It was another three hours before anyone came to get the children. For the first half hour of that time, Neffy and Harry watched the happenings in the water intently. The sphinx in the image talked back and forth, and then talked some with Remus in the centre of the ring. Not that the children could actually hear what was being said; Eberik the house elf claimed the seeing pool only did images. Very soon, all three were tired of watching the adults stand around and talk without seeming to get anywhere. Harry was a little bit worried about how Remus seemed to be imprisoned but as he looked all right, and Severus looked more annoyed than worried, he decided it would probably be okay.

Then Harry spent the next half hour explaining to Neffy and Eberik who Remus was, and most of that was convincing them that being a werewolf did not automatically make Remus an evil beast in league with their most hated of enemies. He finished by telling them about the boggart, including Severus in a dress. But talking about his third year brought up all sorts of strange feelings. His third year was when he first met Sirius. In his third year, he thought it ridiculously funny to see Snape humiliated. And thinking about school suddenly made him wonder exactly how his seventh year was going to go. He had been short for his age at thirteen, but at least he looked like he was old enough to be at Hogwarts. And even if it was going to be a perfectly regular year, Harry didn't feel ready for classes yet. He had only finished half of his homework before the entire sphinx thing happened. And where exactly was his wand?

“If I met a boggart, I'll bet it would be a nubis'wi,” Neffy said as Harry's story trailed off into a thoughtful silence.

“I would be curious to see what mine would be,” Eberik said, “Quite likely a rat. I've never liked those...they have a way of breaking into the most well laid containment spells and ruining whatever is within.” Harry shuddered slightly at his words. He hated how his emotions seemed to jump about like this. And how his thoughts didn't seem to be his own any more. Surely, the very first thing the old Harry would have looked for, upon waking up in strange surroundings, was his wand! Why had he not even thought to ask for it until that moment? Not even when the alarms first went off? Why did he accept this place so readily, without rebelling against Snape or demanding news of his friends? Did his friends even know what had happened?

“How many more days until September?” he asked suddenly. Neffy only shrugged but Eberik crossed his eyes in his effort to do the arithmetic.

“In twelve days,” he answered at last, “And the ceremony happens in nine.” Harry nodded his head and then settled down on some pillows, his expression troubled.

“I wish you didn't have to leave,” Neffy said, “You only just got here, and your shoulder isn't even all the way healed! But it will be wonderful at the ceremony, you'll see!”

An hour passed and Eberik brought out some more food but Harry didn't eat much. His mind felt too troubled. He didn't like how different he was, but he liked being a part of a family. And no matter how strange he knew it to be, he was missing Severus. Neffy seemed to understand, partly at least, because she kept saying how Sev would be returning very soon, she was sure of it. Harry wondered why they couldn't just go to him, now that they knew there wasn't any real threat, but Eberik wouldn't hear of that. Harry got the feeling that the house elf had only been humouring him when he agreed the werewolf was perfectly safe this time of the month.

In the end, Harry lay down on some pillows and watched the pool, staring down at where Severus stood glowering. It wasn't enough. He couldn't feel him, or smell him at all. And no one in the image was doing anything interesting. Within ten minutes of laying down, Harry had nodded off to sleep.

He was still sleeping when Severus stepped out of the fire place, followed by Shura and Jag. Neffy ran eagerly to her parents while Severus walked more sedately towards the sleeping boy. Harry awoke almost instantly, perhaps sensing the man's presence at last.

“Sev?” he mumbled sleepily, “Weren't you with Remus?” Severus looked slightly startled at what Harry called him, but he only said, “Come along, Harry, you have a visitor.” And he lifted the boy up and carried him towards the fireplace.

“Are you bringing him to the werewolf?” Eberik cried, sounding alarmed, and Harry began to wake up more.

“I told you, Remus is a good man,” he insisted.

“He will not be allowed to harm Harry,” Severus added, and the house elf relaxed at his word. Then Severus stepped into the fireplace and with a whoosh they were back in the bedroom.

“Get dressed, Harry,” Severus instructed, “And I have something I want you to wear. It may feel uncomfortable, but it is necessary.” And he pulled from his robes a small bracelet. Harry looked down at the pyjamas he was wearing as though noting them for the first time before heading to the closet to find one of his new robes. Severus turned around to give him privacy, but Harry went to change in the bathroom anyway. Once decent, he came out again and approached the bed where the bracelet was lying.

It was very small, so small that at first Harry didn't think it could possibly fit around his wrist. He had half forgotten how small his wrist really was. The bracelet was silver and designed to look like a coiled serpent but with the head like a lion or a dragon crossing over the tail. To put it on, as Severus showed him, one pushed the jewel of the eye while squeezing the neck. The latch would release and he could fit it over his wrist before closing it again. Once it was around his wrist, Harry felt strange, just as Severus had hinted he would.

“What is it doing?” he asked, and stumbled a bit from dizziness.

“It is locking you into your boy form,” Severus answered, “So that you won't accidentally change into a cub and be overwhelmed by those around you. When we go to Hogwarts, you will always wear that outside of our rooms.”

“Our rooms?” Harry asked, “Does that mean I'm not going back to the dorm?”

“Not to sleep,” he answered, “You may visit them, of course. You are still a Gryffindor.” The last was said with the familiar sneer, but as Harry didn't sense any true distaste directed towards him, he didn't mind. It was amazing how his new senses could change his perception of the man.

“Where is my wand?” Harry asked suddenly. It had slipped his mind yet again, but now he was determined to know about it. His ability to do magic was important. It was what made him different from really being a four-year-old, because four-year-olds weren't even allowed to have wands. But Severus merely lifted an eyebrow.

