Chapter Twenty-Five

Saul Ret

Severus landed with ease from the portkey despite Laura's stumbled landing. Glancing around he quickly found this street to be very Muggle-like in appearance. There were colorful buildings and kids laughing as they ate at some sort of out-door food place under lamps. Everybody it seemed wore jeans. He saw a few girls in skirts but no robes what-so-ever, therefore he looked grossly out of place. H scowled as the redhead scanned the area smiling falsely. It was dusk here and the street lamps were flickering on.

"There are two Destroyers by the bookshop, a newbie and old member, three over are there with the games, all old members, five are hanging over by the food court, two newbies and three original members. They are all watching the store. The newbies aren't as discrete about it as they should be." Laura said before laughing.

Severus arched his brow. "Is there something funny?"

She rolled her eyes and turned around. "I'm trying to look causal as to not call more attention to us but Merlin knows you'd have to take that stick out of your ass long enough to relax." She smiled again, this time a genuine one. "Welcome to Renee Rinard's Real Rubric, All Your Basic Potion Supplies,"

"He's a potion maker?" he said in disbelief.

"Could have succeeded me if he wanted to," she smirked suddenly. "Of course he would have to out live me and that won't happen." She walked towards the door but he grabbed her arm. "Hey!"

"Are you just going to walk in and dance for them? It wouldn't be the best idea."

"Hey, Mr. High-And-Mighty, just because I don't tell you my plan doesn't mean I don't have one." Laura sent another grin his way. "Your job is to stand there, look cute and shut up." He glared at her. "The cute thing is a little too hard to handle besides you still look damn scary." She said shaking her head. She rapped on the glass door, ignoring the 'closed' sign. "Hey, Saul," she knocked harder. "Open up!" Severus fought rolling his eyes, it was too childish but this woman would drive him to drink. In all the years he had known her she hadn't changed one bit with how impossible she was. "Come on, Saul! I know you're in there!"

A young man around his early twenties came to the door a few minutes later. His hair was a rich pitch black with a glossy glow to it, luckily for him, though, it didn't look greasy. It was pulled way from his olive face, much like how Severus himself did when he made potions. His features had a distinctly Egyptian look to them and his build was strong but lanky and just as any other werewolf's eyes, his had a deep sense of tiredness to them. But on top of that he seemed distracted and if the redhead had looked closely there was a red patch on his neck and cheek from recent contact with something.

"Open up," begged Laura.

He unlocked the door and opened it slightly, only enough for him to snake his head out. "We're closed, Professor. Can't you read?" Instantly Severus recognized the fading of an accent, one that clearly showed the boy's heritage.

"Yes, I can read, just as long as it's not your papers I'm reading." She retorted. Severus peered inside the store while the damned woman spoke. The store was dark save for a single light coming from what looked like the backroom. "Look, you gotta help me out, Saul. A wild animal destroyed most of my supplies, I was on the verge of a break through. I need more supplies. Please, please, please?"

"Would the wild animal have anything to do with the cross-dresser behind you?" Saul asked amused. His eyes flickered slightly to the destroyers that were behind them.

"Absolutely. He has about as much grace as an elephant in a china shop."

"I thought the phrase was a bull in a china shop," he countered shifting his weight slightly.

"I like to change things. Please, please, please, please let me in."

This woman is incorrigible. Severus thought shaking his head. Saul sighed shaking his head. "Just the supplies?" his brow quirked up, a frown on his lips.

"Yup. I'm so glad you'll help me."

The realization hit his eye but he didn't move a muscle. Severus was surprised. Not many people, adults or not could control their emotions so well. "Fine. Don't go into the back room, though. There's a spill back there that I'm trying to take care of."

Laura nodded grabbing a basket that was near the door and moving towards the isles. This shop was very different than the supply shops Severus went to. She began examining items, placing one in her basket and studying one before moving onto the next item. "Bad?"

Saul watched her move around the store, a tense but calm air about him. "Three dangerous chemicals, two acidic, and one affectant, not something you would want to walk in on."

Severus frowned. "What is an affectant?"

