Hey all…terribly sorry for the wait on this. Holidays have been busy with my kids at home over the summer. Not only that my computer got some sort of virus that completely shut it down and it just would not start again. I had to totally reformat my hard drive and in the process lost a lot of family pictures that I just won't ever get back.
On a good note though…I got to meet Kelley Armstrong just this past Friday and she signed all my books of hers! She is extremely nice and gave me some juicy tidbits of upcoming books of hers! For those of you who don't know her, she is the author of the books: Bitten, Stolen, Dime Store Magic, Industrial Magic and Haunted. They are fantastic books and some of my writing in this story was totally spawned from bits in the book Stolen. I highly recommend her as an author!
I hopefully will get more time to write soon as my kids will be heading back to school, giving me more time for some inner thoughts and creativity!
Thanks to everyone for their reviews. You are all awesome!
There was one thing that remained a constant in Severus's life as a spy and war hero over the years and that was 12 Grimmauld. It was once a home and then deserted. Once it was brimming with life as the Order of the Phoenix used it as their headquarters and hideout. These days it saw activity regularly as a gathering place. Not only for moments of crisis such as the war, or mourning over the death of Sirius or Molly. Of course the former of the two was actually alive, unfortunately thought Severus. Grimmauld was also filled with joyful and comforting moments though, even for a bitter old potions master like himself.
Severus dragged the young girl by her arm and they entered the building that was quiet for the moment. He walked into the foyer and turned to watch the young girl as she took in her surroundings.
"Why have you brought me here instead of Hogwarts Professor?" She inquired.
"You heard Mr. Potter. He said for me to bring you here and this is where I have brought you." He sneered at the young witch and led the way further in the house until he found himself a comfortable chair to sit in.
"Have a seat, this may take awhile." He steepled his fingers as he watched the young girl through his long bangs.
The young witch did not do as she was commanded though. Instead she twirled as she took in all the details of the room as she spoke. "If you don't mind me saying sir. I did not think you to be one to take orders from another. I suppose I always thought you were more of a take charge sort of man."
Severus raised his one eyebrow at this comment as he watched the young woman's face turn towards him to give him a coy smile.
"Even if Potter had told me to take you to Hogwarts I would have brought you here. This place serves a purpose, and today it is fulfilling its duties." Severus responded with a sneer.
The young girl turned her face away in a shy manner before turning to look at him once again. "Are you saying you wished to be alone with me then Professor?"
Severus did not respond to the question, instead he glared at the young woman as he touched his steepled fingers to his lips.
"Is it true what you were saying to Mr. Black Professor? Did you and Miss Granger have an intimate relationship when she was in school with you?" The young witch took a few shy steps towards him.
"Because I have to make a confession Professor, I have always found you to be very…alluring." The young woman's voice started to take on a quiet husky tone.
Severus raised his brows at the sudden shift in the witch's actions, but continued to sit silently.
"Do you find someone like me attractive Professor? I think that I could make you very happy." The young girl purred softly and made her move, straddling his thighs and sitting upon his lap.
Severus sat there for a moment before he raised his hand to touch the young woman's cheek lightly with his fingertips. He stroked the soft skin from her ear down to her chin before raising his hand to cup her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his caress.
"There are many in this world that seek to reclaim the youth they once had. Perhaps one of these ways is to take someone much younger as their lover. I am not one of these people though, but you my darling Narcissa immerse yourself within it." Severus's voice was soft and sultry and enough to send a shiver down even the most stodgy of women.
"Oh pooh, you figured me out." Narcissa replied as she stuck out her lower lip in what would normally have been a sexy pout, but in the child's body it only accented what she currently looked like. A child.
"You my dear are someone that is impossible for me not to notice, but when it comes to your plans I am often left in the dark." Severus said as he lowered both his hands to the arms of the chair.
Narcissa leaned forward and let her lips touch his ear softly as she whispered. "But there are so many fun things we could do in the dark."
"That is enough Narcissa." He replied and pushed her off his lap and stood up so that he could walk close to the fire.
"What is wrong Severus? I thought you found this kind of body attractive. You did after all have an affair with the mudblood while she was in school." Narcissa cooed.
Severus turned his glare towards Narcissa and he felt a surge of satisfaction as he saw her take a step back. "You are never to use that word around me again, and especially never to insult Hermione."
"Ah yes it is Hermione isn't it? Such a fuss over her isn't there. I mean just look who she has panting over her, Potter, Weasley, Black, the werewolf and even you." Narcissa gave Severus a triumphant grin.
"Indeed, and since you have put us onto the topic, what the hell is going on? You may have helped us to defeat Voldemort but don't think that I don't know that you would have betrayed me if you thought the ruddy bastard was going to win the war." Severus growled.
"As you said my dear, I always leave you in the dark and this time is no exception. As for betraying you? I could never do something like that when I love you so." Narcissa purred as she tried to approach Severus.
He barked out a harsh laugh. "There are only two things in this world that you love Narcissa, power and yourself."
A flicker of emotion could be seen on the child's face and Severus knew that he had angered the witch before him. Their relationship was a long and tangled one and even though Severus desired never to revisit what they once had, he always felt the lure to her that he could not deny.
When Lucius had been put into Azkaban Narcissa turned to him for comfort, and eventually that comfort turned into an intense sexual relationship. She was bold and confident, sexy and sensual and yet seemed to manage to keep an innocent air about her. It was like a drug in his system that he constantly strove to fight for she was highly addictive. He fought though because what he said was true. Narcissa loved nothing in this world except for her quest for power and herself. Not even her own son ranked up in the top three loves in her life, not that she would admit it, but Severus knew better.
"Any attempt at seduction will fall flat my dear for your chosen form is far from seductive for me. What Miss Granger and I had was never sexual, and what she and I have you will never attain. Now I know you wanted into Hogwarts, but you will tell me why now." Severus growled.
