MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
by The Goblet

Chapter 8

"Angel, will you walk about with your friend?" asked a thin man, as Severus stood rather awkwardly by the dance floor. The man was dressed entirely in black, with a loose silk shirt, open to mid chest, and tight leather pants. He wore a large, brimmed hat on his head, and a black, cotton mask covered his eyes.

Looking beyond the mask, Severus could see his lover's amber eyes, twinkling in the firelight. The jaw was also that of his lover's: strong and angular, and covered with the five-o'clock shadow the werewolf always bore. But something wasn't right. There was something about this face. It looked like Remus; yet he did not act like him.

And then it clicked. Black. It was Black. And he was propositioning him disguised as Lupin.

Severus' heart rate soared in alarm. What was going on? Why on earth was Black masquerading as Lupin? Had the werewolf told them? Had they known all along? Had they been laughing at him for years?

"Angel?" Black repeated.

Severus stared at him. He needed to get away. He would not be humiliated twice in as many days. How long had he played the fool? Three years? The shame was mortifying.

Breaking out of his stupor, he pushed the masked man away and began weaving his way through the crowd, wanting nothing more than to curl up in his bed, under his blankets and not speak to anyone for at least a month.

"Snape! Snape! Oh for the love of Merlin, just hear me out!"


Peter Pettigrew stood by the refreshments table inspecting the cheese platter. He had just managed to construct a cracker layered with five different cheeses and a slice of salami when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Rodolphus, hello!" he exclaimed, spinning around to see the elder LeStrange brother dressed entirely in black, and without a mask. "Cracker?" he asked, holding out his tasty treat.

Rodolphus looked down his nose at the portly Gryffindor, "No, thankyou."

"So, what brings you to Hogsmeade? I thought you said you wouldn't be able to get to Hogsmeade for another few weeks," Wormtail garbled, shoving the mini-tower into his mouth and spraying crumbs all over the Slytherin.

Rodolphus looked disgusted as soggy pieces of cracker flew onto his shirt. He pulled out his wand and cast a cleansing charm. Once clean, he leant forward and whispered in Pettigrew's ear. "Bellatrix refuses to put out. I'm feeling randy, have time for a shag?"


Arabella Figg twirled around the dance floor, laughing with merriment. She had had a little too much of her 'special' punch and was feeling particularly cheerful.

"I know you," she said as she returned to her masked partner's arms, "you are Aberforth Dumbledore."

Arabella's partner, who was indeed Aberforth, smiled. "You are mistaken."

"I know you by the waggling of your head!"

"I'm a great impersonator, am I not?" he laughed.

"No one could impersonate him so well. Look, even your hands are just like his!"

Aberforth just laughed and whirled Arabella about the dance floor.


"You won't tell me who told you?" asked Maid Marian.

Robin Hood's eyes sparkled, "No."

"And you won't tell me who you are?"

"Not now," replied James, he was having far too much fun dancing with Lily without her knowing his identity.

"As I was saying, Potter told me that I was scornful."

"Potter?"

"I'm sure you have heard of him."

"No, never."

"He's never made you laugh? Never slighted you?"

"I'm sorry, milady, I have no idea who you are talking about."

Lily sighed. "He is a fool, a clown, a buffoon. His only talent is devising insults and slander. When he tries to 'entertain' people, he both angers and amuses them. Only licentious and lecherous women fancy him. And they aren't attracted to his wit, let me tell you that!"

James forced a hollow, fake laugh. "If I ever meet him, I shall tell him."

"Do and to save face, he will say something similar about me, I kid you not."

James' face was pale with anger under his mask. How dare she!

The band started up a lively Conga dance. Lily grabbed James' hand. "Come, let's join the line!"


Regulus and Rabastan stood in a sheltered corner in the ballroom. Neither man had bothered donning a mask for the evening, believing the custom old-fashioned and childish.

"I saw your brother here earlier," remarked Regulus.

The younger LeStrange chuckled. "He's probably in the dog house. No doubt he tried to get your cousin into bed again."

"Is Bellatrix still insisting that they wait until they are married?"

Rabastan nodded.

