snapelyhols_mod (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} snapelyhols_mod) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} snapelyholidays,@ 2009-12-19 02:07:00 |
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Fic for:
serpenscriptTitle: Ancient Knives
Author:
scribbulus_inkPairing: Remus/Severus with James/Severus, Sirius/Severus, and Peter/Severus
Rating: NC-17
Warnings/Content Info: highlight between brackets if you prefer story warnings:
[non-con, bestiality, dark!fic, objectification, humiliation, orgasm denial, collaring, teenagers having sex. If you have rape or abuse triggers, don't read this.]
Summary: Severus never forgives, and he never forgets.
Disclaimer: The world of HP and its characters belongs to Rowling. The author of this fic has borrowed them for the purposes of storytelling. No profit was or will be made.
Word count: ~5400
Author Notes: Written for serpenscript based on the following prompt: "Marauders Era: It was more than just pranks and bullying. The Shrieking Shack was a good place for them to lure Snape, and he was a good victim for trying things they'd read about in books. But when they find a book on gay sex, BDSM, sadism, and sex magic like genital enlargement charms, they decide to make him their guinea pig and deal with their virginity issue. When they all stay at Hogsmeade over break, they lure Snape to the Shack, disarm him, strip him, and methodically try everything in the book. But when they try something new without telling Lupin (leaving Snape with Lupin on the full moon) and Snape has a mental breakdown, the Marauders have to deal with the fallout. Worse, Moony claims Snape as his mate, to the horror of the other Marauders."
Thanks to my beta, who will remain anonymous for now.
Severus struggled and shouted until they forced his lips open and poured a potion down his throat. At first, he was terrified that they had poisoned him, but as soon as he felt his cock grow hard when Black slapped him and told him to shut up, he knew it was worse: a lust potion. He fought a rising wave of nausea as the implications set in, and he would have preferred that they had poisoned him.
He damned himself for believing the note as they dragged him up the rickety staircase to the second storey of the Shrieking Shack; he should have known better than to believe Black, but pride and curiosity had overruled his common sense, and he'd gone as instructed, seeking answers.
What he'd found were Black, Potter, and Pettigrew lying in wait. They ambushed him, bound him, and fed him the potion, and he could well imagine what they had planned for him. Lupin wasn't with them when they grabbed Severus, and he wasn't anywhere to be seen within the Shrieking Shack either, which Severus found odd. He'd assumed the four of them were inseparable, but perhaps Lupin had chosen to sit this one out and let them get away with their abuse without interference as usual.
Potter took his wand and threw it across the room, but his mind was growing too hazy from lust to let him defend himself, even with a wand; wordless magic was beyond him when every touch made his skin burn and wrung reluctant whimpers from his throat as they stripped off his clothes as carelessly and callously as if they were denuding a mannequin.
Black shoved him onto the bed, and he stumbled and fell backwards onto the mattress, the impact sending up a cloud of dust; he lay sprawled on his back, wanting to scream, to run, but his traitorous body refused to obey, drowning his senses in acute awareness of the fabric sliding against his feverish skin.
"What do you want to do first, Prongs?" Black asked. He held out his hand and Pettigrew immediately handed him a book, which he began flipping through. "We've got loads of time, and I brought enervating potions."
"Let's bind him," Potter said, sauntering over to a splintered table on which sat an open carpetbag. "The potion should keep him from running off, but you never know. Here." He pulled out a long strip of black leather and tossed it to Black. "Put that on him for starters."
"What about the other thing?" Pettigrew asked breathlessly. "You know, the one that goes… down there."
"You want that on him, too? Sure." Potter granted the boon with an insouciant shrug and removed another strip of leather, one that was shorter and narrower than the first. He tossed it to Black, who didn't bother to catch it.
"I'll put the collar on him, but not that. He's probably greasy down there too," Black said, wrinkling his nose with distaste.
"You'd better get over it if you're gonna do what we came for!" Potter laughed and flicked his wand. Severus could feel a cleaning charm ripple over his skin, and even that made him whimper and wriggle. "There. Satisfied?"
