Day Off

Day Off

By

TeenTypist

Harry sat in his room at Grimmauld Place, brooding. Dumbledore was a cruel man; an undeniably cruel man. Harry was sure of it.

If there was only one place on Earth he'd rather be less than Privet Drive, it was Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore had to know that. Harry's summer had been neatly divided for him. For one half of his holiday plus one extra day, he stayed with the Dursleys. They didn't maltreat him; they just virtually ignored him. Now he was two weeks into his one-day-less-than-half-a-summer at Grimmauld Place he was going absolutely crazy.

Everything in the place reminded him of Sirius. He walked the halls and felt the same way Sirius must have felt when Dumbledore cooped him up within the walls the year before. The same way Sirius might have felt growing up.

Harry looked out the window, touching the curtain with one hand. The curtain was striped red and yellow. Molly Weasley had attempted to make the home more inviting before Harry came to stay. There were new, bright curtains everywhere. Mrs. Black had been burned out of her frame--though Harry suspected this was not Mrs. Weasley's doing.

The cheerful touches Mrs. Weasley had attempted to put into the house almost seemed like a mockery. The house was anything but cheerful and was fairly empty most of the time. Lupin, Harry, Molly, and Snape were the only ones living there full-time. There were guards in and out but only the four of them had rooms and stayed. Snape's position as a spy was becoming more and more precarious. While he still spied and gave the pretense of allegiance to Voldemort, he was aware that he might not be able to keep his dual role a secret much longer. Bellatrix Lestrange was becoming suspicious and asking too many questions. For his own safety Dumbledore had ordered him to live at Headquarters, though Snape still kept his house up as though he lived there--thanks to a family house-elf or two. Lupin's small, out-of-the-way home had been torched. Whether it was an anti-werewolf hate crime, or Death Eaters, nobody knew. Molly was living at number 12 simply to keep a good influence on place and look after Harry. His health had been declining all summer. He didn't have much an appetite and rarely slept. She was worried about him and thought Dumbledore ought to let the other children stay at Grimmauld Place as well. She had Flooed to Dumbledore to argue on their behalf a week after Harry had come to stay.

"Molly, it's safer to keep them separated. Together they get around every safety precaution we place on them and get themselves hurt. Apart, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny are all less likely to be targets than if they were with Harry."

"Albus, outside of Hogwarts, Grimmauld Place is the most protected place we have. It's enough to protect them. Not to mention the Order members in and out, as well as myself here full-time," Molly argued.

"Molly, they are safer away from each other. It's for the best."

At this, Molly Weasley had become enraged, taking a tone with Dumbledore that she usually only reserved for her own children, all 9 of them--brunette and orphan included. "Albus, you aren't there everyday with him and you don't know him half as well as I do! His morale is low, he doesn't eat, he doesn't sleep. That house is killing him, poisoning him from the inside out, and he doesn't even have his best friends to help counteract it. They aren't an antidote, but having them around would help! Don't you dare say it wouldn't. I know what's best for him. You don't know him at all." After that, she excused herself.

Harry looked down at the bedspread; it was a bright red, brighter than the scarlet used in the Gryffindor dormitories. He'd almost rather be at school alone all summer than stay here. But Dumbledore was at school and wherever Dumbledore was inhabiting was the last place Harry wanted to be. He wasn't even allowed to Owl his friends. Bill and Charlie had moved back home for the summer into Percy and Fred and George's room to help their father look after Ginny, Ron, and Hermione, but Dumbledore decided that Owl's should be seen coming from Headquarters as infrequently as possible. Harry could only get letters to his friends through Mrs. Weasley.

When Harry wandered down the stairs to say good morning to the aforementioned Weasley matron, he was instead greeted by Remus Lupin.

"Morning, Harry," Lupin said, folding his newspaper. It was yesterday's newspaper that Kinglsey had brought over. Dumbledore had said that if anyone residing in the house was subscribed to the Daily Prophet they ought to cancel their subscription to avoid suspicious owls.

"Morning, Remus." These days Harry never tended to say "good morning" because there was simply nothing good about it.

"Are you looking for Molly?" he asked.

"I suppose. I was going to let her know I was awake."

"She's not here right now. She's off running some errands."

Harry shrugged, as though it didn't matter either way.

"Snape isn't here either. He had to go to the apothecary. That time of the month is coming up again and his stock of ingredients is running low." Remus had a half smile on his face, making light of something serious. His transformations were peaceful with the potion, and less painful, but they were lonely without friends to run around with.

