Once in a Blue Moon

Disclaimer: NOT MINE! CHARACTERS BELONG TO J.K.ROWLING etc.


Remus sighed as he sank into his chair, taking his tea from the side-table. He stirred it lazily, enjoying one
of the increasingly rare moments of peace he had had since arriving at Grimauld\'s place. Just as he was about to take a sip from his drink, a loud knocking came from the back door. This of course set off the portrait of Mrs. Black, who began screaming foul words at the top of her lungs, (and considering the fact that she didn’t have any this was quite a feat). Remus sighed, setting down his cup and saucer and grasping the bridge of his nose.
\"Maybe I can relax when I transform, s\'bound to be more peaceful than this,\" he muttered, getting up and making his way to the door. Who could it be? he wondered. All visitors were supposed to come through floo powder, lest Voldemort discover their hiding place. He frowned, pulling out his wand just in case. He opened the door a crack and was struck with the scent of blood. He swung it open, fearful to find another injured Order member, and was shocked to see...Harry.


The young boy was standing in the doorway, wearing muggle clothes nearly ten times too big for him, that looked like they\'d been run over with a lawn mower at some point. He was looking down at the stoop, hair covering his eyes.
\"Harry…What are you doing here?\" Lupin asked concerned, ushering him inside. The boy looked up, and Remus saw a blackened eye and split lip. He was paler than usual too, shivering even though it was a warm summer night.
\"Can I stay here for a while?\" He asked voice hoarse.


~*~


Severus stepped out of the fireplace, absently waving his wand and extinguishing the flame. He hurried across the room to remove his potion from the heat before it bubbled over. He loathed it when the Dark lord summoned him whilst he was in the middle of a complex potion. It never failed; half way through and the mark starts to burn. He stirred it thoughtful; it wouldn\'t be nearly as potent as he\'d hoped. Thankful it was only going to the Infirmary. A small smirk graced his face when he realised that the majority of this potion would be sliding down Potter\'s slimy throat. He had the urge to add some fllubberworm puss, but it wouldn\'t do to kill the precious Boy Who Lived.


He left the healing potion to cool and went to check on his on his second cauldron. He carefully added the last ingredients, lowering the heat ever so slightly. He sighed and summoned up the things he\'d need to make his Master\'s latest request. The man seemed to think he just laid about all summer.
\"No rest for a Potion\'s Master.\" he muttered bitterly. Once it was safe to leave the potion, he returned to his second cauldron, ladling it into a goblet. \"Time to deliver the medicine to the wolf.\" he thought aloud, making sure he wouldn\'t need to be back for several hours, should something arise. \"Thank Merlin he\'s the only one there right now. I don\'t think I could stand it if it was swarming with all those...Gryffindors.\" He shuddered, and with a flick of his wand, a large flame exploded in the fireplace. He grabbed some floo powder and tossed it in. \"Grimauld\'s Place.\"


~*~


Severus stepped out of the arrival room and silently made his way down the hall. Just as he rounded the corner to head up the stairs, he slammed into someone. He stumbled slightly and glared at the boy on the ground, before checking his potion to make sure none had been spilt. He did a double take and his eyes widened ever so slightly when he realised whom
it was.
\"Potter? What the bloody hell are you doing here?\"
\"Well, I was getting a drink, but now I guess it\'ll have to be a mop.\" the Boy Who Lived muttered, standing up and wiping
off his wet hands on his pants. Severus wrinkled his nose.
\"Don\'t take that tone with me Potter.\" he spat. \"Now kindly inform me as to what you are doing here outside of the safety
of your Aunt\'s home.\"
\"I ran away,\" he said simply, disappearing down a corridor in search of a mop. Snape scowled. Ungrateful brat. Probably
left because they asked him to do a dish. He fixed his robes and held his head high, making his way to Lupin\'s rooms.


~*~


Remus opened the door, surprised to see a fuming Snape.
\"What is he doing here, Lupin?\" he demanded, pushing past him and storming into the room.
\"He showed up a few days ago.\" Remus began, calmly. \"He was hurt and asked to stay here for a bit and of course I-\"
\"You coddled him and gave him exactly what he wanted, just like you always do.\" The Potions Master cut in.
\"-told him that as this was his home, he was by all means welcome.\" Remus finished, eyes narrowing.
\"He has a house now?\"
\"Sirius left it to him.\"
\"Oh yes, the mongrel would leave everything to a brat after his own heart.\" Snape sneered at the thought of his
deceased schoolmate.
\"Severus.\" Remus said warningly.
\"I\'ve brought you you\'re potion,\" the greasy haired man said stiffly, handing it off and leaving before the werewolf
could get in another word.


As he stormed out, he saw Potter at the bottom of the stairwell, cleaning up his mess. He flew down, cornering Potter, and shoving him against the wall. He noted how he flinched and looked away.
\"Why are you here?\" he repeated, forcing the boy to look up at him. He glanced quickly at the slowly fading bruise around
his eye.
\"I.told.you.\" Harry hissed, staring him down.
\"You\'re hurt.\" Snape pressed.
\"I fell.\" he countered, clearly not about to tell the truth. Snape scowled and pushing him away from himself, and stalking
down the hallway, cloak billowing behind him.
\"Insufferable Gryffindors.\" he muttered angrily, throwing the black powder in the fire.


~*~


Later that night Severus decided to stop his potions for the day and check in on the wolf. He walked across the empty school grounds, past the anti-apparition fields, smirking at the full moon in the sky. It was a blue moon this month. He muttered the spell and reappeared with a slight \'pop\' in Grimauld\'s Place. He grew concerned when he found Lupin\'s room vacant and unlocked. He did a simple detection charm, and was shocked to find him in the living room, curled up next to Potter, who was stroking his fur lazily in his sleep.
\"What is the meaning of this?\" The Potions Master demanded, bringing the two out of their peaceful sleep with a jerk.
The wolf had the decency to look ashamed and got off of the boy and onto the ground, tail pressed between his legs.
\"What do you think you\'re doing sleeping with that…? That mongrel?\" Snape snarled, glaring at the black haired boy.
\"He\'s safe now.\" the younger boy defended, still rather un-coordinated.
\"Safe?! You think this... monster is safe?!\"
\"He\'s not a monster!\" Harry cried, outraged. Severus sneered.
\"Believe me Potter, he is. Moreover, all it takes is one. bite. and you\'ll be one too. And that is one thing the world does not need another of.\" he hissed, glaring at the werewolf, who whimpered and fled the room. Severus turned back to the Boy
Who Lived. \"I\'m taking you back to your Aunt\'s home tomorrow,\" he said, smirking at Potter\'s horrified look. Without
waiting for a reply, he stalked out, locking the wolf back in his room and returning to the castle.


~*~