Black didn't answer aloud, but he bent and picked up the little strip of leather and tossed it onto the bed near Severus' hip. Then he fastened the collar to a length of chain attached to a hook imbedded in the headboard. They had planned this, Severus realized as Black fastened the collar around his neck and secured it with a locking charm. Whatever they were doing, it wasn't an impulsive act; they had prepared for it.
Pettigrew watched avidly, his washed-out eyes alight with unsettling fervor as Black secured the smaller strip of leather around Severus' cock and balls, handling him with clinical detachment.
"That thing's going to keep him from coming?" Black asked dubiously as he stepped back to study his handiwork.
"Supposedly," Potter replied as he levitated the book to eye level and left it hovering mid-air. "Put the cuffs on him and get him on his hands and knees. We can use the dildo first to prep him, and then we'll decide who gets him first."
"You should do it." Black smirked. "Didn't you find an enlargement charm? Use that!"
"Not that I need it," Potter replied, grinning, and the other two laughed.
Pettigrew moved closer to the bed and took charge of fastening a pair of padded leather cuffs around Severus' wrists and moving Severus to his hands and knees, and Severus couldn't help but moan even though each touch was brief, nothing like a lover's caress. The cuffs were connected by a small chain, and a larger chain connected them to his collar, limiting his range of movement. The collar and chain allowed him to move without choking, but he couldn't have escaped the bed even if he'd been able to muster the will to try. When Potter approached, he was holding something that looked like a larger-than-life cock, and it glistened with a thick, clear substance in the dim candlelight. Severus stared at it, his eyes widening. Did they mean to put that thing inside him? Even if he wasn't a virgin, even if he'd had sex every day of his life since he'd hit puberty, he didn't think it would fit.
Potter upended a small plastic bottle over Severus' arse, and Severus wriggled helplessly at the feel of cool liquid tickling his skin, inflaming him, but he shrank away when Potter knelt behind him on the bed with the dildo in hand.
"No," he croaked. "No, don't…"
"Hold him still," Potter instructed, gesturing imperiously to Pettigrew, who grabbed Severus around the waist and pushed his arse back towards Potter.
Severus screamed when Potter shoved the dildo up his arse, the lubricant doing little to alleviate the burning pain or make him feel any less like he'd been split in two. Without giving him any time to adjust or breathe, Potter grasped the base of the dildo and began pumping it in and out while Severus squeezed his eyes shut and shuddered, his fingers curling into the dusty bedcovers. Eventually, the pain subsided, and he found himself rocking back, his eager body seeking more stimulation even though his mind was screaming no no no.
Potter pulled out the dildo with a soft, wet 'pop' and tossed it aside. "He's ready," he said, smacking Severus' arse. "Me first, then?"
When Severus peeked over his shoulder, he could see Potter hadn't waited for an answer before unfastening his trousers; he could hear Potter mutter a charm, and Potter's cock jutted forth, hard and even bigger than the dildo.
"Merlin, no…" Severus hated the pleading moan that escaped him. "Please, no…"
But Potter continued slathering lube on his cock as if he hadn't heard, and he grabbed Severus' hip with one hand and his cock with the other as he positioned himself and thrust deep. Severus' throat burned from the scream that tore out of him, and he grabbed the headboard and tried to pull away, but Potter yanked him back into place.
"Want me to shut him up?" Black asked.
"No!" Pettigrew sounded breathless, and he was squirming where he stood, his eyes glittering as he watched Potter rock in and out. "I like hearing him."
Black shrugged and turned his attention back to Potter. Severus could feel the rasp of Potter's clothes against his skin and the sting of Potter's nails digging into his hips. Potter's cock was warm, unlike the dildo, but the pleasant difference did nothing to assuage the humiliation of losing his virginity to someone he loathed. Potter grunted over him, pounding into him, making his body rock in the rhythm of Potter's thrusts, and his cock bobbed, leaving wet patches of fluid on his stomach as the lust potion worked on him, making him moan with the need for release.