"Alright."

"So it's just us."

"Okay." Harry was about to go back upstairs and maybe try to sleep again. He had no homework left to do. He'd done those in his weeks at the Dursleys. He'd spent most of his time there at home except when he was at work. The job was great. He worked in a pizza parlor just far enough from Privet Drive that no one knew him as the creepy Potter boy. However the job had only lasted two weeks. He'd gotten sick and tired of being followed to and from work by an Order member and having them sit at a table in the pizza parlor all day while he was trying to work. He'd reluctantly quit and spent the rest of his summer at Privet Drive where at least he wouldn't have to see the Order members as they skulked around.

"Harry, would you like to get out of the house?"

Harry stopped mid-step. "Remus, if you say you're only joking, I'm going to have to hex you, come hell or high water," Harry said, completely serious.

"I am not joking. That was a genuine offer. I'll repeat myself. Would you like to get out of this house?" Remus asked calmly.

"I'd like almost nothing better. When can we leave and can I get of here forever?"

Remus shook his head. "We can leave as soon as your showered and dressed. In addition to neglecting your health, you've neglected your hygiene a little, and I'm not going out with anybody who smells like you." Remus wrinkled his nose.

"I showered yesterday," Harry said, looking at the floor.

"Well, I've got a good nose and you smell like sweat. Shower, get dressed in Muggle clothes and meet me back down here. It's just a day trip, but I thought you could use a day off so go get ready."

Harry raced to the bathroom and was showered and dressed in under twenty minutes. He didn't care where they were going just so long as they could get away from the oppressive house for a while. The merry shower curtain had on many mornings thus far only worsened his mood--it was royal blue with yellow duckies on it--but nothing could faze him today, just so long as he could get away for a few hours.

Remus was waiting for him. "How well can you see without your glasses?"

"Blind as a bat."

"Alright. I guess I'll just have to charm them another color. How's gray?"

"Gray's fine," he answered, blinking.

Lupin tapped his wand to Harry's glasses, muttering something. "Now put your hair in this."

Harry was puzzled, but did as he was told, gathering his hair up into the swim cap as best he could.

"Put this on over it."

Harry carefully tugged the shorter, brown haired wig on over the swim cap. The hair was somewhat spiked, being short, and Harry knew it didn't cover his forehead.

"Close your eyes, Harry."

Harry complied, once again.

Remus was grateful for this because he was a little embarrassed about the next bit. He took out several concealers he'd bought at a local drug store--the clerk at the counter had given him the oddest look when he purchased them. The first was a stick of what looked remarkably like green lipstick. A helpful girl in the store had seen the number of concealer products he was buying for his "teenage daughter" told him that putting green under a skin tone concealer would help take the red out. Remus carefully put a little of this over Harry's scar, then looked through his other products, finding a similar stick that matched Harry's pale skin remarkable well. He smoothed it over the green and hunted out a powder compact in a matching shade and powdered Harry's forehead with it.

He looked Harry over to check and see if there was anything else he could do. He gave each eyebrow a tap with his wand so that they'd match his new hair. Harry had stood remarkably still through the makeup process. There was tape around Harry's glasses. How did they manage to break so frequently? Surely his cousin didn't still beat him up? He took the glasses gently off of Harry's face, unwrapped the tape from around them, and magically repaired them. He placed them back on Harry's face. The clothes. Those wouldn't do at all. They were huge on him! Perhaps he and Harry should pick up a few new things while they were out. In the meantime, he had clothes that ought to fit.

"Wait here. I've got something else you can wear. Don't look at any mirrors." Remus chuckled. He went up to his room, next to Harry's, and looked through his antique dresser, trying to find something that Harry could wear that wouldn't make him look like an old man. He looked at the dresser a moment. It wasn't his. It belonged to the house. It was cherry wood, very dark. The legs of the dresser, as well as the knobs on the drawers, had been carved into screaming faces. After moving in, he'd made short work of both, sawing the legs off completely and changing the knobs off for ugly, modern metal ones. Perhaps one of these days he'd just repaint the dresser and cover the cherry stain color with a white, or a yellow. Or maybe a nice dark blue. He found a pair of jeans--one of the few pairs he owned--and took those out to look at them for size. They were a little snug on him (which was probably why he hadn't worn them in a while) but Harry was thinner, especially with the weight he'd been losing this summer. They looked as though they would fit him fine. He found a white t-shirt and a shirt with a small red-checkered pattern on it. It would do nicely.

