Remus Lupin felt awful as he arrived in the Great Hall that morning, rubbing his temples with his fingertips. His head was throbbing with a dull headache, and even the torches seemed to conspire against him, their flickering orange light burning directly into his eyes. He squinted against them and just made out the coffee that appeared before him on the staff table.

Lupin sighed as he picked it up, his mind turning back to what he'd said to Harry just the day before…. those words he'd spoken in anger, the ones he'd never intended to say.

It was just a slip, but it was an unforgivable one.

What would James say? Sirius?

It was supposed to be a private resentment, his dirty secret. That low-burning anger… He'd believed it would simply disappear, given some time. He'd hoped one day to simply look at Harry and see him as that boy he loved again, rather than as the reckless teenager who had led Sirius to his death. He'd hoped to spare Harry the knowledge of the terrible thoughts running through his head.

But in one moment of anger, he'd ruined any chance of that.

He was ashamed to admit it-- even to himself-- but there had been something terribly liberating about finally letting Harry know how he felt, even if he had hurt him.

And Merlin, how it must have hurt him!

At the thought of it, Remus felt his chest flood with shame.

He needed to speak to Harry today, to set things right. And maybe… maybe he needed to follow the advice of Severus, of all people.

"I suggest you get over it, Lupin. Your dearly departed friend is gone."

He should simply get over it.

Funny how he'd resolved to do just that every morning since he'd returned to Hogwarts, only to sink back under that disquieting anger that had lingered like some illness since losing Sirius. He wanted to cast aside his resentment towards Harry, but it would be as easy to tear off his own legs. It was just something that refused to die away, no matter how he tried to force it down.

Why couldn't he just forgive Harry?

Or better yet, why couldn't he accept that there was nothing to forgive? That Harry was a sixteen-year-old kid who'd merely been trying to save someone he loved? Who'd been tricked by an older, more powerful wizard?

Because he'll do it again, whispered some voice in the back of his thoughts, and Remus found himself remembering Harry, struggling in his arms just the day before, trying to return to the battle. Harry, charging after Bellatrix Lestrange. Harry, running straight towards the veil.

He is going to get himself killed, too. JUST LIKE SIRIUS.

His hand clenched into a fist on the tabletop.

He'd known… hell, everyone had known, that Sirius's recklessness would one day be the end of him. Anyone who had seen him, prowling restlessly like some caged beast in Grimmauld Place, would have realized that the man would one day charge into a violent fate. Even Remus had known that, however much he'd wanted to blind himself to it.

And Harry would do the same thing.

Harry… reckless, foolhardy Harry… charging into a battle with Death Eaters, hoping to defend his friends when he was their primary target…

Remus didn't want to go through it again. He didn't want to watch another person he loved die.

He was angry with Harry for what had happened to Sirius… but he was even angrier for what he'd done right after losing Sirius, for running straight at that veil, and for nearly meeting the exact same fate… for every opportunity since, when he'd reaffirmed that he truly didn't give a damn if people cared about him, he was simply going to throw his life away at the first possible juncture.

He cared about Harry, and Harry owed him more than that.

And Sirius had owed him more than that!

Maybe, though, he owed Harry a good deal more, too.

He'd thought simply burying his emotions would make them vanish. He'd believed Harry would remain blissfully ignorant of what he was feeling, and eventually he could step right back into the boy's life without creating any new scars.

But if Severus was to be believed… Hell, if his own instincts were to be believed, he'd been less successful at hiding his emotions than he'd thought. And what he'd said to Harry yesterday…

Well, there was no more hiding it now.

I've handled this the wrong way. Remus looked over the students just starting to trickle into the Great Hall, searching for that familiar head of black hair. I need to speak to him... I need to come clean.

What would he say, though? How could he possibly resolve this without hurting Harry further?

And where was Harry?

