A/N: I have altered chapter 10 a bit because I noticed that I didn't mention anything about the mobile phones and didn't make clear that the muggles have left the place. I've fixed that now, just in case some of you were still hoping that their would be a way for the two, or at least Severus, to get out of the cellar before the moon would rise …
They will certainly have a hard time, but for those of you who are worried too much about Severus' and Remus' lives: this is to confirm that no real wizards or werewolves have come to harm during the process of writing '-)
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He jumped on the beast, straddling it before it could react itself in any way. At the same time he hit it's nose with his right fist with all his might. That caused the werewolf to be dazzled for a moment and luckily, it didn't show any signs to react, so Severus had time to take a closer look at his opponent. Not that this was a moment to calm down. Severus thought that he had never experienced his heart beating that fast. He was actually wondering if he could get a heart attack or at least faint from that strain. He felt slightly dizzy already. If so, he hoped that he would die before the wolf could get at him. To experience being ripped to death by a werewolf helplessly was the worst he could ever imagine. But for now the animal was out cold.
Remus as a wolf was indeed huge, as he had expected, and of course, much bigger than a natural wolf. The beast would have been even more impressive if it had been standing, but it was frightening enough as it was, lying on it's back. Severus didn't dare to look around to get an impression of the other half of the beast.
There were a lot of strange facts about werewolves. When they transformed, the clothes the person was wearing, disappeared. When the werewolf changed back to it's human form, the clothes were back on. Sometimes they were damaged in the process (that was why Remus didn't have a big wardrobe and the clothing he owned was quite worn and often mended). Injuries like the one Remus had would stay because they were connected to the body, the bandage would have been gone. Also, if Severus would have tied Remus up before the transformation, ropes or anything else would have vanished.
Come to think of it, if he had the proper material for that cause of action, Severus could try to tie him now, but he hadn't anything he could do it with. He could perhaps use his trousers to bind the hindlegs for example, but he wasn't sure if that would be strong enough to hold the beast down and, what was more, he would be forced to change his position and leave the wolf unattended, even if only for a second. And that was clearly out of the question.
The fur was a grey/brown with darker patches at the shoulders and the face. It wasn't exactly what you would call ugly. To the contrary. Apart from the terrifying teeth and its enormous size (and if it had been in a zoo behind bars), it was an impressive animal.
Severus hadn't any more time to look closer, because suddenly, without warning, it came back to life and snapped viciously. Before Severus could react properly, the wolf had caught his right wrist.
Panic arose in him. It didn't hurt as much as he would have suspected, but that was probably due to the high adrenaline level he was surely having at the moment. Clear thinking was eluding him and the vertigo became worse. He couldn't even see properly as a spell of colours was suddenly impairing his sight. He didn't want that. He didn't want to get killed that way. He had to do something. Severus, think. Breathe … With an effort he couldn't explain himself he lunged at the werewolf's nose with his left fist. He missed the first time, but hit the second and several times more. Finally, the beast let go of his wrist and became lifeless under him again.
Blood was oozing from the bite wound but not much. This was typical for werewolf bites. You didn't die by bleeding to death after a werewolf attack (if you weren't killed directly in the first place). The animal's saliva had a blood clotting effect.
Severus was well aware that with this bite, he would be sharing Remus' fate from now on. But this didn't matter at the time. He could worry about that later, if there was a later.
The wolf was stirring again and this time Severus got a chance to react before the beast did. Again, he hit it hard on the nose until he could feel the animal becoming slack under him.
During the actual moment he had to defend himself, Severus knew that if he had had a kind of weapon, he wouldn't have minded killing the beast. Although he would never forget that there was a real person behind this horrible animal, someone he knew and he had actually begun to like, as soon as the wolf opened his eyes, all that counted was not to get killed. Remus wouldn't feel anything about it anyway, as werewolves who weren't under the wolfsbane potion weren't conscious of what they were doing. But he didn't have a weapon, and he wasn't sure if he was strong enough to kill it with his bare hands. If need be … but if the nose hitting tactic### worked he wouldn't try anything else.
