average human’s Reviews > Veritaserum > Status Update

“Madame Pomfrey can come to Harry,” Blaise said from behind him.

“I already informed Madame Pomfrey that I would bring Harry to her,” Remus said, unintentionally clenching his jaw in annoyance.

“Now you’ll need to tell her there’s been a change in plans,” Draco said. Remus imagined if he turned his head to look he would see the sneer that coated his tone.

“Or I’ll just take Harry up to the Hospital Wing and you all will go to the feast,” he said, perhaps a little curtly but Merlin, these children were obstinate.

“No thank you,” Luna murmured softly. “We’ll wait here for Professor Snape.”

“I didn’t call for Severus I told Poppy that I would be bringing her a student,” Remus grit out from a clenched jaw.

“Well now you’ll need to tell Madame Pomfrey that Harry Potter is injured on the train and will need her to meet you here,” said Theo.

“And if I were you I would inform Harry’s guardian and Head of House as well,” Hermione added in a saccharine tone.

That’s what must have brought them all together- poor attitudes, Remus thought.

“Expecto Patronum,” Remus murmured under the noise of the rest of the train compartments exiting the train.

“Course it’s a wolf,” Ronald snorted quietly behind him.

Remus ignored the now snickering students, aside from Susan and Luna who were entirely focused on Harry, in favor of composing a new message to Poppy.

“Would you kindly meet me on the train,” he said. He glanced around at the snickering students and mentally rolled his eyes as he said, “There’s been a complication with bringing the student, Harry Potter, to you.”

“And bring Professor Snape,” Neville said.

“For the love of...” Remus muttered. “And bring Severus if you will,” he added.

He flicked his wand and sent the silver wolf on its way.

“That wasn’t so hard was it?” Blaise said brightly.

Remus decided to ignore him lest he get fired before he actually started.

“Susan, Luna, if you would please back up now, I’d like to check Harry over before Madame Pomfrey arrives. Perhaps you all would rather wait for Harry in the Great Hall?”

“Perhaps not,” Susan said politely. “Thank you though.”

“I’m afraid that I-“

“What is going on here?”

Remus turned and saw that Severus was standing in the doorway, wand in hand, quickly assessing the room.

Was he already waiting on the platform?

“Lovegood, Bones, step back,” he said sharply. “Granger, immediately and without sparing the details, inform me of the events that happened.”

Remus clenched his jaw both at being so quickly dismissed by Severus as a source of information and at the children who immediately began complying with Severus’ demands.

“The train stopped and a dementor entered opened our compartment door,” Hermione quickly said as Severus crouched down beside Harry. “It drew in a breath and it went freezing cold in here. Harry screamed, and it was awful sir, he fainted and fell to the floor. Then Professor Lupin said ‘none of us are hiding Sirius Black’-“ Severus scoffed which made Lupin clench his jaw harder.

Did Severus truly believe he would be aiding Sirius after how he tore the Mauraders apart?

“- but the dementor did the breathing thing again and Harry cried out and then curled up like he is now. Professor Lupin sent a spell at the dementor, a patronus I think, and it left. Then he tried to shake Harry and Susan smacked him.”

Severus gave Susan an approving look as he waved his wand over Harry a few times, quickly reading over what Lupin assumed was a diagnostic report.

“He said he was going to carry Harry up to the castle and we told him to bring you and Madame Pomfrey to us instead,” Hermione finished quickly.

“Excellent work,” Severus murmured. “10 points to each house.”

Remus thought it was a bit biased of Severus to award the students for arguing against his every word.

Severus might be making the Wolfsbane but he’s going to do his best to make this job miserable, Remus thought. Typical.

Severus flicked his wand, casting a non verbal patronus, and Remus was shocked to see its form.

He could have sworn it was a doe when he had seen it before during Order meetings.

“Poppy I have Potter, your expertise is unneeded. Though you may wish to inform the elves to serve hot cocoa with dinner as there was a dementor entering compartments.”

After sending off the fox, Severus turned to the huddled group of students.

“I would appreciate you all going to the feast.” Severus held a hand up for silence as the children began to argue, which the students immediately complied with much to Remus’ annoyance.

“Give Potter privacy, I will ensure he is at the feast shortly. Someone will need to make his excuses to the rest of the Slytherins,” Severus said with a pointed look towards Draco.

“What should we say happened?” Draco asked.

“We say Harry got in a fight and Lupin is yelling at him,” Susan said, getting to her feet. “Nobody’ll question that.”

Does Harry get in a lot of fights? Remus wondered, bemused when the rest of the students, and Severus, muttered their agreement.

“Go, now,” Severus ordered them. “We shall be there shortly.”

Remus shook his head as the eight students obediently left the compartment. Though he was slightly mollified by the glare Susan gave Severus.

“Harry will be fine,” she hissed. “Or else.”

She stormed from the compartment and Remus was shocked to see that Severus snorted in amusement.

Susan Bones did not inherit her mother’s sweetness, Remus thought with a disappointed frown as he remembered Amelia’s sister, the sweet Hufflepuff who had been a year behind him in school.