“You do not need it now,” he answered, and before Harry could protest he added, “Now, would you like to see the wolf or would you like to ask more questions?”

“Let's go,” Harry answered immediately, his eyes lighting up in anticipation. Then he paused, frowning. There was that childishly short attention span coming into play again, screwing around with his grown up thoughts. But he really did want to see Remus, so he let it go.

“Remember,” Severus said as he led the way out of the room, “You may find him different than you remember. Your sphinx blood will recognize the wolf in him, and vice versa. I will not be leaving your side during this meeting.” Harry nodded his head impatiently. “He shouldn't really be here at all,” Severus continued, “Another of Dumbledore's unwise ideas, I'm afraid. He has been sending members of the Order to check up on us, and the latests member just happened to set off about every alarm we have. But as long as he's here and we had to detain him, we thought you might as well visit. Perhaps seeing you well will satisfy the headmaster at last from his curiosity.” Then, much to Harry's annoyance, Severus insisted on carrying him. “You are not yet healed,” he explained, “Do you wish to arrive, only to fall asleep on your feet?” Harry pouted anyway, until they arrived before a door. The room beyond the door was empty but for a fireplace, and it was through the fireplace that they went after Severus gave the password.

Finally, Harry was in the same room with Remus. The werewolf was no longer confined to the ring but seemed to be free to walk about the small room and sit at a table or lie back on a couch. It was, in fact, a very nicely furnished room and might have been comfortable if it weren't for the obvious lack of windows or doors.

“Professor!” Harry cried, upon seeing the man sitting on the couch and reading. Remus looked up at once, staring in surprise at the sight of Harry sitting in Severus's arms. Harry squirmed to be set down and Severus did so, but he kept a hand on Harry's good shoulder, holding him back.

“Harry?” Remus whispered, approaching slowly. Harry stopped squirming and nodded, staring up at the man. He could now see what Severus had been talking about; something felt off about the werewolf. Not like Remus was evil so much as that he felt tainted or ill. It didn't make Harry suddenly fear the man but it made him feel anxious for him and uncertain. If Severus hadn't been there, standing right behind him with his hand on his shoulder, Harry didn't think he would have felt quite safe.

“Are you all right, Professor?” Harry asked, worried. He didn't like the wrongness that clung to him, ruining the vibes of kindness and concern.

“The wolf isn't comfortable here,” he answered, seeming to know exactly what Harry was asking, “It knows it's in a den of enemies. But I am happy to be here, and to see you. And please, I'm not your professor any more. Call me Remus.” Then he turned his attention towards the man behind Harry. “Hello, Severus. Thank you again, for allowing this.” Severus made no reply but Harry could almost hear his sneer. Once again, however, his expression of disdain did not match the feelings he projected and Harry wasn't concerned.

“Can werewolves sense like we can?” he suddenly asked.

“Not quite the same,” Severus answered, “His sense of smell is sharp, particularly near the full moon, and tells him much about people that we too sense, but werewolves are not empathic.”

“Ah, yes, I was just reading up on the empathy,” Remus said, holding up the book, “You did say he might feel frightened if he sensed the wolf?”

“I believe I said he might take an irrational dislike towards you because he would sense the wolf,” Severus answered. Harry peered more closely at the book and saw that it seemed to be a book on the sphinx.

“So you still need your glasses?” Remus asked, apparently to change the subject. It was obvious he didn't like thinking about Harry hating him. “How does that work with the change into cat form? Do you still need them, or what?” As Harry hadn't even noticed he was wearing them until Remus mentioned it, and couldn't remember when he had actually put them on, Severus answered for him.

“He internalizes them during the change,” he said, “Just as he does his clothes but a bit different, as he internalizes their corrective qualities as well, but his clothes do little to enhance his fur. If he were to change into his panther form while not wearing his glasses, he would keep his inability to see clearly. But as you can see from his obvious confusion, wearing his glasses is so natural to him that this had never been a problem.”

“How is everyone?” Harry asked, getting annoyed at how they kept talking about him over his head. “Does everyone know about me being a sphinx?”

“Well, everyone in the Order knows,” Remus answered, “Hermione has already torn the library apart trying to find information. But no one else does yet; Dumbledore is trying to keep the ministry from knowing that you have changed as long as possible. We are already working on an explanation, as we all think it would be better that they didn't know your true status. We are thinking, perhaps, a de-ageing accident to explain your youth.”

“And as potions master, it is my duty to keep you close to keep an eye on your condition while I try and cure it,” Severus added. Harry nodded, knowing he didn't want to be classified as not human by the ministry. Then Harry and Remus talked more about what was going on with the Order, and how many known Death Eaters had yet to be caught. Severus slowly stepped away from Harry, once he was sure the boy was comfortable with the werewolf, and sat down in the chair, pulling from his robes a book of lesson plans he intended to go over before the new school year.

Finally, when Harry was yawning, half asleep while his stomach growled in hunger, Severus decided the visit had gone on long enough.

“You should be released soon,” Severus informed Remus, “Phuros Rummel only needed to be certain of you. He is speaking to Dumbledore now.” Remus nodded, then went down onto his knees to say goodbye to Harry. Harry felt slightly embarrassed that the man needed to go down onto his knees to do it.

“Take care, pup,” he said, “Or should I say cub?”

“It doesn't matter,” Harry answered, and impulsively he gave him a quick hug, before leaning backwards against Severus, his face going pink. Severus picked him up once more and Remus couldn't quite hide his smile at the sight they made. Severus sneered darkly in his direction but Harry smiled back. They left through the fireplace and Remus once again returned to the book.