Harry and Remus apparate to Diagon Alley and start looking for Severus, apparently Remus and Severus decided to meet up in front of Gringotts and that is exactly where they are headed right now. There is no time to waste, seeing as they don't have the luxury of time, they need to get there as soon as possible. For all Harry knows dad could be in danger.
"Can you hurry up please?" He yells over his shoulder at his sire. He huffs out in distress, the building in sight. The white marble building in all its glory is right up ahead, just a few more steps and then...then he can help his family reunite.
Remus just has to accept the truth! He has to!
"Harry, I'm trying my best to keep up with you."
Harry turns around and his eyes widen at the sight of his father, he's paler than he should be and sweating bullets.
"See, this is only the early stages, Sev must be so much worse! This could kill him! And then what? Remus, Severus and you are the only living relatives I have left! My Godfather from Sev's side is nowhere to be found and I don't want to go back to the Dursleys or to Sirius. Please... I need your help!" Harry pleads, even begs. He's losing hope and that is something he can't risk.
They reach the entrance and after looking around desperately, Harry catches the sight of familiar dark robes, the person is hunched in on themselves. Harry runs up and embraces the person. He lets his magic flow into his dad. "How are you? And tell me the truth, dad!"
A hand is placed on his brown hair, "I could be better, but it's not as bad as it seems upon first sight." His black eyes move to his mate, his Remus. The vampire inside of him wants to claim and be claimed all over again, but first the Werewolf needs to remember.
"Get over here, you overgrown mutt!" Severus smirks and Remus hesitantly comes closer and offers his hand for support.
He just can't imagine that the potions master is his mate, but despite that thought, he has to admit that Severus is quite good-looking. As he takes the slightly smaller hand in his, sparks run down his spine. Like tiny electric surges. He feels guilty for making Harry and Severus suffer, but he knows that he would remember if he ever found his mate or had a child for that matter. But if what they are saying is true...then Harry is his cub and he abandoned him. He abandoned his mate and cub. Moony howls, he knows or at least remembers something. The wolf wants to take the vampire and claim him. A feeling of protectiveness washes over him as he moves his arm around Severus' waist. The black haired man stiffens before going eerily calm in his arms. The Werewolf's nose picks up on the fleeting magic, not only Severus' but his own too. It feels too real to be a mere fabrication and Remus knows enough about mates to know that this type of dwindling or depletion of magic only happens after a mate is rejected. With that in mind, there is almost no doubt that Severus is his mate. The one he is supposed to protect and have a pack with.
They enter the premises of Gringotts and move up to an unoccupied goblin teller. They are lucky that today isn't a busy day.
"How can I help you?" The goblin looks down at them and Harry moves forward. "We would be needing a cleansing ritual and a ritual chamber. These are family matters that revolve around a case of attempted line theft. Please hurry, sir goblin and take all the necessary amount of Galleons from the Potter vaults."
The goblin nods and then calls on another, who quickly runs away.
"Please wait here until you are called and then after the ritual we will have your account manager taking a statement. Line theft is a criminal act of the highest calibre in goblin culture."
Harry dips his head with respect and dignity, "Of course, I thank you in advance for your services." The goblin nods and goes back to his work. Harry returns to his parents, my, that sounds so weird. Harry shrugs and sits down next to Sev, who is heavily leaning against Remus. "We'll make it through, I promise we will." Harry whispers.
Then a hand takes his, it's Remus with a guilty frown on his face. Something must've changed. Harry looks closer at his parents and his eyes widen at their close proximity and that protective hold that Remus has around Severus. They can work with that. This makes things a bit easier. A shudder goes through their bodies and Harry just sits there and helps as best as he can.
"Heir Potter, Lord Lupin and Lord Prince, please follow Sharptooth to the closest ritual chamber. Our healers will be waiting for you."
The three of them nod and carefully make their way across the entrance hall and follow the goblin named Sharptooth. Said goblin leads them through several empty hallways in a tense silence. Remus bite his lips in concentration, he can't let the man in his arms go, Moony is telling him so too. At least one thing he can agree on with the wolf. His brown-green eyes scan over Harry, he feels more and more like his cub after each passing second. They enter a grand chamber after about five minutes of silence. Severus takes a shaky breath in and leans closer into his embrace. Why Remus suddenly feels so protective, he doesn't know but he also doesn't mind. In fact, he enjoys the idea of having a small family of his own. He never thought he would say that about Severus, they have never quite gotten along after all.
