Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

You Will Not Kiss Me	By : Prosperosdaughter Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Snape/Remus Views: 22836 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: JK Rowling & her associates own the Harry Potter universe and I make no money from my stories.

Chapter List
- 57
- 58
- 59
Chapter 58: Wandsong

Snape and Lupin walked to the encampment. Snape was surprised to find that the encampment was surrounded by old protection wards. He felt their shimmering presence as Lupin led him through knowing that, if he had not been hand in hand with Lupin, an invited guest of the pack, he would have been forcibly repelled by them.

"These wards have been in place for centuries, Severus. This pack has been here since the Middle Ages. It's not a huge pack. Most of the young males feel the urge to go and find territory of their own, but some stay."

The people he had met in the forest clearing were sitting around bundled up in many layers of clothing against the December mountain air, each set to various tasks – chopping wood, mending clothes, milling flour, sharpening knives. There were others there too. He saw the pregnant women washing clothes, kneading loaves, tending small children. There were babes in arms, toddlers and children, some playing, some working. He saw Idris seated at the roots of a huge oak tree, whittling at a slender stave of wood, watched by two children and his mate. He looked up, saw Snape, and acknowledged him with a small nod of the head and carried on with the stave, talking quietly to the children, Snape hearing the deep resonance of his voice, if not the words themselves.

"Come, Seth," Lupin smiled, and took Snape by the hand again.

Snape had had no idea that there were entrenched packs who had permanent dwellings. He had thought all werewolves, even those in packs, were nomadic. He stopped to look at this dwelling. It was a huge round house with one large chimney stack in the centre and a few windows with shutters made of rushes. The whole pack lived in this large and ancient structure. He approached it with trepidation, sure it would be foetid inside. And yet, when he entered, whilst little light entered through the small windows, especially with the low winter sun, it was scrubbed and laid with fresh rushes to the ancient floor. There was a large open fire pit in the centre with spits and hooks over it for cooking, although the large cauldrons were currently empty and scrubbed to Snape-like standards of cleanliness.

Clearly, no-one in the pack owned a great deal. For what good did chattels do a feral werewolf? Snape pondered. Small bundles of possessions in backpacks lined the walls, where rudimentary bedding marked the different sleeping arrangements. Furthest from the door, a few very elderly people were lying in their bedding, sleeping.

"How do they manage the transformation at that age?" Snape asked quietly.

"It's remarkably painful for them. The transformation takes longer as does the reversion. The damage takes longer to heal. Very few werewolves live to the age that these have. It's testament to the care that the pack gives to them that they are here at all."

Snape's blood froze. He simply had not considered a time when Lupin would not be strong enough to cope with the transformation and the stress that his body and magical core came under. He felt his pulse quicken uncomfortably.

"Is there anything they can take to ease their transformations or help with the damage?"

"Even usual pain killing potions are helpful. But look around you. How can they afford such things?"

"And there is no help for them? No Ministry system to alleviate their suffering?"

A rather ugly expression settled on Lupin's face, such as Snape had never seen before, and it distressed him to see it distort Lupin's handsome features.

"Wizards subsidise pain relief for werewolves? You know better than that," Lupin shook his head. "I suggest that early deaths for werewolves would be most satisfactory to most of the Ministry and most wizards would not care if that came painlessly or otherwise." Snape clasped one of Lupin's hands, feeling quite torn by the bitterness he heard in Lupin's voice.

"I care,"Snape whispered plaintively. Lupin's face softened, and he smiled and he squeezed the hand that had taken his.

Lupin led Snape to where Lupin's own rucksack sat with his bedding and sat down on it, pulling Snape down with him, kissing him gently then holding him, still very tender and apologetic following the events in front of Black, despite the following full moon and Snape's constant reassurances whenever they had spoken since that all was forgiven. Lupin held Snape in his arms and they kissed for while, Snape stroking Lupin's face. Then Snape looked to Lupin to speak so they could not be heard.

I have told Dumbledore I will be spending the weekends with you, so he can cover my House duties. He was unhappy about it.

Why should he be? Lupin asked, stroking Snape's hair.

He thinks we should be keeping our distance, in case I am called. That I am creating too many memories for the Dark Lord to find. The usual things.

What do you say to him?

