DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or settings appearing in this fic, nor do I own the lyrics. This fic contains male/male sexual and romantic situations… And writing witty disclaimers is hard…
DEDICATION: There's really no one I can dedicate this to. Wait, yes there is! This is for the people who decided to have the first week of school to be "bonding time." Yes, thank you, I'll be bonding with my word processor…
AUTHOR NOTE: Thank you for all the reviews! I actually thought the last chapter was rather weak, but I see that some of you don't agree with me. And I think I'm OCing Snape, but I don't care. I want a happy ending, dammit! But… I'm not sure if it'll work out. I hope it will! And Lucius will be making an appearance later on in the fic, but I have no idea how to portray him. I want to give him motives for what he *will* do in the end, but I don't know how. Oh well, I'll think of something. And I said 'but' too many times in that paragraph.
****
"A voice from the past, joining yours and mine
Adding up the layers of harmony
And so it goes, on and on
Melodies of life,
To the sky beyond the flying birds--forever and beyond."
- Melodies of Life, Final Fantasy IX
****
For the rest of the day, Snape never brought up or clarified his statement regarding his intelligence. Did he know? Did he know and genuinely didn't care? That didn't sound at all like Severus, Lupin concluded. Perhaps he was alluding to something different entirely, but still, it did make him wonder.
Around five or six o'clock, after taking a dose of the Polyjuice Potion, Lupin hurried down to the dungeons to see if Severus would care for an early dinner. He had *other* plans for the night, plans that he felt could not be interrupted by something as trivial as supper. Knocking impatiently on the heavy door, Remus rocked back and forth anxiously on his heels. What the Devil was taking him so long? Slowly, the door creaked open and there stood Snape.
"Lucius." The dark-eyed man greeted sullenly, ushering him into his quarters with a nod. He seemed… Rather disappointed with something. Not that his demeanor had changed noticeably, he was always quite grim, but he had once again begun to note the little changes in Snape's attitude.
"Severus. I was thinking that we could dine early so that the rest of our evening could be free."
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait for a little while. I need to go deliver the Wolfsbane Potion to Lupin," The potions master answered monotonously, gesturing to a dramatically smoking goblet on his desk. "But it will only take me a few moments."
Remus' brain took quite a while to process the information he was given before his adrenaline kicked in. He… Tonight? He was caught! He still had at least thirty or so minutes before the potion would wear off and here Snape was, about to go looking for him! If only he hadn't been so stupid! He should have remembered! But this was no time to berate himself, he needed to keep a cool head and defer Severus' attention. Yes, all he needed to do was stall him until the tonic's effect had nearly worn off and then he could run all the way to his room, changing as quickly as he could and fake a head cold. It would work! It had to!
"Lucius? I knew you'd be shocked that that beast was still here. But he'll be gone by the start of the new term, I assure you," Snape stated, his voice filled with ice.
"O-Oh… That's good…" Remus mumbled, clearing the dejected expression from his visage and replacing it with a wide smirk. He sauntered predatorily towards Severus, beginning to work the first button of his robe off. "He can wait, Severus. Just a while, I'm sure you've made the potion strong enough for it to last."
"Of course, but-" Lupin silenced him with a slow kiss, working his skilled fingers across the professor's chest, unfastening Snape's robes as well. "You can't possibly turn me down…"
"Of course not, Lucius," The potions master said, his voice rather hushed. The buttons were coming off swiftly now and Remus turned his attention to the newly revealed bare skin. "I'm glad you dressed lighter today. I don't think I could've waited very long," Planting a smooth kiss on the column of Snape's throat and working his way down, Lupin shivered as he felt a hand entwine itself in his hair. His skin was so soft, so unaltered by time, it was just as he remembered it. Every feathery kiss set upon it filled Remus with a passion that had been extinguished for such a long time. This was what he had needed, what he had craved with all of his being. Darting a nimble tongue over Severus' breastbone, Lupin was caught off guard when the potions master's hand lifted his chin and met his lips with a kiss of his own. So, this was not to be rushed, Remus pondered. Well, they could continue what they started after he had taken the Wolfsbane.
