Hey, guys. Can you believe that I haven't updated since last year?

... You know... cause New Year's Eve was yesterday... it's 2019 now...

Anygay, happy new year!

Pettigrew's head kept bumping along the roof of the tunnel, but when Luna pointed this out, Remus just said, "Who cares?" Luna simply shrugged and continued walking alongside him.

"You know what this means?" Sirius said to Harry. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes..." said Sirius. "But I'm also- I don't know if anyone ever told you-"

"You're my godfather," Harry finished for him.

"Yes, well... your parents appointed me your guardian," Sirius went on. "If anything happened to them..."

Harry stared at him, unable to stop the hope from rising.

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Sirius. "But... well..."

"He wants to know if you'd live with him," Snape said, growing impatient.

"What- live with you?" Harry said. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Sirius quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd-"

"Are you insane?" said Harry. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

Sirius turned right around to look at him. "You want to?" he said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry.

A wide smile broke across Sirius' face, making him look younger, more like the man who had laughed at Harry's parents' wedding.

They finally emerged into the clearing and began heading for the castle.

Then Remus froze. Following his gaze, Harry saw with horrified realization that the moon was creeping out from behind a cloud.

"He didn't take his potion," Harry said.

"Run," Sirius whispered. "Snape, take Harry and Luna and get to the castle."

Harry leapt forward, but Sirius pushed him back. "Go!"

There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Luna pressed herself against Harry with a scared whimper as a now transformed Remus stalked toward them.

Sirius transformed into his Animagus form and leapt at Remus. They fought, claws ripping into each other, snarling and biting viciously. They disappeared from sight, but the sound still echoed.

Harry yelped as Snape grabbed his arm. "Don't just stand there. Move!"

But then they heard a whimper. "Sirius!" Harry wrenched free and raced toward the sound.

"Harry, get back here!" Snape shouted. He hesitated for a moment, looking between Pettigrew and Harry, who was rapidly getting smaller. Pettigrew was still unconscious; there wasn't anything he could do about him. "Miss Lovegood, stay here." No use in putting everyone in danger.

Luna nodded. "Be careful," she said as Snape took off after Harry.

He reached the lakeshore, where he saw hundreds of Dementors circling like vultures. Sirius was back to his human form and crouched on all four, head in hands. Harry was standing over him, shouting, "Expecto Patronum!"

To Snape's amazement, a large silvery shape spring from the end of his wand and charged at the Dementors, which flew away from the Patronus. Harry slumped back down, all his strength gone.

Snape made sure they had really gone before running to Harry's side. To his relief, he was okay, if not exhausted.

"What do you know?" Harry said. "My Patronus is a doe. Like yours and Mum's."

Snape felt a lump in his throat. "Indeed."

"Is Sirius okay?"

Snape looked at the other man, who was stirring. "He's alive."

"Good." Harry was fighting to keep his eyes open. "Pettigrew?"

"Miss Lovegood's with him." Snape conjured up two stretchers and put Harry and Sirius onto them before going back up to the castle.

When Harry regained consciousness, he was in the hospital wing. The first thing he heard before he opened his eyes was the sound of arguing.

"Sirius Black? Innocent the whole time?" That was Cornelius Fudge, sounding very dazed.

"Apparently so," Snape said, sounding irritated. "As he had just said- under Veritaserum- Peter Pettigrew is the real traitor."

Harry opened his eyes.

"Ah, you're awake!" Madam Pomfrey said. She was breaking apart the largest block of chocolate he had ever seen.

"Where's Sirius?"

"Don't worry. Professor Snape made sure the Minister did not call up the Dementors. Peter Pettigrew has been taken in."

"Oh, good." Harry went limp with relief. "Where's Luna?"

"In her dorm. She was relatively unharmed, just shaken."

"So Sirius is free?"

"He is."

Harry's relief was short-lived, unfortunately. He learned of Remus resigning and headed to his office as soon as possible.

"I saw you coming," he said as Harry came in. The Marauder's Map was lying on the desk.

"Hagrid said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"

"I'm afraid it is," Remus said.

"Why? You were trying to prove Sirius innocent."

"Yes, But Sirius and Peter revealed my... condition. It won't be long before the owls start arriving from parents... They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you... That must never happen again."

"You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" Harry exclaimed. "Don't go!"

Remus shook his head and didn't speak.

"Where will you go?" Harry asked, knowing he wouldn't be able to convince the man. "Sirius is free now, you could live with him." His mind was racing; he couldn't stop the words from spilling. "I'll be living with him now."

Remus threw the last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry. "You'd want me to live with you? Even after last night?"

"Yes!" Harry said. "Of course I do! I don't care about your lycanthropy, you know that!"

"What will others say when they hear you're living with an ex-criminal and a werewolf?"

"Screw what others think," Harry snapped vehemently. His anger vanished almost instantly and his shoulders sagged. "I just got you back in my life, Moony. Don't leave."

Remus still looked conflicted, but before he could say anything, Dumbledore came in. "Your carriage is at the gates, Remus."

"Thank you, Headmaster." He picked up his suitcase and the empty grindylow tank. "Well- good-bye, Harry. It has been a pleasure teaching you."

Harry nodded, feeling a lump in his throat, preventing him from speaking.

I felt like, since Harry is a little more like Lily in terms of personality than in canon, his Patronus wouldn't be a stag. Plus, he sees Snape as a protector, so you could look at it that way, too