(15)Away From Privet Drive!
"What do you mean "She ran away!"?" Moody snarled."I mean, she got up, fled for the door & ran for it!" Snape gritted his fangs.
"AHHHH! Severus!" Moody yelped. "You have a dentle problem of some sort?"
"Wha...? Oh!" Snape turned away, feeling panicked. The Order already had one werwolf in it. Could it handle two? Or rather, could it handle two that hated each other with a passion?
Petunia decided to break the awkward silince. "Remus bit him on Christmas Eve!"
"While he was still human?" Moody gasped. "Wow! When Remus settles a score he....WHOO!" Moody let out a soft whistle. "He REALLY settles a score! Alright! I can handle it! Now, why did Merida run away?" Snape stared firmly out the window into the rising sun. No way would he answer that question!
"He walked in on me & Merida!" Harry raged, glowering at Snape's turned back. "He told her not to see me again & now she's gone!"
"You telling me, Severus walked in on you while you two were having ssssss......." Moody burst out laughing. Snape bared his fangs as he continued to glare more intently out the window!
"That's right!" Harry snapped, still glaring at Snape.
"Severus, don't you think you may have been a bit extreme?" Moody asked after a moment. "Forbidding her to be with Harry?" No answer.
"It's all your fault!" Harry suddenly burst. "You drove her away! Who knows what will happen to her? London can be a hard city------!
"Harry calm down!" Moody ordered but Harry continued his rant.
"----& Death Eaters are loose now! Not to mention, she isn't dressed properly! She's in her lingerie! If something happens to her, it's your fault! Just like the rest of your family-------"
"HARRY! DONT---------!" Moody began.
"--------& her mother, too! All because of you, Professor Snape!" Harry was panting a bit when he finished.
Moody glanced almost fearfully at Snape, who slowly turned around to glare at Harry. "No, don't!" Moody whispered. "Severus, we're all upset here! I'm sure Harry didn't mean it!"
"I DID MEAN IT!!!" Harry yelped.
Snape stepped forward & grabbed Harry by the collar. "Don't EVER bring that up again!" he finally spoke. "I have enough problems with Remus continually reminding me of that day! I don't need you helping him out! I know what Merida is exposed to out there! You don't have to tell me!"
"You should have left her alone!" Harry snapped. Snape let go of the collar & the two glared at each other a moment. "I'm going out to look for her!" Harry marched for the door.
"You will do no such thing!" Snape yanked him back. "I will go! You stay out of my way!"
Merida felt the fog closing around her, hiding her. She heard her father calling out "Merida come back here! Merlin's sake, woman! You're in your....." but she kept on running, his voice fading away. Merida fled down the street of Privet Drive & up the main road, leading into the city. Still she ran. Furious! Crying! Not knowing where she was going, somewhere in London of course, but at least going away from him! He who ruined her life! Her own father!
Merida slowed to a walk & clawed her hair from her eyes, thankful she had at least some sense to slip into her black sandles before bolting. She kicked a sharp stone out of the way & curled her hands into fists at her sides, marching down the road, as the suns rays began to vaporize the soft cloud around her.
Merida shivered a little. It was spring & the mornings were still a bit cool. She pressed on anyway, knowing the sun would warm up in a bit. Merida had no intention of going back! If she couldn't see Harry, then she WOULDN'T see Harry. She couldn't bear it to be with him & not be allowed to have him.
"Merida you idiot!" she stopped walking to scold herself. "Just go back there & go to Harry! You don't have to listen to........to.......to him!" She started walking, but still away from Privet Drive, Snape's words ringing in her ears, "Merida, apart from mentioning the Dark Lord's name half the time, you've never failed me!" "Never?" Merida fumed. "I'll "fail" you this time! HA! & I'm not even a Professor like you!" She kept on walking through the back streets, but still away from Privet Drive! Half an hour of silence passed. "I don't want to be "the perfect child" anymore!" Merida burst out to herself suddenly, trying to convince herself as she turned into a back alley, but still away from Privet Drive! Why was she doing this? She should go back there & defy him & stay with Harry! She wanted to hurt Snape in any way possible. "Ah Remus! You beat me to it!" Merida remembered the lycanthropy. She continued on her way, away from Privet Drive!