Snape's tongue pressed hesitantly against Remus' lips, gently caressing them as he pleaded for an entrance. Lupin obliged him and met the tongue with his own, toying with it in a teasing manner before giving into his own passion. It had been such a long time, such a horrible wait that Remus couldn't help himself from gruffly propelling Severus onto the bed and mounting him. Feverously dragging his hands up and down the sides of Snape's torso, the werewolf pulled out of the kiss to gaze through lust-hazed eyes at the man beneath him. His chest rose and fell with the hurried breaths he was taking and his mouth was opened ever-so-slightly, a teasing reminder of the kiss he had just ended. He needed more!
Bending to trace his tongue around the circumference of Snape's nipple, Lupin delighted when the professor let out a quiet, shuddering moan. The werewolf then proceeded to bite down on it, causing Severus to squirm beneath him. He must be use to being the subordinate, Remus pondered, having Lucius for a lover. There Lupin would be happy to oblige him. Trailing sloppy kisses down the dark-eyed man's abdomen, he paused when he made it to the hem of his trousers. No, he could not go any farther. He had put himself in a precarious position. Lupin didn't have enough time to finish what he had started, nor could he go back to his room. The potion had at least another fifteen minutes left in it, and Remus had never been a very quick lover. It seemed that he always knew of a difficulty to set himself up for.
"Come, we'll go for dinner, than you may see to the werewolf. I'm weak with hunger," Lupin panted, dismally peeling himself away from Severus. So close, he had been so close…
"You didn't seem very weak a second ago," Snape tossed, his face turned down into a scowl.
Remus simply shrugged and saw to straightening his robes before leaning against the bedpost, a mock uninterested expression of his countenance. Oh, how he wanted to just jump back onto that bed and… But now was not the time.
Once Severus became decent, Lupin hurried up to the dining hall, beckoning for Snape to match his pace. He would have to eat quickly…
****
"I'm feeling a little queasy, perhaps I'll go lie down."
Snape simply glared at Remus, inhaling audibly and arching one eyebrow. "You said, not ten minutes ago, that you were feeling 'weak with hunger.' You are beginning to wear on my nerves."
"Truly sorry, I am, but with age comes a gentle stomach…" Lupin seized the opportunity to stow away, summoning as much strength as he could muster to get back to his bedroom. Dinner had been uncomfortable. All he could do was think about going back down to the dungeons and fulfilling his fantasies, which brought about problems, considering he was sitting next to Minerva. That's all that he needed right now, to be lectured on how improper something like that was at the dinner table. He wasn't five years old and she wasn't his mother.
Jumping out of Lucius' robes and hurling them into his closet, Remus shrugged into a shoddy night-gown before padding into the bathroom. Yes, he had begun to change back. It was, all in all, a rather strange sight to watch. Things didn't happen all at once, features just seemed to ripple until they somewhat resembled his own face. The process only took a few minutes, but it was like an eternity watching.
Safely under the covers of his bed, Remus sighed, glancing around the room anxiously. Hope he hurries, Lupin grumbled in thought. He couldn't hold out for much longer. But within a few moments, there was a rapt knock in the door, to which he cleared his throat and bade him enter.
"Oh, Severus, forgive me for my indecent attire. You see, I think I've been coming down with something, and I thought some bed rest would be the best cure."
"I see. Here," Snape hurriedly sat the goblet on Remus' nightstand and folded his arms.
"Impatient, I see," He chuckled, grasping the chalice with one hand, raising it to his lips and taking a deep swallow. It was like molten metal flowing down his throat, assaulting his senses and burning all the way down. But, at least he was used to taking this.
"Hmmph," Severus grunted, staring through severely narrowed eyes at Lupin. "I simply have more important matters to attend to."
Nodding while drinking the potion, the werewolf gasped once he had finished with it. He had learned to take the whole goblet-full in one gulp, thus getting it over and done with. But it had taken him a while to build up enough resistance against it to keep from choking to death. The potion master swept over to his bedside and snatched the glass away from Lupin before leaving the room without another word.