Remus carried the clothes back to Harry and sent him into another room to try them on, warning him not to look in the mirror. He wanted to see Harry's face when Harry saw what he looked like.

When Harry was changed and Remus finally brought him in front of a full-length mirror, Harry's eyes widened in shock. He looked like a completely different person. He looked like...

"I look like I could be your son," Harry said, a little in awe.

"It wouldn't do for anyone to recognize you out and about now, wouldn't it?"

With brownish hair instead of black, his skin looked less pale in contrast. Not having his scar on his forehead was almost like missing an eyebrow. For a change he was wearing clothes that fit properly. His glasses didn't look like the ones that he always wore; it was amazing the difference that a change of color and removal of the tape could do.

Harry grinned. "Just how long have you been planning this?"

"Oh, since the second or third day you arrived here. You're not the only one who hates being cooped up. I just had to wait for a day when Molly and Snape would be gone. We'd better leave before either of them decide to come back early. Do you have your wand?"

"Right here," Harry said, lifting his shirt a little and showing the wooden rod in the waistband of his pants.

"Good. Don't use it unless I'm dead or about to die. The last thing we need his trouble with the Ministry. We've got a bit of walking to do, so I hope you're up to it."

"I can't wait. Let's get out of here."

Together, and both feeling an amazing amount of freedom, they exited the dreary house that had been their prison and walked the first few steps to freedom and fresh air. They indulged themselves by standing on the front step for a moment and just looking around before proceeding and hearing the house disappear behind them.

They walked on in companionable silence, listening to the sound of cars, people, and birds; sounds the two of them hadn't really heard in a while. As they got on the underground, Harry's curiosity overcame him.

"Remus?"

"Yes?"

"I know why I've been so eager to get away, but what about you? Dumbledore doesn't have you under house arrest. Does he?"

"Not officially, no. Off the record, he strongly suggested that I stay at home and spend time with you this summer. He said it would be unwise to be too visible in the community given our connection and the fact that there are certain people on the other side with a distinct dislike toward me."

The rode along in silence for a few more minutes.

"Remus?"

"Hmm?"

"What's Dumbledore going to do when he finds out about this? He finds out about everything eventually," Harry said glumly. He could imagine Dumbledore, Moody, Kingsley, Tonks, and Mrs. Weasley storming into the train--wands raised and ready--and dragging them back to that prison they dared to call a house. In this scene Mrs. Weasley was pulling both he and Remus along by the ear and scolding them both.

"Don't you go and worry about Dumbledore, Harry. This is your day off and I mean to see it be a good one. No worrying allowed. You just let me deal with Dumbledore. I left a note for Molly so she wouldn't think you'd been kidnapped."

"Er, Remus, if you're going to worry about Dumbledore, then who's going to worry about Mrs. Weasley? I don't think she'll be too pleased about us being around and about either, come to think of it."

"Don't worry about her either, Harry. This is a worry free day. I left a note saying that I had talked to Dumbledore and you were with me for the day."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"I did talk to Dumbledore. I spoke with him a week ago and lost the argument. And you are spending the day with me. No lies." Remus grinned.

"I like the way you think."

"Ah, this is our stop. Follow me." They exited the train and went above ground. Just a couple of blocks from where they got of the train was a place called Ingrid's Deep Tissue.

"What's this place?" Harry asked.

"This is our first stop on your day off. A therapeutic massage to get a little bit of the weight of your world off those shoulders of yours."

Afterwards, as Remus was paying for the massage, Ingrid said, "That boy was very tense. His back and shoulders were very stressed and tense. He needs to come here more often. What's wrong with him?"

Remus whispered in confidential sort of way, "He's an honors student. Spends all his days hunched over books and worrying about perfect grades."

Ingrid shook her head. "They always grow up and spend there days crunching numbers and things and get hunches on their backs. He should get outside and play soccer. He has a runner's body. You're his father, yes? Go make him join the track team."

Remus smiled, his heart almost breaking. If he were Harry's father he wouldn't have let him grow up with those dratted Dursleys for all those years. What could Dumbledore have been thinking, sending him there? He would have gladly taken him in. Maybe he couldn't be around every day of every month, but he'd find somebody else to take him during the full moon... "Yes. I'll talk to him about it. Thanks, again."