It was her turn to laugh. "Do you think this collar has leashed my magic like the others. Your threats mean nothing to me Severus. Who said I wanted into Hogwarts? Who said I didn't want to be right here with you at this very moment?" Her voice turned sultry once again.
"We will get answers from you Narcissa, whether you give them freely or by Veritaserum." He growled.
"And how do you suppose you will keep me here Severus? Will you tie me up. Oh dear how could I forget, you did rather enjoy tying me up. I must admit you did the most spectacular things to me, it is enough to make me wet just thinking about it." She purred.
"Enough, I have had enough. You will sit quietly and wait till Potter gets back, then we shall see what happens next." Severus slumped back down into his chair and his eyes never left the fire as Narcissa wandered around the room.
"So this is the famous hideaway my cousin supplied for the Order. You would think that he could have at least fixed the place up." She stopped by the window and her fingers slid through the material of the curtains. "Although these look fairly new. I suppose you have been doing things as you saw fit to clean the place up."
She continued moving around the room and Severus heard her walking behind him. He knew she wouldn't get far if she tried to run from him, so he continued to stare at the fire. "I would complain about the work that the house elves are doing though, there is a layer of dust about this place that is just unacceptable." He heard her shuffling through some items and started to turn to look and see what she was up to. Suddenly he saw stars and then pain sliced through him as his head felt like it was about to explode.
He tried to stand but the moment he moved from the chair his head started to spin and he couldn't help but lose his balance, toppling over the side of the chair and landing hard on the ground. His vision was blurry and his breathing ragged, but he heard her voice through the roaring sound of his blood flowing in his body.
"I'm terribly sorry my love, it needed to be done you see. My partner will not be happy that things didn't turn out as we planned, but you know that I am ever resourceful and I will find another way to get what I need." Something clattered loudly beside him and it rolled into his vision. He saw his blood on the side of the candlestick and he managed to curse his stupidity just before he succumbed to the darkness that engulfed him.
His dreams were never pleasant ones on the night of a full moon and this night was no exception for Remus Lupin. The night's dreams were more like a nightmare this time, filled with the warmth of blood soaking his skin and the screams of humans that at times seemed almost a most beautiful melody for him. He furrowed his brow at his thoughts and raised a hand to his brow. What had he been thinking? It was the wolf in him still, the last muzzy thoughts that he just prayed were dreams and not reality.
When his eyes finally opened, shucking off the last vestiges of sleep, it was to see a sleeping Ron Weasley sitting slumped in a chair beside his bed. His hands rubbed his eyes once before he attempted to sit up on the bed. A loud gasp escaped his lips as pain ripped through his body and when he finally gained his breath he lifted the blanket slightly to look down upon his body. There were new scars on him. Something happened last night he thought to himself. Something very wrong.
He grunted softly as he slowly lifted himself, trying to shake off the pain that still remained from his wounds. His gentle eyes shifted about, taking in his surroundings while Ron slept silently beside him. It was then he noticed the bed beside him was occupied, and from the looks of his recent scaring a new werewolf had been born.
"He will be alright now. He has suffered through the worst of it, from now it will only get better for him." Ron's voice startled Remus and he cried out as he turned suddenly towards the redhead.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you Remus." Ron gave him a sheepish look.
"It is alright." Remus said with a voice more like a growl. He closed his eyes and sighed softly as he was reminded of his own condition. His transformation usually was like this, leaving him with the remnants of alter ego for a short while in the morning. "I'm sorry myself, I did not mean to sound rude."
"I understand." Ron replied simply.
"Why did you spare him? You should have let him die…" Remus said in a pained voice.
"Is that what you would have done Remus? Truly?" Ron asked.
"Yes. Death is far more preferable than the life of a werewolf." Remus replied.
"You truly think that? Look at his face and tell me you would have left him to die." Remus looked at the man laying on the cot and his face hardened.
"He is one of them, so yes I would have left him to die." He growled.
"No Remus. He was trying to help her. Hermione was the one that asked that he be saved, would you deny her?" Ron asked softly.
Remus sighed. "No I would not deny her that. What kind of life will he have now though? He will be a slave to his condition for the rest of his life, having to take a potion once a month to control his own mind."
"You know Remus, I have learned a lot about muggles over the years. Having a muggleborn as a best friend certainly helps. Something that has always fascinated me though was the true amount of strength that they possess. Us wizards rarely have to live through pain and disease, thanks to potions and spells we are able to get over the tragedies that sometimes befall us. Even you are able to escape from the loss of your mind through a potion. Muggles however tend to live with pain every day of their lives. Whether it be from a simple cold to a devastating illness such as AIDS or Cancer. I know you are aware of these things, but did you know that some of them have to medicate themselves daily in order to survive? Some of their medicines can't even take away their pain without sending them into a drug induced state. We may be stronger because of our magic, but muggles have such a resilience that it is courageous for them to live day to day sometimes." Ron said.
"But you know what, this man is lucky. He has something that you never did when you were first turned." Ron paused and then continued at the curious look his old professor gave him. "He has you. You will be there to teach him what he has become and what will happen in his life from now on. He not only has his new condition to contend with, but he also has a whole new world that has opened up for him and you will need to help him through it."
Remus pondered everything that Ron had said and all that could be heard in the room was the breathing of all three men and the distant movements of the mediwitch. "When did you become so wise Ron?"
Ron gave him a grin. "When a certain wise professor gave me a kick in the ass when it came to my life and how I view it."
Remus chuckled and winced slightly from the shot of pain spiking inside of him. His gaze then went to the sleeping man beside him and he hoped that Ron was right. Perhaps things would turn out better for him because he would have the support that Remus had not had till later in life.