To @_@: Yes, it is exceedingly illogical. Check out Rat's feeling about it.
That is one sarky rat. I was in a hurry and I didn't want to stretch the
story out for too long, then all the chapters would be too short. Maybe
when this is over, before I post it up on a fanlisting, I'll go over that
little bit again.
Chapter 27: Dominoes
As Severus had predicted, Eleni returned within the next 29 hours. She was actually back in much less than that. With a confident smile, she had assure Remus that her younger brother was sure to come back sooner than 12 hours, as well.
When Remus sat in Snape's office, he was greeted by an agitated Rat. When he first saw him, he thought the rat was ill. His fur was rough and unkempt, his eyes overly bright and he seemed to tremble at intervals. He pattered speedily up to Remus, leapt onto his hand and brushed himself feverishly for a few moments. Then, with all the might he could, Rat suddenly blasted.
-WHY DID YOU GO AND DO *THAT*?-
"Ouch," the werewolf smiled slightly. "Nosebleed."
-I asked you to *HELP* him! WHY DID YOU TELL HER?-
Lupin shook his head. "I'm insane, I should have warned you."
-It's not funny!-
Rat then nipped him on a knuckle very hard indeed and leapt down, muttering to himself all the while about foolish moon-dogs. Lupin almost began to chuckle, but wasn't sure if the rat would leap back and bite his nose.
After that, Remus just avoided everyone else, occassionally reading bits of Samuel Snape's journal. The bits where he described his first son were the most touching, the werewolf had to admit. He still enjoyed re-reading it, because he always found a new way to interpretate Samues' words and how they portrayed his emotions.
At lunch, he observed Eleni from time to time. There didn't seem to be much of a difference: she was still a playful aunt, a teasing sister-in-law and a slightly domineering older sister. Quite different from her outburst the day before, she was very polite and talkative with Dumbledore.
Rat seemed to be so angry with Remus, that he began to get quite fearless. He continued to run around the table, particularly snuffling at Martin's feet who often fed him a grape or a small piece of cheese, always sending furtive looks in his mother's direction. Remus found this rather amusing: he could imagine Miriam's reaction if there was a rat at the dinner table.
Jona spent most of his time reading a few of the larger, more impressive tomes of the Restricted Section, sometimes leaning to talk to one of the Professors, usually not eating much. This rather surprised Remus: Jona seemed such a hearty fellow, it was strange to think of him not eating much.
Lira and Sirius seemed not to want to talk to anyone else and kept to themselves. Remus couldn't blame them.
Overall, the general atmosphere was one of calm. It was understandable, though, as they were so sure of success, this time round. They had succeeded all the past times: of course they would do the same with this last one.
Two hours after the twelve hour deadline, Remus began to worry. Severus still hadn't returned. Occasionally, he and Eleni would throw nervous glances with each other. He decided to go and join her.
"So it was okay... the first step, I mean, right?" he said.
She nodded. "I can't think why it would take him so long." She loosened the muscles in her shoulders. "Still," she added, "it's only two hours. He may be quite nearby already."
Remus could see the sense in that, so he nodded, not wanting to cause himself any unnecessary grief.
~
"He should be back by now."
Eventually, Remus simply couldn't stay there alone pacing his room. He hated the fact that he was worrying so much because Snape hadn't returned. Although maybe he had good reason to be: when he'd tried to reach out to Rat, he found that the rodent had answered in rather agitated tones.
So that was why he was here (with Eleni sitting in a chair against a wall, stroking a purring sable black cat) in Dumbledore's office, pacing in the company of others.
"Shouldn't he?"
"Please Remus," Eleni murmured rather weakly. "You're making me dizzy."
Remus stopped. Then he walked over to the window and gazed out into the descending darkness.
-Moon dog?-
At first he didn't reply.
-Moon dog? I know you can hear me...- Rat's mental voice now had a bitter edge to it. -Oh alright then!- he snapped. -REMUS?-
**Yes?**
Rat sighed. -It's him. I can feel him. But it hurts. It's never done that before-
Which caused Remus to worry a bit more. He couldn't quite describe it, the worrying sensation inside him. Simply to say 'worrying' didn't seem enough. It didn't quite encompass the feeling that he was quite alone or going to be at any rate. The sheer feeling of helplessness and weight at the bottom of your heart could never quite be put into words.
-And you're no better-
**Thank you**
Rat sighed again. But apart from that, he was silent, though Remus could still sense him being there somewhere in his head.