I tell him I know all these things. I prepare thoroughly and practise my Occlumency at all other times except when I'm with you. I tell him if he wants to protect his spy – both of his spies – Snape's mouth became a thin line of dislike at these descriptions - he needs to think about what we need. I tell him that you need me. Snape pressed his hand to Lupin's chest. You need me to anchor you to your wizard, or I will lose you ... we will all lose you ... to your wolf. Snape pulled Lupin closer to him, feeling losing Lupin to the wolf could happen all too easily. He could feel the pull the pack exerted on Lupin, and the revulsion Lupin felt about that selfsame attraction, like an addiction to be fought even though this pack was so much better than others Lupin had visited.

"I'm very lucky to have you ... Seth," he said and nudged his nose against Snape's. "I miss your nose," he whispered with a chuckle.

"There was certainly no missing it before, was there?" Snape responded tartly, and leant to rest his head against Lupin's shoulder, enjoying the warmth of his mate's body. "Tell me what you have been doing this week," Snape said, his fingers stroking Lupin's hand, secretly wishing it was already nightfall.

"I have been teaching!" Lupin said with a large smile. "You will laugh, Se...Seth. I have taught the women some cleaning, mending and food preparation spells." Snape did not laugh, but looked highly affronted, but Lupin laughed and clasped Snape's hands to him to calm him. "It's good to be useful. And I've been teaching the children defensive magic and some charms work. We started with the main three: Expelliarmus, Stupefy and Protego. Of course, they've seen the pack use these but, perhaps not ...ah ... shall we say ... with any finesse?" Lupin said diplomatically. "We've been practising all week and have had some very good results. You know, I have noticed that many of the children are quite magically powerful. I would say more so than ordinary wizarding children."

"Perhaps there is an advantage to their difference then?" Snape said, as he lifted his head.

"Perhaps," Lupin said, thoughtfully.

"Do you teach the adults defensive magic?" Snape asked.

"Funny, you should say that," Lupin said, smiling. "Many of the younger adults stand around and watch and I catch them out of the corner of my eyes practising the wand movements. I think they'd like to, but never will without the say-so of Idris. I think Idris wants to know me better before he lets me near the defenders of the pack."

"I suppose that's understandable."

"Perhaps, we should duel for them. They can then see what we're capable of and that we have something to teach them. What do you think?"

Snape rolled his eyes. "Bonded wand," he said succintly and somewhat sulkily. "They'll just see you thrash me."

"That picture has a certain charm," Lupin teased, and nudged Snape's shoulder, but then he said, "but seriously, remembering that intention is everything, I believe we could put on a bit of a show. Teaching the children is all very well, but it's the adults I need to reach."

"Albus has agreed they should be taught so they can defend themselves when Greyback tries to use his own brand of persuasion. Have you offered this to Idris?" Snape asked.

"I need to be careful of the pack's sensitivities. I am an outsider to this pack, travelling to see if the pack fits me. I must do nothing without Idris's say-so or I will be challenging him as alpha. Having talked to him every day for all these weeks, I know he loathes everything Voldemort stands for and has enough sense to know that his promises are lies. Idris wants to recruit strong men to his pack for safety in numbers. Albus very much hopes that stragglers or packs who do not wish to join Voldemort will join packs like this that can offer shelter and strength in numbers. The thing is this: Idris knows in extending the numbers of his pack that sooner or later he will be challenged for the leadership. It's a dilemma for him. If challenged and bested, he would have to leave the pack he enlarged."

"Does it have to be that way?" The unfairness of it struck Snape quite hard. It also struck him that it was Idris that Albus seemed to trust (or a remembrance of him from school) and it would surely defeat his plans for this pack to be a sanctuary for others if Idris were not in charge of it.

Lupin shrugged. "It is what it is. If he were ill or injured otherwise, the pack would care for him. It's how this pack operates."

"Is he allowed to cede the leadership, rather than be ousted?"

"How very Slytherin of you," Lupin smiled. "I don't suppose that scenario has ever occurred to a werewolf pack. Normally you cede where there are elections or dynasties. The pack recognises neither."

"This is a pack like no other, you said. Couldn't they break the mould?"

Lupin looked at Snape for a long time, thinking. "The pack needs the combat to show their leader can fight."

"But can the challenger lead or just fight?" Snape challenged. "From what little I've seen of Idris, he is a true leader."

"I agree," Lupin said, "but this is a wolf pack, not wizarding society. Leadership has always been decided by single combat, best on the day, might is right."

"I'm saying that might it not always right, Remus," Snape said insistently, looking back over to the sleeping elderly werewolves. "And I think Idris knows that and that's why he doesn't put the weak out of the pack to die. Another leader may reverse this …" Snape indicated the elderly with his outstretched hand. Lupin's face was sad and he nodded and raised his head to kiss Snape's forehead. Snape knew Lupin could not give him the reassurances he suddenly seemed to need of some kindness in the world of Lupin's kind.