Once he was positive Snape had left, Remus hurled himself out of bed and rushed over to the closet to find one of his more expensive robes. This was impossible, he'd either have to beat Severus back to the dungeons or invent an excuse as to why he wasn't there. He could say that he was resting in his own rooms or had played it safe and gone up to the infirmary. But Lupin's thoughts began to haze as he was hit with a crashing wave of fatigue. He hadn't been sleepy a second ago, on the contrary, he had been wide awake. And now he was finding it exceedingly difficult to stay alert…
****
Remus woke fairly late in the morning, sprawled out before his closet with a crick in his neck. What had…? He had fallen asleep before he had the chance to get downstairs to see Snape! That was strange, the way his sleepiness had pounced on him all at once like he was under the influence of… He could have sworn aloud! Snape had laced the Wolfsbane Potion with a sleeping draught. Severus had been suspicious of his identity and had drugged the remedy to see if he had been right. And when Lucius didn't appear in his quarters, he knew the truth. Caught, he had been caught finally.
"Well… It was nice while it lasted…"
****
Lupin was at ill ease at the breakfast table, cautiously glancing around as though he was suspicious of something. It was the first time he had left his room while retaining his own form in days and for some unknown reason, he felt naked under everyone's discerning eyes. Well, that didn't matter now, he needed to speak to Snape.
He managed to catch the professor on his way out, grabbing him by the arm forcefully. Remus was suddenly possessed of an anger that had been nonexistent a moment ago. "Severus, a word, if I may."
"Let go of me!" Snape yelled, twisting his arm away from Lupin indignantly, a look of fury on his face. "How dare you!"
"I'd like to discus the matter of the potion you made for me yesterday."
"What about it?!"
"I'd like to know why you laced it with a sleeping draught."
"If you must know, Pomfrey asked me to. She thought you were looking worse than usual, so I did. Forgive me for doing what I was bloody told," The words were spit and Severus crossed his arms. "I'm sure anything else you have to say can wait. I have business in Hogsmeade and later, a meeting with Lucius." And with that, the black-haired man stormed out of the hall, slamming the heavy front door in his wake.
Remus leaned against one of the large stone pillars in the lobby and let out a careful sigh. He still knew no more than he did five minutes ago. His reason for drugging him could be a lie or could be half-true, Poppy *had* asked him to knock him out, but Snape still had his own motives. As for the bit about 'business with Lucius,' this brought about a whole new set of worries. Had the real Malfoy come for another one of his visits? It was still early in the month, but he couldn't be sure of anything. This was getting rather complicated.
Deciding that a walk would be the best way to clear his head, for it was still a bit fuzzy from the potion, Remus wandered out of Hogwarts and into the gardens. They really were beautiful, with every variety of exotic flower you could imagine planted in quaint little rows. It was like something from a fairy tale, Lupin mused. He trailed off down a forgotten path, cutting through layers of brush to finally end up by the lake. With a small sigh, Remus noted the tree that he had been sitting under with Severus yesterday afternoon. The werewolf meandered over to it, leaning against the trunk and delving into memory.
He was roused from thought after a short while by the deep bark of what sounded like a large dog. It was… rather familiar… Sirius! Spinning to see 'Snuffles' bounding at him, barking like mad, Lupin let out an ecstatic cry and fell to his knees to greet his old friend. The shaggy black dog leaped into his arms, showering him with wet kisses and yipping happily. All Remus could do was laugh until he started to cry. He hadn't seen Sirius since that night at the end of his first, and only, year teaching at Hogwarts.
Sirius tugged at his sleeve and attempted to drag him into a nearby bush until Lupin stood and walked over it to himself. Once inside the tangled brambles, he watched as the dog transformed back into a human, blushing slightly when he was faced with Sirius completely naked.
