Author:bonfoi Rating: G Pairing: Remus Lupin/Severus Snape, Gideon Prewett, Fabian Prewett Summary: Given the chore of collecting mistletoe for Christmas decorations, Lupin and Snape come across something interesting. Challenge:adventdrabblesPrompt #24: Snowed In Word Count: 928 Genre: Alternate Universe; EWE; Slash; Adventure; Romance; Myth Warnings: none A/N: By the skin of my teeth...Merry Christmas one and all! The blessing of the season be upon you!
Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., her publishing companies and affiliates. No profit was made from the writing of this story nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form to the author or the actors/actresses who so brilliantly have brought them to life.
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“Severus…do you have my last potion?” Remus asked softly. His eyes were on the back of the Oak King. “I’m going to need it…”
Severus' hand scrambled at the side of his satchel, opening a hidden pocket and extracting a hip flask. He thumbed it open as it pressed it into Remus’ other hand. He’d felt the fur beginning to sprout across Remus’ knuckles. “How long?” Severus asked.
“You’ll want to be by the doors, love.” Remus looked at Severus, his eyes an amber yellow in the flickering candlelight. “The time’s sped up because these prats, Severus. I’m sorry.”
Severus shut Remus up with a kiss and then began tugging at his lover’s clothes, undoing buttons that Remus couldn’t undo anymore because of his fingernails becoming claws. “Ish diff’ent,” Remus said past his elongated teeth. He grimaced and Severus chanced a quick buss on the cheek before he finishing stripping Remus bare with a clothes banishing spell.
In an instant, something Severus thought should have been more painful and more prolonged, Moony stood shakily on four feet, whining at Severus in confusion. When the Oak King turned, he scooted behind Severus only to peek out when the mythical being snapped his fingers.
“Oh, you’ll do, wolf—” The Oak King stopped and stared at the wolf and then the wizard it was partially hidden behind. “You’re Snape…the dark one, a Darkling!” He exclaimed. He turned all the way around and came to stand before Severus and Moony.
“I gather you don’t remember me, eh?” The Oak King doffed his crown of acorns and leaves, revealing a head of ginger hair. “Fabian Prewett, at your service. See you’ve met Moony, an’ then some.”
Severus bit his lip and nodded while Moony crept out from behind Severus, inching forward between the Oak King and his human. When the mythical being leaned forward, Moony growled threateningly. Severus smirked, back on firmer ground at the sound.
“You seem to be causing mayhem, Prewett. Your brother came in here as a wounded centaur with a Porlock guardian.”
The beams creaked as oak and holly battled for dominance within the wood. Fabian sighed and put his leafy crown back on. “You’d think we’d get something like Valahalla or even a place on the Wild Hunt, but no! Those damned Death Eaters killed us in a circle of standing stones. Pillocks!” Fabian muttered.
“Somehow or other, to balance things out, every few years, ‘cuz we’re twins, we get to live the myth.” Fabian scratched the side of his nose. “Truth to tell, it can be fun. Epona’s gal is always a merry girl when I’ve won my part of the year!” Fabian winked and then reached up to straighten his crown again. “But, back to work…time for the ritual combat.” He turned and snapped his fingers once more, this time looking Moony in the eye as he did so, an enquiring eyebrow arching.
“I think you’re part of this whether you want to be or not, Lupin.” Severus carded his fingers through Moony’s fur and urged him forward. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” He narrowed his eyes at the Oak King. “I do have some magical ability!” he growled.
“Fine, fine. Always were a tetchy git, Snape. Anyhow…come along, Moony. Time to get Gideon up and on his feet.” Fabian turned, once more the epitome of the Oak King, a wolf trotting at his side incongruously wearing a collar of acorns.
“Good to see you, brother dear!” Gideon called out. He was still a centaur, but now he was whole and healthy. His tail flicked back and forth impatiently and he sidled out of the stall with barely concealed glee. “My turn to pick the combat, isn’t it?” he asked with a devilish grin. A wreath of holly leaves and berries grew around his waist, out of thin air.
Severus slowly made his way to the farm painting with Albus, Phineas, and Jamie in it. “What do you know of this, Dumbledore?” he hissed.
“Just watch my lad, just watch,” Albus chided him.
“…and Moony will be the deciding opinion! So mote it be!” Gideon cried. Severus wondered just what he’d missed as he turned his back, but he’d see it soon enough.
The doors of the Hufflepuff stables blew open. The snow had thickened into sheets of fluffy snowflakes that were creating drifts well over a man’s height. The sight would have been breathtaking, but the fact that Currycombe—no longer a Porlock—stood just beyond the doors bemused him; Severus blinked at how handsome a Fairy he made.
“I see you have your counter, too. Good, let’s begin, shall we?” Fabian asked with a grin. Snowballs began to create themselves, sorting into four pyramids out in the snowy night. Currycombe stood by one and Fabian directed Moony to another, then he and Gideon took up their respective positions.
“On the count of two-and-three-quarters, commence throwing!” Gideon roared. He counted slowly and distinctly and as “Two-and-three-quarters!” was yelled, he, the Holly King, grabbed a snowball and began pelting his brother, the Oak King.
The snowballs grew holly leaves and acorns, oak leaves and berries, and even remained true snowballs as they were thrown. Moony pushed snowballs toward Fabian as Currycombe tossed them to Gideon. Severus’ eyes just grew larger and larger as he realized he was snowed in, inside a stable that wasn’t even Slytherin territory, with two daft mythical beings inhabited by the worst pranksters outside of the Weasley Twins and three dead wizards, a werewolf, and a transformed Porlock…things could only get stranger!