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You Will Not Kiss Me	By : Prosperosdaughter Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Snape/Remus Views: 22836 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
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Chapter List
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Chapter 49: The First Order Meeting

Dumbledore accompanied Snape to Spinner's End. Snape hadn't asked him to, and he was surprised when he offered after he and Lupin had said their goodbyes after the Fidelius Charm had been worked. They Apparated outside the house and Snape cast the various Charms to admit them. They had considered linking the flat to the Floo network, but in the end Snape decided against it to keep the wards as secure as possible.

He walked into the small sitting room that was lined with books, feeling his heart sinking as he did so. He had only been back briefly last summer to collect some things for his summer with Lupin and had not returned since. It never ceased to surprise him how the malignancy of the memories of this place always threatened to overwhelm him. He had not expected to come back here this summer, or at least, not to stay.

He went to the small, poorly appointed kitchen and was surprised to see bags of provisions on the narrow, worn, melamine countertop.

"I took the liberty, Severus, of acquiring some provisions," Albus said softly.

"I am capable of feeding myself, Albus," Snape said shortly.

"Of course you are, dear boy," Albus said cheerily. "Of course. But I thought that, since you will be at the beck and call of Voldemort, and the demands of the Order, I could help to ease the way." Dumbledore stood by the small window and fingered the yellowing net curtain to look at the small concrete yard behind the house. "I know that you will miss Remus over this time. I am sorry it is necessary for your both." He turned back to Snape and smiled.

"If I may, I like to assign the house-elf, Tippy, to you during this holiday." Albus cast a quick cleaning spell and sat in the threadbare armchair by the window.

"And how will a house elf help me if I'm missing Remus exactly?" Snape drawled.

Albus gave a small chuckle. "I thought the benefit would be two-fold. A hand around the place, help with your potions, someone to ... ah ... take messages to places where others can't go, for instance." Snape narrowed his eyes shrewdly.

"But also, and this is important to me, I need to know someone is here to get you the help you need ... if necessary." They let the words hang in the air for a while. The Dark Lord had hurt Snape worse than ever in the graveyard. It was possible it would never be that bad again, but Snape thought there was every possibility it could escalate also. A house-elf in attendance would not even be registered by the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters, and she would be free to get help from Poppy, Dumbledore or even Lupin. It made sense, but Snape wasn't at all sure he could stomach a house-elf's enthusiasm in the house.

"She'll get in the way of my brewing, I'm sure ..." Snape started.

"She can be based at Hogwarts, if you prefer then you call her when you need her," Dumbledore persisted calmly.

"I'm sure Tippy would be appalled to be bound to such a house as this," Snape said, looking around the gloomy hovel.

"She is always asking about her 'magic gentlemen'," Dumbledore said amiably. Snape raised one eyebrow in enquiry and Dumbledore smiled. "I expect you were rather imbued with magic when you returned from the mountain when she was waiting on you." Snape could have done without the twinkle of amusement in Dumbledore's eyes as he said this and crossed his arms. "She will be bound to you and Remus as a couple, rather than to this house. I'm sure she'll be delighted to turn her particular brand of magic loose on this house," Dumbledore said as looked over his glasses at two years' worth of accumulated dust.

Snape looked around him. He certainly didn't want to spend his time cleaning the place. He was near to finishing the Electio Potion so she could be useful. And, if he were truly honest with himself, it would be good to know he could just call on the little elf if he needed to. It would be reassuring. He couldn't deny that prolonged periods alone in this house had previously led to rather too many maudlin reveries fuelled by bottles of Firewhiskey than was healthy. He was too proud a man to disgrace himself like that in front of a house-elf. It would be helpful to know he was watched. Guarded. He nodded curtly and Dumbledore smiled back and summoned the little house-elf.

Saturday was theirs. Snape had arrived at the flat early, but Lupin was already there and waiting to take him to bed. They had only been apart for a week, but the full moon was but four days away and both men had been needful and demanding.