The was blood on the wolf's face as well as on Severus' hands. He couldn't tell which was which. The bite on his arm was still bleeding a little. Severus felt very cold by now. His clothes were damp from his sweat and the atmosphere of the room chilled him to the bone. He looked at his watch to get an idea what time it was, or, better, to know how long this ordeal was probably going to last. To get a proper look on the face of his watch he had to wipe away blood which was already encrusted.
Three 'o clock. His heart sank. It was winter and it would be some time before the sun would rise and put and end to the moon bound spell. The strain he had been under for a few hours was showing now. He was beginning to feel weak and tired. He couldn't afford to give up at this point, not now after he had experienced what seemed to him the worst part of his life.
When the wolf woke another time, Severus had to pay for being unattentive for a second. This time, his other arm was caught. The sudden pain brought him back to action, though, and he managed to hit the wolf to unconsciousness again. It seemed to Severus that it's agression was receding a bit. Maybe he was imagining things, but after all that hitting, couldn't it be possible that the animal became weaker?
Also, the intervals before the wolf woukd wake up again seemed to become longer. Maybe, maybe there was an end to be seen somewhere. But before that happy moment there were several more times he had to hit the beast back to unconsciousness. After some time he was beginning to do it in a kind of automatic reaction, without noticing much. Naturally, by now Severus also felt quite worn out and was afraid that he wouldn't be able to hold it up much longer.
Then, the dizziness and the colours were rising in him again. Damn, only a few hours (how long, actually he didn't know) more, don't give in, Severus, he told himself, took deep breaths and shook his head in an attempt to clear his sight by this action.
The wolf opened it's eyes once again, but didn't snap. It only blinked and made a strange noise like a whine. Severus stared at the beast, concentrating hard, his fist raised. Nothing happened.
This situation turned out to be even more stressful as if the wolf had actually attacked. Severus continued staring, waiting for the smallest hint that the beast would finally do anything. It didn't. Just stared back. Then it started whining again. This eerie sound made Severus shiver. He literally felt how his strenght was dwindling away, his whole body stiff and sore from the long hours he had spent cramped and sweating on top of the werewolf. Still nothing was happening.
He had lost totally track of time, but it seemed as if it became slightly lighter outside, but maybe he was already hallucinating. Then, the face of the beast seemed to change, became softer and looked, as if it was about to melt. Severus blinked. Of course, if you stared to long at an object, it would finally appear to be changing.
But no, this was the beginning of the retransformation. The beast under him really was starting to change it's form. Two things sprang to Severus' mind at once (he was surprised how he was able to actually think after all that, to gather a clear thought). Firstly, he was wondering if the animal could still be dangerous to him during transformation. He decided that that could hardly be the case, as this process was so complex that it usually took all the power out of an organism. The second thought was that if the werewolf was changing back into Remus, he wouldn't be dead. He had been wondering about that. The beasts staring had appeared to be quite lifeless at the end, and Severus hadn't been able to feel a heartbeat.
He decided that it was definitely time to leave his uncomfortable place and give Remus room and probably some privacy for the change. But this turned out to be difficult. Severus was so stiff, his legs and arms felt so heavy that he was hardly able to move, let alone stand up and walk away. After struggling a bit with his jelly-like knees he finally gave up and let himself fall unto his side, then rolled of the animal.
The following wave of relief washed over him quite unexpectantly. It was so strong and Severus certainly hadn't anything of his strength left to fight his passing out. Actually, he didn't want to. He didn't want to know what would happen in the next minutes only two feet away from him.
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When Severus woke again, some light was coming in from outside. So the sun must have got up in the meantime. No, he couldn't relate the dim light to a sun, because a sun, even in winter, would have meant a bit of warmth. And he was definitely colder and his muscles more stiff and sore than before. The clammy clothes were clinging to his body uncomfortably. But still, he tried to get his mind working again. He was well aware that the problems weren't over with the full moon passed. They were still in this bloody room without any help and he had to deal with a werewolf after transformation who was even more injured than before. And he couldn't do anything to change this. How he hated that. he really had enough now, didn't want to be bothered. He felt pity for himself. Had had been bitten, hadn't he? He was going to be a werewolf soon (well, not if they were forced to stay in this place), and nobody was feeling sorry for him. His thoughts were beginning to spin in a circle. Just before he could become really desperate, he heard Remus groan behind him.
