever happened and he had imagined it’s inflamed state.

“You were having a nightmare Harry, is all. I tried to wake you but wasn’t able to. Do you want to talk about it?”

Harry shook his head but Severus pressed.

“It can help. Come on. Come lie on my bed,” he said motioning for Harry to get down. Harry did so. He didn’t even use the little ladder on the foot of the bunk bed. He didn’t use it to get on the bed either. Harry was tall enough to get on the bed by just propelling himself up with a foot on the bottom bed. Harry lay down on Severus bed and Severus put a pillow on his lap so Harry could rest his head on it as he laid on his side facing the opposite wall.

“Tell me your dream,” he said as he carted his fingers thorough Harry’s hair to calm him.

“There was Voldemort, and Bellatrix, and Wormtail. They were somewhere that I’ve never seen. A room somewhere; it looked unlived, dusty but rich. You could see it was big and had a huge fireplace, and the furniture was old and dusty but you could see it was expensive… They were talking… they were talking about…” here Harry bit his lips and Severus had to prompt him a little.

“About?”

“About getting me for something, using me for something, I don’t know what.”

Severus hand paused for one second before he continued his ministrations, “Go on.”

“Wormtail asked if they could use someone else but Voldemort said no, that he wanted me for reasons he had already explained. Bellatrix mocked Wormtail, said he was a coward, he was scared. Then they talked about someone, Voldemort called him his faithful servant, that didn’t sit well with Bellatrix. She said she was his most faithful servant and she would be delighted to do his bidding. Voldemort said that  he needed her there to take care of him since Wormtail would have another job.”

“Did he say what?”

“No,” Harry shook his head, “He just said something about a curse and his faithful servant at Hogwarts and I’d be his. That’s when a big snake came in the room and Voldemort said she told him there was a Muggle outside the room spying on them. I think he called the snake Nagini, or something. Then…then he killed the old man… he just killed him like he was nothing.”

“Sh, it’s okay. It was just a dream, Harry, don’t worry. I just want to ask you if you remember anything else?”

“Yeah, whatever they are doing they are waiting for the Quidditch World Cup to be over because of the security and…”

“And?”

“There was someone else they killed, a Bertha Jorkins. Apparently Bellatrix and Wormtail brought her to Voldemort and that’s how he found out what he needed for his plan.”

Harry turned to lie on his back, and scared green eyes met worried black. “Do you really think it was a dream Uncle Sev? Because my scar hurt and the last time that happened Voldemort was near me but he can’t be-“

“He can’t come to Privet Drive Harry. The wards won’t allow him, or any witch or wizard that means you harm, in,” Severus said. He was silent for a moment and pondered what to say; he didn’t want to scare Harry but he wanted the boy on his guard. He breathed slowly and said, while tracing Harry’s scar with a finger, “There isn’t much information on cursed scars, especially since before you no one ever survived the killing curse. I never heard of a scar that hurts years after it’s closed. But from your experience in your first year we know there is some connection between you and the Dark Lord.”

Harry shivered and Severus had to agree; he didn’t like Harry having any connection with the Dark Lord either. He frowned.

“Did you see the Dark Lord?” Severus asked.

Harry shook his head, “No, he was hidden by the back of the chair he was in. He had to be smaller than it though. Do you think he has a body back? I mean, he has to, to hold a wand.”

“If he needs constant care he may not have a strong body, just something in between. So he probably isn’t possessing someone or sharing like he did with Quirrell,” Severus said. “Where were you? How did you see all this?”

“I wasn’t anywhere. I just saw it. Like in a movie, when you see the screen. If I had to put myself somewhere, I’d say next to the Muggle guy. Up until when the snake came. Then I was able to see the room better instead of just through the crack.”

“There’s a chance the snake was next to the Muggle all the time right?” Harry nodded. “So you could be following Nagini and not the Muggle.”

“Yes, what are you thinking?”

“I don’t know. This sounds like you were seeing a memory or something. But you mastered Occlumency and I trust you to keep your shield up all the time.”

“I do,” Harry said defensively.

“I know, and that’s what worries me. You shouldn’t be having any dreams of being in someone else’s head, much less the Dark Lord’s. This shouldn’t be happening. This makes no sense. ”

“It’s probably just a dream then,” Harry said.

“Probably, but we better not dismiss it. I’ll talk to Albus and the others. See what they think. Is your scar still hurting?” Severus asked and Harry shook his head. Severus nodded, “You better go back to sleep. We still have two more days of torture to endure before we can run for freedom.”

Harry turned on his side again grinning, “So melodramatic Uncle Sev. It hasn’t been that bad. At least we haven’t had to endure Uncle Vernon’s speeches and we’ve been outside.”

