Title - To Consort With the Devil 13/14
Rating - PG-13/T
Disclaimer - I own none of this, it all belongs to Rowling
Spoilers - None I can think of, AU from OotP
Warnings - Vampire stuff?
Summary - Events come to their inevitable conclusions.
A/N- Thank you to everyone for waiting, reading and reviewing! A small epilogue will be posted soon and then this fic is complete.
To Consort with the Devil
Chapter 13
Of all the ways events could have played out in the aftermath of Dumbledore rescuing him from the Ministry, the last thing Snape would have predicted would be the Headmaster pairing him up with Remus Lupin and the duo traveling around Britain and Europe as ambassadors to the various werewolf and vampire clans. Even now, holed up in a tiny cabin in the woods of Germany Snape could only shake his head and marvel at how manipulative Dumbledore could be. When the Ministry had come calling to Hogwarts wondering why their tracking runes had a vampire and werewolf in remote Europe, Dumbledore had merely smiled and started rambling about an exchange program he had begun with other countries to promote faculty brotherhood and develop new teaching methods. The Ministry man had mumbled his excuses and left quite quickly.
So far he and Lupin had had limited success negotiating with the various clans; some spurned them outright, some listened to what they had to say before showing them the door and some had grudgingly agreed with them and said they would need time to think about joining their war against Voldemort. The fact that the vampire clans were more likely to listen and agree with them made Snape smirk smugly in Lupin's direction and the werewolf huff and cross his arms.
On this night the two ambassadors were sitting by the fire in companionable silence going over various responses from the clans and formulating replies when a faint scratching came from one of the windows. Snape withdrew his wand from his sleeve, always diligent, as Lupin cautiously crossed to the window and peeked around the drawn curtain.
"Well? What is it?" asked Snape who was more curious than anything. He knew that the two of them had warded and charmed the little cabin from rafters to cellar against attack and surprises. They would have been alerted far earlier if real danger was coming their way.
Lupin pulled back the curtain and opened the window, looking over at Snape with shrug as a bedraggled and weary owl fluttered into the cabin to land on the werewolf's shoulder, scroll tied to its leg. It gave a soft hoot and Snape got up to find a treat for it while Lupin untied and opened the scroll.
"It's from Albus. He says -" Lupin paused and finished reading the short note with grim eyes. He looked up at Snape and continued,
"You-Know-Who has gathered his forces outside Hogwarts. The final battle has begun."
Two days later and Snape found himself in the crumbled ruins of the astronomy tower gazing out at the wreckage left behind by the battle. It had been a hard won victory for the Order and students of Hogwarts. He and Lupin had missed the start of the battle due to difficulties in getting messages past the dementors and shields set up around Hogwart's perimeter by Voldemort and Dumbledore. Using the secret tunnel connecting the school to Hogsmeade some students had been able to get messages out on owls including the one sent to the pair in Germany. Then he and Lupin had quickly contacted the clans most willing to help and informed them the time to fight had come. They had rallied those who would follow and had apparated to the Forbidden Forest immediately engaging the vampires, werewolves and other creatures who had joined with Voldemort. Snape had left Lupin to coordinate the fight in the Forest and had fought his way to the castle and Dumbledore, striking down any who would stand in his way.
Many had been injured or killed on both sides until Harry Potter and Voldemort met wands and in a duel to be spoken of for ages to come, Harry had struck down the evil wizard and scattered the ashes to the wind. Death Eaters and their allies fled or surrendered and everyone looked to heal and rebuild.
Snape had come up here to avoid the stares from his former students who by now were all aware of his vampiric nature and his spying efforts for Dumbledore. Some students had not so nice things to say but they were silenced by none other than Harry himself. To hear Potter speak in his defence was surprising and somewhat comforting and Snape had to flee - if only to avoid the damnable twinkle in Dumbledore's eye. Just a little bit ago Potter had actually searched Snape out alone and although their talk was awkward to say the least, a tentative understanding had formed between them and they had departed as firm allies.
A scuffled footfall on the steps behind him made Snape turn and he watched as Dumbledore picked his way over the rubble to his spot by the edge.
"I do wish you'd come back inside Severus, the feast is about to begin and I'd like your presence at the head table again."
