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last chapter was a bit on the odd side, but it explained a lot of stuff which I have been itching to tell you all since I first started, I have a file full of notes on the chronology of the Old Order, and Phaerren magic, you could say I've created a world within a world… but that would be inflating my ego…
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The dinner had, as usual been up to the usual magnificent standard of the Hogwarts House Elves. Conversation had hardly touched the book and Anna's complicated heritage. Remus had learnt more about the Snapes in the past hour than he had ever found out by cunning in the past twenty years. He had to admit, that when Severus actually tried to be nice, it was possible to like him, just a little. It made sense to Remus now, Severus was nice to Anna, because in a very extended way, she was family, and if there had been one thing that Snape had always been very private and protective about, it was family, even if it was on Draezyc's side. It reminded Remus of the times in Hogwarts when some people had made a joke about Snape's father and mother in transfiguration one lesson, and Snape had practically exploded with fury.
"But you see, it's not the monkshood that triggers the potion, like many people and indeed it's name would suggest. It's the small addition of the fluxweed that reacts with the monkshood and activates the mineral in the substance, which in turn activates something within the hormone system of the werewolf mind, which stops the wild ferocious nature from surfacing, and turning the mind into that of a more human, harmless wolf." Severus was leaning back in one of the black velvet recliners, sipping from a crystal goblet of wine, discussing the finer points of how Wolfsbane worked with Remus and Anna. "I never found out quite how it worked, but only that it did work, and thus, created an expensive temporary answer to an age-old problem."
"You discovered it?" Anna asked, watching as her goblet magically refilled.
"I did, I don't wish to elaborate on the circumstances as they are not pretty, but yes, it was I." Severus nodded.
"See, we always knew you were going to grow up into a potions genius." Draezyc smiled, linking her arm around his. "You, are just too clever."
"So, how did you two meet? You're like… perfect together." Anna smiled.
"How we met? Oh nothing much really. She tried to kill me, and failed miserably obviously as I am here now." Snape smirked. "I wonder how many people can say that, hmm Draezyc?"
"Very few." Draezyc laughed. "It's just as well I saw the error of my dastardly ways before I killed you, or I'd be Severus-less."
Severus smiled briefly. "And yourselves? I'm sure it was a better story to tell than being threatened."
"Well, it really was all Padfoot's fault, he got lost in the village and I picked him up, he had a name tag and I took him to this small little farmhouse and lo and behold it was Remus. Though I would have laughed had you told me then that I was a magical creature descended from the Old Order." Anna smiled at Draezyc who nodded.
"You read the book then?"
"Parts of it, it was slightly too thick to read in one go, in the space of a few hours." Remus leaned back. "Where on earth did you get it?"
"It's been passed down through generations of the Tealamon family, I'm the last living Tealamon, thus I have it, except I was forced to give it to Voldemort in exchange for my life a few months back. I'll give it to Pytheus when I die, or if we ever have any more children and they're girls, then I'll have to give it to her instead." Draezyc gave Severus a distinct look.
"So you knew about me?"
"Oh yes." Draezyc nodded. "I found out in the February of 1991, it took me about six years to locate the last Belaqua in the lineage. It was your father's name. And his mother's before him. His mother was Lucille Belaqua, her mother before hers, and so on and so on. Your father was the first male in the lineage since about the 1500s to take on the name. The magic works usually by convincing the child that they like their mother's name better and thus, take it aboard legally. The Tealamons don't necessarily work like that. My mother was a DeGrey, so I inherited the lineage through my father. Although myself, I don't carry the Phaerren magic, that was a distinctive mark of a Belaqua."
"Wow…" Remus gaped. "So you knew all about this, and nobody else even knows such a person exists any longer?"
"That's exactly how it is." Draezyc massaged her stomach slightly. "Good isn't it."
"I'm trying to think of something impressive to say in reflection to that." Severus shook his head. "You two aren't the only ones in the dark about his, do you think she breathed a word of this to me? Not a single word until Voldemort had you in his clutches."
"So what is going to happen now?" Anna asked, well aware that Voldemort wasn't going to let go in a hurry.
"I'm probably going to get royally slaughtered for my little display of disloyalty." Draezyc beamed. "But then again, I've got him in a lovely corner, I'm the only one who really knows what's going on with all this Phaerren thing you see, without me, he's lost."
"Perhaps now would be a good time to mention to you that just after you ran Sumpservius through, Malfoy had a little talk with his darkness, and I was there at the time." Snape scowled. "How do I put this? He isn't amused with the situation and took out a lot of his misery on myself. However, I don't believe that he's just going to let this go, he will form some sort of retribution."
"That's such a wonderful topic." Draezyc moaned. "Can't you be cheerful?"
"And what exactly is there for me to be cheerful about?" Severus sneered. "A violent death? No thank you."