The young man looked at him. "Yeah, it's basically something that soaks up all the other chemicals but does more harm to itself than good."

Laura brought his attention back to her placing something else in the basket. "How'd it happen?"

"Sherrie startled me, I knocked into the rare potions rack. I'm lucky none got towards the Transport or we'd be in big trouble. I had to disable it just to be safe." Saul said watching her.

"Do you need to clean it up or can you come help me with my potion? It's a new breakthrough, Leo's been helping me with it. You'd get to see her, she's visiting for the night."

Panic entered his eyes ever-so slightly. "I could but the affectant won't soak up all the chemicals and I need to restock, the affectant will be sorely missed. Renee will kill Sherrie for scaring me like that."

"I see, well then, I think this is everything." She turned and smiled at Saul. "Charge it to the school and come by sometime. I'll introduce you to this beast later." She joked. Severus sneered.

"Next time you bring your animal in public, Professor, put him in some proper clothes. Everyone stares at him. He'll be remembered for the next two weeks because of his garb." He shook his head.

"I beg your—" started Severus but Laura grabbed his arm.

"Hush. Now come, we must get back to the experiment. Next potion we'll make is to make you prettier," Laura grinned pulling him towards the door. Saul snorted. "I'll see you later, Saul. Leo will be disappointed you didn't come by."

He merely nodded and closed the door behind them, turning the lock. Much to Severus' distain, she kept pulling him until they walked straight into a wall, which seemed to be blocking the view of an alleyway. "Kindly release me," he growled, ripping his arm from her grasp.

She rolled her eyes sitting down and spreading out the ingredients. "What happened to shutting up? I knew the cute thing would be hard but come on,"

"What was that!"

She shook her head and began adding things into a clay bowl she had bought. "We're dealing with five people, three of them are just bad, most-likely members of the Destroyers whom he still has control over because of his old rank, but there are two extremely dangerous ones. My guess is that one of them is a Death Eater and the other is Dryle. He never got over how Saul was allowed to up and leave when Blade was in charge." She magically cut one of the herbs she bought up and then ground it into powder. "They came through the Transport as Renee tried to leave, Sherrie is her middle name. They forced him to disabled the Transport." She measured some of the powder into the bowl and then stirred it three times counterclockwise. "He couldn't leave with us because Renee is still in there." All of this was said in a quiet voice. She added one more ingredient into the mixture and it turned into a hard ball. "The last half was his warning to you and I that you are too noticeable in those clothes. If you go in like that, it will be reported to Voldemort." He flinched. "So I'll have to remedy that."

"You got all that from a conversation about—don't you dare point that wand at me!" he snarled.

"Oh don't get your boxers in a twist, I'll have you know that I am excellent at glamour charms." She snapped.

"I'm not one to forget."

She grew quiet before casting the spell. He glared at her looking down. His robes had changed into black slacks and a green shirt. He couldn't say he was appalled at her taste but he did not like this woman pointing her wand at him. "Here," she handed him one of the two balls that had formed. "Throw this on the ground when we enter."

"What is it?"

Laura smirked. "Smoke bomb. I'll take care of the Destroyers, you just get Renee and Saul out of there."

"How precisely are we going to get in there?" he asked snidely, not at all happy with taking orders from her of all people.

"The back," she nodded towards one of the many doors that were along this alley.

"Shouldn't they realize something?"

She shot him a glare. "Just shut up or I'll put a silencing charm on you." He glared at her. He knew full-well that she would do exactly what she threatened. He had had too many dealings with her before to believe that she wouldn't. "Now come on and keep silent!" she hissed creeping forward.

Having no choice but to follow her, he did. The closer they got to the door the more he could understand what was being shouted from the building. The back door was cracked open ever-so-slightly. "….last chance, join us or die."

"Do you know how cliché that sounds?" There was a swift sound of skin hitting skin. "I told you! I'm done with that world! You can't make me go back by petty threats!" There was a crash from inside and Laura winced.

"Just leave him alone! He—" a woman's voice exclaimed but was stopped with another sound of a slap.

