How the Dark Lord Played the Wizarding World

Dear cub,

I've been in contact with Lord Malfoy and Lord Riddle. Minerva took me aside in your third year to tell me of all she had witnessed whilst watching the muggles with whom you were left. I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't want to risk endangering you, so I never bothered to check up on you. That, in itself, is unforgivable. However, the icing on the cake was the information I'd found after Sirius' death, outlining his plans to steal everything from you, with the help of Bellatrix Lestrange. He'd kept a journal, of sorts, that outlined all of his and her plans for you, and for the Dark Lord.

I had encouraged you to see that bastard as your godfather; your family. He was part of my pack for so long; I never knew that he was so morally bankrupt, or would behave so reprehensibly. I only hope that you can forgive me some day for my blindness.

I'm sorry that I was never really there for you. In third year, when you asked me to teach you the patronus because of all of the dementors, I was thrilled. To be able to be close to my cub had the wolf within happy for days. But then Albus came to me and told me that I was fired; that the pureblood students' parents had written letters of protest, screaming about a 'monster' teaching their children. It wasn't until after Black's death that I learned the truth. No one had written anything; to the parents or to Albus. It was all a lie, to separate me from you.

I will never let that happen again. I've been working closely with Voldemort, as well as the Malfoys, to try and keep you safe. It was my suggestion to have some from the Dark faction polyjuice into people whom you would trust. I think Black's betrayal stung the deepest, though. The thought that I had allowed that man to become a part of my pack fills me with such shame and rage. I only hope that James and Lily can forgive me for my blindness in this matter.

I have permission to come see you this weekend. I will make my apologies to you then, as well. I love you cub.

Your true godfather,

Remus

Remus

I'm very glad to know that I still have real family left. I also understand why you had to keep your distance. Dumbledore had the both of us fooled for a long time. I began to suspect things weren't as they appeared last year, but by then the headmaster had his hooks in me, but deep. The only solace I had was my best friends, and I found out that one of them was actually a spy for the old man. I'm sure you can guess which one.

I'm looking forward to seeing you this weekend, as well. I've got a few things to talk to you about, and I'm happy for the privacy and safety I'll be afforded here so that we may get together. I forgive you completely for Sirius; I know how it feels to be so completely duped by someone you had trusted since you were eleven. I guess every close-knit group has its own Pettigrew. Unfortunately, yours had two.

I'm doing very well here, and I'm happier than I've been for a very long time. I get fed wonderful food, and I have a sumptuous suite of rooms, all to myself. I'm also able to get closer to those I had wished to almost from the beginning, if it weren't for an interfering old fool. Tom has given me special parchment so that anything I may write to my allies is disguised to read as something else. No worries that he'll be able to divine any secrets from our letters.

I never stopped loving you, uncle Moony. I remember you from before my parents' deaths. The wild smell of your magic and your wolf side was always a comfort to me. I didn't realize I'd had that sense memory until we met in third year and you gave me private tutoring. The Room of Requirement was so useful that year; it enabled me to learn of my rights and responsibilities as the Potter heir, and it let me learn all that I needed to know to navigate the wizarding world, thanks to you.

Well, see you on the flip side.

Your godson

Harry

Albus finished reading the letter that his pawn had received from the puppet martyr that would save the wizarding world with a sinister smirk. "I am surprised that Voldemort would allow him to communicate with you," the old man said, raising the hackles of the werewolf with the malicious glee in his voice. "Although, I suspect that Tom wouldn't want any of us tearing apart any of his strongholds just to find the boy. I can practically smell the pain bleeding through the words."

Remus breathed deeply to get the ravening beast within him to calm down, so that he could continue the meeting. "So there's no way to rescue him?" Lupin whined plaintively. Kind brown eyes bled to amber for a fraction of a moment at the answer his supposed alpha gave him.

"I'm afraid not, Remus. The wards around Malfoy Manor are nearly as ancient as those around the school. Hogwarts predates Malfoy Manor by a mere one hundred years. The Malfoys have always added to the wards over the centuries, and no curse breaker in existence could hope to disrupt them. I am sorry that you won't be able to see him until school begins again."

"I...I understand, headmaster," the werewolf said, head down to hide the rage that had surfaced and would not be soothed any time soon. "If that's all, I'll just go back to my flat." Without another word, Remus left the office, waiting until he was in the Room of Requirement before he vented his rage at Dumbledore's callous dismissal of his godson. "DOBBY!" he barked loudly, growling lowly when the terrified elf showed up. The terror in the little being's eyes calmed Remus' rage for a moment. "Could you please take me to Harry?"

"Remus!" the raven gasped happily as Dobby appeared with the older man. Instantly, the werewolf had his arms full of a happy Harry as he had the stuffing hugged out of him. The lycan returned the hug with equal enthusiasm, and it wasn't until the pair heard a growling at the doorway that they finally separated.

"Lupin," Tom grumbled with a scowl. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" Amber eyes widened at the restrained anger Remus could see in the other man's face, and he looked at his godson, eyebrows flying into his hairline at the blush overtaking the teen's features.