"Remmie!" He screamed, wrapping Lupin in a suffocating embrace. Pulling away from him, Lupin could see how happy Sirius was to see him, for his eyes were actually twinkling. "I've missed you so much! I heard about what that smarmy git Snape did to you! If I'd have been there, I'd have-"
"Sirius, calm down," Lupin cooed, his expression soothing and rather relaxed. "I'm fine. Dumbledore even let me stay until the students come back. He's been very kind about all of this, really…"
"I heard."
"You did? News really does travel quickly…" Remus murmured, a wide smile plastered on his face. "So how have you been? You look much better and you seem happier too."
"Oh, I am, I am! I'm doing very well, all things considered," The fugitive replied, with a grin to match Lupin's. "I came to see Harry, but you said the term hasn't started yet. Huh. Must've lost track of the date again."
"I see. Well, I'm glad I ran into you, things have been… interesting."
"How so?"
"Oh… Just… personal matters, that's all," He did not want to talk to Sirius about Snape and what he was currently doing with him. That's all he needed right now, a lecture on why 'that greasy git doesn't deserve you, Remmie!'
"Personal matters? What, you can't tell me?" Sirius looked slightly offended by the statement. "I mean, I'm your best friend! Must be pretty personal, then."
"It is."
"Is it a girl? Or a boy, I'm alright with you being like that."
Sirius had always been annoyingly supportive of Remus being a devoted bisexual and usually verbally (or physically, on some occasions) bashed anyone who made the slightest comment about it.
"I suppose you could say that, yes. But it's nothing I'm ready to speak on," Lupin added a mental 'with you.'
"I guess I understand. Or not, I wouldn't know the first thing about dating these days, what with being on romantic hiatus for, oh, twelve years…"
How he could manage to joke about a twelve-year prison sentence in Azkaban was beyond the ex-professor, but he supposed it was a good sign. "Alright."
"So… Other than that, what have you been up to? I'm dying to hear about anything that's going on. I'm so bloody starved for conversation I'd talk to just about anybody now!"
"That's flattering…"
"I didn't mean it like that, Remmie, it's just…"
"I know."
"So who is it? This mystery… person."
"I'm not about to tell you, Sirius Black. And it's rather complicated," Remus was a bit forlorn about not being able to inform Sirius, but it was all for the best. He couldn't have him fuming and threatening to kill poor Severus…
"C'mon, Remmie. Why won't you tell me? It's not like it's Snape or anything."
"You'd be right there…"
"Well, then I don't care. He's the only one of your… significant others, I guess, that I ever had a problem with. And I still say you were off your nut for liking him in the first place. You were like… a masochist or something."
Lupin stayed silent and hugged his knees to his chest, letting out a shaky breath. "I suppose…"
"Alright, now why won't you tell me? It's not like it's me or anything," Sirius paused, his eyes widening, "It isn't me, is it?"
Remus burst into laughter at the thought and cast a cynical glance at Sirius. "That egotistical, hmmm? No, it's not you. I know better."
"You didn't have to laugh so hard…" He mumbled dejectedly, turning his gaze in the other direction.
"I'm sorry. But… it was rather funny…"
"If all you're going to do is insult me, I think I'll be going now!" Sirius announced dramatically, turning his back on Lupin. Remus laced both arms around his friend's shoulders and stifled another chuckle.
"Sirius, stop being so juvenile. Come now, can't we just talk like we used to? I'm tired, Sirius, very tired and I've no one to talk to. I'm sure you can relate." Sirius gave a small nod in reply. "Then just stay a while and we'll… chat." Lupin stated primly, laughing a bit at his phrasing. "Please?"
"Fine, let's 'chat.' But I still say it's me."
