"You ... what?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"We made amends," Severus repeated. He felt a chill pass through him when the teen's gaze of shock shook loose a bitter memory: the sight of Lily's expression that day he told her he'd joined the Death Eaters. "You're upset."

"No I'm not!" Harry said a little too loudly. "Well, maybe ... I don't know."

He stood suddenly and began to pace about the room.

Severus pulled his cashmere sweater closer to him and watched the teen pass back and forth then head over to the magical window. If his side didn't ache so much, he'd have stood and gone to him. "I don't understand, I thought you'd be pleased."

Harry felt as though the rug had just been pulled out from beneath him, as if Severus had just deserted him. He stood at the window, with his emotions whirling, staring at the lake and was lulled to distraction when the giant squid slowly raised one long arm out of the water.

The creature held its appendage aloft over the glistening surface in a curved position and then, just as slowly as it had risen; it slid back down and disappeared from view.

"Harry?"

Startled, he turned back around, revealing his expression of hurt and betrayal.

"Please, tell me why this upsets you?" Severus implored.

Harry wasn't certain; what he did know was that all semester long Remus had tried to reach out to him, be it starting conversations, showing up to Quidditch practice, inviting him to tea - but Harry had held his ground. He'd held onto his hurt and resentment and had justified his decision based on the fact that Severus had done the same.

But now that had changed.

"Why now?" Harry's voice sounded desperate. "After all this time?"

Severus sighed and thought how best to phrase his reasons. "I realized that I was wrong about Remus," he said finally. "And that I'd used him as a scapegoat - as I had done with you."

Memories of the conversation they'd held, so many years ago, swirled through Harry's mind: Severus' apology, his admittance to using Harry as a target for his resentment toward James, reaching out to shake Harry's hand ...

"Come here," Severus said softly and patted the coffee table next to him. "I want to explain everything that happened the night Remus saved me from the Bicorn."

Harry went over and sat down next the man he'd come to love like a father.

Severus relayed the events that had taken place and repeated Remus' entreaty to him and the conversation that had followed. "We also discussed you, Harry."

"You did?"

"Yes."  Severus held the young man's gaze, which had now softened. "He feels very badly for his shortcomings toward you."

"He never told me that."

"According to Remus, you barely give him the time of day."

Harry started to disagree but then didn't as he realized it was the truth. "That's ‘cause I'm angry with him." He sighed in frustration. "I don't know what to do."

Severus reached out his hand, as best he could, and Harry took a hold of it. "Don't make the same mistake I did. Don't close yourself off."

He squeezed the younger hand reassuringly and continued. "We all make mistakes, Harry. Remus was a dear friend of your parents' and godfather. Allow him this opportunity to explain himself."