They were quiet for a while then Snape asked, "Do they make any potions to assist the weak?"

"They make some salves and traditional infusions, but very few potions. Quite a few have had no magical education at all, or had it cut short. I'm afraid it is an addition to our curse that strong smells can be a deterrent to potion-brewing as I found out to myself so often." Lupin laughed softly. "The only time I tried to make Wolfsbane for myself, I nearly choked to death on the strength of the fumes just at the first stage of the dry mix!"

"In fairness, Remus, Wolfsbane is a fiendishly complex potion. Only Felix is more complex," Snape said coolly, rolling his eyes. "No, what I'm thinking is seeing what ingredients they have locally – for instance, willow bark – to brew simple pain relief potions. The ones I brew come from expensive and exotic ingredients, but it doesn't necessarily need to be so. Perhaps we can go and search the woods and environs later."

"Excellent. I'll introduce you to Angharad. She is Idris's mate and makes the salves and remedies. She may well know what is to be found and where."

Snape nodded, and then his brow furrowed quizzically. "Tell me, if some of them are born in the pack, how do they get their wands?" Snape suddenly asked. Lupin grinned hugely.

"That, my love, is quite a story, but it is one that Idris himself must tell you."

Lupin led Snape out of the roundhouse once more and asked Idris's permission to introduce Snape to Angharad, explaining to him how Snape might be able to assist Angharad with his own knowledge of medicines.

"Reckon as she'll be safe with him," Idris commented softly and nodded to Angharad who went and sat with Snape and he asked her about the flora and fauna of the land around them and she told him about these and of her salves and remedies. Snape mentally listed all that she told him, and started to think of the potions that could be adapted to the ingredients they had around them. When he returned to Hogwarts tomorrow, he would start a list of these and work them through so he would have simplified recipes for her for the next weekend.

When nightfall finally came, Lupin and Snape made their way to Lupin's bedding. Snape's body was already feeling the need for Lupin, and he knew it was reciprocated by the way Lupin held his hand or his arm, each touch more urgent than the next as the evening had worn. As the lights were doused on Idris's command, Lupin and Snape laid down and Lupin pulled the cover over them as they kissed deeply, each removing their own trousers in their eagerness to touch each other, knowing the pack were all doing the same. Lupin went to remove Snape's shirt, but Snape grabbed Lupin's wrist swiftly and hissed, "the Mark!" and Lupin left it, but Snape could tell Lupin hadn't wanted to. Lupin was already highly charged and had wanted him naked.

He pressed his body to Snape as he moved over Snape's body, wanting as much contact as he could get, his hands grasping him greedily as he kissed him hungrily and his legs tangled themselves around Snape's body, leaving Snape gasping for breath, almost suffocating under Lupin's enveloping attentions that made his body burn with increasing intensity and his mind slowly unravel, until Lupin turned him over and found the Claiming bite once more and bit down, making Snape cry out as Lupin's fingers entered him, sending surges of pleasure through Snape's body.

Snape had surrendered now, his body liberated from his inhibitions as his senses were assailed by the bite and the sexually charged atmosphere of the pack around them that permeated his very skin, coursing across it like electrical pulses. His body was completely Lupin's, ready and pliable, as Lupin brought him to the very cusp of ecstasy on his fingers alone.

Lupin caught Snape around his waist and brought him up onto his knees and thrust into him, almost growling his desire to him as he thrust deeply and bit once more, and Snape groaned loudly as Lupin set his rhythm, hard and fast, hitting Snape's prostate making Snape groan with each thrust as ecstasy added to delirium, until Snape could take no more and cried out his orgasm as it crashed over him and Lupin's released his own, growling into Snape's neck, pumping it out until he lowered Snape to the sheet, holding him gently now as he feathered kisses over Snape's face telling him he loved him, and, breathless still, his heart full, Snape grabbed Lupin's face to look him in the eyes.

Yours, body and soul.

The following morning, the air was crisp and frigid, as all of the able-bodied of the pack congregated outside the roundhouse. Idris announced that their guest wizard wolf had offered to give them a demonstration of wizard duelling with his mate. This caused a susurration of outrage to run around the onlookers, who had still yet to assess Lupin's male wizard mate. There were no same sex werewolf couples in this pack and, although Lupin did not sense animosity as such, he knew there was indignation by the unclaimed females that he had no interest in them. But, ultimately, that Snape was a human wizard caused the most offence amongst some of the older werewolves who did not how to judge the relationship at all. Some clearly wanted to judge Snape as a female so to duel with him was considered something close to outrageous.

