Wolfsbane

Remus sighed and closed the book he had tried to read. Now he regretted that he hadn´t gone with James and Sirius. He had been just too tired to leave this safe place so soon. He needed a bit of peace right now. But now he felt lonely and bored. And he had too much time to worry, if everything was alright. He had planned to stay with Lily, until they came back. But in Lily´s room not only her sister had been staying, but also Narcissa, Andromeda and Alice and her children. And five babies were definitely four too much to bear. But what could he do instead? Go to Severus, of course. For the Slytherin it had to be strange being at Hogwarts again, so he better looked how he did. He wandered down to the dungeons and found Severus in his lab occupied with a healing potion.

"You are working that late?" he asked surprised.

"I´ve got a lot to pay back, Lupin. And that´s the only way for me. My skills in brewing potions …"

"Are excellent. But they are not your only qualities. Don´t be such hard on yourself. There´s no need to," Remus told him in a friendly way.

"Thanks," Severus looked tired," so, what are you up to?"

"I don´t know. I'm waiting for the other two to return. I hoped you would fancy a little chat – if I´m not imposing."

"Not at all. Two minutes and I can leave the potion simmering. Want a cup of tea?"

"Oh yes please."

So they sat down in the comfortable armchairs near the fireplace, sipping the hot tea and talking about a lot of things. Remus noticed soon how comfortable it was, just sitting there and talking to Snape. The Slytherin had a big amount of knowlegde in a lot of topics, he was also quite entertaining with his sarcasm and his sharp talent for observation. It went dark before they noticed it.

They were just discussing various methods of teaching – Severus gave Remus a few laughs when he described his desperate struggle with some not very adepted potion students – when the Griffindor noticed something horrifying. A gasp interrupted the story about a completely failing Hufflebuff.

"What is the matter?" Severus asked worried, when he saw the white face of his new friend.

Remus pointed out of the little window:" The full moon is rising."

They looked at each other horrified. In the whole chaos they had forgotten the time of the month. Remus began to shake: Not again – and this time James wasn´t there to safe the day. Worse, this time not only Snape was in danger, but everyone in the castle.

"You must stop me," he pleaded, " Severus, oblivate me, stun me, curse me. Whatever. But stop me."

Severus frowned – there was little magic which could stop a werewolf for a longer period of time and there was nothing which would leave the Griffindor unharmed. The only possibility was the potion…

His tests had proved that it wasn´t poisonous, but if it worked was entirely another question. But it was their last chance.

Remus was shaking more and more and looked up as something was shaved into his hand.

"Drink that."

"What?" he starred at Snape without comprehending.

"Just trust me."

Still not understanding he compiled and coughed:"That´s horrible."

"I know. Just drink the potion."

He had just time to finish the potion, then the transformation began. Severus watched him in horror. He had never known how painful it was to transform into a werewolf.

In the end a very big werewolf stand before him. A werewolf he remembered only too well. He felt cool sweat on his forehead, but he forced himself not to run. Instead he just pointed with his wand in the direction of the werewolf and asked softly:"Remus?"

Remus looked around, his senses sharper than he had ever exprienced, because he had never been in his senses before, when he was a werewolf. But now Severus had just given him something … Severus!

Remus POV

The potionsmaster was about four feet away from me. I could smell his fear coming off him like waves. I wanted nothing more than to bounce on him and lick his face. This potion made me safe forever! But that was likely to give him an heart-attack. So I tried to look as harmless as possible and gave a soft woof.

"Remus, can you hear me?"

I nodded so often that I felt a bit dizzy. Severus carefully reached out with one hand, still not trusting me, but a bit calmed about the fact that I still hadn´t tried to eat him. I sniffed at his hand. It smelled of herbs and also of Severus' own smell. I began to lick his hand and Severus stiffened, but didn´t try to pull back. After a while he reached out his other hand. Very slowly he reached out to my head and began to stroke me between my ears. A very pleasant feeling. If I had been a cat, I would have purred. As wolf I just rolled on my back exposing my vulnerable belly to Severus. The Slytherin actually began to smile when he sat down beside me and began to scratch my belly. I could get used to it, I decided.

After a while he yawned:" Personally, I'm very tired. Now that we have proved that you aren´t dangerous, I suppose I can go to bed. You better stay here. We wouldn´t like to start a mass panic, would we?"

I whined a bit, but of course he was right. I tried to find a good position on the heath rug but couldn´t get comfortable. But there was still another opportunity. I followod Severus´ scent quietly and headed into his bedroom. With a hind of misieve in my mind I sprang unto the bed.

Severus snorted:" Lupin, this is my bed. What do you think you are doing?"

"Warming your feet," I thought, " and you certainly need that. They are as cold as ice."

Severus seemed to see my point, because he leaned back with a snort.

We setteld down and fell asleep quickly.

End POV

Severus POV

I woke up with a start and needed a while before I realized that it had been Lupin´s transformantion, which woke me. He looked very exhausted and was shivering, so I wrapped him into the blankets and held him close until he stopped shivering.