Remus sighed, knowing that in all likelihood Harry was merely sleeping in. And perhaps it was for the best. Yesterday had been hard… for all of them. There were still dozens of students in the hospital wing, and they'd lost two members of the Order of Phoenix.

Remus rolled up his issue of the Daily Prophet and rose to his feet, resolving to speak to Harry later. And he'd throw the newspaper away later, too… just as soon as he could bear to part with it. It had taken him three reads of the article profiling the lost aurors to really let the news sink through his head. Nymphadora Tonks…

He'd become fairly close to her over the last two years, through both their work in the Order and her occasional visit in Grimmauld Place. It was a blow, knowing they'd lost her. She was young… far too young. What was she-- twenty-three? Twenty-four…?

His thoughts occupied him as he strolled into the corridor just arching off the main one into the Great Hall. And then a familiar scent stopped him dead in his tracks.

Harry…

He couldn't see anyone; if it weren't for his acute sense of smell-- one of the few perks to being a werewolf-- he wouldn't have been aware anyone was in the hallway with him. Harry had to be wearing his invisibility cloak.

Remus strained his ears, and he could just hear the faint scuff of footsteps as someone tried to sneak past him.

"Harry?"

The footsteps halted, but there was no response.

"Harry, I know you're here."

He could hear someone exhale shakily. Had Harry been holding his breath? Trying to hide?

"Harry," Remus said, his voice sterner. "Answer me."

"What?"

He heard it somewhere in front of him. Harry's voice was rough and rang of belligerence, as though the word had been dragged from him.

"I didn't see you at breakfast. I'd like to speak to you."

There was a long moment of silence.

"What is it?" Harry said at last, his voice muffled by the cloak.

Lupin sighed, staring at the empty corridor before him. "Could you please take off the cloak, Harry?"

He could hear Harry's breathing grow more rapid, but no corresponding movement to indicate the boy would do as he'd asked.

"Please, Harry."

There was something strangely sad about Harry's refusal to remove the cloak, almost as though Harry believed that if no one could see him, no one could hurt him. It reminded Remus of a child trying to hide from his imaginary monsters, and he felt a pang of sadness at the reminder of just how young Harry still was.

His anger, whatever remained of it, dwindled away into a dark pit, leaving him suddenly feeling drained and empty, and very guilty for what he'd said the day before.

"Harry, please. Take off the cloak."

His voice must have sounded as exhausted as he suddenly felt, because he finally turned the tide of whatever internal debate Harry was holding. The boy reluctantly tugged the cloak aside to reveal the back of his slumped head, and a glimpse of his shoulder; the rest of the cloak remained firmly fixed in place, leaving Remus in the odd position of speaking to a head floating in the air.

"Thank you," Remus said graciously, trying not to smile at the strangeness of the scene. "Can you turn around, too?"

Harry reluctantly turned. Remus had expected despair, or maybe anger. He was surprised at the complete absence of expression on the younger wizard's face.

"What is it?" Harry asked flatly, watching him through empty green eyes.

"Harry, I--" Remus faltered for a moment, slightly daunted in the face of the boy's stoicism. "I just wanted to apologize for what I said yesterday…"

"You already did that. I told you, it's fine," Harry said gruffly, and Remus heard his cloak rustle in a way that made him suspect the boy was about to pull it back over his head.

"No, it's not fine, Harry!" Remus said, stepping forward and grabbing Harry's invisible shoulder to stop him from retreating.

Dull green eyes rose to his, and Harry watched him in a listless way that made Remus feel a twinge of worry.

"What I said… it was out of line. I was-- it's just been hard, Harry… it's been hard for both of us, losing Sirius." His hand tightened around Harry's shoulder. "When you lose someone you love, it's difficult, finding ways to understand it… You'd know that as well as I would. I've been-- I'll admit that I've been placing blame, or feeling angry, when I shouldn't have. But I never meant to hurt you, Harry. I never meant to say that to you. It was wrong of me, and I feel terrible about it."

"It's fine," Harry repeated, pulling away from Remus's grip. "I'm over it. It's not a problem."