Now, two hours later, they lay panting and spent, Lupin lying over Snape, his weight on his elbows as they kissed lightly until eventually Lupin moved to Snape's side but still held him tightly as they talked of their respective relocations.

"The house is infested with Dark magic," Lupin said. "Trying to make it even safe for human habitation will be a task in itself. The house itself is filthy with dirt and vermin as well. It been empty since Sirius's mother died in ten years ago. Spiders, doxys." Lupin shuddered. "The house-elf is quite mad. I should imagine because he's been shut in that house alone for a decade." Lupin shook his head. "He clearly loathes Sirius with a passion and he is trained to spot anyone who isn't a pureblood. The smell of me sends the creature into a frenzy of half-breed insults." Lupin gave his usual self-effacing laugh, as if being insulted on sight were to be expected. The acceptance annoyed Snape on Lupin's behalf. When they were free, he would teach Lupin otherwise. "There is a life-size portrait of Sirius's mother that is completely demented. We try to keep her hidden behind a curtain, discretion being the better part of valour, after all."

In spite of himself, Snape found himself interested in what lurked in the house, and Lupin's ingenuity in dealing with them and listened as he told of the cursed books in the library, which Snape would dearly like to inspect, the enchanted furniture and trinkets, all designed to harm the unsuspecting.

"Albus has asked Arthur and Molly Weasley to stay there over the summer with their children to help us try to clean it." Snape was somewhat heartened that Lupin would not be alone with Black, not because he didn't trust Lupin. He trusted him totally. But he didn't trust Black at all.

"The Blacks always were always great exponents of Dark magic," Snape commented, then he smiled slowly with the realisation. "So, you and Black will be on cleaning duty."

"All hands to the pump, Severus," Lupin laughed. "Some of those artefacts should really be disposed of by the Ministry. So far, it's just me and Sirius against the combined malignant forces of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and the family's homicidal house elf."

"Speaking of house elves, Remus, it appears we have acquired one as a couple," Snape said and outlined his conversation with Dumbledore and then described how Tippy had managed to render his childhood home spotless within twenty four hours. "It's still a hovel," he said lightly, "but an exceptionally clean hovel – if that's not an oxymoron."

"So, Professor Snape is now the proud owner of a house elf," Lupin teased. "How very pureblood of you, Severus."

"Marital property, I think you'll find," Snape responded tartly. "We are, after all, her 'magical gentlemen'."

"Wonderful!" Lupin laughed deeply. "Perhaps, she'd bring us a late breakfast in bed, if we called," Lupin mused.

"I have no doubt, but I'd prefer to be showered and dressed, if you don't mind – if you can hold your appetite that long," Snape retorted.

"I'm not at all sure I want you to get out of bed yet," Lupin murmured. "Sustenance now might be a good thing. Build up your strength ... we only have the day after all."

Snape was about to snort a response, but Lupin called for the elf: "Tippy!" with a huge grin at Snape's look of shock.

The small house-elf popped into view at Lupin's side of the bed. Snape thought he might explode with embarrassment to be found in the middle of the morning in bed with Lupin, but Tippy was ecstatic, grasping her long bony fingers together as she took in the sight of both men.

"Oh, Master Lupin, Tippy is so happy to see you as well as Professor Snape," she swung herself into an absurdly low bow. "What can Tippy get for her gentlemen?"

Lupin ordered what sounded like an inordinately large amount of food for them with instructions for bed trays that made Snape wince and the house elf happily popped away. Lupin turned on his side to face Snape and ran his index finger down Snape's chest to his navel as he rested his head on his other hand.

"Did it ever occur to you that Albus allowed us this elf so we would have more time together?" he purred. Snape sat up fully in the bed and wrapped the counterpane tightly around himself defensively, only amusing Lupin more.

"I do not intend to be caught in flagrante by our house-elf, Remus!" he said sternly. "Sit up now." Lupin laughed, nudging Snape lightly and sat up as Tippy popped back with an enormous tray overloaded with food and drink. Levitating this, she set out the bed trays over each man and set their places, plates, cutlery and their napkins. Snape found himself flushing as the elf cooed her appreciation for the task set for her as she served up the late breakfast, piping hot.

