Chapter Nine: The Guardian:
Severus was at the burrow waiting, it was not for an order meeting but for something else entirely. He was not sure what was wanted of him today. Remus was sitting in the small kitchen and he looked nervous but Severus could not understand why. What would the werewolf have done to look so worried? Sirius was here and he sat in stony silence, not looking at Severus. The door to the kitchen opened and Kingsley Shacklebolt came into the room and took a seat at the kitchen table. Something was going on that Severus did not like at all as both Sirius and Remus looked upset or in Remus's case nervous and upset.
"Professor Severus you are well I take it?" He asked.
"Yes sir, I am, why are you here?" Severus asked him. "I was told to come but was not aware you would be here."
"It is about Remus Lupin." Shacklebolt said looking strained. "You are aware of the new laws and regulations that were passed on regulation of werewolves?"
"Not fully no." Severus replied.
"Well the laws state that for a werewolf to have any job his employer would take responsibility for him in full."
"I have no problem with that, I have done so already." Severus said.
"According to the law you have not." Shacklebolt said looking very strained. "You will have to account for where he goes, no not as master and slave, nothing like that but you must put a tracing collar on him."
"What no!" Severus rose outraged and Sirius looked up at him surprised at his. "I cannot, not to him, that is, is barbaric this is a man not an animal!"
"Severus I do not mind, I am once a month an animal." Remus said quietly.
"I cannot do this to you." Severus said now white with fury.
"I cannot work if you do not." Remus said.
"Bastards." Sirius said rising with anger on his face. "Remus is not an animal, you cannot allow this!"
"There is a hearing in two days time, if Remus does not have a tracing collar on him he will be thrown in Azkaban for endangering the lives of humans." Shacklebolt said.
"Umbridge is behind this I know she is." Severus snarled. "Why she is not in Azkaban I will never know, I will not put a collar on Remus."
"I knew you would say that." Shacklebolt said taking out a thin gold colored metal band. "This can go on his arm, it will shrink and grow as he transforms." Shacklebolt said handing it to Severus. "You have to put it on him."
"I am sorry Remus." Severus said meaning it. "I don't want to do this to you even if you are an annoying wolf."
"Nothing can be done about it Severus." Remus said stripping off his shirt and letting Severus put the band on his upper arm.
"Sign this." Shacklebolt said and Severus signed it. "Good now you are his protector as well. This will keep Umbridge's grubby hands off him."
"If you use this to make Remus life hell Severus I will kill you understand?" Sirius snarled at him.
"I do, do not worry I am not the kind of man or wizard to do such a thing." Severus said. "Besides Remus is smarter by far than you, I like him more than you."
"I hate you Severus." Sirius said.
"Yes I know." Severus said smirking.
"You two do have one thing in common." Remus said almost sweetly.
"Pray tell what is that?" Sirius asked.
"You both like me." Remus said smirking at identical looks of outrage.
"Moony!"
"Lupin!"
"I love you guys." Remus said leaving the room with a smirk.
Two days later Severus entered the ministry with Remus. Severus was clad in his best black robes, his dragonskin boots freshly polished and his hair as neat and tidy as he could get it. Remus was in his best navy blue robes and he was nervous which was why he could be seen chewing on a small piece of rawhide as he really felt insecure here and needed the simulation to calm down. At least it was a small piece as no-one noticed him doing this as he walked through the ministry with Severus. For once Severus did not snap at him for this "annoying habit" of the werewolf and let it slide. Remus' very freedom rested on his testimony today.
"You alright Remus?" Severus asked Remus.
"Yes, nervous though, I hope it goes well for you." Remus replied quietly.
"I am not the one being tried as it were." Severus said. "You have many on your side, do not forget that."
"I know Severus." Remus said.
"Even if you are annoying."
"Yes well you do need to be annoyed." Remus smirked.
"Do not push me today wolf." Severus snarled the banter hiding his nervousness.
Remus stayed right by Severus trying to look as harmless as he could. The lift took them to level
four where the werewolf registry was located. Severus led Remus down the hall knowing how Remus had to feel, ashamed and humiliated by this. Severus hated how Lupin was treated, he took both his muggle medication Lithium once a day and the Wolfsbane once a week. In addition he had a muzzle he used that his parents had cast charms on when he was a boy. This went over his face when he changed to the wolf so he could not bite. Still Severus was nervous, what if this was not enough and the werewolf registry wished to imprison him or worse put him down? Even after all he had done this type of treatment was still done to him and it was not right or fair.
"It will be alight Severus." Remus said. "I will win them over with my charm."
"I doubt that." Severus snapped.
"Alright pity then, being under your care they will think I am abused." Remus smirked.
"You will be if you don't stop it." Severus said silkily.
They walked by several goblins talking amongst themselves that looked up and sneered at Remus as he passed by. A vampire looked at Severus keenly but knew almost at once Severus was not a Vampire though he did study him in a way that Severus did not like. They passed two ghosts who were clad in tunics and sandals and came finally to the door to the werewolf registry office and entered. Severus gave his name and that of "his" werewolf feeling the shame that Remus had to be feeling now. They were led to a large room and Remus was ordered to stand in the center of the room. To the anger of Severus it was Umbridge who headed the proceedings. She had got away with her torture of him and managed to still be in the ministry. She was like a bad penny that just kept turning up.