"They're using Muggle methods!" he hissed.

She shot him a glare that matched his one. "Sshh." She snapped quietly.

"I told you once to keep it shut, if I have to tell you again I will sew it shut."

"Dryle, you touch her again I swear to you—" Saul's voice growled.

"You'll what, kill me. My days of being afraid of you have long-since passed."

"Then why don't you confront me yourself instead of staying halfway across the room and letting your new buddy the Death Eater do all your dirty work."

"Watch your tongue or I'll show you good and well why I'm a Death Eater," an all too familiar voice said.

"Wormtail," he snarled softly.

Laura's left fist clenched, avoiding the gas bomb in her right. Saul's voice drifted out. "I don't give a damn. I dropped out, I'm not going back. For anyone."

"The Dark Lord wants your service," Wormtail said firmly.

"He's not going to get what he wants."

"Saul, come on,"

"No, Kevin. I'm not going back. You know that." They both could hear the finality in his words. "I'm not a part of that anymore."

"Blade should have never let you off,"

"And what does Blade have to say about this?"

"Crucio." Dryle's voice said. Saul let out a cry of pain before nothing.

Severus grabbed Laura's shoulder as she started to lunge towards the room. "No." he hissed.

There was the sound of panting before Saul's voice came back. "Was that supposed to hurt?"

"If you want the victim to really feel pain you have to hold the curse," Wormtail said.

"Take your best shot."

There was silence for a moment and when Wormtail spoke Severus could just hear the smirk in his voice. "I don't think that you are going to do anything if we harm you."

"Sweet Merlin, Renee," Laura exclaimed softly.

"Control yourself." Severus held her back.

"What are you talking about?" Saul asked uneasily.

"Hold him,"

"What—RENEE! NO LEAVE HER—"

"Crucio," Wormtail's voice drifted out. Renee's unearthly screams were heard. Laura was shaking with anger and horror as the screams continued.

Suddenly the screams stopped and there was several shouts and sounds of a tussle before someone was slammed into the wall. He nudged the door open. Saul was pinned up against the wall by a tall man who seemed to be looking at a thin black boy for direction. "Just leave her out of this!" Severus saw a woman tied to a chair. Her honey blonde hair was hanging in her face, her head drooping.

The black boy walked forward and delivered a fist into Saul's stomach. The boy cringed. "You are one arrogant," another punch to Saul's gut. "Backstabbing," Saul's head hit the wall as the black boy gave him a hard right hook. "TRAITOR!" The black boy reared back and kicked Saul hard in the stomach once more.

"Dryle, please!" blonde woman cried out.

The black boy whirled around and slapped the woman so hard on the face that Severus himself winced. Laura seemed to snap back into action. She held up three fingers and started counting down. "SHUT UP!" 'Dryle' thundered. "Whether you like it or not, Ret, we're taking you to the Dark Lord."

Saul didn't speak but it was at that moment Laura leapt up. "Boys," she said coyly. Everyone looked at her. "Oopsy," she dropped the ball to the floor. Instantly it cracked sending a cloud of blue smoke into the room. "NOW!" she shouted.

Severus dove into the room, a bubble-head charm on himself so he could see. He found Saul collapsed on the floor coughing. "Up!" he said yanking the boy to his feet. Saul started to struggle. "Get out of here, I'll get the woman." The smoke was beginning to clear and the coughing grew less. He tossed his smoke ball down and another cloud of smoke erupted. He found 'Renee' tied to the chair, coughing. "Easy now," he banished the ropes and lifted her up.

"OUT NOW!" Laura shouted, her glamour dropping so that she blended in with the smoke.

Severus stumbled out of the room, dodging Wormtail as he stumbled about. Saul was on his knees once again in the corner area of the alley throwing up and coughing. The woman in his arms wasn't too far from doing that herself. Unsure what to do he merely stood there, feeling like a stupid schoolboy. Laura came out and slammed the door shut before any of the smoke escaped. She whirled around at the sound of the two of them hacking. Determination was on her face as she pulled out two vials, both a similar blue to the smoke but one was slightly different.