It wasn't long before Potter came, and he pulled out quickly as if he didn't want to prolong the contact with Severus more than necessary. "Next!" he exclaimed as he climbed off the bed, cleaned himself up, and refastened his trousers. "He's nice and tight. Feels good for a greasy Slytherin git."
"My turn," Black drawled, taking Potter's place on the bed.
He must have cast whatever charm Potter had used to make himself bigger, because Severus found himself painfully filled again, although Black's initial thrust was eased by the mix of lubricant and Potter's seed. Black muttered obscenities and insults as he fucked Severus, pounding into him harder and harder as if trying to punish Severus as much as pleasure himself, and he pulled out before he came, letting his emission spatter on Severus' back.
"Oh…" Pettigrew's eyes widened, and his round face lit up. "I want to come on his face!"
"Do it, then," Black said casually as he rocked back to sit on his heels. "Fuck me, but he's stretched! I wonder how much he could take now."
"Remember that picture?" Potter asked. "Bet you could do it. Bet you could get your fist in there."
"Want me to try it?"
Scarcely was the question out of Black's mouth before he was summoning the lube, prepared to do it even before Potter said 'yes'. Pettigrew climbed up near the head of the bed and dropped his trousers, fisting his already hard cock, watching avidly as Severus whimpered and tried to squirm away when he felt Black's fist pushing at his arse. He didn't bother begging for mercy; he knew it wouldn't come, and he clamped his lips on the scream that welled up as Black pushed deeper, as his body was wracked with a sharp, tearing pain. Panting heavily, Pettigrew moved closer and aimed his cock at Severus, and Potter grabbed Severus' head, forcing him into position so he couldn't turn away, and warm fluid splattered on his face as Black laughed.
"Up to my wrist!"
When the novelty of fist-fucking him finally wore off, he thought they were finished with him. Instead, Potter passed around a potion, and then they were on him again, fucking his arse and his mouth, gagging him with their cocks until he could scarcely breathe, making him swallow. They used a charm to stretch him further until Potter and Black could fuck him at the same time.
Only when they had exhausted the limits of their stamina and imagination did they leave him sprawled on his back, his arse and thighs wet with lube, semen, and blood.
"I'm sure you can get yourself untied once the potion wears off," Potter said as he flicked his wand at Severus' crotch to unsnap the cock ring. "I wouldn't tell anyone about this if I were you, Snape. It'll be your word against ours, and who do you think they'll believe?"
Their laughter echoed back to him as they walked out, the sound mocking him. Exhausted, he lay still, his body throbbing with pain and unfulfilled need; the lust potion was a long-acting one, and he'd been offered no relief, thus the stimulation had only made it worse and worse for him. Rolling his head on the mattress, he could see fading sunlight out the window; it would be dark soon, which meant he could return to Hogwarts under the cover of night and lessen the chance of anyone discovering his humiliation.
He would make them pay for this, he silently vowed. He could go to Madam Pomfrey and show her the evidence, and then Dumbledore and everyone else would have to believe him. Then again, if he did that, the entire school would know they had been able to overpower him and use him. At least now, only the four of them knew, and while he longed to see them expelled, maybe even arrested, he wasn't sure it was worth everyone else knowing what had happened, not when he was stuck in this hell hole for the rest of this year and all of the next.
No, perhaps revenge was best dealt with privately this time, he thought. He would find a way to inflict equal suffering on them. But his ruminations on how he could do that were cut short by the sounds of footsteps downstairs.
For a moment, he thought they had returned to pick up where they had left off, but his flare of panic ebbed when he heard two voices, neither of which belonged to his captors. They were too far away for him to hear what they were saying, and while he thought they sounded familiar, they were too faint for him to place. He thought about calling out, but he hoped whoever-it-was would go away; he didn't want to be discovered like this, and his mind wasn't clear enough that he could perform wandless magic yet, and so he lay still and waited, listening for the sound of their retreat.
