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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
Disclaimer: JK Rowling & her associates own the Harry Potter universe and I make no money from my stories.

Chapter List
- 70
- 71
- 72
Chapter 71: Rock n Roll

Snape stumbled through the Floo at Spinner's End, allowing himself to sink to his knees, and then he slumped to the floor, the Curse chasing around his body, his breath hitching.

His Cruciatus Potion was upstairs in the bathroom. How stupid, Snape thought. He'd Summon it, when he got his breath. But he seemed to have so much trouble getting his breath. It had not been the most cruel Cruciatus the Dark Lord had visited on him, by any means. But he'd made a show of Snape for his Death Eaters, and held the milder version for a long time. Perhaps too long.

Lupin was under cover and they'd agreed he probably wouldn't be able to call until he returned from his first reconnaissance before the full moon. The Headmaster's office was shut up so he couldn't Floo to Poppy. He certainly wasn't strong enough to send a Patronus to her for help. He simply had to try to get his potion. But every time he tried to move from his supine position, he would cry out as the Curse re-charged and burnt his nerves more brightly and bound his magic. He lay there, trembling, eyes wild and wet with pain and helplessness. He wondered madly if he would just lie here until ... until when? Some-one came for him?

Of course! Dumbledore had made sure he had means of help, hadn't he? Precisely for times like this.

"Tippy," he managed to gasp.

The small elf appeared, no smile on her face this time, but a look of apprehensive expectation. Snape could see she understood her calling now.

"Professor Snape!" she said. "Tell Tippy which Potions to fetch." Clever girl.

Following Snape's pained instructions, Tippy found and measured out his Cruciatus, Pain Relief and Calming Potions. She then Levitated him to his bedroom and the last he recalled was being delivered into fresh clean sheets and slipping into welcome oblivion, sleeping the rest of Saturday away, waking only on Sunday morning to Tippy's nurturing attentions of broths and cups of tea, to pack to return to Hogwarts on Monday.

Lupin need never know.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Pardon?" said Severus, raising an eyebrow at the precipitate question before he'd even removed his cloak. How had he found out? Snape wondered. Could Tippy have told him? Lupin unclasped Snape's cloak for him and hung it up as they walked to the sitting room of the flat.

"I suppose that was a bit out of the blue," Lupin conceded. "Harry's last Occlumency lesson. Why didn't you tell me what happened?" Ah, thought Snape, this won't be easy either. He braced himself, wondering if Lupin's disappointment would be as great as Dumbledore's. He knew already that it would be more hurtful. He'd been looking forward to regaling Lupin with stories of Umbridge's failure to deal with the Weasley twins' swamp, but this was quite a different conversation to have whilst Lupin was home for the full moon before setting off to Whitby again. His stomach lurched and he sat heavily on the settee.

"Events rather overtook me," Snape said, worrying what Lupin knew and, more to the point, who had told him. "That night ... that was when I got drunk ... "

"... And didn't answer when I called." Lupin nodded his understanding, but his expression was still quite disbelieving. "That's why you got paralytic? Because Harry saw that memory?" Lupin sat in the armchair opposite him.

"You think I overreacted?" Snape said. You have no idea how much, Snape thought, unless the brat has told you. "Do you think I enjoyed having one of my students see that memory?" Snape said.

"Especially that student, I suppose," Lupin said contemplatively.

"That student and that memory," Snape confirmed. "Not the best combination for me."

"You know that Harry didn't mean to pry, don't you?" Lupin said, edging a bit further forward on his seat.

"Did he fall into the Pensieve then? Just happen to trip and detour four feet from the door of my office head first?" Snape drawled scornfully.

"That's not what I meant, Severus," Lupin said calmly. "He thought the Pensieve might have information about the dreams he's been having." Snape was about to interrupt, but Lupin lifted his chin gently to indicate he understood but he was carrying on. "It was wrong of him, undoubtedly wrong, I'm not justifying it. I'm just asking you to understand his motivation. It wasn't malicious."

"Then why did he stay in it for so long, hm?" Snape said, his jaw jutting. "He didn't pop his head in and realise it wasn't anything to do with him and then leave – oh no! He carried on gawking right up until ..."

"I know, Severus," Lupin interrupted softly, leaning forward to rest his hand gently on Snape's knee. "Did he see ...?"

"No, I stopped him before he saw that," Snape said softly, dreading Lupin asking him how he stopped him.

"Thank God," Lupin said, his shoulders drooping.

"For him or for me?" Snape snapped, suddenly feeling his anger reignite at the thought of it.