"Well well! What's a pretty thing like you doing out here?" came a voice. Merida whirled around & was face to face with a young man. At first, she was terrified but her telepathy told her otherwise. There was no danger, not this time!
"Running away from a man I once called father!" Merida snapped, walking away.
"Let me guess, disagreement over a boyfriend?" he followed her.
"He hates either one of my boyfriends!" Merida sunk her teeth into her tongue! Who the hell is the other one?!?! she fumed, forgetting everything!
"Sounds complicated!" said the young man. "But still, you shouldn't be wandering about in........in........well that outfit!"
Merida glanced down at her apparel & suddenly realised that she was still in her lingerie! The black silk skirt fell half-way down her long legs & the bra was fortunatly covered slightly with her hair! Merida groaned, embarrassed to the extreme outmost that she had flashed her foxy figure to half of London, no doubt! "I'll be all right!" she hissed. "I just live around here so I'll go home! I'll be fine!"
"Would you like me to follow you?"
"No!" Merida ordered. "I'm in a real bad mood & I'd rather be alone! I'll be careful!"
"Alright then!" he answered. "But be sure to go home immediatly!"
"I will!" Merida promised as she waved him away. She didn't need a muggle following her & if something happened she could just use her wand. Merida groaned again. She had left it behind! "Fine! What do I care?" she marched on alone, wondering who in darnation was her "other" boyfriend!
"Alright! I admit it!" Snape shot daggers at anyone who would dare look at him! "It's my fault she ran! You happy?" It was late in the afternoon, after a long hard search for Merida. Moody, Snape & Petunia were back at the Dursley home with Harry, Ron & Neville. "Oh! She's probably some sort of animal! We'll never find her!"
"You thinking of this?" Harry lifted up the old Sword.
"She doesn't have it on her?" Snape fumed. "Or her wand?" He pulled it out along with his own wand & laid them on the table. "Great! Well, at least she has Rachelle's pendant!"
"Nope!" Harry tossed the little gold heart over the wands. "I found it on the floor in my room-------!"
"Where you no doubt had tossed it whilst satisfying your vile affections!" Snape snapped, stepping up to Harry again!
Moody blocked the way. "Enough Severus! Daughters are meant to have boyfriends! Give it up!"
"Allastor, because of HIM," Snape pointed to Harry. "Merida is gone & is easy prey to anyone!"
WHAM!!! Moody backhanded Snape across the face, turning him sideways. Snape kept his face turned away, wincing against the sting & softly licking at a loose fang. "Enough blaming! That goes for you to Harry! Fighting among ourselves is going not to help! We need to sit down & analize this! Where would Merida go? Probably someplace where there are horses! Is there a track around here somewhere?"
"How should I know?!" Snape snapped.
"I was talking to Petunia Dursley!" hissed Moody.
Merida was still wandering around the back streets of London, not wanting to go back to Privet Drive but not knowing where else to go. She still couldn't imagine who else she was refering to, either! Marcus Flint? "NO! Certainly not!" Merida yelped. Draco Malfoy? Merida sighed. Could it really be Draco? She had said once that he was good-looking "& we both have Veala in our family! Was it Draco Malfoy?" Merida shook her head. "No, it can't be Draco Malfoy! Even if he is a bit nicer now that everyone knows about being Veela! Not Draco! Please!"
Merida hated this! Hated it like what went between Lupin & Snape! Not knowing who else she could be thinking of, though Draco Malfoy popped into her head on occasion. Maybe he was the "other" boyfriend. Something deep inside told Merida No! Not him! "Besides, it wouldn't be safe!" Merida said aloud. "His father tries to murder me any chance he gets!" Merida sat down on a bench, lost in thought. It was getting late & she was getting tired of wandering around but the stubborn genes of her father refused to let her return to Privet Drive! You have to go back! she tried ordering herself. It's getting late! You plan on staying out all night?! Merida was begining to decide to return. After all, Moody should be there by now to escort the underage back to Hogwarts by a Portkey. Hogwarts! If Merida could get to that giant castle, she could put plenty of distance between herself & Snape with out really going anywhere! Merida stood up to leave.
