Chapter 13
Severus sat at his desk, trying to make a dent in the ever growing pile of essays that he had assigned. Piking up another essay (a Hufflepuff 3rd year) he sighed, and made a mental note to assign less essays. 'Maybe I should make some of those multiple choice things. Methos could help me,' he mused before turning back to "The Medicinal Values of Athelas." He sighed again.
"Well, that's what you get for letting them pick the topic," he said aloud.
"Oh, Severus, you should know better than that, now."
Severus smiled at the tesing tone in his lover's voice.
"I will eventually." He put down the essay, ready to take a break. Methos entered Snape's office and practically melted into the single chair in front of the desk. Severus took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, then his temples.
"Headache?" Methos asked and Severus nodded.
"Yes. For the past hour." Methos winced.
"Why didn't you stop earlier?" Severus looked vaguely sheepish.
"It didn't register." Methos shook his head.
"You know, you don't need your glasses anymore. You're immortal now, perfect vision comes with it." Severus shrugged.
Some habits die hard." Methos smirked.
"Yes.but that's probably what's giving you the headache. Immortal muscles can still pull and strain. That's a natural part of building muscle. You know that from training." Severus scowled, annoyed at himself that he forgot. Methos stood and, coming around the desk, sat on Severus' lap.
"You need a break."
Severus smiled and wrapped his arms around Methos' waist.
"I need you."
"Of course you do." Leaning down, Methos kissed Severus' nose playfully. Severus squeezed his eyes shut and made a face. With a quick, deft hand Severus found the seam of Methos' clothes and tickled the pale warm skin.
"Hey!" Methos grabbed the offending hands, which twisted and captured his own, effectively pinning them behind his back. Methos' face twisted in frustration and mock annoyance. Severus leaned up and kissed the pout away. His grip loosened and Methos' hands came up and around Severus' neck.
"Oh! Excuse me!"
Methos and Severus broke apart and looked in surprise at the doorway. Minerva's glasses were slipping offer nose, her eyes were wide, and her cheeks were flushed. Her severe bun wasn't so severe anymore and small pieces had fallen to frame her face. This confirmed Severus' hypothesis that her composure had a direct effect on her hair. Now she was seriously flustered.
Methos didn't move from his seat, but looked at Minerva without the least bit of embarrassment. Severus, on the other hand, was blushing faintly, which was severe embarrassment for him.
"Yes Minerva?" Methos asked, "You wanted something?"
She seemed to shake herself. "Oh! Um, you know, I've forgotten. Nevermind. Sorry to have interrupted."
"Quite alright," Methos answered.
'it most certainly is not!' thought Severus.
Minerva nodded and left, closing the door behind her, and still obviously flustered, and left the two of them alone. Methos turned to the sill pink Severus and kissed him soundly. He leaned foreword and whispered into Severu's ear,
"Lets get you out of this atmosphere, go have fun. Then we can decide how to repay the twins. If you have enough energy after that, you can return to the essays. Severus smirked back at him and the two were gone in a flash.
Somewhere in the winding corridors of Hogwarts
Sirius plodded along, pouting slightly, as Remus led him through the halls. He was blindfolded and Remus kept an eye out to make sure no one saw them. They came to a stop.
"Close your ears," Remus commanded and Sirius obediently covered his ears with his paws. Remus whispered something Sirius could not make out. Remus rubbed the top of Sirius' head, the signal to continue onward. Immediately Sirius felt a difference in the air. It was cooler, darker, damper, and the walls felt closer.
"Remus?"
"Shh, Padfoot. Trust me."
"I do, Moony, I do."
Remus stopped, stepped back a bit, and undid the blindfold. "Get back to human, then you can open your eyes." He watched as his husband's human form emerged, and blinked a few times, before his eyes widened in astonishment.
"Oh.Moony."
The Room they were in could only be accessed by a secret passage dangerously near Dumbledore's office. It was cold and damp, but that was esily countered by the few torches and the barely used fireplace in the corner. The room was furnished in reds and golds on old tapestries and pillows and blankets. An old bed stood along one wall, opposite the fireplace.
This was their room. Their secret meeting place when in school. Not even James had known of it.
"oh.Moony." he said again. He looked to see Remus grinning.
"I found it again the other day when you were with Mac. It's exactly the way we left it. This is our space again. A safe haven." Sirius could hear the hidden message inside. It was a hideout for himself, if is secret was ever discovered, Remus too. With teary eyes he turned back to Remus and trapped him in a big bear hug which Remus was all too glad to return.