"For both of you," Lupin said firmly. "Look, Severus, I know how painful that would have been for you. But I just want you to understand that Harry took no pleasure in it..."

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't. I bet that's all over Gryffindor House ... again!" Snape exploded.

"No, Severus, I assure you it isn't. Harry isn't the boy you think he is. He never has been." Lupin smiled a small sad smile. "He's not his father - or his godfather."

Snape made a soft noise of disbelief.

"Oh, I know you don't believe me, Severus. I wonder if I can ever convince you to see Harry in his own right when you still feel so wronged by his father, but ..."

"Feel so wronged?" Snape snapped, stressing the words delicately. "You don't think I was wronged?"

"Severus! I said 'when you still feel so wronged' – that you still feel it so acutely – that it is not something you feel you can put away from you ..."

"You think I should just forget it ...?" Snape whispered dangerously.

"Severus, please! We're talking in circles. I know it hurts you still and I think you have every justification for feeling hurt, but I do not think you are justified in hating Harry just because he is the son of the man who did that to you. That is what I'm saying! Now please listen to me."

Snape and Lupin stared at each other for a long time, Snape glaring but Lupin merely holding his glare. Finally, Snape nodded and Lupin continued.

"You're right that Harry shouldn't have done it. Yes, once he saw it was unconnected with his dreams, he should have left it straightaway. But, Severus, he saw his parents. Young and whole. I suppose it was too much of a draw ..."

"That does not excuse it!" Snape shouted, moving to leap up in anger, but Lupin grasped Snape's wrists and pulled him back down to the settee gently as he himself moved to sit on the floor between Snape's legs.

"No, no. It doesn't it, but it explains it, Severus. He stayed, he watched, and if you think for one minute that Harry enjoyed seeing what he saw, you're very, very wrong," Lupin said, shaking his head sadly.

Snape opened his mouth to disagree again, but Lupin set his chin and shook his head once in that soft gesture that told Snape Lupin would not be put off what he wanted to say.

"He was upset by what he saw, his father tormenting you. That was quite clear."

"I suppose Black was there too, and you both soothed the poor boy, told him that his father was indeed the bloody saint the boy always believed ..." Snape said acidly.

"Yes, Sirius was there speaking to Harry, but that's not relevant. James was a steadfast friend to me, Severus, and he had many good qualities," Lupin said firmly. "How he behaved with you should not colour the whole of Harry's perception of him. He doesn't need me to tell him what James did was wrong, or how Sirius egged him on or how I failed to stop it: he knows all of these things for himself. James was a teenager then, and he grew out of that behaviour. I don't think it would be right for Harry to judge him solely by that. James was a brave man who fought tirelessly for the Order and James died trying to protect Lily and Harry from the Darkest wizard of our times. I think Harry should be justifiably proud of that. Now please, Severus. Let us not argue over it."

Snape recognised the firmness in Lupin's tone that indicated he would not be moved on it but also how he held his hands firmly with affection told Snape it did not change how he felt about Snape. Lupin rested his head against Snape's thigh. After a time, Snape felt himself relax and he drew his fingers through Lupin's hair, wondering when Lupin would bring up Snape's violence as he surely must.

"Have you told Albus?" Lupin asked. Snape murmured his confirmation. "Will he teach Harry now or has he asked you to resume the lessons?"

Snape's stomach sank. Lupin did not know. Snape steeled himself.

"I'm sorry, Remus. I will not be teaching Potter. I did not react well." Snape found he could not hold Lupin's gaze. "I lost my temper with him very badly. Any attempted resumption of those lessons, already useless in my opinion, would just be a worse waste of time than they were before." He looked at Lupin's hands that rested on his thighs.

Lupin got to his knees and tilted Snape's chin up with his finger to meet his eyes. "How badly, Severus?" Lupin asked and Snape thought he heard worry in Lupin's voice. He closed his eyes. How soon would it be followed by reproach? He was almost tempted to lie, but if he lied, Lupin still might find out from another, and that would be worse. He looked straight into Lupin's eyes.

"I grabbed his arm to pull him from the Pensieve. I shook him and threw him away from me. He landed heavily on the floor. I threw a glass jar at him. It missed. My aim was poor. It was bad enough." There. It was said. He felt the sides of his face flush as he saw the disappointment in Lupin's eyes. He could see it plainly and it cut him deeply.

"Thank you for being honest with me, Severus," Lupin said and then sighed and placed his hands either side of Snape's face. "I understand."

