Snapelike (snapelike) wrote in lupin_snape, @ 2008-02-25 02:58:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | trading places challenge |
Fic: WIB - Part I
Title: WIB - Wizardsinblack [Part I|Part II]
Characters: Remus/Severus, past Lucius/Severus mentioned
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Alpha!Remus, a bit of (mental) torture and H/C.
Word count: 19,500
Challenge: Trading Places
Notes: For karasu_hime's WIB. Beta by imma. The Neuralizer is stolen from the film MIB.
Summary: Just after Sirius' escape from Hogwarts, Dumbledore discovers a Death Eater conspiracy. Hidden so well that not even super-spy Severus Snape knows about it, somebody is planning to ruin Dumbledore's, Hogwarts's and the Ministry's reputations, easing the way for a more... fitting rule. Of course Albus Dumbledore is not inclined to let that happen, and he forms his own little very-secret-agent unit to prevent the disaster.
WIB - Wizardsinblack
The potion swirled, letting out a cloud of rainbow-coloured fumes which rose to hover under the ceiling. A smell of something dry and dusty spread in the laboratory as the potion turned yellow, then suddenly coagulated and blew up in a sprinkle of lemon-scented sand.
Professor Severus Snape threw the ladle hard on the worktable. 'Must you?' he snarled, before he yanked the cauldron away from under the nose of the headmaster. 'I need blood-replenishing potion; it isn't as if the exciting meetings with fellow Death Eaters I am currently attending call for peace and quiet!' Severus began to pull down ingredients from the shelves behind him. 'Next time you decide to indulge in sherbet lemons, please do it in your own office. As you see, they are devastating to any decent potion.'
The headmaster coughed slightly, as if he knew he had gone too far. 'Severus,' he said. 'It might not have happened if you had come to see me when I asked the first time. Or the second, even.' Dumbledore waved a hand to see through the persistent rainbow-coloured fog. 'I do have some patience, but this is important. Speaking to Fudge will be a waste of time, he still tries to ignore any inconveniences I tell him about.' Dumbledore leaned forward, lowering his voice, like if he was to tell a secret. 'Bugs. I think he thinks bad news are like bugs, just to be waved away.' Dumbledore waved his hand some more, as if to demonstrate. 'Will you please just listen for a minute, Severus? I promise I won't bother you with it again, but this concerns Harry. We cannot igno-'
'Of course not,' Severus interrupted angrily. He looked like a thundercloud. 'We cannot have anything bothering your precious Potter. Do you want me to cuddle him? Carry him on my hands through the pathetic remains of his life? Roll out the red carpet at his arrival back from his hard-earned holiday?'
'Now, now, Severus. I know you are not fond of him, but this is not about Harry as such. Not yet, at least.' Dumbledore poked at the cauldron with his wand and it staggered off on three stubby legs before Severus could get a hold of it.
'Will you stop interrupting me! How am I supposed to work as a Potions master and your spy if you continue to obstruct what I am doing!' The question was quite rhetoric. Severus caught the cauldron and held it as it squirmed to get away. 'You have a minute. And return my best cauldron to something less lively, if you please.'
'I will leave you to your work in a moment,' the headmaster said. 'You have been an invaluable source for information, Severus, but there are rumours at the moment - rumours about Voldemort's return, and it makes the Death Eaters outside your circle a bit restless.' It was a nice euphemism for the Death Eaters in Azkaban, the ones Severus hadn't been able to talk to. 'They are planning an unpleasant surprise, and I have decided to team you up with er- someone. I need reliable men, and I need them now. A secret task force, so to speak.' Dumbledore looked over the rim of his glasses. 'Please, Severus. It will mean a lot to our cause. I need you to trace where the rumours come from. To find the source of this.'
'And here I thought I already was your secret task force.' Severus' mouth curled in an unpleasant grimace. 'How can I possibly be more secret? By going to the Antipodes? Vanish myself? I thought you were calling in the Order of the Phoenix. They can be your secret army.'
'I am, Severus - calling in the Order,' Dumbledore said. 'But I need somebody not even they know about. I need men I can trust entirely. This case is very important. Not only to me, but to the entire wizarding world. If my plans of unity are ruined... plans of unity and aid from the other wizarding schools as a precaution in case... when Voldemort return... no, Severus, I cannot let that happen.'
'And I am supposed to do what? Be a one-wizard army? Play both Sherlock and Watson at the same time? Because I would love that, what with all the spare time I have when I am done teaching, developing new spells and potions and revel with Lucius and his pure-blood friends.'
'That sounds lovely,' Dumbledore said, the blue eyes twinkling. 'I liked Mr Holmes. But that is not what I had in mind. I have found us a Dark Arts specialist who can help you. I don't know if you remember Remus Lu-'
'No! Under no circumstances. Out of the question, undoable, unlikely. No fucking way!'
'Language, my boy! You are a renowned Hogwarts professor.'
'Notorious, not renowned. And the answer is still no. How dare you ask "if I remember Remus Lupin"? The man has almost killed me twice, but of course he is your other pet, together with Potter.'
'Severus, please? If not for me, then for Lily.' Dumbledore as usual ignored Severus' objections.
A cauldron was hammered down on the worktable so hard several jars rattled. 'You have absolutely no limits to how low you are going to sink, have you?'
'When it comes to keeping our world safe? No.'
Severus just sighed deeply. Dumbledore had the power to force him, although he tried to make it look like a willing agreement. He didn't want to do this, there were too many memories involved, too much hurt for him to deal with the werewolf, not to speak of the utter idiocy it was to ask the beast to come to Hogwarts. Again. And what did the old bugger expect? Professors Lupin and Snape - protecting Hogwarts against the scum of the wizarding world? It would be over Severus' dead body - and preferably over the werewolf's too.