Submitted for Round 10 of The International Wizarding School Championship.

School: Durmstrang

Year: 5

Theme: Incorporate the positional characteristics of Quidditch Beaters/Beating-i.e., aggressive, destructive, and general overall mayhem makers-into your characters. Your task is to write about a duo that uses brute force to get what they want!

My duo: Remus Lupin and Severus Snape.

Main prompt: (Platonic Pairing) Severus Snape and any Marauder

Optional prompts: (Plot Point) Using another's Pensieve, and (Word) Vertigo.

Word count: 2,397

Author's Note:

Beware Rats in Scarlet Colors

The screams of suffering souls pierced the night. It was THAT time again. The night of the cursed, bloody moon.

Severus hissed and gritted his teeth as he felt his muscles, bones, and cartilage brake, morph, and adapt to the hideous dark creature form that was a werewolf. His curse and his gift.

Unlike most of their pack-mates they, both he and Lupin, had joined under their leader's, Dumbledore's, instruction.

Severus's conscience mind was the last to shift into that of his inner wolf demon, and his final thoughts and amusement for the night were how again he managed to transform without sounding like a bloody lunatic on the prowl. (No one else could boast that!)

He awoke first, minutes after the wolf had whimpered back into its hole within him to lick its wounds until the next moon. He was laying in a pool of warm golden sunlight.

He sat up and turned his face away from the blinding morning rays as he transfigured a rather crude handheld mirror from a nearby twig. He examined his face for any new scars, thankfully, he once again escaped another moon free of any glaring physical blemishes. Granted, he was still no Roger Moore or Burt Reynolds, but at least he was not like Lupin with his crisscrossed scared face. (How anyone didn't immediately identify Remus as a werewolf on sight, he still did not know.)

Releasing his hold on the mirror, he snapped his fingers as it fell, smirking as it hit the hard ground as a twig once more. Summoning his clothes and quickly casting breath cleansing and refreshing charms - morning breath after a full moon was particularly malodorous and vile-he scanned the forest clearing he had awoken in. Yes, the pack was here, gathered more closely in the middle of the clearing with mates hugging or spooning one another. Severus's top lip curled into a mischievous smirk as his mind commented how it appeared that a Roman festival like orgy had taken place the night before instead of the "Running of the Werewolves."

Remus began to stir, he himself having fallen midway between Severus and the others. Severus transfigured a pile of leaves into a beanbag chair and sat. Fetching out the small bundle of books he had previously resized to be more pocket-friendly, and with a flick and tap of his wand had restored one of the cheap Muggle paperbacks to its original size, while Remus dressed.

This had not been their first moon with this pack, a pack that was remarkable run and controlled by an alpha she-wolf and one that took in anyone that had been turned and wanted companionship regardless of magical blood status. For a pack secluded in the depths of Northern England, it was rather a peaceful village. Families, orphans, drifters, couples, etc. appeared to work and live together in a communal team.

He could see why Dumbledore had selected this pack to be the first one for Severus and Lupin to infiltrate and convince to join the Order of the Phonix. It was the only pack in England that appeared to be working under the same goals as the Light and not obsessed with power, or dark magic, or even (Severus inwardly shuddered) ones that sported in the killing, maiming, and turning of others-Greyback's pack to be precise.

Severus closed his eyes as he allowed the melodies morning scents, coffee brewed over an open firepit while potatoes mixed with beef strips sizzle in bacon droppings, drift across the meadow and envelope him. Breakfast would be ready shortly, and afterward, he could then leave to tend to his apprenticeship in London. He was one of the few werewolves to be blessed with a job, Remus being another if you could consider working as an amateur illusionist on a Muggle cruise ship a job.

"Good morning."

Severus rolled his eyes but returned Lupin's greeting, albeit abbreviated to the more curt, "Moring," that summed up Snape's outlook to a T.

Remus nodded his head as he transfigured a fallen branch into a stool before silently joining Severus under the beginning young leaf canopy above them. Spring was beginning to bloom and with it the small window for them to persuade Nora, the head she-wolf, to ally herself and her pack with Dumbledore. In fact, only one more moon remained before they were expected back to give their account of their three-month assignment to the Order and Dumbledore.

