“I haven’t seen him all day,” Severus said, his arms crossed and his foot tapping impatiently. “He still hasn’t shown up for his final dose. After everything we talked about, you’d think he’d at least have the courtesy to do that before vanishing to Timbuktu.”

            “There is still time for him to take the final potion,” Albus said. “We must be patient—”

            “Patient?” Severus snarled. “The full moon is in mere hours. We will have a werewolf loose in the halls of Hogwarts causing all sorts of havoc. We need to find him now.”

            “And I have all the teachers on board searching for Harry.” Albus walked across the infirmary toward where Poppy was adding a few charms to a new temporary addition in the ward. “They believe he is simply disobeying an order to have his health exam performed and they will bring him to the infirmary as soon as they find him.”

            “Oh good,” Severus said with a roll of his eyes. “No need to tell anyone he might turn into a raging wolf while in their vicinity.”

            “There is no need for alarm yet, Severus,” Albus said. “When that time comes . . .”

            “It’ll be too late,” Severus interrupted.

            “There are ways to subdue a werewolf,” Poppy said as she walked over to the men. “Most of the staff are trained in ways to subdue most magical beasts that threaten the school in one way or another.”

            “No one should have to face that wonderful opportunity if it can be avoided.”

            “True. But you know at this point, most common magic will be useless against Harry. Werewolves have strong absorption protection against defense spells. Even locator charms seem to struggle with finding werewolves this close to the full moon. We just have to be patient and hope that everything turns in our favor, hopefully, with best case scenario, Harry turns himself in.”

            Severus scoffed at how unlikely that was but Poppy continued talking as she gestured to the new addition in the infirmary. It was a walled off portion, a small cube with a single infirmary bed inside, and several security charms had been placed around it to contain a wolf and keep unsuspecting passersby out.

            “It’s not really made for long term containment,” Poppy said. “A determined werewolf could find a way to break down the walls if he really wanted to, but as long as Harry gets the final dose before the sunset disappears, he’ll have no desire to do that. And if he doesn’t, well, there’s always a back up plan.”

            “We must resume searching for Harry,” Albus said, already walking for the exit. “I am sure there has been some misunderstanding that could be cleared up with a few gentle words.”

            Severus rolled his eyes again but followed the headmaster out.

            “What are we to do with him for the rest of the year, Albus?” Severus asked as he walked alongside the elder wizard.

            “I do not have an answer yet,” Albus said. “One thing is clear: he will not be able to return to his relatives. It would be too difficult delivering a steady supply of Wolfsbane to a muggle area, and owls are notorious for disliking the smell and dropping packages with any hint of the plant’s scent. Besides, I cannot imagine his muggle relatives will take kindly to finding out Harry is a werewolf.”

            “Their little prince?” Severus frowned. “They would abandon him like that? I know the stigma around werewolves is unfavorable, but he is still their nephew.”

            “True, but I fear this may be something beyond what they are comfortable dealing with.”

            Severus frowned at that, but as the men reached the stairway, Albus climbed up the stairs while Severus went down them. He might as well start searching the dungeons again. Perhaps Harry will come to his senses and arrive for the last dose before sunset. Severus slowly walked through the halls leading to his office, glancing in every classroom and closet he walked by. He grew more anxious as he came up empty handed. Pausing at a window, he watched as the sun dropped lower and lower behind the mountains and growled under his breath before continuing down the hall. Candles lit above him as the castle was shrouded in increasing darkness, which added to Severus’s growing anxiety.

            He paused outside his private potions’ storeroom, his hand just on the knob when he felt a cold draft behind him. The door to the abandoned classroom across the hall was cracked open.

            Severus frowned, knowing he had not unlocked it, and he pulled out his wand and slowly crept into the room, glancing around for any signs of an intruder or even a boggart.

            “It’s just me,” Harry’s voice said.

            Severus startled, then looked up in the direction of the voice.

            Harry was sitting on a windowsill high above Severus’s head, his shoulders slumped and his feet swinging slightly. He had his arms wrapped around his waist slightly, as if attempting to warm himself up in the chilly night as a small draft blew around him from the window. Severus sighed and lowered his wand.