-I know you care for him-
**That's rather perceptive of you**
-Even that underling of his knows it-
**Eleni? That's his sister**
-Underling. He rules the family, can't you see? He left it and it nearly broke down: she told you herself. I don't think even he knows it, but I certainly do-
The werewolf turned, leaning his back against the glass panes. His eyes weren't seeing, just gazing in a certain direction (at the floor, to be honest) paying no attention to whatever was within his range of vision.
The sky behind him was quickly turning darker.
"Remus," Dumbledore began in a heavy voice, "he shall be back quite soon. You must stop worrying: it's doing none of us any good."
Lupin turned his eyes to the older wizard and gazed at him levelly, electric blue eyes equally galling, staring right back into his calming grey ones. "Please," Dumbledore said again.
The werewolf looked away.
"Would you like to play chess with me?" Came a quiet voice from a corner of the room. Both men looked up to see a slightly smiling Eleni, giving Remus an earnest look, dark eyes glittering. "I can play rather well, you know."
It reminded Lupin of Lira's younger brother.
"Alright," he replied, voice equally as soft. Walking up to her, he pulled out a chair. "Do you want to be white or black?"
~
The first rumble that came from the hearth was largely ignored. It was the gentlest of tremors, barely causing the instruments on the mantlepiece to shudder.
With the second and third one, the aforesaid instruments began to jingle as they lightly struck each other and soot from the hearth began to appear in the form of very small billows of black cloud. Remus, Dumbledore and Eleni all turned to face it.
The soot began to whirl and green smoke appeared, but with a rather dangerous looking, red edge to it's emerald colour.
It began to whirl more violently, until finally, the sound was like that of being trapped within a hurricane. Sharp whistles echoed within their ears and the instruments and ornaments were knocking against each other and rocking, protesting all the while very loudly.
A shape began to appear in the whirls of smoke. It seemed to be trying to get away from something, shadows that looked like arms flailing.
"Severus?" Eleni whispered, the tips of her fingers at her lips.
A sudden bang and out from the hearth stumbled Snape, weary and pale, sweat trickling down the side of his face, making little tracks in the soot and grime.
"Severus!" Remus started to move towards him. However, the hearth had started to rumble again, soot now belching furiously from it's open mouth of stone.
"Shut up!"
Snape withdrew a small pouch from within his cloak and threw a fistful of purple powder from inside it, hurling it into the fireplace. The rumblings subsided.
Staggering, Snape found something of a support in Remus' shoulder. "Severus?" Lupin whispered into his ear, lips barely moving. The man nodded and then turned - albeit with some difficulty - to Dumbledore. He coughed.
"Here," he said hoarsely. "Your goddamn last Link." A stone that glinted yellow flew from the air from the Potions Master's hand into Dumbledore's own.
The Headmaster paused, gazing at the stone within his hand. He looked up at Snape who was still breathing raggedly, leaning heavily on the werewolf's shoulder.
"Thank you--"
"--Please..." Snape held up a hand to stop the older man. "Spare me for now; of course you'll be grateful... don't thank me, though... just let me sleep..."
~
"I was so worried," he heard himself whisper into Snape's now slightly wet hair. As soon as they had entered his rooms, Remus had held Severus in a very tight embrace but Snape had reminded him that he needed a shower.
Now that Snape had had the shower, Remus wasted no time in getting him in his arms again.
"Hush, now," Severus stroked his hair rather awkwardly. He held Remus' face with both hands, their noses almost touching.
Remus leaned forward and pressed his lips roughly against Severus'. To his inward surprise, Snape responded. When they parted, he could see amusement in the back of those usually wintry tunnels that were his eyes.
"What happened?" Remus asked.
Snape shrugged. "Some wretched Death Eater probably. Sensed my presence, began to run after me. They're getting smarter, working magics like that together, I'm surprised to say. They created a sort of barrier... like the one surrounding this school... only not as old, not as complex, but effective nonetheless." He paused. "I ought to tell Dumbledore."
His eyes went darker.
"Perhaps," he went on, "we ought to keep the Seeing Opal on full time."
"Why?" The wereowlf asked.
"We've got to keep an eye on them. Of course, they'll employ new tactics, but even this..." Snape cocked his head to one side, giving Remus a look with twinkling black eyes. "Thank you, by the way."
Remus started. "What on earth for?"
There was another pause. "I'm ... glad, in a way, I supose," he started, now serious again. "Flattered that you should care for me enough to be so worried."
"How did you know I was so worried?"
Severus snorted. "You weren't?"
Remus brushed his lips against Snape's and went on to nuzzle his neck. "You're right as usual."
"'As usual'?" Snape said, parting away and raising his eyebrow. "I'm not always right: I hope you weren't mocking me."
"I wouldn't dare."