"Is there something you need to tell me, Harry?"

"Soooo, you and the Dark Lord?" Remus asked softly, trying desperately to keep his shock under control.

"Yeah," the raven replied with a dopey smile.

"When?"

"A couple of weeks after they abducted me," Harry told the older man, emerald eyes hazy and distant. "I've always had a crush on him, since second year, but since we were sworn enemies, and I actually hated him at the time, I put it away. It was in the Ministry, after I forced Sirius into the veil with a tripping jinx that I realized that I was in love with him.

"He had invaded my mind for a moment during his battle with Dumbledore, and while in there he changed the little sliver of soul that he'd accidentally left in me in October 1981. What he left behind was a wealth of knowledge, about himself, his goals, and the sins of our most revered elder statesman. He'd also reabsorbed the rest of his horcruxes, repairing his soul in the process, and freeing his mind of the insanity into which he'd fallen.

"After that, he'd had Severus brew a potion that would de-age him and return him to his original appearance. Uncle Sev used venom from the basilisk with which I'd gifted him, and, once I was brought here, we talked. He apologized for killing my parents, though we all know upon whose shoulders rests that sin, and vowed to protect me and provide me with the freedom to live as I wish to live."

Remus stormed into Albus' office the following week, four days before the start of school, and slammed a small box down onto the headmaster's desk. Bushy white eyebrows rose slowly at the fury in the other man's eyes as he carefully lifted the lid of the box. Inside were wizarding photographs, showing the 'torture' that Harry had endured since he had been captured by the Dark faction on August first. Cerulean eyes watched with hidden glee as cutting curses, pain curses, and bone breaking curses were flung at the teen. The blood running from the many injuries, and the bruises that bloomed under the abuse, made the headmaster exceedingly happy. I'll be able to control him so much easier now, he thought happily. He'll be so broken that I'll be able to mold him any way I wish.

The werewolf watched the emotions playing across the old man's face with revulsion, and the beast inside rose up, breaking the last of the chains binding him to Albus Dumbledore. Instantly, emotions were shut away, and Remus' heart hardened as the wolf seamlessly melded with the man, creating an enemy that was unstoppable. Your day will come, Albus, and I will be the one to deal the killing blow.

"Weasley, Longbottom, Potter, and Draco, please see me after class," Severus intoned solemnly. Hermione Granger instantly lifted her hand to request that she be allowed to stay. "May I help you, Granger?" the Potions Master acidly snarked.

"Yes, professor," she murmured, cinnamon eyes innocently wide. "I wish to attend your meeting."

"What makes you think that you'd be, in any way, welcome to a private discussion?" the dark man asked incredulously, stunned at the arrogant cheek that the chit was displaying.

"As two of you are part of the Order of the Phoenix, and as I am one also, any meetings you have with Ron are my right to attend. The headmaster doesn't want any of the things we discuss in Order meetings to be told to those who have no need to know."

"Miss Granger," Snape growled lowly, "what I have a need to discuss with these four students is of no concern to you. Just because your head is up the headmaster's arse, it gives you no right to be involved in student affairs. Kindly keep your nosy, know-it-all opinions to yourself, unless you're asked. Permission denied, and twenty five points from Gryffindor for your blatant disrespect to me and to your fellow students. An additional twenty five points for daring to believe that you are above anyone else."

She opened her mouth, to perhaps say something unfortunate, but Severus beat her to it. "Do you wish to earn even greater losses of points? Do you, perhaps, believe that your housemates will appreciate your attempts to drop them to negative points? Are you so enamored of Filch that you'd wish to spend the rest of your scholastic life obeying his every demand?" She mulishly subsided, but Severus gave one more dig before beginning class. "I am sure that the headmaster does not appreciate that you just outed the Order."

"You wished to see us sir?" Harry asked as he and the other three sat in seats before him where he leaned against the front of his desk. Strong privacy charms were erected as soon as the classroom had emptied, and an alert was placed on the door to prevent anyone attempting to eavesdrop or invade. Remus came from the potions office and smiled at the boys, winking at Harry as he sat on the desk next to where Severus was leaning.

"I gave the pictures to Albus, Harry," Remus told the teen softly, watching his eyes for any reaction. The raven maintained a blank visage, just looking at the adults curiously. "He was...excited for the torture to which you were subjected. I don't think I've ever seen anything more disgusting, and it enraged Moony so much that he broke the final link that made the headmaster my alpha. I'm free, cub."

"That's wonderful, Remus," Neville said with a wide smile.

"Will you be endangered because of this?" Harry asked worriedly.

"No, cub," the werewolf replied with a grin. "Moony and I are one, and now we can plot the destruction of the greatest wizard alive without interference."

"Thank Merlin," Ron blurted out gustily. Draco buried his head in the redhead's shoulder to stifle his laughter. Rubbing his hands together and grinning maliciously, he asked, "So what's first on the agenda?"