Chapter 12: Smooth

"I *liked* Severus," Lira muttered. "I don't understand: how come none of you have ever ventured to talk with him? I mean, you went to school together, you obviously knew each other and remembered each other and yet-- "

"We weren't exactly the best of friends," Sirius started.

"So? That was then, this is now. *You* of all people could encourage a comradship of sorts." She gave her husband a gentle glare.

"Do you know," Sirius began to reply, "he almost sent me back to Azkaban..."

"You have no idea how close I was to doing the same thing myself, darling," she replied softly.

"And it was because of a stupid trick we played on him at school..." Sirius persisted, eyes flashing, bue he continued as if he hadn't heard Lira's quiet statement.

"Ach!" Lira got up, throwing arms wildly into the air. "Of course it would be because of that! Nothing else! Sirius Black is so conceited that he thinks himself to be the centre of everything! Everyone's angers and hopes and dreams and-- grrrrrrr!" She began to pace. "You wouldn't even know. Apart from swapping a few insults and whatever trick it was that you played on him, you barely knew him. I mean," she took a breath, "look at your Harry and that Malfoy boy, all they know of each other is a minute amount about their families, a few other bits of idle gossip and that's that!"

She had her back to her husband. Remus could see that much from behind the door. Rather than attempt sleep, he turned away and walked on. Wherever he ended up to. He didn't really care. He was too tired to.

It then struck him, when he was wandering the fourth floor, that he could go and speak to Dumbledore.

He went rather quickly along the passageway and entered Dumbledore's office after reciting the password (Remus had been slightly impressed when it turned out to be a long string of names which, apparently, belonged to the first five owners of Bassett's and Hounds) and walking up a shorter flight of stairs.

Knocking on the door, he began to wonder why it seemed that Snape possessed his thoughts. He didn't think it was anything like love, or even lust, but there was something... something that he just couldn't put his finger on.

"Come in," he heard Dumbledore call.

Obeying, Remus stepped in and looked around. Dumbledore was on a slighlty higher level looking out on a pinned down sheet of paper on a large table. He peered over his half-moon spectacles, eyes twinkling.

"Ah, Remus." He began to walk down. "I trust you are well?"

"Er, yes... it was really... well, I only came to ask you about Severus. He *is* the first Linkbearer isn't he?" Remus stepped forward and noted a glint of grim realisation in the Headmaster's eye.

"Yes. Severus is."

**No surprises there**

"And.. *where* is the first Link going to be placed?"

Here, Dumbledore shook his head. "I can't tell you, I'm afraid. Not for now at any rate." He continued to look at Remus.

**Well, what did I expect?**

Remus shrugged. "That's fine. I was really just pressing my luck."

"Are you worried for him?" Dumbledore asked simply, brows creased slightly. Again, Remus shrugged. "You needn't be. I have every confidence in him--"

**And suddenly, that's enough?**

"--If that's any consolation for you."

~

Severus:

He remembered, as he crept down grand staircases of mahogany, the very first time he had ever set foot within the manor. A rather bad encounter with a few Aurors, ending with Lucius barely being able to walk, MacNair hiding in the shadows, at times helping Severus drag him to the manor rather weakly.

He remembered the sensation of Lucius' hair against his neck, the feel of his body and breath; the warmth; the heightened emotions.

"My leg," Lucius moaned quietly when they lay him in the couch. Narcissa bustled over, stripping herself of a white apron, every inch the brisk, Victorian mistress of the house.

"Be quiet, please, Lucius," she said calmly, something like pity in her eyes. "Severus, get the--"

She hadn't needed to say it. He had already had it within his hand. "Here," he passed it to her. She folded a square piece of white cotton and stained it purple with the cleansing potion. Gently she laid it upon the worst of the wounds, cleansing the area of all magical infection. She added some more of the potion and continued to wipe. Lucius gritted his teeth.

"Drink this, Lucius," Severus tipped a sedative into his friend's mouth.

