Well this chapter's betaing/correction was given as a gift from K. Stewart (aiunau...). I like to thank for this gift. Hope you will like it.
Chapter 6
Severus looked up and around. He felt like someone was watching him. The hair on his neck and arm arose. His dark gaze roamed over his bathroom. His thin frame shuddered despite the warm shower.
If he closed his eyes, or thought hard enough, he could almost feel phantom fingers from his memory on his body, running up his side, caressing his thigh, touching him. He shuddered again and felt a bit sick as well. He could not fathom why this man had wanted him. If he had just attacked him he could understand, he was not the most popular man in Hogwarts, or the Wizarding World. Lots of people thought he was a Death Eater who just fooled Dumbledor, who had just turned aside because he was frightened for his life. But who would attack him that way? He closed his eyes. Before he could not even think about it, he needed to come clear with what had happened. It was a rape. He knew that. He was not sure if this man had raped his body by taking him against his will, or the sex had been consensual, but he had then raped his mind destroying all memory of it, or both. Severus had partaken in partner's fantasies before, but never truly rough, not ever like this. If forced, he was not sure which he would choose? Maybe the mind rape would not be so bad; so then his child would not be the product of a sexual rape.
Severus knew he could have everything aborted now. He could have, if he wanted. But it never occurred as a solution to correct his problem. Already the thought to abort it, to kill it, filled him with dread. Severus' hand moved unconsciously on his stomach, where his child lay inside him. He could not help but smile. He always wanted a family, one child or more. He had dreamt about it so many times and now he would have it, maybe not the way he wanted or how he dreamt it, but that did not matter. One more of his dreams was broken. Who counts anyway; so many of his dreams and wishes were lost to him, were soiled by others' hands, or by his own. He did not dare to dream anymore, but he knew he would keep this baby, his baby. And he wouldn't let anyone take away or destroy his new family. His ink black eyes flashed in determination. He was a Slytherin and he would do anything in his power to keep it.
He looked up and his gaze settled on his mirror where he could see his reflection. His skin was pale except his hands and face where it had a bit of yellowish colour from potion's fumes from his long years as a Potion's Master. His teeth were crooked; his hair grew too long over his forehead, often giving his students their only break of his piercing stare, and covering his sarcastic mouth too; his nose was a bit long and hooked; and his body was too skinny and bony. He would need to change nourishment and personal care for his future health: his and his unborn child.
But he had other problems at the moment. He needed to find out who attacked him, and why. Maybe the why was not even relevant, he could think up enough reasons: revenge for example. But he swore to Merlin he would find out who it had been.
He shut off the water, stepped outside the shower stall and pulled a soft white towel around him. In this near silence he could hear Lupin moving around in the living room.
Severus would not say it out loud but he was grateful for the company, even if it was the werewolf. Although they did not like each other much, he knew Lupin was a honourable man, one who would keep his word, help him find his attacker. Today, he sensed Lupin had made an unspoken commitment to do more than help with Severus' search, and would watch over and protect him, even to the endangerment of his own safety. Not that he, Severus could not protect himself, but the thought that someone else would protect him, his unborn child as well, filled him with warmth and safety. He felt like he could count on someone. It was not a feeling he usually associated with the presence of a Griffendor. He stepped over the side-door leading to his bedroom so he could dress.
When Severus emerged from his bedroom, he wore his usual black robes, his face paler then usual, his hair a bit wet, but he stood tall and strong, like last night never happened. But Remus knew he could smell the other man's emotions: his fear, his anger, his hurt, and his confusion. His wolf whined in his mind. Usually Remus never felt this close to his wolf self if it was not a full moon. He wanted to take Severus in his arm, to protect him, to keep him safe, to never allow him alone anywhere. His wolf urged him to take the dark haired Slytherin into bed, and not just in a platonic way. Remus shook his head to clear it from the mental picture his wolf created. For Merlin sake, what was his problem? Severus was just raped, yet he wanted to take him, even by force if he did not want it. No. 'No' he screamed in his mind. No, we will wait and try to… to what? Court him, befriend him, mate him, or dominate him? He heard Severus voice calling him he looked up and his yellowish eyes meet Severus black ones.
"Huh?"
"I asked if we can start the investigation?" snarled Severus.
"Yes, of course."
"We should start where you found me, and follow the clues from there." Remus nodded and moved toward Severus' chamber's front door, he opened it and looked around the place he had found Severus earlier, on the floor, not even 5 feet away from where they stood now.
"I found you before that statue."
"Interesting."
"How so?"
"Are you really that slow, Lupin?" Said Severus, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Who ever it was knew where my rooms are. Anything else?"
"Yes, I remember smelling something familiar. I could not pinpoint exactly what, but if I smell it again I will recognize it, or him."
Severus' dark eyes wandered around the secluded corridor. His eyes stopped on one of the painting at the far end of the corridor, then they moved toward the spot he was found. He had a shaky memory of wakening up on a cold floor, feeling both the pain and the cold, but nothing else.
"Lupin, go ask those in the portraits if they saw anything."
"Okay, and what about you?"
"I will look for magical signatures." With that Severus stepped closer to the statue and pulled out his wand. Remus watched him for a second before heading toward the portraits.
Severus pulled out his wand, concentrating to recall some of the charms and spells he learned in his youth.
"Adoleo" was a spell that the Aurors' usually use. It would collect all smells from the air and analyse them. A scroll appeared out of the thin air and resulting words started to form on it. Severus watched as it listed what odours remained: the first consisted of potion ingredients, male sweat, alcohol, and blood. It was his smell, he was sure, although the smell of the alcohol puzzled him a bit. The next he identified as Lupin's. This smell was newer, more vivid then the first, it was the smell of sweat, alcohol, grass and chocolate. But the third puzzled him. There was the smell of a man, alcohol, sex, blood, panic, anger, and lust. All smells became unique when they mixed with someone's sweat. That way Severus could identify the man. Of course, first he needed to find that man. It would be of no use to him now, only later for verification. He rolled up the paper and put it in his pocket. And cast the next incantation.
" Verificum Subscriptio." This spell was not entirely light magic; it was nearer to dark magic. It was also used mainly by Aurors. It helped to identify one's magical signature. A paper appeared again, brown ink started to appear, letter by letter. The ink colour could show many things: what House the man belonged (red for Gryffendor, green for Slytherins, yellow for Hufflepuff, and blue for Ravenclaw). There were also colours for magical creature blood as well. The shadow of brown ink wrote: Gryffendor, werewolf, 30-ish, early 40-ish. That would be Lupin. The second was a pregnant Severus. The pen stopped moving. Severus took the paper and rolled it up. Someone had destroyed all previous odour signatures in this corridor.
He stood up and summoned the Bloody Baron. "Evoco Lord Baron." He did not needed to wait for long for the Slytherin House's ghost.
"How may I help you, Severus?" he asked in his fey voice.
"Baron, I need your and the other ghost's help. Someone attacked me last night, and obliviated my memories of it." The Baron looked mad. How dare someone attack one of Hogwarts' own within its hollowed walls.
"We will ask around the portraits and house-elfs, and report back." With that the ghost left thought the ceiling. Severus heard nearing footsteps.
"What have you found out, Lupin?"
"Not much. The paintings did not notice anyone on the corridor after you left, about 7."
"Mhm, it means our man either used an invisibility potion or cloak. He has to be rich or a member of an old family if he could acquire either of the two."
"Could he not make the potion himself?"
"No, it is too complex to make; almost as hard as to brew the Wolfsbain."
"Oh."
"We can't find out anything else here. The Baron will contact us if he has any news. It's time to ask last night's guests as well. Maybe someone saw something."
TBC