Harry Potter: Raised by Wolves.

Severus leaned back in his chair. It was clear from the look on his face that he had no idea what Remus was talking about. "Watch him," Remus suggested. "Don't think about James. Look for Lily, and you'll see it. You'll see it in spades. Merlin." Having those green eyes fixed on him sometimes felt like he'd gone back in time. It was almost too much to bear.

"If you insist," Severus droned. "What does it matter where he lives, anyway? Going to steal him away in the night?"

"Albus sent him to Petunia." That got Severus' attention. The Slytherin stiffened, his shoulders hunching the barest fraction just at the woman's name. "What?"

"Harry told me he lives with his Aunt Petunia and her family." Harry had inadvertently admitted quite a bit more than that. Remus' protective instincts roared when he thought too much about it.

"What in Merlin's name was Albus thinking?" Severus said, eyes sharp. "Petunia? That woman hated everything to do with magic!"

"He didn't know anything about his parents. Didn't know about magic before his Hogwarts letter." Remus swallowed harshly. "Severus, he said he didn't even know his name until he was five years old. I don't think he realised I heard him, but— imagine the sorts of things they must have called him instead. You knew Petunia better than I did, and her husband."

"The worst example of muggles I can think of," Severus agreed. He looked up, his face unguarded for once, his displeasure clear. "You're sure? Albus took him to her?" Remus nodded.

On the other side of the desk, an inkwell shattered. "Lily must have been spinning in her grave for the last twelve years," Severus growled, cleaning up the mess with a jab of his wand. "If she were here, she'd kill us both for never checking on him."

"Albus never let me," Remus supplied. He didn't doubt that Severus had never tried. His hatred for James Potter was a strong, strong thing. "He said it was safer if no one magical went near him."

"Of course he did," Severus sneered. He met Remus' gaze knowingly. "Keeping his precious golden boy nice and hidden away and downtrodden, starving for information — probably starving for food, too, by the look of him."

"Ready for the day that Albus Dumbledore swoops in and takes him away from that awful place, showing him a world of magic and becoming his true saviour," Remus finished grimly. "Severus, you don't really think—"

"That Albus would manipulate a boy so young? If it benefited the greater good, I have no doubt he would."

"But why?" Remus asked plaintively. "What does he have to gain from making Harry rely on him?"

Severus grimaced, glanced at his office door, then pulled up the left sleeve of his robe. Remus flinched. Last time he'd seen it, the Dark Mark had been vivid and black, an ugly mar on the pale skin. Now it was so faint it was barely even there unless you knew what to look for. The barest whisper of skull and snake. "If he were dead, it would be gone completely," he declared bluntly. "As you can see, that is not the case."

Remus felt the blood drain from his face as he met Severus' dark eyes. Deep down, behind that icy facade, he could see fear. "No…"

"The Dark Lord will one day return," Severus told him. "And I believe the Headmaster has plans for Potter when he does. Remind me to tell you what happened at the end of Potter's first year, sometime." He shoved his sleeve back down, shaking his head. "Petunia Evans. Salazar, it's a bloody miracle the boy made it to school alive. No wonder he has so little regard for his own safety."

Stomach turning to lead, Remus reached out and gripped Severus' hand with his own, surprised the Slytherin didn't automatically pull away. "We can't let that happen. Whatever Albus wants, whatever he's planning… we can't let him have Harry." Severus met his gaze, and Remus waited, wondering if he would have an ally in this. He'd had questions about some of Dumbledore's decisions in the past, but this… this was too far.

"I promised to protect the boy, for Lily's sake," Severus said eventually. "The afterlife would not be worth reaching if I failed that task."

Remus relaxed, leaning towards Severus for just a moment before he remembered he wasn't allowed to do that anymore. He let go of the man's hand. "Good," he murmured, gripping the edge of the desk to try and ground himself. "That'sgood."

"Lupin… Remus," Severus said, sounding like the name caused him physical pain. "Are you well?"

"I'm fine," he insisted, not wanting to get into the specifics of how his heart was shredding itself inside his chest for so many reasons he could barely count them. "I think— I should go. It's late." He slid from the desk, taking an awkward step away from the seated man. "Thank you, Severus. I know we've had our differences, but… Harry needs all the help he can get. Thank you."

"Be careful, Remus," Severus called when Remus had one hand on doorknob. "Changing loyalties is a dangerous game, no matter which side you're on."

Remus grit his teeth. "I can handle it. Goodnight, Severus."

He'd have to handle it. For Harry.

.-.-.

Wrapped up in the threads of so many lies and secrets, Harry had entirely forgotten about Buckbeak until he went with Ron and Hermione to visit Hagrid, only to find the man crying into his enormous teacup. The guilt piled higher in Harry's gut. He was being a terrible friend. Hell, the only reason they'd gone to Hagrid in the first place was that Ron and Hermione seemed to think he wanted to go hunting down Sirius Black. The old Harry probably would have, under that Compulsion curse. The new Harry had bigger things on his mind. Still, he put in a good attempt at helping do the research to start putting a case together for Buckbeak. Ron lasted all of four hours in the library before he made an excuse and bailed out, while Harry stuck around for six. It wasn't the research that was the problem, or even the time spent with his nose in books Hermione's preferred style of studying was a little… overwhelming for those around her. She was much better suited to independent research. Eventually, Harry got tired of her yanking the book out of his hands every time he said he might have something interesting, and just left her to it.

He didn't see much of his two best friends in the run-up to Christmas. Sure, they were around, and they hung out in the evenings in the common room. But honestly Harry couldn't remember the last time the three of them had had a proper conversation, especially not one that wasn't related to some disaster or another. Sometimes it felt like they only came together to solve problems. Whenever there was quiet time between the three of them, it would promptly get ruined by Crookshanks existing in Ron's presence and Ron going off on one about how the evil cat was out for blood. It was better for Harry to just… not.

Luckily, Professor Lupin had agreed to start Harry's Patronus lessons. Harry was practically vibrating with excitement the first time he approached Lupin's office, and his eyebrows rose at the enormous packing case sitting on the man's desk. It was rattling. "What's that?" "Another boggart. It's the closest we'll get to a dementor without actually inviting one into the castle, and, well," Lupin said with a wry smile, "this is far easier to deal with."