Remus knew from the last two years of being Severus's Order partner that the dour Slytherin secretly welcomed the company, although, he would never admit it. Then again, over those same years, they had grown from semi-enemies to reluctant partners to somewhat friends. Something that four years ago would have appeared highly improbable to both wizards.

It had all been because of Sirius and his immature need to cause Severus trouble that they were here now, working together. Although, neither would ever tell Sirius that.

With a dry laugh, Remus summoned his bag and retrieved his own book, hoping that he could ignore the memories that would soon rear their ugly serpentine heads by reading some pulp fiction.

Of course, it proved not to be a significant, and Remus found himself transported back nearly three years prior. To him waking to find Professor Dumbledore's concern face hovering over him as Dumbledore informed Remus of the dire deem he had done while prisoner to his wolf.

It had been a late autumn night when he had turned Severus Snape into a werewolf. All thanks to Sirius and his little "prank." If it hadn't been for James coming when he did, Severus might not have even been alive to become a werewolf. If only James had come sooner...

Remus closed his book as the unwanted images of a distraught Lily came flooding in. It had surprised James, Sirius, and Peter when they had entered the infirmary to see the once childhood friends reconciling, much to James's and Sirius's chagrin. It hadn't surprised Remus, though, he knew how caring Lily was and still is, despite that famous redhead temper of hers. She also had a loyalty that could revival a Hufflepuff's.

The offer and subsequent rekindled friendship had seemed to renew Severus and even laden with the new curse of lycanthropy he appeared almost entranced. Until his first moon and his first shift.

A snap of fingers startled Remus back to the present. Breakfast was ready, and the queue had already formed. Severus had already returned his makeshift chair back to leaves (that had been where the snap had come from) and was striding towards to the breakfast line.

Somewhat reluctantly, since his body was still sore from its forced transformations, Remus joined the others with Severus.

Severus rolled his neck as his boots magically slipped off his tired feet before floating themselves upside down to the boot stand behind his room's door. They had done it. Nora's pack had agreed and officially aligned themselves to the Order of the Phonex under Dumbledore.

One down and oh, countless other bloodthirsty, lycanthropic communities to go.

Summoning a potion vial, something to ease the aches and pains riddling his worn body, he fell back onto the old mattress beneath him. He was thankful for Master Coppersmith's benevolence in mentoring him and providing lodging over the Alphocary. He knew too well how most werewolves would kill to be in his position since the Ministry officially recognized werewolves as "creatures" more than humans.

Closing his eyes, content to just nap where he lay regardless that his socked feet were still on the floor, he was just drifting off into slumber when a rapping from the back door of the shop stirred him awake.

Muttering a curse that Lily would surely lecture him about if she had heard him use it, he summoned his boots back and pulled them on. Soon he was at the back door and had reached it open just as the caller had rapt for the fifth time. Frowning Severus glared at his friend.

"What is so important to have brought you here past your bedtime and mine, Lupin?"

"Sirius and Peter are missing."

Severus fired off charms and spells left and right as he strolled through Peter and Sirius's cluttered flat. Apparently, the rat and the mutt should have been back a week ago from whatever mission Dumbledore had sent them to complete. Lily and Potter were still away over in the States trying to convince some former allies of Dumbledore to realign themselves with him, so it was highly unlikely they knew anything about the sudden disappearance of their friends.

Severus was about to call out to Remus that his search had been futile when a Pensieve and three bottles filled with translucent liquid knocked down a vent cover in the wall and flew down onto a table near where he stood.

"This is unexpected," Severus mumbled to himself as he tapped his finger against his lips. Neither Gryffindor had ever shown themselves to be interested in storing memories, or talented magically to do so. Turning, he called Remus to join him.

"Why would Sirius have a Pensieve?" Remus immediately asked when he saw the plan silver Pensieve that Severus was pouring bottled memories into.

"Why, indeed." Severus hummed as he emptied the last bottle into the swirling pool of the past confined to the bowl. "What are you waiting for Remus? An invite?"

Severus's biting words was the catalyst needed to move Remus from the doorway and to the table and the Pensieve.