"Well," Remus countered. "You have a family, Severus. You've got a brilliant son, surely that's enough?"
Anna nodded. "He looks just like you, you know."
"I pity the poor child." Severus grimaced.
"But you're proud of him?" Anna asked
"Proud? Yes." Severus nodded. "Pytheus is going to grow up into a proper young man. Not the riff raff you get round some parts. And I have no doubt in saying that he's definite Slytherin material."
"Oh you're just saying that because you couldn't handle Pytheus being a Gryffindor." Draezyc smiled sweetly. "I don't mind where he goes as long as it isn't Hufflepuff."
"Ah, here comes the genuine Slytherin biased opinion." Remus laughed. "SO, what changed your mind Severus?"
"About what?" Severus narrowed his eyes.
"Come on, you hated me at school, you despised me when I returned to teach for that year, you don't associate with the Gryffindor bunch." Remus finally asked the question that had been plaguing him for days.
"Ah." Severus nodded. "I'm sure you understand that I take my family's privacy very very seriously, and like to keep them protected from potential dilemmas."
"Yes." Remus nodded remembering just how abusive Snape used to get in Hogwarts when anybody mentioned his parents.
"It would seem, that Anna is related to my wife. However distant that may be, it is still a relation, and I like to think I extend such treatment to other family members, I have very few. Anna is in no position to really protect herself other than those she knows here, and it is no secret that you are very close to her." Here Snape added a familiar sneer. "Outwardly, I may appear to wish you dead, but I have no other choice until I can see for myself that Voldemort is dead, and will never return. You by yourself, present no inconvenience to me, it is the company you keep, including Black, who I honestly dislike."
"What he's getting at is that he's over protective. Anna comes under category as family, and thus, Remus, you sort of latch on to that." Draezyc smiled. "And I really mean overprotective."
"I don't consider myself overprotective, I call it keeping you alive." Snape shook his head in frustration. "Must you exaggerate everything I say?"
"Mostly." Draezyc nodded, once again holding a hand against her stomach. Severus frowned, but made no comment.
Remus chuckled. Together, those two were incredibly… there was only one word for it... sweet. Remus cringed, the words Snape and Sweet did not figure well together. The hour was getting late, but time had passed quickly, and Anna was now talking animatedly with Draezyc about various past Phaerrens in the history of the Old Order. Remus turned his attention to Severus.
"So, we are calling this a truce, after the best part of a twenty year debate?" Remus offered Severus his hand.
Severus gave Remus an odd look, which Remus found hard to interpret, but took hold of Remus' hand and shook firmly. "To those within this room. Outside is a different story."
"Always." Remus nodded. "I owe you my thanks,"
"For what Remus?"
It was the first time Severus had actually said his name in a direct conversation. Remus had to stop for a moment to register that. "For the whole Wolfsbane thing."
"Who you should really be thanking is Voldemort, but I'm sure you'd rather not." Severus smiled slightly. "He encouraged me to continue my research in that area."
"I thin I'll congratulate accidental but amazing occurrences instead." Remus raised his glass, and clinked it with Severus' before drinking its contents.
Draezyc and Anna were deep in conversation and didn't see the two men share a look over their enthusiasm.
"It must be nice…" Remus started, "To be able to come home to a wife and child."
Severus smiled for a brief moment. "I was hesitant, I did not ever imagine to have what I do. I didn't think I really deserved it. But yes, I do suppose I am fortunate. And yourself, you haven't done badly."
"It'll take time." Remus pulled his chair across to Severus. "What's it like? I never imagined you to be married, you hid it well."
"You'll find that I hide many things well." Severus answered, watching the red wine swirl in the goblet. "What is it like to have the woman of your dreams? It is everything. Perhaps overwhelming at first, but you start to worry that one day you will be left alone, it's something you will never want to give up, you will be prepared to risk everything for it, and if you feel that, then you'll know what it is like. Whatever you may feel to start with, it will never compare to being able to wake up knowing that you are not in an empty bed, that the incomparable beauty beside you is not a figment of some hallucinogenic potion, but real, and yours alone." He pushed a greasy strand of hair away from his face. "Things change, but seeing Potter, every day. It beings back memories of what things used to be like, and what they could still turn out to be should I be unlucky. It reminds me of what I lost, what I could have gained had I tried hard enough. He shows me where I went wrong every time I see his face. It's like torture, and that is your answer as to why I do not like the Potter boy. Which I know is on your mind." Snape added.
Remus nodded. "Sometimes, I can understand what you feel, take for instance, what I see around me just before a full moon. People walking around me as if I am about to turn round and annihilate them. Scared of what I might do, how I might react. In truth I just feel tired and very ill. Seeing the happy people not even take a second glance at the moon, they don't need to worry about it. But me. I'm not like that, everything I ever do, has to be thoroughly checked through first, to see if there are any possible dangers to others. Seeing those people just reminds me of how I used to be before this. I can't even get a well paid, honest days work because of it. I resent the moon in a way that no non-werewolf could ever understand."