"You may wish it Headmaster but I doubt the rest of the Order would be so welcoming. I have not spent as much time with them as I would like for all of us to forgive and forget. Besides what would I eat?" replied Snape with a rueful grin.
"Oh my dear boy." Dumbledore said sadly and laid a comforting hand on the vampire's shoulder. Neither said anything after that until Snape shook himself out of his melancholy and said,
"I should be heading back to the dungeons anyway, see if anything is salvageable from the potion stores. Madam Pomfrey may need new healing potions brewed soon. And who knows, I may find a rat or two for dinner."
Snape made to leave but was stopped by the Headmaster's hand gripping his arm. The vampire flinched and rubbed at still healing bruises.
"Severus when was the last time you fed?"
"What? I hardly think that's any of your -"
"My business? The health and safety of my friend is not my concern? Judging by the way you're moving you've not fed enough to aid your healing abilities. Let me help you my boy and provide a little to get by."
"A little what?" Snape asked dumbly as Dumbledore rolled up his sleeve.
"A little blood my dear. I trust you to take some and let go. Don't worry, I have a restorative potion in my pocket for after."
Snape gaped openly at Dumbledore and didn't move, even as his mouth watered and stomach rumbled. The old fool just smiled and thrust his bare wrist under the vampire's nose, nodding encouragingly. Snape had not fed on a human since his time with Voldemort but it seemed his instincts knew what to do as much as he didn't want to. He breathed over the warm, thin skin, fangs just brushing against the tempting vein. With one last look up at the Headmaster, Snape closed his eyes and bit down and drank. Not wanting to break Dumbledore's trust, Snape withdrew after a few swallows, letting the warm blood course through his body and give fake life to his cold heart. They stood together in silence for a moment before Snape felt brave enough to open his eyes and look at his friend and mentor. Dumbledore had pulled a handkerchief out of a pocket and was dabbing lightly at the bite on his wrist, seemingly fine after losing some precious blood.
"Thank you Albus. For everything." said Snape. The Headmaster looked at him with a smile and reached up to cup Snape's cheek fondly.
"You're welcome Severus."
Snape licked his lips and stepped away from the temptation in front of him. He had not forgotten the research into blood disorders and various potions he had begun so many weeks ago in the Headmaster's office and was eager to resume it. He had enjoyed researching and making the wolfsbane potion for Lupin, once upon a time, and thought maybe there could be such a thing for vampires out there in the wizarding world. Hesitating, Snape wondered how to broach the subject with Dumbledore when the infuriating old wizard did it for him.
"I had some of my old potion notes delivered to your quarters. I did some experimenting and research with a close friend in my younger years and thought they might interest you. I also sent a few owls to some colleagues in France and Austria asking if they might assist you in your discoveries if you are willing to make the trip. They are only awaiting your reply."
"But the Ministry runes, they can track me! I'm not supposed to leave Hogwarts, let alone the country?!" exclaimed Snape, hands flying by habit to the runes etched into his chest.
Dumbledore took out his wand and levitated a medium sized rock over to them. "You mean these runes?" he said as his wand then pointed to the vampire's collarbones and a bright, hot light enveloped them. The old wizard chanted strange words and Snape watched as the runes that once marked his body were rewritten onto the rock. Dumbledore was clearly performing a strong bit of magic to transfer Ministry-made charms onto an inanimate object.
"There! Now you are free to travel at will and the Ministry will think you are safely here at Hogwarts under my supervision when it's just this rock sitting in my office. And if there is a surprise inspection I imagine that person may get lost in the dungeons for a time while we wait for your speedy return. So go, Severus, find your own path and know you shall always have a home here. You may have walked in the Devil's shadow but you have left him far behind."
Snape took in a deep breath and found he felt freer and lighter of heart for the first time in a while; since before Voldemort, Strix and his time with the Death Eaters he was sure. He lurched forward and gave Dumbledore the best hug he could, knowing the physical gesture would mean more to the Headmaster than words. He finally let the Headmaster go with a nod and headed down from the tower to pack his things.
There was a world of opportunity and life waiting for him.
TBC
Final Chapter - An Epilogue