"Now then, just take your places on each of these pedestals in front of you. We shall begin the cleansing ritual immediately. Heir Potter, a drop of your blood will suffice and it seems as though you need a magic regeneration ritual as well. Would you like me to take the added costs from your vaults?"
"Yes, please do so." With that Harry takes the offered dagger and carefully carves a long gash into his arm's flesh. Remus growls at the indifference Harry is showing. That shouldn't be normal, at least a tiny bit of a reaction should be warranted.
But it's true, this isn't the same Harry from two years ago. The boy he came to know is different but at the same time still the same. It's rather confusing if you ask him. He sighs and begrudgingly lets go of Severus, who by now has started panting.
Remus can smell the pain and fear coming from the man, his heart gives a painful clench before he lays down on the third pedestal. The room goes dark and the only light source left is the glow from the arcane runes on the ground for the ritual.
Remus suddenly feels oddly complacent yet fully alert as though he was experiencing an out of body experience. The brunette feels oddly detached as he senses the magic around him seeping into his body. At first he felt nothing out of the ordinary, that's until his entire body gives an involuntary jerk, like something is being wrenched out of him. Moony growls, that magic should not have been within him. His head feels lighter for it and that's when Remus realizes he has been under a compulsion for years now without even noticing. Bile and anger rise within him, he can't move his body but his mind is running haywire as he desperately tries to make sense of everything he is learning. Who would put a compulsion on him? And why would they do that? What does someone gain from having him placed under a compulsion? The only way that would make sense would be in an attempt to cover something up, which would give the thought of Harry being his cub and Severus being his mate, more credibility.
He would've groaned if he could, it's painful, all the tugging going on within his head as one compulsion after the other is removed. How did he never notice them being there? And is it true that he has a mate and a son? Remus has always wanted a family of his own but he was afraid that Lycanthropy is hereditary, what if he has memories that he can't access anymore? That would explain everything or at least most. His thoughts slowly simmer and then stop completely, his breathing turning even and calm. A sense of safety lulling him into a deep sleep.
Feelings long forgotten shimmer around the edges of his subconscious. Remus groans and slowly open his eyes. There's a low glow around him and further ahead he can make out two shapes. Two human shapes, something tells him to go over to them and to keep them safe. The simmering emotions start to cling onto him. Remus doesn't pay them any mind, he isn't alarmed in the slightest, in fact he welcomes those warm emotions and feelings. They feel familiar as though they belong to him but he forgot and pushed them away. His mind unusually clear and a soft breeze picks up around him.
What is this place? He wonders in awe, it's beautiful but empty. The emptiness isn't constricting in the least, on the contrary, it's liberating.
Then the two figures move towards him, one shorter than the other. Remus can't make out their faces but he knows there is a deeply rooted connection between the three of them. He needs these two figures and they need him. He looks down at two separate hands, one with long and slightly crooked fingers and the other with long and rather delicate fingers, the hand of a seeker. They coax him closer to the glowing edge, he looks over it and the sight takes his breath away.
Every shining light is one of his memories and the sight alone is mesmerising, it gorgeous and words fail to describe the true beauty of it all. But there must be a purpose for him to be here, wherever here is.
"Remus, this is your Mindscape. We are merely astral projections into your mind. What we are about to do all depends on how you react to your environment." The shorter figure says and Remus recognises Harry's voice immediately. Then the other shape must be Severus. Harry points at the bottom over the edge, a large quantity of light is stashed there. "The brighter lights are your core memories and the closer we get to the spiral the closer we get to your locked memories. Now, with the compulsions out of the way, getting down there shouldn't be too challenging."
Remus nods slowly. But how do they get down there? They can't just very well jump down.
"That's exactly what we will do."
Remus whirls around and gapes at Harry, "What?!"
A hand takes a hold of his arm and without warning takes him down and over the edge. Remus thinks he screamed, what if he dies?! He holds onto the person that pulled him down along with them. His nose tickles and Moony growls, Severus was the one to do that.
"My ears are sensitive, don't just go screaming into them!" He chuckles out and Remus feels the tips of his ears start burning. "I was pulled over an edge and into the mouth of an abyss! Give me a break!"
"Dramaqueen!"
Remus can imagine Severus rolling his eyes. And upon closer inspection of his surroundings he finds himself floating downwards, steadily getting closer to the bright lights. They are almost blinding, just how many are locked inside this spiral? And just as that thought goes through his head he feels an intense jerk rake his body. He slams face first into black water. Or at least he thinks it's water. It's suffocating! It's as though small claws are trying to rip him apart and drown him. He tries to struggle but he can't remove the restrains holding him down.
He needs air! He can't breathe.