"But you wouldn't do that, would you?" Snape said softly. "Behave like that to a child?"

"No, Severus, I wouldn't," Lupin said. "But I'll ask you this. Three years ago, would you have done that in the same circumstances?"

"I would have hexed the child into oblivion!" Snape snapped, then bit his lip for his intemperance.

"Progress, perhaps, then?" Lupin laid his head back down on Snape's thigh and Snape wondered how upset Lupin was with him. He brushed Lupin's hair away from his face and watched him for some time.

"You know," Lupin said, eventually, "Sirius had a fit of nobility and told Harry he wasn't proud of the way he behaved back then. I never thought I'd hear that, but I had to poke him in the ribs to shut him up. I'm really hopeful for the two of you."

"Don't be," Snape said gruffly, thankful for Lupin lifting the tension. "Neither Black nor I want it."

"Oh no, Severus. You can't stop me! Nor can Sirius. Nothing can stop my mission for my husband and best friend to get along. I'll work on it as long as it takes. We're all on the same side now, after all. We all need to realise it."

oooOOOooo

After the full moon, Lupin went back to Whitby to take up his position as lighting gaffer for the werewolf band. Snape had no idea what a lighting gaffer could be and had no idea that Lupin knew that much about Muggle electricity and lighting. He supposed that Lupin had done all sorts of work during that decade after the first war.

They had agreed to meet the following weekend. It meant ten days apart, but it was getting increasingly difficult to get time away with Umbridge at the helm, and Lupin didn't dare leave the group. They'd already had one approach from Greyback, and Lupin wanted to try to convince them to pledge or join Idris before the next visit.

He was to meet Lupin at the venue. This time, Lupin had taken the precaution of showing him how to transfigure himself into Seth Moore. He made the changes to his eyes, nose and hair, then transfigured his clothes: his robe became a long trench coat, like the one Conway wore in the poster, but black, of course. His shirt became a nondescript, long-sleeved, khaki collarless shirt of the Muggle type with buttons down the front, and his trousers became shapeless, washed denim jeans. He kept his boots. The last thing he did was to drink an elixir to change his scent. David would be there and would know his scent and Snape found he had less and less confidence in David. He did not want him suspecting the truth of his relationship with Lupin. He recalled how coal tar had effectively covered the smell of Polyjuice from Snape and disguised Crouch's identity from Lupin. The elixir would overlay his own scent with a stronger scent so hopefully David would not catch on.

Snape Apparated in the alley behind the Whitby Palais that Lupin had shown him and, Disillusioning himself, made his way through the stage door and through the warren of corridors until he was backstage. He hung back as he watched the crew clearing up from the previous night's concert and setting up for tonight's performance.

An oddly malformed couple of men shifted the huge amp boxes about the stage, then he spotted David and a distinctly dubious looking individual altering the angle of lights according to Lupin's magnified directions. He looked at the direction of Lupin's voice and saw Lupin in the wings at a control panel, wincing as the microphone he was talking into fed-back with a high pitched squeal. He was wearing a "Whitby Werewolves" T-shirt like the other backstage staff, jeans and trainers, and his brown hair streaked with grey looked unkempt. Snape smiled, finding Lupin quite desirable in a dishevelled fashion, but then, he hadn't seen Lupin in ten days – a bin bag would look good – or better still, nothing at all.

He watched him as he instructed David and the other man to do various tasks with lighting and rigging and Snape wondered just how, in ten days, Lupin had made himself respected and liked in a group who didn't know him.

Social skills, was the answer. Stupid phrase, he thought crossly, but he had to admit that Lupin had social skills to spare, whoever he spoke to: students, teachers, feral werewolves, rock group werewolves, aurors, anyone really ... everyone liked Lupin, they always liked Lupin until ... Snape wondered how Lupin managed the rejection he had so often, knowing people really liked him until they found out about his condition and then so many turned away or chased him away. He wondered how Lupin wasn't more like him. Snape could not have borne the amount of rejection Lupin always faced and yet Lupin never shut out the world like Snape did.

Snape watched him, his ready smile, a quick joke with the very tall man, his swift reassurance and kindness to the lumbering man with the vacant expression who kept dropping things, careful instructions to the other men working with the large lamps and trunks. Snape watched Lupin's movements, so economical, sinuous. He smiled to himself that this man was his husband and that he had the opportunity to watch him so openly and greedily in front of others; an opportunity normally denied to him.

"Break for lunch, guys!" Lupin instructed and then flicked various switches, and watched as the four men walked off to the green room. Lupin turned and strolled directly to where Snape stood, his nostrils gently taking in Snape's scent.

