Harry Potter: Raised by Wolves.

Harry laid awake on the floor of the Great Hall for a long time, surrounded by snoring people in identical purple sleeping bags. He couldn't wrap his head around it. Sirius Black had broken into the school.

The same Sirius Black who had been his father's best friend in school, and was now trying to kill Harry. Who was the reason his parents were dead.

The very same Sirius Black who Snape clearly thought Lupin was helping get into the castle. Harry didn't believe that for a second — no one could fake the grief he'd seen in Lupin's eyes earlier that day. He was still heartbroken by his friend's betrayal.

He remembered the other night, how even Malfoy had been worried about Harry wandering around after curfew. He'd been so sure Black wouldn't be able to reach him then, so confident in his safety. This… this changed things.

.-.-.

Remus crossed the corridor, guilt gnawing his gut, when all of a sudden there was a hand on his shoulder and his back was slammed against the stone wall. "Swear to me," Severus hissed, his near-black eyes narrowed venomously and his wand digging into Remus' throat. "Swear to me you aren't helping him."

Remus went wide-eyed in horror. "Severus, I would never! I'd never do anything to hurt Harry. I swear it."

Severus lowered his wand and loosened his grip, but not by much. "Forgive me if I don't trust you entirely, Lupin," he said sharply. "I know what the two of you were like."

"I know what you thought we were like, and you've always been wrong," Remus corrected, remembering countless arguments and pointed remarks about the true nature of his relationship with Sirius Black. Back then, he'd found it amusing— sweet, even. Now… the words felt bitter on his tongue. "I would never help that traitor get in here and hurt my cub."

Severus met his gaze steadily, holding it so long Remus began to feel a little lightheaded. Eventually, he nodded, stepping back. Part of Remus wanted to follow. "It's late," he said eventually. "And Dumbledore has called off the search. I suggest you go to bed, Lupin."

Remus bit back the first three responses that tried to leap from his mouth. "You can trust me, Severus," he said eventually. Severus scowled.

"We've both been wrong about that before."

Severus turned on his heel, robes flaring out behind him as he stalked away, leaving Remus alone in the corridor. Remus let out a long, steadying breath. "You fool," he murmured quietly, unsure who he was talking to — himself, Severus, or Sirius Black.

He should go to Dumbledore. He should walk up to the headmaster's office and tell him about Sirius' animagus form, about the secret passages he could be using to get in and out of the school. If he were a better man, he'd have told him weeks ago.

But he wasn't a better man. He was a guilty, desperate, lonely man who still couldn't believe after twelve years that one of his packmates could do something so awful against another. That Sirius happy, playful, ridiculous Sirius — could be out for the blood of the child he'd loved so dearly. He'd doted on Harry, insisting the boy was basically his since he was never going to have kids of his own. He was the perfect godf ather.

Until he'd betrayed them all to Voldemort, of course. Remus felt like his heart was being torn to pieces, his wolf howling angrily in the back of his head, demanding justice, demanding some other explanation. That just made his rage increase — if not for the wolf, Lily and James might have trusted him to begin with, might have used him as the Secret Keeper instead of Sirius. But no, despite everything, they still doubted his ability to fight against his darker side. Thought that because of the wolf, because of Severus—

No. He couldn't go down that road. Not tonight.

For now, all he needed was sleep. And perhaps some of the whiskey he kept in his cupboard. Whatever nightmares he was to face when his eyes closed, he didn't fancy facing them sober. When Harry walked into the Defence classroom to see Snape stood at the front, he knew it was going to be a bad day.

When Snape had them open their books to the page on dementors, he realised just how bad it was going to be.

Almost everyone in the classroom turned to look at him when Snape introduced the topic. He could hear several of the Slytherins sniggering in the back, including Malfoy. Pointedly ignoring them, he looked down at his textbook, reading the introduction.

Dementors feed off positive emotion, sucking away any happy thoughts or feelings and leaving a person with only their worst memories remaining. Many are driven mad by prolonged exposure to a dementor. Some people can have particularly adverse reactions to a dementor — those with strong negative memories are more sensitive to a dementor's aura.

Harry thought about the sound of a woman screaming, his stomach churning. Strong negative memories. That definitely counted.

Much to his surprise, Snape's lesson was actually somewhat informative. When he wasn't busy insulting them, or making thinly veiled comments about Harry's fainting spell.

After dinner, Harry went up to Professor Lupin's office, hoping to catch the man for a talk if he was feeling any better. The office was empty, and Harry sighed. Another time, then.

On his way back down to the dungeon, he walked past a pair of Slytherins in his own year. Ducking his head, he planned to just head straight past them, not in the mood for a fight. His plan was ruined when one of them stepped in front of him. He eyed Blaise Zabini warily, keeping his hand ready to flick his wand from its holster.

Zabini faced him, palms open, and slowly bowed his head. "Well met, Heir Potter."

Harry couldn't believe it. The other Slytherin, Daphne Greengrass, was doing the same thing. He blinked at them in astonishment, but returned the greeting to each in turn. When Greengrass straightened up, there was a coy smile on her face. "Maybe you're not so bad, Potter. For a Gryffindor."

So much for things being secret. How many other people knew? He hoped they were all as good at Occlumency as Neville assured him they must be. "There are more important houses than just Hogwarts ones," he said eventually.