Fic Post: An Ancient Manuscript
Title: An Ancient Manuscript Pairing: Snape/Lupin Rating: NC-17 for sex Summary: translating an ancient manuscript brings a few surprises. Note: this is yet another fic that began with a series of drabbles in Lupin100.
"It's an interpolated palimpsest," said Madam Pince. She sniffed slightly as Remus squinted at the first page. "The only one that's intelligible is a treatise on magical mustards."
"I see." Remus cautiously held the manuscript up to the light. He could make out a few words, but it was largely gibberish. "I'm not a paleographer. Perhaps someone at the British Museum could help."
"I'm hoping to avoid that." Pince carefully pointed to a phrase that looked to be in Latin. "Can you read that line?"
Ego sum Salazar Slytherin, magus Hispaniae….
Remus almost dropped the page. "Salazar Slytherin was Spanish?"
*****
Snape made a rude noise. "I can't believe you're surprised at this. 'Salazar' is not precisely a British name."
"It never crossed my mind." Remus gestured at the palimpsest. "It's not as if there's a painting of him at the school."
"I suppose you thought he was from Blackpool then?" Severus drew his wand across the parchment. "Did Pince say where she got this?
"It was part of an estate that was left to the school. This was in a box of old diaries."
"Fascinating." Severus frowned, then waved his hand above the document. "I wonder what else it says?"
*****
It had taken most of a week, but they had deciphered Salazar Slytherin's portion of the manuscript. It was not what they had expected.
"This is dreadful." Remus had let Snape translate the faded Latin. "All those books - "
"I know." Severus sighed. "Some were from the library of Alexandria. No wonder Slytherin wrote to Godric Gryffindor looking for refuge."
"No wonder he didn't want Muggleborns at Hogwarts." Remus shook his head. "To think the priest - "
Severus raised an eyebrow. "Was a wizard? With a name like 'Jude,' was it any surprise he turned on his master?"
*****
The third text on the manuscript was in a barely intelligible Old English cipher. Remus nearly went blind teasing out the letters, and the best he could do was a partial letter inviting "Magister Salazar" to Britain. He didn't have the strength to deal with remaining text, which was almost too faded for spells.
"Well?" Severus picked up the transcription. His brow furrowed slightly. "So it was Ravenclaw who invited Slytherin to Britain, not Gryffindor. This certainly changes things."
"Lovely." Remus slumped back in his chair.
"Have a drink. Then come to bed," said Severus. "This will wait until morning."
*****
Work on the palimpsest had strained his eyes. Severus dimmed the lights.
His hands had started to cramp from writing down the faint, odd letters as they materialized. Severus massaged and kissed the palms and fingertips until the ache was gone.
The backache disappeared as Severus laid him down on the clean, smooth sheets. He groaned softly as Severus settled between his legs and whispered purgo, lubrio, divarico.
"Severus - "
"Hush." Severus slid up his torso in the way that trapped his cock between their bellies. "You've worked hard today. Let me."
"Yes - oh - yesss - "
*****
Severus had taken over the transcription and translation of the palimpsest. Remus made tea, ordered dinner, and fetched and carried as Severus teased out the faded words.
It was past 4:00 when he sat back and held up a fair copy. "I think we'll get an academic paper out of this. This is what Granger would call 'cutting edge' material."
"Cutting edge - " Remus snatched up the translation. His eyebrows rose into his fringe. "He left because of - "
"Can you blame him?" Severus looked positively smug. "Losing the woman he loved to Godric Gryffindor must have burned."
*****
Minerva was shocked by proof of the love triangle among Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, and Godric Gryffindor. However, she reluctantly gave her blessing after Remus bribed her with tickets to a Holyhead game, and Severus bribed her with a week's vacation at an elf-run winery.
Finding a publisher was another matter. Remus groaned at the third straight "we cannot publish anything this controversial" letter.
"It's as if they're afraid!"
"Of course they are," said Severus, glaring at the letter. "It goes against everything they believe."
Remus stroked his hair. "So does us being together. We'll find a publisher."
"We hope."
*****
"Self publishing is very much the way to go," said Hermione. She lived in a Muggle area near the British Museum. "However, that works mainly for books, not articles. I agree that this absolutely must reach the public. Here - "
She handed a piece of paper to Remus. "These journals are respectable. I'd try one of them first."
"Thank you." Remus scanned the list. "The Revisionist?"
"I sometimes work for them." Hermione straightened in her chair. "Would you like me to show them the manuscript?"
Remus nodded and handed over the fair copy before he could change his mind.
*****
From The Daily Prophet:
"…Professor Snape seems determined to foment controversy in his so-called 'scholarly endeavors'…."
From a Howler received by Severus Snape:
RAVENCLAW CAME TO HER SENSES IN TIME! THAT SLIMY FOREIGNER -
From a letter received by Remus Lupin:
I hear you have a pretty pelt. Watch yourself next full moon.
GODRIC'S AVENGERS
"Maybe we should go to Corfu, just for a vacation."
"As if 'Godric's Avengers' can get inside the school." Severus pursed his lips. "This is almost like Galileo, sans papal involvement."
"Lovely," said Remus. "I always wanted to be a martyr to the truth."
*****
Dear Messrs. Snape and Lupin -
We are pleased to announce that your paper "Unexpected Lovers: The Romance That Started Hogwarts" has been awarded the Alastrina Porpentine Prize for short historical writing. Enclosed please find tickets to our annual awards banquet, plus our cheque in the amount of five thousand (5,000) galleons….
Five thousand galleons paid for a long holiday in the Cyclades. They swam, explored the ruins at Santorini, ate well, and made love at dawn by the dazzling blue sea.
"Love you," Remus murmured. Severus tasted of salt and sand and wind.