"& where would you be going on such a lovely evening?" said some man's voice.
Merida glowered. She was in a vile mood & did not want to be complimented right now! "I'm going home to kick my one-time father into hell! Goodbye!" She marched away!
"Oh, a wild one!" cooed the stranger. "I like that!"
"Silence!"
Merida whirled around, glaring up & down the street for Snape! She knew that voice all to well! So where was he? Then she realised it had been her speaking. Merida groaned. Even when attempting to run away from Snape, she couldn't really get away! She had his eyes, his temper & his stern voice to haunt her! Merida tried walking again. She had to get back to Hogwarts.
"Oh don't be tempermental!" the stranger followed her. "I can make you feel better!" He raised a hand for Merida's hair.
Merida stepped back but he stepped with her. "I don't have time for this!" she snapped. "I must get back to my school!" Merida raised a fist to punch the foul creature of a man........& slammed hard on the stone gates of Hogwarts! "Oh! OH! OW!! Aw damn! DAMN!! OUCH!!!" She sucked hard on her splintered knuckles for a moment, tears again stinging at her eyes but for a very different reason this time! "OW!! For Merlin's sake! You have a hard face!" Merida swore a few worse choice words unbecoming to a lady & then realised she had punched Hogwarts Gates hard! "How did I get here?" Merida glanced around for whoever was with her only moments before, but she was alone.
"Ow! OW!!" Snape pulled back from Petunia's hand. "Too cold! That hurt!"
"Hush Severus!" Petunia ordered. "This will help the reddnes. Allastor packs a mean punch, doesn't he?" She pressed the wet cloth against him again.
Snape let out a low growl & then concentrated on his loose fang, trying to ignor the cool stinging sensations on his face. "Yes he does!" Snape finally fumed. "I don't know whatever I did to him!"
"He seems proctective of Harry!" said Petunia.
"They all are!" Snape snarled.
"How's that fang?" asked Petunia.
Snape bared it to show her. "Don't touch it, though!" he warned. "It's full of posion."
"I know all about werwolves!" Petunia defended. "At least the bleeding has stopped."
"Well, I've checked everywhere & anywhere with a horse!" Moody entered the kitchen. "Nothi-----am I interupting something?"
"So not funny!" Snape snarled. "She was nursing me back to health after you slapped me! Allastor, you know better then to damage a werwolf. We don't heal properly remember?"
"Sorry Severus!" Moody yelped. "I guess I kinda forgot you--your---uh---your condition!"
"My condition?" Snape snapped. "Very nice! So nothing on Merida?"
"Well actually, you won't like this but," Moody sighed. "there was a report from some man claiming that a blonde girl in black lingerie just vaporzed in front of him! She aparated someplace! I don't know how but she finally managed to do it on her own!"
"DO WHAT?!" Snape roared. "Who knows if she even survived it? Not to mention she yet again performed under-age sorcery & this time in front of a muggle!"
"I alerted the Knight Bus!" Harry walked in on the scene. "They'll keep an eye out for her!"
"Thank you!" Snape snapped. "But she's no longer in London! She aparated who knows where? If I EVER get my hands on her, I'll-------!"
"Severus will you calm down!" Moody ordered.
"NO!" Snape declared. "I will not calm down!"
"You ought to get some sleep, Severus!" Moody said. "We'll wake you if we find anything."
"I'm fine!"
"You sure?"
"Yes, I'm fine!"
"Very well then!" Moody grumbled. "Now let's think about what happened & where she would go!"
"Let's think about what happened?" Snape asked tiredly. "I'll tell you what happened! I wake up to find Merida in bed with Harry Potter! I got into another fight with her! There is a pile of shattered diamonds in the living room! I'm hated by my own flesh & blood now! Yet another Order memeber finds out I'm a werwolf! That's you Allastor! Petunia finds out I'm a werwolf! Petunia finds out I'm a Death Eater! Oh & get this! My only daughter is running about the streets of lingerie---------wearing LONDON!!!"
