Harry sprawled on his bed, indulging in self-pity.

He had just counted the days since his arrival at Grimmauld Place, and found that he had only been there a week. It seemed like a lot longer. And it was weeks and weeks before he could expect to leave.

For the first time ever, he wished himself back at the Dursleys. As dreadful as they were, he would gladly stop complaining about them now that he knew the alternative was having Snape as his guardian and Lupin looking at him with barely-disguised condemnation in his eyes. In fact, he could come up with a long list of complaints...

Before he could begin that list, he heard footsteps coming toward his room from the direction of the stairs, and jumped up to peer out into the hallway.

Lupin stopped, a step past Harry's door, and turned to face him with a forced smile.

"Were you coming to see me?" Harry asked innocently, feeling vindictive. He knew perfectly well that Lupin was on his way to see Snape; he didn't even need to see Lupin's eyes dart to the closed door at the end of the hallway.

"Er... yes," Lupin said reluctantly. "We really should talk, Harry."

Harry held open the door. He sat down on the bed, folding his legs under him, while Lupin sat down on top of Harry's trunk.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Harry asked. In the back of his mind, he felt terrible about this, he really did, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.

"Oh... well," Lupin said, pausing to give him a penetrating look and then throwing the question back at him, "I thought we ended on a sour note at dinner. And you were very quiet all evening. Is anything bothering you?"

"No," Harry said. He wished he had something to say; something that would keep Lupin in his room for the next few hours so he would miss meeting Snape, but he wasn't going to make up things that weren't true. "Not really."

"Not really?" Lupin prodded. "Suddenly you're all out of questions?"

Harry scowled. "What's the point? You never answer any of them anyway. I do want to know where Hedwig is, for one thing. You know, if you just tell me, I won't ask to have her brought here. As long as I know she's all right."

"She is all right, and I have told you that," Lupin said, a tinge of irritation creeping into his voice. "She's at Hogwarts, being taken care of same as any other owl. What do you think happens to owls owned by Muggle-born students during the summer?"

Harry had never thought about it. "I supposed they took their owls with them. I did, and I lived with Muggles."

"And some can do that," Lupin agreed. "Others can't."

"All right," Harry said. He felt angry. There had been absolutely no reason why Lupin couldn't have told him where Hedwig was. It was a simple enough explanation. "There, I'm not kicking and screaming and demanding to have her back."

"Good," Lupin said. "Because you can't have her flying all over the place. She's too conspicuous."

"Someone would nab her?" Harry asked. "Has that been happening to my mail?"

Lupin nodded. "A few letters, early on. Nothing we think was damaging."

Harry thought it was very damaging. Those were letters to him, probably from his friends, and all while he'd been waiting desperately for any word from them.

"I suppose that isn't the way you see it," Lupin said, guessing his thoughts. "I'm sorry, but we have to look at the bigger picture, and that's keeping you out of harm's way."

Harry didn't suppose that Lupin would tell him exactly what sort of harm they thought was likely to come to him. With effort, he suppressed that thought. "I appreciate you doing that."

To his surprise, Lupin reached out and briefly laid his hand over Harry's. "It's something I can't imagine not doing. I know it's not the same. I'm not your father or Sirius or Dumbledore, and you've never had to see me in that role, but it's impossible for me to not care about you."

"Because I'm James' son?" Harry asked suspiciously; a lot of people did seem to put a great deal of stock in that. "Or because Sirius cared about me?"

"Because I care about you."

Harry felt a little choked up.

But somehow, the unexpected connection failed to even begin to fill the void inside him. The tears prickling his eyes were for Sirius.

He wanted, so much, to share that with Lupin. There was no one else in the world who had loved Sirius or who now missed him as much as Harry did. It struck him as a deep injustice that Sirius was remembered by so few. An even greater injustice if what Harry had started to suspect about Lupin and Snape was true.

"I miss Sirius," he said simply.

"I know," Lupin said. Harry didn't recall how he came to have his head down on Lupin's shoulder. "I know you do. I miss him too."

"It's not fair," Harry whispered. "And don't tell me life's not fair."

Lupin didn't, and his hold on Harry tightened until it was painful.

"Dumbledore..." Harry pulled away from Lupin, hastily wiping his eyes. "He said once that death was just the next great adventure, but --"

Lupin sniffed derisively. "But that's Dumbledore," he finished in Harry's place. "He was over a hundred years old. It's a stupid, stupid thing for anyone to say. You know how hollow it is if you just think of a child that's died. Life is the greatest adventure, Harry. I don't know what comes after, and for all we know there is nothing. Sirius wanted to live. Like any good man, he was ready to die fighting for the right cause, but he wanted to live."

And because of Harry, he didn't get to.

For a long while they didn't say anything. Lupin was staring bleakly at the wall. Harry didn't want to know what he was thinking, or if he was trying not to think at all.

"Do you think..." he began hesitantly, "I mean, I know you said we don't know, but..." He had to stop to draw in a breath. "Do you think Sirius is in a good place?"

Lupin slowly turned to look at Harry. His voice came out strangled. "No one knows what comes after death, Harry. It's not for us to know."

"But, do you think...?"

"I don't know."

Harry swallowed. That was neither the answer he wanted, nor the one he expected. Sirius had been a good person. A great person. And Lupin had just said that himself.

Lupin smiled a dark, forced smile. "That wasn't a kind answer. I'm sorry, Harry." He pressed his hand against his eyes, sighing deeply. "Yes, if there's a Heaven, surely it has room in it for Sirius."

Harry nodded, but the heaviness in his chest didn't leave.

If there was a Heaven, he wanted to believe that his mum and dad, and now Sirius, were all there together, and happy. But he just couldn't see it. And apparently, neither did Lupin.

"I don't even have any pictures of him," he said glumly. "Recent ones, I mean. I don't think we ever took any."

Lupin swallowed visibly. "I'll look through what I have." The expression on his face told Harry it was the last thing he wanted to do. "I believe I may have one or two from Christmas."

"That would be great," Harry said. "If you don't mind."

"I don't mind," Lupin said, looking like he minded a whole lot. "I should have thought of it before myself, really."