****
The two talked for the greater part of the afternoon before Sirius decided he'd better leave. Waving goodbye to the hirsute canine, Remus sighed. It had taken a weight off of his mind, talking like that with Sirius. He felt rather refreshed, invigorated even. Perhaps that night, he and Severus could have a moonlight picnic…
TBC
****
END NOTE: Due to a reviewer's request, I made this chapter longer than I would have. And that was my little 'haha' at Sirius/Lupin. *is avid Snape/Lupin shipper* And I think Sirius will be causing a bit of trouble in the next chapter…
DEDICATION: There's really no one I can dedicate this to. Wait, yes there is! This is for the people who decided to have the first week of school to be "bonding time." Yes, thank you, I'll be bonding with my word processor…
AUTHOR NOTE: Thank you for all the reviews! I actually thought the last chapter was rather weak, but I see that some of you don't agree with me. And I think I'm OCing Snape, but I don't care. I want a happy ending, dammit! But… I'm not sure if it'll work out. I hope it will! And Lucius will be making an appearance later on in the fic, but I have no idea how to portray him. I want to give him motives for what he *will* do in the end, but I don't know how. Oh well, I'll think of something. And I said 'but' too many times in that paragraph.
****
"A voice from the past, joining yours and mine
Adding up the layers of harmony
And so it goes, on and on
Melodies of life,
To the sky beyond the flying birds--forever and beyond."
- Melodies of Life, Final Fantasy IX
****
For the rest of the day, Snape never brought up or clarified his statement regarding his intelligence. Did he know? Did he know and genuinely didn't care? That didn't sound at all like Severus, Lupin concluded. Perhaps he was alluding to something different entirely, but still, it did make him wonder.
Around five or six o'clock, after taking a dose of the Polyjuice Potion, Lupin hurried down to the dungeons to see if Severus would care for an early dinner. He had *other* plans for the night, plans that he felt could not be interrupted by something as trivial as supper. Knocking impatiently on the heavy door, Remus rocked back and forth anxiously on his heels. What the Devil was taking him so long? Slowly, the door creaked open and there stood Snape.
"Lucius." The dark-eyed man greeted sullenly, ushering him into his quarters with a nod. He seemed… Rather disappointed with something. Not that his demeanor had changed noticeably, he was always quite grim, but he had once again begun to note the little changes in Snape's attitude.
"Severus. I was thinking that we could dine early so that the rest of our evening could be free."
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait for a little while. I need to go deliver the Wolfsbane Potion to Lupin," The potions master answered monotonously, gesturing to a dramatically smoking goblet on his desk. "But it will only take me a few moments."
Remus' brain took quite a while to process the information he was given before his adrenaline kicked in. He… Tonight? He was caught! He still had at least thirty or so minutes before the potion would wear off and here Snape was, about to go looking for him! If only he hadn't been so stupid! He should have remembered! But this was no time to berate himself, he needed to keep a cool head and defer Severus' attention. Yes, all he needed to do was stall him until the tonic's effect had nearly worn off and then he could run all the way to his room, changing as quickly as he could and fake a head cold. It would work! It had to!
"Lucius? I knew you'd be shocked that that beast was still here. But he'll be gone by the start of the new term, I assure you," Snape stated, his voice filled with ice.
"O-Oh… That's good…" Remus mumbled, clearing the dejected expression from his visage and replacing it with a wide smirk. He sauntered predatorily towards Severus, beginning to work the first button of his robe off. "He can wait, Severus. Just a while, I'm sure you've made the potion strong enough for it to last."
"Of course, but-" Lupin silenced him with a slow kiss, working his skilled fingers across the professor's chest, unfastening Snape's robes as well. "You can't possibly turn me down…"
"Of course not, Lucius," The potions master said, his voice rather hushed. The buttons were coming off swiftly now and Remus turned his attention to the newly revealed bare skin. "I'm glad you dressed lighter today. I don't think I could've waited very long," Planting a smooth kiss on the column of Snape's throat and working his way down, Lupin shivered as he felt a hand entwine itself in his hair. His skin was so soft, so unaltered by time, it was just as he remembered it. Every feathery kiss set upon it filled Remus with a passion that had been extinguished for such a long time. This was what he had needed, what he had craved with all of his being. Darting a nimble tongue over Severus' breastbone, Lupin was caught off guard when the potions master's hand lifted his chin and met his lips with a kiss of his own. So, this was not to be rushed, Remus pondered. Well, they could continue what they started after he had taken the Wolfsbane.