Things grew quiet again downstairs, and Severus began to relax, watching the full moon rise out the window.
And then the screams began.
Severus tensed at the sounds of thrashing and furniture breaking, punctuated by cries of pain. What the bloody hell was going on down there?
When the screams shifted into howls, he knew. The Shrieking Shack wasn't haunted; it was the haven of a werewolf.
Severus froze, his heart hammering against the walls of his chest, and he silently prayed the beast couldn't hear or smell him and that it didn't decide to explore the upper levels of the dilapidated house. A single rattle of his chains would be all it took to attract the beast's attention, and Severus would be easy prey.
He had no idea how long he lay there, trying not to move a muscle, scarcely daring to breathe, but panic flared anew at the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs. Moments later, the beast loomed in the doorway, growling, and Severus stared at it, wide-eyed with terror.
In the candlelight, he could see its coarse fur was a mousey shade of brown, and even in the haze of fear fogging his brain, he remembered the voices, and the pieces clicked into place.
Lupin.
Was that their plan all along? To rape him and leave him for their friend to devour, thus making certain Severus never revealed their secret crime?
He shrank against the headboard, waiting for the beast to lunge forward and pounce, but instead it sniffed and flicked its tongue in and out as if somehow tasting the air, its ears pricked forward. He wondered if it smelled blood or sex or if the scent of its friends was familiar. Whatever the reason, it wasn't attacking, and Severus wracked his brain, trying to think of anything that might get him out of this alive.
The beast padded over to the bed, still sniffing, and it pushed its nose between Severus' legs. Severus immediately spread his legs, shuddering with a strange blend of arousal and revulsion as the beast licked his thighs and nosed his arse.
Perhaps that was the answer, he thought. The idea of coupling with an animal was appalling, but it was better than being ripped to pieces, and so he shifted slowly, not making any sudden movements, and positioned himself. He knew little about mating in the animal kingdom, but he hoping offering himself on his hands and knees with his arse in the air would be both submissive and appealing to the wolf.
With a huff, it leaped onto the bed and tossed its head began licking him again with long, rasping swipes of its tongue, and he shivered, aroused despite himself and ashamed, but the wolf was being more tender with him than its human friends had been.
Growling, it hefted itself up and draped itself over Severus' back, mounting him, and he lowered his head to rest on his folded arms, bowed by the weight of the wolf's heavy body. Its cock slid into his loose hole easily, and it whined softly, its paws scrabbling on Severus' back and leaving bloody welts as it began to move, pumping its hips frantically. Severus winced at the burning pain of the beast's claws scoring his skin, but he held still and let it rut until it let out a high-pitched yelp, its hips pistoning as it came.
When it didn't move off him immediately, Severus grew worried that the damned beast had got stuck, as mating dogs did, but after a few minutes had passed, the beast heaved itself off him, much to his relief. Either the physiology was different or the 'knotting' didn't last as long with werewolves, but whatever the reason, Severus was grateful he didn't have to endure being connected indefinitely to a randy werewolf.
Panting, it flopped onto the mattress, and Severus rolled over carefully, hoping it wouldn't decide to attack after that, and his fears were allayed when the beast gave him a distinctly sated - and toothy - lupine grin. Relieved, Severus relaxed against the headboard, prepared to wait it out. If his head didn't clear enough for him to free himself, then he would make Lupin do it once the moon set. Lupin owed him that much, at least.
After a moment, the beast got up and began snuffling at Severus' crotch again, and Severus tensed momentarily until he realized it was merely sniffing him - and then he let out a startled cry when it licked his cock. The beast cocked its head and regarded him quizzically after the outburst before returning to its ministrations, licking his hard, leaking cock with every appearance of enjoyment. Severus squirmed, his breathing growing ragged and shallow as he fought off a rising tide of arousal; it was wrong, and he ought not allow it, but dear Merlin, the beast's tongue felt so good, so wet and agile, and he wanted to come, needed to come so badly, and his body was growing taut as he spread his legs and moaned, and then he was coming hard, harder than he ever had before in his life, and the world went blurry around the edges from the sheer intensity of his release.