"Hello, gorgeous. Be nice to me and I can get you into show business," Lupin said with a chuckle. Snape removed the Disillusionment Charm, as his stomach flipped at Lupin's filthy chuckle.

"In the freak show perhaps?" Snape asked silkily. "How nice do I have to be?"

Lupin placed both his hands on the wall, either side of Snape's face. "Your very nicest," he purred as he caught Snape's lips and kissed him hungrily.

"I thought I'd disguised my scent so David couldn't recognise me," Snape whispered as Lupin nuzzled into Snape's neck.

"But I know your scent more intimately than anyone, Severus," Lupin said as he pulled away and smiled wolfishly at Snape and dropped his hands to Snape's hips. "It's good to see you. I like the coat, by the way. C'mon. I'll take you to meet the team."

The one thing Snape did enjoy about being transfigured was being able to walk with Lupin hand in hand as if he were an ordinary man with an ordinary life who didn't have to hide his feelings.

"Now remember: David knows you, so do not – and I mean it – raise your eyebrows in your Severus fashion. The whole game is up if you do. And you may find it difficult to resist when you meet the road crew. So your best stone face, Severus – sorry, Seth," Lupin smiled as they reached a door labelled Green Room and heard raucous laughter from within.

"Stone face?" Snape repeated, his eyebrow rising automatically. Lupin looked at it pointedly. Snape lowered it.

"I do believe I've coined a new nickname for you."

"My wand may be bonded not to harm you, but the rest of me isn't," Snape whispered in his best dangerous Death Eater voice, but he had to admit, Stone Face was a damn sight better than Snivellus. He wasn't completely convinced that he wasn't feeling a certain pride in it. After all, hiding his emotions is what he did rather well - most of the time.

Lupin turned the handle and went in, followed by Snape. One by one the men in the room turned to Lupin and looked at the newcomer, friendly looks, without aggression or rancour.

"Guys," Lupin said cheerfully. "This is Seth Moore - my mate." David shot a startled look between Lupin and Snape, but he held his tongue although Snape could see that he was only just managing not to babble something as Lupin looped his arm over Snape's shoulders possessively.

"Seth, this is Conway," ("Yo, Seth!") "Thad," ("Hey man.") "Jethro, Freddie, Acastus," (each a fairly normal "Hi.") "Zebedee," (a nod as he practised the fingering on the fret board of his guitar) "and the crew: David," (a look of complete confusion at Lupin's possessive stance over Snape,) Spindle, (a peace sign – Snape hadn't seen one of those for a long time) "Dollop," (a strange, gap-toothed smile from the huge man) "and Pisser."

Stone face. Yes, he could absolutely do a stone face until he was alone with Lupin then he would beat the man black and blue for not warning him about those last two names.

"Will you have something to eat with us?" Conway said, in a very pronounced Irish accent.

"Not to worry," Lupin said. "We'll grab something later. I'll see you guys in a couple of hours."

Still very much stone faced, Snape burned with embarrassment as some of the men started to wolf-whistle and cheer and make comments such as "The quiet ones are always the worst!" and "Bit impatient, isn't he?" and laughter. It didn't seem to bother Lupin, not one bit, as he led Snape out of the theatre and down the alley to a cheap hotel where they had their digs.

Lupin's room was a small single room, not that that the size of the bed ever made a difference to them. As Lupin drew the curtains to give them some privacy, Snape picked up one of the concert programmes and thumbed through it.

"Lycan you love me? Do they get the local kindergarten to compose their lyrics?"

"Not particularly deep, are they? But Lycan has quite a memorable tune, when you hear it." Lupin chuckled again.

"So does Baa Baa Black Sheep."

Lupin beamed at Snape as he put the small electric kettle on to make them tea.

"So," Snape said, drawing out the word, "how does one come to be called 'Pisser'?"

"You know, it's not nearly as interesting as it should be, Severus. Apparently, when he was younger he used to, in the colloquialism of his Muggle junior school, 'piss ball' about, and he got stuck with the name."

"That is quite dull but I'm surprised he puts up with it. I can guess at Spindle," Snape said, taking a mug from Lupin and throwing off his trench coat and boots. Spindle looked to be a good six foot six but probably weighed no more than Potter.

"Are you going to ask me about Dollop?" Lupin asked, patting the bed next to where he sat already.

