Chapter Text
Remus entered the Hospital wing and Poppy looked up from the bed she was currently helping a patient into.
“Hello Remus, how can I help you?” she asked.
“Perhaps we could speak in private?” he asked, she looked up at him and saw something in his eyes which made her agree.
“Wait in my office, I’ll be a few minutes,” she said. Remus nodded and did as she asked as the woman started bandaging a student’s forehead.
“Now, what can I do for you Remus? You certainly don’t look injured,” she said, shutting the door behind her.
“No,” Remus agreed. “Have you ever performed a deep history scan on Harry Potter?” he asked.
Her eyes widened. “No, why would you ask that Remus?”
Remus sighed as he sat in one of her chairs. “I’m worried about him Poppy. Have you never noticed how skinny he is? How small? If I didn’t know who he was I would think he was about ten.”
Poppy inclined her head. “Lily was always small, I just assumed he’d taken after her.”
Remus nodded. “I would too. But he’s skittish, flinches if anyone raises a hand near him. He’s good at hiding it, but it’s there.”
“Have you tried talking to him?”
“Yes. Mention his family and he changes the subject. Much the same way Sirius-” he cut himself off at the mention of the friend who’d betrayed them.
Poppy patted his leg in sympathy. “I’ll check him over next time I see him Remus.”
He managed to force a smile onto his face. “Thanks Poppy.”
...
She didn’t get a chance to test Potter until a few weeks later when he came limping in, aided by Miss Granger.
“What happened Mr Potter?” she asked, fussing over him as he settled on the bed.
“Malfoy attacked him, got his foot stuck in the trick stairway,” Hermione answered for him.
“Thank you Miss Granger, you can return to class now.”
Hermione hesitated, glancing at Harry who forced a smile onto his face. “Go, Hermione. I’m fine.”
She nodded and left the room.
Poppy threw an assessing gaze over Potter, noticing how small he was, how scruffy he was as she considered what Remus had told her. She scanned her wand over him slowly, starting at his head and working her way down.
Potter frowned. “Um, it’s just my ankle Madam Pomfrey,” he said nervously.
“That you came in for, yes Potter. But if I know you, you’re hiding several other injuries that you’ve been too stubborn to get treated,” she said reprovingly and the boy flushed.
He tried to stand up. “Um, actually, I’m fine, it doesn’t really hurt.”
“Sit down Potter,” she said, shoving lightly at his shoulder. He sat back down and bit his lip, she could tell he was fighting a panic.
She stopped her scan and held out her hand as a piece of parchment appeared from no-where listing his injuries for the past thirteen years. Poppy paled as she read the list, it was extensive:
To name but a few of the injuries ranging from his second birthday to the summer just past: two broken arms, a broken leg, dislocated shoulders, five concussions, crushed fingers, burns to his hands and arms, five cracked ribs and two broken ribs, lacerations, exhaustion and extreme malnutrition.
Poppy swallowed, trying to compose herself as she threw one of her patented glares at the boy. “Are you going to stay here or do I have to stick you to the bed?”
Harry’s eyes widened, flicking between the back of the paper and Poppy’s face. “Madam Pomfrey I-”
She held up a hand and he gulped, flinching instinctively. She flicked her wand at the door, locking it so only she and Remus could pass through it and headed to her office.
She knelt down at the fire and flooed Remus. He immediately came through to her office. “What is it Poppy?” he asked, holding out a hand to help her to her feet.
“Potter,” she whispered shakily. “It’s worse than we thought.” She handed him the parchment.
Remus was unable to withhold the growl that escaped him as he read the list. His hands shook with the effort to keep his wolf dormant in his head.
“Dumbledore promised me he was well cared for. That he was loved.”
Poppy only nodded, she herself was feeling particularly angry towards the headmaster at that moment.
“Is he still here?” Remus asked.
“I haven’t fixed him up yet. Thought this conversation would be easier if he knows he can’t escape. He is James’ son, after all.”
Remus quirked his lips at the memory of his old friend before his expression turned grim. Taking a deep breath he schooled his expression and walked out to the ward.
Harry looked up from his internal panic and frowned at the sight of his defence teacher. “Professor?” He asked.
“Hello Harry, how’re you feeling?” Remus asked, taking the seat beside the teen’s bed.
Harry frowned. “I’m fine sir, just twisted my ankle.” He looked between the two adults, noting their serious expressions. “What’s going on?”
Remus considered him for a moment. “Do you remember the conversation we had the last time you were in my office?”
Harry tilted his head to the side. “About Grindylows?”
