I have to warn you, I won't be writing any more for a longish period of
time. That's why I uploaded two chapters at once, although I guess it's a
poor substitute *blushes*. Very sorry, but I have that thing called 'life'
in the way. Don't you find that thing, like, soooooo annoying?
Chapter 5: Preparing
He knew, deep inside him, that Lira's advice had been wise and worth following. It was simply very hard to put into action.
The thought of eating made him feel sick. He slept for longer in the morning's, had more siestas during the day which began to last longer and longer, and went to bed much, much earlier. He was also beginning to feel as if someone was drugging him, making him feel very sleepy and dull- witted. Remus couldn't imagine how he had managed to teach for a whole year like this: living lazily was hard enough but as a teacher who was constantly having to guard his condition?
"I ought to respect myself a bit more," he grinned tiredly at his reflection. God, he was grey.
He would now have to go and ask Snape for a potion to hlp him deal with this stupor; surely it wasn't as bad as the other pre-transformation days he had had in the past, but it certainly seemed so.
Sighing, he went back to his bed and stayed there for a bit longer.
It wasn't that he was tired as such at the moment, he merely wanted to lie there for a bit longer. He closed his eyes at various times, his mind relaxing for a while, before opening them and stayinghalf awake.
At around 11 o'clock, there was a sharp rapping on the door. Remus was stuck between sitting up and remaining still. He chose the remaining still option, in the vague hope that whoever it was would eventualy give up and go away.
Whoever it was that rapped on the door opened it anyway. "Good morning, Mr. Lupin. Are we well?" It was Dumbledore's voice.
"Yes," he muttered. There was no choice for him but to reveal his face.
"Ah," Dumbledore nodded. "The lethargy. Hmmmm... Severus will have several potions for that. It may be best that you ask him for one."
"I was considering it..." Remus tried to smile, but a yawn got the better of him.
Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled. The elderly wizard strode over to the windows and drew the curtains. Relatively bright, the grey light filtered through and illuminated the room and the werewolf's face. He rubbed his eyes. "Jesus," he muttered. "Is everyone else awake?"
"Ah!" Albus gave a short laugh. "You must have forgotten that today is Saturday. The students do avoid waking up before midday during the week end, as you must remember also."
Remus smiled to himself.
"I have come to inform you of the meeting you missed last night. Sirius was away on a visit to Lira, as you would know, and you missed an opportunity to meet up with the old crowd once more. They were asking about you. Mrs. Figg in particular was especially concerned...-"
"What about Severus?"
"Severus?" Dumbledore repeated, a tad sharp. He gave Remus a pentrating gaze. "What of him?"
"Was he there yesterday?"
"Why..." Dumbledore replied. "Yes... yes he was... he received a warm enough welcome, I'd say, from the others. Of course, he was rather quiet, but what can you expect from him, apart from that, hm?" The wizard seemed a trifle amused.
"Of course." Remus replied. "What else, indeed?"
*
What was it? eleven o'clock? No one had seen him go, had they? They wouldn't notice him sneak in.
He shifted. Much to his disgust, the pervert's hands were latched tight onto his cock and backside. Avoiding much movement, he searched for anything that he could use to replace him when he moved away. A pillow would suffice for the rest of his body form. Severus turned his head and was nauseated by the fact that he was now facing Dumbledore's sleeping face, the white hairs moving in the breeze of his breath.
He was thirteen. Well, he would be next week. He screwed up his eyes and began to chew nervously on his lower lip, suddenly conscious of the adcrid taste in his mouth. He wiped something that looked like a cremy substance from the corner of his mouth and blanched, shaking slightly.
**I hate you.** he scowled at the sleeping Dumbledore. **I want to fucking kill you... I can't right now, but just you wait... I'm going to kill you...** Realising what was going through his head, Severus sighed wretchedly. **No... I don't hate him... I do.. but... he... he...**
Dumbledore had *loved* him. But... it wasn't...
**Right? Normal?**
Severus shuffled his toes and found a wand further down beneath the sheets. What he could recall from last night wasn't nice. He didn't want to think about it anymore.
Carefully manouvering himself to reach it, he gently moved himself from the Headmaster's grasp and slid the wand and the pillows in place.
"Beautiful boy..." Dumbledore murmured, and began to stroke the wand.
Where were his clothes?
He went over the sheets to the end of the bed, gently got down and slipped what looked like his robes on. They were the only item of clothing he could find. Where were the others? He couldn't get anywhere unless...
Severus gave the sleeping man a contemptuous look. He should just kill him. Hurt him. Cut off that wrinkled vulture's neck he called a cock.... amputate his toes...cut out his tongue... gouge out his eyes... put him under a web of spells, namely, Crutacius curses.
Dumbledore shifted.