Harry remained silent. He stared down at their clasped hands and realized that if he hadn't accepted Severus' apology, years ago, they never would have forged what they now share. "All right, I'll go talk to him."

~~~~~SH~~~~~

"I've made my position clear on this matter," said Rufus Scrimgeour as he leaned back in his heavy leather chair and stared across his desk at Dumbledore, Shacklebolt and Robards. "Potter will stay in the apartment in London. It will be a perfect lure for You Know Who."

"Do you intend to keep him there by force?" Dumbledore kept his voice cool even though his patience was almost at its end. "I believe once you hear the details of our alternate plan ..."

"All right, all right!" interrupted the Minister. "Get on with it."

Albus turned and nodded to Robards.

The Head of the Auror department cleared his throat. "We plan to use the intended apartment, but it won't be Potter staying there."

"Then who?"

"An imposter."

That peaked the Minister's interest. "Go on."

"I have two Aurors who are willing to take Pollyjuice potion so that they can stand in for Potter."

"Two?"

"They'll alternate, as this might become a very long assignment."

"Continue."

"A direct Floo will be set up in one of the auxiliary rooms next to my office devoted solely for transport to and from the apartment. Additionally, the room will be the site for Potter to Port-Key directly to his actual residence. Since his Auror classes are located near my office, he can report to this room at the end of each day and Port-Key to the dwelling in Cambridge. At the same time, my Auror will Floo to the apartment."

"You Know Who is already aware of Potter's plans to attend Auror school and that we want him to stay near the Ministry," interjected Shacklebolt. "We'll have Snape leak information regarding the exact location later this summer. Once classes begin and the fake Potter begins turning up at this flat on a regular basis, we believe You Know Who will send in his Death Eaters to abduct the young man."

"Sounds like you'd be signing your Auror to a death sentence."

"Not at all," chimed Dumbledore. "The Auror on duty will have a Locatus charmed coin with him at all times. It will be triggered as soon as he is abducted and will in turn activate a homing beacon."

"The homing beacon," Robards took over, "will guide my awaiting contingent of Aurors to wherever the fake Potter has been taken. And that will in turn ..."

"Lead us to the Fastness," Scrimgeour finished the sentence. His eyes were wide with anticipation. "This is a marvelous idea!"

"We thought you might think so."

"All right, I'll go along with this plan if you can justify all this nonsense about Potter living in Oxford. What in Merlin's name is that all about?"

"Rufus," Albus said smoothly. "Harry has been held virtually captive at Hogwarts the past two years. He simply wants to live his life."

"But why Oxford?"

"One of his good friends, a Miss Hermione Granger will be attending University there this fall."

He paused long enough to pull out his tin of lemon drops and pop one in his mouth. "There is a small cottage located just outside the city that has been in my family for generations. It is protected under a Fidelius charm and I thought it might provide a safe haven for Harry and his friends."

"Dumbledore is the Secret Keeper," interjected Shacklebolt. "It's out of the way ... You Know Who wouldn't be so apt to go looking for Potter there ..."

The Minister held up his hand. "All right, you've convinced me. We'll leave the apartment in London for the sting operation and Potter can stay with his friends in Oxford."

"Thank you Minister, I'll let Harry know." Dumbledore smiled and stood. "Now if you'll pardon me, I need to return to the castle."  

"Something wrong Albus?" asked Shacklebolt.

"Why yes," confirmed the old wizard. "I'm missing the Quidditch final."

~~~~~SH~~~~~

A group of little first years came barreling out of the Defense classroom. Some of them were pouting but many more were sporting wide grins, revealing an occasional missing front tooth.

"I got an Outstanding!" exclaimed one of the first boys out the door.

"Me too!" added the little witch to his left. "But Bernard only got an Acceptable."

The first boy turned back in surprise to the sad boy following him. "What happened Bernie? We practiced and practiced."

"I couldn't remember which way to swing my wand on Nox," whined the red-haired boy.

"Oh, that's an easy one. All ya do is ..." the youngster stopped midsentence at the sight of Harry leaning against the wall.

The group came to a halt and what had been a sea of flapping black robes settled to hang in silent folds at their sides.

"Hullo," said Harry. "All finished with your finals?"

Their numerous small heads nodded in unison.

"You were really good on Sunday, Mr. Potter," ventured the first boy, his voice cracking with nerves. After all, it wasn't everyday a Hufflepuff first year had the opportunity to chat it up with the winning Seeker Quidditch star, Head Boy, The Chosen One.

"Thanks."

"How do you stay on your broom flying straight up and down like that?" asked the little witch.

"And so fast!" added another.

"Oh, it just takes some practice," Harry shrugged.

"Flying lessons with Madame Hooch is my favorite subject," chimed the red-haired boy, his pout now gone. "She's taught us loads this year and I'm gonna do just that!"

"Just what?"

"Practice all of it - everyday this summer. Then, when I'm old enough, I'm gonna try out for our Quidditch team!"

"Oh? What position?" Harry didn't have much opportunity to chat with the youngsters of the other houses. Standing here now, he found their innocent enthusiasm engaging.

"Seeker. Just like you!"

"Well, if you work as hard as you say you're gonna, I'm sure you'll get it."

The dinner chime sounded.

"You guys better hurry or you'll miss dinner."  

"Is it okay to call you Harry?"

"Sure."

"Well then ... g'bye Harry! Have a great summer!"

"You too. Bye."

They all waved and hurried off down the hall. Harry chuckled to himself and wondered if he had ever been that small. But his smile slid quickly from his face as he remembered the reason for his being in this neck of the castle at this time of the day.

Remus had just reached the top of the stairs to his office when he heard Harry call his name. He spun around in surprise. "Harry. What an unexpected pleasure."

"Do you have a moment?"

"Of course I do. Come up." He then added tentatively, "I could fix us some tea."

"Uh ... all right. Sure."

Remus smiled with relief. "I'll just get the kettle going."

