Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Weft of Power, Warp of Blood: A Tapestry of Desire	By : CMW Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 11952 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Anti-Litigation Charm: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story, though wish I did. The only money I have goes toward good wine and chocolate. You can't

Chapter List
- 53
- 54
- 55
Chapter Forty-Four
Dark of the Moon

Sirius and Lupin were outside, amusing themselves in the watery sunshine, when Kiaya arrived the next day escorted by a typically dour Snape. They collected rabbit blood and fur, clabbert dung, and ghoul scales almost silently, though Kiaya wondered why she�d been brought along � and why such things weren�t handled by Hagrid. Snape, being Snape, ignored her through the entire process and then promptly abandoned her with the tossed-off information that he�d be back in an hour � and she wasn�t to leave without him. He took Arielle out for dinner and a walk, leaving Kiaya and Jasmine to sit at one corner of the kitchen table for a quiet cozy. Mopsy hovered for several minutes, wanting to feed the ladies � or hustle them into the other room so she could� do what house elves do. Eventually she was banished to find moths to feed to Albert.

Conversation was deceptively desultory and pointedly gentle. They each sensed the other�s distress and took turns trying to prod the other without revealing too much. Finally, Kiaya broke.

�He�s been horrible. I don�t know how you lived with him,� she said, trying not to whine. She sipped hot tea, tucked her feet onto the chair edge so her knees touched her chest. It helped ease the cramps.

�Severus?�

Kiaya nodded miserably.

�But what did he do?�

�He�s rude, insulting and he hardly even speaks to me unless it�s about my period. Which, of course, I just love to discuss,� she said with a wry expression.

�Really? He doesn't talk to you about the students or the class work at all?�

�Almost never. Well, he finally did show me the Potions Greenhouse the other night. He walked as fast as he could � so, of course, I had to run to keep up. When we got there, he pointed to the greenhouse, said it was locked and that I should stay out of it without adult supervision. Then, without another word, he went back to the castle.�

�Adult supervision?� Jasmine goggled. She knew that Severus could brutally wound with his sharp tongue but wondered why he�d be nasty to this delightful young woman. Of course, Kiaya had shown a razor sharp tongue too, Jasmine reminded herself. Severus never was very forgiving but she'd always thought that he secretly enjoyed non-threatening verbal skirmishes.

�He treats me like a child � a particularly stupid one at that,� groused Kiaya. �A child who�s only use is as a particularly revolting one. And the potion he's giving me to make my period heavier is just disgusting.� She sighed.

Jasmine tried to think of a reasonable excuse for her frequently unreasonable ex-husband�s behavior. �Well, he is in the habit of treating people like children since most people he comes in contact with are children. Kiaya, he doesn�t like most adults � and children� well, he likes his own and a few of the Slytherins, but the rest just tire him out. Plus, you were one of those children for a long time. Maybe it�s a habit?� She peeked at Kiaya to see if her words were believable. From the doubtful look on the younger woman�s face, it seemed unlikely. She changed tactics. �I'm sorry you have to take that potion at all, Kiaya.� Jasmine looked at her sympathetically and with a large measure of guilt.

�I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel badly. It's not that bad, really. I�m a little cranky.�

�What does it do, really?�

�Other than the other, it just makes me bleed like a stuck pig and the cramping is bad but I can deal with both of those.� Kiaya looked at Jasmine, who wore a look of sympathetic revulsion.

Jasmine looked terribly guilty. �I�m so sorry. All of this is because of me. I wish they would just let us leave.�

Kiaya relented, not wanting her friend to feel guilty, �It isn�t you, it�s him! I don�t blame you for anything. I blame Snape. I blameYou-Know-Who.� She reached across the table, her fingertips touching Jasmine�s hand. She tried to reassure and distract her with gossip. �Oh, can you believe this?� She took a deep breath and began to speak in the tone reserved for women�s gossip sessions. �He�s put a really powerful aphrodisiac in the potion, stronger than he needed to, I think � I have to take it all the time now � every single day, twice a day and the longer I take it, the more aroused I�ll get. I get to live with being horny all the time just so You-Know-Who can get a hard-on faster!� She rolled her eyes in an overly-dramatic fashion.

�Ewww, that�s really disgusting,� Jasmine said, wincing, but trying to control the giggle that was threatening to burble up.

�Think that�s off? Professor Elkirk, you know the ninety-year-old Ancient Runes teacher � keeps sniffing at me. He kept scooting his chair closer to me because that potion has a really high pheromone content that affected his brain and his,� she made a pointed gesture toward her lap. �So, not only do I have the cramps, I am getting turned on by the rubbing of my bra and now ancient teachers are trying to chat me up.�

Jasmine couldn�t help but giggle. Her own cramps had eased off yesterday, but even the mention of them was enough to make her sympathetic to some of Kiaya�s plight. Though idea of Professor Elkirk flirting with a woman young enough to be his great-granddaughter was just amusing.

