Chapter 6.  The Silver Serpent

Lupin half expected Snape to argue for going home and giving up when they were ready to leave in the morning.  However, despite the fact that Snape had not closed his eyes until dawn, he was still ready to go at an early hour and seemed as eager as Lupin was to get on with their search.

Once downstairs, they had a quick breakfast and settled up with the proprietor.  He gave them more explicit directions as to how to find Lorca Zgreb's farm.  Then he delivered a final warning.

"You handled yourself well last night with Jenni, Wolf.  But you should keep to your word.  Be out of the area before sundown or your friend will suffer for it.  Jenni is never generous more than once."

Snape and Lupin exchanged sober glances and thanked the man for his advice.  Then they set off to find Lorca Zgreb.

The farm they came to, north of town, was very bleak and barren looking.  The house looked rundown and lifeless.  There was no indication of movement anywhere.  If not for the barman's assurance that Zgreb lived there, they would have judged it abandoned on sight.

When they drew closer though, they noticed a silver cross hanging over the door and garlic festooned around the windows.  Signs of the living desperately trying to keep out the dead.

Snape knocked on the door, and they waited for an answer.

"Who is it?"  A gruff male voice called through the wooden panel.

Lupin stepped forward.  "Mr. Zgreb?  We were directed here to you from the pub in the town.  We need to speak to you about something important."

There was a pause.  Then the door cracked open, and a middle aged man peered fearfully out.  "Who are you?  You aren't from around here."

Lupin smiled reassuringly.  "No, we aren't.  My name is Remus Lupin, Mr. Zgreb.  I bought the manuscript you sold in London.  I'd really like to talk to you about it."

Zgreb nodded and opened the door a bit wider.  "Oh.  What do you want to know about it?"

Snape stepped forward into Zgreb's line of vision, making him jump and flinch.  "No!  Stay away!"  Then he got a hold of himself.  "Oh, I'm sorry, for a minute you looked like…"  His voice trailed off.

Snape nodded, he'd heard that before.  It had never come so close to being true, though.  "I understand, but surely you realize that if I was one of those you fear, I could hardly show up at your door in the middle of the day.  I doubt they'd knock, either."

Zgreb nodded nervously.  "That's true, I guess.  What exactly do you want to ask me about the manuscript page?  I told the boy in the shop where I sold it everything I knew about it."

Snape nodded impatiently.  "Yes, everything except exactly where you found it.  We're seeking the book it came from."

Zgreb's face lost its color, and he shook his head vigorously.  "Oh no!  You only think you want that!  Believe me, if you went to where that book is, you'd fit in just fine, but you wouldn't be visiting me or anyone else during the day anymore!  No, you don't want to go there…very bad…very dangerous!"

Snape and Lupin exchanged glances.  Lupin took his turn.  "We understand what you mean, Mr. Zgreb, but we really need this book.  It won't be dangerous in the daytime.  If we stop wasting time, and you tell us how to get there, we can be away again long before dark.  Please, it's extremely important."

Zgreb licked his lips and his eyes darted around nervously.  "I'm sorry.  I can't help you.  I didn't actually get the manuscript myself."

Snape frowned menacingly and took a step closer to the nervous farmer.  "That's not what you told the person you sold the manuscript to.  He was under the impression that you'd torn that page out of a book in Salazar Slytherin's library yourself.  Now, Mr. Zgreb, why would you lie about that?  Or perhaps you're lying now?"

Zgreb began to shrink under Snape's intimidating glare.  He moved to close the door on them, but Lupin stepped forward to block it.  Snape seized Zgreb by the front of his shirt.

"Mr. Zgreb," Snape began in a low threatening tone.  "Do not fool with me.  I most assuredly am not in the mood.  I may not be what you mistook me for earlier, but I assure you I could do a great deal of damage to you if I chose."

Zgreb nodded haltingly, his eyes never leaving Snape's face.  Snape loosened his grip a bit.  "That's better.  Now, did that manuscript page come from Salazar Slytherin's private library or didn't it?"

Zgreb nodded vigorously.  "Yes, it did, I swear it!"

Snape smiled coldly.  "Good.  Now, you will tell us how to get there, and we will leave you in peace."

Zgreb grimaced.  "I can't.  I don't know exactly where it is.  It's in a castle up in the mountains somewhere.  My father was the one who actually got the page from the book…along with the other stuff I sold, but he's not been right in the head since he went there.  I sold that stuff to try to get some money to take care of him."

Lupin laid a hand on Snape's arm and smiled at Zgreb sympathetically.  "I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Zgreb.  Could we speak to your father?  Perhaps he could tell us what we want to know."

Zgreb swallowed nervously.  Snape released him, but did not retreat, and continued to glower darkly.  Zgreb looked pleadingly at Lupin.  "Uh…my father is very sick…scared out of his mind.  Nothing he says makes sense anymore…he just babbles.  He barely escaped from that vampire nest that once belonged to Slytherin.  He won't be able to help you either.  He used a Portkey to get there.  He brought it back from some trip he'd been on.  Thought it would lead him to riches!  All he got for his trouble was a bag of trinkets and the loss of his sanity.  We can't help you!  I never want to hear about Salazar Slytherin again for the rest of my life!  Now, please leave.  I've told you all I can."