"You don't look fine," Remus observed, taking in Harry's hollowed eyes, the faint, downward crease of his lips.

Harry looked anywhere but at him. "It's fine. Hermione's just-- you know about Hermione."

He took a step closer, and Harry skittered back like a frightened animal. Remus felt the first, faint note of alarm.

"Do you need anything, Harry?" Remus asked, genuinely concerned now. "You truly don't look well."

"No," Harry answered shortly, before his eyes found Remus's, and finally there appeared a first flash of anger in them. "What do you want from me?"

"Har--"

"Why are you pretending you still care?" Harry cried, retreating several steps further. "I know what you think of me!"

"I do care," Remus whispered.

Harry continued to back away, but he wobbled suddenly, as though his balance had nearly given out. A loud thwack echoed through the corridor as something fell out from under his cloak. Remus had just the briefest glimpse of the title-- Familial Bonds and Mag-- before Harry stooped down and snatched it up quickly, pulling it protectively back under the invisibility cloak.

"What's that book?" Remus asked, peering at Harry questioningly.

"It's mine!" Harry snarled.

"All right," Remus said gently, recognizing a clear sign it wasn't any of his business. Harry was darting his eyes towards the door, and Remus drew closer, worried he was going to try to run away. "Listen, Harry, please… just hear me out. What I said yesterday… I never intended to say that--"

"I know you didn't!" Harry said bitterly. "You probably wouldn't have said anything, just kept avoiding me all year, right?"

He withdrew several more steps, and Remus circled around to place himself between the younger wizard and his escape route.

"The way I've been acting, it's inexcusable, and I know that…"

"You think it's my fault, what happened to Sirius." Pain crept into Harry's expression, and Remus felt his heart wrench.

He'd never wanted to hurt Harry… Never…

Harry wasn't finished. "You think it… you said that…" Harry drew a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "But… you were right. I shouldn't have gone that night. Or I should have talked to someone, to Snape--"

"It's in the past, now, Harry," Remus found himself saying, and strangely, meaning it. "I was upset, irrationally so, for a long time. I-- Harry, it's never been easy for me to make friends. Being what I am-- being a werewolf-- there are so few people who can look past that. They were my friends… my only friends. It hurt, and it hurt terribly, to lose Sirius again. Especially after losing your father--"

"James?" Harry interrupted, his eyes unnaturally bright.

"Yes, after losing James and Lily. But I was wrong to direct that anger towards you. I can only hope you'll forgive--"

Harry shot him an odd, slanted look. "Why would you want my forgiveness? It's my fault, what happened to Sirius." His smile was bitter, and far too old. "It's my fault for a lot of things. I've done-- my mistakes are-- but why, Remus? Why does this matter? Is it because of my father?"

"Your father?" Remus echoed blankly.

Harry's expression grew fevered, and he crept imperceptibly closer, as though he needed to see Remus more clearly.

"You pulled me out of the fight yesterday. Why are you bothering? Why didn't you just let them kill me?"

Remus stared at him, appalled. Harry couldn't seriously think he'd stopped caring about him altogether, could he?

"Is it because of James?" Harry pressed on. "Because-- because if it is, you don't need to bother anymore. Not really." He drew a shaky breath, and something like resolve stole over his expression. "James is not-- he's not my father, you know."

"What on earth are you talking about, Harry?"

"Snape's my father." Harry tried to smile, or at least it seemed like it, but it came out as a grimace. "Not James. James never was my father."

"Harry, of course he's your father," Remus said, wondering why on earth Harry was speaking this way.

Harry shook his head quickly, a strange smile creeping across his lips. "No, no he's not. I found out-- Snape and I found out this year. You can ask Dum-- no, I can show you!"

And before Remus could get his mind around to what was happening, Harry thrust his wand out from within his invisibility cloak and pointed it at his own face, whispering a word over and over.