"Tippy is so proud to be helping her magical gentlemen. It is such an honour for Tippy. Never has she known such magical power. Her gentlemen must be the greatest of wizards. She has brought the very best of everything the kitchen has to offer ..." On and on the little elf wittered in her high, fluting voice, even with Snape's eyes boring into her, willing her to cease. The more he stared, the more he felt Lupin body shaking with barely suppressed laughter.

"That will be all for now, Tippy," Lupin said kindly and, as the elf popped away, he turned to Snape, his blue eyes swimming with the tears of laughter at Snape's outrage as he stabbed venomously at the sausage on his plate, eating quietly while his embarrassment subsided.

"It may well be that's what Albus thought," Snape continued eventually. "But have you considered it was to give us more time for training?"

oooOOOooo

Snape returned to Spinner's End, unhappy to leave Lupin, but physically satisfied and looking forward to sleep, albeit alone. Although not called, the elf was there with cup of tea for him and then disappeared from view. He removed his robe and sat at the small table to drink it. After their breakfast, Snape had persuaded Lupin that they needed to continue their training. Lupin had made fine progress with his Occlumency since they trained in the Room of Requirement. They trained all afternoon and Snape was well pleased that Lupin would be the equal to blocking most Death Eaters' Legilimency skills now.

It was then that Snape started to teach Lupin something he had been working on for them to share. He thought it would work, although he'd never tried it before. They were soul bonded and had bonded their wands and he was Lupin's Claimed mate, with Lupin's Lycanthropic Claim suffusing him through the bites so that Lupin could even influence his dreams. Because of all these things, he believed that this should work. He hoped they could forge a connection between their minds so they should need neither spell nor wand to speak mind to mind. He also believed that because they were bonded to each other in so many ways, it would make their connection unique and should not weaken their Occlumency

He explained what he thought to Lupin as they sat cross legged opposite each other. Lupin raised a hand to stroke Snape's face. "I think it's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard," Lupin said simply.

They had cast Legilimens together, eyes and wands locked and found themselves subsumed in each other's minds. At first it was disorientating and confusing, but it was Lupin that found Snape first.

Severus. I am here.

Snape heard Lupin's mind voice quite distinctly, just as he had when he had visited Lupin's mind, but now he didn't know whose mind they were in.

Both, I think Lupin's mind spoke. The connection is open between us.

It's confusing, Snape thought.

Perhaps, it's just that I am accustomed to your visits, my love, Lupin's mind spoke, his warmth tangible to Snape's mind. Don't be distracted by what you feel around you. I am trying not to listen to your mind - although Severus - I have to say - one day you should let me visit you the way you have visited me.

Snape felt an involuntary shiver of pleasure. Yes, they should do that when they had some time, he resolved. In the meantime, he tried to concentrate on just hearing Lupin's mind speaking to him, rather than the sensation of him in his mind.

Ignore what's around you. Just listen to me, Severus. Try not to see anything, experience anything. Just listen. Lupin's mind carried on talking as Snape adjusted to the feeling of an alien presence in his mind and that alien presence being welcome! Then he filtered again until it was just Lupin's voice, narrowing down his reception to just this.

It seems you're a natural at this, Remus, he noted wryly.

More practised at trusting you with my mind, Lupin responded. They spoke together like this for over an hour and then they pulled out of each other's minds and cancelled the spell. Then, they put their wands aside and locked eyes.

Severus?

Yes! Remus. You hear me?

Yes!

They talked to cement the connection for another hour. It was late afternoon now. Lupin ordered dinner from Tippy and over dinner, they practised their connection.

No-one will ever criticise me for talking with my mouth full again! Lupin laughed.

Snape was delighted with their success. He'd had no idea the connection would take so quickly. He finished the tea Tippy had made for him. It had really been a marvellous day, he thought. Then he smiled, rather wolfishly, as he recalled how they had showered together at the end of the evening and Lupin had taken him passionately and forcefully for the final time that day under the drumming water. It had been thrilling.

