Once again the disclaimer:  I bow in awe of J.K. Rowling genius.  All characters and things in the Harry Potter world are hers. Please do not sue me.  I make no money and you would undoubted piss readers off if you delay in continuing the saga as we anxiously await your next book.  I have cited other fan fiction articles which have inspired me to incorporate their ideas in this story as well.  I encourage you to read them.  Please read and review. Thanks~ Leyna

Chapter 23:    Freedom for Four

"We won't be able to explain this to anyone will we? Not even Dumbledore."

"No, it has always been the way. If people know too much the vampires will come for me. We need the myths, we need the secrecy. Over time, as more wizards are bred, and if the Clisha continue to choose wizards as partners, we eventually may cross that bridge, but not yet."

"And will Remus lead a life of service as well?" His tone was disapproving.

"Remus may do as he pleases. It is not uncommon for dark creatures to feel so grateful for their freedom that they spend their lives giving back. I don't expect that will be much of a change for him, he already has dedicated his life to the order. He's had to live such a solitary life. It will be nice for him to be free to do as he chooses, and do what's important to him."

"And not to you?"

"God, Severus!" understanding finally, "Is that what you thought? That the broken spell binds the man in life of service to me? The life of service is to life. To mankind, to goodness. That's how a man redeems himself—in faithful service to his own ideals."

A very Gryffindor statement if he ever heard one. The Sorting Hat had placed her well. She whistled and the small brown bird that Severus knew from the emerald packages fluttered to his shoulder.

"He likes you," she said.

"What's his name?"

"Cacao."

"Chocolate. Cute."

"Not cute. I named him after your favorite daaaark chocolate. Mmmm."

"I remember. How did you know?"

"I read your mind as you passed me in the hall. You were thinking of it pretty strongly. I chose not to obliviate that memory." She winked at Severus who was wondering which time that had been as she scrawled an invitation for Remus and asked him to come to her flat. Really, their flat, just no one knew about them yet. She wondered how Harry would take it.

Remus Lupin, a long time werewolf, had suffered from a condition not of his own making. He was discriminated against in the wizarding community and had managed to keep this issue a secret for the majority of his life. It was a curse and one that had put others in grave danger a time or two, in trying to protect him. Harry's father and godfather, James and Sirius had played a school prank on Snape that had almost resulted in Severus' death. After narrowly escaping that mortal danger, Hermione found it really quite amazing that a man who had (and many times still was) bitter about his school days could then look past it and as an adult turn around, attempting to cure the very man who could have killed him.

Remus came at 5pm and Severus made himself scarce for the private meeting. He was a tall man with a kind and friendly face, but appeared tired, even weary on most days, especially near the full moon.

"Remus!" She hugged the old friend, like family to Harry over the years, an important member of the Order of the Phoenix.

"Hermione, lovely to see you again. You're looking well. Happier than I've seen you in awhile. That wouldn't have anything to do with the absence of Malfoy would it?" Remus looked a bit ill.

"Might, along with some other changes." She smiled to herself. "I have some important things to discuss with you about the Wolfbane and your cure."

"You found a cure?"  He asked hopefully.

"No, still working on it."'

Lupin was visibly disappointed.  He was a tall, lanky, but handsome man, with broad shoulders and scraggly hair, cut short to make it presentable.  It was disheartening to see him with disappointment in his face.  Everyone knew him to be a peaceable man, always smoothing things over when disagreements arose between people at Grimmauld Place.  An admirable trait, and surprising one to arise from Remus Lupin, so discriminated against by the Ministry and the wizarding community. 

"Remus, I have something to tell you in secret." He looked at her with uncertainty. "It can never, ever leave this room. Not to Harry, nor Dumbledore, even pets and dead relatives, understand? If you chose not to go through with it, you can drink the Wolfsbane, I'll obliviate your memory and we'll all have a nice dinner."

She was almost completely casual about it. It took Remus aback.

"Of course." He said this with all seriousness. "Ok, I'm dying, tell me. What is it?"

"I am from a people who are known as Clisha. In vampire folklore we are known as the Leanhaum-shee…"

He gasped, "You're not!" He practically shot up out of his seat and took a step back. Remus had developed a huge interest in dark creatures and other mystical animals. His study of Defense Against the Dark Arts over the course of his life had captivated him. Since childhood he soaked up anything having to do with those creatures.

"I am the truth of that and not the myth. I can release you. And only you. One person. I will still work on the cure of course. We still need it for others." He tentatively sat back down.

He nodded, still in shock. "How? When can this happen?"