Neville gazed awkwardly at Snape. "Don't you mean "running about the streets of LONDON wearing LINGERIE"?"
Realising what he just said, Snape heaved a heavy sigh. "Mr. Longbottom! Allastor! Petunia! I'm going to bed! Please let me know if there's some other way I can screw up today!" Snape stormed away.
"Use the guest room on the right side of the house, Severus!" Petunia said.
"Why?" Snape muttered.
"The moonlight should just about be finished passing through that window!" Petunia answered.
Moonlight? Moonlight! Why in Merlin's name is she thinking about moonlight? I'm not in a romantic mood! Snape stared blankly at her.
"You're a.........werwolf?" she stammered.
Snape bit his lip. OUCH! DAMN FANGS! "Right! Goodnight!" Snape stood in the darkness of the room, staring through the window at the moonlight shining over the land. He was trapped here. He was worried about Merida & he was trapped here by reflected sunlight off the moon. The moon! Turning what otherwise would be harmless sunlight into an anguish! "Remus I can't even find my own daughter because of you!" Snape put a hand on the windowsill & immediatly recoiled with a yelp. The moonlight wasn't completely gone yet!
Merida stood staring down the road to the castle, a dark mass in the dimming twilight. "I must have finally aparated! I was thinking of this place!" The gates at Hogwarts weren't really an actually fence but the signallled the barrier that blocked further aparation. This was as close as she could get by simplying beaming herself here.
Merida hurried down the dark road, glancing once up at the moon. It was still missing a side, not completely full but more than half! She reached the castle & entered. No one was about for everyone must be at the Great Hall by now for supper. Merida wasn't hungry & even if she was, she had no intention of waltzing in there in front of the whole school while in her lingerie! Wouldn't Draco Malfoy be there? She hurried towards the common room, ducking out of sight occasionally whenever a stray soul-----or ghost-----would appear for a few moments. Merida stepped out behind an old gargoyle, narrowly missing Nearly Headless Nick! Ordinarily, she really liked Nick but right now, having him see her like this would make her blush, even if he was just a ghost! Merida smiled softly & rounded the corner. "AHHHHCK!! PEEVES!"
Peeves was the castle poltergiest ghost, a playful ghost in a treacherous sort of way. Annoying like the Weasley twins! "Oooo I haven't seen a fox like that in over a hundred years!" Peeves cooed.
"Oh THAT'S perverted!" Merida snarled. She had no fear of Peeves. He was a ghost. He couldn't hurt her, only make her feel cool. Merida doubted if he would harm her anyway. Peeves wasn't like that! He was like Fred & George!
"Well now, where should we go?" Peeves linked an arm around her but Merida walked right through.
She sucked in a gasp through gritted teeth & shivered slightly. hmmpf! A little more cool than I thought but anyway..... "You getting romantic with me?" Merida cooed, batting her lashes. Peeves smiled sheepishly & flew away, blushing a darker silver. "Wow! Veela-ism works on ghosts? Cool!" She continued to the Gryfindor common room, weaving in & out through the halls & classrooms.
Merida walked slowly, keeping an eye open for anyone who'd appear. She wondered if she really wanted to go to Gryfindor Tower right now? What if Moody had escorted the others back. Could she face Harry again? & her father! He was probably waiting for her in that common room! Merida was in a world of trouble & she knew it! Aparating in front of a muggle! Snape probably knew of that by now! Thinking of him made Merida return to her sulky sorry mood. Forbidden to see Harry ever again! How could she live with that? Finally she stopped in front of the door. Head hung low, deep in thought & saddness. Merida stepped inside.
"I don't want to see father right now!" Merida glowered aloud. "Damn! Where's a full moon when I need one?"
"A-hem! mmm! It's after curfew Miss Snape! You should be in your Tower!" came a sudden voice. "& full moon will be here when it gets here!"
"I AM in the Tow-------!" Merida looked up & right into the eyes of Lupin's reflection off the boggart cabinet! "What? Where am I?!"
Lupin turned around. "You're in my classroom! I don't believe my classroom & the Tower has switched places?"