He collapsed against the headboard as the beast lapped at the spattered fluid on his stomach, and when his breathing and heartbeat had slowed down, he realized he could think more clearly. The orgasm had alleviated some of the hold the lust potion had over him, and he gathered his senses and focused, and he let out a triumphant cry when the collar and cuffs fell away, leaving him free.
His escape was cut short, however, when the wolf growled and flung a heavy paw across his legs, making it clear that it had no intention of letting him leave. He still felt shaky enough that he didn't want to risk his safety on a faulty stunning spell, and so he sank back down on the mattress, earning a satisfied snort from the wolf. It crawled up so it could rest its shaggy head on his chest, and Severus found himself staring into inhuman, golden eyes that were regarding him not with feral ferocity but with something more like canine devotion.
Hesitantly, he lifted his hand and rested it on the beast's head, and when it didn't snap his fingers off, he began to scratch its ears, earning a blissful whine in return. Its fur was rough, a pleasurable rasp against his bare skin, and it smelled wild and musky, but the scent wasn't off-putting. On the contrary, Severus breathed in deeply, finding it oddly appealing.
Growing bolder, he wrapped his arms around the beast, the feel of its coarse fur abrading his skin making him gasp with renewed arousal, and his cock stirred. The beast chuffed softly and nuzzled him, flicking its tongue in and out again, and Severus wondered if it was scenting his arousal. If it was, it didn't seem to mind, not even when he began stroking it from head to tail, not even when he began rocking his hips, gasping as the sweet friction brought him swiftly to the edge.
His release wasn't as intense this time, and afterward, his mind felt even clearer, and his body wasn't as sensitive. The lust potion was wearing off at last, but he was reluctant to leap out of bed, stun the werewolf, and run away, not when the werewolf was tenderly lapping at his face and throat and snuggling close like some over-sized, breathing - and deadly - teddy bear. He was aching all over, he felt a sharp pain in his arse as if something might have been torn, and he felt filthy inside and out, but at this moment, he felt safe as well. No one could accost him, not now; they wouldn't be safe from the werewolf's teeth and claws, and if his tormentors returned, they would get a nasty shock.
He summoned his wand and performed a spell to heal whatever internal damage he'd taken along with the welts on his back, relieved to feel the pain subsiding at last. Then he cast a cleaning charm on himself and on the wolf too for good measure. That helped, and he put his wand aside and settled down to rest a while.
Severus had dozed off with his arms around the werewolf and its furry head tucked beneath his chin when frantic scrambling on the stairs awoke him. He raised up and stared blearily at the door to see Potter standing there, his eyes as wide as saucers behind his glasses.
"Snape-" His voice was husky and laden with fear. "Move away slowly."
"Fuck you," Severus retorted.
The werewolf lifted its head and growled at Potter, the fur on the back of its neck bristling.
"Moony, no…" Potter stared at the werewolf, horrified awareness dawning in his face. "No, you didn't. Not Snape…"
"Yes, Snape." Severus tightened his arms around the werewolf - Moony - for protection as he glared at Potter, hiding nothing of his contempt and loathing. "You know what this means. He fucked me and made me his. I'm his mate now."
Moony was growling louder now and growing more agitated, and Potter backed away, seeming to recognize the threat. Severus was tempted to let Moony go after him, but death was too easy; it was far better to let Potter live with the knowledge that his friend was inextricably bound to the greasy git of Slytherin.
"He was better than you!" he called out as Potter whirled and fled.
Moony shook himself and settled down again once the interloper was gone; he let out a lupine sigh, and his golden eyes began to droop. Severus shifted closer and closed his eyes as well, satisfied that they wouldn't be bothered again that night.
When he awoke again, it was to the sound of Lupin's screams, and he opened his eyes to the sight of Lupin's body contorting as he transformed from wolf to man. Severus rolled away to avoid any wayward swipes from claws or teeth, and he watched, morbidly fascinated as Lupin's body was broken and reshaped by the Dark magic fueling his curse.