"I'm sorry to say that I realise he would have been saddled with that unfortunate name by school bullies because of his hulking appearance and rather slow wits, probably due to birth damage or an accident. I think it nothing short of vicious that no-one moved to ensure he was called by his given name rather than entrenching such an unpleasant and cruel descriptive name and I'm surprised that you, of all people, would perpetuate it." Snape sermonised. "Do you even know his real name?"

"Stacy."

"Dollop's a girl?" he said incredulously.

"Nope."

Snape lost his stone face.

oooOOOooo

Once Lupin had recovered from his own laughter at Snape's loss of composure, which in turn could only make Snape laugh at the tears that ran down Lupin's face, Lupin took Snape's mug from him and took him into his arms. Ten days had been too long for both of them and both kissed each other passionately as soon as they came in contact, a hot rock of desire pushed hard into Snape's groin.

Snape snaked his hands under the T shirt and stroked Lupin's chest, abrading his nipples with his thumbs, making Lupin gasp, exciting Snape so that he pressed Lupin down onto the bed, grinding his own hips against Lupin's, the zips and metal fasteners on their Muggle jeans creating greater than usual friction. They were both hard and they ground against each other as Snape grasped Lupin's flesh under his T shirt, pulling it higher as he stroked, as Lupin worked Snape's shirt free and then pushed Snape back so that he straddled Lupin's hips, and Lupin sat up also.

Lupin spelled the buttons of Snape's Muggle shirt open and stroked his hands up from Snape's stomach and across his chest until he reached his shoulders, then he drew the shirt open to sit on his shoulder joints as Snape leant forward to kiss him, intensifying the feel of Lupin's hands on his body, as if each touch left a burning trail that penetrated under his skin.

Snape held Lupin's shoulders tightly, continuing the kiss and Lupin undid the button fastenings on Snape's jeans and lowered them just below Snape's backside and massaged his balls and let his fingers play on the tip of Snape's erection sending shards of hot pleasure through his body. Snape's head tipped back with a loud groan as Lupin began to stroke him and bite at his exposed neck, slowly bending him back so he could bite and lick his chest.

Lupin moved them both towards the head of the bed so he could push Snape fully back and kneeled over Snape's legs, dragging his hands down Snape's sides to make him arch and moan, as he leant forward to kiss down his midriff and graze the head of Snape's cock with the edges of his teeth as his tongue swirled around it and under it, and Snape arched once more with the deep thrill of each touch. Lupin traced the underside of Snape's cock with his tongue and then took him in his mouth. Snape uttered as small cry as he was drawn deeper into Lupin's mouth inch by inch, Lupin sucking on him as he moved his head up and down, making Snape's groin burn brightly and pulse hard with accumulating desire as he knotted his fingers in Lupin's hair and thrust his hips up to meet Lupin's mouth, and then uttered a sharp cry as Lupin's fingers began to play at his opening, and then found his sweet spot. It was all too delicious and he mouthed silent encouragements, his fingers entwined tighter in Lupin's hair as his mind fogged red.

Lupin slowly pulled away, making Snape whimper at the sudden loss of Lupin's hot mouth and open his eyes to see Lupin's leaning over him. Lupin and Snape kissed deeply then Lupin pulled Snape's jeans off fully, and stood and dropped his own, his eyes wandering over Snape's excited, prone body all the time.

"I want to see your face, Severus," Lupin murmured and found his wand, ready to cast Finite Incantatem -

THUD! THUD! THUD! A fist thumped on the door

"Remus! I need to talk to you!"

David.

"I'll kill him," Snape growled as he crawled shakily off Lupin's bed, the transfiguration still intact.

"Unless Voldemort has bought a ticket for tonight's concert, David, you are in big trouble!" Lupin called out, as he pulled on his jeans and pushed his erection uncomfortably back into them and, wincing, did them up, as Snape did the same, grateful for his jeans' looser fit.

Lupin undid his charms and swung the door open.

"What is it?" Lupin said curtly, actually trying to keep his frustration out of his voice.

"I ... I..." the young man almost hopped from foot to foot.

"What is it?" Lupin repeated wearily.

"I don't understand, Remus!" David said in a pleading voice, indicating Snape with his hand. "I thought ... what about S-'

"Transfigured, David, not that it's any business of yours. Now – if you don't mind ...!"

"Oh! Oh right, of course," David grinned broadly as he blushed. "I understand. He can't be seen ..."

"That's right. Now, not another word. Do you understand?" Lupin said abruptly, and for once, Snape could tell, Lupin was becoming angry, but not as angry as Snape had already become because now he understood.

