Chapter Text
A pop sounded from behind Dumbledore and Mcgonagall making them both turn around. There was a furious Remus storming towards them, eyes locked onto Dumbledore. McGonagall glanced at Dumbledore with a small smile, Remus had clearly gotten the letter she sent him telling him all about what had happened to the Potters and how Harry is supposed to be given to the Dursleys by order of Dumbledore. She may have also included other information like where the Dursleys lived and what time they’d be dropping Harry off.
“I am not letting Harry live with those people!” Remus exclaimed, throwing an arm out towards the Dursleys home.
“Calm down, Remus,” Dumbledore said, tone neutral. “Lily sacrificed her life for Harry, leaving a bloodward over him, he must live with family.”
“Screw that!” Remus stopped a few feet away from them. “You know as well as I do that family is not always blood! And regardless Lily has not spoken to Petunia in 3 years! They are hardly family but I am his family! I may not have been named godfather like Sirius but I am his Uncle Moony! I am more family to him then those people ever will be!”
“Bloodwards only work with blood relatives.” Dumbledore folded his hands behind him.
McGonagall glanced at him then sighed and spoke up. “I think Remus has a point. The bloodwards are supposed to help protect Harry but I do not think the wards would work if the family hated him.”
Dumbledore frowned slightly, looking at McGonagall. “I doubt they’d hate him, he’s their nephew.”
Remus scoffed, shaking his head. “They despise wizards, Dumbledore. Of course they’ll hate him. They’ll probably try and hurt him themselves, probably won't even let him know he’s a wizard.”
“But the bloodwards-” Dumbloredore started but Remus quickly interrupted him.
“We don’t actually know how they work! There has never been any studies on them besides the few cases where we know they’re supposed to help protect the person they’re put on. But they cannot protect the person if the family they’re stuck with are the people the wards are trying to protect them from.”
“Yes and we always put the person with a blood relative, it is in the name. Bloodwards. He must be with the Dursleys.” Dumbledore continued with a sigh.
“No! The wards will not work then!” Remus said, dragging a hand through his hair. “Lily and James would want him to go to me. He can’t go to Sirius because he’s getting put in Azkaban and they never chose a godmother. They would want him to go to me. I may not be his blood relative but I am his family! James was like a brother to me! And I’m the second best option for who to give him to.”
Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak but McGonagall spoke up again. “I think Harry should go to him, Albus. He makes fair points.”
Dumbledore looked at McGonagall then at Remus. “...what would you do during a full moon?”
Remus frowned and looked at the ground for a few seconds before looking up with a smile. “I’ll come work at Hogwarts! I could help Hagrid or Filch, and I could sub when teachers are sick. Then during full moons I’ll leave the grounds and go to my cottage. Snape could also make me wolfsbane.”
Dumbledore stared at Remus for a long time before looking at McGonagall. “What do you think, Minerva?”
“I think you should hire him,” McGonagall said, immediately, with a smile. “We certainly need someone who could step in when teachers are sick and I’m certain Hagrid and Filch would appreciate help.”
“Fine, we’ll start on the paperwork for Harry to be your ward and for you to come work at Hogwarts,” Dumbledore said, looking back at Remus.
Remus smiled brightly. “Thank you, Dumbledore! And thank you, McGonagall!”
Before McGonagall could say anything there was a rumbling and they all looked up to see Hagrid approaching on Sirius’ flying bike, a white bundle in his arms. He landed and looked between the three of them.
“Wha’s goin’ on?” He asked, climbing off the bike.
“We have had a change in Harry's guardian,” Dumbledore said, turning to watch Remus walk closer to Hagrid.
“Harry will be going to Remus,” McGongagall said with a smile, eyes soft as she also watched Remus.
“Oh, tha’s good,” Hagrid said, holding Harry out to Remus who happily took him. “He fell asleep on the ride here.”
“You're going to be all right now, baby deer,” Remus whispered, pulling the blanket slightly off Harry's face.
“You may sleep in my room at Hogwarts tonight,” McGonagall said, walking over to Remus. “We’ll work on getting you and Harry’s room set up tomorrow.”
Remus nodded. Without looking up from Harry he said, “Thank you again, McGonagall. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to live with the fact of him living with people who wouldn’t treat him right,” he finally looked up, “you were always like a mother to me during my days at Hogwarts and you still are years after I’ve graduated.”
“I will always care for you Remus,” she said with a smile before looking down at Harry. “Now I will help care for him as well…I do hope though he has Lily’s brain and not James’s streak of mischief.”
Remus barked out a laugh. “I already know he’ll have a good mix of both.”
There was a pop and they both looked over to realize that Dumbledore had apparated away. They looked at Hagrid who was climbing back on the bike.
“Well, see you three in the mornin’,” he said, starting up the bike.
“See you then Hagrid,” Remus said, with a small nod before going back to looking at Harry.
“Have a good rest of your night,” McGonagall said. Hagrid nodded in response before driving off, the bike lifting into the air. McGonagall looked back at Remus and placed a hand on his arm making him look at her.
“We should hurry to go back. We have a long walk from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts,” she said, tightening her hold on Remus. He nodded and tightened his hold on Harry. They apparated away with a twist.