There was a sceptical silence.
"Good." Snape pecked him on the cheek. "That's the way it should be."
*
I love you all. Your reviews are like food to me.
Chapter 27: Dominoes
As Severus had predicted, Eleni returned within the next 29 hours. She was actually back in much less than that. With a confident smile, she had assure Remus that her younger brother was sure to come back sooner than 12 hours, as well.
When Remus sat in Snape's office, he was greeted by an agitated Rat. When he first saw him, he thought the rat was ill. His fur was rough and unkempt, his eyes overly bright and he seemed to tremble at intervals. He pattered speedily up to Remus, leapt onto his hand and brushed himself feverishly for a few moments. Then, with all the might he could, Rat suddenly blasted.
-WHY DID YOU GO AND DO *THAT*?-
"Ouch," the werewolf smiled slightly. "Nosebleed."
-I asked you to *HELP* him! WHY DID YOU TELL HER?-
Lupin shook his head. "I'm insane, I should have warned you."
-It's not funny!-
Rat then nipped him on a knuckle very hard indeed and leapt down, muttering to himself all the while about foolish moon-dogs. Lupin almost began to chuckle, but wasn't sure if the rat would leap back and bite his nose.
After that, Remus just avoided everyone else, occassionally reading bits of Samuel Snape's journal. The bits where he described his first son were the most touching, the werewolf had to admit. He still enjoyed re-reading it, because he always found a new way to interpretate Samues' words and how they portrayed his emotions.
At lunch, he observed Eleni from time to time. There didn't seem to be much of a difference: she was still a playful aunt, a teasing sister-in-law and a slightly domineering older sister. Quite different from her outburst the day before, she was very polite and talkative with Dumbledore.
Rat seemed to be so angry with Remus, that he began to get quite fearless. He continued to run around the table, particularly snuffling at Martin's feet who often fed him a grape or a small piece of cheese, always sending furtive looks in his mother's direction. Remus found this rather amusing: he could imagine Miriam's reaction if there was a rat at the dinner table.
Jona spent most of his time reading a few of the larger, more impressive tomes of the Restricted Section, sometimes leaning to talk to one of the Professors, usually not eating much. This rather surprised Remus: Jona seemed such a hearty fellow, it was strange to think of him not eating much.
Lira and Sirius seemed not to want to talk to anyone else and kept to themselves. Remus couldn't blame them.
Overall, the general atmosphere was one of calm. It was understandable, though, as they were so sure of success, this time round. They had succeeded all the past times: of course they would do the same with this last one.
Two hours after the twelve hour deadline, Remus began to worry. Severus still hadn't returned. Occasionally, he and Eleni would throw nervous glances with each other. He decided to go and join her.
"So it was okay... the first step, I mean, right?" he said.
She nodded. "I can't think why it would take him so long." She loosened the muscles in her shoulders. "Still," she added, "it's only two hours. He may be quite nearby already."
Remus could see the sense in that, so he nodded, not wanting to cause himself any unnecessary grief.
~
"He should be back by now."
Eventually, Remus simply couldn't stay there alone pacing his room. He hated the fact that he was worrying so much because Snape hadn't returned. Although maybe he had good reason to be: when he'd tried to reach out to Rat, he found that the rodent had answered in rather agitated tones.
So that was why he was here (with Eleni sitting in a chair against a wall, stroking a purring sable black cat) in Dumbledore's office, pacing in the company of others.
"Shouldn't he?"
"Please Remus," Eleni murmured rather weakly. "You're making me dizzy."
Remus stopped. Then he walked over to the window and gazed out into the descending darkness.
-Moon dog?-
At first he didn't reply.
-Moon dog? I know you can hear me...- Rat's mental voice now had a bitter edge to it. -Oh alright then!- he snapped. -REMUS?-
**Yes?**
Rat sighed. -It's him. I can feel him. But it hurts. It's never done that before-
Which caused Remus to worry a bit more. He couldn't quite describe it, the worrying sensation inside him. Simply to say 'worrying' didn't seem enough. It didn't quite encompass the feeling that he was quite alone or going to be at any rate. The sheer feeling of helplessness and weight at the bottom of your heart could never quite be put into words.
-And you're no better-
**Thank you**
Rat sighed again. But apart from that, he was silent, though Remus could still sense him being there somewhere in his head.
-I know you care for him-
**That's rather perceptive of you**
-Even that underling of his knows it-
**Eleni? That's his sister**
-Underling. He rules the family, can't you see? He left it and it nearly broke down: she told you herself. I don't think even he knows it, but I certainly do-
The werewolf turned, leaning his back against the glass panes. His eyes weren't seeing, just gazing in a certain direction (at the floor, to be honest) paying no attention to whatever was within his range of vision.