�It�s not funny,� Kiaya said with a laugh, belying her statement.
Yes it is. I mean, it�s funny in a really twisted way and it�s awful for you,� Jasmine winced, �but � really, Professor Elkirk?�

�Oh stop it,� Kiaya begged pathetically. �I even had to leave the table before dessert the first night night. All I wanted was chocolate, but I was so,� she waved her hand in a circle, �worked up, that I had to go�� she looked at Jasmine�s blank face and flushed before continuing, �uh� learn how to� use my wand without using my wand.�

�You had to� Oh!� Realization dawned on Jasmine. Playing with an auburn curl that draped over her shoulder, she watched Kiaya. �So you got it figured out?�

�It took a little while, but yes. Now, I have to do it before dinner, just so I can get through the hour without turning into a gibbering mess. But� wow.�

�Indeed. It gets better. When you have more practice, it�s more fun � and when someone else does it to you � it�s� it�s� amazing.� She sank into thoughts of Sirius and the few memories that she pieced together of the night he�d made love to her.

Kiaya watched her new forced friend�s face change from girlish and giggly to pensive and asked impulsively, �Do you think your bodyguards will let you walk down to Honeydukes with me? I want chocolate, and I want it now!�

�Oh, no, I�m not asking him for anything. I�ve got some right here,� Jasmine said, not noticing her use of �him� rather than �them�. She hadn�t spoken to Sirius after that one time, though they saw each other several times a day. On their trips to and from school, he paced several feet behind her, while Remus walked in front, on point. She supposed that it was better that way anyway as she Summoned the chocolate from the pantry and the conversation moved to chocolate making.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~

Moaning in delight, she lifted her hips from the bed and bit her lip. He combed his fingers through the thicket of soft curls between her legs and slid a long, calloused finger between her slick folds. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes met his; her legs parted further. The black eyes that usually mocked her, gazed down at her with lust and adoration. Leaning closer, he dropped the gentlest of kisses on her lower lip at the same time he gently pressed on her clitoris. When she moaned and nipped him, he chuckled softly. The sound was rich and sweet, like honey on velvet.

�Don�t bite me,� he murmured into her skin, making her shiver. Scraping his teeth over her shoulder, he bit down, almost too hard, before releasing. His voice was low and silky when he murmured, �I�ll bite you back.�

His tongue slid over her neck, making her shiver and slide her hands over his strong shoulders. His skin was smooth, probably from so many years of slathering PMP over his skin. It was an incongruous thought that was so fleeting that she barely registered it. More important were his hands moving over her breasts and between her legs. Those artists hands that made her damp with desire while looking at, were finally touching her. All that she could do was feel and purr and beg for more. Like a cat in heat. He lightly pinched her nipple then bent over to take one in his mouth. Circling her nipple with the tip of his tongue, he teased her before sucking hard. He drew more delicious circles around the tight little bundle of nerves that both delighted and confounded her. Gasping in pleasure, she never noticed that her head fell back and her eyes closed.

Pinching her nipple, just enough to get her attention once again, he whispered, �Look at me. Look in my eyes. I want to watch you come.�

She�d waited weeks to hear those words. Weeks to feel him like this. Weeks of discreet daydreams and nighttime fantasies. Finally, he was touching her the way she so desperately needed to be touched. She was in heaven.

Fingers that were already slick from her passion slid further down to toy with her opening. Spreading out his hand so his fingers pushed against the insides of her thighs, he nudged her legs further apart. Obediently, she lifted her knees and slid her feet further apart on the crisp white sheet. Canting her hips, she silently begged for more. He slid a single finger inside of her.

�Is that what you want?� he murmured silkily.

She purred and hummed her assent.

He added another finger, stretching her. �Is it? Is it what you want?�

Her answer was a breathy sigh.

�Is it?� he demanded gently. With a quick movement that belied the gentle tone, he quickly pumped his fingers into her and then out again.

She almost screamed in pleasure, �Yes!�

Sliding a single finger back inside her, he whispered into her neck, �Yes, what?�

Confusion overrode pleasure for just a moment, but when he moved the finger buried deep inside, she couldn�t help but moan, �Yes, Professor Snape.�

�Or is this what you wanted?� he asked, pressing his thumb against her clit.

Her only answer was a gasp.

With a wicked grin, he brushed his thumb over it. �Was that was you wanted, instead?�

Breath coming in shallow pants, her eyes fixed on his, she whispered, �Yes, Professor Snape.�

He rewarded her with a kiss on the corner of her mouth. It wasn�t nearly enough but when she turned her head for more, he smiled his half smile and moved away.

When she protested, he �tsked� her to silence and moved between her legs. She gasped in excitement and parted her legs to allow him closer.

He settled into the cradle of her hips. He leaned in to kiss her lips and murmured, �Or is this what you wanted?�

She lay mute, focusing on the unfamiliar feeling of his weight and the delicious pressure of his cock against her.

