Have Faith

Part seven:

Planting Seeds

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Sylvestra

They nearly ran up to the hospital wing after Madam Hooch did a rather sloppy and unprofessional healing spell. It merely slowed the flow of blood, pitted up against a much more powerful spell. Madam Pomfrey nearly shrieked when she saw the boy. They carried him over to a cot nearby. Sylvestra not so much sat as collapsed onto the bed next to his, her eyes red and puffy and her cheeks dashed with salt from her tears. As Madam Hooch drew Madam Pomfrey aside, she heard a creak, and felt the presence of someone sliding next to her on the cot.

Remus Lupin wrapped an arm comfortingly around her shoulder, gazing at the deep gash in the now unconscious Snape's chest. Sylvestra spluttered and hiccupped. Glad for a shoulder to lean onto, she wrapped her arms around Remus' waist, hiding her face in his vest.

"He'll be alright..." He muttered, rubbing her back, "Don't worry Sylvestra...He'll be alright...What were you two fighting about, anyway?" He asked, trying to distract her from the mangled body in front of them.

"We were fighting-hic-about...about...Oh Remus" She said collapsing into tears again. "Don't get mad at me!"

Remus looked down, startled. "Mad? Why would I get mad at you?"

"I know about it-hic- about...James calls it your 'furry little problem'...and I know why you call each other Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs..."

Remus was stone-faced. He looked down at her, the shadows playing over the scars on his face, the arms wrapped around her shoulders going slightly limp. "The...furry...?"

"I haven't told a-hic-soul! I promise! Promise me you won't tell anyone else-hic- my secret..."

Remus shook his head, still bewildered. "No I...No I won't...Tell what?"

Sylvestra leaned up and whispered in his ear. Remus' eyes widened, and he looked down at her incredulously, then something purely odd happened. Their eyes locked; her deep azure and his unearthly gold. They seemed to linger there for hours, days, even weeks, before she finally tore hers away to wipe her eyes dry again, using an already drenched sleeve cuff. They were both blushing heavily.

"An-another...?" He whispered, suddenly aware of the very horse-like shape of her eyes, her long neck, and the way her hair fell in front of her eyes almost like a forelock. Her gangly limbs now very obviously resembled that of a colt's.

She nodded, burying herself in the folds of his clothing again, every once in a while peeking out to look at Severus as Madam Pomfrey went and left, and as people who had come to visit others stood by either scowling at, or laughing at him. With every visitor who stopped by, Sylvestra felt her rage rising. She wanted to shout at them not to look at Severus that way, and that she'd like to see them with a bloody 'X' branded across their chest. A few times she even rose up out of her seat, ready to defend her best friend if need be, but each time Lupin pulled her back into his embrace.

"Just think this: If they knew what lies under those bandages, they'd respect him. Word will get out soon what's happened. Wormtail's never been known to keep his mouth shut for long." He whispered, smiling at her encouragingly.

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Remus had to go back to class and Sylvestra was excused to explain what had happened. 50 points had been taken from both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, while Slytherin had only 20 points taken. When Sylvestra was allowed free to go, it was dinner time. She had also received a detention, but that was to be spent assisting madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing, so Sylvestra didn't mind at all. During dinner, in which she ate very little, she listened intently as people retold the story. Remus was right, Wormtail hadn't kept his mouth shut, but his version of the story was much more successful at villainizing Snape than it was Sirius.

Detention creeped by, and as Sylvestra cleaned bed pans and administered potions to the sickly, her eyes remained on one person; Severus Snape, who sat slumbering, sometimes still, but mostly restless, either the pain or something deeper frightening him into a fitful sleep.

Madam Pomfrey had said that the spell was hard-pressed to let the wounds heal completely. She had got it to stop bleeding all together, but she was having trouble replacing the flesh, so the bandages would remain as long as his bones remained bare. They were reluctant to administer anything to soothe the pain, because the magic done on him originally by Sirius was still lingering, and they didn't know how it would react with any sort of potion.

Late that evening, as Sylvestra was finishing up, she caught a glimpse of a male figure drinking a potion, Madam Pomfrey hovering over him worriedly.

She wandered over to the door way, and lingered there as Remus swallowed the last of the wolfsbane. He sighed with relief and clasped Madam Pomfrey's hand, saying something along the lines of 'thank you' before he straightened, his eye catching the welcoming red hair as it disappeared behind the doorway.

Sylvestra stood there silent. She was not afraid that Remus would know she was there, but if Madam Pomfrey thought she knew about his 'furry little problem', she would be in trouble. The dusty brown haired boy poked his head around the door, grinning when he saw Sylvestra there, still looking pale, even for her severely Irish self.

She smiled sheepishly and moved closer to him as he called back to Madam Pomfrey, saying he'd only be a minute, that he wanted to check on Severus for a moment. He smiled comfortingly down at her, and for the second time that day, their eyes locked.

She blushed and stammered something incomprehensible. Remus' chuckled, stepping closer to her.

"What was that?"

"I er...Said I wanted to thank you for everything...you know...for earlier...for staying with me and...Making sure I didn't punch anyone..." She said, rubbing the back of her neck and turning a beautiful shade of fuchsia.