Snape's tongue pressed hesitantly against Remus' lips, gently caressing them as he pleaded for an entrance. Lupin obliged him and met the tongue with his own, toying with it in a teasing manner before giving into his own passion. It had been such a long time, such a horrible wait that Remus couldn't help himself from gruffly propelling Severus onto the bed and mounting him. Feverously dragging his hands up and down the sides of Snape's torso, the werewolf pulled out of the kiss to gaze through lust-hazed eyes at the man beneath him. His chest rose and fell with the hurried breaths he was taking and his mouth was opened ever-so-slightly, a teasing reminder of the kiss he had just ended. He needed more!
Bending to trace his tongue around the circumference of Snape's nipple, Lupin delighted when the professor let out a quiet, shuddering moan. The werewolf then proceeded to bite down on it, causing Severus to squirm beneath him. He must be use to being the subordinate, Remus pondered, having Lucius for a lover. There Lupin would be happy to oblige him. Trailing sloppy kisses down the dark-eyed man's abdomen, he paused when he made it to the hem of his trousers. No, he could not go any farther. He had put himself in a precarious position. Lupin didn't have enough time to finish what he had started, nor could he go back to his room. The potion had at least another fifteen minutes left in it, and Remus had never been a very quick lover. It seemed that he always knew of a difficulty to set himself up for.
"Come, we'll go for dinner, than you may see to the werewolf. I'm weak with hunger," Lupin panted, dismally peeling himself away from Severus. So close, he had been so close…
"You didn't seem very weak a second ago," Snape tossed, his face turned down into a scowl.
Remus simply shrugged and saw to straightening his robes before leaning against the bedpost, a mock uninterested expression of his countenance. Oh, how he wanted to just jump back onto that bed and… But now was not the time.
Once Severus became decent, Lupin hurried up to the dining hall, beckoning for Snape to match his pace. He would have to eat quickly…
****
"I'm feeling a little queasy, perhaps I'll go lie down."
Snape simply glared at Remus, inhaling audibly and arching one eyebrow. "You said, not ten minutes ago, that you were feeling 'weak with hunger.' You are beginning to wear on my nerves."
"Truly sorry, I am, but with age comes a gentle stomach…" Lupin seized the opportunity to stow away, summoning as much strength as he could muster to get back to his bedroom. Dinner had been uncomfortable. All he could do was think about going back down to the dungeons and fulfilling his fantasies, which brought about problems, considering he was sitting next to Minerva. That's all that he needed right now, to be lectured on how improper something like that was at the dinner table. He wasn't five years old and she wasn't his mother.
Jumping out of Lucius' robes and hurling them into his closet, Remus shrugged into a shoddy night-gown before padding into the bathroom. Yes, he had begun to change back. It was, all in all, a rather strange sight to watch. Things didn't happen all at once, features just seemed to ripple until they somewhat resembled his own face. The process only took a few minutes, but it was like an eternity watching.
Safely under the covers of his bed, Remus sighed, glancing around the room anxiously. Hope he hurries, Lupin grumbled in thought. He couldn't hold out for much longer. But within a few moments, there was a rapt knock in the door, to which he cleared his throat and bade him enter.
"Oh, Severus, forgive me for my indecent attire. You see, I think I've been coming down with something, and I thought some bed rest would be the best cure."
"I see. Here," Snape hurriedly sat the goblet on Remus' nightstand and folded his arms.
"Impatient, I see," He chuckled, grasping the chalice with one hand, raising it to his lips and taking a deep swallow. It was like molten metal flowing down his throat, assaulting his senses and burning all the way down. But, at least he was used to taking this.
"Hmmph," Severus grunted, staring through severely narrowed eyes at Lupin. "I simply have more important matters to attend to."
Nodding while drinking the potion, the werewolf gasped once he had finished with it. He had learned to take the whole goblet-full in one gulp, thus getting it over and done with. But it had taken him a while to build up enough resistance against it to keep from choking to death. The potion master swept over to his bedside and snatched the glass away from Lupin before leaving the room without another word.