�Miss Roundtree,� he purred, �Whenever you�re done with your mental masturbation session, perhaps you would be good enough to actually focus on my instructions?�

Jolting to awareness with a small, startled shriek, Kiaya sat straight up in her desk chair in the potions office and stared at fully clothed and quite professionally behaving Snape as though he was a dragon intent on eating her for dinner. Still half-caught in the dream, she asked, �Wha?�

He twisted his face into a sour expression and he sighed. �Go to your rooms and do it for real so you can finally concentrate on getting the plan for this evening finished when you return.�

Finally comprehending that she�d been daydreaming about making love with the dreadful Professor Snape yet again, this time directly in front of the man, she flushed a terribly unbecoming shade of magenta and dashed out of her chair so quickly that it tipped backward. Fleeing as quickly as her feet could carry her to escape the mocking eyes of her dream lover/tormentor, she ran through the door, desperately trying to keep the mortified tears filling her eyes from falling where he could see them.

�Collect the results for the potion, should there be any,� floated down the hall after her.

She slammed the door to her rooms.

Damn the potion. Damn Dumbledore. Damn Snape. Damn herself for agreeing to this madness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Albus Dumbledore glanced at one of the many clocks in the room and announced, �Ah yes, our younger members should be arriving quite soon.

His mission to dissuade Dumbledore from yet more madness thwarted, Snape looked sulky, �Why, again, are we doing this?�

�As discussed several weeks ago � and several minutes ago, Severus, when you and Kiaya give Remus Lupin the Wolfsbane Potion, the intent has always been to simply ease the turn from his human form to a lupine form without a going into the were-form.�

Kiaya listened silently, as she had been for most of the meeting. Wondering for perhaps the hundredth time during the hour if Snape actually read her mind during her fantasy and how on earth she could find such a rude soul attractive, she concentrated on being invisible. Still utterly mortified, she thought it best not to draw attention to herself by butting into the small political battle playing out between the two men in the office. In the end, though, she rather agreed with Snape�s side of it � not wanting to experiment more - though he seemed to have a more personal grudge against Lupin, rather than a desire to avoid werewolves all together as she did.

�I want to make it possible for the men and women so afflicted to be able to regain control of their thoughts, feelings and humanity while in the were-form as well as in the wolf form, Severus,� said Dumbledore, sounding as though he really rather expected to be obeyed, rather than questioned. He looked at Kiaya. �I want those people to have a sense of self and of will, rather than losing control and turning into animals of the mind as well as of the body.�

�I understand,� she murmured. Though unexcited about the research and more than a little bit terrified of the collection process she�d be subjected to tonight, she was willing to agree to almost anything to get out of that room and away from Snape for as long as possible.

�Is this really the time to do such experiments? It isn�t that I mind seeing the werewolf in agony, but isn�t that a rather frivolous waste of time when we have so many more � pressing matters?�

�I disagree, Severus. I think the werewolves are going to play an important part in Voldemort�s reign of terror this year. I want to have more knowledge on their change as well as wanting to be able to control such changes within Greyback�s pack.� Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, fixing a non-twinkling gaze on Snape. �Working with Remus on control is the only we will know if it can be done, much less if we can somehow secret Wolfsbane potion or a derivative thereof to mute the danger of the werewolves as much as possible. Of course, Remus and I also want to see a cure found.� He looked at Kiaya and continued, �To do so, we need blood drawn and to have the changes noted as thoroughly and scientifically as possible.�

Since the werewolf research was her bailiwick, Kiaya wondered if she ought to say something deep and profound about said research, but decided against it when Snape spoke again. Trying to ignore the effect his voice had on her fantasies, Kiaya concentrated on a golden sextant acting as a paperweight on the headmaster�s desk. It was holding down a recipe for a butternut squash soup that looked quite tasty from the ingredient list.

�It�s too dangerous. She�s never dealt with a real werewolf before. He�ll hurt her. She could die � or worse.�

Kiaya was shocked, flattered and felt the flutterings of arousal when she heard the words of concern from Snape and saw him jab an accusatory finger in her direction. Ruthlessly quashing the arousal, she wondered if he really cared that she might be hurt (she�d had her own serious misgivings in that regard) or was just grasping at straws to get out of drawing blood from a wild werewolf.

�But to bring those� children here early for it - why are they needed?� he demanded, not for the first time.

�We�ve discussed this before, Severus,� Dumbledore said with growing irritation. �Harry is a very powerful wizard who can help control Remus so that no harm comes to Kiaya while she draws blood during the stages of change. He would also like to see his godfather � and this is the ideal time, as school starts the day after tomorrow.�

�But why not here? Why do they need to go to Jasmine�s house?�

�Do you really want Jasmine to be unprotected while Harry and Sirius visit here at Hogwarts?�

Severus growled and groused but conceded the point, though asked, �But why the other two?�

�Hermione and Ron will be there as visual witnesses to the event, and as a potential aid in calming Remus, should he need it. They will be watching everything and will then put their memories into a Pensieve so that you and young Kiaya here may study them at your leisure.�

Kiaya blinked. A Pensieve? She�d never even seen one, much less used one. How on earth was she to use it for research? She opened her mouth to ask but Snape spoke first.