Remus quirked his lips. “No Harry. I asked you about living with your aunt.”
Harry froze, losing the relaxed posture he had gained by talking to his favourite teacher. “What about it?” he asked, a tremble in his voice.
“Harry, we know something is wrong, but we can’t help you unless you let us in.”
Harry started shaking his head, wrapping his arms around his chest. “Nothing’s wrong.”
Remus sighed and placed the list of his injuries on top of Harry’s knee. Harry stared at it blankly.
“Who was it Harry? Your Uncle? Your Aunt?”
“What good will it do?” Harry whispered, closing his eyes against the words that were proof he was unloved.
“If you tell us what happened, what your home life is like, we can help, we can get you out of there.” Remus answered gently, resting his hand on the boy’s knee. Harry flinched back.
“No you can’t. I already asked Dumbledore if I could live with Ron. The Weasleys asked him too. I told him they hated me but he keeps insisting I go back.”
Remus filed that information away for later, intending to use it to yell at the headmaster. “’Sides, where would I go? My parents are dead, my relatives hate me and my Godfather is trying to kill me.” The boy said it so matter of factly that it broke Remus’ heart. His cub was so sure that he was unloved, unwanted.
“There are people who love you Harry.”
The boy snorted at that. “Why do you even care?”
Remus took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “Your parents were two of my best friends Harry.” The boy looked up at that. “I knew you as a baby, you used to call me ‘Uncle Mooey’. I swore to them that I would always do anything I could to protect you.”
“Then where have you been?” Harry asked, his tone defeated rather than accusing, as though he expected nothing less than to be let down by a parental figure. Remus felt as though he’d stuck a knife in his stomach and twisted as he watched his cub hug himself tighter.
“It’s complicated,” Remus answered and Harry looked away.
“It’s fine. I get it. You had your own life to lead.” The boy scrubbed angrily at his eyes. Remus noticed for the first time that he was crying.
“No Harry, that’s not-” He took a deep breath. “When your parents died I immediately came back to the country. I petitioned to have custody of you.” The boy looked up with wide eyes. “It was in your parents will that if Sirius,” he stumbled over the name, “was unable to claim you then I should be your guardian. I fought for you Harry, but I have a- medical condition- by law I cannot have custody of you.” Harry frowned at that. “When I learned I couldn’t look after you the way I wanted, the way your parents wanted, I wrote to Dumbledore and your aunt, asking to be a part of your life. They both refused. Dumbledore said it was safer for you if you had no contact with Wizards. Your aunt said much the same thing.” Remus swallowed hard, begging for the boy to understand. “I had no way of finding you so I waited until I knew you’d be at Hogwarts. I tried to write to you, but you never replied-”
“I never got any letters,” Harry interrupted.
“You didn’t?” Remus frowned. Could Dumbledore have been keeping them apart on purpose? He had asked Remus not to tell Harry about his relationship to his parents, after all.
Harry shook his head. “I would have replied, if I did.”
“I need to speak to Dumbledore,” he said.
“What? No. You can’t tell him about this. Please sir.” Harry reached out to grasp his shirt to stop him from leaving and started hyperventilating. “You can’t tell anyone. Please. Please.” Harry’s started gasping, his breath hitching in his throat. “You can’t tell, you can’t tell. Please,” He begged between gasps.
Eyes widening, Remus pulled the teen into a hug, rubbing his back. “It’s alright Harry. You’re okay, just breath.” His inner wolf growled at his cub’s pain but Remus ignored it, focusing on the distraught teen as his breathing slowly came back to normal.
“He won’t help,” Harry mumbled into Remus’ chest once he’d calmed down a little. He didn’t move from the Professors embrace, it felt strangely comforting, almost familiar.
“Shh, it’s alright Cub. We’ll work this out.” Remus rested his cheek on top of Harry’s messy hair as he held him close. Poppy handed him a vial of dreamless sleep and he nodded his thanks. “Here Cub, drink this.” The teen pulled a face but did as he was told, not really wanting to continue this conversation anyway.
Remus felt the teen go lax against him and gently laid him down, brushing his fringe from his eyes.
“Oh Remus.” Poppy said in a small voice.
The man looked up at her with tears in his eyes.
“What’re we going to do?” She asked quietly.
Remus rubbed at his eyes and pointed at the boy he’d always considered his cub. “Fix his ankle, and see if you can do anything about the underlying issues. I’m going to talk with Minerva and Dumbledore. How long before he wakes?”
“He should be out till dawn.”
Remus nodded, “I’ll be back then. Thank you Poppy.” She gave him a sad smile and nodded.