He thought that would be the memory he would nurse himself to sleep with tonight, and was making his way up the concealed staircase when he felt the Dark Mark burn. He Summoned his cloak and mask, cursing the Dark Lord for polluting his day, he Occluded quickly and deeply and, as he re-robed, called for the house-elf.

"Tippy. Tell Headmaster Dumbledore immediately that Professor Snape has been called." With that, he turned and Disapparated to the Mark.

Now that Snape had been called, Dumbledore called the first meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. It had only been two weeks since the Dark Lord's rebirth. Things were happening fast.

Dumbledore and Snape Apparated into a small square surrounded by Georgian townhouses in an area that had clearly seen better days. Dumbledore passed a parchment to Snape on which the words The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London were written in his Victorian copperplate manuscript. Snape memorised it and then watched as number twelve expanded into view.

Snape pursed his lips. He was completely ambivalent about this meeting. He hadn't seen Lupin for days, except in the mirror, and he felt a small thrill at the thought of seeing him, but it was not as if he could even really speak to him here. Not with Black and the other Order members. That would be hard enough. On top of that, he had to be in Black's house. He very much disliked that thought. He had no doubt that man would start hurling insults at the sight of him; he always had. Why should anything change? Dumbledore believed he had Obliviated Sirius, but after what Lupin had told him, Snape wondered.

They passed through into the gloomy, grimy hallway with its many portraits sleeping noisily. It certainly was as filthy as Lupin had told him. It was oppressive in malignancy. As Snape walked through the narrow hall, it struck him quite forcefully how his and Black's houses felt alike: houses steeped in neglect and malice. He shook the unwelcome thought of any similarity with Black away from him.

"Well, well, well, Snivellus." Snape felt his already rigid spine stiffen further to hear the loathed voice.

"Black," he gave a curt nod to the man standing at an open door further down the hall. Snape saw Lupin standing behind him. He caught his blue eyes.

Please, don't react Severus. Be the better man.

Snape continued to walk, unil he was stopped in his tracks by the sudden shrieking and howling coming from a wall. Snape stood before the portrait as Walburga Black gave it her very best. Rather than backing away, Snape peered into the portrait, taking in all the detail of the demented woman with her bulging eyes and sallow skin. Wizarding portraits were very often an accurate portrayal of their sitters. How interesting, he thought. He had always suspected Black's heritage was less than stable and here was the proof.

"Filthy unnatural, half-blood scum, dishonouring the house of my ancestors with your presence!" the portrait continued to shriek as Black rushed up to it.

"My mother certainly seems to have the measure of you," Black snarled, as he pulled ineffectually at the curtain.

"I certainly see the family resemblance," Snape sneered, and with a lazy flick of his wand closed the heavy curtain over the demented portrait and swept past Black, sneering at his inability to do the same.

He followed Dumbledore into the large kitchen, with a long refectory table occupying most of it. Molly, Arthur and Bill Weasley were already there, Molly tending various saucepans on the large range as Arthur and Dumbledore spoke to each other in urgent whispers.

Lupin took a seat at the end of the table and gave Snape a small smile. "Severus," he said, just as he would have done all those years ago before they truly knew each other. "Lupin," Snape nodded.

Sorry, he thought simply.

I understand.

"Well," Black said, brimful of false bonhomie. "I never would have thought I would be playing host to Snivelly in my dear old family home. But then, where better for Death Eating scum than this house! The sooner this house is cleansed of such Dark filth, the better."

"Yes, indeed, cleaning a house of notorious Dark wizards such as this is always arduous and requires our finest warriors, no doubt," Snape said, silkily, his eyes locked with Black. He knew Lupin was glaring at them both, but the man was just too much. "I'm sure you will do the job justice," Snape hissed, his fingers now enclosing his wand as he watched the man's reactions.

Black's jaw twitched.

"I think that that's quite enough," Lupin said quietly, looking between the two men. Snape took his hand away from his wand and looked away.

