Did you hear?
Harry's in the Hospital Wing..
His family hurts him..
He was abused..
Did you hear?
His family tries to kill him...
His family hates him...
He was abused..
He was abused.
Abused.
Abused.
Ron couldn't get away from that word..
From the gossip..
From the rumors..
"Weasley!"
Oh no.. He didnt want to deal with him today..
"So, Potter's hurt, huh?" He chuckles, leaning in, "Looks like it's just you and me then.."
Ron swings around, punching Malfoy square in the nose, sending him flying into the wall.
That felt good.
"You'll pay for that!" Malfoy shouts, reaching for his wand as his nose dripped blood onto the floor and his robes.
"Weasley! You come with me." McGonagall says sharply as she suddenly appeared, turning to Malfoy, "As for you, head to the Hospital Wing."
The professor was silent as they walked.
"Professor, I.." Ron began, but was cut off. "There is no need to apologise Mr.Weasley," She says quickly, "I saw everything."
Ron nods, looking down again.
"How's --"
"Harry?" McGonagall interrupts again, and Ron nods. "Not so well. They are running diagnostics on him and considering taking him to St. Mungos."
Ron teared up again. "It's that bad..?"
"It's worse. Far worse than I'd ever imagined."
Ron glances up to her, noticing that her eyes seemed a little glossier than usual.
"Can I go see him..?"
"I don't think that's the best idea at the moment, Mr.Weasley, as much as I'd like to say yes.. He has been through an incredibly traumatic experience, and I fear that he won't be the same."
Ron nods in understanding, looking down and tearing up again. "I wish I could've done something.."
"Don't we all.." She responds solemnly. "But unfortunatly, we would have only be able to do as much as Harry would have allowed us to do.. And seeing him now, it wouldn't have been much.. This was.."
"..Unavoidable..." Ron finishes quietly, and she nods. "Precisely."
They continued to walk in silence until they arrived at her office. She opens the door and allows him inside. Ron sits at her desk, watching as she sits as well.
"Due to how things are.. I will excuse you from all your classes today, and today only. I understand you are worried for your friend, so I will give you one day to compose yourself. After you are back in class, you and Miss Granger are to gather Harry's classwork and homework assignments each day until he returns. Understood?"
Ron nods silently.
It's silent in the office for a while before a quiet sniffling is heard. McGonagall looks down to see Ron, his hands covering his face as his shoulders shook with sobs.
She stands up and goes around to comfort him. "Don't worry about Harry.. He is tough, and as are you. You will both be fine."
Ron sniffles, looking up at her, his face pale, but red as well. She hands him a box of tissues.
After Ron had left for the Gryffindor Common Room, McGonagall flooed to Dumbledore's office.
As McGonagall entered, she quickly noticed that most of the other teachers were already there, surrounding a man who very much resembled a rat.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Is that..?" Before she could finish, someone flooed in behind her, and she stepped aside to let them through.
It was a member of the Ministry of Magic.
Without a word, the man bound him, cuffed him, and went back through the fireplace calling, "Ministry of Magic!"
Once they were gone, Minerva looked around the room, "Albus, what in Merlin's name happened?"
"I happened." A voice says from the corner of the room, and Remus steps out, his tattered cloak swishing around him as he folded his arms.
"I knew all along that Peter wasn't dead. I knew he was far too... Devious.. to allow himself to die so easily; I knew that Voldemort was far too well put-together to allow it. However, I had no proof. So I spent these years attempting to track down Peter. I tracked him down to here, more specifically, to the Weasleys. Again, I knew there was no way to be sure, unless I had.. A map."
Everyone looked confused. "A... Map?" Snape asks, and Remus nods.
"A map that would allow you to track the werabouts of anyone in Hogwarts. Student.. Teacher.... Animagus.."
"But where on Earth would you find such a map?" McGonagall asks, and Remus smiles. "By making one."
He pulls a scrap of old parchment from his pocket and places it on Dumbledore's desk, tapping it with his wand and saying, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Once the words left his mouth, the parchment began to bleed ink, unfolding itself and revealing a map of... Hogwarts.