“You can go Lupin,” Severus sneered. “I do not require assistance nor an audience.”

“I’ll stay,” Remus said coolly. “I’d like to make sure James’ son is safe.”

Severus looked up at him and his sneer quickly shifted in to a smirk of amusement.

“So be it, wolf,” he muttered.

“Harry, I’m going to raise my wand to blow wind in your face,” Severus said loudly and slowly, with the ease of someone who has done this before. “Ventus.”

“Harry.” Severus slowly placed his hand on Harry’s shoulder. “Come now, you’re quite safe. It’s time to go terrorize your classmates.”

“G-get off m-me.”

Remus felt relief flood him as Harry stammered at Severus. He had never seen such a person have what he could see now was some sort of panic attack after fainting from dementor exposure. He had been rather worried about him.

“Do you know where you are?” Severus asked, in what Remus was dumbstruck to hear was a gentle tone.

“It’s cold,” Harry said.

“That wasn’t the question brat.”

“P-probably the f-fuckin’ train,” Harry stuttered quietly, finally lifting his head from his knees. “What happened?”

“Language,” Severus said, though not unkindly nor as if he actually cared. “What do you recall?”

“Got cold, then-“ Harry abruptly cut himself off and stared at the floor.

“A dementor opened your compartment door,” Severus said calmly. “They oftentimes pull up your worst experiences to feed off those negative emotions. I would be surprised if you did not hear or relive some type of terrible moment from your life, as all perfectly sound minded people do.”

Remus thought it was awfully kind of Severus to immediately assure Harry that his reaction had been normal. Even if Harry had one of the most extreme reactions Remus had personally ever seen.

In what world is Severus Snape kind to James Potter’s son?

Remus must have looked as surprised as he felt because as Harry glanced around the compartment, his eyes red rimmed and flickering quickly, he stopped on Remus and curled a lip in his direction.

“What’s he doing here?” Harry said to Snape, though glaring at Remus with his bloodshot eyes.

“Being incredibly annoying,” Severus muttered, giving Remus his own cool look of dislike.

“Hello Harry, my name is-“

“Lupin, I know,” Harry said coolly, shakily getting to his feet.

Remus pulled a chocolate bar out of his suitcase and offered it to Harry with what he hoped was a kind smile.

“Here, this will make you feel better.”

“Not a chance,” Harry said flatly, eyeing the chocolate as if Remus had put poison in his face.

“It’s not poisoned,” Remus chuckled. “I swear.”

“Not poisoned or charmed to make my skin sparkle or any other daft ’prank’?” Harry asked with another narrow eyed look.

Damn you Severus, Remus thought for the tenth time since boarding the train. Remus and his friends had pulled that exact prank on the Slytherin table before, charmed all their food to cause their skin to sparkle brightly for 24 hours.

Clearly Harry was aware of it, if the withering look he was giving Remus was any indicator.

“It’s not,” Remus said, clinging to his last bits of patience. “It’s just chocolate. Your friends all had a piece and are perfectly fine.”

“You let them eat something from him?” Harry cried, giving Severus an accusing look.

“I did not,” Severus said calmly, rising to his feet and gesturing to the door. “I believe they must have decided to be idiots all on their own. Shall you go check on their welfare or would you like to spend the night in the Hospital Wing, terrorizing Poppy with your insolence?”

“Check on them, sir,” Harry said, quickly grabbing his bag and making for the compartment door.

“Severus you know that I didn’t poison any students,” Remus growled, offended at the mere thought.

Harry spun around quickly, and took a small step closer to Remus.

“Don’t talk to him like that,” he said. “He’s not the stranger handing out candy to kids, is he?”

“I do not require your defense Potter,” Snape drawled with a smug look towards Remus. “Go find your friends and reassure yourself of their continued good health.”

Harry glared at a completely stunned Lupin for a few tense seconds before he turned on his heel stepped out of the compartment.

What did I do to deserve such distrust? he wondered sadly. Can I fix it?

“See you at the feast,” Harry called back over his shoulder.

Remus didn’t need it spelled out for him that Harry was very much not talking to him when he said that.

“Severus- what- what the hell?” Remus said quietly, holding the other man back before he made to follow Harry. “You told him about my problem?”

Severus gave Remus a bored look as he answered.

“I told Potter about my own school days ages ago Lupin. I had no idea at the time that Albus would ever consider you for a position here amongst the staff.”

“Harry’s told half the third years!” Remus said. “How are any of them going to trust me knowing that?!”

Severus gave Remus a terrifyingly amused smile.

“You mean Potter, right? You want Potter to trust you?” Severus snorted, “Join the queue.”

Remus followed behind Severus up to the castle and his joy at returning to Hogwarts was clouded by a continuous disappointing thought in his head;

Harry isn’t much like James after all.

Though, maybe Harry would give him a chance to get to know him and Remus would discover who exactly James’ son is.

Surely if Harry built some sort of relationship with Severus, then he could build one with Remus.

Simple.