Lupin lay limp and panting in the aftermath, and Severus maintained his safe distance. Just because Moony had accepted him didn't mean Lupin did, but when Lupin looked at Severus, there was neither hatred nor censure in his gaze. The wolf was still there, peeking out at Severus, and adding a feral light to the whiskey-colored depths of Lupin's eyes.
"The wolf claimed you last night," he said, his voice sounding raspy and raw after all the screaming.
It wasn't a question, but Severus nodded anyway as Lupin looked him up and down and glanced around the room, his eyes widening when he saw the chains, cuffs, and collar.
"What happened here?"
Lupin appeared genuinely bewildered, and the sight was enough to convince Severus that he hadn't been part of the plan. Potter, Black, and Pettigrew had acted alone, and if they had intended Lupin to dispose of the evidence, so to speak, Lupin hadn't known of it.
"Your friends raped me," Severus replied, fury burning within him at the memory of what he had endured. "They ambushed me, force-fed me a lust potion, and took turns experimenting with me. Then they left me tied up here."
Lupin's face turned as pale as milk, and he shook his head. "I didn't know," he said at last. "If I had…"
"What?" Severus sneered. "You would have joined in?"
"No!" Lupin retorted sharply. "I would have stopped them. I would have told McGonagall or Dumbledore if I had to. They've gone too far this time. You have to tell someone. They must be punished."
"No, I don't want the rest of the school to know." Severus shook his head vehemently. "It's bad enough that it happened. That they know. If it got out…"
"I think it's a mistake not to report them, but it's your decision." Lupin studied him in silence for a moment. "If you don't tell anyone, they'll think they got away with it," he said. "They'll think they can do anything they please and not have to deal with the consequences."
"They already think that," Severus retorted, bitterness lacing his voice, and Lupin inclined his head in acknowledgment.
"Then we should shatter that particular illusion once and for all."
"We?" Severus stared at him incredulously.
"They used me too," Lupin replied, his calm voice taking on a hard edge. "What if Moony hadn't been more interested in fucking you than killing you? At best, you'd be a werewolf like me right now. At worst, you'd be dead. I'd have your blood on my hands, and I'd end up in prison or put down as a dangerous creature."
Severus hadn't considered that, but he knew Lupin was right, and it solidified his belief that Lupin hadn't known about his friends' plan beforehand. Lupin was passive, but he wasn't stupid, and he didn't strike Severus as the type to ignore the dangers of a 'prank' like this one.
"What do you want to do about it, then? I'm not going to tell anyone I was raped," Severus said, shaking his head in stubborn refusal. "I won't give them the satisfaction."
"No, I have a better idea," Lupin replied, his tone mild but his expression implacable. "One that will keep them wondering when the penny is going to drop for a long time."
Severus liked the sound of that, and he leaned forward eagerly. "I'm listening."
"It's simple." Lupin sat cross-legged with his hands folded in his lap, seeming unembarrassed about the fact that he was naked. "You'll tell Dumbledore that Sirius lured you to the Shrieking Shack and I almost attacked you, but James pulled you out just in time."
"You want me to make Potter a hero?" Severus stared at him, appalled by the very thought.
"Think about it."
Severus drew in a deep breath and pushed his initial thoughts of refusal aside in favor of considering the implications of Lupin's plan. In the short-term, it would throw his attackers off-balance and make them wonder if perhaps Severus had accused them of rape. When they heard his modified version of the event, they would have far more questions than answers. Why hadn't he simply kept his mouth shut and not said anything to anyone? Why had he lied about what happened in a way that made Potter look good? They might try to figure out his motives, but he doubted they would reach a satisfying conclusion, and the seed of doubt would take root in the backs of their minds. Was this really the end of it, or would Severus speak up and tell the truth when they least expected it? Was this merely the first step in his plan for revenge? They would be looking over their shoulders from now on because of him, and he liked that thought.
When he looked around at the things they had left behind - things he could use - he had an idea of his own, one that complemented Lupin's nicely.
