What We Truly Are

Chapter One

Through the midst of rushing bodies, in the chaos and confusion, Remus caught sight of the girl as she fell -

His world faded out as he watched in horror, transfixed by the image of the wooden wand jutted from the soft skin of her stomach, that would burn in his memory from then onwards.

'Get her up! Come on!' Voices of panic rose over the deafening sound of battle, Remus felt a hand close around his upper arm and shove him toward a door, a door that gave way into a darkened room.

A tall, hooded figure staggered in after him, carrying the girl and followed by none other than Minerva McGonagall. The heavy door swung back on its hinges with a grinding of rusted metal, and it took the combined efforts of all three too shove it against the looming figures just beyond.

'Severus…?' Remus gasped, taken aback by the sight of the infamous villain, who had strode past him to attend to the limp form huddled on the stone ground.

'Bite her!'

'What?' sparing no time to think of indecency and ripping her bloodied shirt open, pressing the swollen skin of her stomach with a shaking hand, Severus barely fixed him with a glare.

'She is dying Lupin… her immune system cannot cope with the sudden shock of contamination… it's Dark Magic… it'll kill her'

'No… I can't. She's just a child… Minerva please… Severus I…' Minerva had pushed Remus forward without questioning Snape's judgement, there was no time for questions -

'Do it Lupin' Severus hissed at him through gritted teeth, aware of how little time they had… aware of the slowly buckling door behind them 'Your blood can save her'

Minerva let out a groan as the thunderous noise of the fight filtered down to them, whirling around to face the door as the creaking hinges rattled in their frame, leaving both men to face it out -

'Hurry' she bellowed over her shoulder, raising her wand and waiting for the fight to reach them -

'Lupin… she is DYING!' Severus snarled, grasping the splintered wood that jutted from her stomach and jerking it from the wound -

Lupin took a deep, shuddering breath and knelt beside Snape, sliding his arms around the girls' waist and almost cradling her in his arms.

Her head tilted back as she struggled to breathe, Severus saw the tortured expression in her eyes before Lupin drew her closer. Rivulets of blood trickled onto her collar and her eyes widened in pain, her limp hands flexed and clutched at Lupin's robes.

'Severus… take her… get her away from here' Remus managed to gasp, shuddering through a wave of tears and twisting away from Minerva's outstretched hand.

Snape did not need telling twice, shifting her weight to one side and drawing his wand.

Minerva had turned toward the door once more and braced herself for the attack… but it never came… the fight had died down in their absence -

She clutched at Lupin's arm and dragged him upwards, approaching the door swiftly and as calmly as she could manage -

What would they find outside?

'But… he hadn't transformed…'

'As I said before, the Dark Magic had flooded her system… she needed some sort of strengthened substance. Which is what brought me to such a conclusion… A werewolve's blood can only be poisoned by silver… '

'So… she is a… a…'

'She would have died otherwise' The tall man was staring out at the darkened sky, one hand poised on the window sill and the other raising a glass of dark red liquid to his lips. He drained it and took a deep breath before turning to face Minerva, who stood wary of him by the door.

'Minerva… there is so much I could say to you… but I think deep down you already know'

'It was… Dumbledore's orders… wasn't it?'

'He died to save Potter… It was his choice, not mine'

'But Severus… you could have refused -'

'It was his last request of me, one he knew that I could not back out of' he retorted coldly.

A shuddering gasp of sobs told him Minerva was crying… he scowled slightly and turned back toward the window… 'Where is Lupin?' he asked quietly, in a softer tone.

'I don't know… He… he left when they found Tonks…'

Severus closed his eyes, suppressing a sigh as the news of more deaths washed over him…

Alright, I must first say that this is a re-VAMPED telling of a story I had previously written and deleted. I enjoy flames as much as praise so if you could spare a little time to click the review button I would be most touched.

XxPeridoxX