�But why...?�

Dumbledore simply looked over the rim of his glasses and said in a gentle, grandfatherly tone, �Ah, Severus, I have always enjoyed your penchant for asking �But why� It made you such a joy to teach when you were in school and it makes you such a wonderfully efficient and excellent researcher now. Do you not agree, Kiaya?

Willing to agree to just about anything to leave the room, she swallowed hard and tried not to stutter since she was obviously out of her league when it came to being in the middle of squabbles between the two wizards. Still utterly mortified from the events of the afternoon, she said the only thing she could under the circumstances, �Yes.�

�The quest for knowledge is truly the most noble of all journeys, is it not?�

Pretty sure that she didn�t need to formulate a response, Kiaya only nodded.

�Indeed,� he glanced at the clock again and said, �Ah, Misters Potter and Weasley and Miss Granger should be arriving any moment now with their guards. Kiaya, would you me the great favor of letting them in the gate, please?�

�Of course, Sir.� Glad to escape, she stood, ruffling her skirts to fall properly. As she turned toward the door, she was interrupted.

Dumbledore said, �As a precaution, please ask Minerva what her favorite type of biscuit is.�

When Kiaya looked confused, Dumbledore smiled and continued, �She will doubtless look quite irritated, but if the answer is not �Walkers Scottish Shortbread�, then you ought to run back here and fetch me.�

Kiaya nodded, understanding the precaution. She rather preferred gingerbread, but couldn�t fault the woman her taste.

�Also, please have Harry, Hermione and Ronald show you their Patronuses. If they are not a stag, an otter and a very bouncy Jack Russell terrier, respectively, come for help.

Shocked enough to momentarily forget her embarrassment of this afternoon, she stared. Eyes wide, amazed, she asked �They have Patronuses? But they�re�.�

�Extraordinary, yes, I know. If you would�.� He gently dismissed her.

Kiaya left, feeling rather ashamed that she couldn�t summon a Patronus � and she was some ten years older than the students. She made a silent vow to herself to find a library book to study and figure out how to manage something that even teenagers could do. Besides, it would keep her mind and hands doing something more productive than masturbating.

When the door closed, Dumbledore broached a new subject. �Severus, your behavior over the last three weeks has changed toward the delightful Miss Roundtree. Do I dare hope that you may have come to �� he seemed to search for the word, �like the young woman, as the children so often call it?�

Archly, Snape lifted a single eyebrow and looked down his nose. He replied in a stiff voice, �I have no idea what you�re talking about.�

�Really? Forgive my presumption, then. I just assumed that it was the case as you spend over half of our mealtimes seeming to protect Kiaya�s virtue from our male staff members. You do spend a great deal of time in her company, do you not?�

�Only because her company was forced upon me,� said Snape as he stood with a sniff and walked to the door. �As I recall, you are the one that forced her upon me. Any contact I have with the girl is coincidental and quite involuntary.� He paused in the open doorway, as though a thought struck him. �I hope you don�t have another ridiculous idea of making a match for me � the last time you did, it ended badly, as you will recall.�

�Of course not, though you and Jasmine both admit that you had a good marriage and have a beautiful child together. I can�t imagine, though, why you would think that I was matchmaking,� he said with a shocked expression. He dismissed Snape with a smiling, �I shall see you both this evening.�

Snape glowered and snapped the door closed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

�Your Occlumency skills need work,� Dumbledore said mildly, looking kindly across the card table at Remus Lupin. He took a sip of his after-supper sherry, a refinement that looked quite out of place in the barn.

Ever pleasant, though with exhaustion of the coming full moon evident on his face, Remus replied, �Snooping again, Albus?�

Acknowledging the small barb with a smile of gentle affection and concern, Dumbledore said, �I could say that it was for your own good.�

�I�m sure it was, just as I trust that anything you found in there will�� Remus paused, as though searching for the proper term, �be taken with a grain of salt.�

Looking over the rim of this crescent shaped glasses, Dumbledore�s eyes were grave. �Of course. I, too, trust that you remember the law in letter and spirit, though.�

Remus sighed and leaned back, knowing now exactly what emotions Dumbledore at concentrated on when using Legilimency. Closing his eyes and dragging his fingers through his graying hair, he looked as though he was silently counting to calm himself. He felt old, so old and tired and worn. Quietly, he said, �Seventeen, Albus. The law says seventeen.�

�And the spirit is the trust of a child.�

�I would never betray that,� he said then opened his eyes to look directly into Dumbledore�s. �I would kill myself, first.�

�You know, there have been many times that I have worried that you would do exactly that.� He nodded at Remus�s shocked expression. �You�ve not had an easy life. I�ve worried about your future and fate since you were ten years old.�

Embarrassed, Remus scoffed, �I�m fine, Albus. I think you�re underestimating me again � I�m thirty-eight years old and not dead yet. I have a good potion and better friends, a roof over my head, food in my belly and a dream in my heart. For all intents and purposes, I�m just fine.�

�Indeed you are, my boy, but temptation is a powerful thing.�

Remus only laughed. In a typical self-depreciating tone, he pointed out, �I�ve been tempted to raid Hagrid�s chicken coops since I was eleven and thus far have managed to avoid doing that. I think I can manage to avoid the innocent wiles of the lovely young lady, too.�

Dumbledore laughed, obviously delighted at the young man�s sense of humor. �I do enjoy you, Remus J. Lupin. You do know that there is another young woman who has taken quite a shine to you, don�t you? She might be a better � or at least a more immediately attainable choice.�

Wincing, Remus blushed and said, �I wouldn�t do that to Kingsley. He�s been chasing Tonks since she joined the Aurors. Besides, the purple hair and pig nose are far too exciting for me. I�m old, staid and quite boring, don�t you know?�

After laughing uproariously for a minute, Dumbledore finally sputtered to silent rumination. It was another minute before he looked back at the too-old young man and asked, �Will you promise me that someday you�ll do something just for yourself � and damn the old devil�s advocate sitting in my chair?�

Remus smiled his tired smile. The sky was tinged with the orange and purple flames of sunset and his energy was being consumed by the beast growing inside. He could almost feel more of his brown hair turn grey. �I promise.�
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jasmine sat at her dining room table, listening to the downstairs shower run. Sirius was in there, naked and wet. He was so close � she could be in the room in fifteen seconds, if she walked really slowly. But she wouldn�t. But she wanted to.

She wanted to. Sort of.

Swallowing a gulp of lemonade, she moved her eyes from the sealed door of the bathroom to the glass. Long, cold rivers of condensation wandered down the sides of the glass, catching the sun to create living, moving diamonds against a sea of yellow.

She�d lied. Sort of.

Setting the glass down, she listened for Arielle�s happy singing from upstairs. She was playing with her enchanted Barbie and Cindy dolls with Skeevers and the very patient Faust. The door was open and Faust could warn her in less than a second if Ari got herself into any trouble. There was no worry there.

She could go into the bathroom. It wouldn�t be hard. She�d spelled the door closed � she could spell it open again. Or spell it off. But she wouldn�t. Because she�d lied that there was no hope left. Yes, the anger was still there, simmering, but so were the lust and the dreams he�d shared in his letters.

She thought that she liked him, in that odd far-away �like� that girls feel for their first crush or that �like� that young women feel for a two-night stand that ended pleasantly but never went further for one reason or another. She didn�t really know Sirius, in the way that a woman in love knows her lover, but she knew so much about his mind and the way he thought and his thoughts and dreams from those long, lovely, longing letters that he�d sent. She supposed that he was a dream. It was a dream that she thought that she might possibly want to turn into a reality, though. So yes, it had been a lie � sort of.

She looked down at the carelessly abandoned daily missive from her great-grandfather, sitting atop another from her mother who was on holiday in Paris. Her eyes passed over her mother�s always tidy hand to rest on the bottom of her great-grandfather�s letter. The tag he always ended with was always different. Today, though, it read:

Though a face, a fortune and circumstances change like the moon, the heart and soul of a good man remain as constant as the sun.

She�d lied. Sort of.

But she�d never say it out loud.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The cerise of daytime faded into the magical blue that happened only for a few minutes each night in the summer. That beautiful blue when the stars are barely visible and darkness covers all but the highest mountain peaks. Here, at the foot of the mountains, Dumbledore�s Garden was swathed in shadows and tension. Everyone was present and waiting, except the moon. That most honored and dreaded guest was taking her time.

The barn and yard had been prepared for the transformation. All of the animals were locked up tightly � even the chickens, who had objected vociferously. The flobberworms, the clabberts in the trees near the porch and rabbits in the meadow were left where they were; it had been decided that if Remus wanted to eat any or all of them, he was welcome to it. A special, roofless stall had been built on the side of the barn to help contain Remus while Kiaya drew his blood with specially charmed needles that would prevent the normal pain of the prick. It was exposed to the moon, but had three walls that would begin to contain the werewolf until the potion could be forced into him.

The students were all positioned where they would be safest - high above, leaning out of the window of the barn�s hayloft while the adults were all on the ground. Harry chatted with Sirius, apparently unconcerned, while Ron and Remus chimed in occasionally. Sirius spent more time staring at Jasmine than Harry, but the teenager didn�t notice. Hermione balanced a school book neatly on her knees, while sneaking looks at Remus � and not seeming to notice the looks she was receiving in return, despite the becoming blush. Arielle was in bed. Ignoring Sirius in favor of being worried and staring at the potentially lethal Remus, Jasmine guarded the door, grimly ready to kill, if needed. Kiaya stood behind Snape, already having drawn blood twice and reluctantly ready to dart in for more when the moon peeked into view. Snape stood silent and dour; his wand was out but loosely held in the direction of the werewolf. Dumbledore sat in an overstuffed, chinz library chair, patiently waiting. He, too, held his wand loosely in his blackened hand.