"On three: one, two, three."

Both wizards submerged their faces into the Pensieve, their hairs brushing against one another, as their consciences fell into the memories.

Severus closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to ward off the dreaded feeling of vertigo that always accompanied Pensieve submergence. It thankfully worked as he landed on the ground without falling to the ground like a wounded hippogriff or feeling the need to hurl up the bowl of soup he had eaten for supper. (Although, Remus had not fared so well if the sounds of retching coming from Severus's right was anything to go by.)

Severus surveyed the scene around them.

It was nighttime, raining, and they were in one of the shady off-shoots of Knockturn Alley, but instead of Sirius, there was Peter nervously waiting for someone.

Severus furrowed his brows. Whoever the rat was waiting for was someone who preferred the shadows, since the lone gaslight of the alley magically reduced its flame seconds before a cloaked figure emerged from the shadows of the closed alleyway.

"Who is that?" Remus whispered despite them both being only watchers in the unfolding moment caught in time around them.

A bitting retort died on Severus's lips however when the figure lowered his hood to reveal the terrifying visage of Lord Voldemort, the last heir of Slytherin.

"You-Know-Who..." Severus finally managed to whisper back as he pulled his work cloak tighter about him. Those red eyes were piercing even now when it was nothing but a memory, an image. "The rat is a rat."

"Why?" Remus gasped out as he saw his friend offer his left forearm to Lord Voldemort. One already marked with the vile snake and skull locked in their eternal ominous dance. "What? When? How?"

"Quiet!" Severus ordered as he made himself move closer to them in an effort to hear them but the world whirled, and they were now standing in the Prewitt cottage.

By the perspective of the cottage, Peter had been in his animagus form for this memory. Severus smirked when he saw the giant version of himself sipping on a tea listening to Lily babble on about something, this was before a meeting of the Order.

Squeezing through a small crack in the wall, Peter silently peeked into the warded and locked meeting room where Dumbledore sat talking to... Severus stilled when he recognized who Dumbledore had been debriefing. Pieces clicked into place as he realized that the trusted, secret informant working inside the Death Eaters' midst was none other than Regulus Black.

Rat-Peter hissed and twitched his whiskers angrily.

Severus had never seen Pettigrew so mad before.

Then the scene morphed again. This time Severus and Remus found themselves in a big sitting room at some posh estate. A chamber that boasted only one ornate chair prominently standing by the dying fire in the grand fireplace before them.

"Regulus Black!"

Both wizards were startled alongside Peter at the roar the rent through the room. You-Know-Who was not happy with the news that a trusted follower had betrayed him.

Severus secretly thanked his lucky stars that he had not follow through with his notion to join the Death Eaters three years ago. He could feel the warning clearly that failure or treachery would not be dealt with lightly. Dumbledore was indeed the lesser of two evils.

"Y-ye-yes, sir. Regulus Black was there. He is the spy, my Lord."

"Show me!" Demanded You-Know-Who as he charmed the antique wingback chair around to face Peter. His red eyes lit with something menacing as he wordlessly summoned the kneeing Petter to him. His manicured hands seized Peter's neck as he jerked Peter's head upwards.

Both wizards knew that You-Know-Who was probing Peter's mind, and by the look of pain etched across Peter's face, Voldemort was not being considerate or sympathetic as he rips through Peter's mind.

Remus pushed the forming empathy away. Peter had brought this upon himself for willfully following Voldemort.

"Very well, you may go." Voldemort finally spoke after dropping his hold on Peter and turning his chair back to face the dwindling fire.

Peter blinked back the tears, and shakily stood. Bowing his head, he slowly backed away from his master.

"Peter," Voldemort called out just as Peter's hand found the door, "thank you."

Peter grinned as the memory closed and Severus and Remus were thrown out of the Pensieve and back to the cluttered flat.

Severus conjured his Patronus, informing Dumbledore of their discovery while Remus punched the wall in frustration. Both wizards knew that not only was Sirius and Regulus in danger but everyone within the Order-thanks to the rat in their midst.

It was now time for damage control if they still wanted a fighting chance to win against You-Know-Who.

Thankfully, Dumbledore was good with damage control.

Fini