David beamed happily and, with an apology, closed the door. Snape slashed his wand in angry locking and silencing charms.

"He thinks I'm Black! He thinks you're mated with Black!" Snape shouted. "Why haven't you disabused him of that notion?"

Lupin sat on bed again, looking sadly at Snape. "And who do I say I'm with without putting you in danger, Severus? I've never told David that I'm with Sirius. I only realised he thought that when we were with Zachary's pack. I didn't confirm or deny it. I just said it was too complicated to discuss."

"No need to worry about his being mentally strong enough to break the Memory Charm, that's for sure," Snape spat viciously.

"You really don't like him, do you, and not just because of this mistake?" Lupin said, regarding Snape questioningly.

"No, I really dislike him," Snape replied flatly.

"But why?" asked Lupin.

"He's weak – incompetent."

"He's not powerful like you or Kingsley, certainly not like Moody, but he's competent enough. He was a quill-pusher at Gringotts, Severus. He's only just learning to deal with werewolf packs, duelling and Dark magic. Everyone has to learn somewhere," Lupin said.

"He didn't even have a second wand, Remus," Snape said bitterly.

"Is that what this is about? My capture?" Snape's aggressive posture seemed to soften and he looked away. Lupin got up and went over to Snape. "Well, I should have told him. I'm supposed to be his mentor," Lupin said, fairly.

"He is obviously unable to do any wandless magic."

"Not everyone can, Severus. You know, you are rather living up to your name at the moment," Lupin said softly, with a small smile.

"That may be," Snape said curtly, "but the fact remains that if he'd have been competent, you would not have been captured by Greyback."

"How so?" Lupin asked gently, now standing facing Snape, his expression soft and his stance relaxed as he held one of Snape's hands.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe a third year spell like," he shrugged dramatically, "Rennervate!" Snape exhaled, unable to maintain his anger now Lupin was standing so close, understanding his fear. "How much better would your chances of escape have been had you not be knocked out for so long and so near the full moon?" There was a plea in his voice. "Or if rather than go running to his girlfriend to kiss it better he'd alerted a competent member of the Order!"

"He'll learn, Severus," Lupin caught Snape's lips and kissed him gently, pressing against him until Snape could deny himself no longer, and released himself into the kiss and the warm embrace. Then Lupin spoke into Snape's hair. "I love you, Severus. Now," Lupin moved away and pointed his wand at Snape's face, "Finite Incantatem. Come back to bed."

oooOOOooo

Two hours later, transfiguration back in place, they made their way back to the Palais and the green room. Snape's nose wrinkled at the leaden smoke in the air.

"Remus. Their eyes. That stink. What on earth have they been smoking?" Snape asked.

"Effy," said Conway, happily. "Want some?"

"We're ... a bit old for all that," Lupin said mildly as he served himself and Snape from the vending machine.

Not to mention in disguise and under cover. What is David playing at? Snape thought to Lupin who covered a small smile with his hand at David enjoying a shared roll-up with Thad.

"What's Effy?" Snape asked once they were in a corner with their plastic cups with contents that bore little resemblance to tea.

"Sprout's Efficacious," Lupin said. "Good stuff. Quite useful after transformations for easing the pain."

"Sprout? Not ...?"

"The very same," Lupin nodded with an amused expression on his face.

"Are you telling me that my colleague grows and distributes narcotics?" Snape was nothing short of astounded.

"Relaxants actually," Lupin corrected, "although regular use is habit-forming." He nodded in the direction of David, Acastus and Thad who looked completely blank. "I used to use it occasionally after transformations, before Wolfsbane. Pomona would sprinkle it in my drinks. It would help."

"I don't know what to say," Snape almost stuttered.

"Never brewed anything you shouldn't have, Severus?" Lupin said, knowingly, as he took a sip of tea to cover a smile. "Or taken something not quite – legal or Light?"

"I'm a D - ..." Snape stopped himself and dropped his voice to a very low whisper, "you know what I am, but Pomona Sprout? I never would have thought ..."

"Really?" Lupin shrugged. "And yet, I would have thought it was obvious!"

BAM!

Most of the men leapt to their feet as they heard the large metal fire doors being flung open and a commotion of shouting coming from the corridors. Wands were in hands immediately as they ran (some more steadily than others) to the stage towards the noise and found Greyback and nine of his pack charging towards them, firing off curses.