"Renee, open up and try not to spit it out." She said softly, uncorking the vial. Laura stood on her tiptoes and poured the liquid into the coughing woman's mouth. "Make sure she's all right," she said before dropping to her knees next to Saul. She pressed the vial into Saul's had and whispered something to him before he took it, still coughing.

He glanced at the woman in his arms. She had stopped coughing and seemed to be more coherent. The blonde was staring at him with soft brown eyes. "Saul," she looked over to the boy who was at least sitting against the wall rather than retching against it.

"I'm fine, Renee." He said tiredly.

"Hate to, you know, push, but we have to get out before the smoke clears." Laura said helping Saul get to his feet.

"Are you well enough for me to set you down?" he asked 'Renee' at last. "Are you well enough to walk?"

The blonde started laughing. "Sure I'm well enough but don't think that would do much." He started at her. "I'm paralyzed from the waist down, I can't walk no matter how well I am."

Laura snorted before shrugging. "Forgot to mention it," she said to his accusing glare. "Snape, wiped that glare off your face," Severus saw Saul's muscles tense even more. "Do you have a way to get back that's not by floo?"

"Back where?" Renee asked calmly as if being held by a perfect stranger was perfectly all right with her.

"To Hogwarts, you'll get to see Leo." Laura said happily.

He shifted his weight. "I have a portkey to Hogsmade if that is what you are asking."

"Well then, hand her over to me,"

"What am I a play toy?" Renee asked as Severus obliged.

"Of course," Laura joked as she transfigured a wheelchair out of the bowl she had bought. "There you go, Renee. All good now but we really have to go." There was a loud thump on the backdoor. She glanced towards it and then at Severus, an annoyed look on her face. "Now would be the perfect time to get that portkey ready."

He sneered at her touching his wedding band, which he wore on a chain around his neck. "Salvation," he said the code word the moment they all were touching his arm. Instantly they all felt a familiar hook around their navels and they were gone just as the back door burst open.

Lenore sat on the steps just outside of Hogwarts where Dumbledore said she would find them when they came back. She bounced her leg nervously, rubbing her hands together to ease her tension. They had been gone over an hour. Chewing on her lip she thought about all her friends from Salem and Oregon. She hadn't written them as much as she should have. Her best friends stopped getting regular letters from her a little after her fall. Perhaps they could visit her here or she could go home and see them before summer ended. It was—

Four figures appeared from the hill that lead off to Hogsmade. "ALBUS!" she shouted, getting to her feet instantly. The man came to the door. "I think that's them!"

The elderly man walked beside her as the figures became more distinct. Laura was…helping Saul walk? That didn't bode well. On top of that Laura's glamour was gone. Along side the two Renee hovered in her wheelchair all accompanied by a tall man with flaming red hair in Muggle slacks and a collared shirt. She didn't recognize him and searched beyond them for Snape but he wasn't there. She glanced at Dumbledore who for once was smirking instead of smiling.

"Got room for more!" shouted Laura, causing Renee to laugh.

"Saul," Lenore snapped into action, hurrying towards him.

"DON'T RUN! You'll damage you leg and back again!" the red-haired man snapped.

She stopped short staring at him. "Snape?" she questioned. The look on his face seemed to say: 'of course, you fool. Who else?' She blinked. "I…uh…didn't think you liked red hair,"

The glare he shot the giggling Potions Mistress would have caused a dragon to run away, afraid. "Change it back." He snarled.

Laura rolled her eyes but there were hints of mischief in them. "Do it yourself,"

Lenore shook her head and smiled at Saul. "You look like crap,"

He snorted. "Nice to see you too, Leo." They stared at each other for a moment before she threw her arms around him and gave him a tight hug. "Ow…" he murmured slightly.

She pulled away. "Saul?"

"I think they may have cracked my ribs…" Saul muttered.

Lenore shot a horrified look at Laura. "You should have healed him before you left! Portkey travel while injured make the injury worse!"

Laura grimaced. "We were kinda trying to get away from an old friend."

She looked at Saul. "Old—dear Merlin, Laura!" she shouted catching sight of Snape.