"You... must think about him all the time," Harry said, avoiding looking directly at Lupin.

A suspicious look fleeted briefly across Lupin's face, but he said only, "Yes."

Harry decided to drop it.

"I've been thinking about the Dursleys," he said, grimacing as the name rolled over his tongue with usual unpleasantness.

"Oh?" Lupin still sounded somewhat guarded, but seemed to welcome the change of subject. "What about them?"

"I just wondered. You know. If I wasn't safe over there because there weren't enough people who could keep watch over the place... does that mean the Dursleys might be in danger, too?"

Lupin shook his head dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Everyone knows you're no longer there. There's no reason why they would be bothered."

"Oh. All right."

Lupin's attention was wandering. Harry saw him checking his watch.

"Uh..." He racked his brains for something else. His eyes trailed over the books piled haphazardly on the small table next to the bed. "You said before that if I needed any help with the Defense textbook, I could ask you."

Lupin nodded. "Of course. Have you made any progress?"

"Not really," Harry said. He hadn't made it past the introductory chapter. "It's very dry. I've just been wondering how necessary it all is."

"Hmm. Well, theory is very important. It's a rare wizard who can commit hundreds of spells, and their counter-charms, to memory. Being able to identify the nature of the spell, even if the spell itself is unfamiliar, is a very valuable skill."

"I'll try to pay more attention," Harry said. "I suppose Hermione will just memorize them all."

Lupin smiled. "She might do that, yes."

"And I suppose... if someone wanted to be an Auror, that person would need to know a lot of the spells."

"More than the average wizard, yes."

Harry sighed.

"Harry..." Lupin said, his brow furrowed, "are you absolutely certain you want to be an Auror? I know you mentioned it a few times, but really, there are so many other things you could do. It must all seem very exciting to a boy your age, but Aurors have hard, usually short lives. It's not a decision you should take lightly."

"It's what I want to do," Harry said stubbornly. "And McGonagall agrees with me. She said she'd do everything she could to make sure I became one."

Lupin's frown deepened. "That doesn't sound like something Minerva would say..."

"Well, she did! Umbridge was on my case and --"

"Ah. Umbridge."

Harry snapped his mouth shut abruptly. He didn't like the dismissive look on Lupin's face.

"Have you considered, Harry," Lupin said, "that any statement made in the presence of that woman should be taken with a grain of salt? People's emotions tend to run away with them when under pressure. I'm sure that what she meant to say is that she would support any decision you made, which is the role of a Head of House. It's not, however, appropriate to provide special treatment to any one student."

Harry clenched his mouth tighter.

"Given the kind of year you had, it would be best if you took some time to think again about the different career paths available. After all, there's no reason to choose a specific career right now. The skills you'll learn in N.E.W.T. level classes can be applied to a great many professions..."

"It doesn't really matter, does it? I didn't pass Potions, and there's no way I can be an Auror without that."

Lupin sighed, looking like he regretted what he was about to say. "That isn't necessarily true. Certainly skill in potion-making is something Aurors need, and a specific set of classes is recommended for those considering this career, but it isn't the only path to becoming an Auror, if that is what you ultimately choose to do."

"It's not?"

"No. If they need Aurors... well, they'll take just about anyone. I expect a lot of old timers will be retiring now that Voldemort's gone." He paused. "If you're serious about it, you might speak to Tonks. She was a right mess in Potions, from what I've heard."

Harry brightened slightly.

"For that matter," Lupin continued, instantly dampening Harry's mood again, "you might speak to Professor Snape. Quite likely he would know what you would be required to do if you were to apply for Auror training without having completed a N.E.W.T. level course in Potions."

"All right," Harry said with what he thought was an admirable amount of agreement in his voice. "I might do that."

Lupin didn't look as if he believed that. He shook his head exasperatedly. "You might make an effort, Harry. There's no telling how long he will be your guardian."

"I am making an effort," Harry said, annoyed. "I apologized to him, didn't I? I agreed to spend hours working for him, didn't I? I even said he wasn't so bad over the whole thing."

"Yes."

"If he'd stop badgering me about every little thing he thinks is wrong with me, I might like him a lot better." And then, without thinking, he added, "I mean, you like him."

Frown lines appeared instantly across Lupin's forehead. "Yes," he said warily.

A warning voice in Harry's head told him this was as far as he could push Lupin.

"Right," he said, trying to return some lightness to his voice. "I meant --"

"I know what you meant," Lupin said, not letting him finish. "That's enough, Harry."

Harry scowled and traced a faded pattern on his bedspread with his finger, picking at a loose thread.

"Well," Lupin said, starting to get up, "I think it's time to turn in for the night, don't you?" Harry noticed his eyes flicker toward his watch again.

Quickly, forgetting everything, he grabbed his photo album from the table. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask you about a photograph I have. While you're here."

Lupin lowered himself back onto the trunk and accepted the album as if it might explode when he touched it. He didn't open it.

"It's on the sixth page," Harry prompted, suddenly determined that Lupin should see that particular picture.

Lupin flipped the pages.

"I wasn't sure if that was you," Harry said, pointing to a picture in which a number of Seventh Year boys sat around a table. Only one of them, James, was facing the camera, looking bored out of his skull. Harry thought the bulky boy bending down to rummage in his book bag might be Peter Pettigrew, and the two off to the side, mostly hidden by teetering stacks of books, were Sirius and Lupin. He didn't recognize a curly-haired boy next to Peter, or the one trying to mop up the mess made by a spilled bottle of ink.

Lupin nodded. "Studying for History of Magic, if I recall correctly."

As casually as he could manage, Harry said, "Is that Sirius? I mean, I wasn't sure, because I think you're holding hands under the table --"

Lupin slammed the album shut.

There was a long, awful moment of silence.

"I know what you're trying to do, Harry, and it isn't going to work," Lupin said with impossible calm. "Sirius is dead. I am not going to spend another twelve years with my life on hold. I did that. If things had turned out differently, I would have considered every moment worth it. But we can't change what is. Whom I choose to share my life with is not your business. Please try to remember that in the future." He stood up, setting the album down on the lid of the trunk. "Now, unless there is anything else that we absolutely must discuss tonight, I think it's time for you to be in bed."