Snape saw Greyback growl when he set eyes on Lupin and he started to lumber towards him, snarling. Snape wasn't having that, not after all they'd been through. He elbowed his way in front of Lupin and unleashed a furious volley of Stunning, Whipping and Burning Hexes that drove Greyback stumbling backwards with their power and ferocity, away from Lupin.

"Nero! Help me with this one! Aidan! Take the others and finish the soft boys!" Greyback yelled. A large, shabby werewolf Stunned David and flipped a fast Petrificus Totalus at Conway, both with absurd ease due to their own slow reactions, and then turned his wand on Snape. Snape smiled crookedly. Two was fine. He cast a Gemino variant to his wand so his spells were cast at each of his assailants with the same speed and ferocity. He could see the apprehension on Nero's face, as he summoned all his resources to duel this unknown sandy-haired wizard but soon succumbed, burnt and whipped, to a well-placed Stunner and was bound within an instant, leaving only Snape and Greyback resuming their fierce one-on-one duel.

Lupin was to his side duelling two werewolves of his own, both young and large and both intent on practising the Killing Curse on him. Lupin's reflexes were more than up to the task of slipping out of the line of each curse until he felled them both with Stunners and bound them then turned to help Spindle and Jethro who were duelling another two, clearly faster duellists than they. As the four duelled, Lupin took his opportunity and cast Stunners and body binds at both opponents.

During this, Zebedee and Freddie took on two fearsome looking werewolves. Zebedee was felled quickly by one, who subjected him to the Cruciatus as Freddie became more and more anxious at hearing the screaming and overpowered his opponent with a fierce Repulsion Jinx that sent him flying into the wall, knocking him unconscious. Freddie turned his attention to the werewolf torturing Zebedee and knocked him out with a Stunner.

Meanwhile, Aidan, a short but agile werewolf, and the remaining two werewolves, duelled with Acastus, Thad and Pisser. All were fairly matched, except Aidan who was faster and more practised than the rest of the five put together and landed blow after burn after whiplash on each of the three, until Dollop, unnoticed to the side, thumped one of the three assailants, who fell to the floor, out cold.

Aidan cast the Killing Curse at Dollop and Acastus tried to throw himself to push the slow man out of its way. But Dollop didn't understand and stood firm like a rock, and the curse caught Acastus, who fell lifeless at Dollop's feet. The big man slowly sank to his knees and moaned, "Castus?" as he tried to shake some life into the body. Understanding slowly dawned on the big man and his moan became louder. As Thad and Pisser continued to duel the remaining werewolf, finally succeeding in Stunning him and binding him, Dollop raised his head and looked for his friend's killer. His eyes fell on Aidan now duelling with one of his own against Spindle and Jethro. He lumbered forward and grabbed Aidan round the chest from behind, incapacitating him, one large hand enclosing Aidan's own and crushing it. Aidan screamed as Dollop broke his hand, and then snapped his wand like a twig.

"Move out, Jared! Wake those who aren't bound!" Greyback bellowed, recognising the ever-diminishing odds and unable to get the better of the unknown sandy-haired wizard. Jared, the remaining werewolf standing, who had been duelling Jethro and Spindle, cast Rennervate quickly to the three werewolves who were unconscious but not bound and they started to retreat as quickly as they were able, stumbling over the rubble and destroyed instruments, rostra and lamps that were strewn over the stage. As Greyback moved back, he cast a departing Avada Kedavra at a grinning Thad who had let his wand hand fall to his side too early. He dropped lifeless as the last of their assailants ran out of the building.

"NOOO!" yelled Jethro and ran to kneel next to Thad, cradling his head on his knees as he started to gently rock. "No!" he whispered.

Everyone stood still and quiet as the man keened softly in his shock.

"That what yer get when you ignore a summons from the Dark Lord," Aidan spat, doubled over his broken hand, as Lupin bound him with Conjured rope. "That's what you'll all get."

"Hit him, Dollop! As hard as you can!" Snape instructed the big man standing over Aidan. Dollop grunted as a half smile grew and his fist drove down, hammer-like, onto Aidan's head with a sickly thud that knocked him out and flattened him in one move.

"You have a new name," Snape said, looking up to the huge man. "I think Wallop suits you better. What do you think?"

The man nodded and pointed to his chest. "Wallop, Set Moe!" he boomed as the Spindle and Pisser clapped him on the back, even though everyone but Wallop was still struggling to catch their breath. Lupin wrapped an arm around Snape's neck and kissed him roughly, then released him. Snape spotted Zebedee, and went to him and fished out his shrunken Apothecary bag from his coat and enlarged some Cruciatus Potion. Spindle and Freddie sat either side of Zebedee as he took the potion, trying to calm him as the tremors chased across his body.