"Now," Idris raised his voice, clearly in command, "you know Remus Lupin by now. Know that he has things he could teach us. Help us against Greyback and he-we-do-not-name. We don't know Seth Moore. We know he is not our kind. But we know he is mated to Remus Lupin. He is not a female, so don't take on so," he growled at a group of the pack who were clearly put out by the idea and grumbling about it audibly. Idris's attention silenced them. Idris straightened and puffed out his chest. "He may be a wizard. But it's wizard's skill we be needin'." He nodded firmly. "Watch and learn." He turned full circle looking at each of the pack then stood to one side and gestured to Lupin and Snape to take the floor.

Snape had no compunction about duelling in public. Merlin knew he'd duelled in public plenty of times throughout school and as a Death Eater, but there was no doubt about it, being surrounded by a whole pack of werewolves certainly made his stomach churn, especially as this was the first time they would look at him as anything other than Lupin's bed-mate.

Lupin asked them very graciously to give them a wide berth. Snape and Lupin had already agreed between themselves that they would not go for show duelling, but properly aggressive duelling so the pack would see how fast and furious it could be.

Snape and Lupin took their stances and, as agreed with Idris in advance, Idris counted them down and started them.

They both raised their shields as they threw Stunning spells, both undercutting their own Stunners with Stinging and Whipping Hexes as their wands shot jets of light crackling with energy and they sent powerful Stunning spells between them, parrying each other's spells with spells of their own as they weaved around each other. The crackling of the magic was almost deafening, and Lupin sent Incarcerous at Snape, sending a leather whip that shot around his waist, but Snape turned it instantly into gossamer threads that broke with his first movement.

Snape whipped his wand to catch up the log store by the roundhouse and sent all of the logs flying towards Lupin at high speed, but Lupin deflected the logs with one sweep of his wand away as he whipped up two stools from the ground nearby to send flying at Snape who batted them away with a small but violent movement sending them crashing to the ground and their Stunning spells continued relentlessly and violently, Lupin parrying each one of Snape's, although finally a burning hex of Lupin's caught Snape's hand as Lupin simultaneously cast Expelliarmus so Snape's wand flew from his burnt hand to the floor.

As the pack murmured, commenting to each other, Idris picked up Snape's wand and then held it delicately across both of his large, calloused hands and then held it to his ear. His eyebrows briefly furrowed as if he had heard something unexpected. He walked over to Snape.

"Hawthorn and dragon heart string, Seth Moore," Idris said as he passed it back to Snape, who flinched with shock. Very few wizards could discern a wand by touch or .. even more rarely ... hear its song. "Quite the wand for spellwork." He moved closer to Snape and leant in to his ear. "You've bound your wand," he whispered, his whisper like gravel. He moved away and looked searchingly into Snape's eyes, a question clearly on his lips, but not uttering it yet whilst he thought about it. Snape stood his ground silently before Idris, recalling Lupin's warning not to do anything that seemed like a challenge. "Takes a powerful wizard to bind his own wand. That's harsh. Why do you need to protect your mate from your magic, Seth Moore?" Idris's voice was low and menacing. Snape returned Idris's stare, whether it was the right thing to do or not, as he himself was being directly challenged now.

Suddenly, Lupin's hand passed between their two faces and rested on Snape's shoulder.

"Because he is a powerful wizard," Lupin said quietly, "and he could easily hurt me accidentally."

Idris moved quickly away from Snape, recognising his trespass in his close proximity but narrowed his gaze at Lupin. "Is that right?"

"That's right," Lupin said, still quietly, confirming not confronting.

"That's why you could parry each and every one of his hexes?" Idris asked quietly. Snape could not hide his own surprise at how little had escaped the Alpha's attention. Lupin nodded.

"Duel with me, Seth Moore!" Idris turned and spoke loudly for the pack to hear. "Not as challenger but as a duellist. Show me some magic!"

Snape's eyes snapped to Lupin's.

A direct challenge. You must. Don't spare your magic. He's testing what I've said about you.

With that, Snape took his stance with Idris. The rest of the pack moved even further back, some wittering and others mumbling in excitement.