***
The package arrived with all the other supplies so Lee thought nothing of it. He placed it on the shelves with the trick candy in the back and promptly forgot about it. He stayed there all day and all night and all the next day too. That night it was discovered.
"Fred? You remember this?" George gestured to the box. Fred walked over and shook his head.
"No. Must be something Lee ordered. Leave it. We'll ask him tomorrow."
But it was too late.
The box had been charmed to open when both twins were within the proximity for thirty seconds. And it did. Rather violently.
Maybe exploded would have been a better word.
The twins stood. Coughing and waving their hands until the smoke cleared. When it did, and they blinked their eyes clear, they stared in shock.
Their mouths and noses had protruded slightly to form a type of muzzle. Their eyes split and faced more outwards than normal, though their vision was the same. As they watched their ears grew furry and gray and stretched up to come to a point well above their head.
Both senses a tingle at the base of their spine and when they turned to look, they saw a tail burst through the seat of their pants. They looked at each other again just as they teeth stopped growing.
A paper fluttered to the floor. George stopped to pick it up.
"Gotcha!" it simply read. He looked at the paper front and back. No more was read. Fred took it.
" Don't worry. It'll wear off in exactly one hour. Or at least, it should. It's still experimental. Have a good day." Fred crumpled up the paper.
"Pierson!" Fred growled.
"EEE-AWW!"
Fred glared at George disgusted and stomped off to the shop proper, glad they were done for the day.
Tonight they would plan.
***
Back in the castle dungeons Methos cackled with laughter. Severus smirked at him from the bed. Methos was looking into a cauldron that doubled as a seeing glass, watching the twins transformation.
Severus stood, letting the black silk sheets fall away as he went to stand behind his lover. His smirk turned decidedly wicked when he saw the tails.
"Perfection," he whispered into Methos' ear. Methos half-turned, smirking back at him.
"Would you expect anything less?"
"Never."
"Good."
Methos turned fully into the embrace and ducked his head to nuzzle Severus' pale neck.
"So how long until that wears off, for real?" Methos asked, his voice slightly muffled.
"One hour and ten minutes, exactly. Just long enough for them to really freak out." Methos laughed.
"Perfect."
Smiling wickedly, Severus pulled his lover back to the sheets.
TBC
Severus sat at his desk, trying to make a dent in the ever growing pile of essays that he had assigned. Piking up another essay (a Hufflepuff 3rd year) he sighed, and made a mental note to assign less essays. 'Maybe I should make some of those multiple choice things. Methos could help me,' he mused before turning back to "The Medicinal Values of Athelas." He sighed again.
"Well, that's what you get for letting them pick the topic," he said aloud.
"Oh, Severus, you should know better than that, now."
Severus smiled at the tesing tone in his lover's voice.
"I will eventually." He put down the essay, ready to take a break. Methos entered Snape's office and practically melted into the single chair in front of the desk. Severus took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, then his temples.
"Headache?" Methos asked and Severus nodded.
"Yes. For the past hour." Methos winced.
"Why didn't you stop earlier?" Severus looked vaguely sheepish.
"It didn't register." Methos shook his head.
"You know, you don't need your glasses anymore. You're immortal now, perfect vision comes with it." Severus shrugged.
Some habits die hard." Methos smirked.
"Yes.but that's probably what's giving you the headache. Immortal muscles can still pull and strain. That's a natural part of building muscle. You know that from training." Severus scowled, annoyed at himself that he forgot. Methos stood and, coming around the desk, sat on Severus' lap.
"You need a break."
Severus smiled and wrapped his arms around Methos' waist.
"I need you."
"Of course you do." Leaning down, Methos kissed Severus' nose playfully. Severus squeezed his eyes shut and made a face. With a quick, deft hand Severus found the seam of Methos' clothes and tickled the pale warm skin.
"Hey!" Methos grabbed the offending hands, which twisted and captured his own, effectively pinning them behind his back. Methos' face twisted in frustration and mock annoyance. Severus leaned up and kissed the pout away. His grip loosened and Methos' hands came up and around Severus' neck.
"Oh! Excuse me!"
Methos and Severus broke apart and looked in surprise at the doorway. Minerva's glasses were slipping offer nose, her eyes were wide, and her cheeks were flushed. Her severe bun wasn't so severe anymore and small pieces had fallen to frame her face. This confirmed Severus' hypothesis that her composure had a direct effect on her hair. Now she was seriously flustered.