"Anytime. That boy would benefit from weekly massage sessions. Get his back right to how it should be."

Remus and Harry exited and Harry felt a lot better than he had going in. "That was amazing. I feel like I can actually move my back again. It hurt a little at first when she was getting at the muscles, but it feels wonderful now. Do you think we could teach Hermione that?" Harry asked.

"I don't doubt Hermione could learn anything she set her mind to, but I'm sure she's got better things to do than rub her best friend's back."

"Hmm. Maybe she would if I promised to study while she did?"

Remus laughed. "Come on. Next stop: shopping. You need clothes that fit. Other than mine, that is. Eventually I'll want that shirt back."

Harry laughed. He was wearing the white t-shirt with Remus's red-checkered shirt unbuttoned over it. "This is the first set of Muggle clothing I've worn in a long time that actually fits me." Mrs. Weasley had altered some of his Dudley clothes for him, but even so there was only so much that could be done with them.

"Well, we're going to remedy that."

They soon found themselves at a clothing shop. A couple of hours later, Harry left in new shoes, khaki pants, and a black button-down shirt. It looked good on him at the moment, but once he was back to his usual Harry-look it'd look even better. He had a few other outfits in bags he was carrying. Pajamas, jeans, and t-shirts that all fit him the way they were supposed to. Harry wondered where Remus was getting all the money to pay for it, but decided it wasn't his place to ask. He offered to reimburse him with Galleons once he could get to his vault but Remus waved his suggestion aside, told him it was taken care of, and reminded him that today he wasn't allowed to worry.

After shopping they looked around for somewhere to eat. Harry saw one restaurant that looked good, but Remus steered him elsewhere, insisting the food was better.

When they went inside, Remus spoke to the host. "The private booth, in the back."

"Right this way, sir," the host said politely.

As Harry and Remus entered, seven voices shouted, "Surprise!"

"What?" Harry asked, looking around. There were birthday banners all over the place and a few presents. His friends were there, grinning at him. Hermione came around the table and hugged him hard, knocking all the air out of him. She let go and he looked at her, looked everyone else, and looked at Remus.

"Surprise. Happy Birthday, Harry. I know it's a couple of weeks late, but it's better late than never," Remus said, smiling.

Harry didn't know what to say. Ron, Ginny, Neville, Charlie, Bill, and Tonks were all sitting at the table looking at him. Hermione and Remus were standing next to him.

"Well?" she asked.

"I...I don't know what to say."

"You could try 'thank you, Remus' " Ginny suggested.

Harry hugged Remus. "Thanks for everything today."

There was a happy silence, broken by Ron about thirty seconds later. "Merlin's toes, Harry, what did you do to your hair?"

Harry laughed. He'd forgotten what he looked like.

"You look like father and son," Neville remarked.

Harry looked up at Remus, studying him. "Yeah, I guess we do," he said, a smile on his face. He, Remus, and Hermione joined the group at the table. They ordered food and Remus checked his watch.

"Molly should be here in about ten minutes," he said casually.

"What do you mean?" asked Charlie.

"Mum wouldn't approve of Harry being out in public like this," Ron said. "Not when Dumbledore is being such a bloody--"

"Ron!" scolded Hermione.

"Sorry, Hermione," Ron said sheepishly.

"Oh, I forget to mention it earlier, Harry, but in the note I also included that around this time you and I would be sitting down to lunch here," Remus said mischievously.

"So why would that make her come?"

"Because, in about five minutes Snape ought to be getting back to Headquarters. When he realizes no one is there he'll know something is wrong. Molly will show him the note and no doubt they'll come charging in here, wands raised."

"Isn't this a little risky then?" Bill asked.

Charlie nodded, "Yeah, Dumbledore and Snape'll be bad enough, but our Mum's wrath? That's deadly."

"She's gonna go crazy when she finds out you did all this without Dumbledore's permission," added Ginny.

"Crazy is an understatement," Ron said, snorting.

"I don't care. This is Harry's day off, and the consequences be damned if they're going to interfere with fun today. What do you say, Harry?" Remus said, falling back into feeling like a Marauder again. He and Sirius had planned this day for Harry last term when they realized Harry was likely going to be locked up somewhere on his birthday. They had decided that no matter where Harry was, they were going to kidnap him for a day off at some point.

"Consequences be damned," he agreed, raising his glass of water for a toast and chinking it against Remus'.