"Good afternoon professor Snape, I see you brought your pet werewolf." Umbridge began causing Severus to stiffen in fury. "This werewolf is in your employ?"
"Yes he is." Severus said trying so hard to keep his anger in check.
"You are aware of the laws that govern the hiring of a werewolf?" Umbridge asked.
"I am, the documents presented show I have followed the full extent of the law." Severus replied.
"Yes well normally that would be enough, however there is the little problem of you being a death eater."
"He was cleared, he was key in the battle of Hogwarts." Scrimgeour said walking calmly into the room. "He led the students to victory as you well know."
"Minister he is on lifetime probation, you know what that means sir." Umbridge said getting Severus to pale.
"He was fully pardoned and he is a free man now." Scrimgeour replied, "he has a right to be trusted and I believe you still owe him an apology for what you did."
Everyone was surprised the minister of magic would come here to see the hearing of a werewolf. Then again this same werewolf had helped in the battle at Hogwarts and he had allowed himself to be used as a "test subject" for new ways to treat werewolves. Scrimgeour did not want this werewolf lost because of a grudge one of his ministry employees had with the potions master of Hogwarts. He hated Umbridge and wished there was a way to fire her but so far he had not had any luck as she still had connections that kept her in her job. He had wanted to fire her for what she had done to Severus but every time he tried there was something or someone that blocked his way.
"Minster we were not expecting to you here today." Umbridge said sweetly starting over might salvage some of this hearing for her she hoped.
"I wanted to make sure that Mr. Lupin's registry went as smoothly as possible, he does need to get back to work." Scrimgeour said glaring at her his yellowish eyes flashing behind his glasses.
"I see, well then, as the paperwork is in order there is only one more thing." Umbridge said. "The exam that he must pass."
"Of course, I am sure there will be no problem with that." Scrimgeour said heavily. "It is the law and must be followed, Professor Snape, Mr. Lupin, consul."
Severus was grateful that Scrimgeour had come to the defense of Remus and watched as the minister left so the exam could get underway. Still Severus was upset as Remus went under the humiliating exam required. Remus was a modest man and so this was not an easy thing for him or Severus to go through. Remus undressed and was examined and notes were taken on his physical appearance, the few scars he had on his body and the tracing device on his upper left bicep. Finally after several long minutes Remus was allowed to redress.
"I see you have followed the laws regarding your employment." Umbridge said.
"Yes ma'am." Remus said.
"You will be fully responsible for this werewolf professor Snape if he bites anyone you will take the full brunt of the law after he is put down." Umbridge said.
"I understand ma'am." Severus said. "He will stay muzzled when he transforms."
"Good, you may take your werewolf and go."
"Yes ma'am." Severus said.
He led Remus out and did not speak as they headed back to the lift and back to the atrium. He did not speak as they left by floo and came back to the burrow. Remus was surprised that Severus was upset for him, he had not expected Severus to feel this way about him. Sirius looked up as they stepped out of the fireplace and he knew the news was good though Severus looked really upset, it surprised him though it really should not have. He understood, he had felt the same way when Remus had told him about the first exam he had to go through.
"I see you had a shock, want a drink?" Sirius asked Severus.
"Scrimgeour was there, if not for him I would probably not be here." Remus said. "Umbridge headed the hearing."
"Damn, they just cannot get rid of her can they?" Sirius asked.
"They treated Remus like an animal!" Severus snarled taking a drink and downing it on one go.
"You did too Severus." Sirius said, "and I did too, what I did to him in school, that stupid evil thing I did to both of you…"
"It's all forgiven now mutt." Severus said.
"Yes I have forgiven you, I understand you are just brainless Sirius. However I am an animal and a monster once a month no matter what anyone says." Remus said.
"I don't think you are a monster Remus, how could you be when in wolf form you want to play fetch?" Severus said. "But they could not see past the fact he is a werewolf."
"Well that is their fault, and Remus if you keep chewing on that in public people will see only the wolf, which is not bad, it is kind of cute." Sirius said catching Remus chewing on his rawhide. "You make such a cute little puppy."
Remus growled and threw his chew down and jumped Sirius throwing him to the ground. Severus smirked as the two wizards play fought on the floor until Mrs. Weasley stormed in and yelled at them to stop. The two men got up and sat down and smiled at her sweetly, oh they were good, so very good as Mrs. Weasley did not even hex them. Her features softened and she summoned a plate of baked goods. Severus smiled and took a cauldron cake and began to eat it. For a day that could have turned out much different things had turned out fine for all concerned. Even if they had not found a way to get rid of Umbridge yet.
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I hate Umbridge and her Werewolf registry, but she is a hard one to get rid of, was in canon so I made that the same way here. I wanted to show Severus really is a good guy even going as far as he does in helping out Remus Lupin. Lupin was very nervous in the Ministry and he trusts Severus that was why he was chewing. My oldest dog chews when he is nervous (we buy huge bags of chews for him once a month) and as Lupin is a werewolf well... I could see him chewing on rawhide when he is nervous.
So please do review!