Finally, Black turned away from Severus, dipping into the entrance, Potter followed. "About damn time," Severus muttered. He followed, binding down low so that he wouldn't hit his head. How the stag managed, Severus didn't know, nor care at this point.

'You better be okay. I swear if you're hurt... I...I won't forgive myself,' Severus thought, for once not caring if Remus heard his very private thoughts.

The strange foursome walked down the long dirt path. There was no talking, as obviously three of them could only grunt and bark, and squeak in Peter's case. Oddly enough, Severus felt like making idle chit-chat, knowing Black would have to listen. He was just so anxious about Remus that he was acting so off guard. Never would he have imagined acting the way he had around Remus's friends.

Black and Potter were a little ways ahead, not seeming to care if they left Severus and Peter in their dust. "No offense... okay, so maybe I don't care if this is offensive, but your friends are mental for letting a grudge get in the way of helping Remus," He said in a low whisper to the creature on his shoulder.

Peter squeaked in what sounded like a questioning way. "I have a feeling I know what you're wondering and frankly it's creepy. Never thought I'd end up where I am, talking to rats and on a rescue mission with those prats... excuse me, your friends."

"Look at me, I'm mental too," Severus rolled his eyes. "Having a conversation with a creature who can only squeak."

Peter squeaked, before tilting his head to the side. "It's beside the point that I can understand you. It's still bloody strange."

With a low bark, Black signaled everyone to stop. It was then that Severus realized they had made it to the trapdoor leading into the Shrieking Shack. The Slytherin felt his heart clench in his chest. What would they find? He rushed to the door to go right in, though he was stopped when Black's teeth wrapped around his wrist, pulling him back.

"What the hell?" Severus complained. He pulled his arm out of the dog's mouth, glaring down at him. 'Oh gross, dog slobber... Black slobber. The stupid git actually bit me .'

Hardly understanding what was going on, Severus watched as Peter scrambled down his body and ran to the trapdoor. In less than a second, the rat was gone. Severus blinked, highly confused, before he realized Peter must have squeezed through a hole in the door.

It seemed like they waited forever before there was movement at the trap door again. The door opened and a chubby-faced Gryffindor was looking at them, his eyes wide and amazed. Black barked, sounding angry and confused that Peter had transformed back into his human form.

"Are you mad?" It was Severus who obviously spoke first, though from the sounds of a bark and a grunt, it was clear that Potter and Black were wondering the same thing, too.

"Remus?" He went to enter the door, Black and Potter following.

"No," Peter said. "You've got to see this," He sounded excited. Obviously forgetting who Severus was, Peter grabbed onto his arm and pulled him toward the room where Remus was kept. Severus almost yelled at him for touching him without his consent, though he realized he didn't mind the Gryffindor as much. 'Yes, I am turning into a Hufflepuff. Remus will be happy... Remus...'

Black and Potter followed behind them, choosing to stay in their animal forms. Peter pointed to the small window that was set in the door. Confused, Severus looked through it. He felt his knees go weak and didn't even protest when Peter helped him stand. One hundred percent of his focus was on what he was seeing in that room.

"But..." He said.

Peter smiled. "When I saw this, I knew your potion had to of worked, because..." The boy turned toward his mates.

"Change back," Peter said, before looking back at Severus and continuing, "he's asleep. The monster in him left, giving him the much needed chance to fall into a deep, peaceful slumber."

"I-I did it?" Severus stuttered, for once in his life not caring at all who saw the happiness in his eyes. "When the connection stopped, I thought I killed him."

Black and Potter heard everything that was said, and Severus watched as within seconds they were standing tall once again. The two Gryffindor and Severus had a small face-off, before Potter rubbed the back of his head, looking awkward, and Black puffed a breath of air through his slightly parted lips. Peter looked back and forth between Severus and his mates, looking anxious.

"You realize we have to pay you back for that joke?" Black grunted, obviously not liking having to be civil with his rival, though Severus wondered if he felt obligated to since he had helped his friend.

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Severus said, before pulling open the door and walking quickly to Remus's side. His cloak billowed out around him, making him look like a vampire from old myths. He dropped to the werewolf's side, reaching out to touch his paw.

"You... you..." Severus laughed. "I was so worried I had killed you, and here I find you being a lazy arse." He seemed to forget the other three were in the room, only seeing and caring about the slumbering werewolf next to him.

"What is your relationship?" Peter curiously asked, breaking Severus's illusion that he and Remus were alone. Everyone was surprised when it was timid Peter who spoke up first about what they were witnessing. It seriously looked like some love reunion. If Remus were human, it probably would have been, the look on Severus's face said so anyway.

Severus looked back at Remus's friends, his gaze landing on Potter and Black. They looked shocked at the implications of Peter's question, though it looked like the wheels were turning and they were putting all the puzzle pieces together.

Sitting down, Severus held Remus's paw in his lap. He would have pulled his whole body onto him, though he had no energy to move anymore. "Would you believe me if I told you?" Severus murmured, looking off to the side as if he were seeing something they could not.