"All right, I'll do it," he said. "You'll probably get in trouble too, you know."
"I know," Lupin said calmly. "But I won't be expelled because I'm as much a victim as you are. Whatever happens to me will be worth it." He gazed at Severus, a feral gleam in his eyes, and he snaked out one hand and clamped it on the back of Severus' neck, yanking him closer. "They won't touch you again. No one will touch you. No one but me."
Severus' breath hitched as Lupin claimed his mouth, and his first instinct was to resist and push Lupin away, but something dark within him responded to Lupin's claim, urging him to surrender. He didn't want to be used again, but then Lupin growled, and his resistance crumbled at the reminder that he belonged to the wolf now.
Picking up the collar, Lupin held it out. "I want you to wear this."
Even though Lupin hadn't phrased it as a request, he hadn't put the collar on Severus by force, either. Severus had a choice, and he knew if he accepted the collar, he would be accepting the wolf - accepting Lupin - as well and acknowledging the fledgling bond.
His fingers shook as he took the collar from Lupin's hand and fastened it around his neck.
Growling, Lupin kissed him roughly again, and then Lupin pushed him down, summoned the discarded bottle of lube, and claimed his body, the wolf's rough possessiveness fueling Lupin's inexpert fucking. Lupin's cock was of average length and thickness, and if he even knew the enlargement charm in the first place, he didn't use it, and Severus found it easier to relax when he didn't feel like he was being impaled on a fence pole.
Lupin kissed him and touched him, and there was neither pain nor blood this time, only Lupin's mouth on his cock making him come and Lupin moving inside him slow and deep, and when it was over, he didn't feel like a thing anymore.
That afternoon, he sat in Dumbledore's office, his back ramrod straight and his expression implacable as Potter, Black, and Pettigrew walked in, looking like they had been summoned to their own executions.
Lupin sat beside Severus, looking tired but calm, not appearing to have any qualms about being the instrument of retribution. Lupin later said Potter had claimed they had forgotten it was the full moon and that they hadn't intentionally left Severus there to be mauled. Lupin believed him, but Severus wasn't convinced.
"Now that we are all here, would someone please enlighten me as to what happened?" Dumbledore asked, steepling his fingers as he peered at them over his glasses.
"Black lured me into the Shrieking Shack last night. I can show you the note he sent me, if you want proof," Severus said, feeling vindicated by the alarm visible in Dumbledore's eyes at that announcement, accompanied by the sick fear in the faces of his enemies. "Lupin had already transformed when I arrived. I was nearly killed."
"Fortunately, James got there in time to pull him out," Lupin said.
"He got cold feet when he realized they would be guilty of murder," Severus retorted angrily, ignoring the growing bewilderment on his enemies' faces.
"I didn't know what Sirius had planned," Lupin said. "I swear it. If I'd known, I would have told McGonagall."
"You weren't harmed?" Dumbledore peered at Severus more closely. "Have you been to see Madam Pomfrey?"
"I'm fine. No thanks to them." Severus shot the three boys a venomous glare, but out of Dumbledore's sight, he tugged his shirt slightly and let them glimpse the leather collar.
Confusion gave way to realization as the message sank in: We won't let you forget.
In the end, Potter, Black, and Pettigrew were assigned to serve detention with Filch every day for the remainder of the year and stripped of their privilege of visiting Hogsmeade on the weekends, and Lupin lost his position as prefect.
On the surface, it seemed they got off lightly, but Severus knew punishment was inflicted anew every time they saw the collar around his neck or ligature marks around his wrists. They had tried and failed to break him, and he belonged to Lupin now.
Sometimes, he packaged up a reminder of that night - a scrap of blood-stained cloth cut from the covers on the bed, a piece cut from the leather cuffs, or a few links of chain - and sent them via owl post to each of them. He never included a note or a return address, but he didn't need to.
In November, 1981, he tossed the worn collar on Potter's newly filled grave and went to meet Remus in Diagon Alley so they could buy a new one together.
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