"No, Remus. I'm not sure it is," Black said dangerously. "Why would you stick up for him? He lost you your job. Peter escaped because he interfered, and I couldn't clear my name. If he hadn't interfered, I would be a free man and not stuck in this house! No, I don't think it's enough at all!" Black yelled, advancing on Snape.

Lupin delicately inserted himself between the two, the air in the room heavy as all the occupants watched the three men expectantly.

"Albus trusts him, Sirius. Severus is on our side now," Lupin said quietly, but Snape heard the pain in his voice.

"So he says," Black jibed, then looked Lupin fully in the face. "You know he's Dark through and through, don't you Remus? You know what he is?" Snape heard the plaintive note. Black knew there was something between them – Snape could hear it in the pleading.

"Sirius!" Dumbledore said sharply. "I appreciate the use of the house greatly. Please do not make me regret it." Dumbledore took a seat at the head of the table. "Good evening, Molly. It's very good to see you again," Dumbledore said pleasantly as Molly gave him a large mug of tea.

"Severus," Molly said, her matronly smile firmly fixed, as she passed him a mug also. "Bit peaky still?" she asked, but it was a statement of her opinion and she patted him on the shoulder briskly. Snape gave her a tight smile so Black did not see. He would like to tell the world that he loathed the likes of Molly Weasley, but it would not be the truth. The woman had brought up seven children with practically no money and her children (in so far as Snape could interest himself in children at all) were well-adjusted and, on the whole, quite talented: Bill was a powerful and clever wizard; Charlie not quite as clever as his older brother, but still a fine wizard. Percy was bright and hard-working. Now, those twins! He inwardly groaned at the bane of his teaching career, but Merlin knew, they were talented to the power of two! He suspected that Ronald rather broke the chain, but then there was the seventh child: that red-headed witch was powerful. He wondered if she even realised how powerful she was. But then, both Molly and Arthur were very magical. As a couple, they intrigued him how they were so unlike him. Had they been ambitious, he was sure they would have been purebloods to rival the Malfoys or the Zabinis, but it was of no interest to them at all. Their family and their values were their lives. He respected it.

He drank his tea, taking in the sights and sounds of the people now arriving and gathering around him. Whatever Molly was cooking smelt delicious, but Snape had already resolved not to stay after his report. He didn't like socialising and there would be no purpose. He was a double agent after all. The Dark Lord thought he was his man; Dumbledore knew Snape was his. The easiest way was to keep himself separate from all. All except one – the one he couldn't allow himself to converse with. Not meaningfully anyway. That man was currently sitting next to Black, who was intent on monopolising Lupin's attention, whispering against him no doubt.

To the left was Kingsley Shacklebolt. He knew him since the first wizarding war when he was Moody's second in command. He was an Auror whom Moody had convinced of the return of the Dark Lord. Magical, fierce and loyal. Snape hoped there would be more like him.

Mundungus Fletcher. There simply wasn't anything to say about him other than Snape hoped there wouldn't be too many more like him. There was Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore and Hestia Jones. Minerva entered, and gave Snape a small nod, "Severus," she said briskly as she took her seat next to him.

An elderly lady, Arabella Figg, arrived then, together with Alastor Moody, and - it couldn't be – Nymphadora Tonks. Snape's face showed nothing, but his mind was reeling. Had Dumbledore found her? Had he Obliviated her? Everything could now go wrong. Moody introduced Tonks to the table's occupants.

"Wotcher!" she said to the assembled room, looking around the table, acknowledging her cousin and Lupin with a friendly wave and carrying on around the table. Her eyes met Snape's. "Miss Tonks," he said curtly, as if the last time he had seen her was as her Potions professor. He wondered what, if anything, she remembered of the fight with the vampyr. She nodded and he noted a vaguely unsettled expression cross her features, snatching at something forgotten, but it passed. His eyes briefly met Lupin's.

I've spoken to her, Severus. She doesn't remember. Don't worry.