By the time Harry reached the office, the water was already boiling and Remus was placing some biscuits on a plate.

"Just have a seat. This'll be ready in a minute."

Harry closed the door and looked slowly around the room. "Wow," he whispered.

"What?"

 "The last time I was up here was when I helped Channon pack up his stuff."

"Do you two keep in touch?"

"Yeah, letters mostly," Harry said as he passed by the tank of Grindylows. "He's out of the country somewhere on an assignment."

"Here's your tea."

"Thanks," Harry grasped the levitating cup and took a seat.

 "Congratulations on winning the Cup this year." Remus sat down across from him. "You did a magnificent job on Sunday."

"Thanks. It's nice having the win our final year."

They sipped their tea in silence as each of them felt nervous being in the other's presence. There was so much they needed to discuss; finding a way to start was proving a bit of a challenge.

"Thanks for, you know ..."

"For what, Harry?"

 "You know, saving Severus from that Bicorn."

"You don't need to thank me for that. I'm just glad I was there to help."

Harry stared at his tea as he imagined what would have happened to Severus if it hadn't been for Remus.

"Is that why you came here today?"

"Uh ... partly. I thought that maybe ..." Harry struggled to find the right words. "Sev told me that you two made up and I thought ... I just wanted to know ..."

"Harry." Remus set down his cup and looked straight into the young man's eyes. "Just say it."

Suddenly, sitting there holding a cup of tea felt awkward.

Harry set down his own cup and stood up. "I guess I want to know why."

"Why what?"

"What do you mean what?" How can he not know? All of Harry's hurt and frustration rose to the surface and spilled out in a slew of angry questions.

"I want to know why you never came for me when I was at the Dursleys! Why did you have to go and disappear again after third year?"

Remus opened his mouth to respond but Harry wasn't finished.

"And what about the Tri Wizard Tournament? You had to have heard about what happened to me in that graveyard! But you never came! And then when Sirius died ..." Harry drew in a sharp breath, "Did you blame me for his death? Do you still?"

"Merlin sake Harry, of course I don't."

"Then tell me why!" he yelled.

Harry was literally shaking with emotion. Remus rose to go to him but the angry young wizard stepped behind his chair and used it as a barrier.

Remus felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach. He retreated to his desk and leaned against it for support.

"I can't tell you," he said in a shaky voice, "how often I've wanted to explain it to you, but I never knew how."

Harry stared back in angry silence.

"I can understand your anger Harry." Remus sighed and thought for a moment. "I suppose the best place to start is at the beginning."

He drew himself up a little straighter. "The night your parents died and Sirius was sent to Azkaban left me devastated. And then before I knew it, Albus had placed you with Petunia and Vernon."

Remus lowered his head. "I had lost everyone who was dear to me - my only family. I wanted, with all my heart, to take care of you - but I couldn't. I didn't have access to the Wolfsbane potion and was transforming fully every month."

He looked into the hard-set green eyes. "I couldn't handle the loss Harry, and so I went away. It was a horrible time for me - years of wandering, of not belonging, of having nothing and no one."

Remus took a deep breath and then continued. "During your third year, when both you and Sirius came back into my life - I thought that maybe, just maybe, the three of us could be a family."

Remus decided it was time to reveal the truth. "You see Harry, from our last year at Hogwarts up until Sirius was sent away, he and I were ... we were lovers."

Harry's jaw dropped.

"But my hope was short lived. I almost killed both of you that night." He dragged his hand through his thinning hair. "I couldn't take the chance of endangering you, and so again - I left."

Remus grew very still. "Then there was the battle at the Ministry, and Sirius died." He closed his eyes and continued in a very soft voice: "I should have followed you when you went after Bellatrix."

He looked imploringly to Harry. "How can I explain to you, make you understand? Call me weak, call me whatever you wish - but I couldn't stay, and I'm sorry. I realize I've failed you. I've failed James and Lilly, Sirius ... and myself." 

Tears welled in his eyes. "I can understand your resentment towards me; but for whatever its worth - I'm sorry."

As Harry listened to Remus confess his life of failure and grief, he realized the lifelong struggle that had worn down this gentle man and somehow this understanding eased his hurt and quelled his anger.

He thought about when Severus had apologized to him and asked him for a new start. So he crossed over to the broken wizard and reached out his hand in friendship. "Maybe we could try this again."

~~~~~SH~~~~~