“Humph,” Severus grunted running his fingers through Harry’s hair until he could hear the even breathing that meant he was sleeping. He slowly rolled the sleeve of his pajama shirt up and stared at his left arm.

It had always been there- a white mark that stood out a little from the rest of his skin, like a scar. But as he stared at the Dark Mark now he saw with a sinking heart that it was darker, more leaning towards grey than white. Not much, just a little that only someone that had stared at it so many times as he did would have recognized. This was no ordinary dream.

XXXXXXX

“So, you three will spend the night in the basement?” Harry asked his dad and Uncles.

“Yes,” Remus answered. “The steel door and the wards will be able to keep me inside in case the potion is ineffective.”

Harry looked at him and at the other two. He bit his lips, “But it’s small. I mean, not small but compared to the woods or something it is. It’s roughly the same size of that room in the Shrieking Shack. What if the potion doesn’t work and Moony attacks Blackie and Padfoot?”

Severus cringed at his new nickname. Biting his lips Sirius answered, “The last time we were the ones attacking Moony. Werewolves don’t usually attack other animals, since they are not their prey. Their prey is humans, and as long as we don’t attack the most that will happen is a little rough housing and that will serve from keeping him from biting himself. Besides, that will only happen if the potion doesn’t work. Don’t you trust Severus’ abilities?”

Harry looked at Severus apologetically, “I do. But I am allowed to be worried.”

“Of course you are cub,” Remus said. “Now, you are to stay in your room at all times. Don’t come near the basement okay? The door and wards should hold but there is no need to tempt Moony with your scent.” Harry nodded vigorously.

“We also want you to keep your broom and cloak ready,” Severus said, “Just in case everything else fails. If you hear the door breaking don’t, I repeat don’t wait to see what’s happening. Fly out of the window and go to Andromeda’s house. Understood?” he finished sternly and Harry knew this was because he hadn’t obeyed those same orders of running away in June.

“Yes sir.”

“Good,” Sirius nodded.

XXXXXXX

With a loud clank, Sirius closed the steel door. The basement was almost bare. Usually there was a table, chairs and a couch for them to sleep on, but since tonight they didn’t know if Moony would go wild they took everything out that could hurt him and left only the rug. If he went wild it would serve for chewing. If not, it would serve for them to sleep on.

Remus had an old robe on; he always refused to be naked during the transformations. Usually, with the potion working, after he transformed Sirius would just help him disentangle himself from the robe. When it didn’t work he would rip it off himself. Before the Wolfsbane potion was created, Remus had a robe that had been magically mended so many times he didn’t even remember how it looked when it was new.

“You both should transform,” Remus said from where he was standing. With two soft pops, where previously Severus and Sirius had been standing, there was a big black dog with grey eyes and a black wolf with black eyes. Remus stepped closer and kneeled as he ran a hand through Blackie’s fur, admiring the wolf, “You are magnificent you know that Blackie? Such a handsome wolf. You could lose yourself in the night; no one would see you.”

Blackie gave a small bark and stood a little straighter as if he was posing for one of those dog shows. Padfoot dropped on the floor and hid his face in his paws.

“He’s just jealous,” Remus said to the wolf as he got up and went to the side. “You two better stay back until I transform,” he finished as he sat down on the floor.

Padfoot and Blackie sat where they were, just surveying Remus. Less then twenty minutes later there was a soft pop and where Remus had been stood the brown werewolf known as Moony. It was quite a site, a werewolf wearing a robe. He didn’t move and Padfoot came forward. He stood between Moony and Blackie and nodded to Blackie. With another pop, Blackie turned into Severus. He stood rigid; this was the part they hadn’t told Harry about, why they had opted for the room instead of the cage. In the cage Moony would be alone; here they could get a human closer and test if Remus was in control. They decided on Severus because Padfoot had more experience in keeping Moony away, so he would be able to give Severus more time to transform back. But Moony made no move, and both Severus and Padfoot went closer, Padfoot always staying between Severus and Moony. Still Moony made no move. As they slowly walked forward, Moony lay on the floor as if bored and saying, “Get on with it already.”

Finally after what seemed like hours they reached Moony and Severus asked, “Remus, can you understand me?”

Moony looked up and nodded.

Severus grinned, “Okay. I need to ask you some questions. They may sound stupid but I have to see how much of your mind you’ve kept.”

Moony nodded. Severus took his wand out and conjured a big white piece of cardboard with numbers and pictures on the floor.

“Let me help you out of those robes,” Severus said but Moony shook his head. “No, you don’t want out? But you’re stepping on the sleeves and hem.”

