Author:bonfoi Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Remus Lupin/Severus Snape Summary: This story takes place in an alternate reality where Remus’ spine is a bit stiffer, Severus’ heart a bit tender, and they see something about the other that makes it worthwhile. Challenge: lupin_snape RetroFest 2009, Prompt #6 (see Part One for full prompt). Word Count: Part Four: 1,764 Genre: Alternate Reality; Romance; Angst; Humor Warnings: Evidence of Violence Highlight for Warnings: * None * A/N: I wondered how Remus made contact with the werewolf clans, how Severus and Harry might interact when one of them wasn’t angry, and, now…I hope that I met the requirements of the prompt with what the Prompter needed, besides the Snupin Love! The speculations used are listed at the end of the fic.
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.
This author is not responsible for underage readers. Please observe the ratings, warnings, and age of legal consent for your country.
The werewolf pack had scattered when word of Greyback’s approach was received. With Minerva’s help, Remus had sent as many of them as he could to the Forbidden Forest and relative safety. He’d waved good-bye to the cub that had first greeted him, and his mother, the last two to Port-key out. The hair on the back of his neck rose as he heard the crunch of branches behind him. A foul stench hit his nose before Fenrir Greyback came at him from behind.
“Meat…I’ve bitten you before!” the werewolf snarled. His cracked and yellowed teeth were mere seconds from clamping over his throat and ripping it out—and then he reared back and head-butted Remus. The sickening crack of Lupin’s nose breaking was nothing to the howl of rage he let out or the blaze of fury that burned in his muscles. He pushed his sire off with a grunt and rolled up into a defensive stance, arms akimbo and his own teeth glinting in a howl. His wand remained tucked in his forearm holster.
“Not meat, you cur!” Remus snarled. His eyes narrowed as he caught a whiff of dried blood and gore, and the sweet scent of a child. “You swine! Why don’t you test your mettle against me? We’re of a size now…” he trailed off as something dark rose behind the other werewolf. He laughed, a growling rasp that caused Fenrir to turn to the side.
A dark red spell—most likely a Stunner—exploded into Greyback’s ribs, flinging him into a dark stone outcrop hidden by the trees. Remus wiped the blood from his lips, his nose throbbing as he did. He could still feel the pull of his own wolf inside and tried not to scowl as Kingsley Shacklebolt and another Auror stepped closer. “Nice to see thoo…damth!” he moaned as pain overrode the adrenalin.
The tall, dark, and bald Auror Stunned the other werewolf again, thumping his head against the ground with his spell. “That should keep the foul thing down for a bit.” He brought his wand up and into Lupin’s line-of-sight. “Let me fix what I can, hey? Episkey!” Remus felt his nose knit back together, not-quite-right but good enough for the time being. “By the way, you lost a tooth.”
“Thankth, Thacklebolt. What bringth you here?” The other Auror was binding Greyback in a rope of thorns, something most definitely not Ministry-approved and Remus turned his full attention to his fellow Order member.
“Harry asked if anyone was coming this way, and well…the lad does have those big green eyes!” Shacklebolt shook his head and grinned ruefully. “That boy will go far just on those alone. He wanted us to bring you back as soon as word came of the werewolf refugees.” He ignored the moans and thuds coming over his shoulder as he handed a gold bangle and a roll of parchment to Lupin. “The phrase is ‘Templar’ to activate the Port-key, and the note is from Tonks.”
Remus nodded. “Thanks for the timely intherventhion.” He shoved the parchment into a pocket and moved a few steps to the left. “I’d dwop the monthter into the North Thea if I were you,” he said before holding up the Port-key with a questioning look.
He barely heard Shacklebolt’s “What? And dirty the water?” Then, the dark Auror grinned and stood next to Remus as he shouted the activation phrase for the toothless wizard.
Ω•≡•Ω♦Ω•≡•Ω♦
Severus Snape’s footsteps were dragging as he approached Grimmauld Place. He could barely raise his fist to rap on the door when he felt the soft whoomp of Apparition nearby. So tired, he fell to his knee as he tried to aim his wand in the direction he thought it came from. “Who…who’s there?”
Warm, large hands caught Snape before he fell off the stoop. He passed out before he could see just who had saved him.
Remus sat the unconscious spy against the wall and got the front door open. Unfortunately, Tonks was just stepping out of the kitchen and saw him. “Oi, Remus! Wotcher!” She tripped over an infinitesimal wrinkle in the carpet and almost pitched over onto her nose. “Eww…Snape.” Tonks wrinkled her nose—too big for her face—at the man on the ground. “Best move him before Molly sweeps him up with the dust.”
Still feeling the wolf inside, Lupin bared his teeth in a rictus of a gap-toothed sneer and hefted Snape over his shoulder. He motioned the young Auror before him and closed the door. “He’th been torthured, Tonkth. You need to tell Molly to come upthairs and help me with him.” He didn’t wait for her acquiescence but took the stairs two at a time, the Slytherin’s weight negligible.