Remus looked more worse for wear every minute, though the toga he was wearing certainly didn�t improve matters. He�d explained, quite embarrassed, that normally he just removed his clothing and stayed out of human view because wearing clothing when he changed was simply impossible. The change stretched his body so much, in so many different ways, that his clothing just shredded. He apologized gently and profusely to a mortified Kiaya when he learned that it would be her drawing blood from him while he was mostly nude, rather than Snape. Dumbledore had politely provided a length of white fabric from inside the house to be used as a loose, Romanesque toga.

That magical blue darkened more and the last hints of daylight fled behind the mountains to the west. Remus started panting, as though he was controlling some inner agony. Dumbledore looked up to the barn window at Hermione, who immediately retreated, only to apparate just behind the wall Remus leaned against, holding a slender volume recently nicked from Jasmine�s bookshelves.

Startled by the sound of her appearance, Remus struggled to stand and move away. He looked at Dumbledore and ground out, �Foul play, Albus.� He looked at Hermione and said in a voice that was octaves deeper than normal, �It�s dangerous for you here. Leave now.�

Hermione ignored him as Dumbledore had ordered, and struggling not to look disappointed, opened the book as she�d been instructed and began to read aloud from Elizabeth Barrett Browning�s Sonnets from the Portuguese in a low voice.

Albus spoke over her first words of Number forty-three, How do I love thee�?, �You need her. I believe the reading and Hermione�s lovely voice will help to keep you calm.�

�It�s too dangerous,� he protested, sinking back down to sit on the ground. He leaned his head back, though, to better hear Hermione�s voice.

Dumbledore replied in a gentle but firm tone, �She stays. Enjoy the poetry.�

Sounding desperate, Remus demanded, �Then chain me! I won�t hurt her!�

�I can�t do that, Remus. Even if you have blocked it from your memory, I haven�t forgotten the time spent healing your ankles from the shackles you used to wear. I won�t have you wear them again,� Dumbledore said.

As Remus arched his back, stretching muscles that were already bunching, he started to speak, but Dumbledore continued speaking as though he�d never stopped.

�Severus, Sirius and I are all here to� do what we can while you do this.�

Face contorting with hard-fought control, Remus pressed himself back into the wood of the enclosure and was silent, listening to Hermione read.

When the small timer on the ground went off, Snape tapped Kiaya none-too gently and guided her forward to draw blood again, ignoring the sour expression directed at him. As she had before, she squatted in front of Remus, ready to leap back from a charge. Snape stood guard, his wand pointing at Remus�s heart as Kiaya tapped Remus�s arm with her wand, making a vein swell before quietly apologizing and inserting the needle into it. The attached phial filled quickly, charmed it so the blood inside wouldn�t degrade and only a moment later, Kiaya darted back around Snape, in as lady-like a manner as possible. Once again, Snape returned to his position near Dumbledore as Kiaya neatly labeled the phial and racked it with the others.

Glowering at Snape, Sirius left his conversation with Harry to approach Dumbledore. He asked in a voice that went no further than Dumbeldore�s ears, �You know how he feels about her?�

Never breaking her slow, soft reading, Hermione turned the page and continued to the next poem. Remus closed his eyes, obviously concentrating.

The edge of the moon appeared over the top of the mountain.

Dumbledore smiled benignly and replied, �My dear Sirius, I know just a few things but learn more and more every day. I do think the day that I stop learning, will be the day that I die � though, that, too, could be the greatest learning experience of all, could it not?�

�But you won�t�?�

�Sirius, one of the greatest lessons in life � and one of the hardest to learn, is that discretion is the better part of valor.� His words were interrupted by a low groan from Remus. �Now, I think it would be a good time for you to change, for Remus�s sake�

With a nod of understanding and a hale, �How �you doing, old man?� to Remus, Sirius transformed into a large black dog � quite the largest that Kiaya had ever seen.

Remus groaned in apparent agony, tucking his chin to his chest and curling his body forward.

There was only a slight hitch in Hermione�s voice as she read, but her volume increased to be heard through Remus�s pain.

As the moon rose in the sky, Kiaya took a deep breath and dashed forward once again, ignoring Snape�s beginning of a protest. She efficiently draw blood once again while biting her lip and staying as far away from Remus as possible.

�First time he kissed me, he but only kissed the fingers of this hand wherewith I write,� Hermione read from Thirty-Eight.

Curling into an uncomfortable crouch, Remus grabbed himself around the middle, gasping in apparent agony. Hair normally on his arms and legs sprouted into fur, with more stabbing through the skin. Kiaya watched, both fascinated and horrified as tiny drops of blood pearled on his skin where each hair broke through. Sirius stood, practically vibrating with energy, poised to pounce on Remus when he attacked, as he undoubtedly would. The thought spurred Kiaya�s fear to new heights. Nothing in her years of research on werewolves or Basilton�s Wolfsbane Potion had prepared her for this.