Moony butted his head against Severus wand hand, “Oh fine, I understand.” With a swish of his wand the sleeves of the robe shortened until they showed just a little of Moony’s front paws and the hem of his robes also came up. Severus conjured a very thin cloth belt that could be split with a look, to hold the robes around the middle so it looked like Moony was wearing a skirt.

“Now, show me how much does twenty three plus fifty four make?”

Moony trotted on the cardboard and put his paw on top of a huge seventy seven.

“Good,” Severus praised as he ticked something from a parchment he had taken from his pocket, “Now show me Hogwarts.” At this Moony trotted to a picture of Hogwarts. This went on for a long while and as Sirius got bored he transformed back and conjured a comfy armchair to sit.

When they were finished, Sirius enlarged the chair to a couch and Moony hopped on next to him and rested his head on Sirius’ lap as the man rubbed behind his ear. Severus sat on the couch too and was scribbling furiously.

“It worked, right?”

“We still need to do the test next full moon but the alterations I made seem to have worked. At least from what I remember of the two transformations I witnessed,” Severus said eyeing Sirius for confirmation.

“Oh, yes. It never was this smooth even with the Wolfsbane. When he transformed you could see the limbs changing. It was a lot less painful than without the potion, because they didn’t seem to crack as they changed but there was still a little strain, which is why he needed to rest the next morning. It was never like the Animagus Transformation, where one second there’s Remus and pop, next second Moony. He used to get tangled in the robes from the squirming he did as he transformed too. I guess that he likes being able to keep his clothes on, he was always shy about being naked when he transforms back,” Moony nodded at this, “Silly Moony,” Sirius chuckled as he rubbed his friend’s ears.

”Did it hurt?” Severus asked Moony and Moony shook his head. “I’ll need a more detailed explanation of how it felt but for now that will do.

“How did you figure how to do that?” Sirius asked.

“By studying the Animagus transformation and the physiology of the wolf and werewolf. I figured I could replicate the effects with a potion. The transformation will occur no matter what, so I just needed to make it swifter, easier. That was actually the last thing I figured out how to do, and it was thanks to spending that night with Moony. The books on werewolves are not very thorough. They have a few of the major differences between the wolf and the werewolf but it was that night that I could see the smaller details for myself. Could make the scans.”

“I thought those scans were weird with you waving your wand like that but figured you were just checking he was really harmless.”

Severus smirked, “I knew you wouldn’t think different. I never wanted to say anything to you in case I failed. It was bad enough I was risking disappointing Harry, but he had found my research one day he was looking for parchment to color at Spinner’s End. I wouldn’t have told him otherwise.”

“Well, Congratulations Severus Snape, you did it!” Sirius beamed proudly.

Severus smiled, yes he did. This was one potion he could be proud of.

XXXXXXXX

“So?” Harry asked exited, during the breakfast that Remus had prepared. It was the first time in his life that he had seen his Uncle Moony up and about so early in the morning after the full moon.

“So what?” Remus asked as he put a plate of pancakes in front of Harry.

“Did it work?” Harry asked.

“Yes,” Severus said stifling a yawn from his spot at the table. “All the changes seemed to have worked. We still need to see if they will be permanent during the next full moon, but the results of last night were satisfactory. Thank you,” he said as Remus put a mug of hot coffee in front of him. “You still have to describe how you felt as you transformed into the werewolf and back.”

“I didn’t,” Remus said smiling. At Severus’ questioning look he elaborated, “I felt nothing. Usually I feel my limbs changing but this was like… like blinking. As Sirius said last night, one second I was me, and then the next I was Moony.”

Severus nodded, satisfied, “Then it’s what I was going for. Just like the Animagus Transformation.”

“Yes, it was the best thing ever! Thank you Severus!” Remus said grinning widely. He was still wearing the same robes as the previous night, which had been enlarged back to their previous state. He would have to think of a better way to stay dressed. When he transformed back the thin belt Severus conjured broke as Severus had intended and Remus looked like he was wearing one of those Muggle very short dresses. It was better then being naked though, he thought to himself. Maybe he could use knee length shorts with an elastic band on the waist and a T-shirt. Yes, that would probably work and there would be no need to resize them; all he had to do is tuck the shirt inside the shorts.  He could even have his wand in a pocket, so this way he would have his wand with him once he transformed back. That was brilliant Mr. Moony! His thoughts were broken by a loud snore from the table.  

Harry patted Sirius’ cheek to try and wake him. Sirius just swatted the hand away and kept on sleeping, slumped on the table. Although Remus had gone to sleep, Severus and Sirius had to stay awake all night to make sure Remus kept control of his mind in his werewolf form all night long. If the potion had worn off, the scent of humans would have woken him on a rage.

