52Chapter 41
Harry,
Please come see me after your last class.
-Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
P.S. I enjoy Ice Mice
Harry tried not to glare at the note. A tiny first year had delivered it to him after Defense before rushing away. He knew that the headmaster was going to question him, again, about what happened. It just pissed him off that the man thought he had any authority to do so. He wasn't Harry's parent or guardian, no matter what he claimed, he wasn't an auror or member of the ministry, Albus Dumbledore had no right to question him. And yet, the man would. Harry sighed. Dumbledore would sit there in his chair, pretending to be Harry's friend and question Harry about where he had been and what had happened, and Harry got a slight thrill at knowing he was going to lie and fool the old man. But he was still nervous, Dumbledore was smart and powerful, if Harry misspoke or slipped up all Harry's plans could be ruined. Draco, Remus, Sirius, even Snape and the twins could be in danger.
He took a deep breath, set the parchment on fire and walked towards Remus's rooms.
The wolf opened the door before he even knocked, smiling, at least he was until he saw Harry's face.
"What's wrong?" Remus asked pulling him into the room.
"Dumbledore wants to see me." Harry flinched at the growl his godfather let out.
"Should I come with you?" Remus asked after a second.
"I don't know," Harry said dropping down into a chair. "I don't like the idea of being alone with him, but wouldn't it seems strange that I brought you with me? I've never had anyone join us before?"
"True, but I'm staying here now. We could easily say I asked you to join me for dinner. That you came to tell me you didn't know how long you would be, and I insisted on joining you. You were after all just kidnapped and held prisoner for two months, it is believed that I would want to stay close."
Harry grinned at the wolf, relieved that he wouldn't have to face the headmaster alone. "Let's go then shall we?" Remus chuckled and pulled him out of the chair.
Their happy mood faded as they stopped outside the Gargoyle that protected the Headmasters office.
"Ice mice," Harry told the statue which slowly moved out of their way. He clenched his hands tight, took a breath, and then relaxed, he could do this.
Walking up the stairs, he resisted the urge to turn around and run. That small part of him that he was just starting to understand urged him to go find Draco. But he ignored it and knocked on the door.
"Come in," the headmaster called.
When he entered the room, he almost rolled his eyes at the sight of the headmaster behind his desk. The old man smiled at him, "Oh, Harry, my boy, come in." And Harry knew the second the headmaster registered Remus because there was a twitch to the wizard's mouth before he smiled, "Hello, Remus, I wasn't aware you would be joining us."
"Well, me and Harry had plans, I'm helping him catch up on his homework, and dinner of course. When he told me you wanted to see him, I figured I would come along and then we could sneak into the kitchens, get a few snacks and head back to my rooms." Harry had to give it to the wolf, he sounded excited and lighthearted about their failed plans and even though Harry knew it was a lie, he still thought it sounded like the truth.
"I see," the headmaster said, still smiling, "well then I won't keep you long. I just wanted to see how Harry was doing? And see if he remembered anything else about what happened?" The headmaster looked at him, and Harry was quick to look away, not wanting to give the man a chance to read his mind. "Maybe offer someone to talk to." The man added on at the end in a gentle voice and Harry was instantly furious. The man was so full of it.
"Albus, Harry isn't ready to talk about it," Remus berated the headmaster, Harry could hear some of the wolf's anger in his tone, and from the surprised look on Dumbldeors face so did the old man.
"Remus I meant -"
"I know what you meant, headmaster," Remus cut him off, "everyone is pressing him to talk about it, you, the ministry, his friends, Harry needs time. And I would appreciate it if you would allow him some." Harry's mouth fell open. He was not expecting this. He turned to look at his godfather, Remus just gave him a reassuring smile.
He heard Dumbledore cleared his throat and turned to the man. He gritted his teeth and the fake guilty look the man now wore. " I wasn't aware," Dumbledore said softly, "I am sorry Harry. If you would like me to speak to the ministry for you, ask them to back off, I can."
Seriously?, Harry thought. "No thanks, Sir, Remus has already talked to them." He smiled openly letting the headmaster see how happy he was about this. He almost laughed when he saw a hint of anger in the headmasters eyes. It was gone quick though.
"Well, my boy, I'm here for you, should you need it."
Remus put his hand on his shoulder, and that helped him not to snap at the man that he would never need him.
"Thank you," he said, with difficulty.
"Headmaster," Remus said, in way of goodbye and he steered Harry out of Dumbledore's office.
Harry kept his cool until they were back in Remus's room, then he shrugged off his godfather's hand.
"I hate him!" He shouted. "He thinks he can just do whatever he wants. That he can control us all like little pawns, he is worse than Voldemort. At least the Dark Lord," he sneered the man's name, "is up front about what he wants." He swung around and looked at Remus, "He ruined my life! And Sirius's, even yours, for what? Fame? power?" He felt tears build in his eyes as he dropped down on Remus couch. "Why does he hate me?" the last part was mumbled as he lost most of his anger.
Remus Pov
He watched as Harry ranted and felt helpless. He understood his cub's anger, he understood the desire to scream and yell until he had no voice, he had been tempted many times in the last week or so. Even so, he had no idea how to make that anger go away. At least not instantly.