            “What are you doing here?” Severus asked firmly.

            “I don’t know,” Harry said with a shrug. “Thought it was somewhere I could be alone.”

            “Surely you would know better than to go unlocking unfamiliar rooms by now, wouldn’t you?”

            Harry’s eyes met Severus’s, but the child shrugged once more before dropping his gaze. Severus bit back a frustrated huff as he stepped further into the room.

            “How did you get up there?” Severus asked, frowning at the distance from the ground to the windowsill.

            “Climbed,” Harry said. “It was actually pretty easy. I guess it comes with all the other changes.”

            “You can’t stay up there, you know,” Severus said. “Everyone is looking for you.”

            “I know.” Harry glanced out the window before lowering his gaze to his lap once more. “I was actually planning on leaving.”

            Harry pulled a suitcase out from behind him and dropped it to the ground where it landed at Severus’s feet with a heavy thud. Severus kneeled next to it and opened it the slightest, and he realized it was packed full of all of Harry’s things minus his schoolbooks and supplies. He looked back up at Harry.

            “I was going to leave Hogwarts for good,” Harry said softly. “It’s no place for something like me, not anymore. How can I be a student here when I almost hurt another student?”

            “Potter . . .” Severus began to say, though he struggled with the right words.

            “I’m not safe,” Harry continued, his eyes tearing up and he wiped at them stubbornly. “I’m nothing but a monster now. Even Lupin left, he knew what was right. I have to leave, too. Before I hurt someone.”

            “Then why didn’t you leave?”

             “Without the last dose, I would be a mad werewolf. I don’t think I’d get far away enough to avoid coming right back to the school.”

            “Probably not,” Severus agreed.

            “After the last dose, I can leave.”

            “Where will you go, Potter?” Severus asked rhetorically. “You are thirteen. You have limited magical training, you cannot get a well-paying job to support your new lifestyle, and you’ll have no access to Wolfsbane. You would just be a danger to the towns and cities around you.”

            “I wouldn’t go where any people are,” Harry said.

            “And where might that be? You cannot leave. The headmaster surely won’t allow it.”

            “What am I supposed to do?” Harry snarled, baring his teeth at Severus in a very wolfish manner. “I’m a danger no matter where I go. I might hurt someone here. I might hurt someone out there. All anyone will want to do is lock me up like I’m some . . .” Harry looked away, glaring at the stone wall around him. “But it’s what I am, isn’t it?”

            Severus sucked in a deep breath at that. Harry was clearly struggling with what he had become, as would any reasonable person. Severus reminded himself that this wasn’t Harry’s fault. No, Harry had not helped circumstances, but he was just a child at the end of the day. A very upset and frightened child.

            “You have to understand that even with the Wolfsbane on board, if the wrong person runs into you, they can be a danger to you. Sure, it is preferable for you to be behind closed doors anyway, but it’s as much for your safety as it is for others.”

            “I figured,” Harry said. “Still, it’s terrifying. But I couldn’t make myself leave Hogwarts. It’s the first place that’s ever felt like home to me. I couldn’t say goodbye. I’m too weak.”

            “That is not weak,” Severus argued. “In fact, not running away from your fears is a very brave thing to do.”

            “But I’m a monster now. And all I’ll ever be is locked up.”

            Severus sighed as he leaned back into a desk behind him. He couldn’t believe he was saying this, but if it eased Harry’s mind enough into luring him down, it needed to be said. Even if he didn’t believe his own words.

            “With the Wolfsbane in your system, you are no different from anyone else. However, everyone else may still be afraid of you. You can’t go wandering the halls at night or be out frolicking in the woods. It is too risky. Being locked up is nonnegotiable. That is a new aspect of your life you’ll have to adjust to.”

            “I don’t want to live in a cage,” Harry whispered so softly Severus almost missed it.

            “A cage? There are no cages, Potter. Just a room. And a locked door.”

            “Chains?” Harry asked, shaking slightly, his eyes closing. “Muzzles?”

