The Phoenix Follies: The Dreams In Which I'm Dying

"DON'T YOU DARE STEP FOOT IN THAT ROOM, RONALD WEASLEY!"

A tall boy with crimson hair flinched and backed away from the door he'd been meaning to enter. The short, enraged female at the end of the hall was quite enough to fear. This was the first day of her vigil and she was loath to let anyone disturb the rest of one so in need of it. Not until they were willing to step over her cold, dead body.

After Ron retreated to a safer haven, Rylia slipped back into Harry's room. The boy hadn't moved from where he'd been when she left. Music, soft strains of piano, still flowed from the radio. Not a thing was out of place, no scent where it shouldn't be. She was satisfied that no one had bothered her poor Harry. Having finished her duties around the house, Rylia settled down in her chair to spend another evening reading quietly beside the window.

Hours before, Hayaka had arrived for the daily session, only to find his patient wouldn't wake up. He preformed a scanning spell and spoke with Remus privately on the matter. It left the werewolf with an oddly hopeful expression, but also dreading. Hayaka stayed no longer than that.

Out in the hall, Snape frowned worriedly over Harry's closed door on his way to the study. He'd finished his preparations for the new school year already and found himself to be at a loss in what to occupy his time with. Rylia would let no one enter the room at the end of the hall, so watching Harry and checking his healing body was out of the question. Both of the awake teenage boys were too high strung to be around. And that left…Lupin. That option was dismissed immediately. It seemed his evening would be spent alone.

It wasn't such a bad proposition. After all, he wanted to bring those idiot muggles to justice. Since they knew of Wizards and magic, they were not included in many muggle-protection laws and could be prosecuted in a Wizard court, without any special handicaps. Snape's lips twitched into a wicked smile. Oh, and they would suffer so. He would make sure of it…

"Oddly protective, aren't I?" Snape muttered to himself, scowling again. It was a moot point anyway. The fragile boy laying comatose in his bedroom was a far cry from the annoying fool of a wizard that had annoyed him for so long. Even if the brat regained his memory, Snape wasn't sure if he could go back to hating him.

The doorbell rang through the house. Wondering who would come so late in the afternoon, Snape marched to the door and opened it with a flourish. Before him stood a squat, red haired woman he knew very well.

"Good day, Severus," Molly Weasley said with a sad smile. "I'm here to fetch Ron, as I'm sure he won't leave poor Harry's side without force…How is Harry dear?"

The Potions Master gave a soft sigh and admitted the woman. It would be a long explanation.

The air smelt of rain and flames at the same time. Remus was aware of this more keenly, as it was nearing the full moon and his senses were hyper-sensitive. Though, he did not really need that sense of smell to notice the storm brewing before him. Quietly, Ron moved his chess piece. It was a stupid loss, one that told Remus that the redhead wasn't paying any attention to the game at all. He took the Rook and waited again, watching as blue eyes trailed over the pieces halfheartedly. His mind was miles away.

Then, suddenly, the pieces went flying as the board was flipped over. Ron stood over the fallen pieces, his eyes blazing and breath coming in short spurts.

"Ron!" murmured Remus with a worried glance. The boy looked at him, his expression a blank sort of anger with no outlet, then he turned and brought an arm around swiftly. Remus cringed at the cracks he heard as it connected with the innocent wall. It hit twice more with enough force to shake the windows before the body stilled. Ron's shoulders shook and his head fell limply against his heaving chest. Calmly, Remus got up and pulled the boys fist back to examine it. Two knuckles were busted open and bleeding, but none looked broken.

"Ron, we're all worried, but hurting yourself isn't going to help Harry at all." The boy was silent. Sighing softly, Remus pulled set his hand on his quivering shoulder. "Harry will be all right, Ron. He's a strong kid…"

"You didn't hear him," whispered the redhead. "You never heard him when he asked if he was cursed… Even before this…you never heard him say it… and it never broke your heart…"

The wolf sighed gentle and sat down again. "Ron, I don't think Harry's memories will stay gone forever."