"My count!" Idris barked then counted them down then they each let off volleys of ferocious Stunning spells, Stinging, Burning and Whipping Hexes. Neither raised a shield, except when Snape used Protego as a Repulsion Hex. Snape was shocked by the raw power of the older man. Clearly never tutored or refined to any degree but magically powerful and, like Lupin, exceptionally fast.

The dark eyes of the werewolf glittered with adrenaline as the men threw hex after hex, never quite fully connecting or unbalancing the other. Snape could not read him although he was able to read his wandwork. If Snape refined that, he was sure the older man would be unreadable entirely. Snape's jaw set and he sent five hexes flying in fast succession, only to be blocked and have each returned to him. Both men managed to dance away from most of the other's spells but occasionally were caught on an ankle or a hand where they weren't quick enough. On they went, equally matched in their scorching pace, until the older man sent a ferocious Repulsion Hex that sent Snape reeling across the ground and Idris held his hands up to stop the bout.

He strode to Snape who was brushing down his trousers and held out his hand and clasped Snape's forearm. "Come, Seth Moore. I think we have earned a drink." He gestured to Snape and Lupin to sit as he Conjured a brazier of flames and some of the pack set about setting up a kettle.

"Tell me, Remus Lupin," Idris turned to Lupin. "Do you duel often with your mate?"

"We train together. Always pays to keep your skills sharp."

Idris turned to Snape. "Indeed it does. Will you assist Remus Lupin with his teaching when you visit?"

"I'd be happy to," Snape said, looking quickly at Lupin, whose smile was broad at his mate's acceptance. "May I ask ..." Snape looked at Idris, hoping he was not speaking out of turn so soon after the mark of his acceptance, "... about the wand ... did you ...?"

"I hear Wandsong, Seth Moore." One of the pack passed Idris an apple from a large basket and he pulled out a small knife and cut it to eat, but all the time, he watched Snape. "Always had the knowin' of wand wood, since I can remember. I remember the first time I picked up my mother's wand and it told me what it was. At school, Garrick Ollivander sought me out, even though he was a few years older than me. You know him?" Snape nodded slowly, stealing a quick look at Lupin, and realising this was a story he had already heard. "Saw me listening to my class mates' wands. Told his father, the wand maker. So," Idris threw his apple core into the woods and took a tin mug of tea from Angharad, "Gervaise Ollivander goes into negotiation with my father. Asks to take me into Indentures with him and his son for wand-making. My father wasn't keen. Wanted something more ... intellectual. But those with the knowin' of wand wood are rare. Spent my summers at Ollivanders learning the rudiments of wand-making. Had my Articles of Apprenticeship ready to sign as soon as my NEWTs were taken." Idris dropped his eyes from Snape's and looked at the brazier for a long time. No-one broke the silence until he himself did. "Course, never even got to OWLs. Got bitten. But I remembered those summers learning the rudiments of the craft." He pulled the stave he had been whittling from his robe and passed it to Snape. "I make wands for those in the pack who are wandless. Not as refined as the wands you and Remus Lupin have, or indeed, my own Ollivander wand." He looked at his own wand lovingly. "But powerful enough to channel our folks' magic."

Snape cast Engorgio to a stick on the floor with the rough stave, and it channelled his magic perfectly, although without the warmth of the wand's choice. "I thought," said Snape, "that the wand chooses the wizard?"

"That's right," Idris nodded and then smiled knowingly. "but a wand made for a wizard will choose that wizard. I start making a wand with a wizard or witch in mind – it follows the wand chooses that one."

"Extraordinary," Snape whispered, looking at the slender worked wood, without finesse but suffused with power, as he held it up to look closer.

Idris stood suddenly, shaking the dregs of his tea from his tin mug. "Right. Perhaps we can practise some sparring while we have both of you here. What do you say?"

Lupin and Snape agreed, and Idris announced it to the pack. There were some mutterings of dissension from some about being tutored by Snape, both because he was a wizard and some because he served another man.

Idris turned on those and growled at them: "I have fought Seth Moore, a powerful wizard who can help us against Greyback. He is the mate of a Were. Do not disgrace this pack by being disrespectful to another's mate who offers help to us." The dissenters fell silent and fell into place with the rest of the pack.

Lupin caught Snape's eyes. I believe there's more to his history than we know, Lupin surmised as he started pairing off werewolves for the first duelling lesson.

Agreed, Snape thought. I also think that if the Dark Lord knows or finds out that Idris hears Wandsong, I have no doubt he will not rest until he recruits him ... or kills him.

A/N: Next Chapter: Attack at the Ministry
- 57
- 58
- 59
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

You Will Not Kiss Me