Harry's head wagged numbly. His insides felt very cold.

"Good night, Harry," Lupin said, and walked out, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Harry sat frozen for several long minutes. Lupin's footsteps grew more distant, and then a door opened and shut down the hall.

His mind had shut off. Without knowing exactly what he was doing, Harry was under his Invisibility Cloak and out of his bedroom before any second thoughts could interfere.

There was dim light under Snape's door, and as soon as Harry flattened himself against the shabby wood floor, his nose pressed painfully into the wood, he knew there was no silencing spell on the room.

Well, he'd know once and for all, wouldn't he? He didn't care if he was caught -- or at least he didn't at that moment.

He heard Snape's voice.

"You told him."

"He knew. Or suspected, anyway. I don't suppose you bought that silly act at dinner...?"

"The boy is a terrible liar. Nevertheless, I gave you a perfectly good excuse."

"It would have just made it more difficult to explain later. He might as well know. I don't like having to lie to him, and I'm already doing enough of that."

"Stop pacing, Lupin, and sit down." There was a long pause. "I can see you didn't like what he had to say."

"No, it's just -- I don't know."

"Tried to make you feel guilty, I suppose. Typical."

"That's not..."

There was another long pause, and Harry shifted uncomfortably on the hard floor.

"Look, he's just confused. He's feeling betrayed on Sirius' behalf, I suppose. I said all the wrong things..."

Harry heard Lupin sigh heavily.

"I overreacted, again. I keep telling myself to have patience, and to not read more into his words than is likely to be there, and then... Then he says something, and I react before I can catch myself."

"Understandable."

"No. Everything started out so well. We connected -- really connected -- and he opened up to me. I wanted to leave it at that."

"But?"

"But he didn't want me to go."

"Because he knew you were coming here."

"Yes, but --"

"No, that's precisely it, Lupin."

"He just wanted validation. He just wanted to know that someone else cared about Sirius as much as he had. It actually... It was good. It was very good. We both needed that."

Snape didn't reply.

"And we talked, about many different things. I thought... I'd handled it. But he kept bringing the subject back around to Sirius... I don't think he can understand, and it's not his fault. I snapped at him... I said hurtful things. I just wanted him to stop."

Harry's stomach clenched guiltily. He had known he should stop.

"He doesn't understand subtlety."

"No -- that comes with age. I wish you would stop expecting him to pick up on these things." He paused. "I wish I would stop expecting him to."

"Well? What did you say to him that you think was so unforgivable?"

"I told him Sirius was dead."

"The truth, then."

Harry hated him.

"And that it wasn't his business whom I was involved with."

"That went over well, I'm sure."

"I hurt him, Severus!" Lupin said angrily. "There was just no excuse. None at all. I'm a beast."

Snape snorted.

"Don't," Lupin said harshly.

"If that's all, then simply tell him the truth tomorrow. You became upset because it was too painful to talk about. Even Potter is not so dim-witted that he could fail to understand that."

"It's... not all."

"Well?"

"He told me something Albus had said to him once. 'Death is the next great adventure.'"

"Nonsense," Snape said calmly. "Though it wouldn't surprise me if Albus believed it."

"It's more than nonsense. It was so wrong -- so profoundly wrong -- I got so angry. And I said... I said that I didn't believe there were any great adventures in the afterlife. And that Sirius had wanted to live."

"Name someone who doesn't."

"I might as well have come out and said it was Harry's fault."

Harry's skin turned clammy. He waited, both wanting and not wanting Lupin to go on. At least he would know...

"You blame him," Snape said. It wasn't a question.

"I don't blame him," Lupin said. Harry heard him get up and begin pacing again. "I don't want to blame him."

"But just the same, you do. Loathe as I am to say it, what happened wasn't Potter's fault. Black should have stayed put. Why he didn't... you might as well blame me."

Yes, Harry thought furiously. Yes. And he realized with a sickening jolt that he did, right alongside blaming himself, blame Snape, the only other person who could have prevented it all. Not just for failing to prevent it, but for helping to bring it about. He was shocked at the intensity of the feeling. He thought he had never felt such a burning anger before.

"That's... ridiculous. I don't blame you. I don't blame Harry. I don't want to blame anyone."

"It's a unique case. Blame is going to be part of the grief process. Accept what you feel, and let it run its course."

"I can't. You know I can't. I'll go mad."

"It only feels that way."

"No. There's things I can't bring myself to think about right now."

There was no more for such a long time that Harry began to wonder if a silencing spell had been cast. His neck ached from the strain of holding his head at an unnatural angle, and he was freezing; a cold draft along the floor snaked under the Cloak and through his clothing.

"Was that it?" Snape said, inexplicably gently. "He brought up Albus' ridiculous speech, and wanted to know if you thought Black was off having a grand time?"

Lupin sniffed miserably. "I think I've been waiting for it. Just waiting for him to ask something like this. He asked me..." Lupin broke off.

"What, Lupin? For Merlin's sake... Sit down. Come here."

"He... asked if I thought Sirius was in a better place. In a good place. And I... I just... couldn't... tell him... the Veil..."

And then there was nothing but the sound of wretched, agonized sobbing.

In his dream, Harry was running down endless corridors, trying to find the door to the Death Chamber. A cold, high-pitched voice taunted him.

"I have him, Harry Potter. He's right here with me."

He was pulled from sleep when the covers were yanked away from him and he was shaken roughly by the shoulders.

His ears still ringing with maniacal laughter, it took a few moments for his sleep-blurred mind to grasp what was happening.

"Up, Harry!" Lupin ordered in a harsh whisper. "We need to get you out of here now!"

"W-what?"

Lupin pulled him forcefully out of bed. "Where's your Cloak?"

Harry stared at him dumbly. "What?"

"Your CLOAK!"

"In my trunk," Harry said, his brain finally starting to wake up. "I'll get --"

But Lupin had already thrown open the trunk and was shoving the Invisibility Cloak into Harry's hands. "We have to get this trunk out of here. Quickly, Harry, grab anything that belongs to you. Quickly!"