The boy's head jerked up and stared at him in obvious question. Remus watched him in silence.

"He'll remember me again?" Ron's voice held an awe and newfound hope. Remus smiled gently at him.

"Yes."

Their soft moment was ended as the door swung open abruptly.

"Mom!" Ron managed to utter before the distressed woman rushed to him, arms thrown about his much taller frame. He stared down at her red and gray haired head as she clutched to him, shoulders shaking with her failing efforts not to sob. Awkwardly, he patted her back.

Meanwhile, Remus was dragged unceremoniously from the room by an agitated Severus Snape. As soon as it was closed behind them, the Potions Master released his prisoner and started pacing. The wolf watched him quietly, knowing fully well that Snape wouldn't speak until he was good and ready to. One learned such things when one watched someone for so long.

'Siri was right,' Remus thought sadly. 'I am quite and utterly obsessed.'

Snape suddenly stopped, back towards the wolf and a stiff look to his posture.

"What did the doctor tell you?"

Remus blinked a moment. "What…?"

"Hayaka. He only spoke to you. What did he say about Harry?" Snape turned to glare at the other man. "Molly informed me that there is to be a custody hearing soon. Now, allow me the knowledge of the good doctor so that I may change my work schedule accordingly."

"Custody…?" was the bewildered response as the wolf tried to take it all in.

"I intend to become the boy's sole guardian," explained Snape in a quick tone. "Now tell me what Harry's prognosis is before my patience runs too thin."

"He said… that the lingering effects of the killing curse were being neutralized," Remus said finally, his voice slow at first, but gained confidence once he concentrated on the matter at hand. "He theorized that the memory block was due to an overbuilding of magic around Harry's brain, caused by the Avada Kedarva spell. Harry's inborn magic has been fighting against it for the time he's spent here and Hayaka believes he's finally conquered it. Harry's memories may return soon."

"I see," replied Snape quietly. He folded his arms and was silent as he thought things over, letting them tumble about his mind. He would plan for either outcome…

"Severus, what was that about a custody hearing?" Remus asked gently. The other man gave a soft sigh.

"The Ministry wants to take Harry as a ward," he murmured. "He is… an unstable element now. They fear that, without proper watch, he will become the next threat to wizard peace."

"That's absurd…"

"Is it?" Snape set a lingering gaze on the wolf, as if weighing and measuring. "Lupin, don't you understand the most basic rule of murder? It is a thing of hate, twisted about until it has become something unworthy and disgusting. There are few who realize how deeply that hate flows within them. Aurors understand it, for they battle their own hate as well as that of criminals every day. I understand that hate because of my past dealings. And…Harry understands that hate. His excuse should be quite clear."

"Harry would never-" Remus was stopped by the look in his companion's eyes. It told of a longing for that dream, where children could continue to be children without being torn by war; an anger for the bitterness of the statement; sorrow for the boy himself. Remus wrenched his gaze away and stared at the floor. "He's… a good boy…"

"Everyone has a breaking point, Lupin." The bitterness had taken full root and shoved all else away. "Harry reached his and yet, he is still going. When he remembers what pushed him that far, who is to know what will happen?"

"I know him!" Remus cried angrily. Snape looked at him again and Remus thought upon the stupidity of that statement. Of course he didn't know Harry. He'd only been close to the boy in his third year. Remus had barely seen him since, and never for very long. The Order kept most of his time occupied. Remus couldn't even tell someone what Harry's favorite color was.

Whatever other revelations might have been given in that time were cut off by a sudden shriek. Remus reacted first and darted down the hallway. Snape was close behind him. When they reached the last hall, the small form of Rylia slammed into Remus, almost knocking the man over.

"Rylia!" Snape growled, grabbing the Verifel's arm. "What in Merlin's name is it?"

"He's gone!" she cried, eyes violet and scared. "I dozed off, Master Severus! And when I woke, he was gone!"

Remus ran into Harry's room and stared at the empty bed, sheets thrown to the foot.