Reacting like some wild animal, Severus felt his ears prick but didn't wait for anything else to happen. He sped out of the room.
*
"How long have you been having this lethargy?" Snape asked quietly.
"Erm.... the day after I took the first draught." Was it just him, or did Snape seem to be avoiding Dumbledore's eyes? He tried to give Snape an encouraging smile. Snape didn't respond. He never did and yet it seemed so vital that Remus tried to brighten up Snape's ... life?
"Well... The lethargy is a good thing: it's one of the fastest ways your body can prepare itself for your coming transformation. To deny yourself the sleep your body is crying out for..."
"Unless it's such a problem, Remus?" Dumbledore quipped in.
The werewolf noticed that Snape had the appearance of a sea anemone that was shrinking away to the touch of a hand. He was glowering at the floor.
"Well... no... but with all the meetings..."
"Severus can get you transcripts..." Dumbledore replied. That was odd, Remus thought.
He never *asked* Snape if he wanted to, or if he could.
Snape nodded.
"I'd prefer to be there myself," Remus said, maybe a bit too loudly. "I was wondering if, perhaps, the strongest potion you could give ...?"
"No. Too dangerous. Take this." Snape handed him a bottle. "There's not as much as it seems in that bottle. Be careful. Perhaps a drop in any drink you wish to take. That will do. Any more and I shall be held responsible." Remus' canine hearing heard what Dumbledore obviously hadn't: from underneath the desk, Rat was gnawing at a walnut.
Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you Severus. Now, I must be off to pack for my journey to London. I am expecting to see McGonagall soon. If you see her, please remind her."
He left.
The minute he had, Remus crouched down and extended an arm to Rat, who squeaked as if to say, 'Oh, if you say so...' and leapt onto it.
"He's very intelligent." Remus turned to Severus who had put out his hand to coddle Rat.
"He's a rat. All rats are intelligent." Snape shrugged.
"Oh? One could mistake them for gerbils if ...-"
"They're nothing like gerbils," Snape replied in a voice that sounded laden with patience. It was new to Remus, who was slightly surprised by this new tone. Perhaps Snape had spent plenty of time in the past explaining about rats to other ignorant werewoves. "Their brain proportions are far bigger."
"Hasn't Rat got a name?"
"Yes."
The werewolf was aware of the surprised look on his face."What is it?"
"Rat."
There was a silence. "No, I mean like... Peppercorn or... Humph'ry..."
"He is a rat. His name is Rat. Peppercorn is a idiotic name. Why would I want to call a rat Humph'ry? That's a human name. Besides," Snape went on, "I think I know his real name, but it's hard to translate into English."
"That's unlike anything I've ever heard. I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything." Snape handed a glazed walnut to Rat who was perched onto his shoulder. "Here, Rat." Rat squeaked. "Careful, I'm going to go to the cupboard... daft Rat."
"Why?" Remus enquired.
"He always drops down and scampers off somewhere then expects me to get onto hands and knees searching for him." Snape stroked Rat's back gently. "Daft Rat."
Rat continued to gnaw at his second walnut.
"Do you want a light?" Remus volunteered.
"No thank you. I don't smoke." Snape had already disappeared into the cupboard.
*
Tears were streaming down his face. He didn't dare slam his way into the common room. He couldn't face them all in there. So he just turned to the library. Which was stupid. Yesterday, he had caused a mirage to occur through the vapours of Black's potion and so everyone had seen the Gryffindor student as a red haired, blue eyed, buxom young woman.
Black would want revenge. Well, it would only seem fitting.
So therefore, he shouldn't see Snape cry.
**so stop with the fucking waterworks**
He entered the library and instantly headed for the Forbidden section. No one was watching anyway and even if they were, he wouldn't care. He pointed a wand at the lock of the doors and shoved his magic through, forcing the doors to open.
"Ssssh, Sam... No more fights, I promise... golden boy won't come in here anyway." Snape smiled sardonically. Sam poked his head out and ran along Severus' arm onto his shoulder, just as all his descendants would as well, and squeaked from the fine vantage point. He sat in a corner, a very dusty corner. No one had wanted to come here in ages.
It was freezing. Severus' fingers would have been numb if not for Sam. He continued to stroke the rat's short fur.
"Oh, Sam." He whispered. "What should we do, now?"
*
"Hey," the boy said softly. It amazed Remus how very much like his father Harry looked, and even more so as he grew up. "You okay?"
The werewolf nodded.
"Sirius wants me to look out for you," Harry grinned. "You've got, what, three days until the Full moon? You're looking really awful, anyway," he added. "Get some sleep... I can bring you some stuff from the kitchens if you want..."
"Thanks," Remus cleared his throat. Damn, he was hoarse. "Any hope of cammomile tea?"
Harry nodded, the grin widening. "I'll try."
