kbinnz - Harry's New Home

"What is the most important thing in Sirius' life?" Remus asked, seemingly at random.

"Casual sex," Snape replied promptly.

Remus choked, then laughed in delight. "Actually, that's number two. Number one is Harry тАУ he's all that we have left of James and Lily, but even more than that, Padfoot swore to look after Harry if anything happened to them."

"And a fine job he's done to date," Snape sneered.

"That's exactly the point, Severus. Once Sirius realized what had happened to Harry and saw what you have done for him тАУ and for Sirius himself тАУ he realized how badly we had misjudged you. You broke him out of Azkaban when you learned he was innocent. You weren't stopped by the fact that you hated him тАУ or the fact that he couldn't stand you. You did the right thing regardless of your personal feelings. Of course he felt grateful. And then to realize that, when you discovered Harry's situation, you had done the same thing for him? Severus, you saved the only thing in this world that Padfoot really cares about. You did it when Dumbledore wouldn't, and Sirius couldn't, and тАУ " Remus swallowed hard but forced the words out, his voice thick with guilt " тАУ and I didn't. You were the only one who was there for Harry, even though you owed him nothing and could feel only hatred towards his family. Sirius and I know how much we owe you and that you are тАУ despite being a 'greasy Slytherin git' тАУ a very good person. Much better than us, in fact... Like it or not, Severus, you're now a Marauder too. You're part of our Pack."

How ignominious. Snape mused gloomily that this was every bit as bad as being an honorary Weasley. What more humiliation would the brat have in store for him? All he wanted to do was to prevent the Dark Lord from murdering the boy, but at this rate, he'd be a bloody Gryffindor before Harry was in third year.

TBCтАж

*Chapter 34*: Chapter 34

"Come on!" Black called over. "I've pulled some memories for Harry to see us in our animagus forms. Let's go."

"Marvelous," Snape grumbled as Remus and he left the couch. "Strolling down Memory Lane with the Marauders. Just how I wanted to spend my afternoon."

All too quickly for Snape, the four of them were immersed in the memory, watching a big dog and a stag play in a clearing of the Forbidden Forest. Suddenly a howl split the night and Harry grabbed for Snape's hand. "What was that?" he asked nervously.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Remus said, panicking slightly at the thought of Harry's reaction. "This can't be comfortable for Severus -"

Snape was busy fighting not to wet himself in terror, but he was not about to let the idiot Marauders know that. "I'm fine."

"Is it really just a memory?" Harry whispered, his face white with fear.

"Yes," Snape assured him, trying to convince himself at the same time. "You cannot be harmed."

Harry still looked uncertain and edged closer. As usual, Snape found it easier to feign calm when those around him were petrified. "You are in no danger," he told Harry firmly.

"I тАУ I know," Harry agreed with an utter lack of conviction in his tone, and then the werewolf entered the clearing.

The dog and stag instantly moved to join it, and to Snape's surprise, the werewolf bounded playfully forward, rather puppyish in its enthusiasm. "Moony, you're kinda cute," Harry said in surprise, venturing forward a bit in order to have a better view.

Remus visibly relaxed. "Never forget that in this form I am very, very dangerous, Harry. If I catch a human scent, I becomeтАж obsessed."

"But isn't there something that helps?" Harry looked up at his professor. "Didn't we learn about a potion that does somethin' for werewolves?"

"Wolfsbane," Remus nodded. "It allows me to retain my human mind, but even with it, I remain very dangerous and untrustworthy, Harry. Do not ever come near me during the full moon. No matter what. You are to Stun me if you ever see me in this form outside a memory. Do you understand?" For once the gentle wizard looked very stern.

Harry nodded soberly. He glanced up at his professor. "But you make sure he gets his potion, right?"

Snape nodded, still surprised to realize he found the werewolf actually rather cute in this memory. Of course all of his memories of the blasted thing occurred when it was trying to rip out his spleen, not when it was playing tug of war with Black's canine form over an old stick. "I do. But that does not change what Mr Lupin has just told you. You will obey him in this."

"Okay," Harry said, sounding a little exasperated. "You know, it's not like I'm stupid or anything. Why are you all acting like I don't know enough to stay away from dangerous things?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Was it some other first year who nearly smashed himself against the castle walls? Offered to take on a troll single handed? Threw a bedpan at тАУ"

"Okay, okay," Harry interrupted, redfaced. "I promise, all right?"

Snape smirked and turned back to the memory. It really was quite astonishing that three students had all mastered the animagus transformation without any faculty help, not to mention assisted in containing a werewolf for seven years.

"Ewww!" Harry yelled, pointing. "Padfoot, you have a rat on your head! He's gonna wee on you!" Then he looked more closely. There was something about that ratтАж

"Padfoot! What is wrong with you?" Remus demanded, keeping his voice down to a furious whisper. "Why would you show Harry a memory that has Peter in it?"

"There aren't that many memories of us in our forms where Peter isn't present," Sirius retorted defensively.

"What about that time that he was sick with dragon pox? Or the month he had detention with Filch for тАУ"

"Okay, fine, there were some," Sirius grumbled.

Snape rolled his eyes as the two bickered. Idiots. "Come back here," he called to where Harry had moved to get a better view of the cavorting animals. Although he knew it was just a memory, the sight of Harry so close to a werewolf made his skin crawl.

Harry obediently trotted back, his brow creased with puzzlement. He tugged on Sirius's elbow, interrupting his ongoing argument with Lupin. "How come you had Scabbers with you?"

"Who?" Sirius asked.

"Scabbers. Ron's rat. He's sitting on your head."

"That isn't Scabbers, Harry. That was another student whose animagus form was a rat. His name was Peter Pettigrew, though we called him Wormtail. He wasтАж a friend of ours at the time," Remus said carefully.

Harry shook his head. "That's Scabbers."

Sirius shook his head. "No, it's Pettigrew. He's тАУ " he glanced at Snape, then continued at the man's nod " тАУ he's the one who betrayed your parents, Harry. He was their Secret Keeper, and he told You Know Who where to find them."

"No," Harry insisted. "That's Scabbers. I mean, he's still got his toe an' all, an' his fur's not so grey, but that's Ron's rat."

"Harry, one rat looks awfully like another," Remus argued.

Harry scowled. "I said," he began, his voice rising dangerously, but before he could launch into a full-scale yell, Snape interrupted.

"What did you say about his toe?"

Sidetracked, Harry looked up at his guardian. "Scabbers is missing a toe. Ron said he's always been like that, ever since Percy found him all those years ago."

The men exchanged glances. "It can't be," Remus broke the silence first. "Impossible."

"The Weasleys of all families?" Sirius demanded. "Why them? Peter had to know they were staunch opponents of You Know Who. Why not take refuge with the Malfoys or some other Death Eater family?"

"Because that's the first place they would have looked for him, if his effort to frame you hadn't been so successful. Not only would no one have ever considered looking for a Death Eater at the Burrow, but Pettigrew must have also known that the Weasleys' financial situation would make them highly likely to accept a 'found' pet. Another family might have chosen to purchase a familiar; the Weasleys would be all too happy to forego the added expense," Snape replied.