Distortion (Book 2 of The Corruption Sequence)

Chapter 4 - Like to Like

The dream was so clear it almost felt as if he was there, but Harry knew this was not real. He was not at the Ministry and he was not walking behind two Aurors escorting Draco Malfoy to an interrogation room. The feeling of being detached and not a part of action told him that he was dreaming, but it did not mean he felt any more secure. Something was going to happen; he knew that as surely as he knew his own name. It was almost as if he was holding his breath waiting to find out what was going on. This was important and it had all of his attention.

"Harry," a voice interrupted his watching.

It was not as important as his dream, so he tried to ignore it.

"Harry," the voice came again, and he felt the dreamscape shift as his conscious mind started to become aware.

He needed to see what was going to happen and he tried to hang on to the dream, but other things were making themselves known to his mind, pulling him from sleep. He opened his eyes as his other senses informed him that there was someone standing a few feet to his left and that person was not human. Instincts kicked in before he had any chance to control them. He came to his feet as a large black wolf in the tatters of the pyjamas he was wearing.

Remus stood very still as Harry approached him.

Harry sniffed around the werewolf taking in the fresh, earthy scent that his instincts told him belonged to kin. It was peculiar to find that part of his personality had taken such complete control of him, but the human, logical part of his mind could do nothing except sit back and watch as the werewolf part of him satisfied its curiosity.

Remus held out his hand for Harry to snuffle and the sudden fear he had smelt on his companion receded as Remus began to relax. There was no attempt at any contact which Harry did not initiate, but it was clear that his friend was adjusting to the situation.

"I am sorry to wake you," Remus apologised even as Harry continued to investigate the different scents coming from him, "but it took a lot of persuading on Albus' part to get me in here at all. I do not know how long we will have."

Circling the werewolf, Harry came back to Remus' front and looked up at his friend's face. The wolf in him seemed satisfied and, with control once again his, he flowed back to human form. Rather embarrassed that he had just wrecked his only clothes he grabbed the sheet he had been sleeping in and wrapped it around himself.

"Sorry," he apologised as what he had been doing caught up with him, "I..."

He wasn't sure how to explain and he trailed off.

"Were at the mercy of instincts that took you by surprise?" Remus offered kindly.

Harry nodded, grateful for his friend's understanding.

"I know the feeling," Remus admitted with a slight smile, "even with the Wolfsbane potion I still feel the pull. I do believe I peed all over Sirius once while we were staying at Grimauld Place, and he never let me forget it."

The deadpan delivery was Harry's undoing and he found himself genuinely laughing for the first time in what felt like forever. It then dawned on him what Remus had just admitted.

"You peed on him," Harry asked in surprise, "but doesn't that mean..."

"That I was marking him as mine and telling everyone else to back off?" Remus added in smoothly. "Yes, that would be true. Sirius and I were more than friends for some time, but there was never the opportunity to explain it to you."

Harry found it a nice surprise to discover that there were revelations in the world that did not centre around him, he actually managed a real smile.