There was no way. He had to face him. Tell him that he hadn't killed him. That was, in fact, the only thing he would be able to do for his companion. Slowly, and with some difficulty, he sat up and turned around. As he didn't think that he could trust his legs he crouched over to Remus who was in a terrible state indeed. Even in the half light Severus was able to see that the werewolf's face was encrusted with blood, the nose broken several times. he was breathing heavily.
'Remus? Can you hear me?' Severus reminded himself to keep his voice low as not to cause his companion more distress by hurting him through his sensitive hearing. He bent down and whispered, hardly audible, in Remus' ear.
'Remus, listen. We are still in a mess being locked in in this cellar, but there's also good news. You haven't killed me. Did you get that? I am quite alive. Remus?'
'How?' was the only thing Remus managed to croak hoarsly between his strained breathing.
'Oh, well. I just did as it was suggested in Lockhart's 'Guide to really dangerous beasts', 3rd edition. Hit you on the nose, very hard. As you can see, it worked. There is one drawback, though. You shouldn't look into a mirror for some time'.
Remus flinched, because Severus, being a bit absorbed by his sarcastic remark, had raised his voice a bit.
'Wasn't … planning … to… do that, Severus.'
'I am sorry, but this is about all I will be able to do for you. We are stuck. If they are not coming back or if nobdy will come looking for us, and that will hardly be the case because I've been too shortsighted to foresee any difficulties to even think of telling Harry, for example (no, Severus, he told himself, you have been too obsessed by the idea of doing this on your own or with Remus, to make big show of it and only present Harry the results), well, I think that will be it.'
When he suddenly sighted his coat which had disappeared during the transformation and was now lying a few feet away, he was glad that there actually was another thing he could do for Remus to make him a bit more comfortable. He would have needed this warm peace of clothing for himself, he was so cold now, that he could hardly keep his teeth from chattering. He got up (this was kind of easier now) collected the coat and went back to Remus. While he was covering him with it, tucking him in as good as possible, the werewolf suddenly began so speak again, although with a very feeble, hardly audible voice.
'Did I … bite you?'
'What? Well, no. I mean, yes. How are you supposed to fight a werewolf without getting so much as a scratch? But I don't think, that this is important now. I am well aware, that from now on, I will be a werewolf. But I think I've got enough time to worry about that later.'
'But … but… It is important for me. I am the wolf. … I am … responsible … have sworn to … respect the Code … of conduct … for werewolves … I …' Remus' voice failed him. If out of despair or lack of strenght, Severus couldn't tell, probably both. He could hardly believe it. Here he was, having experienced his worst nightmare come true and he found himself trying to tell a werewolf that it didn't matter that he had bitten him.
'Look here, Remus. This is really not the point right now. It is very likely that the two of us will not live to see the next full moon!'
'But I will not be … able … to … to live … with that, Severus, … really …'
'Really what?' Severus sighed somewhat exasperated. He had thought he would be able to put Remus a bit at ease about the fact that he hadn't become a murderer, that he would be able to die in peace if they weren't rescued in time, and here he was totally desperate about having just bitten him. To be fair, it was a catastrophy for everyone who got bitten by a werewolf, but Severus would have rather had another subject of discussion to distract his mind. And he had just no clue how to calm Remus down.
'Will you please stop that!' Severus demanded in a much too loud voice for Remus who flinched instantly. His face, although disfigured and his features hardly visible under the crust of blood, was showing the distress he was currently in.
'Listen again. If we should ever come out of this miserable place, I will not, do you hear me, Remus? I will not, and this is a promise, I will not accuse you of having bitten me. Do I remember correctly that it is not possible to trace back the werewolf who has bitten someone by a blood test of the bitten person? Right? So, it could have been any wolf. I we could manage to be found outside we can tell them a cock and bull story of another wolf who attacked me and you tried to defend me. Then, muggles shot at the wolves and you got injured. Well, there'll still be the fact that you didn't report to the Ministry and to take your potion there. But I will find a solution for that.' Severus had begun to take a liking to his little story. Fantasy had never been a problem for him.