He had attempted to take the glamour off but, as usual, Laura had hid a practical joke in the glamour. Instead of Snape's hair and build and clothes to go back to normal, they morphed into what could have been normal except for two very distinct things. His skin was a brilliantly shocking pink and his hair was a vibrant blue. Lenore knew that he wasn't going to be happy, her own memory of the practical joke she had played coming to mind.

"BENT!" he thundered.

Laura overflowed with laughter. "Suits you."

Lenore saw the look in his eye as he fought to control his temper. "Take it off," he ground out.

"Do it yourself," she threw back at him again.

The teenager cut in before Snape lost his temper completely. "Just take it off, Laura. Please. No need for any more arguments." Laura stared at Lenore in disbelief before muttering a spell and Snape was once again back to his greasy self. She looked back at Saul. "Are you all right?" Laura and Snape were arguing despite the fact the spell was over.

He shrugged slightly, leaning on her as they started towards the castle. "Quite a pair you have there."

"Loads of fun." She stole a glance back and saw that Snape was still screaming at Laura, despite Renee and Dumbledore's attempt to calm them down. "How close are you?"

"A week. I'll be fine." He whispered, one of his arms supporting his midsection. "I'm lucky Dryle doesn't know how to use Cruciatus." He mumbled.

Her muscles tensed. "He was there?"

Saul nodded. "Dryle, Kevin, Frank, and Jennifer were all there." Lenore's eyes widened. She didn't think Jennifer was still part of the Destroyers. She had dropped out when Saul did. "Yeah…apparently they got here back. The last person was some Death Eater." He seemed to be thinking, neither realizing they had stopped walking. "Wormtail I think is what Dryle called him." She went deathly pale, her body tensed. "Leo…what is it?"

Her eyes shot to the two adults who were still arguing. "Wormtail," she said barely loud enough to carry over. Laura stopped in midsentence. The look on her face merely said: 'oh shit'. "He was there?"

"Yes…" the redhead said cautiously.

She shut her eyes taking a deep breath. "He doesn't know, does he? He can't know."

"I doubt that he could have gotten any information on who your friends are, Lenore." Snape said snidely.

She looked at him. "Right…he doesn't now…" she didn't sound too convinced.

"One of these days you are going to tell me what your talking—" he gasped doubling over in pain.

His weight was too much for her to hold up and they both went to the floor, Lenore on her knees next to him and Saul still bent in half. "Saul!" she kept her arm around him, her hand was still in his. "Albus, is Poppy back?"

"No, I fear she isn't, Lenore. She will not be back for some time." Dumbledore answered. Lenore swallowed hard. We can't take him to St. Mungos, transport of a werewolf through international waters without a permit is highly illegal. He needs help. Her thoughts raced. "But," She looked back at him. "Severus is trained as a Healer." There was a twist she didn't expect. Most people take the course of a Healer while studying potions but she didn't think Snape had done that.

Saul's grasp on Lenore's hand tightened. Laura spoke up. "Renee and I have more experience in treating something like this."

"I beg your pardon!" started Snape before the two started arguing again.

"What is it Saul?"

"Not him…he can't know." Saul whispered before passing out, his entire body going limp in her arms.

"LAURA!" she shouted.

The redhead was on her knees next to them in seconds. She helped Lenore turn the boy over. A bruise was already forming on his neck and cheekbone. Laura checked Saul's pulse. "Rapid…he's warm…like fighting an illness."

A realization hit Lenore. "Renee, has he been experimenting again!" she asked frantically.

"Yes. He was testing his new potion a day or so ago. He hasn't been well since. I told him he had to go get checked out." Renee said, making her way towards them. Her eyes widened suddenly. "Sweet Lord,"

"What?" Lenore asked as Laura levitated Saul onto a stretcher.

"He was working on his cure for lycanthrope." Renee whispered. "Talking to himself about what can kill a werewolf."

"He wouldn't," Laura said looking back sharply.

"What are you three going on about?" growled Snape.

"He added silver to the potion." Renee said softly.

"Shit." Snape cursed.