"Tonight, if you wish it. You will no longer transform, you will be human, and live well and healthy for a long while. You may begin to possess other gifts, which I can help you with."

"So we have to…w-we will have sex…all night?" He blanched and swallowed.

Hermione laughed. "That is the myth, and I already have a partner, thank you." Remus looked stunned and somewhat relieved.

"Literature says they are Irish temptresses…"

"I'm not Irish."

They both laughed.

"Remus, it would make no sense to keep some of these things from you, given how I am able to help you. Therefore, I will offer a bit of detail to help make things about my heritage clearer. The Leanhaum-shee was a myth propagated by my people and kept alive in vampire legends. Their blood has always attracted dark things, leading them to certain doom. The Clisha have always fought to balance the dark creatures of this world and human and animal kind. This has been difficult of late, because I am the last one. My mother died and I was adopted by the Grangers. They were chosen, a Muggle family, in order to keep me because they could offer safety that a magical one could not. It was only a few years ago that I came to meet the man my mother freed. I hope you'll be able to meet him someday."

"Was he a werewolf?"

"Vampire. Like you he didn't choose to be made." Hermione went on to explain about her seeing abilities, telepathy, elemental magic as well as the Remus' life of service and shared abilities (to a lesser extent with Remus, since Severus and her had bonded).

"Do you have questions?"

He paused and thought before he spoke. "Why couldn't you do this before?"

"I would've but I wasn't able to until I joined with my life partner. It's Severus."

"Severus Snape? Potions Master? Death Eater? He's…" He would've continued but Hermione interrupted his quite tirade of disbelief.

"An honorable man. The love of my life. A former Death Eater. He saved me in more ways than I can count, Remus. It's done. And I'm happy. We're happy." She beamed and it dispelled any worry Remus might've had about her well-being.

"I'm glad for you Hermione. Sorry about that, what I said. Just looking out for you, y'know?"

"I know. Now it's my turn to look out for you." Hermione consulted her book, which looked blank to Lupin, and found the passage. She put her wand in her lap, and looked at Remus. "I'm going to kiss you now, but it won't be ordinary. Just relax." Her voice became a purr and Remus was silent.

She placed her hands delicately on his face and looked at him carefully, studying him, connecting. Once she noticed that Remus recognized her presence in his thoughts, she smiled at him and with a closed mouth kissed him fully, deeply. Her incantation sprang to life in his head…

Expello Caligo! Redux Anima! Reverto facies venus!

She turned and spat a black haze to the floor and destroyed it immediately with her wand. Remus passed out. Severus ran in at the incantation he heard in his head; he had panicked.

"Everything's fine, it's fine. Help me with him." Lupin's form had slumped off the couch and they picked him up and repositioned him. They covered him with a blanket and Hermione prepared some tea. "He'll wake, with some time." She kissed him and regarded her love. "I need a few more minutes. Okay?"

"I'll be in the lab." Love you. Don't be long. Severus slowly released her hand and he left her be. He would have to make more efforts at patience. It wasn't one of his virtues.

She smiled as she thought of how connected they now were. He was quite good at it. A natural extension of his skills in Occlumency and mediation. She poured the tea, and waited at Remus' feet.

He woke after a few minutes and was feeling no different than he had before. "Did it work?"

Hermione just smiled at him and handed him the tea, which he drank. He was immediately feeling reassured and refreshed. "Thank you."

"Remus, this is for you." Hermione handed him the gift she had carefully selected for him earlier in the week. He unwrapped it, not quite understanding why she would give him such a thing, after she had just attempted to end his curse. In a small velvet box was a beautiful ring. A moonstone set in white gold, with a Gryffin carved into the face of it. His mouth fell open in realization of what it meant.

He hadn't transformed.

"Oh my God. Oh my God! Hermione! Thank you!" He hugged her tightly and swung her around the room. Hermione and Remus shared tears of joy in his new freedom.

"Wear it well, Remus. If you have need of me, rub it and I will know. Likewise, I could touch my pendant," she pointed, "and you'll know."

"I don't know what to say."

"Say nothing, remember? No one knows. Soon I will be helping other witches and wizards with elemental magic, but that will be the only thing others will find out. Harry knows I have seeing and telepathic gifts but that's it. Only Severus, you and Liam know most of the story that's all. I suspect one other person may have some knowledge, but they'll never tell. That one's good at keeping secrets." She was speaking of Professor Trelawney. She rubbed her necklace and Severus appeared through the door.

"You are looking well."

" 'Lo, Severus. I'm feeling pretty fabulous, thank you. I suppose congratulations are in order for you too?" He winked at Hermione.