Lupin's near-panic was infectious. Harry looked around the room wildly, searching for anything that hadn't been there when he arrived. He came up with three books and two mismatched socks, and the clothing he wore the previous day, which he hastily put on.

Lupin was blasting spells left and right; the bed was stripped, the blankets folded themselves, dust flew from under the bed to coat everything in a fine layer. Harry was afraid to move in case he got hit.

"Come on," Lupin said, grabbing him by the shoulder again and shoving him in the direction of the door. "Drawing room. Hurry, Harry."

With Lupin dragging the trunk, they got downstairs with surprising speed.

"Lupin!"

Harry looked up to see Snape practically running toward them from the other end of the hallway.

"How much time?" Lupin asked, even as he pushed Harry toward the drawing room door. "Get in the cellar, Harry, now... four wand taps."

Harry moved reluctantly toward the heavy drape hiding the entrance to the cellar.

He looked back. Snape had Lupin by the arm, and was leaning close, speaking agitatedly.

Lupin looked up, saw him, and snapped, "Harry, get inside, damn it!"

Snape let go of Lupin's arm. "Get him out of here, Lupin. Just take him and go -- I'll hold them off as long as I can. Make him stay put!"

Hold them off? Harry thought numbly. Nothing made any sense. It was like he was still trapped inside his nightmare.

He didn't have time to think. Lupin yanked and shoved him all the way down the long, steep staircase -- Harry's wrenched shoulder was in agony -- the trunk thumping down the steps behind them. The door at the top of the staircase shut after them, throwing them into total darkness until a dim light appeared at the tip of Lupin's wand.

The staircase ended in front of a heavy door, which Lupin pushed open with effort.

"Inside."

Harry allowed himself to be shoved forward one final time, stumbling on the uneven stone floor, and found himself in a rather small, square room with a very low ceiling, lit only with a single lamp on the wall. A wave of claustrophobia washed over him.

Lupin grasped Harry's upper arms and twisted him around so they were face to face.

"Listen to me, Harry," he said, his voice harsh with a frightening desperation. "You need to stay here, and you can't make a sound. You can't make a sound, do you understand me?"

Harry could only nod; he couldn't even blink, his eyes straining out of their sockets.

Lupin shook him, hard. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes!" Harry's voice came out a hoarse whisper.

"Put your Cloak on --" Lupin was already yanking the Invisibility Cloak out of Harry's hands and wrapping it around him. "Get in a corner and stay there, no matter what happens."

Harry stumbled back, trying to obey but his legs not cooperating.

Lupin was looking around, turning this way and that, muttering to himself. "Trunk... trunk... where...?"

Finally, the trunk was dispatched to the far end of the room, where a stained sheet covered it and it turned abruptly into a dingy couch.

Lupin turned to Harry one last time, adjusting the Cloak so that no part of him showed. "I'm going to take the light, Harry. Promise me -- promise me -- that you will stay put until I come to get you."

"I promise," Harry whispered. He didn't want Lupin to go, suddenly terrified of being left alone.

But Lupin didn't wait. The lamp flickered out with a hiss, and before Harry could think, the heavy door was shutting him in.

For a moment, he panicked, stumbling blindly to where the light from Lupin's wand had vanished and trying to yank the door open again - only to find that there was no door handle. His fingers clawed at the crack between the door and the frame, before he finally got himself under control.

He listened.

There was nothing. A complete absence of sound.

It was so dark that he couldn't see his hand when he held it up in front of his still bulging eyes.

He struggled to do what Lupin had told him. Find a corner. Easier said than done, when he couldn't see. Twice he tripped over debris on the floor, and once his Cloak caught on something and was almost ripped away from him. He had no way of knowing if all of him was still covered.

Finally, by feeling along the wall, he made it to a corner and allowed his shaky legs to buckle, sinking to the floor and holding the Cloak closer around himself.

His heartbeat ticked off the seconds. There was no other way to know how much time was passing. He just knew it already felt like an eternity.

In the stillness, his brain finally began to catch up with the rest of him. There hadn't been time for thought before, but now his thoughts whirled at a mad speed, making up for lost time.

Lupin had acted as though they were under attack. And he had erased any sign that Harry was at Grimmauld Place. Someone was coming; someone that Snape was going to hold off for as long as he could... Harry shuddered, imagining the worst. Whether Snape knew it or not, he had chosen almost the precise words Harry had so often heard inside his head -- James Potter's last words to Harry's mum.

His mind began to paint gruesome images of what might be happening upstairs. If Lupin and Snape were killed, would he even make it out of the cellar? No light, no one knew where he was...

But the idea of Lupin dying was too monstrous to bear. Despite there being no sound, Harry pressed his hands over his ears.

After a while, reason started to return to him.

He had his wand. That meant he had light, if he needed it, and that he could probably get the door opened... if he needed to.

What he needed to do was to calm down and wait. He had promised he would. He latched onto that. He had broken so many similar promises, with horrible results. He was just going to trust that Lupin knew what he was saying when he said, 'No matter what happens.'

And it seemed that something was happening. Where there had been no sound before, now Harry heard a sort of low rumble.

He frowned, trying to understand, and then it came to him. It was the sound of many feet descending the stone steps to the cellar.

The door opened, and light seared his eyes like lightning.

"As you can see, Minister, the place is unused except during the full moon."

Harry blinked rapidly, trying to adjust his vision. Fudge was here?

"Yes, yes," Fudge's voice said impatiently, and now Harry could see the outline of the Minister's top hat bobbing among taller, bulkier shapes. "I'm sure you won't mind if we have a closer look."

"Of course. Take all the time you need."

Harry's eyes had adjusted now, and he could see that Fudge was accompanied by four Aurors, none of whom he recognized. They held their lit wands aloft, illuminating every corner of the cellar. They did not, however, approach the spot where Harry crouched. For now, at least, they seemed to accept that a corner that looked empty was indeed so.

Neither Lupin nor Snape looked in Harry's direction. Neither looked alarmed, though Snape, as usual, looked irritated and was scowling.

"Let me go over your statements one more time," Fudge said, while two of the Aurors began poking at the dingy couch that hid Harry's trunk. He turned to Snape. "You say you took the boy from his relatives?"

"That's right," Snape said.