@
Thank you for reading *cusps hands over mouth and tries to imitate Arbie Shwarzenegger* I'll be back!
Chapter 5: Preparing
He knew, deep inside him, that Lira's advice had been wise and worth following. It was simply very hard to put into action.
The thought of eating made him feel sick. He slept for longer in the morning's, had more siestas during the day which began to last longer and longer, and went to bed much, much earlier. He was also beginning to feel as if someone was drugging him, making him feel very sleepy and dull- witted. Remus couldn't imagine how he had managed to teach for a whole year like this: living lazily was hard enough but as a teacher who was constantly having to guard his condition?
"I ought to respect myself a bit more," he grinned tiredly at his reflection. God, he was grey.
He would now have to go and ask Snape for a potion to hlp him deal with this stupor; surely it wasn't as bad as the other pre-transformation days he had had in the past, but it certainly seemed so.
Sighing, he went back to his bed and stayed there for a bit longer.
It wasn't that he was tired as such at the moment, he merely wanted to lie there for a bit longer. He closed his eyes at various times, his mind relaxing for a while, before opening them and stayinghalf awake.
At around 11 o'clock, there was a sharp rapping on the door. Remus was stuck between sitting up and remaining still. He chose the remaining still option, in the vague hope that whoever it was would eventualy give up and go away.
Whoever it was that rapped on the door opened it anyway. "Good morning, Mr. Lupin. Are we well?" It was Dumbledore's voice.
"Yes," he muttered. There was no choice for him but to reveal his face.
"Ah," Dumbledore nodded. "The lethargy. Hmmmm... Severus will have several potions for that. It may be best that you ask him for one."
"I was considering it..." Remus tried to smile, but a yawn got the better of him.
Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled. The elderly wizard strode over to the windows and drew the curtains. Relatively bright, the grey light filtered through and illuminated the room and the werewolf's face. He rubbed his eyes. "Jesus," he muttered. "Is everyone else awake?"
"Ah!" Albus gave a short laugh. "You must have forgotten that today is Saturday. The students do avoid waking up before midday during the week end, as you must remember also."
Remus smiled to himself.
"I have come to inform you of the meeting you missed last night. Sirius was away on a visit to Lira, as you would know, and you missed an opportunity to meet up with the old crowd once more. They were asking about you. Mrs. Figg in particular was especially concerned...-"
"What about Severus?"
"Severus?" Dumbledore repeated, a tad sharp. He gave Remus a pentrating gaze. "What of him?"
"Was he there yesterday?"
"Why..." Dumbledore replied. "Yes... yes he was... he received a warm enough welcome, I'd say, from the others. Of course, he was rather quiet, but what can you expect from him, apart from that, hm?" The wizard seemed a trifle amused.
"Of course." Remus replied. "What else, indeed?"
*
What was it? eleven o'clock? No one had seen him go, had they? They wouldn't notice him sneak in.
He shifted. Much to his disgust, the pervert's hands were latched tight onto his cock and backside. Avoiding much movement, he searched for anything that he could use to replace him when he moved away. A pillow would suffice for the rest of his body form. Severus turned his head and was nauseated by the fact that he was now facing Dumbledore's sleeping face, the white hairs moving in the breeze of his breath.
He was thirteen. Well, he would be next week. He screwed up his eyes and began to chew nervously on his lower lip, suddenly conscious of the adcrid taste in his mouth. He wiped something that looked like a cremy substance from the corner of his mouth and blanched, shaking slightly.
**I hate you.** he scowled at the sleeping Dumbledore. **I want to fucking kill you... I can't right now, but just you wait... I'm going to kill you...** Realising what was going through his head, Severus sighed wretchedly. **No... I don't hate him... I do.. but... he... he...**
Dumbledore had *loved* him. But... it wasn't...
**Right? Normal?**
Severus shuffled his toes and found a wand further down beneath the sheets. What he could recall from last night wasn't nice. He didn't want to think about it anymore.
Carefully manouvering himself to reach it, he gently moved himself from the Headmaster's grasp and slid the wand and the pillows in place.
"Beautiful boy..." Dumbledore murmured, and began to stroke the wand.
Where were his clothes?
He went over the sheets to the end of the bed, gently got down and slipped what looked like his robes on. They were the only item of clothing he could find. Where were the others? He couldn't get anywhere unless...
Severus gave the sleeping man a contemptuous look. He should just kill him. Hurt him. Cut off that wrinkled vulture's neck he called a cock.... amputate his toes...cut out his tongue... gouge out his eyes... put him under a web of spells, namely, Crutacius curses.
Dumbledore shifted.
Reacting like some wild animal, Severus felt his ears prick but didn't wait for anything else to happen. He sped out of the room.
*
"How long have you been having this lethargy?" Snape asked quietly.
