Merlin's Beard.

Harry Potter looked down at the inflamed, red bite that marked his lower hip. The Gryffindor struggled to pull himself up the last stair that would lead to the main entrance of Hogwarts. He needed to get into the safety of the castle.

Remus was still prowling about in his werewolf form. It had been an accident that Lupin had been outside where the light of a full moon touched his cursed skin, turning him. Harry coughed, he felt strange. Feverish.

Snape. He had to find his father. Harry giggled hysterically and then slapped himself hard to stop the sound. Severus had informed him three days before that James-stupid-Potter had never been his father. It had been Snape all along and for some stupid reason the stupid man had decided to keep the stupid secret! Harry wanted nothing more than to curl up in a hole and die.

Severus Snape was his father, James was a fraud and his friend had bitten him with cursed teeth. It was turning out to be a really stupid night.

"Stop with the stupid," Harry chastised himself harshly under his breath.

The door inched open when he pushed hard against it, and a moment later, he pulled his body through the narrow opening. The door shut again with a clang. Now, he was safe.

Harry felt the urge to bite something overtake him and he knew that he would never be safe again. The wound on his hip tingled.

Raising his wand, Harry whispered the spell that would bring his father.

- - -

Severus Snape knelt next to his son and tried to hold back the fears clamoring for his attention. Harry had been bitten by a werwolf and not just any werewolf, Remus Lupin. It was a worst case scenario, but Severus could not bring himself to tell the boy the truth.

"You will be fine. A quick nip up to the infirmary and Pomfrey will have you dancing steps in no time."

Harry squinted up at the man who was his father. "You sound weird... you don't... talk like that."

Snape swallowed hard. The boy was right, he was trying too hard to act like everything was fine. He helped the boy to his feet and together they walked towards the stairs that lead the infirmary.

"You're right, I'm sorry," the Professor said quietly. "I'm... worried for you."

Harry's heart skipped a beat. It felt so good to hear someone say that - someone who wasn't in his dreams or imaginary. The boy closed his eyes and a tear slipped over his cheek. Werewolf - cursed bite and all - was worth it to hear those words.

"I'm worried for you."

Harry felt peace settle over his soul and he knew that together he and his newly discovered father could face any challenge.