Lupin stared on, utterly confused, as Harry dismantled his own appearance. First the skin, then the nose and the cheekbones, the hair…

"Harry, what are you doing?" Remus demanded.

The boy whispered the spell once more, and then lowered his wand, blinking at Lupin through familiar green eyes from an utterly unfamiliar face.

"This is it," Harry announced. "See? No James, not anywhere. Your… obligation, or whatever it is, it's done. It's ended, see?"

"What have you done to yourself?" Remus whispered, staring uncomprehendingly at the younger wizard. Was it some sort of glamour? Why would Harry perform a spell to change his appearance?

Harry made a sound almost like a growl of frustration and thrust his wand back into his robes.

"I broke the glamour, Professor! The one that makes me look like James. This is what I look like!"

Harry's words finally rolled over him, arranging themselves in a way that at last made some sort of coherent sense.

Harry believed Snape was his father.

Lupin stared at him, aghast. "Harry, who told you this nonsense?"

Someone had lied to the boy. Who would do such a thing?

Harry's expression hardened. "Snape. And Dumbledore."

Remus shook his head, trying to shake off the words. No. There was no way Dumbledore would do something so ghastly, as trick an orphaned boy about his parentage. It was impossible. And Severus… he'd always thought better of him than that.

Someone was having a laugh at Harry's expense. Remus felt a wash of cold fury at the thought. Why would anyone be so vindictive? Especially right now, when Harry's life was so difficult anyway!

"Someone's played a trick on you, Harry," Remus said soberly. "A very cruel trick."

"No!" Harry backed away several steps. "No, see? Look at me! This is me, Remus. It's true."

"Harry-- did Severus tell you this?" Lupin asked, anger creeping into his tone. He could dismiss Dumbledore out of hand, and while he wanted to think better of Severus than this, it was no secret how much he loathed the boy. "Did he do this to you?" he waved at Harry's face. "Because I'll have a word with him right now. Do you hear me, Harry? We'll sort this out."

I'll sort him out! Lupin added silently, feeling his fury boil up against that son of a bitch. How dare Severus toy with Harry's emotions like this!

Harry seemed to visibly wilt.

"It's true, Remus. And I'm sorry, I really am. I'm sorry you wasted your time on me, all these years, but I didn't know, either."

Remus felt his alarm stir back to life at Harry's odd tone. Clearly Harry had been very disturbed by this prank.

"Someone's playing a trick on you, Harry. And we'll get to the bottom of it!" he pledged, trying to sound reassuring.

Harry's eyes darted towards the Great Hall. He stepped towards it, poised on the edge of flight. "I really am sorry, Remus. I mean that. But… well, I have to go now."

"Ha--"

"I have to go!" Harry glanced away, as though something else had distracted him, before turning his attention back to Remus, intent. "You, uh, you need to tell Dumbledore something for me, okay? Tell him… Tell him he had the wrong person. He made a mistake, okay? And I do hope he finds the real one someday. But… it's not me."

There was something dreadfully wrong here. Remus felt a stab of panic.

"Harry!" he called sharply, starting forward.

But in one fluid movement, Harry yanked the invisibility cloak back over his head, and the door burst open into the corridor. Remus rushed after him, hearing Harry's footsteps smack down the hallway, and right into the Great Hall. One whiff of the fifty or so people bustling about, and Remus knew it would be hopeless to try and track him in their midst.

He stared into the Great Hall in shock. What had just happened here?

Remus lingered there several minutes, hoping he'd detect Harry trying to leave again through the same door, but he was certain it was a hopeless endeavor given all the routes into and out of the Great Hall.

The things Harry had said… It was madness…

"If you don't mind, Lupin, some of us would like to eat breakfast today."

Severus's silky voice washed over him like a poison. Rage boiled up inside him, and Lupin whirled around, carried by his fury, and in one sudden movement grabbed Snape by the neck and wrenched him from the doorway, dragging the struggling professor into the side corridor.