"Why does he hate me?" Harry whispered after he collapsed onto the couch.
Remus sighed. He sat down next to Harry taking his cub in his arms. "I don't think it's hate, I think the headmaster has a plan. Probably one that gives him the most power, and you are as you said a pawn. A piece on his chest board. He has plans for you, for Voldemort, and he doesn't care about anything but you two doing what he wants. As for me and Padfoot, we were, are in the way."
He felt Harry relaxing against him. His godson remained quiet, probably thinking over what he said. Remus shifted a little so that he was comfortable and closed his eyes.
He thought back to the conversation he had with the twins, the one right after him and Siri had read James and Lily's wills. Where they told him about werewolf laws and how it was legal for him to have custody of Harry. As a godfather and one of the people listed in Harry's parents wills, there was nothing the ministry could have done to stop him from taking Harry. He had been furious. Furious at Dumbledore for the man had lied and manipulated him into not fighting for Harry, and himself because he gave into his own fear and doubt. Fear of Moony and the doubt that he would make a good father to Harry, after all he wasn't James. He had to leave the room, afraid that he might lose control and hurt the twins due to his anger.
After he calmed down he couldn't stop thinking about how James and Lily had trusted him to take care of Harry if something happened to them. He had cried at James's faith in him and then laughed at how Liy had just assumed that no matter what, he would have been there, helping Sirius.
He felt so guilty that he had let Dumbledore manipulate him. He had trusted the man so blindly, that when Dumbledore said there wasn't a will and that he would be unable to gain custody of Harry, that he believed him, without looking into it. After all he had thought Dumbledore was their friend.
He had believed the lie that with Sirius in Azkaban, Harry's guardianship fell to Lily's sister. It even made sense to him, as Petunia was Harry's closest living relative. Still he had begged to be allowed to see Harry, but he was told that it would be confusing and dangerous. How would Harry's Aunt and Uncle explain him to Harry, and how guilty would he feel if a supporter of the Dark Lord followed him to Harry?
He had pleaded until he couldn't take the denials anymore. He was grieving the loss of his friends and pack and having to be told time and time again he wasn't allowed to see Harry, it was just too much. So, he threw himself crappy jobs all over the country trying to lose himself in exhaustion and distractions.
He would regret that for the rest of his life. But know that he knew the truth, not only that he was able to fight for custody of Harry, but about Sirius lack of trial, he was going to do everything he could to ruin Dumbledore's plans.
He knew Harry was communicating with Amelia Bones about Sirius trial. How she had gotten the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to go along with their fake kidnapping he didn't know but he was grateful to the woman. She had already sent Harry several letters about her plans for a private questioning of Sirius. She told Harry that since there had been no trial that she didn't need to apply for a retrial, in fact all she had to do was question Siri under a truth potion with two witnesses. If Sirius wasn't guilty she would file the correct paperwork and his name would be cleared, and there would be nothing anyone could do about it.
She did say that Harry's custody would be a little more difficult. With Dumbledore hiding the Potter's wills and placing Harry in the custody of his Aunt, Sirius and him would have to be able to prove that went against Lily and James wishes. Which they could do now that they had the wills. Then she warned that Sirius had to prove he was capable of taking care of Harry, she was worried that Dumbledore would use Sirius stay in Azkaban against him. Stating that after 12 years in the prison anyone would be damaged and in need of medical help. The last argument she brought up was uprooting Harry, he had spent the last 15 years with his aunt and uncle, Dumbledore could argue that taking him out of his home now could have a negative effect.
The last point is the only reason Remus knew about Harry's letter to Amelia. Harry had been so furious when he had read that that his magic had lashed out and destroyed the office he was in. Remus the only one in the house at the time, had ran in the room panicked and terrified that something had happened. Harry had been standing in the middle of the room, magic swirling around him, the letter in his hand.
It had taken him 10 minutes to calm Harry down. When he had asked his cub what happened Harry's just thrusted the paper at him.
After that Harry and him talked about it and he promised that his cub would not be going back to the Dursleys, even if he had to kidnap him and run off to another country. Harry had laughed and thanked him.
They hadn't told Padfoot yet, both worried about getting his hopes up.
He knew that soon they wouldn't have a choice, in her last letter Amelia said she had everything ready, expect the two witnesses, she had asked Harry if he had any recommendations. Harry had replied Arthur Weasley and Lucius Malfoy.
Remus had questioned him about Arthur, after all Molly was stealing from Harry and Arthur loved his wife and supported Dumbledore. Harry had told him, that Arthur's name never appeared on any of the payouts nor the marriage contract. He said the the elder Weasley believed their father didn't know what was going on, and that he was willing to give the man a chance. After all, he wouldn't be able to tell Dumbledore anything until after Sirius was cleared. Remus was impressed when he realized that Harry was testing Arthur. He just hoped the man was as kind and loyal as four of his children.
He sighed, his head starting to hurt from thinking about it all. He almost moved before he realized Harry had fallen asleep against his side. A wave a nostalgia hit him as he remembered Harry in the past cuddled against his side, sound asleep. He smiled and leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes. A nap sounded wonderful at the moment.