"Where did you take him?"

"To a cemetery just outside London."

"Did you stop anywhere?"

"No."

"The boy took his school trunk, is that correct?"

"That is correct."

"Then you did not intend to take him back to his relatives?"

"It was arranged that he would stay with friends for the remainder of the summer."

"I see. Arthur Weasley's family, I presume? How very convenient that they cannot be located, just like the boy. Very well; what happened when you arrived at your destination?"

"I sent him inside and I left."

"You left. You did not stay for the ceremony?"

"No. Forgive me, Minister, but it's common knowledge that Sirius Black was not counted among my friends."

Harry's heart twisted into a pretzel. There had been a funeral for Sirius?

Fudge frowned and scribbled something down on a small pad. "I see." He turned on Lupin. "And you?"

"I was in attendance," Lupin said calmly.

"So I have in my notes," Fudge said irritably. "Did you see or speak to the boy?"

"Yes, I did. However, I left before the ceremony was over."

"And why was that?"

Lupin cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "I became... upset. Sirius and I were... close."

Fudge looked disgusted. "Yes, yes," he said, shuffling some papers, "I have that here. Tragic, what happened." He did not look in the least sympathetic. "Now, you both claim that you have not seen the boy since?"

"That's right," Snape said.

"No idea why he would run away?"

Snape and Lupin exchanged a look.

"Well?" Fudge demanded.

Lupin scratched his cheek and frowned. "You see, Minister, Harry didn't give us a chance to explain. When Severus fetched him from his relatives, he of course had to tell them that he had been named Harry's legal guardian in their stead. I'm afraid this information may have unhinged Harry."

"UNHINGED?" Fudge exclaimed, his eyes bulging. "In what way do you mean?"

Lupin held up his hands. "Er... I simply meant that Harry became very upset. Terrible choice of words; I apologize."

Harry let out a breath. Fudge hadn't been the only one thrown by Lupin's remark.

Fudge glared at Lupin even while his quill flew across an ever-lengthening piece of parchment. "Go on. He became upset and...?"

"He quite dislikes Severus. You know how children are. Strict teachers are unpopular. There had been some unfortunate incidents, and I'm afraid Harry was quite unreasonable..."

"Perhaps you will recall one such incident that you were personally present for, Minister," added Snape. "At the end of Potter's fourth year."

"Yes, I do recall that," Fudge said, frowning. "A violent temper that boy displayed..."

Snape smiled an ugly smile. "A difficult, willful boy."

Fudge eagerly wrote that down.

"As I was saying," Lupin said, "Harry became upset upon learning that Severus was his guardian. I fear that this may be why he ran away. If only he had let me explain, none of this would have happened."

"Hrmph. You do not deny, then, that you attempted to circumvent the reasonable and necessary restrictions regarding guardianship of minors, as defined under Act 417, recently enacted by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?"

"I don't deny I wanted to keep Harry close," Lupin said shortly. "No."

"Hrmph," Fudge said again, and wrote something down. "All right. We will let that pass for now. Assuming the boy did run away for the reasons you claim, I suppose you have no idea where he might have gone?"

"None," Snape said. "As you've noted, Minister, the Weasleys have been out of contact, though personally I doubt Potter is with them."

"What makes you say that?" Fudge demanded, scribbling furiously on his pad.

"Potter nearly got two of the Weasley children killed. It was my impression that their feelings toward the boy have... cooled."

Harry swallowed hard.

"Still, very suspicious..." Fudge muttered. He cleared his throat. "In fact, I find it highly suspicious that you, Mr. Snape, have recently received guardianship of another boy approximately the same age."

"My son. Yes."

Harry almost choked.

"And where is your son now?"

"He is spending the last weeks of summer with his maternal relations. I would prefer it if they were left undisturbed. However, he will be attending Hogwarts, and you are more than welcome to see him then."

"Well," Fudge said, shuffling yet more papers, "the Office of Child and Family Services is satisfied that all is in order. Still, another coincidence." He pursed his lips. "I do not trust coincidences, Mr. Snape."

There was a long silence.

"Now," Fudge finally continued, "about these sightings... What would the boy be doing at King's Cross?"

"I don't know," Lupin said. "Are you certain it was him, Minister?"

"Certain," Fudge said firmly. "He was seen by several Aurors. However, they lost him on a crowded platform."

"Perhaps he took a train somewhere," Lupin suggested. "He would be very comfortable doing that, having been raised by Muggles. Sometimes we forget that. I would look for him among Muggles as well as --"

"I assure you, we are!" Fudge interrupted. "His Muggle relatives are being thoroughly investigated."

"Nothing here, Minister," one of the Aurors said.

Harry, who had been wondering what he should do if the Auror tapping his wand along the wall, less than an arm's length away, came any closer, started breathing again.

"Hrmph. Very well," Fudge said, putting away his quill. "If we have any more questions for you, we will ask you to come down to the Ministry building again. In the meantime, if you hear from the boy, I expect you to contact the authorities immediately. Contact me directly, in fact." He narrowed his eyes. "I would like to remind you that the boy is a potential danger to himself and others. It is imperative that we assess him. Anyone who contributes to placing the public at further risk will be dealt with quite harshly, I assure you."

With that, Fudge, followed by the Aurors, walked past Snape and Lupin and disappeared up the stairwell.

Lupin's eyes flickered briefly toward Harry's corner, and his hand made a barely perceptible motion. Stay put.

And then they, too, walked out of the cellar, shutting the door and leaving Harry alone in darkness again.

It was another eternity before anyone came for him.

Harry was shivering and his nose was running. His entire body was numb from sitting on the cold stone floor. In his exhaustion, he had nodded off several times, only to jerk awake in panic. Each time, he had awakened to nothing but darkness.

"Come on, Potter," Snape said, surprisingly with an absence of malice. He had pulled the Invisibility Cloak off Harry and folded it over one arm.

"Are they gone?" Harry asked wearily. His legs scarcely held him, and he winced as pins and needles stabbed into his feet.

"Yes."

"Where's Lupin?"

Snape sighed. Harry noticed, even by the light of Snape's wand, that Snape's eyes were dark-rimmed and tired. "In the kitchen, doing what Lupin does best after a crisis. Making tea."