"One day." Severus held up a bottle of wine, refilling both their glasses. "One day we'll find you a cure for this." He slurred slightly.
"How many bottles has this been?"
"Not sure." Severus muttered. "But see here. Remus. We've got as close as to find a temporary solution, it can't be that far off a complete cure, or even if you just become ill for the full moon. That'd be an improvement. You see, I have ideas for things, but I need a werewolf to help in the testings, you know, a bit of blood here, a few hairs there. It would make my experiments a lot easier."
"Are you offering to help me?"
"In a very random way, yes." Severus nodded. "But in order to work this one out, I need your help in return."
"Deal." Remus nodded. "Even if I do think this is just the ramblings of a tipsy man."
"I'm not that drunk. It takes more than a good few bottles of mere wine to get me merry." Severus looked up at the ceiling, blinking a few times. "Now Draezyc however, can get drunk in a few bottles, which is why we have the supply over here, and not them over there."
"Severus Snape, I have to admit that whatever image you wish to portray to the world. You are in fact, now a member of the Moony-friends association."
"So honoured." Severus grinned, "Do we get little certificates and things?"
"Yeah, with little wax stamps of approval, ones that howl realistically when you touch them." Remus laughed, trying to focus his vision which was getting blurry. At present there were about three Severus Snapes wandering around his vision.
"Lovely… And you… are a member of the Severus Snape Appreciation Brigade… yeah… the sab… you know what this evening is missing?"
"Yeah." Remus nodded, wondering why he suddenly felt so happy. "A troupe of dancing elves."
"Nah." Severus gestured with his hand. "Meringue."
Remus' eyes widened in awe… "Yeahh… and sugar quills."
"Tell you what… you get yours, I'll get mine and we can make some sort of a meringue with little sugar quills sticking out of it… like cake decorations." Severus and Remus nodded, and they both stood up, holding onto each other's shoulders for support. "Kitchens?" Severus manoeuvred them to the door, ignoring the protests of Draezyc and Anna.
"Damn right." Remus giggled, wondering why Anna was giving him such an angry look. "We need to get… stuff." He told her, giving her a quick hug before latching onto Severus again and slowly making their way down the dungeon corridor.
Remus seemed to forget that it was term time, and it was very likely that there would be students out of bed, roaming the halls, and it was also possible they could get caught… and embarrassed. Very embarrassed.
Severus had to stop himself from bursting out into song, but that didn't deter Remus, who clicked his fingers to an imaginary beat and started making up random words to a song… "I'm just a weeeeeeeeeeeerrrrreeeeeeeeeeewolllllfffff…. Ain't nobodyyy…. Who er… understaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaandsss meeeeeeeeeeeeee….. like youuuuuuuuuuu!"
Severus giggled, and as they opened the kitchen doors, he caught up the tune and continued. "And meee, nothing but a snake lovin' wine drinkin' kneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzllllllleeeee…."
"That was such a good one." Remus patted Severus on the back, who nodded seriously, calling for the elves to bring them a plate of their finest meringue with sugar quill toppings.
Remus jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Siiiiriusss… man, I thought you were a ghost…."
Severus snorted with laughter.
"You're blind drunk." Sirius exclaimed. "And you!" he pointed at Snape, "You too?"
"No, not drunk…" Snape shook his head, "Nuh uh. No siree."
"Bloody hell." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Couldn't you guys have waited for me?"
"Nope." Remus giggled again. "Me and Sevvie have a club, and you're not in it. We're getting stuff… for… stuff…" Severus nodded profusely to this.
"Oh god." Sirius moaned. "Please tell me I'm dreaming… and oooh… that is a NICE bottle of wine you have there."
"Wanna drink?" Remus thrust the bottle at Sirius' face, "C'mon you gotta join us. Those women… they're being… women…"
"Not that I could do much with mine anyway…" Severus smiled widely as a large silver plate appeared on the table covered in meringue and sugar quills. "She's having another one… like we don't have one already… bloody timing… of course she's all cheerful about it… saying 'oh we've got to call her Salacia'… bloody hell, can't she keep her bits… un-pregnant?"
"Brilliant!" Remus exclaimed, "You're going to be a dad aaaaaallll over again." He sat down at the table, taking a sugar quill. "You're gonna be such a lucky bloke… honestly… I'm very happy fffffffor you… and… this is great… you know?"
Sirius sighed, with both of them completely plastered, this was going to be one long night… well, if you can't beat them, you have to join them… He picked up the remaining bottle and tipped it up, pouring the contents into his mouth.