He looked away quickly. Even talking like this would be preferable, but it still required eye contact which he couldn't afford to prolong so he stared into the middle distance until he was required to deliver his report. Black was watching him closely, he noticed. Obliviated, my foot.

Dumbledore indicated for Snape to begin.

"I was summoned to a Death Eater meeting on Saturday night," Snape began, noting a small flinch from Lupin that Snape had been summoned so soon after they had left each other. "The Dark Lord ..."

"He's nothing more than Voldemort in this house ..." Black hissed vehemently.

" ... is still angry," Snape continued doggedly over Black's interruption, "that Potter escaped and alerted the one wizard he wanted kept in the dark. He had hoped to amass followers in secret and then reveal his rebirth with a show of force." There was a susurration around the table. "Of course," Snape raised his voice to quell the interruptions – he was not here for a discussion after all – just to report, "he has still charged his supporters with gaining new recruits. Greyback is to commune with the werewolves. The Dark Lord has adherents on the continent who are talking with the Giants. Macnair has been charged with trying to open a parlay with the Goblins, although I see very little prospect of success there. Of course, the Dementors' allegiance can be taken as read." The commenting amongst the others began again, and again, Snape overrode it.

"The Dark Lord has also required ... something that he did not have before. He believes it will make a considerable difference to his ability to defeat the child."

"The child has a name, Snivellus. His name is Harry," Black interrupted again.

"Yes, yes, Sirius," Dumbledore said quickly with a shushing gesture of his hand, leaning forward. "What is it that Voldemort is after, Severus?"

"He seeks the original Prophecy." Snape could feel the sides of his own cheeks burn at the mention of it – that it was he who had divulged it, part-heard, to the Dark Lord leading to the murder of his friend. "He only heard it partially before. He believes the full prophecy will arm him better this time." The table was silent now as all its occupants looked to Dumbledore.

"Does he?" Dumbledore murmured and sat back heavily and drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. "Does he indeed?" Dumbledore ran his index finger along his mouth in thought.

"Our most pressing concern is the protection of the Prophecy, Dumbledore announced. "Only those about whom a prophecy is made may retrieve it. None of Voldemort's henchmen will be able to, although they may try. Sooner or later, Voldemort will be forced out into the open if he wishes to retrieve it."

"We need to patrol the Department of Mysteries then," chimed in Kingsley, "although it will need to be a clandestine operation."

"I have a spare invisibility cloak. We'll need a rota of volunteers and a route of patrol," Moody barked.

"I'll be able to get the blueprints of the Ministry to work out the routes from Ragnok, I'm sure," said Bill. "They may not have picked a side yet, but thumbing their noses at the Ministry is always agreeable to the Goblins." He smiled crookedly.

"Good, good," Dumbledore nodded. "I'll leave you to start on those details. Hagrid and Madame Maxime of Beauxbatons have already gone abroad to try to convince the Giants to consider our cause." Dumbledore paused and then said: "Remus, I think we need you to try to make contact with as many unaffiliated packs as possible."

Snape's blood ran cold. He didn't even warn me he was going to ask this of my husband, let alone discuss it with me. Snape's jaw worked as he bit down on what he wanted to say. His eyes briefly caught Lupin's and softened when he saw how unhappy Lupin was with the request and how his face had drained. He wanted to touch his hand in reassurance. He couldn't. He didn't. It galled him.

"Of course, Albus," Lupin said. "I'll research the whereabouts of the packs and get onto it."

Black placed his hand on Lupin's shoulder and squeezed. It was nothing: merely the comforting gesture of a friend, but for Black's prolonged stare of challenge at Snape whilst he did this. Snape did not react but he knew now that Black remembered Dumbledore's office. He briefly looked at Lupin, who was waiting to catch his eye.

Ignore it, Severus, please. We will speak tomorrow.

Snape thought it was unlikely they would do much speaking tomorrow for it was the full moon. He had been been looking forward to it until now. If Lupin was sent to run with the feral wolves, there was even more to worry about. How could Snape protect him then?
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You Will Not Kiss Me