Chapter Nineteen
In which Remus goes werewolf again
Remus held the smoking goblet for a moment and made a face at Ginny as he rinsed the cup and returned it to Snape's desk. By his estimate the transformation would be taking place soon. It was difficult to guess without being able to see the evening sky or smell fresh air from the outdoors. And he still didn't know how he felt about Ginny watching him change into a werewolf. Even his close friends had confessed to finding the sight somewhat disturbing. At least they had been honest. That was always important.
"Ginny, are you sure you want to watch this? You could go sit by the fire and wait for me. It only requires a few minutes, after all, and it isn't much of a show." Remus told her.
"Remus, I'm not afraid of you, but I will leave if you ask me to." she answered.
Remus smiled at her and shook his head, "You can stay. I just wanted to be sure that you were ready to see this."
"I am, or at least I think so." she said.
Ginny would never fail to surprise him. She was truly not concerned by the idea that he would transform into a werewolf right before her eyes in only a few minutes. He had offered her an easy way to avoid witnessing his change from man to werewolf, but she had refused to take it. But Remus didn't realize how strong her feelings were for him, no matter how many times she had kissed him that afternoon.
"I don't know how I should say this, but I want to thank you for not being afraid of this old werewolf and for ..." he said, looking down into her eyes; he could see nothing in them but compassion and trust, "looking at me with those eyes."
Her expression became slightly quizzical, but Remus only chuckled and kissed her before stepping away, feeling the familiar trembling of his limbs as the transformation began.
The sight of Remus becoming an extremely large wolf was somewhat disturbing to her, but she didn't flinch or turn away from him. She merely watched him, keeping her expression as neutral as possible. The comment about her eyes had made her somewhat self-conscious. She didn't want to him to find fear or anything else unpleasant in her gaze since it meant so much to him.
Ginny was surprised to hear Remus give a grunt or growl of pain as he changed before her eyes. She had never realized that there was pain involved in the transformation. She knelt and stroked his fur as the process was completed. He lay there for a moment, allowing her to run her fingers through his shaggy gray fur before nuzzling her hand with his nose. He whined softly as he rose from the floor.
"Are you all right then?" she asked him.
The werewolf nodded his head and padded toward the door to the other rooms.
"Do you want to go rest by the fireside then?"
The werewolf gave her an affirmative look and waited for Ginny to come to her feet before treading softly through the store room and into the parlor.
Severus had been napping, recovering his strength, with Hermione by his side, still reading through the potions' tome that Severus had risked his life to acquire and listening to the soft breaths of her professor. Then all of the sudden he found himself awake again, and his skin was prickling and tingling again. The sensation was stronger this time.
"Severus?" inquired Hermione, putting the book aside with a second thought. "Is it the wards again?" she asked.
"Remus must be changing. That always seems to draw undue attention from our fellow guests." he said, sitting up.
Hermione could tell that his strength had yet to return. She had coaxed him into taking another draught of healing potion before he had settled down for a little shut eye, but that had only soothed the pain, the beginnings of which she had seen return to his eyes even as she had kissed him.
"I suppose they can sense the presence of a Dark Creature. Maybe they are trying to make contact with him or something." shrugged Hermione.
"That must be it. It is folly, of course, but perhaps they believe that they sense an ally." said Severus, twisting uncomfortably as his skin crawled.
"Can I do anything to help?" she questioned.
Severus hesitated as he looked into her concerned brown eyes. The sensation would cease soon, he knew. It was not necessary to ask anything of her. He had borne intense pain before, and this was hardly even painful. It was irritating and caused him almost indescribable discomfort, but Severus did not wish to voice such a complaint to her again. He was afraid that she would perceive him as weak.
His reluctance to speak was noticeable. Hermione smiled, almost as though she understood some unspoken request that he had made. She lifted his hand and rubbed her fingers along the top of it. A sigh escaped his lips before he could control it. Touch, such a very simple thing, and the very thing that could still the pins that pricked at his flesh.
"Hermione ..."
"Is that better? Is it helping any?" she questioned, rubbing his arm upward toward his shoulder.
"Much better."
