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"You're not allowed to be here!” Harry snarled at his visitors.
He’d warded the door, the room, and the house individually, but he’d never really had Hermione’s touch with that particular skill set. He could hear them on the stairs, in the parlor, and clattering in the kitchen. He’d known he couldn’t keep the secret for long, but did he have to have a bloody audience?
Soft footsteps approached the bed where Harry lay, twitching and covered in sweat.
“The first transformation is always the hardest,” Remus said softly.
Sirius spoke from the corner of the room. “And the most violent.”
“You have to leave!” Harry whimpered.
Remus snorted. “We really don’t, you know. “It’s not like you’re going to make me any more of a wolf.”
“And I’ll be just fine,” Sirius said, partially transfiguring himself and waggling a great black paw in Harry’s direction.
“Then you have to make them leave!” Harry pleaded, gesturing broadly toward the door. “I don’t…I can’t…”
Sirius put a hand on Harry’s shoulder, ignoring the heat pouring off the boy’s skin. “No, son. They’ll hold vigil for you here, and you’ll come with us.”
“Somewhere safe.”
They shuffled toward his side and guided him as one did the infirm, their hands obligingly wrapped around the waist and arm. Step by step, they walked the shaking boy toward the Apparition foyer where Ron and Hermione stood silently.
Hermione handed Sirius a bag. “For after.”
“Good girl,” the older man said, smiling at her fondly.
Harry frowned. “Hermione, I–”
“We’ll talk about it after,” Hermione said firmly. “For now, you’re not allowed to be here. Go with Remus and Sirius. They’ll take care of you.”
He looked toward Ron, but the redhead just smiled. “No worries, Harry. We’re not going anywhere.”
Harry nodded. A moment later, he, Remus, and Sirius twisted away.
_____
Harry awoke slowly to rapid flashes of light across his eyelids. He cautiously opened one eye and found himself lying on his back under tall, tall trees.
Wait, trees?
He sat up quickly and immediately regretted it.
“Woah there, cub. You need to take it slow today,” Sirius said from behind him.
Remus handed him two potion vials and a flagon of pumpkin juice. “Here, drink these. Then the juice. I’ll warn you, they taste like gryphon piss.”
“You know, you’re not really selling this as a repeated experience,” Harry muttered, quaffing both vials and swallowing a copious amount of juice to quell his gag reflex. It only mostly worked.
Once they were fairly sure Harry wouldn't bolt his potions all over his chest; they allowed him to dress from the clothing in the bag Hermione had tossed at them as they left the night before. “Remus, do you always wake up naked after a full moon?”
Remus looked at Harry inquiringly. “What, you think werewolves run around in half-trousers like the Hulk?”
Harry shrugged.
“You learn to strip before it happens. Otherwise, I’d spend all my meager coin on clothes.”
They sat in silence for a time, enjoying the dappled sunlight.
“So when were you going to tell us?” Sirius finally asked.
Harry shrugged. “When I couldn’t hide it anymore.”
Remus and Sirius shared a look over their charge’s head. It was Remus who snorted the first laugh.
“You know, as I recall, you were pretty decent in D.A.D.A.”
Harry squinted at his mentor. “Yeah?”
“And you’re not half-bad at transfiguration. Know all kinds of things about animagi, don’t you?” Sirius prompted.
“What’re you getting at?” Harry huffed.
“Did it ever once occur to you that Sirius, who has spent the better part of the last twenty years as a dog and I, a nearly life-long lycanthrope, just might be able to sniff out the difference in you?” Remus asked.
Harry dropped his head to his knees. “Sense of smell. Right. Okay, I’m an idiot.”
“Well, you said it,” Sirius smirked.
“Where’d you take me anyway?” Harry asked from his slumped position. “Most of last night is kind of a blur.”
“Where else could we take you? You didn’t give us time to prep a space for two werewolves to ride out the moon together. You’re lucky I caught wind of you yesterday when I was pilfering Moony’s linen closet chocolate stash as it was.”
“I notice you still haven’t answered my question, Sirius,” Harry mumbled.
Remus patted Harry’s back. “We’re at the edge of the For–”
“You there!” a voice boomed in the distance. “Yer not allowed to be here! Summat might happen that close to the–oh, it’s just you lot.” Hagrid paused to observe the trio at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
“Sorry, Hagrid,” Remus said, raising his voice. "Impromptu visit last night! It was the only place we could think of on short notice, and as it’s July, we knew there wouldn’t be students wandering around.”
“Fair enough. I suppose you’ll tell me in short order why I heard two beasts a’howlin’ last night?” The half-giant shot Harry an all-too-knowing look.
“Yeah, I guess we will,” Harry replied dourly. “Better call an Order meeting, Remus. This was a secret that was never going to stay one long.”