Harry started to smile, and found himself too worn out.

They went upstairs, Harry stumbling over the last few steps. He wanted to collapse on one of the couches in the drawing room, but Snape had him by the elbow and pulled him along. Another flight of stairs, and Harry finally dropped bonelessly into a chair.

"You're freezing," Lupin said as soon as he saw him. He took both of Harry's hands and rubbed them briskly. "I'm so sorry, Harry. The place was under surveillance." He cupped Harry's face and raised his chin. "I'm so proud of you. That was more than could have been expected of anyone."

"S'all right," Harry mumbled. His teeth were chattering.

"Here, have some tea." Lupin pushed a steaming cup into Harry's hands.

Harry drank it in silence. It really did make him feel better.

Or warmer, anyway.

It was very strange. Clearly, it was still the middle of the night, and the kitchen was lit only by a single gas lamp above the sink. Snape didn't sit down, but leaned against the counter, shaking his head when Lupin offered him tea. Lupin sat opposite Harry, nursing his third cup, at least, and his hands were shaking, making the cup rattle on its saucer.

His brain refused to process any more than that bit of information. He supposed that all this time, starting with waking from a nightmare only to find himself in the middle of another, he had really been in shock.

"I know you must be wondering what just happened."

Harry stared at Lupin blankly. For the first time ever, he could honestly say that he didn't care at all if anyone told him anything. He wanted to sit there, drink his tea, and not think.

But Lupin was looking at him with a tense, expectant look on his face, and Harry supposed he was bracing himself for another round of yelling.

"I guess," he said unenthusiastically. "Not really. I want to go to bed."

"Of course," Lupin said.

And then Harry was being led upstairs, seeing very little and barely taking note of the fact that the bed Lupin helped him into wasn't in his own room.

Everything went black.

He woke with his head stuffy and heavy. His body was stiff, and he didn't feel like moving.

Snape took the opportunity to pour a foul potion down his throat, which, while it didn't improve his mood, Harry had to admit helped a great deal.

As soon as Snape left he sat up, looking around.

Snape's room.

Snape's bed.

He shuddered.

His clothing was folded neatly on a chair next to the bed, and Harry quickly changed out of his pajamas.

A clock on the wall told him absolutely nothing useful, having no apparent time-telling abilities. He sighed and sat back down on the bed.

He didn't particularly want to talk to anyone. The previous night was a complete jumble in his head, and he wasn't sure where to begin sorting it out.

He didn't have much time to wonder about it; Snape must have informed Lupin that he was awake.

"Hungry?"

Harry looked at the tray Lupin had brought with disinterest. He shook his head.

Lupin looked worried.

"I'm fine," Harry said, heading off whatever Lupin was going to say.

Lupin nodded and made no comment.

"What time is it?"

Lupin glanced at the clock. "Quarter to three."

"How can you tell?" Harry asked grumpily.

Lupin looked at the clock again, frowning. "Er..."

"Never mind," Harry said. "It doesn't matter."

"I'll show you sometime," Lupin said. "Listen, Harry, I didn't want to leave without letting you know. I'm expected at the Ministry, and Severus has to make a quick trip down to Diagon Alley. I'm afraid you'll be alone for a few hours --"

"What?" Harry exclaimed, alarmed. "What if they come back!" And then, alarmed for another reason altogether, "You're not in trouble, are you? What Fudge said -- Act four million-whatever?"

"Four-hundred and seventeen," Lupin said, his nose wrinkling with distaste. "But, no, I doubt there will be any trouble. And, no, they won't come back, you needn't worry."

"What if they do?" Harry persisted. Lupin couldn't possibly know for certain.

"Keep your Cloak with you," Lupin said calmly. "The house is warded, and you will know if anyone comes in who isn't supposed to be here."

Harry let out a slow breath and nodded.

"All right, then?"

"Yes," Harry said. But it wasn't all right at all.

"In that case I'm off. I hope to be back by dinner, but if I'm not I don't want you to worry."

Harry nodded again, but he was already worried and nothing Lupin said was going to make him feel any different.

Lupin stood up and trailed a hand over Harry's shoulder. "It's going to be all right, Harry. We'll talk when I get back." He smiled down at him. "Comb your hair, will you?"

Harry tried to return the smile and failed. He watched Lupin go with a heavy feeling of dread.

Snape, walking past the drawing room, paused to stare at Harry, who had just pulled off his Invisibility Cloak.

"Lupin said to keep it with me," Harry said defensively.

Snape made no reply, and after a few moments turned and continued toward the library.

Sighing heavily, Harry trailed after him. He had, after all, planned to help Snape, and the package in Snape's hand, clearly from the Apothecary, suggested Snape planned to spend the rest of the afternoon brewing.

Snape said nothing as Harry followed him into the library. Harry watched him unpack bottles and jars, setting them out on the table in even rows. Three small cauldrons were set over a low flame.

Suddenly, making Harry jump, Snape looked directly at him.

"Why are you here, Potter?"

Harry blinked stupidly for a moment. Why was he there? "I'm going to help."

Looking grim, Snape walked over to a bookcase, took down a very large, very old-looking book, and removed an envelope from between its pages. He pushed it across the table toward Harry.

Harry stared at it. Hermione's letter.

"I can have it?" he asked suspiciously, still not picking it up. "How come?"

Snape had returned to his work, and did not look at him. "I was... sufficiently impressed... with your actions last night."

Harry went from staring at the letter to staring at Snape. "What actions? I sat there like an idiot and froze my arse off."

"But you did sit there," Snape said. He hesitated. "If you must know, Potter, when that blasted idiot decided to question us with you not ten feet away, both Lupin and I expected to be in Azkaban by morning." He paused, apparently for effect. "Or possibly dead."

"I'm not stupid," Harry said indignantly. "I wouldn't have just burst out from under my Cloak or anything."

The look on Snape's face told him that was precisely what Snape had expected him to do.

"I'm not stupid," Harry repeated, scowling.

"Well," Snape said reluctantly, "perhaps not as stupid as I had previously believed."