"Oh, thank you so much Severus," Narcissa breathed. "Poppy! Poppy get here this instant!" She called out, pitching her voice exactly to be commanding and echoing. A larger than average female house-elf came forward. "Bring me the spelled thread and needles: your master's going to need stitches."

"Yes, ma'am," Poppy bowed and turned away, scurrying off to some dark room of the manor.

"Severus, MacNair," she said the last man's surname awkwardly, having not known him very well. After all, he had been in her husband's year, only Severus had been in her own. However, there was no use in calling him. A shivering, pale wreck, the man had vomited behind a sofa, in the corner. She looked at him in shocked disgust. "Very well," her eyes snapped shut of all feeling (Now that he came to think of it, Severus mused as he walked calmly through the familiar living room, it was probably at that moment in which Narcissa had lost all feeling towards Death Eater and Auror alike). "Just Severus. Let's get his cloak and shirt off, hm?"

Nodding, Snape had obeyed.

The Link had to be placed where it could see all and yet be seen by none. Alright, he thought grimly to himself, I'm shit at Transfigurations, but at least my glamouries are yet to be beaten. He recalled the look of jealousy on Sirius' face when McGonagall had once mentioned it in seventh year with a sardonic satisfaction.

Taking a breath, he pointed his wand at the dulled Link and allowed his mind to wander through it's memories again.

They had removed most of Lucius' clothing. He remembered that it took him a huge amount of willpower not to trembled as he undid the buttons and felt naked torso brush against his fingers. Warm, naked torso. Near the nipple, too.

Flicking her wrist, the couch's back vanished and legs appeared so that Lucius was now lying on a padded 'table'. Poppy reappeared with what looked like a sewing case in her hands. Narcissa and Severus drew off Lucius' lower underwear leaving the now subconscious man completely naked. He was, however, still bleeding slightly, yet the wound remained ugly and a glowing black-red.

The two did their best to ignore MacNair's vomitings.

"Get something to clear up that mess," Narcissa had snapped at Poppy.

"Yes ma'am."

Setting her teeth, Narcissa began to sew up the gash. Severus applied some skin grafting potion to another square of clean cotton and followed the scar line upward as she sewed. Already, the thread was beginning to sink into Lucius' skin. Severus held the leg down.

His wife had then began to pay attention to the nasty graze on his left side. Severus continued to help.

**Just a little more** he bit his bottom lip as sweat trickled down and the last stages of the glamourie were being carried through.

It had continued throughout that night. Up until early morning. Together, friend and wife had completely healed Lucius.

**Done!**

He looked around, then at his watch. Now, how to get out?

~

"Remus! Sirius! Oh where are you all? LIRA!"

McGonagall ran through the door, robes flapping behind her. She was smiling widely, her hat had vanished and several obstinate strands of hair had escaped her pins. Her eyes were alight with a manic glint.

"What?" Lira got up. She and Sirius had reconciled earlier and were now discussing what names they should call their child with Remus (it seemed that the Pelinski's enthusiasm just couldn't be escaped). "What is it Minerva? Tell us!"

"It's Severus!" She grinned further. "It's Severus..." she took a deep breath, "and he's alive, well and the first Link had been put in place!"

"Oh!"

Sharing a grin with Sirius, Remus could tell that Lira wanted to say a lot of other things at that moment but sufficed with clapping her hands together and leaping into an embrace with her husband's former teacher. "OhmyGod!OhmyGod!OhmyGod!" She cried. "It's done! We're going to win! I know it!"

"Calm down, Lira," Sirius said, but he was smiling as well.

"Oh, be quiet! Come on! We're going to have a celebration! Just be discreet about it," McGonagall's voice dropped. "We doubt that Dumbledore would fully approve..." A strange-looking, conspirational wink and off she skipped.

Turning to each other, Lira, Sirius and Remus laughed. "You know, Lira," Sirus said when the laughter had subsided, "I take back what I said. I will talk to that man tomorrow."

Lira playfully hit him round the head. "Two-faced loon!" She flounced out of the room.

"Do you know," Sirius said quietly, "we may stand a chance in this war."

"Bit early for prediction, though?" Remus frowned.