"Thirsty?"

Remus nodded, so I got up and brought him a glass of fresh water which he drowned thankfully.

Than he looked at me seriously:" What have you done last night?"

"It´s complicated," I didn´t watch out," sorry, I put you in an awful danger because the potion had never been tested before, but I didn´t know what to do. I´m sorry …"

"Don´t," Remus took my hands and looked at me with awe," do you realize what you have done? What that means to me? I can stay human in my mind. I´ll never come to my senses again to hear that I´ve killed someone. That´s all I ever wished and you made it possible with your potion. I never have been more grateful in my whole life."

With that he nearly jumped on me and hugged me tightly.

"You are welcome, " I mumbled embarrased, not used to be embarassed at all.

"I never thought something like that could be possible, " Remus didn´t show any intention to let me go,"how did you manage that?"

"It´s a bit complicated, and I´ve worked on it for some years."

"For years, "Remus echoed," but you are just a half year here as a teacher. Wait, you started it after I nearly killed you, right?"

The hurt expression in Remus´ face was hard to watch. I reached out with my hand caressing his cheek:" Don´t worry anymore. I know that it wasn´t your fault."

"But I could have killed you so easily. I …"

"Don't worry," I whispered," I´m not angry with you anymore." To my surprise I realised that this was the truth.

"I overreacted a bit, too."

You had every right to be angry with us," Remus smiled at me, "but it´s good that you´ve overcome your bitterness. It was hurting you. And I don´t like to see you hurt. Even when I was too much a coward to help you. I´m sorry."

"All of you apologized to me already and forgave you. Everything is settled."

"Not everything I believe," Remus bent forward to place a kiss on Severus ´ lips.

End POV

For a moment the Slytherin was frozen but then he pulled Remus near and kissed him hungrily, as if it was something he had wanted for ages. And maybe he had actually. They broke apart panting and looked at each other as if they would see each other for the first time. Remus smiled gently and kissed his cheeks, his nose, his brow. Severus closed his eyes and enjoyed the caresses. No one ever had touched him so lovingly. They began to explore their bodies and spend a long time stroking, kissing and petting each other, before they decided it was time to move on.

It was Remus who was guiding both of them to find their release. After performing a quick cleaning charm he pulled Severus back in his arms

A while they drifted just near sleep, sated and content, but a bit confused. Severus who had buried his head in Remus´ chest, finally murmured : "That was perfect and felt good, but it was a bit …"

"Everything was rather suddenly," Remus stroked his hair, "I didn´t mean to spring on you like that, Severus. Did I frighten you:"

"Not really, …"

"Would it help if I held you a bit?"

"I believe it would help a lot."

Remus smiled and gathered Severus closer, stroking his back. Slowly they drifted into slumber once more.

Lucius, Sirius and James came back around eight, content with their fullfilled mission. When they came to the guest quarter Albus had given them, Lily and Narcissa were already waiting for them.

"Has everything gone well?"

"Yes, we really surprised them."

"Good, you have to tell us everything. But now you must be hungry. We´ll get your breakfeast for eating here."

"Good idea, "James grinned, " I´m starving. But where is Remus?"

"I think he wanted to visit Severus," Lily told them and Narcissa added: " I believe he fled from all the crying children."

When the women moved away, Sirius laughed:" Poor Remus. A pity that he missed the action."

"Yes, but last night was full moon anyway, "James stopped dead, when he realized what he had just said. He and Sirius exchanged an horrified glance, than they ran down to the dungeons followed by Lucius.

"How could we forget that?" James groaned, as he thumped at the door," if anything happened to Severus …."

The door was spellocked and neighter of them had enough patience to disarm the charm. A douple alohambra let the door splinter in all directions. Remus and Severus nealy fell out of bed when Sirius and James crashed on the rug into the bedroom. For a moment all four of them stared at each other.

"Morning – James – Sirius - Lucius," said Remus after a while, " did your mission go well?"

"Yes, " James answered without looking away, " but at the moment we are more interested in what was going on here? We were afraid that Severus was eaten by you."

"Yes, it could have happened. But Severus found a cure for it."

"Really, " Sirius could understand what that meant to Remus, "how?"

"He developed a potion which allows me to keep my mind during the transformation."

"Wow, " James gave Severus a squeeze, " you were always bright, but that´s extraodinary.

That´s worth a party, but now we would like to have a bit more explanation."

"Yes, it´s just I … him … us…" began Severus.

"Hang on, Severus Snape stuttering, is quiet a sight," Sirius´joke lessened the tension a bit.

"I think we understand quite well what is going on – even the Griffindors, "Lucius smiled gently, "you are both contend about that, aren´t you?"

Both nodded.

"Fine, we´ll need some time to get used to it. But we accept it of course."

"You´ll really?" Severus looked very vulnerable for a moment and Remus gave him a hug.

"Of course ," Sirius reassured him ," and what do you think about breakfeast in our rooms?"

"Good idea. We will come in a minute."

"Okay, let´s leave the lovebirds alone. But don´t take the whole morning."