            “No. None of that. We are not cruel monster keepers here. Even Lupin had his own place, albeit a terrible one. We will do better for you. And come morning, you will be let out of the room to resume your normal activities—with a few new rules.”

            “How can I trust that?”

            “I can’t make you trust anything. You’ll just have to see for yourself. Come down from there, take your final potion, and walk with me to the infirmary. Poppy has a safehouse for you.”

            Harry took several deep breaths as he chewed his lip before he pushed off the windowsill. Severus’s breath caught in his throat as he watched Harry fall to the ground below, but the child landed on his feet, if a bit heavily. Severus nodded his head in approval when Harry stood before him.

            “Wait here. I will grab you a vial from my storeroom and you will take it immediately. Then, we will head up to the infirmary.”

            Harry nodded before lowering his head, watching the tops of his shoes while clasping his hands behind his back. Severus quickly left the room and unlocked the storeroom. He knew he had at least a couple extra doses of Wolfsbane here somewhere, excess from a recent batch. He found the hourglass-shaped vials and pulled one down. One last dose and Harry would at least be a safe werewolf. Even if he happened to turn on the way up to the infirmary, theoretically, he would not have an urge to attack.

            Of course, this was all still theory in Severus’s head. He had never been around a werewolf dosed with Wolfsbane on a full moon before. He made it a priority to avoid that scenario at all costs. One encounter with a werewolf several years ago had been enough for him. If he could get rid of Harry before he turned, that would be ideal. They still had a few minutes too.

            Severus turned to leave the storeroom when he heard someone scream, “Noooo!”

            Severus ran out of the room and nearly collided with Harry, who was fleeing the classroom next door. Harry pushed away from Severus with such force, Severus nearly toppled over.

            “You lied to me!” Harry shouted at him; his face red as he kicked at Severus to get away. “You tricked me—get away from me!”

            Harry jerked away from Severus when the professor tried to grab his arm before the child ran down the hall.

            “Potter!” Severus called after him. He glanced into the classroom to see what had frightened him.

            In the middle of the classroom was a large, rusty cage with clanking chains stretching outward, as if wanting to grab the nearest victim to yank into its confines. Severus only managed to get a brief glimpse of it, because as soon as his eyes fell on it, the cage rattled before it morphed into a red-eyed, scar faced werewolf that lunged for Severus, who slammed the door shut.

            Dammit, how could he forget to relocate the boggart? Well, he supposed he did have a lot of other pressing matters that had held his attention. Out of sight, out of mind. Severus ran down the hall after Harry, clutching the vial tightly in his grasp.   

            “Potter, slow down!” Severus called after him. He vaguely recalled Lupin explaining at a staff meeting that Harry’s boggart had taken the form of a dementor when they started Patronus Charm lessons. Clearly, there was something more terrifying in Harry’s mind now.

            As Severus made a turn down the hall, he slid to a halt.

            Harry was stock-still as he stared out a window.

            “Potter?” Severus asked, stepping a bit closer, slowly reaching the vial out to Harry. His own eyes widened however, as he saw the edge of the full moon peeking above the mountains as it began its climb in the cloudy, starless sky, a beam of moonlight shining down directly on Harry.

            Harry slowly turned, his hand reaching for his chest as if he couldn’t breathe, his eyes bloodshot. Then, he collapsed to the ground and seized violently.

            The vial of Wolfsbane shattered on the ground as Severus fumbled for his wand, backing away from the transformation. His heart leapt to his throat and the sound of it’s pounding was like a thunder in Severus’s ears as he trained his wand on Harry, his hand shaking the slightest.

            Harry cried out as his hands curled into paws, hair sprouting everywhere, and his face elongated, his body thrashing against the cold hard ground.

            In a matter of seconds, a wolf laid where Harry once had been, a silvery-furred beast with a small but bushy tail standing erect behind the creature as its sharp green eyes zoned in on Severus with a snarl as it pushed itself to its feet.

            For a moment, Severus was caught off guard by the green eyes, and for a split second, he saw Lily’s dead body behind them, but then the wolf lunged with open jaws.