Methos didn't move from his seat, but looked at Minerva without the least bit of embarrassment. Severus, on the other hand, was blushing faintly, which was severe embarrassment for him.
"Yes Minerva?" Methos asked, "You wanted something?"
She seemed to shake herself. "Oh! Um, you know, I've forgotten. Nevermind. Sorry to have interrupted."
"Quite alright," Methos answered.
'it most certainly is not!' thought Severus.
Minerva nodded and left, closing the door behind her, and still obviously flustered, and left the two of them alone. Methos turned to the sill pink Severus and kissed him soundly. He leaned foreword and whispered into Severu's ear,
"Lets get you out of this atmosphere, go have fun. Then we can decide how to repay the twins. If you have enough energy after that, you can return to the essays. Severus smirked back at him and the two were gone in a flash.
Somewhere in the winding corridors of Hogwarts
Sirius plodded along, pouting slightly, as Remus led him through the halls. He was blindfolded and Remus kept an eye out to make sure no one saw them. They came to a stop.
"Close your ears," Remus commanded and Sirius obediently covered his ears with his paws. Remus whispered something Sirius could not make out. Remus rubbed the top of Sirius' head, the signal to continue onward. Immediately Sirius felt a difference in the air. It was cooler, darker, damper, and the walls felt closer.
"Remus?"
"Shh, Padfoot. Trust me."
"I do, Moony, I do."
Remus stopped, stepped back a bit, and undid the blindfold. "Get back to human, then you can open your eyes." He watched as his husband's human form emerged, and blinked a few times, before his eyes widened in astonishment.
"Oh.Moony."
The Room they were in could only be accessed by a secret passage dangerously near Dumbledore's office. It was cold and damp, but that was esily countered by the few torches and the barely used fireplace in the corner. The room was furnished in reds and golds on old tapestries and pillows and blankets. An old bed stood along one wall, opposite the fireplace.
This was their room. Their secret meeting place when in school. Not even James had known of it.
"oh.Moony." he said again. He looked to see Remus grinning.
"I found it again the other day when you were with Mac. It's exactly the way we left it. This is our space again. A safe haven." Sirius could hear the hidden message inside. It was a hideout for himself, if is secret was ever discovered, Remus too. With teary eyes he turned back to Remus and trapped him in a big bear hug which Remus was all too glad to return.
***
The package arrived with all the other supplies so Lee thought nothing of it. He placed it on the shelves with the trick candy in the back and promptly forgot about it. He stayed there all day and all night and all the next day too. That night it was discovered.
"Fred? You remember this?" George gestured to the box. Fred walked over and shook his head.
"No. Must be something Lee ordered. Leave it. We'll ask him tomorrow."
But it was too late.
The box had been charmed to open when both twins were within the proximity for thirty seconds. And it did. Rather violently.
Maybe exploded would have been a better word.
The twins stood. Coughing and waving their hands until the smoke cleared. When it did, and they blinked their eyes clear, they stared in shock.
Their mouths and noses had protruded slightly to form a type of muzzle. Their eyes split and faced more outwards than normal, though their vision was the same. As they watched their ears grew furry and gray and stretched up to come to a point well above their head.
Both senses a tingle at the base of their spine and when they turned to look, they saw a tail burst through the seat of their pants. They looked at each other again just as they teeth stopped growing.
A paper fluttered to the floor. George stopped to pick it up.
"Gotcha!" it simply read. He looked at the paper front and back. No more was read. Fred took it.
" Don't worry. It'll wear off in exactly one hour. Or at least, it should. It's still experimental. Have a good day." Fred crumpled up the paper.
"Pierson!" Fred growled.
"EEE-AWW!"
Fred glared at George disgusted and stomped off to the shop proper, glad they were done for the day.
Tonight they would plan.
***
Back in the castle dungeons Methos cackled with laughter. Severus smirked at him from the bed. Methos was looking into a cauldron that doubled as a seeing glass, watching the twins transformation.
Severus stood, letting the black silk sheets fall away as he went to stand behind his lover. His smirk turned decidedly wicked when he saw the tails.
"Perfection," he whispered into Methos' ear. Methos half-turned, smirking back at him.
"Would you expect anything less?"
"Never."
"Good."
Methos turned fully into the embrace and ducked his head to nuzzle Severus' pale neck.
"So how long until that wears off, for real?" Methos asked, his voice slightly muffled.
"One hour and ten minutes, exactly. Just long enough for them to really freak out." Methos laughed.
"Perfect."
Smiling wickedly, Severus pulled his lover back to the sheets.
TBC
