Disclaimer: See Chapter One!
Uploaded: 18th January 2005
"Black Light"
By Dante Lewis
Chapter Ten: Confrontations
"You've been drinking, Lupin." The voice at the door declared, nose sniffing loudly, disapproving at the stale stench of alcohol still permeating from his tattered robes.
Sometimes Remus wondered whether or not there was more to Severus Snape than he let on.
"Oh come on Severus, what would you have done?" Remus said gruffly, neither denying nor defending his actions. "Can I come in, or not?"
"If it was my choice, I would prefer you not." Snape was blunt in letting his distaste for the werewolf be known. Had Remus had a galleon, he would have bet the man was sneering as he had said it. "However…" the voice continued, recapturing Remus' attention. "Given the circumstances, I suppose you'd better come in."
With that, the heavy gilded portrait swung to grant Remus entrance. Hesitantly stepping over the threshold, Remus jumped as the door swung shut behind him. Taking in his surroundings he sought Snape out, only to be completely and utterly taken aback when he saw him bent over a small, wriggling figure as he struggled to change the infant's nappy… the Muggle way!
Inwardly chuckling at the picture, Remus furrowed his brow as he glanced between the clearly occupied individual before him, to the solid oak door, and back again. Straightening his back for a moment and clearing his throat, Snape voiced the answer to Remus' unasked question.
"A simple sensory charm woven into the wards, Lupin. Surely I need not explain its application in home security?" He said, without turning to face Remus' shocked expression.
Recovering, Remus scoffed and gestured towards the baby on the table. "And I suppose you have never heard of a simple Scourigify and its applications in efficient child rearing!" he muttered under his breath.
Hearing the hushed outburst from his reluctant houseguest, Severus' back stiffened, and he hastened his efforts to clean up the child. Satisfied that he had done so, he gathered Estella in his arms, and with nothing less than a purposeful step, spun around to stand toe to toe with the last of the Marauders.
"Don't mock me, Lupin. I know full well the alternatives." He growled warningly, yet softly enough so as to not startle the baby in his arms. Then his voice dropping even lower, he added forlornly. "They did not permit the wards of Azkaban to be touched, Lupin."
Wide eyes stared at him in shock as the ramifications of his little revelation spoke volumes of the depravation inflicted upon the object of their mutual interests. Remus' face fell.
"I-I-I'm sorry, Severus. I didn't realise." He stammered, forcing out the apology.
Severus brushed it off with the wave of his hand. "It's not important." He said dismissively. "Drink?"
Remus nodded, shakily. "I suppose we have a fair bit to discuss…" he said, sinking into a seat on Severus' couch and making himself comfortable.
"Indeed." Severus intoned as he, without warning, swooped down and deposited the alert child in Remus' lap before disappearing into the lab.
Remus, slowly emerging from his shock, wrapped his arms tightly around the content child. 'My how you've grown' He thought to himself, though he doubted if the child would be as small had she been with a loving family. Shifting lightly in his seat and elevating his feet up to rest on the edge of the ottoman in front of him, Remus lifted up the child and repositioned her on his raised knees so that she was facing him and he could get a good look.
"So much like your parents, Missy. More than you will ever know." He said, becoming increasingly choked with emotion.
Pulling out a familiar black dog from his robes, he reunited Estella with Snuffles, the Padfoot-replica soft toy that Sirius had conjured for his wife the moment he had found out she was expecting. "Here, Missy, this is something that your Mummy wanted you to have. I kept it safe for you." He said, waving the dog in front of the child's eyes, until he could have sworn he could see the same mischievous mirth flash in them, that her father before her had continuously held.
"You know who this represents, don't you Missy?" Remus mused, wistfully. "I bet deep down you remember me too, don't you cub?" He continued, searching for recognition in the sparkling pools ofgrey before him.
"What do you mean, 'remember you'? Lupin?" Severus' shadow suddenly loomed over Remus' shoulder.
"Just what I said, Severus." Remus replied softly. "I was there."
Thoughts flooded Severus' mind. "Impossible." He scoffed. "Estella was taken directly to Azkaban for processing upon Selina's death. I saw the report!"
Remus sat up straight and shifted Estella into a more comfortable position on his lap. "Sit down Severus. There's a lot you don't know about what went on that night."
Severus stalked around the edge of the couch, and handed Remus a glass of a dark, thick substance.
"A sobering potion." He said dismissively at Remus' questioning look, as he put down his own glass of fire whiskey and perched himself in a armchair across from Remus, steepling his fingers and staring at Remus in anticipation.
"Well?" He prompted, returning to the point.
"I don't presume to know why the report you read said what you say it said, Severus, but I do assure you that I was there that night." Remus began, his face grimacing as he took a sip of the offending substance. "The hospital called me when Selina was admitted."
Severus gasped. "You… you… were with Selina?"
Remus nodded, wordlessly.
Severus shook his head. "Impossible. Only family…"
Remus broke him off. "I forced my way in, Severus." He snapped, then added softly. "She didn't have anyone else."
Severus pulled out his wand, summoning his pensieve. "Show me." He said. It was not a question.
Remus shifted the baby on his lap, and pulled out his wand to comply.
End Chapter: Confrontations