the_debt_of_time

"I thought perhaps the items might have sentimental value," Dumbledore
suggested. "I know he and Miss Potter shared many things."
Anger finally swelled up inside of Remus, and he dropped the box before gripping
the wand at either end, eager to snap it in half. However, the second that he put pressure
on the wood, he felt a sharp pain sting into his hand, and he dropped the wand entirely.
Looking wide-eyed down as it fell into the open box, he sighed in frustration.
"Interesting," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "It appears the Unbreakable Vow is
still at work."
Remus rubbed his injured hand, bitter over the warning that the Vow had given
him. "I vowed to defer to her requests and judgments in all things regarding the future. I
promised her I'd... For some reason, I still have to take care of that traitorous bastard by
keeping his wand intact. Damn her. Damn them both!"
Dumbledore sighed. "You bear too many burdens, Remus; for that, I am sorry."
"Where's Harry, Albus?"
"With his family."
"I'm his family," Remus insisted. "I'm the only family he has left."
"Not so. Hagrid and I delivered him to Petunia and Vernon Dursley."
Remus felt his stomach drop in shock and outrage. "You did what? Are you mad?
Have you met those Muggles? He's supposed to be in my care! You think I wasn't privy to
Lily and James's will? It's my job to take care of him. My job to keep him safe!"
"Then help me keep him safe, Remus. Aurors have seized Sirius's flat, so to my
knowledge, you've no place to live."
Remus sucked in a sharp breath as the news hit his ears. He had no home to go to.
He had lost everything: his parents, his best friend, his family, and now his home.
"Recent anti-werewolf legislation has passed, preventing you from legally being
bound as Harry's guardian," Dumbledore continued. "If I were to hand him over to you,
the Ministry would just take him away, and he would be in their grip. The boy is special.
Important. He, merely an infant, defeated Voldemort. Left amongst the Muggles, he will
not be studied, used, or attacked. I dislike the discrimination that comes along with your
condition, my boy, but would you add to the attention Harry will receive by sharing your
burden with him?"
Remus swallowed hard. "No. Of course not."