Kiaya panted in terror, struck a single hash mark on the side of the phial, charmed it quickly and tucked it into her pocket. She�d label it later. The grease pencil was tucked back behind her ear again as she tugged another phial from another pocket. She jabbed the needle into Remus�s foot, which was all she could reach with him curled up in agony as he was. His toes flexed as his toenails grew into long, brown, lethally sharp claws. Trying to avoid whimpering in terror, Kiaya avoided touching them, trying to stay as low to the ground and unnoticeable. Figuring that jabbing things into his body as he changed wasn�t the best way to go about staying unnoticed, she withdrew the needle, praying to whatever God was out there to protect her from this. Wondering how she got the crap end of the deal, Kiaya marked the second phial and tucked it away. She knew how she got the crap end � Snape had snarled at her that he�d be too busy protecting her pretty little hide to draw the blood. Still waiting for the shield spell that he was supposedly going to be doing to protect her from tooth and claw, Kiaya began her count to thirty before inserting the next needle.

The bottom edge of the moon rose over the mountain, lighting the meadow with her full glory. Remus howled. It was a long, low, aching cry that drew goose pimples to flesh and made sensitive hearts bleed.

From behind the wooden wall of the makeshift stall, another howl, this one, sweeter and softer, but no less aching sounded. Her eyes closed and her face tilted to the moon, Hermione�s voice echoed after Remus�s. She called to him, as she had done only once before, years ago, by the lake.

He surged to his feet, uncurling his body in an exaggerated arch. His furred hands stretched to the moon and curled into fingered paws. The makeshift toga dropped to the ground, exposing an impressive erection that everyone except the gaping Kiaya ignored in favor of giving over to terror of a werewolf. The hair around his groin lengthened into a silky pelt that provided almost no cover; the hair over his legs and chest grew equally fast, making him seem more beast than man. His face lengthened; his nose and mouth stretching into a muzzle. Remus�s forehead receded and slanted back as his ears drew up to points. The answering howl he sang to Hermione combined a man�s groan of arousal with a wild beast�s cry of agony.

Kiaya rolled protectively to the side at Remus�s sudden movement as Snape yelled and leapt forward, wand sparking as he cast a Protection Charm. Tugging Kiaya�s body close to his, he direct his wand upward, creating a shield between her and Remus�s claws and teeth. Stunned and instantly aroused at the contact and adrenaline coursing through her veins, Kiaya froze until Snape tossed her towards Remus�s feet.

�Once more, girl, now!� Snape barked.

At that moment, Remus twisted down, taking a swipe at the, but his claws glanced off of the Shield. Sirius, the dog, reared on his hind legs and slammed his weight into Remus�s chest. The werewolf stumbled back into the fence. Hermione screamed softly and scrambled a few feet away from the stall before taking a deep breath and reading again.

Jolted out of her short fantasy of Snape�s hand under her dress rather than holding a protective wand over her, Kiaya scrambled forward and jabbed the needle back into Remus�s calf. Panting, she stretched out while the phial filled and noticed that she was sprawled rather inelegantly over Snape�s hips and legs. Inhaling deeply, she smelled sweat, musk and Snape, a heady combination.

She shook her head and breathed through her mouth while tugging the Wolfsbane Potion from her pocket. Not daring to look up at the monster that Remus Lupin had become, Kiaya removed the cork but left the Sealing Charm. She�d had reservations about administering the potion through the needle but Snape and Dumbledore had both agreed that trying to get the werewolf to drink from a glass was asking far too much. Hoping that it wouldn�t be too potent, since normally it was ingested, Kiaya removed the phial of blood from the needle and shoved the bottle of potion onto the needle securely before removing the Sealing Charm and tapping the bottom of the bottle so the fluid poured into the werewolf�s body.

Before the bottle was empty, Dumbledore announced, �It�s working. He�s continuing his change. Hermione, keep reading.�

Kiaya looked up through the shield at the grotesquely contorted face of the creature that Lupin turned into. How on earth Granger could possibly read in such a calm tone mystified Kiaya who was desperate to get as far away as possible. Granger just sounded like she was reading a school assignment that she was particularly passionate about.

�Yes, call me by that name,--and I, in truth, With the same heart, will answer and not wait�, read Hermione from Thirty-Eight, softening her voice so Remus had to strain to hear it.

As Kiaya tipped the potion bottle up, she noticed that the shape of Remus�s legs was changing again � shortening into a more compact canine-type hind leg. She looked up again, his muzzle, for that�s all it could be called now, was lengthening and his back was bending. Sirius shifted his weight and shoved both of them down. Claws scrabbling as he dropped to all fours, Remus hit the shield on his way down.

Snape covered her body with his own, pointing the apex of the Shielding Charm directly at Remus. Through her haze of terror, Kiaya wondered how Snape could be so heavy when he was so thin � though she didn�t really mind being pressed into the dirt underneath him.

