Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Or Van Helsing. And yes, the beginning of remus's little rant are vanhelsing lines. I know. I took them. They are not mine. Hah. Don't sue me.
Summary: Severus goes out on a late evening stroll, and runs into more than he bargined for. Meeting Remus, something happens to change the potion master's opinion of the wolf.
Possible beginning of Remus/Severus, though it is not in the story.
A/N: Alright, alright. I saw Van Helsing, heard the lines, and couldn't help myself. Now I just need to write one using the line "Who are they to judge?" which is such a cool line…
Give hugs to our poor tormented vanhelsing-ized Remmy. He's not pleased with my changes. Send chocolate chip cookies with your reviews to placate him before he eats me alive.
"Out so late, Severus?"
Severus Snape did not need to turn to recognize the familiar, though sudden tones of the werewolf standing behind him.
"I could inquire the very same thing of you Lupin…" Severus spoke quietly, as always, yet was easily heard in the quiet of the quickly darkening evening. He turned, face illuminated as it caught the light of the half moon, turning to Remus.
Remus glanced at the forest before replying. "I'm making my patrols. You shouldn't be outside…"
Patrols eh? Severus had heard Remus had been re-hired despite the disapproval of most for the safety of the students, as oxymoronic as that sounded, hireing a werewolf for student safety.
"I am a teacher, not a student Lupin. Don't think you can order me about just because you're a petty bodyguard now…"
"Severus-" There was a slight growl in his voice as he expressed his annoyance, then, strangely, cutting of his words. Turning his head sharply, looking into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest, frozen, much like a pointer sensing a rabbit in the grass, golden eyes seeming to pierce the dense foliage to the hidden depths within.
Then he exploded into action. "Move!" He shouted, tackling Severus to the ground as something black shot through where they were standing a moment ago.
Springing to his feet, Remus turned to face the black-cloaked figure. It was a woman, dark haired, thin, but the aura of evil she emitted belied her delicate appearance. She looked up between stray strands of hair, grinning, revealing red eyes, and gleaming white fangs. A vampire. A hungry one at that.
Remus growled, pulling something from the folds of his robes. Severus moved for his wand but before he'd so much touched it, Remus charged the vampire, moving more quickly and gracefully then expected of a man of his build and stature.
Surprised she leapt back, only just missing the object that was intended to tear through her throat. In Remus's hand was not a wand, but a sharpened wooden stake.
The wolf just happened to have a stake made for killing vampires in his robes? Granted there had been many more of them about, as they had quickly become Voldemort's most prized servants, but was he really that paranoid? Or was there a piece of the puzzle he didn't have yet? He was really starting to wonder what had happened to Lupin in the year he had been away.
Remus's eyes glinted golden in the moonlight as he tensed for another attack. The vampire, sensing this, dodged to the side, as Remus launched himself at her, changing direction faster than most could follow. Remus twisted in midair to face her as she grabbed his wrist with a strength not expected from the thin clawlike hand, pulling him sharply towards her, fangs bared. Easily pulling himself free from her grasp, he rammed his elbow into her side with all of his inhuman strength, sending her flying. Landing on her feet she eyed him with surprise and what might be considered fear.
"You're a-"
"Werewolf? Correct."
Severus watched in slightly stunned astonishment. Not only was Remus armed properly, but he had been trained to fight vampires. As the fight continued at an alarming pace, he watched, following their moves, but not wanting to attempt to assist the now apparently experienced hunter in case he hindered him.
The vampire nearly stumbled backwards as she dodged another thrust of the stake. Spotting Severus nearby, and still thirsting for blood, she turned and headed straight for Severus, fleeing Remus.
She moved so quickly Severus could hardly raise his wand. It seemed even as she turned she was upon him, white hands twining into the front of his robes to pull him forward into her fangs.
Suddenly she stopped, her face not more than half a foot from Severus's, frozen in shock, a hand, scarred at the knuckles on her shoulder.
Remus's soft voice muttered "Requiscat in pace…" as he pulled the wooden stake from her back, taking a step backwards to brace himself as she fell backwards into his arms, Severus's robes slipping from her fingers.
As the red color faded from her eyes, returning them to the color they once were. She looked upward, meeting his eyes.
"I'm sorry…" he said softly, voice sincere with regret.
She smiled, and whispered hoarsely, "Thank you…" before melting into ash. Remus closed his eyes, a tear escaping down his cheek as he brushed the ashes off his bloody robes.
Severus stared. "You-"
Remus looked up into Severus's questioning gaze, his eyes sad.
"You're a vampire hunter?"
"Yes. I am." He smiled sarcastically. "You've found me out." But his sarcasm was marred by his over-bright eyes, shining with unshed tears.
He turned to go, to leave the stunned Severus to his thoughts.
"There's no reason to mourn her death. She was a vampire, that's all." The words escaped Severus's mouth without his permission.
Remus whirled around. Severus almost took a step back under the strength of the gaze Remus fixed upon him now. It wasn't angry, or bitter, just hurt, sad, and full of self-disgust. Two trails of tears marked his cheeks as he began to speak, voice trembling slightly, growing stronger as he continued, full of emotion.
"You don't understand. You don't understand, because you are not the one who sheds their blood. You are not the one responsible when they again become the men and women they once were and weep at the life that has been denied them. You are not the one who must bury their ashes and try to wash the blood from your hands when you know the stain will never fade, because the human you have killed was innocent. This is why I mourn for such demons. Because I am losing what humanity I have. Because I am one of them."
He smiled very slightly then. "Kind should weep for kind, after all."
And he turned once more, and walked towards the castle, trailing tears behind him as his robes billowed in the wind.
Severus stood frozen, unaware of the breeze, or his surroundings. His gaze was fixed upon the lone wolf, that he had finally found respect for.