Remus sat happily at the table and as he sipped his tea he said innocently to Harry, “I don’t know why they are so tired. I slept like a baby.” Harry laughed as Severus glared. The power of the glare was ruined by a yawn.

XXXXXX

“I have no interest in Quidditch whatsoever Sirius. I only watch Harry’s matches because they are Harry’s matches,” Remus told Sirius calmly from his seat in the drawing room. He didn’t even bother raising his eyes from the article he was writing.

“But I need help with the boys. You are going to leave me alone with two teenagers? That’s cruel!” Sirius whined. He was standing in front of Remus, quite annoyed with the other’s lack of interest.

“Arthur will be managing seven plus Hermione I think you can manage two, Sirius.”

“Arthur has to manage four plus Hermione. Charlie and Bill are adults and Percy has been an adult since he was born. And they are going to help. That’s almost one adult per teenager.”

“Yes, but he has the twins. They are worth a hundred.”

“But Moony. What about International Cooperation, uh? That’s what the whole Triwizard Tournament is about.”

“What does that have to do with me going to the Quidditch World Cup?”

“There will be a bunch of foreign witches and wizards for you to practice all those languages you are so fond of. Bulgaria is playing. When was the last time you spoke Bulgarian?”

“Been a while,” Remus said thoughtfully. He finally looked at Sirius’ begging face and conceded, “Fine, I’ll go.”

Sirius launched himself at Remus hugging him fiercely.

“You won’t regret it Moony!”

XXXXXXXX

Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Harry and Neville had Portkeyed to the Quidditch World Cup early in the morning from an alley in London. Sirius had managed to convince Mrs. Longbottom to let Neville go, using the fact that there would be three adults looking out for the boys, one being an Auror and one a former Auror. Personally, he thought that what swayed the old woman was Remus’ presence and not his and Tonks.

“I thought I would be doing security,” Tonks said as she waved happily to an Auror on duty. “All the juniors are stationed. Can’t believe I get to be in the top box!” she squealed.

“That, dear cousin, is what you get for having such a charming cousin with good connections,” Sirius said, throwing his arms around her shoulder.

“What did you do?”

“Lets just say Kingsley owed me a favor.”

They finally spotted the Weasleys and Hermione trying to put up a tent. Harry, Neville and Tonks ran towards them.

“Charlie, Bill!” Harry called. “Didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Hey there, shorty!” Charlie said. “Not so short any more though,” he scowled as he shook Harry’s hand. “Smuggled any Dragons lately?”

“Charlie, shh,” Ginny said frantically eyeing Arthur. “Do you want dad to hear?”

Charlie just laughed as he hugged Tonks, “So how is the big bad Auror?”

“Oh, you know. Well enough,” Tonks sighed eyeing Remus. Charlie followed her gaze and smirked. She elbowed him. “I would shut up if I were you or I’ll tell this lot here some interesting tales about our Hogwarts days.”

“What tales?” Ginny asked eagerly.

“No tales,” Charlie said frantically. “Tonks, don’t do that!” The Auror just smirked.

“Arthur,” Remus asked as he shook the man’s hand. “Need any help?”

“Oh, yes,” Arthur said, obviously confused. “We are supposed to do this the Muggle way, but it’s very complicated. Hermione is helping but the poor girl doesn’t seem to make any sense.”

They all looked at Hermione who was looking quite frustrated as she tried to explain something to Ron.

“Remus and Tonks can help you while the boys and I put up our tent. We used to go camping with Ted and Andy when Harry was little, and being Muggleborn Ted always insisted to do it the Muggle way. I am handing you experts here. Come on boys, we’re just in the next plot,” Sirius said.

Remus went to join Hermione and Ron with a skipping and very happy pink haired Auror while Sirius and the two boys started unfolding their tent a little further away.

XXXXXXXX

After they had managed to erect the three tents, the two groups divided to inspect their own. As Remus, Tonks, Neville, Harry and Sirius looked around the inside of their tent they saw what resembled a small kitchenette with one room with two bunk beds. Sirius looked quite satisfied, but Remus wasn’t of the same opinion.

“There’s only one room,” Remus pointed out.

“So?” Sirius asked.

“And four beds.”

“Yes.”

“We have five people,” Remus said slowly.

“Guess someone will have to share,” Sirius said happily, “Harry and Neville, you’ll get the top beds since you two are lighter. I get that one and that leaves-“

“Hello,” came Arthur’s voice. “Nice space.” He said looking around.

“We seem to be one bed short,” Remus said.

“Oh, my,” Arthur said. “I think the girls have one spare bed in their tent. I am sure Nymphadora can share with them.”

Poor Arthur failed to see the two death glares he was receiving.