HP ficlet: Clandestine Confusion [Remus/Severus, general]
Title: Clandestine Confusion Author: celandineb Fandom: HP Pairing: Remus/Severus (preslash) Rating: general Length: 562 words Summary: Remus is meeting one of Dumbledore's spies. Note: For blpaintchart at the request of westernredcedar, who suggested Remus/Severus and gave the prompt "patches." I'm not sure I was wholly successful in making this light and humorous though!
With his wand, Remus prodded futilely at the patches on his cloak. He'd done his best to make them unobtrusive, but housekeeping spells simply were not his strong suit. He shoved the wand back into his pocket and slung the cloak over his shoulders. It was already after eight o'clock, and he didn't want to risk being late.
Dumbledore had indicated that the man Remus was to meet would be wearing a familiar face. Remus took that to mean that the spy would be using Polyjuice potion, but he had no idea who the real person might be under the disguise. He supposed it didn't matter; and in any case since they were meeting in a Muggle location there ought to be only one person Remus recognized at all.
Muggle. Remus cursed himself mentally. A cloak was hardly going to be inconspicuous in a Muggle pub, but he didn't have anything else warm to wear, and he would look even odder in just a jumper, on this bitter cold January night. Unless... Remus took the cloak off again and transfigured it into an overcoat, just as shabby and patched as the cloak but less likely to draw attention. Then he hurried out.
At the pub, he ordered a pint of bitter and settled into a corner where he could see the door, glancing up every time it opened. Half an hour passed and he was beginning to wonder if the rendezvous had failed when someone slid into the chair next to him. He looked up and almost choked on his beer. The spy was disguised as Severus Snape. He wondered if the real Severus knew that his face was being used this way. It was a good disguise, though, if anyone had followed either of them. No one would believe that Remus and Severus were having an amiable drink in this place. First because their loathing for each other was well-known, and second because no Slytherin would willingly enter a Muggle establishment, particularly not a Slytherin who was rumored to be a Death Eater.
"Remus." The man inclined his head. He imitated Severus's voice quite well; that acerbic sneer sounded just like the real Severus.
Remus realized he had no name to use, so he merely said, "I believe you have a message for me?"
"Yes. Do try to remember it accurately."
"It's not written?" Remus asked.
An impatient sigh was his response. "No. Now listen. He is using Inferi, and he has arranged some sort of understanding with both the giants and the werewolves, although I don't yet know the precise details. Dumbledore may be able to find out more from the other end, if he tries. There's also a raid on the Ministry being planned for the fourteenth of February, so security needs to be tightened there. That's all for the moment. I'll have more next week. You have all that?"
Remus repeated the message, then added, "You'd better stay and have a drink, just in case we're being observed."
He overrode the other man's objections and insisted that he would pay. His finances were very tight but he could manage the price of a pint for the cause.
"Confusion to our enemies?" Remus suggested when they each had a fresh drink.
The false Severus gave a sour grin. "Now that is a sentiment with which I can heartily agree."