"Oh yes, definitely," Sirius nodded, "probably why Dumbledore wouldn't really approve but just think, it's somthing to raise our hopes... for now, anyway..."

They walked out of the room, Remus shutting the door. "They'd be in the Lounge, right?" Sirius gestured.

In agreement, Remus followed him downstairs.

* * *

The Lounge was barely crowded. Looking around, Remus could see that despite the number of those present, neither McGonagall, Lira or Snape were there.

Sirius had noticed this as well, bcause he murmured, "Where are they? Where's our litte Slytherin hero?"

Remus doubted that Sirius meant any bile to be in those words, but Remus shook his head wonderingly all the same. He walked forward, only to be bumped into by a chattering Arabella Figg. She smiled generously at him, pink stained lips stretched over horse-like front teeth. "Haven't you heard?" She very nearly giggled.

The werewolf shrugged and gave her an enquiring look.

"The second Linkbearer has been despatched ... two hours ago, actually," her eyes sparkled again. "Couldn't have a drunk Linkbearer, could we?"

He could hear Sirius snort behind him.

"No," he attempted a smile. "We couldn't..."

Suddenly, he felt Sirius grab his arm. "Ho!" he said, a rogish look on his face. "Drinks!" He nodded to the large table to their left.

Remus laughed out loud, the room's infectious air of fun getting to his head: who needed alchohol with these lot around, he thought. He then swore in further wonderment. "Who the hell will be the third Linkbearer? They're going to have a fucking headache when they wake up..."

"Ach, who cares? They've got food as well..."

The two men pushed their way forward and started to fill up little plates with sasauge rolls, Mr. Thort's biscuits (A/N: rather like Mr. Kipling's pies to the normal British population) and other little stomach fillers.

After taking a closer look at the drinks, Remus realised that indeed, they *were* alchoholic.

"Jesus," he breathed.

He doubted Dumbledore would be happy about *this*.

Catching Remus' gaze, Sirius looked down at his plate, comically rueful. "Maybe we should keep the food until later...?"

"Oh, no..."

"Come on, why not? We can have two celebrations in one: the marvellous conception of my child and the placement of the first Link!" Sirius laughed and rolled his food in a large, white napkin before reaching out for a glass and a bottle.

Eyes laughing, Remus added, "Not on an empty stomach."

"Don't be stupid. We'll throw it all up, otherwise."

A bottle was emptied of it's amber liquid into the tall glass. "Hah!" Sirius cackled and winked. He gulped. "Let's get a whole fucking set of these things and we can play a bit of Dead Wizard's rum, eh?"

Another laugh issued from Remus' lips. "Oooh, let's!"

It wouldn't be possible to try and describe the noise and sensations in the room: there was laughter, shouts, bangs from wands, usually followed with gasps, sounds of awe and applause. Smoke, mainly of a greenish, purple hue, was wafting lightly through the air, giving off a pleasant, musky odour and hazing the yellow lighting in the ceiling. Pops of opening bottles ensued regularly, as did fizzes and wheezes.

Eventually, Sirius and Remus found a table for themselves and sat in the surround chairs, satisfied.

A flick of the wrist and Sirius had gotten out the compulsory set of Tarot cards. Of course, in just about every other wizarding game, normal cards would be used. But in Wizard's Death... the rules would bend slightly.

After all, the idea was that both participants would end up so drunk they wouldn't care what cards they used.

Half an hour passed, during which, some more came to join them, play against them, play with them, lend money, vodka and courage. One thing was for sure, enough emphasis could not be put upon the fact that everyone was very drunk indeed by now.

Near enough to midnight, Sirius won the last game, making it 7 games won to Remus' 5. The surrounding crowd applauded and "awwwwwww"ed along, now offering Siruus the traditional round of drinks. Getting up, Remus found he was still able to stand and found it remarkably easy to push his way out towards the table of solid refreshments.

And there was Severus.

He was leaning against the table, seemingly sober, lazily whirling his shot glass gently in a hand. He was flanked by Lira and McGonagall, both equally sober, but pleased. All three looked up at Remus who then discovered that most of the human contents of the room had migrated to his and Sirius' table. Grinning, he ran a hand through his hair.