Once he was positive Snape had left, Remus hurled himself out of bed and rushed over to the closet to find one of his more expensive robes. This was impossible, he'd either have to beat Severus back to the dungeons or invent an excuse as to why he wasn't there. He could say that he was resting in his own rooms or had played it safe and gone up to the infirmary. But Lupin's thoughts began to haze as he was hit with a crashing wave of fatigue. He hadn't been sleepy a second ago, on the contrary, he had been wide awake. And now he was finding it exceedingly difficult to stay alert…
****
Remus woke fairly late in the morning, sprawled out before his closet with a crick in his neck. What had…? He had fallen asleep before he had the chance to get downstairs to see Snape! That was strange, the way his sleepiness had pounced on him all at once like he was under the influence of… He could have sworn aloud! Snape had laced the Wolfsbane Potion with a sleeping draught. Severus had been suspicious of his identity and had drugged the remedy to see if he had been right. And when Lucius didn't appear in his quarters, he knew the truth. Caught, he had been caught finally.
"Well… It was nice while it lasted…"
****
Lupin was at ill ease at the breakfast table, cautiously glancing around as though he was suspicious of something. It was the first time he had left his room while retaining his own form in days and for some unknown reason, he felt naked under everyone's discerning eyes. Well, that didn't matter now, he needed to speak to Snape.
He managed to catch the professor on his way out, grabbing him by the arm forcefully. Remus was suddenly possessed of an anger that had been nonexistent a moment ago. "Severus, a word, if I may."
"Let go of me!" Snape yelled, twisting his arm away from Lupin indignantly, a look of fury on his face. "How dare you!"
"I'd like to discus the matter of the potion you made for me yesterday."
"What about it?!"
"I'd like to know why you laced it with a sleeping draught."
"If you must know, Pomfrey asked me to. She thought you were looking worse than usual, so I did. Forgive me for doing what I was bloody told," The words were spit and Severus crossed his arms. "I'm sure anything else you have to say can wait. I have business in Hogsmeade and later, a meeting with Lucius." And with that, the black-haired man stormed out of the hall, slamming the heavy front door in his wake.
Remus leaned against one of the large stone pillars in the lobby and let out a careful sigh. He still knew no more than he did five minutes ago. His reason for drugging him could be a lie or could be half-true, Poppy *had* asked him to knock him out, but Snape still had his own motives. As for the bit about 'business with Lucius,' this brought about a whole new set of worries. Had the real Malfoy come for another one of his visits? It was still early in the month, but he couldn't be sure of anything. This was getting rather complicated.
Deciding that a walk would be the best way to clear his head, for it was still a bit fuzzy from the potion, Remus wandered out of Hogwarts and into the gardens. They really were beautiful, with every variety of exotic flower you could imagine planted in quaint little rows. It was like something from a fairy tale, Lupin mused. He trailed off down a forgotten path, cutting through layers of brush to finally end up by the lake. With a small sigh, Remus noted the tree that he had been sitting under with Severus yesterday afternoon. The werewolf meandered over to it, leaning against the trunk and delving into memory.
He was roused from thought after a short while by the deep bark of what sounded like a large dog. It was… rather familiar… Sirius! Spinning to see 'Snuffles' bounding at him, barking like mad, Lupin let out an ecstatic cry and fell to his knees to greet his old friend. The shaggy black dog leaped into his arms, showering him with wet kisses and yipping happily. All Remus could do was laugh until he started to cry. He hadn't seen Sirius since that night at the end of his first, and only, year teaching at Hogwarts.
Sirius tugged at his sleeve and attempted to drag him into a nearby bush until Lupin stood and walked over it to himself. Once inside the tangled brambles, he watched as the dog transformed back into a human, blushing slightly when he was faced with Sirius completely naked.