"Don't hurt them! I'll do anything, just leave Harry and Severus out of this!" His voice rings in his own ears. But he can't remember ever saying such words.
"Anything, you say?" The Werewolf shivers at the dark voice, it's cold and he knows exactly who it belongs to. But why? What does Dumbledore want from him or Severus for that matter?
"Yes! I swear I will, just...please. I love them! They are my cub and mate!" His voice was desperate, he thought Dumbledore was on his side. But as always, Remus was proven wrong. He can't lose Severus or their cub. Remus was finally happy with his life and living the perfect domestic lifestyle, despite the war waging around them. Severus was always safe and so was Harry. But all that changed when Dumbledore showed up, he had somehow found out about them. His eyes scan over his family being held by Sirius and Molly.
"Listen to Dumbledore, Remus. This is for their best. You will be safer without them and Harry with James and Lily. You know what your condition does to you, what if you kill Harry?" Those words stung, how could Sirius say such a thing? Moony howls in anger, this is his cub, he would never hurt him!
His thoughts are drowned out, he looks back at the old man as something shifts in him, gone was the admiration, gone was the love, it was all gone. Remus hates this man! He sighs.
"Please, leave them out of this. I'll even join the order! Just keep my family out of this. What do you need from me?"
"I need you, Remus. All of you. You are a Werewolf and as such I need you to become a one person army. Now don't worry, Harry will be placed in James' caring hands. It's also not like you won't be seeing Severus anymore, you just won't remember him the same."
And then all Remus feels is agony, Moony howling and growling. Everything is being ripped apart! He's drowning and all of his memories one by one disappear. Severus! Harry! His family is being drained out of him. He staggers and tries to catch his breath. Moony growls at him to do something! To fight back! But Remus can't do anything! He can't move and a heaviness descends upon his mind, Moony's growls stifle and then disappear completely.
His eyes snap open he remembers how he forgot! But that alone doesn't bring all his memories back. But Severus is his mate! The memory makes him throw up, he gave up his memories to keep his family safe! He was forced to forget and Sirius and James helped. They were friends! Remus thought they cared, why would Sirius do such a thing?!
Tears sting his eyes as his mind registers the utter betrayal he feels towards his former friends, no longer does Remus feel bad for James' early death. He served it for taking away his cub!
...
Tapping wakes him up, he scrunches up his nose and then blinks the sleep away. He's met with the twin worried gazes of his son and mate.
"What happened? Something went wrong, your memories were empty!" Harry says breathlessly.
Remus clenches his fists before taking his son in his arms. "I'm sorry for not believing you. There was one memory that made me realise the truth, I don't remember anything else. Something else must've happened to me." His gaze shifts over to Severus and he opens his arms. "I'm sorry...for everything."
Severus shakes his head and just lets himself be embraced by his mate. "I accept you, Sev. I should've never rejected you in the first place, I hope you can forgive me." The potions master rolls his eyes. "Stupid, overgrown mutt. I already have, yet you'll have to make it up to me."
"Can you leave the flirting for later, please? We still aren't done here." Harry points out the goblins surrounding them.
"Right."
...
The three men arrive late in the evening back home. The may have figured out a lot of things but there is one huge blank in Remus' memory, which he wants to fill up again. He waited with Severus outside the ritual chamber for Harry to come out, they had both been anxious. When his cub came out two hours later his aura changed. It was stronger and richer somehow. His magic oozed out of him in waves. Who knew his son would be this powerful. After that they went to a more secluded area of Diagon, but this part was denser with magic. They entered a small boutique and two twins had come out and thrown themselves at Harry. Remus met the family that helped his son cope with his losses, a thing that Remus still can't understand.
He sighs and rubs his right temple, today is a meeting with the people staying at Grimmauld place and since Severus is here too he will have to tag along too.
He bids Harry farewell at the stairs and watches his son, in his glamoured form, walking up the stairs. Moony snarls, this is not how their cub should look like and Remus agrees. His eyes land on Severus. He can't help but be captivated by the visage he never truly acknowledged. His eyes turn amber and Moony wants to have a taste and claim what is theirs. "We'll do that later, Remus. For now we have to pretend, I don't want to lose you again." Severus doesn't look at him but Remus knows that his attention is on him. He licks his lips and swallows, the black clad man smells so tantalising.
He bends down and gently kisses his mate, it's new yet familiar as his tummy makes summersaults and flips. His cheeks flush and he retreats again. Severus opens his eyes and stares at Remus with those deep black eyes, that have a blue sheen to them if you look close enough.
"We should go to the kitchen." He finally says.
"Indeed, we should."