Looking up, Nymphadora’s eyes sharpened at the flex of Lupin’s thighs and arse as he climbed. She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks—and other, damper regions—and her hair became black and fine. “One day, Lupin, one day,” she muttered as she strolled back to the kitchen and Molly Weasley. “Oi, Mrs. W, Remus say Snape’s injured himself. When you’re ready, could you help him?”
It took half-an-hour for Mrs. Weasley to settle everyone around the table with food and then she climbed the stairs and knocked on Severus’ normal door. “I’m here, Remus!” she said as she entered the room, a tray of potions and two bowls of stew with thick slices of bread floating behind her. She came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Snape’s chest, gouges and scratches criss-crossing it from below his throat to just above his waist; the tray wobbled. “Oh!” she pressed her hand against her chest and scurried forward. “I’m so sorry, Remus. Tonks never said anything about blood!”
Nostrils flaring and temper short, the lycanthrope sat by Snape’s side, just holding his hand. Not trusting himself, Lupin just spoke one clipped phrase: “Leave the potionth, Molly.” She complied in silence; he waved her out and then locked the door manually. With difficulty, he even cast Silencing spells, in case some of the little pitchers decided to extend their big ears.
“I’m thorry you had to go through thith, Theveruth,” Remus said as he resumed stripping the other spy. He searched Severus’ pockets for his potions and once he’d found a familiar flask, he drank some of the golden potion; the pain of his missing tooth was gone. He didn’t feel his own wounds; his mind was all on Snape. “Now, I with I knew a better thpell for removing clotheth, but, I’ll fathe your wrath when you’re awake, awrigh’?” He slashed Severus’ pants and long coat, ripping what didn’t tear. A smattering of surprised tears fell as he saw the bruises littering Snape’s thighs. He searched the tray for a potion that might allow him to mutter clearly and, once spotting a likely vial, he downed it without a murmur.
“Sorry, Severus, but I’ve got something in my eye.” The lycanthrope’s hands shook as he bared the other man but for his smalls. He was a mass of welts and bruises from below his chin to his knees as well. “No wonder you passed out,” he breathed. He waved his wand at the tray Molly had left and Summoned every pain potion on it. “I wish I knew where you keep that green salve, Snape. You’ll need it.”
As he worked, Remus pushed away thoughts of spanking Tonks until her bottom flamed and then dangling her by her ankles from Gryffindor Tower…and then dropping her in the Thames head-first. He kept at it mechanically: smoothing on salves, Summoning remnants of steel from some of the gouges across Severus’ chest, making fresh poultices, exhorting Snape: “Breathe, you crusty ol’ Snake, breathe.” Remus didn’t even notice Harry standing by the bed, hand and head the only things visible.
“Oh!” The young wizard’s eyes were huge in his face. He’d heard Tonks telling Mrs. Weasley about Snape being hurt and he’d rushed away for his Invisibility Cloak. When Mrs. Weasley went in, he’d followed behind. It had taken him ages to approach, the sight of so much blood reminding him of Cedric Diggory. “I…I’m so sorry, sir,” he whispered from over Lupin’s shoulder.
“Can…can I help, Remus?” Harry let the cloak fell to the floor and then leaned over to throw it onto a chair. He picked up a clean, damp cloth and moved to the other side of the bed. As Remus pointed, he wiped potions on and off. There wasn’t anything to say until Snape was bandaged and Healed to the best of their abilities. “Whew. Remind me not to take up spying,” Harry chuckled tiredly and then paled as he waited for something, some sign from Lupin.
Leaning back in his chair, the lycanthrope began to feel his own wounds and aches once more. “Thank you, Harry.” He shared a rueful look with the boy who would save them. “You do have a talent for being where you shouldn’t, you know.” He sighed and rubbed his broken nose gingerly. “Hand me that little beaker with the gold stopper, won’t you? Shacklebolt’s Episkey leaves a bit to be desired.” He caught the beaker with one hand and nodded his thanks. A few drops on his fingertip, a gentle pinches of the bridge of his nose, and the pain there was lessened.
“Guess I should go, huh?” Harry rubbed his eyes with the heels of both hands. “Seriously, I don’t ever want to be a spy. You two need more potions than I’ve ever used!” Remus laughed good-naturedly and removed his Locking spells.
“Go sleep for me, Harry. And if you see Tonks, don’t tell her I’m in here.” Harry’s grin and nod was all he needed and the boy was out the door. The lycanthrope automatically renewed his spells, this time adding Privacy Shields for good measure. Glancing around, Remus saw that the Invisibility Cloak was still draped over Harry’s chair. “Hmm…I’ll return it in the morning,” he mumbled as the little golden potion began its work, even if he was dirty. “He was very gentle, Severus. Like Lily would have been….” His own exhaustion had finally caught up to him and he missed Snape’s right eyelid quivering open. “…better than us, eh?”
Coming to, Snape’s dark eye squinted as the room’s light softened in response to Lupin’s snores. He let his eyelid fall down, finally safe for the night. He smiled until it hurt. Safe with a werewolf…what a laugh, he thought as he drifted into a healing sleep.