Listen Now: A Harry Potter & Remus Lupin Hurt/Comfort Adoption Fic

Solemn

A/N: Just one more chapter after this, but I'm willing to consider a continuation if there are scenes you all want to see, especially ones that would take place during book 6 . . .

Chapter 14 - Solemn

Harry checked into the Leaky Cauldron easily enough. He might have had some problems, since he wasn't of age, but the owner still recognized him from a couple of summers before, so no one asked any questions.

As he settled into his room, it crossed his mind that maybe he should have left a note rather than just planning to write to them. It might be jarring for them to suddenly realize Harry was nowhere to be found.

But it wouldn't be a big deal. It wasn't like he was their kid in the first place. And if Remus actually did want Harry, he could always come and get him.

Remus's heart rate picked up with each second that passed.

He Floo-called the Weasleys, phoned the Grangers, and even left messages for some of Harry's other friends who he didn't talk about as often. He searched the whole house multiple times over, and enlisted the help of everyone who was staying at Grimmauld Place, but the boy was nowhere to be found.

Remus couldn't help but think that something terrible had somehow happened to Harry—that he had touched another cursed object or something—but Moody just shook his head. "Kid ran away," he kept saying. "Nothing else to it."

And Remus didn't have any argument against that. He was still worried that something terrible might happen to Harry now, but it was clear Harry had run.

What wasn't clear to him was why. Minerva had talked to him about the importance of making sure Harry knew he was wanted and loved, and she'd mentioned that insecure kids could be unpredictable, but he still couldn't understand why Harry would choose to run. Lash out, maybe. Retreat into himself, certainly. But run away? It didn't make sense. And Remus couldn't help but worry.

When his heart felt like it was going to pound its way out of his chest, Remus pulled Sirius aside to Harry's room. "Why would he run?" Remus asked.

"Cooped up?" Sirius asked.

"No, I don't think so." It couldn't be that simple. Sirius was just projecting his own frustrations on to Harry. "He would have asked permission."

"He's James's son. He might not."

"He wouldn't run off without a reason, Sirius."

Sirius frowned. "Only one way to find out. We have to find him."

The more Remus thought about it, the more worried he became, and the more worried he felt, the more anger boiled in his veins. There was no excuse for this. Harry had just taken off without letting the people who cared about him know where he was. He was a minor, for goodness sake. Shouldn't he know how much they would all worry?

So Remus doubled down on his efforts. He called up every person Harry had ever mentioned, every professor at Hogwarts with whom Remus was on good terms, every shop Harry had ever visited at Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Everyone promised they'd call if they heard anything.

But when Remus called up the Leaky Cauldron and asked if anyone had seen Harry, the owner hesitated.

That was all Remus needed. He ended the call and stepped into the Floo.

Harry was just finishing unpacking his things when the door to his room burst open, and an irate Remus stood in his doorway.

Harry shrank back. He'd considered, almost dared to hope, that Remus might come after him. He'd wondered if the people he'd left behind might be concerned. But based on the look on his face, Remus was far past concerned. The only time Harry had seen him this angry had been when he had threatened Uncle Vernon. It had been terrifying enough to see someone else fall under Remus's wrath; now Harry was under it himself.