He seemed to consider the matter closed, because he turned back to the task of measuring out spoonfuls of yellow powder, which he added to each of the cauldrons in turn.

Harry considered. On the one hand, Snape clearly didn't want him there. On the other hand, Lupin was still out, and even Hermione's letter wasn't going to take his mind off that. Snape might know something.

"Is Lupin in trouble?"

"No," Snape said without looking up.

"What's Act 417?"

"A restriction on werewolves."

"I gathered that," Harry said irritably; he wondered what part of 'not stupid' Snape didn't grasp. "What does it say?"

"It restricts the right of those afflicted with lycanthropy to be instated as guardians of magical minors." Snape's eyebrow arched almost imperceptibly as he looked at Harry. "Coincidentally, it was pushed through shortly before the end of the school year."

Harry considered this. Right after the deaths of Sirius and Dumbledore. "Some coincidence."

"Coincidences happen every day."

"Just not to me," Harry said. "But... How can Lupin teach at Hogwarts if he can't be around children?"

"Professor Lupin," Snape corrected with a tinge of venom.

Harry sighed. Now Snape, too. "Professor Lupin," he repeated resignedly.

Snape looked less than satisfied, and glared at him for a moment before answering. "The restrictions preventing him from teaching have been repealed. Anything Dolores Umbridge had a hand in is being reevaluated. Minister Fudge is finding it difficult to marshal the amount of support he had become used to."

Harry considered this, too. "Malfoy."

Snape didn't reply.

"But obviously he still has enough support, if Act 417 passed."

"We believe he used the last of his resources to push it through."

"Oh. Good. But he still had those four Aurors. They seemed pretty eager to do what he wanted them to."

"There were more than four," Snape said off-handedly. "The whole house was searched top to bottom."

"Oh," Harry said lamely. "Well, at least they weren't very good. When they started poking at my trunk I thought it was all over."

Snape's mouth thinned grimly. "There are precious few good Aurors in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement right now, Potter."

"Kingsley Shacklebolt, Tonks... all those people?" Harry asked with a sinking feeling.

"Sacked, shunted to other departments, placed on leave of absence..." Snape listed off evenly.

Harry swallowed.

There were many other questions floating through his head, but he was a little uneasy about bringing them up to Snape.

"Lu-" He caught himself. "Professor Lupin told me the Weasleys are safe. Is that still true?"

"Yes."

"Ron told me in a letter that their house had been searched... but that would have been while I was still at the Dursleys. I guess they couldn't have been looking for me."

"No."

Harry huffed irritably, but didn't push it.

Snape had apparently had enough of him. "If you're not going to be useful, Potter, then leave. I have a lot to do."

Harry retrieved his letter from the table, but he didn't leave. On the way downstairs, he had passed his bedroom -- still as empty as it had been following his hasty exit. If he left the library, he would just be sitting in the drawing room until Lupin got back. Snape wasn't great company, but Harry still had a creepy feeling left over from the night before that he couldn't shake, and didn't want to be alone.

He retreated to a chair in the corner and ripped open the envelope.

Dear Harry,

 

I don't know if this letter will reach you. None of the others
did. I don't know what to do. Ron's gone, and I can't contact
anyone at Hogwarts.

I hope you're all right, Harry, and that it's just not safe for
you to answer me. DON'T try to write to me if it isn't safe!

Love, your friend,

Hermione Granger

Harry looked at the back of the single sheet of paper, on the off chance that there was anything more.

"That's it?"

Snape looked up, frowning at him.

Unbelievable, Harry thought. He stuffed the letter back into the envelope and put it in his pocket.

"If you have anything for me to do, Professor, I can help," he said with resignation.

Lupin was back a quarter past the dinner hour, looking worn out but unhurt.

Harry sat silently at the kitchen table and watched him pour a cup of tea and then sit down and stare into it moodily.

He didn't ask how things had gone.

Finally, Lupin seemed to notice him. "Are you all right, Harry?"

"Yes," Harry said.

Except for the persistent feeling of having fallen down a rabbit hole and ended up in Alice's Wonderland.

"I got Hermione's letter," he told Lupin. "Professor Snape just gave it to me."

Lupin nodded, unsurprised.

"It wasn't much."

Lupin looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"The letter. It was about two lines."

"Hermione's a smart girl."

"But she doesn't know about any of this, does she?" Harry asked. "Or where I am?"

"No, but I suppose she figured some things out for herself, based on what's been in the papers and things she may have heard. She really is very bright." He got up and opened a cabinet. "Here, these might help."

He dropped a stack of newspapers in front of Harry.

Harry stared at them without moving. Now he knew the world had flipped.

"Go on," Lupin said, prodding the stack forward. "Haven't you been dying to get your hands on a newspaper?"

Reluctantly, Harry spread the papers out on the table.

The headlines assaulted his eyes like a train wreck.

BLACK INNOCENT, PARDONED

DOLORES UMBRIDGE
Delusional, or in League with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?

SNAPE CLEARED
The Wizengamot Agrees: A Spy for Dumbledore

WEASLEY, BONES FAMILY MISSING
Arthur Weasley, minor Ministry official...

GUARDIANSHIP OF POTTER CHILD UNDECIDED
Minister Expresses Personal Interest
"Certainly I believe I would be an ideal guardian for the boy,"
stated Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge...

DISTURBING CONNECTION
The Shocking Link Between Harry Potter and The Dark Lord
Auror Williamson has disclosed details that throw doubt...

POSSESSED!
Potter's Mind Penetrated Prior to Fall of Dark Lord

SCRIMGEOUR QUITS
Cites Disturbing Developments in Auror Office

LUCIUS MALFOY
Friend or Fiend?

DOLORES UMBRIDGE UNDER INVESTIGATION
Wizengamot to Reconvene on the 16th

ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
Cause for Alarm?

HARRY POTTER MISSING!
Where is The Boy Who Lived?

AUROR EXODUS

POTTER HAS NOT BEEN FOUND
States High-ranking Ministry Official

MCGONAGALL TO SUCCEED DUMBLEDORE
Despite the objections of Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, former
Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall is set to...