McGonagall was clearly surprised, and she adjusted her pointed hat and cleared her throat with a, "Well.. This explains a lot."
Remus chuckles, and taps it again, saying, "Mischief Managed."
"And now that Peter can been proven guilty, Sirius-"
"Black will be released from Azkaban.." Severus mumbles, and Remus nods in confirmation.
"And what then?" Albus asks, and Lupin turns to him. "I suppose we just wait and see. Let 'the chips fall where they may', as some muggles phrase."
"What do you hope to happen?" Snape asks, and Remus blushes a little, rubbing the back of his neck and glancing away, "Well, uh.. I'd need to ask Harry about it first before I say anything."
McGonagall smiles knowingly.
Eventually everyone left, leaving McGonagall, Lupin, and Dumbledore alone.
"So, what do you plan to do?" McGonagall asks, and Lupin glances over to her. "As I said, I-"
"I've seen the looks that you and Black used to give each other, Remus. That's no secret."
Remus flushes dark crimson and he coughs, sitting down.
"Well I uh.. I was kind of hoping to move in together.. And possibly.. Raise Harry together.."
McGonagall looks surprised.
"Do you believe that is safe?"
Remus swallows, looking upset. "If Severus provides the necessary Wolvesbane potion.. It should be more than safe.. Especially with Sirius to keep me company.."
"Will Harry be safe?"
"Yes, I just-"
"I meant his mental state.. Imagine what he would think.. What he would feel, after seeing his one last good relation to his parents turn into a.."
"A beast.." Lupin sighs quietly, and McGonagall swallows. "Well, I was going for something less severe.."
"But it's the truth. I'm a beast in that form. An unnameable, monstrous, hideous... Beast."
Minerva watched with sympathy.
"Perhaps.. Harry will be sympathetic.. He has quite the heart."
"Or perhaps he'll grow frightened and rather live anywhere but with Sirius and I.."
"Then allow him to get to know you. The real you, before anything about your.. Other form.. Comes to light."
"And how would I do that?"
"While he is at St. Mungos, visit him. Give him treats, play games with him, tell him stories, and by the time he is let out, propose your option. Live together for a while, and one day sit and have a talk.. Tell him about your other form, and explain that you are not dangerous as long as you take your potion before the full moon rises. Tell him ways he can help you be more comfortable during those hours of the night, and during the aftermath.."
Lupin nods along, making a mental checklist.
"I will.. Thank you Minerva. For everything."
McGonagall nods, a sympathetic smile on her face.
Remus Lupin was now determined as ever, to make Harry, Sirius, and himself as comfortable as they can once they get their lives together.
For now, however..
He steps into Albus's fireplace, calling, "Ministry of Magic!"
And with a rush of emerald green flames engulfing him, he was gone, leaving Dumbledore and McGonagall alone.
She turned to the old man sharply, anger etched clearly onto her face, and Albus's eyes lost their usual twinkle.
"I warned you." She says quietly, her voice quivering as she attempted to stay calm, taking a step towards the headmaster. "I begged and pleaded - don't send him there! I told you how terrible those.. Those.. Muggles were, and yet you made him stay! For a plan? Are you kidding me Albus?"
"The blood wards-"
"Would not be in effect if he did not consider that place a home!" The Deputy Headmistress interrupts sharply, "If you were severely abused to the point of possibly no repair, would you consider the place where it happened, and the people that did it, home? Or family?"
Dumbledore was silent.
McGonagall slammed her hand on his desk - when did she get there?
"Would you?"
Dumbledore looked down. "I would not.."
She stood up straight, tightening her bun. "I will leave you to think about what damage you have caused to the poor boy; and by extension, the entire wizarding world. Good day, Albus."
Without another word, she heads to the fireplace, throwing down some Floo Powder and calling, "Ministry of Magic!"
With a rush of emerald, she was gone, leaving Albus Dumbledore alone in solitude.