'Why? … Why would you do this, Severus?'
'Why? Because I don't see the point of sending you to Azkaban for something I am also partly guilty for. And, what is more, it certainly wouldn't give me any satisfaction to know you rotting in that prison. To the contrary. I would think you could help me with my … uhm, condition.'
'You are mad.'
'Thank you. I knew that already.'
'What about that: we could tell part of the truth and tell that we were after some muggles, and we ran out of time? You see, I haven't been a spy all those years for nothing. When there is one thing I was good at, it was inventing stories and make them believable. The only thing will be, that we have to stick to the same story. The two of us, after muggles, lack of time, because it was difficult to find the muggles in question, we got lost, another werewolf. That's it. Did you get that?'
'Yes. I'll bear that in mind. But, I think I'll rather stick to your first theory,' Remus whispered. 'We are not going to leave this place alive.'
'Yes. Right. Let's accept the facts.'
They didn't talk after that. Severus couldn't think about a suitable subject anyway. He couldn't help it. His thoughts were circling around getting out of the cellar.
The cold seemed to creep right into his bones that it hurt him. He looked over to Remus who was also shivering but who had still all his clothes on and on top of that Severus' coat. He wondered if it would be too intimate to ask Remus if they could share the coat, if they could possibly warm each other under it. After all, they were in a desperate situation. But he didn't dare to ask. Maybe he should get up to walk around a bit. That should warm him up and also wear him out a bit. He was actually hoping that if he was becoming tired he would be able to fall asleep and never wake up again. Yes, he thought hopefully, he would do that, and after that ask Remus about sharing the coat. But somehow, he suddenly felt too weak to stand up again and walk. He was lacking the energy it would need to get up. For a moment, he wondered if this had already to do with werewolf mood shifts, but he didn't know how long the actual infection needed to get hold over the body of the bitten person.
He was sitting for quite some time, shivering, letting his head drop between his knees, pondering the over the fact if it was quicker or easier to die in a cold or warm surrounding. Warm was definitely more comfortable. And if he just went over to Remus to crouch under the coat without asking? Surely, Remus would understand. He was the more understanding of the two, wasn't he? And then, he was probably unconscious again, so he wouldn't notice.
Before Severus could make a decision about his next move, he was distracted by an unpleasant smell. He needed a minute (which was a rather poor result for a former Potions master) to identify the source. Urine. He definitely smelled urine. Did that come from Remus? It wouldn't have wondered Severus, given the werewolf's condition, but Remus wasn't the source. It was himself. As all the clothing which he was wearing had been quite soaked after the ordeal, he hadn't given much notice to his pants. But it was definitely him.
Damn. This was just too much. Humiliating. It remembered him of the night where he had have his first encounter with the werewolf. He could recall exactly the feeling of shame he had have back then, while he had been standing in front of the Headmaster's desk with his wet reeking pants, being told to keep the whole incident a secret.
The same mixture of shame and frustration was rising in him now. He became so angry that he beat his fist on the concrete floor. Because of the injuries and the cold it hurt considerably, but it didn't stop him. To the contrary. It finally gave him the energy to get up. Without thinking he went straight to the door and threw himself against it desperately. That hurt even more. He didn't care. He went for it again. And again and again until his shoulder felt as if it was on fire. He could hear himself sobbing, but he didn't care anymore about that either. He couldn't stop now, and if he would drop dead at the foot of the door. It didn't matter where he died, did it? Clear thinking was eluding him at the moment anyway.
That was probably the reason why he suddenly started yelling at the door which didn't budge. He could even hear himself shouting incantations at the stubborn object. But if somebody had asked him later which words he had used he couldn't excatly tell.
After one particularly severe attack to the door, instead of feeling the impact directly with his shoulder who had become numb by now, he had the sudden sensation of falling, if only for a very short moment. Then he did have contact to something hard, but it was the floor on which he was lying, while the door swung back and hit him in the face.