"Besides it should be obvious." He had after all spent two moons working on the wolfsbane potion, losing sleep, hardly eating, his mind only on the task. A fool would be able to see how fatigued he was. Who would do such a thing for someone they didn't have deep feelings for?

A hand reached out toward Severus. He looked up into the eyes of Peter, giving him a questioning look, before looking at his hand. A power bar? Severus blinked a couple of times. In all history that Severus could remember there was no record of a Gryffindor giving a Slytherin a gift.

"Wh..." Severus started, though he stopped, noticing the looks Potter and Black were giving him. Shock, confusion, disbelief, and surprise. Were they surprised a Slytherin could care so much about another person?

"You look dead," Peter said, making Severus take the bar. "Eat it."

"Where did that come from?" Potter asked, breaking the awkward silence between him and Black. "He does look dead," he continued, whispering to Black. Severus rolled his eyes. He might have looked dead, but he wasn't deaf. Though at any rate, he was glad the two weren't trying to kill him... yet.

"I keep a stash," Peter said with a shrug.

Severus was looking at the bar like it was going to bite him, though his hunger won over and he pulled the wrapper off and started to eat it. It was old and stale, but still safe to eat. He felt oddly thankful toward Peter. He guessed the way to a man's heart was through their stomach.

"So..." Black started, though he stopped, seeming to have a hard time getting the right words out. He rubbed the back of his head, before slowly walking over to Severus and his slumbering friend. "You and him... like..." He bent down and touched Remus on the head. "Never thought I'd see the day that he could be at peace in this form..."

"Yeah... you can finish the question. It's not contagious, you know?" Severus slightly smirked. "And no... not quite... well, I mean..." He shut his mouth, feeling flustered and angry at himself for letting that show around Black and Potter.

"Are you shagging or not?" Potter suddenly asked. "Who's on the..."

"James! I don't want to know that!" Black yelled though the curiosity in his eyes said otherwise. After all, this was his friend.

"I will not answer that," Severus said, glaring at the Gryffindor. "Remus is your mate. If you want to know, ask him." He knew that girls gushed to their girlfriends about things they did with their boyfriends, but would it be the same in their relationship? Severus snorted. It didn't seem likely.

'Besides, we're not together like that... are we? I mean I kissed him, but we never…' Severus shook his head. He knew that he and Remus needed to have a serious talk when the boy woke up.

Black smirked. "They've done squat." He seemed to find that funny. "I guess I can understand, would be hard to if I could hear everything the bird was thinking about while... ew..." He stopped. "Okay, stopping that thought." He groaned. "Of all the people..." He muttered. "Snivellus?" He whispered in his friend's wolf ear.

"Hey, not deaf!" Severus yelled. "Would you rather him be with someone he cares about deeply or have him depressed because his friends are prats for not accepting it?" He knew he was showing his weakness in front of his rivals, something he thought he'd never do, but this was for Remus. His Remus.

Black snorted. "I'll believe it when I see it," He said.

"There is one thing," The Chaser went on, looking uncomfortable. "Curse being a Gryffindor and having to do the right thing," he complained, obviously stalling. "Thank you for helping Remus," he muttered, before crossing his arms and sulking for having to thank the Slytherin, though knowing it had to be done.

With a snort, Severus shook his head. "I didn't do it for you, so you do not need to thank me." He looked down at the werewolf, gently rubbing a hand through his fur. "Think whatever you want to, just do NOT upset Remus, or I will curse you and your future generation of brats."

"I am not having any brats," Potter said with a shudder. "No, thank you." he sighed. "And whatever. Remus can do whatever the bloody hell he wants to do, it's just weird. I mean really, a Slytherin?"

"Could be worse," Severus growled. "What if he ended up with Malfoy, Crabb, or Goyle, huh? Now you're admitting to yourself that I'm a fine catch, huh?" Severus smirked.

Peter smiled. "I think they're fated to be together and nothing we say or do will change that," he offered meekly. "A mind linking wouldn't just randomly happen. Potions backfire all the time and nothing like this has ever happened before."

Black made a face. "Since when are you an expert on potions? Fated? That's girly bullshite. Nobody is fated to be together."

"I-I was just..." Peter looked down. "I want Remus to be happy, don't you?"

Seeming to falter, Black opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. He glanced down at Severus and Remus, watching as the tired Slytherin lovingly held the werewolf to him, protectively holding him. Black swallowed. It was something he would have never expected of the Slytherin with anyone, let alone a Gryffindor.

"If you hurt him, I will kill you," Was all that Black said, in his own strange way accepting it, maybe not liking it, but accepting it.

"And I will help," Potter declared. Black was like the leader of them, so if he was going to accept it, then it seemed others would follow him.

"Uh... me, too," Peter said, though he was grinning. He didn't want to be left out. Out of the three, he was probably the only one who didn't mind. Severus had been nice to him, maybe he hadn't realized it, but calling him by his given name had meant more than anyone knew. It was probably because he was starved for attention.

"Peachy," Severus muttered. "Now that we got that out of the way, let's have a party." He rolled his eyes. "I won't hurt him."

Slowly golden eyes opened, though nobody noticed.