"It'll all be over, soon," he heard himself say.

"Uh-huh," Lira took a sip of juice. "I ought to tell you something."

"What?" He jerked his head up to her.

"Dumbledore has arrange for the next Link to be placed in two day's time," echoed Snape's cold, deliberate tenor. "So it's safe to celebrate."

"Oh."

"Mmm." Another sip. "I see you were enjoying yourself."

"That was Sirius; how's Rat?" He enquired. Gods, the alchohol was getting to him. He could barely make any relating sentences.

"Rat?" McGonagall said sharply.

"Severus wouldn't give him a normal name like Harvey or Periwinkle..." He blinked: at least he wasn't slurring.

**Shut-up. Now**

Lira giggled. "A pet, Severus?"

The darker man glowered at the floor, mouth set in scorn, embarrassment and irritation. He was tired and Remus could tell. Spare him any more misery.

"I'd best go and see to my husband: he should be toppling over any minute now," Lira winked, whispered something to Snape and swayed her way along to Sirius.

"Wonderful woman," McGonagall nodded. "She's pregnant, I'm sure you've heard."

"Yes, actually... Severus?"

"No."

Remus reached for another bottle. Before he could pour some into his glass, Snape raised an eyebrow and said, "sure you haven't had enough already?"

"Pretty much."

McGonagall tittered. Snape shook his head, wonderment and... amusement? Snape was actually showing his amusement?

"McGonagall? Lupin gallantly extended a clean glass for her and filled it with whisky.

"Ooh, you..." but she took it all the same.

They drank. As was what usually happened, Remus began to get more of a control over the affects of the alchohol. McGonagall didn't have to try although it was well-known that if she had more than seven glasses, she'd be under the table.

The nearby refreshments were quickly consumed by the head of Gryffindor house and other pasing guests, but not at all by Snape.

"I can see you're tired," Remus murmured to him, as McGonagall chattered with an Arab wizard, "but are you sure you're fine apart from that? Aren't you hungry?" There was no smile on his face and the werewolf was glad of that; he didn't want Snape to think of him as a nincompoop.

"Not particularly," was the reply, accompanied with a small sigh. "I just can't see why I had to come here."

"Hmm... not even to celebrate--"

"Celebrate what?" Severus snapped. "It's only the first Link! It could just as easily be found.. or-or the next lot won't work... It was the same when the Potters died," he went on. "everyone was about making right prats of themselves. Hardly done much, has it? Just made the fall much, much harder." There was a sarcastic tone, as always, but now the slighlty more than mildly bitter edge to it took Remus aback. The other man, however, calmly gulped the rest of his glass down.

"More?"

A disgusted look appeared on the Potions Master's face and he clucked his tongue. "May as well."

Across the room, Sirius and Lira were talking to Bill Weasley. What was he doing here?

"You know," Remus started again, "Flitwick said that you have a very interesting book on the topic of the earth's structure and the magical boundaries."

Snape stopped mid-sip and looked over the glass emptily before raising his head and looking directly into Lupin's eyes. "Did he now?"

"Mm-hm."

A pause ensued.

"So you want to come and borrow it?" The darker man enquired.

"May I?"

"Yes."

Remus nearly kicked himself at his own folly (though he doubted if that would make anything any better): he had completely forgotten that just because you could control yourself under the influence of alchohol when you were standing still or sitting down, didn't mean you could do the same when you were walking. It was probably because he hadn't been drunk for such a long time.

"Christ." He almost tripped over his feet up the stairs. Snape caught his arm.

"It's not that far now."

"Good."

You could only ever truly guage how drunk someone was by how they walked.

Remus was, then, most definitely, drunk.

Were he sober, he would have registered with some surprise that Snape laughed, although it was more of a sinister cackle. However, both being the owners of blood streams thick with alchohol, they didn't notice.

They also didn't notice when Remus tripped, lurching Snape forward, and landed on something soft.

*

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