Raised by Canines {A Harry Potter fanfiction}

11. A Rough Night

Remus was absolutely dreading what was to come in just a few hours. He threw an extra set of robes in his bag, along with some potions and bandages just in case he or Sirius got injured very badly.

The werewolf cringed at the thought of his friend getting hurt. He tried to shake away the thought but it stuck with him as he made his way to the sitting room where Harry sat, coloring as if he didn't have a care in the world. He took a seat on the couch, taking a second as he tried to figure out what to say.

"Hey, Harry? Come here for a second, Cub." Harry immediately got up and rushed over to his uncle, eager to please him and happy to be around him. Remus wasted no time in pulling the too-small boy into his lap and putting his arms around the boy, cuddling Harry to his chest. "Do you remember Miss Figg, Harry?"

The boy stiffened and nodded.

"Yes. Good. Harry, Uncle Padfoot and I have to go away for the night, so you're going to stay with her tonight and we will come pick you up early in the morning."

"NO!" Whatever Remus had been expecting, it certainly hadn't been this.

Harry pushed away from him, sobbing hard and kicking his legs in an effort to get away. They were going to make him go back there! "No! Don't wanna go back! Don't make me! NOO!"

Oh, how could they be so stupid! Remus mentally smacked himself; he should have known that Harry would think he'd somehow end up back with the Dursleys.

"I wanna stay with you!" Harry finally wailed, sobbing harder and making feeble attempts at escape. Remus shook his head and stood, the struggling boy now cradled in his arms. He made his way to Harry's room and took a seat in the rocking chair and began to slowly rock back and forth in an effort to calm Harry down.

"Shh, shh." He rubbed Harry's back soothingly and the boy slowly started to give up, finally slumping against his uncle. "There you go, Cub. Calm down."

Harry continued to cry, and, when it seemed like he was done fighting, tried to push away from Remus once more. "Lemme go! You don't love me!"

"Harry James." Oh, Merlin, he sounded like his father when he did that. Remus couldn't help the slight cringe. "Stop this right now."

Harry huffed and sniffled, tears still pouring down his cheeks. For the time being, he would listen.

"Harry, your Uncle Padfoot and I love you very much. We love you more than anything in this world, do you understand me?"

He miserably nodded, although, at the moment, he wasn't so sure he believed it.

"Good. Now, I need you to talk to me. Why are you so upset?"

"Y-you're gonna leave me w-with her and not come back and then I-I-I'll have to go live with Uncle Vernon again."

"Oh, Harry, no." He hugged Harry tighter to himself. "No, we love you too much to let you go back. You're our baby now and you belong to us."

Harry sniffed. "Not a baby."

"No, you're not." Remus agreed. "But you'll always be our baby. Even when you're older." Harry felt his face grow warm.

"'M not a baby."

"I mean you're precious to Padfoot and I, Harry. You're certainly not a baby anymore, you're a big boy. But you're ours. Forever."

"'Cause you 'dopted me?"

"Yes." Remus sighed; he didn't have the energy for this. If this is what Harry's tantrums were going to be like, he really was not looking forward to when Harry would start testing them. "Now, you still have to go stay with Miss Figg tonight, but I promise we will be back as soon as we can tomorrow morning."