The sky behind him was quickly turning darker.
"Remus," Dumbledore began in a heavy voice, "he shall be back quite soon. You must stop worrying: it's doing none of us any good."
Lupin turned his eyes to the older wizard and gazed at him levelly, electric blue eyes equally galling, staring right back into his calming grey ones. "Please," Dumbledore said again.
The werewolf looked away.
"Would you like to play chess with me?" Came a quiet voice from a corner of the room. Both men looked up to see a slightly smiling Eleni, giving Remus an earnest look, dark eyes glittering. "I can play rather well, you know."
It reminded Lupin of Lira's younger brother.
"Alright," he replied, voice equally as soft. Walking up to her, he pulled out a chair. "Do you want to be white or black?"
~
The first rumble that came from the hearth was largely ignored. It was the gentlest of tremors, barely causing the instruments on the mantlepiece to shudder.
With the second and third one, the aforesaid instruments began to jingle as they lightly struck each other and soot from the hearth began to appear in the form of very small billows of black cloud. Remus, Dumbledore and Eleni all turned to face it.
The soot began to whirl and green smoke appeared, but with a rather dangerous looking, red edge to it's emerald colour.
It began to whirl more violently, until finally, the sound was like that of being trapped within a hurricane. Sharp whistles echoed within their ears and the instruments and ornaments were knocking against each other and rocking, protesting all the while very loudly.
A shape began to appear in the whirls of smoke. It seemed to be trying to get away from something, shadows that looked like arms flailing.
"Severus?" Eleni whispered, the tips of her fingers at her lips.
A sudden bang and out from the hearth stumbled Snape, weary and pale, sweat trickling down the side of his face, making little tracks in the soot and grime.
"Severus!" Remus started to move towards him. However, the hearth had started to rumble again, soot now belching furiously from it's open mouth of stone.
"Shut up!"
Snape withdrew a small pouch from within his cloak and threw a fistful of purple powder from inside it, hurling it into the fireplace. The rumblings subsided.
Staggering, Snape found something of a support in Remus' shoulder. "Severus?" Lupin whispered into his ear, lips barely moving. The man nodded and then turned - albeit with some difficulty - to Dumbledore. He coughed.
"Here," he said hoarsely. "Your goddamn last Link." A stone that glinted yellow flew from the air from the Potions Master's hand into Dumbledore's own.
The Headmaster paused, gazing at the stone within his hand. He looked up at Snape who was still breathing raggedly, leaning heavily on the werewolf's shoulder.
"Thank you--"
"--Please..." Snape held up a hand to stop the older man. "Spare me for now; of course you'll be grateful... don't thank me, though... just let me sleep..."
~
"I was so worried," he heard himself whisper into Snape's now slightly wet hair. As soon as they had entered his rooms, Remus had held Severus in a very tight embrace but Snape had reminded him that he needed a shower.
Now that Snape had had the shower, Remus wasted no time in getting him in his arms again.
"Hush, now," Severus stroked his hair rather awkwardly. He held Remus' face with both hands, their noses almost touching.
Remus leaned forward and pressed his lips roughly against Severus'. To his inward surprise, Snape responded. When they parted, he could see amusement in the back of those usually wintry tunnels that were his eyes.
"What happened?" Remus asked.
Snape shrugged. "Some wretched Death Eater probably. Sensed my presence, began to run after me. They're getting smarter, working magics like that together, I'm surprised to say. They created a sort of barrier... like the one surrounding this school... only not as old, not as complex, but effective nonetheless." He paused. "I ought to tell Dumbledore."
His eyes went darker.
"Perhaps," he went on, "we ought to keep the Seeing Opal on full time."
"Why?" The wereowlf asked.
"We've got to keep an eye on them. Of course, they'll employ new tactics, but even this..." Snape cocked his head to one side, giving Remus a look with twinkling black eyes. "Thank you, by the way."
Remus started. "What on earth for?"
There was another pause. "I'm ... glad, in a way, I supose," he started, now serious again. "Flattered that you should care for me enough to be so worried."
"How did you know I was so worried?"
Severus snorted. "You weren't?"
Remus brushed his lips against Snape's and went on to nuzzle his neck. "You're right as usual."
"'As usual'?" Snape said, parting away and raising his eyebrow. "I'm not always right: I hope you weren't mocking me."
"I wouldn't dare."
There was a sceptical silence.
"Good." Snape pecked him on the cheek. "That's the way it should be."
*
I love you all. Your reviews are like food to me.