He smiled, putting a hand on her arm, finding it incredibly hard to break away from her eyes. In fact, it was almost as hard as subduing the warm, cozy fire rising in his stomach.

"It's nothing you should have to thank me for. Any decent human being would've done it."

There was a long pause, in which, for the first time that entire day, the horrific image of a torn up Severus flitted out of her mind. She felt that as long as Remus there, everything was going to be alright. Everyone would be safe.

"Why've you gone and gave your secret away? Taking wolfsbane...you never used it before."

The silence that ensued told Sylvestra that her question had provoked some particularly unfriendly feelings in the Gryffindor, but after a moment he smiled and shrugged.

"Sirius and I...That is to say, Sirius James and I...Got in a fight. It didn't end all too well, so I don't think they'll be joining me in my usual romp through the shrieking shack," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, I could always..." But then Sylvestra trailed away. No, that was too bold a step, asking to accompany him in animagus form... "Well...What were you guys fighting about anyway? Severus I imagine..." She said, leaning forward and tilting her head slightly to the side in an inquisitive manor.

Remus forced his eyes away, this time he was the one turning a magnificent pinkish shade. He stared down at his feet, not able to keep the nervous little smile off his face.

"Well yes a tad...but mostly about you. Sirius hates you almost as much as he hates Severus," He said, glancing up at her and wincing as their eyes locked again, not able to pry himself away. Apparently this was the effect she had on most people, because she did not seem perturbed by the staring. "He reckons that your just some 'slimy kiss ass girl' who can't become friends with anyone...so you became friends with...well...the kid with no friends."

When Remus said this, she felt a boiling hatred towards Sirius. From the look on Remus' face, he wasn't too happy either. She felt a sudden bond towards Remus that she felt was slightly familiar. After thinking a moment, she realized that this was how she had imagined Severus when she had first come to Hogwarts; how he accepted her, how he sat with her trough bouts of emotion, and most of all, how he stood up for her. Like Severus...Does that mean that I like him like Severus? She thought.

"Wow, uh...thank you for standing up for me," she said, breathless. She brushed her hand against his to see Remus' reaction.

The warm cozy feeling Remus had been feeling up until then exploded into a bonfire, enveloping his entire chest, the steam rising into his face. There was something about this girl that reminded him of the good side of Sirius. She was confident and cheerful, although, like Severus, she was a social outcast. He admired the amount of courage she had.

Slowly he came to realize that although she reminded him of someone, it wasn't Sirius, it was Lily. Lily, the girl who had been for him when no one else had. It was because Lily sympathized with him that James had become friends with him anyways, and he had never really shared in his friends humor anyways. Now here was a girl that was so like lily, but yet so different from anyone he ever felt. Could that mean...that...that what he felt for this girl was what he felt for Lily?

Sylvestra was surprised but satisfied when Remus grabbed hold of her hands, pulling them up to his chest.

"I wouldn't think of doing otherwise..." He said softly, smiling.

Then, very carefully, very slowly, as if any sudden movement might break the spell they were in, Sylvestra stood up on her toes, leaning forward to plant a kiss firmly on Remus' waiting lips. It was quick and relatively painless, considering both were unsure whether they even fancied each other or not, and Sylvestra was sure she caught a flicker of laughter in Remus' eyes as she pulled away.

Severus had awoken to the sound of Remus' voice. He had watched quietly as the two moved closer, completely unaware of what they were about to do. Honestly, who would imagine Sylvestra would do such a treacherous thing as to go behind his back with Remus Lupin. But his eyes widened and he sat bolt upright in bed, his fists clenched so tight around the bed sheets that his knuckles were as white as bone. The pain gushing throughout his body paled in comparison to the anger he felt.

At first, in denial, he had checked thoroughly above their heads, in case a house elf had forgotten to take down a stray sprig of mistletoe, but no. They were kissing, and it had not been invoked by an outside force. What he heard next made Severus so angry that it was a wonder they could not here him gritting his teeth from across the length of the wing.

Remus cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound smooth and capable as he said "There's a Hogsmeade trip two weeks from now...you know, for Valentine's Day. Well, if you're not going with anyone else..." He trailed off, smiling sheepishly. "Well, you know what I mean.

Sylvestra squeezed his hand excitedly, so happy she planted another kiss on a scarred cheek, turning his flushed face into an even deeper shade of scarlet.

"Of course! I'd love to go with you...well... as long as Sirius and James won't be there."

"Of course not. I'll make it a point to avoid them"

One thought swam through Severus' mind while he watched the two walk away, their hands entwined in a way that he just now realized he had always wanted their hands to be. It should be his hand that she was holding, his lips she was kissing! She should've been going to Hogsmeade with him! Not some mangy werewolf mutt!

The pair continued to walk away, unperturbed, despite the fact that Severus was staring daggers at their backs.

"And perhaps, if it isn't too much to ask...I could accompany you to the shrieking shack?"

This received a slight hesitation from Remus, but finally he said "Sure, I don't see why not."

Severus threw his pillow at the pitcher of water on his nightstand. It fell off shattered loudly, water flying everywhere. He dived back onto his covers and pretended to be asleep as Madam Pomfrey came rushing over.