Lupin glanced sadly at Snape and shrugged his shoulders in defeat.  "I guess it's a dead end then."

Snape shook his head.  "Not so fast, Lupin.  Mr. Zgreb, do you still have this Portkey?"

Zgreb nodded in confusion.  "Yes, but it doesn't work anymore.  It was a one time trip."

Snape nodded impatiently.  "Yes, I'm sure that's true.  Still I'd be willing to pay you for it, if you'd part with it."

"Pay me?  But it's worthless…I told you."

Snape held out a gold Galleon.  Zgreb looked at it and then shrugged.  "Okay.  I'll get it.  Wait here."

He vanished into the house, and they could hear him rummaging around in another room.  Lupin was puzzled.  What use did Snape hope to get from an expired Portkey?

Zgreb returned and laid the Portkey in Snape's hand as he extracted the Galleon.  The Portkey was silver, and it was in the form of a writhing serpent.  Snape gave Mr. Zgreb a small bow.  "Thank you, Mr. Zgreb.  We'll be on our way now.  Sorry to have troubled you, good day."

With that Lupin and Snape withdrew from the farmhouse, and Zgreb firmly closed the door behind them.

As they walked slowly down the path back to the road, Snape examined the Portkey minutely, and Lupin inquired curiously.  "What are you planning to do with that, Severus?  If it's expired, it can't take us to Slytherin's castle."

Snape looked up with a gleam in his eye.  "Oh, but it can, Lupin.  Have you heard of Priori Incantatem?"

Lupin nodded.  "Of course.  That spell shows the last spell performed by a wand.  How will that help us?"

Snape smiled slyly.  "There's a variant of that spell that can be used on enchanted objects.  In the case of Portkeys, it will bring up an image of the last place it was designed to transport someone to.  The image should be clear enough to use as a reference for apparition."

Lupin smiled.  "I presume you're familiar with this spell, Severus."

Snape nodded.  "I'd have hardly suggested it if I weren't.  Shall we try it?"

Lupin nodded happily and rubbed his hands together.  "No time like the present."

Snape drew out his wand and aimed it at the Portkey, which he held flat in his left hand. 

"Priori Transporto Incantatem."

There was a flash of blue light, and a wavering image of an imposing castle with a drawbridge appeared before their eyes.   They stared at it greedily, drinking in all of its details until it faded gently from sight.

Snape turned to Lupin.  "Well, was that sufficient, Lupin?"

Lupin nodded thoughtfully.  "I believe so.  Let's try it."

Snape nodded and put his wand away, and then both wizards disappeared abruptly from view.

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Author's Note:  Thank you to everyone who has continued to read my story!  I'm very encouraged by the wonderful response I've gotten.

Snapefan51:  Thank you.  I'm glad that my explanation of the finer points of being a werewolf made sense to you.  I always wonder if I'm truly getting my point across.  Their little discussion certainly gave Snape something to think about.

Mop Head and her Daemon:  Thank you.  I'm glad you like the way Lupin handled the vampires.  Snape wasn't quite as crazy about it.:)

White owl:  Thank you.  Don't worry too much about Snape.  He'll feel more like himself once the sun rises again.

The Jedi Wizard Hobbit:  Thank you.  I'm glad we see eye to eye about werewolves.  Interesting pen name, by the way.  I assume you are a Star Wars/Harry Potter/LOTR fan?

Veresna Ussep:  Thank you.  Snape definitely had to reexamine some preconceptions about werewolves.  It has made him view Lupin's quest in a new light.  Perhaps Lupin should listen to Snape and reexamine his goals as well.

A Snape Fan:  Thank you.  Snape definitely has gained some new found respect for Lupin's power and ability in human form.  I'm glad you plan to keep reading even though this is not a slash story.

Mar:  Thank you.  Lupin's goal of total elimination of the wolf part of himself might indeed destroy more than he realizes. 

Ariana Deralte:  Thank you.  A dormer window is a window that is built out from a sloping roof.  From inside a room it would be inset into a wall in an alcove instead of being flush with the wall.  I wish I could just draw you a picture, it would be so much easier than trying to describe it with words.  You may indeed be correct that Rowling wouldn't agree with my ideas about werewolves.  Lupin never showed any sign in PofA that he could bring out aspects of the wolf whenever he wished.  Then again, he did say that he never does that as a rule.  (I hope the stress lets up on you soon.:))

Cofi:  Thank you.  Yes, the vampires were a bit of a close call.  They ended up giving both Lupin and Snape a lot to think about.

Hawaii:  Thank you.  I'm pleased you are enjoying my story.  I'm afraid it would take a bigger shock to his system than vampires to completely remove the snide sarcastic side of Snape.  I'm not sure that my werewolf theory is completely original, but I'm certainly glad you approve.  It's been a fun idea to play around with.  Just think what Remus could do if he wasn't so dead set on banishing the wolf forever!