Merida smiled tiredly for a moment & then remembered what she was wearing!
"You've been wandering around the castle looking like that?" asked Lupin. Merlin's sake! She's in lingerie! Help me!
"Yes!" Merida groaned. "& half of London I'm afraid!"
"Half! Of! London?!" Lupin tried hard not to smile! "Get in here & close that door!" Merida did so. "Why were you in London?" He handed Merida a cape to cover herself more decently, regretting it deeply as her beauty was hidden from him! It's for the best! "Well? What's this about London?"
Merida sat down on the bench near the back of the classroom. How in Merlin's name did I end up here? She glanced up at Lupin for a moment, remembering what she had said earlier about Snape not liking either of her boyfriends. Snape liked Draco Malfoy just fine! He did NOT however, like Lupin! Merlin's sake! Remus? He sat down beside her, watching her, waiting for an answer. Merida broke down again & sobbed out the whole story!
Lupin was less than happy. "Once again, Snivellus manages to ruin someone's life!" he snarled through gritted fangs. He saw Merida hiding her face behind her hands & noticed one hand was severly scraped. BLOOD! Lupin got a whiff of that scent! Great! Now I'm horny AND agitated! "I'd better fix that!" Lupin got up.
"F-fix what?" Merida sniffled softly.
"Your hand! That scent! I----" Lupin gritted his fangs for a moment. "....better fix it!"
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Merida yelped. "I had forgotten it!"
"Don't fret yourself!" Lupin took hold of her hand. "It's not full yet!"
Merida waited for him to heal her hand before going on. "I just fled! He scared me actually! I thought he was going to.........Crucio me!"
"Crucio?!" Lupin yelped.
"Instead, he destroyed the-------!" Merida stopped in mid-sentence. How would Lupin react to that?
"Destroyed what?" asked Lupin.
Merida gave in. "Oh, Remus! Your necklace is gone!"
Lupin glared into the mirrors on the cabinet! He destroyed my only connection to Rachelle? Snivellus you idiot! He gazed at Merida & realised that he still had something of Rachelle right in front of him.
"Now I can't see Harry anymore!" Merida sniffled again. "& I'm not going to speak to that Potion Master EVER again either!"
Lupin held her close. He couldn't stand to see her so distressed. "Hush Merida! It will work out somehow!" he tried calming her.
"No, it'll only get worse!" Merida mumumered. "I'm not going to be "the perfect child" anymore! I'm going to do something so evil to him that he'll regret making me upset!"
"You sound like a Maurader!" Lupin smiled softly. "That should make him happy! So what do you have in mind?"
"Nothing yet!" Merida sighed dejectedly while gazing into Lupin's eyes. An idea WAS forming but did she dare? Merida you're tired, hurt & very confused! But it'll really affect----him! She felt Lupin brushing off a tear from her face. Honestly! Who was seducing who?! Merida told herself. "I really don't know what to do!" Merida said aloud.
"Then don't do anything!" Lupin said softly. & don't YOU do anything either REMUS!! he scolded himself sourly. If only she'd stop looking at me like that! Merida was gazing at him with an unblinking stare. Lupin couldn't stand it any longer & the next thing he knew, he had kissed her! No! He WAS kissing her! He couldn't stop! He had to stop, unless he wanted them both to suffocate to death! Lupin pulled away. Merlin's sake what have I done?! To a student of mine?! He glanced at Merida who was just as shocked as he was.
Merida didn't know if she had seduced him or not. It all happened so fast!
Lupin kissed her again. "This is VERY wrong Merida!" he said after a moment.
"I know, but don't stop!" Merida surprised herself. What am I doing?! Lupin was on her again & she knew this time it would be a while before he got off! Is it possible to love two men at the same time? Merida asked herself as she began to lay back. She let the cape fall to the floor. Her lingerie soon joining it along with a few other things! Lupin was on her, massaging her, touching her. Then Merida thought of one tiny detail. "Errr---Remus? No lovebiting!"