His eyes were beginning to close as she rubbed his shoulders. The instant comfort was more than his tired, wounded body could bear. The listening ears of the demons were going away, losing interest. Their uncomfortable testing of and prodding at his wards ceased. The fact that Remus had finished his transformation was dim in his suddenly sleepy mind. The potion and the gentle hands that were massaging his shoulders were taking effect rather rapidly. He heard a throaty feminine laugh somewhat distantly as the soothing hands slipped a pillow from behind him and eased him into a prone position. The top buttons of his robes were unfastened and his collar loosened. Soft lips kissed his forehead and sleep stole through his mind like mist through a garden.
Hermione was amazed at how quickly her charge began to drift away as she touched him. The needles and pins had robbed him of sleep, but she had been able to give it back. She admitted that the healing potion had probably helped with that. She knew that he was in need of as much rest as possible, though his color was beginning to return slowly along with his strength.
The hour was growing late. In the world where they belonged, day was giving way to night. She kissed Severus good-night as she acknowledged that the sunless day had been a long one. Extinguishing most of the candles that lit the room, Hermione curled up next to Severus and silently hoped that this night would be their last in the world of demons, but not their last together.
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A/N: A lot of things will be explained later.
Myranya: The mirror or mirrors could technically be moved in the 'normal' realm, but the one(s) in the demon realm would stay in the same place, unless a lot of complicated magic was invoked, which would probably require more ancient know-how than could be readily come up with. Of course, that is assuming that the other mirrors are in tact. But that was a great question! Thanks for reviewing!
Rosmerta: One does wonder what exactly became of Grindelwald. I don't think I should answer that. Thanks for the review!
Honey666: I am definitely doing an Albus/Minerva spin-off of this story. A companion piece. I have only read one Grindelwald-era story (Ozma's "Squib Aprentice") and there is precious little in canon about that time in wizarding history, so it's rather fun, new territory. Thank you very much for reviewing!
Mrs Daniel Radcliffe: Thanks for the review!
plastic: Er, um ... 'beat up old ladies for their pills'? I'm afraid to ask. Thank you for reviewing!
coolgirlchic16: You want a happy ending? Of course, everyone likes happy endings, but I never make any promises. Thanks for reviewing!
sstopper: You're welcome! Thank you for the review!
Yukito Forever: Thank you for reviewing!
LadySnape: I am pleased to know that you like the way I have written Snape. Thanks for reviewing!
In which Remus goes werewolf again
Remus held the smoking goblet for a moment and made a face at Ginny as he rinsed the cup and returned it to Snape's desk. By his estimate the transformation would be taking place soon. It was difficult to guess without being able to see the evening sky or smell fresh air from the outdoors. And he still didn't know how he felt about Ginny watching him change into a werewolf. Even his close friends had confessed to finding the sight somewhat disturbing. At least they had been honest. That was always important.
"Ginny, are you sure you want to watch this? You could go sit by the fire and wait for me. It only requires a few minutes, after all, and it isn't much of a show." Remus told her.
"Remus, I'm not afraid of you, but I will leave if you ask me to." she answered.
Remus smiled at her and shook his head, "You can stay. I just wanted to be sure that you were ready to see this."
"I am, or at least I think so." she said.
Ginny would never fail to surprise him. She was truly not concerned by the idea that he would transform into a werewolf right before her eyes in only a few minutes. He had offered her an easy way to avoid witnessing his change from man to werewolf, but she had refused to take it. But Remus didn't realize how strong her feelings were for him, no matter how many times she had kissed him that afternoon.
"I don't know how I should say this, but I want to thank you for not being afraid of this old werewolf and for ..." he said, looking down into her eyes; he could see nothing in them but compassion and trust, "looking at me with those eyes."
Her expression became slightly quizzical, but Remus only chuckled and kissed her before stepping away, feeling the familiar trembling of his limbs as the transformation began.
The sight of Remus becoming an extremely large wolf was somewhat disturbing to her, but she didn't flinch or turn away from him. She merely watched him, keeping her expression as neutral as possible. The comment about her eyes had made her somewhat self-conscious. She didn't want to him to find fear or anything else unpleasant in her gaze since it meant so much to him.
Ginny was surprised to hear Remus give a grunt or growl of pain as he changed before her eyes. She had never realized that there was pain involved in the transformation. She knelt and stroked his fur as the process was completed. He lay there for a moment, allowing her to run her fingers through his shaggy gray fur before nuzzling her hand with his nose. He whined softly as he rose from the floor.
"Are you all right then?" she asked him.
