As Potter is to Snape

Chapter 52

Harry knocked on the door to Remus's quarters the next afternoon and it was immediately opened to him.

"Hello, Harry. Come on in," Remus said with a smile as he ushered Harry into the living room. "We're just waiting for the others to get here."

"Ron and Hermione will be here soon. They took their books up to the tower first."

Remus nodded then pointed to Harry's backpack. "You brought yours with you?"

Harry shrugged. "I figured if I took them down then Dad wouldn't let me come back."

"Don't tell him I told you, Harry," Remus said as they both sat down, "but Mum and Dad were never this hard on him."

"I can believe that about Grampa, but I dunno about Grams." Harry had a hard time picturing his stern Head of House as the sort of parent that would let her sons get away with much.

Remus smiled. "Believe me, he had her wrapped around his finger."

"And you didn't?" Harry asked with a grin of his own.

"Well, perhaps we both did. But certainly him more than me." Remus laughed then turned towards the door when they heard someone else knocking.

When Remus stood to open it, Harry took the opportunity to look around. Something he hadn't really had the chance to do when he had been here last as he had been preoccupied with the fight between Remus and Severus.

Remus's quarters were laid out about the same as Severus's, with the kitchen being just off from the parlor and the hallway being on the other side. There was a window along the opposite wall with a plant just like Severus's sitting in a pot below it, but that was where the similarities ended.

Where Severus kept everything neat and orderly, with everything in its proper place, Remus's parlor was cluttered and disorganized. Books and papers were stacked on every available surface, including the floor beside the bookshelf as there was no more room on it. The turntable that he had used in his first class sat in one corner of the room with records leaning up against it on the floor.

Instead of doing his grading at a desk in his office, it appeared that Remus did most of his here. Essays sat in little piles on the coffee table with ink wells and quills placed around them. One was turned over, though it appeared to be empty. Harry did have to admit that marking essays would be more comfortable here. Remus had two plush couches sitting on either side of the coffee table and closer to the fireplace was a recliner with a throw blanket folded across one arm, as if Remus often slept in it.

Pictures lined the mantle and along the walls. Some were moving while others appeared to have been taken with a muggle camera. One caught his eye and Harry found himself moving to get a closer look at it. He smiled when he recognized that it was the same picture of his parents on their wedding day that Hagrid had given him in the album he had made for him.

"Right," Harry heard Remus say, "now that everyone is here, let's all take a seat and we can get started."

Harry noticed that Draco was also there now. Ron took the seat next to Harry on one couch while Draco and Hermione sat down on the other. Harry watched to see if Draco would complain and was pleasantly surprised when he said nothing and even offered her the plate of biscuits first that Remus had given him.

Remus took the recliner and clasped his hands in front of him as he looked at each of them in turn. "I suppose you're all wondering why I've asked you to come here today and the reason is simple. Or maybe not so simple, depending on how you take it." He took a moment to consider his words and Harry thought he seemed nervous. "The truth is," he began again, "that I've been keeping secrets from you all and I don't want to do that anymore. What I'm about to tell you, I would really appreciate it if it stayed between us, however, it's quite a lot to put on the shoulders of a few thirteen-year-olds and I want you to know that I understand if it's not a secret that you can keep. Before we go on, are we all clear on that? I promise that there will be no hard feelings if you can't handle it, alright?"