Lupin gazed down at her, smiling evilly through gritted fangs. "I wouldn't dream of it!" he snarled playfully, but holding her firmly, begging her. Merida felt the pressure building & finally let him in! Both moaned suddenly in pleasure as Merida felt his warmth in her. He was surprisingly gentle for a werwolf! Merida urged him to go harder. He did, releasing all the tension that had built up over the past year or so. Lupin kept his fangs gritted & away from Merida as he felt the climax coming on! He moved faster. Merida held him tightly, not letting go. It was over. Lupin collapsed on her & both lay still, breathing hard.
Lupin gazed at the reflection in the mirrors. He was still on Merida. He couldn't believe it. Finally, Lupin was with a Serge woman! Nothing was going to ruin this for him! Even if Snape himself happened to march into his classroom & see this! Lupin no longer cared! He was with Merida now & nothing would change that! He wanted Snape to march in & see this! He wanted to laugh in his face!
Lupin knew this was wrong. NO! He was a Maurader! Maurders did all the wrong things! Wrong was right for a Maurader! He felt a small pain go through him. Prongs & Padfoot would have been proud of this! Especially Padfoot for he had considered himself a lady'sman during their school days! The rat! KILL the rat! Lupin pushed the old feelings aside. Now was not the time to be thinking of-----them. He had to concentrate on Merida. He began to get off her but his passion returned. Merida stiffened & pulled him close, ready for another climax. She was Veela! Lupin could go on all night with her if he wanted to! He did! Straight through to late the next morning.
Snape awoke with a start. He was in an unfamiliar place. Then he remembered where he was & why. Merida had not returned. Snape knew that for the others would have called him if she had. He lay back & closed his eyes for a moment, worried. Did the Dark Lord get her? No, probably not. His Death Mark hadn't burned him. Often, it would prickle softly as the Dark Lord gathered his forces but no searing rage or evil pleasure, not yet anyway. Then it him! Snape sat up with a start & let out a shriek! He remebered one thing Merida had said to him! He knew EXACTLY where Merida was!
"I'll send an owl to the rest of the Order," Moody was saying. "Something must be wrong with Merida. She didn't return----!"
"Allastor, get Potter, Longbottom & Weasley back to Hogwarts!" Snape's voice suddenly sounded behind him. "The rest of us should aparate!"
"I haven't learned that yet!" said Petunia.
"Alright! Fine!" Snape tried to keep his voice even. "Allastor? Get Potter, Longbottom, Weasley & Petunia back to Hogwarts. I will aparate there!"
"The Portkey was ready since yesterday morning!" said Moody. "But what about Merida?"
"Merida? MERIDA!" Snape growled. "I know exactly where she is &----&-----oh! HE better not have!" Snape disappeared with a "POP"!
"Who?" Moody asked but he was to late. He glanced back at the others. "Alright! Let's get back to Hogwarts!"
Merida was lying on the floor by morning. Lupin pressed hard on her & kissed her. He wouldn't French! He couldn't. It was too dangerous. What if her flesh tore across his fangs? He would ruin her! Oh & mating with her wouldn't be ruining her?! Lupin pressed harder & felt Merida's body arch under him.
Merida was gazing up at him. "Oh, Remus!" she begged. "Yes, like that!" They collapsed again after a moment, feeling content. Lupin flipped off, catching his breath. Merida leaned over him. "We really should get up," she said.
"I don't want this to end!" Lupin sighed.
"I know, but class is starting soon!" Merida reminded him.
Lupin sat up sharply. "C-c-classss?!" he had forgotten. No way would he want the whole school suddenly marching in on them! "Ahhhck! Quick! Let's get dressed!" Merida lay back & giggled at him.
"Come on Merida!" Lupin smiled down at her. "They'll be here any minute!" Merida got up, kissed him & walked over to her lingerie. Oops! Right! How will she get out of here?! Lupin worried, feeling rather silly! He got ready for the class & watched Merida slip back into her skirt & top. Lupin had a silly boyish grin on him! He loved Merida! Last night was the best night he had ever had. Suddenly his grin froze to his face as he saw a reflection staring back at him. "Morning Snivellus!" Lupin tried to act like an innocent puppy!