CALLS FOR RESIGNATION
Minister Asked to Step Down, Refuses

POTTER: A NEW DANGER?
Harry Potter Still Missing After an Exhaustive Four-Day Search
Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge today expressed concern
that The Boy Who Lived may be "Not in his right mind... it is
imperative that we find him."

ELECTIONS IMMINENT
Who Deserves Your Vote?

WEREWOLF DETAINED
Quizzed Over Potter's Whereabouts

POTTER SPOTTED!
Aurors Fail to Apprehend Dangerous Young Wizard
Harry Potter was seen today at King's Cross Station. Several
Aurors arrived on the scene shortly, but failed to apprehend...

A FRIEND'S PAIN
Hermione Jane Granger wept openly as she recounted how her "best
friend for years" at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,
Harry Potter, had struggled to retain his sanity in the face of
continuous mental attacks by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named...

INSANE?
Best Friend Casts Doubt on Potter's State of Mind

CONSIDERED DANGEROUS
Citizens Warned Not to Approach Potter

DIFFICULT, WILLFUL
Potions master Severus Snape described Harry Potter as "A difficult, willful boy"
who often challenged and defied authority figures while attending Hogwarts School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Professor Snape has legal guardianship of the boy,
who has now been missing for seven days...

WHY DID HARRY POTTER DISAPPEAR?
Professor Remus Lupin Claims Potter "Unhinged"
Recently reinstated Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Remus
Lupin, a registered werewolf with romantic ties to notorious convict
Sirius Black...

POTTER MYSTERY
Search of Key Locations Fails to Turn Up Boy Who Lived

He let the last paper fall out of his hands. On the whole, he felt as though he had just been struck hard across the face.

"Harry?" Lupin asked gently. He had been watching Harry over the rim of his cup, his eyes dark and tense.

Harry stared at him in astoundment. "Did you kidnap me?"

The teacup rattled as Lupin abruptly put it down. "Of course not," he said sharply and with a sudden hard edge of anger. "No one kidnapped you."

"I think Fudge disagrees," Harry said bluntly.

"Fudge is an idiot."

Harry snorted. "I know it. But why would he be looking for me if Snape's legally my guardian?"

"The thing is, Harry..." Lupin hesitated. "Well, it isn't that simple."

"Because you kidna--"

"Stop it. No one kidnapped you. Believe me, if you were in Fudge's hands right now --"

"Hey, I'm not complaining!" Harry protested, unnerved by Lupin's overreaction. "I don't want Fudge as my guardian!"

"No," Lupin said flatly. "You don't, Harry. Your personal dislike of the man has nothing to do with it. I'm afraid you have no idea what he could do if he had control over you."

"Like what?" Harry asked, curious. Fudge had never struck him as particularly scheming or dangerous, just incredibly witless.

"Like use you to extend his term as Minister of Magic indefinitely."

"How could I help him do that?" Harry asked exasperatedly. "I didn't even kill Voldemort. I should be pretty worthless right now."

Lupin frowned at him. "Enough happened that people like Fudge could twist to their advantage. Don't forget, Harry, Voldermort possessed you, for however short a time."

"So?"

"So, Potter," said Snape from the doorway, "it would take very little to paint you as the new Dark Lord rising."

Harry burst out laughing. It was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard in his life.

Neither Snape nor Lupin cracked a smile, instead exchanging a dark look and then staring silently at him until Harry's laughter died in discomfort.

"You're joking," Harry said, as calmly as he could manage. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" Lupin said. "Fudge has only weeks left in office. Men in that position become desperate, Harry. Don't forget, Dumbledore was an unknown until popular lore painted him as a conquering hero over what was really a minor incident. And don't forget how many careers were made over unjust convictions of so-called Dark Wizards when Voldemort was at the height of his power. Sirius was only one."

Harry gulped, both anger and a shot of unease rising in his throat. "So, what? I get convicted and thrown into Azkaban, and Fudge gets a medal or something?"

"Something like that, Potter," Snape said. "With a little more finesse."

"And no Azkaban," Lupin put in harshly. "For you, anyway. Look, Harry, you're missing the point. This is not just about you. For one thing, Fudge has every reason to want the Order of the Phoenix discredited and disbanded. While it exists, the world will not forget Fudge's mishandling of things. The public sees only that Dumbledore was right, and Fudge is a failure. But Dumbledore is dead. People will forget. If he can silence those who have the most reason to remember..."

"Then what?" Harry exploded, half rising out of his seat. "People will just forget that Dumbledore got rid of Voldemort? That Fudge is a complete buffoon?"

"I should think," Snape said, glaring him down, "you would know by now that the public is indeed that fickle."

"Remember how quickly they turned against you, Harry?" Lupin asked, slightly more gently. "And that was mostly Rita Skeeter and Lucius Malfoy's orchestration. Two people. Fudge has dozens of power-hungry lackeys willing to do anything to keep him in office. Some of them control Fudge more than he controls them."

Harry folded his arms over his chest and clenched his jaws. It was so absurd, but...

"You have to understand," Lupin said, leaning toward him, "that there is no way we can let Fudge, or anyone else, near you. In a little while, Fudge will be out, and Rufus Scrimgeour will get a handle on things..."

"Who's Rufus Scrimgeour?"

"The next Minister of Magic."

Harry eyed him suspiciously. "Do we like Rufus Scrimgeour?"

Lupin and Snape exchanged a look.

"We don't like him?" Harry demanded incredulously. "And somehow I'm supposed to feel secure knowing he's the next Minister?"

"Well," Lupin said, a little doubtfully, "we don't exactly... dislike... him."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Scrimgeour is an old war dog. Head of the Auror Office for many years. He had some ideas, mostly relating to Voldemort's return to power, that Dumbledore didn't necessarily think were worthwhile, but we don't think you would be in any danger from him. Most likely he would rather you faded quietly from public view, which is precisely the best thing for you, as well."

"I'm sure that's difficult for you to swallow, Potter," Snape added snidely.

Harry scowled. He would be perfectly happy if people would just forget he existed. He knew well, however, that one way or another he would be dragged into things somehow.

His eyes fell on another headline, next to which his own face, looking sulky and shifty-eyed, was plastered.

HERO? YOU DECIDE

He hated the whole bloody world.