Harry Potter: Raised by Wolves.

"I know, sir. I've been in Gryffindor tower all day, like you told me."

"Can anyone confirm that, Potter?" For a moment, Harry almost threw Neville's name out there. But as good as the boy claimed to be at Occlumency, he couldn't lie for shit, especially to Snape. Instead, he stayed quiet. Snape smirked. "I thought so. How very like your father you are. Believing yourself to be above the rules. Everyone from the Minister for Magic downwards is trying to keep you safe from Sirius Black, and you're just gallivanting off about Hogsmeade, because of course, Famous Harry Potter goes where he wants, with no thought to the consequences. Do you have anything to say for yourself, boy?"

Harry flinched. "Don't call me that, sir," he begged, his shoulders curling in to protect his ribs on instinct.

"I'll call you what I like, you arrogant little brat. Really, the resemblance is uncanny — James Potter also strutted about the castle with his friends, his head so swollen—"

"Shut up!" Harry yelled before he could stop himself. "Shut up about my father!" Lupin had told him Snape and his f ather didn't get along, and that James had been a bit of a prick in school, but to hear Snape talk about him like that… "What did you say, boy?" Snape's voice was a venomous his. Harry took a step back.

"I asked you not to call me that, sir," he said weakly. His knees were starting to shake, his eyes darting about, expecting fists to fly at any moment.

"I hate to think of the stories Lupin's been filling your head with. Acting like James Potter was the best thing to ever happen to this school, telling you tales of glorious heroism. Did he tell you about the time your father and his saintly friends played a prank on me that almost cost me my life? Your father got cold feet at the last minute, but if he hadn't, they all would've been expelled." Snape smirked. "No, I don't suppose he did share that tale." Snape straightened up abruptly. "Turn out your pockets, Potter!"

Harry startled, but didn't move.

"I said, turn out your pockets!"

Mentally cursing, Harry did as bid, setting a handful of Fudge Flies and the Marauder's Map on the table in front of him. "Ron gave those to me," he said hurriedly. "After the last Hogsmeade weekend. I was just— saving them."

"How touching. And this?" Snape held up the Marauder's Map. Harry swallowed, refusing to make eye contact with the man. "Just a spare bit of parchment. I was doing my Charms essay earlier."

Snape turned the map over in his hands, studying it closely. "Rather old piece of parchment, isn't it? I should perhaps just throw it away." He made as if to throw it in the fire, and Harry lurched forwards. "Aha! What is it really, Potter? Another present from Mr Weasley? Instructions on how to get into Hogsmeade? Orsomething else." He pulled his wand, placing the tip to the paper. "Reveal your secrets."

Harry watched in growing horror as the map's creators took turns insulting Snape, the man's face growing more enraged by the word. "I should've known," Snape murmured. He strode across the office, tossing a handful of floo powder into his fire. "Lupin!" he called into the green flames. "I want a word!"

Within moments, Professor Lupin was in Snape's office, looking pleasantly baffled as he stared between Harry and Snape. "Severus," he greeted. "Harry. What can I do for you?"

"This," Snape said, shoving the map in Lupin's direction. "I found it in Potter's pockets."

For a moment, Harry could've sworn Lupin looked surprised. He read the words still on the map's surface. His lips twitched. "I'm not sure what you want me to do about it, Severus." "Oh, you know exactly what I want, you—" Snape cut himself off, glancing back at Harry. "It's clearly some sort of dark magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you suppose Potter got such a thing?" He had his eyebrows raised pointedly. Lupin's lips twitched again.

Harry got the distinct feeling there were two different conversations happening at once.

"It seems like some sort of joke parchment, Severus. Designed to insult whoever tries to read it. Probably a Zonko's product."

"Really," Snape replied flatly. "There's nothing… familiar about it, to you?" "Should there be?" Lupin asked, seeming utterly unfazed by Snape's anger.

Was Snape trying to imply that Lupin gave him the map?

"I will have answers, Lupin," Snape growled. Calm as you please, Lupin plucked the map from Snape's hands, offering the man a genial smile.

"Oh, I'd be delighted to give them to you, Severus, once I've studied it further. But I'm sure it's just a harmless prank parchment. Now, if we're quite finished here, I'm sure Harry has other places to be, don't you Harry?"

He wanted to ask for the map back, but he couldn't do that with Snape in the room.

"Right. Yeah. I'll just be going then…" He didn't dare look at Snape as he left the office, his heart pounding as he made for the third floor to go get his bag. Somehow, he'd escaped. He just had to ask Lupin for the map back, and then he'd be good.

"Harry!" His head snapped up, and he saw Ron sprinting down the corridor towards him, red-faced. "I tried… to get here… fast as I could… couldn't find you… you alright?" He was panting, having clearly just run the entire way from Hogsmeade.

"Fine. Had a run in with Snape, but… it's fine. I'll tell you later," he added, not wanting to linger too long in the corridor. He walked with his friend back towards Gryffindor Tower, his thoughts still back in Snape's office.

The Slytherin clearly expected Lupin to recognise the map. But why?

.-.-.-.

As soon as the door shut behind Harry, Severus rounded on Remus. "We both know what that is," he said bluntly. "I am astounded that you gave it to Potter, under the circumstances."

"I didn't give it to him!" Remus insisted, taking the map back out of his pocket and staring at it. "I had no idea Harry had it. I didn't even know it still existed! Peter got it confiscated by Filch a month before we graduated."

The words were still floating across the page, the familiar sets of handwriting making his heart ache softly. "I'm, uh, sorry about the nose comment," he added cheekily. "It was fifth year. Aftery'know." The fight he'd thought would break them — until a year later, when Sirius almost ruined everything.

Severus' face shuttered for a moment. "Then it seems rather tame, consider ing," he remarked dryly. "You swear you didn't give it to Potter?"

"On my life, Severus," Remus vowed. "I have no clue how he managed to get a hold of it. Foolish boy. If he'd left this lying around…" He swallowed thickly. If the map got back in Sirius' hands, it was all over.

"Potter has never been particularly good at using his brain," Severus retorted acidly. Remus gave him a reproachful look.

"He's thirteen, Severus. How much did you use your brain back then?" He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "I suppose he was in Hogsmeade, then?"

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