And Severus, in his first public display of affection, grabbed Hermione around her waist and held her to him. "Absolutely." And he kissed her.

Severus! "How about a walk in the moonlight?" Hermione asked.

"Right after dinner, I'm starved," said a toothy Lupin.

"We're meeting Liam at the Italian place on fifth, is that ok?" Severus asked innocently.

"Liam? That's great! How'd you get a hold of him? He's in Paris for crying out loud?"

"Cacao knows where he is, so he delivered a little note with a certain wax seal…"

"Slytherin to the bone." She glared at him appreciatively.

They met and ate, and laughed and talked, and shared their secrets and plans for the future. Four people formerly living in darkness and secrecy, now living freer fuller lives enriched by their friendship.

Author's Notes (please read each chapter before skipping here, it may give something away):

Don't forget! **** The concept of connecting with another thorough a magical object that bonds two people is inspired from an excellent fanfic I recently read and recommend, though it is for a mature audience. Contemplations of Birth by Saavik13 is posted on the www.designerpotions.comwebsite and www.fanfiction.com

Expello Caligo! Redux Anima! Reverto facies venus!   I tried the Latin out on line.  I never studied.  Suggestions are helpful.  It translates to Expel Darkness, Return Life/Spirit, Return to true form.  This was inspired by the cheesy line (but I like it) from Ferngully: "What was once done, now undo, return you to the form that's true."

Thank you all for reading!  More soon.  The last inserted chapter was Chapter 15: A Public Reading, so if your read everything already, at least go back and read that chapter!  New plot device and subsequent chapters are changed in small ways that helps the story fall in line.  Many thanks to all reviews and readers!

Merry the Psychotic Coconut ~  Thank you Merry for your feedback!  More coming soon. You give me confidence to write more often!

Disenchanted Glow ~ I am hoping this isn't the end...Voldemort still is alive and active, and I would love to see the conclusion to that. Very well done. I will be checking back to see what else you have done. Thank you for such a wonderful story. ~ Yay!  Yup Voldemort's alive, still finding a way for Harry to finish him off and what Severus' and Hermione's roles (not to mention Remus and Liam's) will be when he meets his sticky end!

Erryn ~  Absolutely amazing! Your storyline was fluid and did not have distracting gaps. I eagerly read every chapter as the story and style drew me in. I am extremely happy you kept it in third party past tense all the way through, nothing more irritating than having an omnicient view become 1st person...but I digress. Beautifully written, great character formation in the later years. Speculating on the years after Hogwarts make the best stories since J.K claims there won't be any books after #7.
I hope you keep writing stories! ~ Thank you! We'll do. Recently heard rumors Rowling might write more books after seven.  Might be a pipe dream, but I can dream.

Cecily ~  I love this story! Hermione is so courageous to have gone after Lucius by herself, but she definitely proved she could handle him! lol I can't wait for an update!! =)  ~  I love a strong lead character, and Hermione kicks arse.  Girl power!

I love spike-02 ~ I truely hope that you continue to update every once in awhile because I would be more than happy to read your works on a regular basis. It was my privilege to have found this story on my search for new HG+SS fics.~  I like the HG/SS pairing too! Thank you.  Please send more feedback.  I'll be sticking with one story for a while.

Interestingly enough, I believe that Snape is most likely a Scorpio, water sign. Check out this description off of the following website ing and a chapter on x-ray vision. No doubt people say things about your eyes: "If looks could kill," "I feel like you're mentally undressing me," etc. You've proven to everyone that you can hold on. Your staying power is second to none. Now learn to let go. Every day find something to sell, giveaway, throw out or burn. If you want to get the most out of life, let go of old crap, literally, figuratively, and most of all, psychologically.

TIP: Remember and forgive.

You have forgiveness issues that tend to make your personal relationships challenging. People whisper about your sex life. They dare to include you in their most passionate fantasies. Love it or hate it, yours is the fate of a "sun sign Scorpio." You must contend with powerful desires.

Topaz signifies fidelity and is good for Scorpio. The totem for Scorpio is the scorpion, a creature known to sting when bothered. A lower form of Scorpio is the snake and a higher form is the eagle. Scorpio is also represented by the phoenix rising from its ashes. Scorpio is a fixed, water sign represented by the iceberg. Just as a state or province has its governor, each sign of the zodiac is said to have its ruler. Scorpio is ruled by Pluto.

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Hope you enjoyed it. Feedback it greatly appreciated.  I'm posting this all at once, so I may periodically update.