From behind the Shield, Kiaya watched in horror as the wolf that Remus was becoming set his teeth on his own hindquarters, gnawing at the flesh that continued to change. As his skin tore, exposing muscle and immediately knit itself up again, Remus howled. It was, by far, the saddest, most achingly painful sound Kiaya had ever heard.

It was only echoed in a slight hiccough in Hermione�s reading, as though she wanted to answer, but the words in the book bound her.

At once, her heart rent in two � the terror that was ingrained into her by centuries of bias and this very moment of half attack gelled into pity for this poor creature. He was no longer a man, but he couldn�t be described as a beast, either. Though her eyes were fixed on Remus, she whispered to Snape, �He�s in agony. Isn�t there anything we can do?�

She felt his response, as much as she heard it. His body tightened over hers and his breath was hot on her skin when he growled; she shivered at the sensation, both physical and emotional.

�No.�

She risked a glance over her shoulder and just missed bumping his chin. Meeting his eye, she quietly demanded, �Why? He�s in pain.�

Severus stared at her, his face twisted in loathing and something she couldn�t identify. �There is an analgesic in the potion. It will do.�

Quickly averting her eyes back to the man/wolf, she argued, �But it�s only willow and valerian. This is torture!�

He sneered, �Yes.�

Disgusted, she silently damned his callousness and her own weakness at spell casting.

Her head dropped lower between her shoulders and she looked at him again. Her eyes begged as her lips silently formed, �Please?�

Snape snarled something under his breath that not even she could hear. The Shield Spell wavered for just a second as a jet of blue light slammed through it, striking the werewolf.

Instantly, Remus�s body relaxed and he dropped to the ground. They all watched in terrified silence as the last of his change finished and a wolf lay sprawled on the grass, panting with his eyes closed.

It seemed like an anti-climax. All of that terror, for� a sleeping dog. Kiaya blinked and melted into the grass in relief. It was over. Snape released a rush of breath, as though he�d been holding it. Sirius, still in his dog form, laid down next to his friend, his prodigious head resting on his front paws. Hermione�s voice faltered into silence.

�Well, that was exciting. I think I could miss it next time, though,� said a voice from the barn window.

Kiaya looked up to see Harry Potter staring slack-jawed at his friend, the Weasley boy. The ginger soon figured out the error of his ill-spoken words and colored red. It made his freckles stand out like particularly wicked pox.

Snape ended the Shield Spell and climbed off of her, rising immediately to his feet. He didn�t offer to help her up. She scrambled up.

Dumbledore stood and quietly applauded, his blackened hand seemingly undamaged, but for the color. �Well done, all of you. Each of you played an important role today. It is my sincere hope that we will not be required to do this again after tonight.�

After a moment�s pause to absorb the kudos, Snape spun around and glared at her before leaning in close, his hot, coffee-scented breath washing over her unpleasantly. He snarled, �Never, ever do that again. Never, ever put me in a position that, should I refuse, will make me look like a monster. Had Dumbledore wished Lupin�s pain to be eased with a spell, I assure you that he would have cast it himself.�

With that, he whirled away, stalked through the gate and disapparated, presumably back to the school.

Kiaya stood still, blinking in confusion and exhaustion. She didn�t exactly understand why putting someone out of his pained misery was a bad thing. She wondered what Mr. Basilton would have said and done as she mentally shrugged Snape�s words and attitude as being those of a man who needed a combination of mental help, a Mood Sweetening Potion and an enema.

Glancing back at the canines, or was it canine and lupine she wondered idly, as she tugged the blood-filled tubes from her pockets, recharmed the contents to not degrade, labeled them properly and set them in the holder. She saw Dumbledore approach Jasmine, who seemed frozen on the porch of her house, her wand still out and vaguely pointed in the direction of the dogs. Her mouth was open and she had a look of sad horror at the sight. Kiaya knew just how she felt. Her entire view on werewolves had just been radically rocked. Yes, there was abject terror, but seeing the pain, there was pity, now. She put all of her supplies back into the box she brought them in and stood, ready to return to Hogwarts.

�Kiaya, would you please do me the favor of making a pot of tea for Jasmine here? I need to take the children back to school. It�s getting late and young minds need rest � whether they like it or not,� Dumbledore called from the porch.

Kiaya heard grumbles and groans from inside and half chuckled � her mind needed rest, too. After a short session with her wand, that is. She could still feel Snape�s body atop hers and the tingling was becoming unbearable. There was no way that she wanted to make tea or chat or anything else, no matter how much she really did like Jasmine. There was also no way that she wanted to deny Dumbledore his machinations, either. She just hoped they were as benevolent as they seemed. She sighed, cast a quick LightNSteady Charm on the box and walked to the house, hoping that Jasmine had even a little bit more of that chocolate.
- 53
- 54
- 55
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Weft of Power, Warp of Blood: A Tapestry of Desire