Severus fought his grip all the way, but Remus was stronger, and angrier. By the time he slammed Severus up against the wall in the abandoned corridor, there was something like real fear in Snape's expression.

"Have you lost your mind?" Snape cried. "What in Merlin's name is the matter with you, Lupin?"

"You slimy bastard!" Remus bellowed, leaning right in Snape's face. "Where do you get off, telling Harry those horrible lies about his father?"

Snape's expression hardened. "Whatever are you going on about?" he asked in a chilly tone.

Oh, he was not simply going to let Severus retreat into his cold, dispassionate Death Eater façade. Not this time!

His grip tightened around Snape's throat, and he was gratified to see the alarm flicker back in Severus's eyes.

"I trusted you, Snape! I defended you when the others in the Order doubted your loyalty!" He slammed Snape hard into the wall, enraged. "Why are you doing this? Why did you make up that horrendous lie, simply to toy with Harry's mind? Hasn't he been through enough? Now you have him convinced James isn't his father!"

Snape's eyes widened imperceptibly. "He told you!"

"Told me! What, did you think it would stay a secret?" Remus snarled. "Did you honestly think you could twist Harry around in your sick little game, and no one would notice? Did you think that, Snivellus?"

He'd never said that name before, but it suddenly seemed like the most appropriate insult for the situation. The old moniker seemed to trigger something vicious and primal in Severus. In a burst of strength, Snape suddenly threw Lupin's grip off, and Remus found himself slammed back against the wall.

"It kills you, doesn't it?" Snape rasped, his sour breath flaring in Remus's face. "Knowing James Potter has nothing left in this world. No legacy, no son…"

"You lie!"

Snape's wand was out suddenly, pressing into his jugular. Remus froze; he'd been angry enough that he hadn't even thought to disarm Severus when he'd laid his hands upon him.

"Not a lie, Lupin," Snape said softly, his gleeful words coated with poison. A horrible smile crept across his lips. "Harry told you the truth. I am his father. I fucked Lily… right under James's nose… And that was my child, not his. My son you fawned over, my son your precious friends died for…"

Lupin tried to spring forward, but Snape's wand bore harder into his throat, pinching the skin relentlessly.

"Oh, deny it all you want, Lupin," Snape whispered venomously. "But he's mine. My son, my blood. All. Mine." The wand eased up imperceptibly, and Snape surveyed him through chillingly cold, black eyes. "I am merely astonished the boy told you; I would have thought he'd have better sense than that."

Remus shook his head fiercely. "It's not true; you're lying. You did something-- that's not what he looks like! You did something--"

"What are you talking about?" Snape snarled, his voice dripping with contempt.

Remus couldn't speak. He didn't believe this. He wouldn't believe this. Why would Severus own up to what he was doing? It was as though he really thought--

No, it couldn't be true!

"He--" Remus fumbled a moment, horrorstruck, remembering Harry's words, Harry's clear belief in them.

What would Severus have to gain from lying about this?

No! It wasn't true. It couldn't be true…

"He looked like you," Remus said raggedly, remembering Harry's transformation. The pallor, the sharp edge to his face.

"Look at me! This is me, Remus. It's true."

Snape's eyes were boring directly into his, and Remus did not realize he was being legilimized until Snape barked, "Potter removed the glamour?"

An abrupt motion sent Remus spilling to the ground.

He stared up at Severus, unable to comprehend the turn this morning had taken. He grasped for his rage, the anger that had made him want to pummel the other wizard's face in, and found himself mired in a world of confusion.

Was Severus telling the truth? Could this be something more than a sick prank? Was Harry… could Harry be in earnest?

"It's impossible…" Remus murmured. "It can't be. He's always been… he's always looked…"

Snape snorted, and looked down at him with disdain. "Ask Dumbledore if you'd like clarification. I'm going to suggest he obliviate you, although I suppose it will be no use if that idiot boy chooses to tell you again."