"Erm.... the day after I took the first draught." Was it just him, or did Snape seem to be avoiding Dumbledore's eyes? He tried to give Snape an encouraging smile. Snape didn't respond. He never did and yet it seemed so vital that Remus tried to brighten up Snape's ... life?
"Well... The lethargy is a good thing: it's one of the fastest ways your body can prepare itself for your coming transformation. To deny yourself the sleep your body is crying out for..."
"Unless it's such a problem, Remus?" Dumbledore quipped in.
The werewolf noticed that Snape had the appearance of a sea anemone that was shrinking away to the touch of a hand. He was glowering at the floor.
"Well... no... but with all the meetings..."
"Severus can get you transcripts..." Dumbledore replied. That was odd, Remus thought.
He never *asked* Snape if he wanted to, or if he could.
Snape nodded.
"I'd prefer to be there myself," Remus said, maybe a bit too loudly. "I was wondering if, perhaps, the strongest potion you could give ...?"
"No. Too dangerous. Take this." Snape handed him a bottle. "There's not as much as it seems in that bottle. Be careful. Perhaps a drop in any drink you wish to take. That will do. Any more and I shall be held responsible." Remus' canine hearing heard what Dumbledore obviously hadn't: from underneath the desk, Rat was gnawing at a walnut.
Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you Severus. Now, I must be off to pack for my journey to London. I am expecting to see McGonagall soon. If you see her, please remind her."
He left.
The minute he had, Remus crouched down and extended an arm to Rat, who squeaked as if to say, 'Oh, if you say so...' and leapt onto it.
"He's very intelligent." Remus turned to Severus who had put out his hand to coddle Rat.
"He's a rat. All rats are intelligent." Snape shrugged.
"Oh? One could mistake them for gerbils if ...-"
"They're nothing like gerbils," Snape replied in a voice that sounded laden with patience. It was new to Remus, who was slightly surprised by this new tone. Perhaps Snape had spent plenty of time in the past explaining about rats to other ignorant werewoves. "Their brain proportions are far bigger."
"Hasn't Rat got a name?"
"Yes."
The werewolf was aware of the surprised look on his face."What is it?"
"Rat."
There was a silence. "No, I mean like... Peppercorn or... Humph'ry..."
"He is a rat. His name is Rat. Peppercorn is a idiotic name. Why would I want to call a rat Humph'ry? That's a human name. Besides," Snape went on, "I think I know his real name, but it's hard to translate into English."
"That's unlike anything I've ever heard. I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything." Snape handed a glazed walnut to Rat who was perched onto his shoulder. "Here, Rat." Rat squeaked. "Careful, I'm going to go to the cupboard... daft Rat."
"Why?" Remus enquired.
"He always drops down and scampers off somewhere then expects me to get onto hands and knees searching for him." Snape stroked Rat's back gently. "Daft Rat."
Rat continued to gnaw at his second walnut.
"Do you want a light?" Remus volunteered.
"No thank you. I don't smoke." Snape had already disappeared into the cupboard.
*
Tears were streaming down his face. He didn't dare slam his way into the common room. He couldn't face them all in there. So he just turned to the library. Which was stupid. Yesterday, he had caused a mirage to occur through the vapours of Black's potion and so everyone had seen the Gryffindor student as a red haired, blue eyed, buxom young woman.
Black would want revenge. Well, it would only seem fitting.
So therefore, he shouldn't see Snape cry.
**so stop with the fucking waterworks**
He entered the library and instantly headed for the Forbidden section. No one was watching anyway and even if they were, he wouldn't care. He pointed a wand at the lock of the doors and shoved his magic through, forcing the doors to open.
"Ssssh, Sam... No more fights, I promise... golden boy won't come in here anyway." Snape smiled sardonically. Sam poked his head out and ran along Severus' arm onto his shoulder, just as all his descendants would as well, and squeaked from the fine vantage point. He sat in a corner, a very dusty corner. No one had wanted to come here in ages.
It was freezing. Severus' fingers would have been numb if not for Sam. He continued to stroke the rat's short fur.
"Oh, Sam." He whispered. "What should we do, now?"
*
"Hey," the boy said softly. It amazed Remus how very much like his father Harry looked, and even more so as he grew up. "You okay?"
The werewolf nodded.
"Sirius wants me to look out for you," Harry grinned. "You've got, what, three days until the Full moon? You're looking really awful, anyway," he added. "Get some sleep... I can bring you some stuff from the kitchens if you want..."
"Thanks," Remus cleared his throat. Damn, he was hoarse. "Any hope of cammomile tea?"
Harry nodded, the grin widening. "I'll try."
@
Thank you for reading *cusps hands over mouth and tries to imitate Arbie Shwarzenegger* I'll be back!