            Severus cast several stunning spells in rapid order, striking every limb, and the wolf was jerked back with each hit, but all it needed to do was shake out its fur and it would snarl at Severus again as it stalked forward.

            Wolfsbane leaves, Severus thought, I have a ton in my closet.

            Severus fired a few more stunners, then turned and ran while the wolf took a few seconds to shake itself out again before it leaped after Severus.          

            Those extra few seconds Severus had gained by stunning the wolf were quickly lost as he neared his storeroom, and the beast slid its way in front of Severus before he could open the door. Severus backed away, right into the abandoned classroom, opening the door and quickly shutting it.           

            Yet, the wolf managed to sneak its head in between the door and the frame, keeping Severus from closing it all the way.

            Severus pushed all his strength into closing the door, but as it gave more and more, jaws snapping centimeters away from his robes, he knew it was a losing battle. He recalled the loose boggart in the classroom and where it hid the first time he defeated it, and he released the door, letting the wolf tumble into the classroom while he ran for the back cupboard, opening it and kicking into the darkness inside to disturb the dark creature.

            It worked.

            The red-eyed wolf leaped out from the cupboard, straight for Severus’s face, but Severus jumped away and slid behind a desk as the silver wolf slid to a halt in surprise at the new beast, but it snarled all the same, lunging for the red-eyed foe. The boggart snapped its jaws at the wolf, then quickly transformed into a rusty-old cage with chains that snatched a hold of the wolf’s neck and forearms, dragging it toward the cage.

            The wolf thrashed and bit at the metal chaining it down, then at the bars of the cage.

            Severus used the distraction to escape the classroom, knowing that the boggart would flee back into the cupboard soon as the creatures were not entirely offensive as they were defensive.  

            Severus ran into his storeroom and quickly found the wolfsbane leaves in the back of his organized supply where he would usually keep finished Wolfsbane as well. He grabbed several leaves and crumbled them in his hand, grabbing more and more fistfuls, uncaring that the toxins from the plant were seeping into his skin as he grabbed for more and more. He needed the leaves as broken and sappy as possible, exposing the most toxic parts.

            A low snarl caught his attention.

            The wolf was blocking the entrance as it stared down Severus, its fur bristled and its eyes glowing in the darkness, the little candlelight in the room creating a shadow upon the wolf. It slowly stepped into the room, growling softly with a slight bare of its sparkling white teeth.

            Severus held his palm up to his mouth and cast a wind charm through his breath, blowing the aconite at the wolf. With his wand, he began to cast a sleeping charm, a light purple glow emitting from the tip.

            The wolf sneezed as the aconite tickled its nose, then tried to snap at the leaves, consuming a few by accident. Realizing the taste was repulsive, the wolf began to back away while Severus stepped toward it. It couldn’t back away too quickly, though, as it began wobbling on its feet. It growled at Severus as more of the leaves slowly rained down on the wolf, snapping at Severus before whimpering as it wobbled more, slowly slipping to the ground.

            Another snarl and snap, but it did not deter Severus from standing above the wolf and dropping the rest of the plant on the beast, his wand still casting a sleeping charm. The weakened animal tremored as it tried to focus its eyes on Severus before it snarled before lowering its head and closing its eyes, following into a slumber.

            Severus stopped the charm and nearly collapsed, catching himself against the wall opposite the downed wolf. He took in several shaky breaths, sweat trickling down his face. He cast a weakened Patronus Charm to alert Poppy and the Headmaster that he had Harry contained . . . for now.

            He wasn’t sure how long the sleeping charm would hold the wolf or how quickly the plant would work through a wolf’s system. Honestly, it might need to snuff the reversal plant to avoid long term effects from the toxin, and Severus summoned the healing salve and a bezoar for himself to stop the toxins seeping through his skin. He choked down the stone and rubbed the salve all over him.

            While he kneeled on the ground waiting for himself to recover enough to levitate the wolf, and he was sure help was coming, he stared at the beast, the green eyes it had invading his head. Of course, the werewolf would have Lily’s eyes.