"Explains why he left with Pettigrew then."

"What he sees in that slob is beyond me."

"He puts out."

Rabastan crinkled his nose at the disturbing mental image. "Speaking about brothers, your brother caught up with Snape outside," he whispered, changing the subject of whose brother had a sex life.

"And?"

"Snape saw through the Polyjuice immediately. The man's not stupid. He refused to talk to him until it had worn off."

"Really?" Regulus was intrigued.

"Indeed, your brother was on his knees when I left."

"And Snape was listening?"

"He seemed to be."

"Look, there is the half-blood," murmured Regulus as he spotted Remus, who was dressed identically to Sirius.

"Nice costume," Rabastan scoffed.

Regulus smirked before making his way across the hall to the Gryffindor. "Hello Potter."

"Regulus," Remus acknowledged. He saw no reason to correct his mistake, especially if Sirius was still speaking with Severus.

"Potter, you are much closer to my brother than I am. He is besotted by my housemate, Severus. I beg you, dissuade him from Snape. They are not a good match, the Snape family is nothing compared to the Blacks."

Remus was aghast; Sirius was besotted by Severus? His Severus? "I think you are mistaken. Sirius and Severus hardly get on."

"I heard him swear his affection," Regulus replied.

"Surely not," he whispered, mortified.

Rabastan put a hand on Remus' shoulder. "It is true. I saw him take off his mask and hat, kneel and propose to him. They are out in the garden if you don't believe us."


Remus locked himself in a stall in the men's bathroom. It could not be true. It could not!

After hurriedly excusing himself from the two Slytherins, he had made his way to the garden, where he had seen, as LeStrange had described, Sirius and Severus in close conversation.

Sirius, obviously no longer under the effects of the Polyjuice, had been standing before Severus, his hat and mask by his feet, his right hand entangled in the front of the Slytherin's tunic, pulling him close, while his left hand was cradling his head, their bodies pressed snugly together.

From where Remus had been standing, it was a cosy, sickening scene with both men staring into each other's eyes, their faces only inches apart.

Remus had then fled to the bathroom, hurt beyond all belief, not wishing to see his lover and friend engaged in a passionate kiss. He hadn't seen Sirius propose to his lover, but their conduct in the garden and Rabastan's declaration that Sirius had wooed Severus for himself, left him no doubt: Sirius, his close friend wanted to marry Severus.

The werewolf was heart-broken. After finally confessing his feelings to his friends, he had thought that they would help him. He had thought his friends were honest and true. He had never expected Sirius to pursue his mate.

He should never have trusted Sirius. Never had asked him for his help. He should have tried to talk to Severus himself, tried to win back his trust. He should have been the one proposing tonight. He should be the one in the garden kissing Severus; loving Severus.

But now he had lost his mate. He had lost the one person whom he truly loved. And Remus knew that it was his fault. If only he hadn't been such a coward. If only he had had the guts to announce his affection. If only he wasn't scared of his own sexuality. If only he hadn't trusted Sirius. If only, if only, if only!

Remus pulled a wad of toilet paper out of the dispenser and blew his nose.

"Goodbye Severus," he whispered to himself, saying a final, private farewell to the man he loved.

Remus heard the bathroom door swing open and crash against the tiles. "Moony?" called James.

The werewolf tried to compose himself before answering "Yeah?"

"You've been in here for ages."

"I know."

"Aren't you going to come out?"

"I don't know."

"God you sound depressed."

Remus didn't answer. Why couldn't James just leave him alone?

"Padfoot has your Severus."

"I wish them joy," Remus' voice was clearly miserable.

"You sound as though I would, if I found myself engaged." James rapped hard on the door of the stall. "Remus, what the hell are you doing in there anyway?"

"Just leave me alone."

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"Go away!"

James hoisted himself up on the stall and peered over the door. "No, not until you tell me what's bothering you," he replied, looking down on his friend.

Remus stood up and snarled. He forcefully swung open the door, forcing James to the floor. "Nothing is wrong. I'm fine. I just wanted a little peace and quiet, but I guess that was too much to ask!" he snapped, before sprinting from the room.


tbc...

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