"Remmie!" He screamed, wrapping Lupin in a suffocating embrace. Pulling away from him, Lupin could see how happy Sirius was to see him, for his eyes were actually twinkling. "I've missed you so much! I heard about what that smarmy git Snape did to you! If I'd have been there, I'd have-"
"Sirius, calm down," Lupin cooed, his expression soothing and rather relaxed. "I'm fine. Dumbledore even let me stay until the students come back. He's been very kind about all of this, really…"
"I heard."
"You did? News really does travel quickly…" Remus murmured, a wide smile plastered on his face. "So how have you been? You look much better and you seem happier too."
"Oh, I am, I am! I'm doing very well, all things considered," The fugitive replied, with a grin to match Lupin's. "I came to see Harry, but you said the term hasn't started yet. Huh. Must've lost track of the date again."
"I see. Well, I'm glad I ran into you, things have been… interesting."
"How so?"
"Oh… Just… personal matters, that's all," He did not want to talk to Sirius about Snape and what he was currently doing with him. That's all he needed right now, a lecture on why 'that greasy git doesn't deserve you, Remmie!'
"Personal matters? What, you can't tell me?" Sirius looked slightly offended by the statement. "I mean, I'm your best friend! Must be pretty personal, then."
"It is."
"Is it a girl? Or a boy, I'm alright with you being like that."
Sirius had always been annoyingly supportive of Remus being a devoted bisexual and usually verbally (or physically, on some occasions) bashed anyone who made the slightest comment about it.
"I suppose you could say that, yes. But it's nothing I'm ready to speak on," Lupin added a mental 'with you.'
"I guess I understand. Or not, I wouldn't know the first thing about dating these days, what with being on romantic hiatus for, oh, twelve years…"
How he could manage to joke about a twelve-year prison sentence in Azkaban was beyond the ex-professor, but he supposed it was a good sign. "Alright."
"So… Other than that, what have you been up to? I'm dying to hear about anything that's going on. I'm so bloody starved for conversation I'd talk to just about anybody now!"
"That's flattering…"
"I didn't mean it like that, Remmie, it's just…"
"I know."
"So who is it? This mystery… person."
"I'm not about to tell you, Sirius Black. And it's rather complicated," Remus was a bit forlorn about not being able to inform Sirius, but it was all for the best. He couldn't have him fuming and threatening to kill poor Severus…
"C'mon, Remmie. Why won't you tell me? It's not like it's Snape or anything."
"You'd be right there…"
"Well, then I don't care. He's the only one of your… significant others, I guess, that I ever had a problem with. And I still say you were off your nut for liking him in the first place. You were like… a masochist or something."
Lupin stayed silent and hugged his knees to his chest, letting out a shaky breath. "I suppose…"
"Alright, now why won't you tell me? It's not like it's me or anything," Sirius paused, his eyes widening, "It isn't me, is it?"
Remus burst into laughter at the thought and cast a cynical glance at Sirius. "That egotistical, hmmm? No, it's not you. I know better."
"You didn't have to laugh so hard…" He mumbled dejectedly, turning his gaze in the other direction.
"I'm sorry. But… it was rather funny…"
"If all you're going to do is insult me, I think I'll be going now!" Sirius announced dramatically, turning his back on Lupin. Remus laced both arms around his friend's shoulders and stifled another chuckle.
"Sirius, stop being so juvenile. Come now, can't we just talk like we used to? I'm tired, Sirius, very tired and I've no one to talk to. I'm sure you can relate." Sirius gave a small nod in reply. "Then just stay a while and we'll… chat." Lupin stated primly, laughing a bit at his phrasing. "Please?"
"Fine, let's 'chat.' But I still say it's me."
****
The two talked for the greater part of the afternoon before Sirius decided he'd better leave. Waving goodbye to the hirsute canine, Remus sighed. It had taken a weight off of his mind, talking like that with Sirius. He felt rather refreshed, invigorated even. Perhaps that night, he and Severus could have a moonlight picnic…
TBC
****
END NOTE: Due to a reviewer's request, I made this chapter longer than I would have. And that was my little 'haha' at Sirius/Lupin. *is avid Snape/Lupin shipper* And I think Sirius will be causing a bit of trouble in the next chapter…