The werewolf nodded his head and padded toward the door to the other rooms.
"Do you want to go rest by the fireside then?"
The werewolf gave her an affirmative look and waited for Ginny to come to her feet before treading softly through the store room and into the parlor.
Severus had been napping, recovering his strength, with Hermione by his side, still reading through the potions' tome that Severus had risked his life to acquire and listening to the soft breaths of her professor. Then all of the sudden he found himself awake again, and his skin was prickling and tingling again. The sensation was stronger this time.
"Severus?" inquired Hermione, putting the book aside with a second thought. "Is it the wards again?" she asked.
"Remus must be changing. That always seems to draw undue attention from our fellow guests." he said, sitting up.
Hermione could tell that his strength had yet to return. She had coaxed him into taking another draught of healing potion before he had settled down for a little shut eye, but that had only soothed the pain, the beginnings of which she had seen return to his eyes even as she had kissed him.
"I suppose they can sense the presence of a Dark Creature. Maybe they are trying to make contact with him or something." shrugged Hermione.
"That must be it. It is folly, of course, but perhaps they believe that they sense an ally." said Severus, twisting uncomfortably as his skin crawled.
"Can I do anything to help?" she questioned.
Severus hesitated as he looked into her concerned brown eyes. The sensation would cease soon, he knew. It was not necessary to ask anything of her. He had borne intense pain before, and this was hardly even painful. It was irritating and caused him almost indescribable discomfort, but Severus did not wish to voice such a complaint to her again. He was afraid that she would perceive him as weak.
His reluctance to speak was noticeable. Hermione smiled, almost as though she understood some unspoken request that he had made. She lifted his hand and rubbed her fingers along the top of it. A sigh escaped his lips before he could control it. Touch, such a very simple thing, and the very thing that could still the pins that pricked at his flesh.
"Hermione ..."
"Is that better? Is it helping any?" she questioned, rubbing his arm upward toward his shoulder.
"Much better."
His eyes were beginning to close as she rubbed his shoulders. The instant comfort was more than his tired, wounded body could bear. The listening ears of the demons were going away, losing interest. Their uncomfortable testing of and prodding at his wards ceased. The fact that Remus had finished his transformation was dim in his suddenly sleepy mind. The potion and the gentle hands that were massaging his shoulders were taking effect rather rapidly. He heard a throaty feminine laugh somewhat distantly as the soothing hands slipped a pillow from behind him and eased him into a prone position. The top buttons of his robes were unfastened and his collar loosened. Soft lips kissed his forehead and sleep stole through his mind like mist through a garden.
Hermione was amazed at how quickly her charge began to drift away as she touched him. The needles and pins had robbed him of sleep, but she had been able to give it back. She admitted that the healing potion had probably helped with that. She knew that he was in need of as much rest as possible, though his color was beginning to return slowly along with his strength.
The hour was growing late. In the world where they belonged, day was giving way to night. She kissed Severus good-night as she acknowledged that the sunless day had been a long one. Extinguishing most of the candles that lit the room, Hermione curled up next to Severus and silently hoped that this night would be their last in the world of demons, but not their last together.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: A lot of things will be explained later.
Myranya: The mirror or mirrors could technically be moved in the 'normal' realm, but the one(s) in the demon realm would stay in the same place, unless a lot of complicated magic was invoked, which would probably require more ancient know-how than could be readily come up with. Of course, that is assuming that the other mirrors are in tact. But that was a great question! Thanks for reviewing!
Rosmerta: One does wonder what exactly became of Grindelwald. I don't think I should answer that. Thanks for the review!
Honey666: I am definitely doing an Albus/Minerva spin-off of this story. A companion piece. I have only read one Grindelwald-era story (Ozma's "Squib Aprentice") and there is precious little in canon about that time in wizarding history, so it's rather fun, new territory. Thank you very much for reviewing!
Mrs Daniel Radcliffe: Thanks for the review!
plastic: Er, um ... 'beat up old ladies for their pills'? I'm afraid to ask. Thank you for reviewing!
coolgirlchic16: You want a happy ending? Of course, everyone likes happy endings, but I never make any promises. Thanks for reviewing!
sstopper: You're welcome! Thank you for the review!
Yukito Forever: Thank you for reviewing!
LadySnape: I am pleased to know that you like the way I have written Snape. Thanks for reviewing!