Snape's expression darkened, and his gaze wandered towards the Great Hall.

"I warned him…" His soft voice rang ominously in the enclosed space.

Remus at last picked himself up, too stunned to speak.

Snape's sardonic gaze found him. "Well, Lupin?" he asked caustically. "Isn't this the point you decry your association with him? You scorn the time you wasted on Snivellus's bastard?"

The words brought back his confusing conversation with Harry.

"Harry… he was acting strangely…" Remus said, almost to himself, though he could see Snape listening intently. "He-- he wasn't making any sense."

Snape's eyes rolled. "And as per the usual routine of late, I suppose I must inquire into the brat's welfare."

Remus stared at him, unable to shake himself out of the unreality of the scene. So attuned was he to Severus's expression, that he noticed the exact moment his eyes fell upon the newspaper at Remus's feet-- he'd dropped it at some point during the scuffle-- and he saw the strange look in Snape's eyes when something in particular seemed to catch his attention.

Lupin jumped when Snape started forward suddenly, and was surprised when Snape swept down and grasped the paper from the floor, his black eyes running over the print quickly.

He watched Severus's lips move soundlessly over the syllables.

Nympha-dora Tonks.

There was something dawning on Severus's face, an expression he'd never seen before.

"What is it?" Remus asked, rising from his stunned stupor.

Snape waved him off impatiently and straightened to his full height, briskly striding away. Remus followed, still feeling as though he were in some strange dream, and found Snape looming at the entrance to the Great Hall, casting his dark gaze around. His expression was still unreadable, and Remus looked back and forth between Severus's odd expression and the newspaper balled up in his hand. That name…

He understood suddenly. Despite himself, and amazingly, through all the conflicting emotions and sheer disbelief raging inside him, Remus felt a twinge of pity.

Could to be that Severus Snape had truly cared about someone? Was he human after all?

"Nymphadora Tonks…" he said softly, watching a vein flicker in Snape's forehead. "Were you very close?" he asked gently.

Snape's black eyes shot to his.

"No, I loathed that blasted woman!"

Remus wasn't sure what to say.

"Where did you see Potter?" Snape demanded harshly.

"Right here… just a few minutes before you came…" Remus said numbly.

Snape withdrew from the Great Hall, back into the corridor, ripping out his wand. "Point-me Harry!" he growled.

It was the 'Harry' that did it. Not Potter. Not Harry Potter. There was no reason for Severus to omit the last name unless he was telling the truth.

Remus felt like a lead fist had just slammed into his chest. He almost sank back against the wall, stunned and disbelieving.

"He's outside," Snape muttered. He whirled on Remus. "Lupin, go to Gryffindor, and get that bloody map from Potter's room... You know which one."

"Harry probably has it," Remus replied absently. "He's probably carrying it on him."

"Check anyway!" Severus snapped impatiently. "I'm going to search for him using a point-me spell, but they're notoriously unreliable. And we don't need two people searching for him with the same method. Look for that bloody map, Lupin, and I'll look for the boy. If I can't find him, you should be able to."

Snape started off, but Lupin snagged his robe.

"Why? Severus, what's wrong--"

"If he still means anything to you, Lupin," Snape said contemptuously, "Then find that map, and help me find him. Now unhand me!"

Remus released his grip on Snape's robe, and watched him stalk off down the shadowy corridor, a strange chill in his heart.

He didn't understand what was going on… He didn't know…

If he still means anything to you…

Severus's words rang ominously in his ears, and only half-aware of what he was doing, Remus hoisted himself to his feet.

If he still means anything to you…

Of course he did. He was still Harry.

He didn't understand what had happened… he was still confused about the lingering threads of anger he still associated with Harry's name… he didn't know anymore if Harry even was Harry…

But he loved Harry. And if there was something wrong, he was going to have to trust Severus about this. He started for Gryffindor Tower, only dimly aware of the students startled by their DADA teacher sprinting past them in the narrow corridor.