He was about to find the Dittany for cuts and whiplashes and the Burn Salve, when a mechanical caterwauling noise was heard approaching the building that Snape recognised to be police sirens, as Lupin picked his way through the spell damage on the stage and cast Rennervate to Conway who awoke to come face to face with the dead body of Acastus. His face drained.

"It's the Muggle law!" Spindle squawked, surveying the dead, unconscious and bound bodies and wreckage around them. "We'd better blow."

Jethro gently pushed the hair from Thad's lifeless face. "Bye, mate," Jethro said, his voice choked and Snape tore his eyes away from the private grief he saw there.

"So, Remus," Conway said, finding his way through the broken lights and instruments on the stage and getting to Lupin. "I assume the gigging opportunities up a mountain in Wales are a bit limited. Who will we play to? The sheep? Would sheep stay still for a gig, man?" Conway asked, still edged on Effy, Snape could see.

"Probably not, now you mention it," Lupin said, as he took a large swig of water from a bottle, as Snape cast to awaken David from the Stunner. "But you'll go?"

"Too bloody right we'll go, won't we, lads? We want pay-back for Acastus and Thad, but we won't be able to do that on our own." The rest of the band members and crew murmured assent and Wallop held up his ham-like fist. "Wallop!" he growled.

"Good," Lupin said breathlessly. Snape cast a charm on all the bound werewolves to ensure none should see or hear what Lupin did next. Lupin cast Expecto Patronum and the silver wolf leapt from his wand and turned to face Lupin, its ears alert. "Hoc nuntius to Idris of Snowdonia. A group of eight werewolves: David, Conway, Jethro, Freddie, Zebedee, Dollop, Spindle and Pisser coming immediately. We've just fought off Greyback and some of his pack. Identification question: what is Dollop's new name and who gave it to him?"

Lupin sat back on one of the amp cases with Snape, steeling themselves to move out as David said his shaky good-byes to accompany the band as they all spilled into the corridor, with what little they had salvaged, leaving the rest behind for the Muggle authorities.

"Secto tronum," Wallop said, looking admiringly from Lupin to the tip of his own wand and then, when nothing came out, he shook it violently as if that might dislodge a silver wolf from it as he righted the largest of the cases with one hand only.

Snape supposed there were more surreal situations than the one he was in now, but to him to be sitting in Grimmauld Place after an Order meeting having a Firewhiskey with Lupin and Black was more surreal than he cared for. But they had to celebrate sending the rock group to Idris, even though, after Lupin and Snape had described the members to Black, the three had agreed that, just possibly, Idris might not thank them for these particular recruits unless their sad losses had sobered them up to the dangers they all faced now.

However, now, Lupin had intriguingly changed the subject.

"So, how long then? How long has this been going on?" Lupin challenged Black, a broad smile on his face.

"It's early days," said Black, his own smile broadening, but looking very relaxed and smug.

"That didn't sound like early days to me last night," Lupin said with a chuckle. "Silencing charm, Sirius. I recommend them highly." Snape found himself flushing. He really didn't need or want to know about Black's sex life. He got up to excuse himself. "It's all right, Severus. I'll spare your blushes. Merlin knows, I've never been able to make Sirius blush, no matter how hard I've tried."

Black barked a laugh and topped up their glasses. "To Emmeline," he said, his own facade slipping just slightly with booze as his eyes brightened. "For giving a man the rest of wizarding world thinks guilty a chance."

"Here's to second chances," Lupin raised his glass, and Snape uttered the toast.

"Now, Moony, tell me more about this job you did with the band. Why couldn't the lighting be done by magic?" Black asked, leaning forward with interest.

"Well, it's all to do with health and safety regulations that are enforced by the Muggle local authorities ..." Lupin began.

"Elf and safety?" queried Black, his face a picture of bemusement. "What do the elves do with safety then?"

"No, Sirius!" Lupin laughed deeply at Black's clear confusion. "You can't use magic, because the equipment has to be checked by the Muggle council so it has to be done the Muggle way."

"Electrickery! Brilliant! I never knew you could do that. How's it work?" Sirius asked excitedly, rubbing his hands together. "You know, if you tell Arthur you can do Muggle wiring, he'll probably have to find Molly and make another Weasley on the spot in your honour."

"It's called electricity, Black, and you - are an animal," Snape muttered, although he was struggling to hide his own amusement at Black's pureblood ignorance, and Arthur's love of all things Muggle was legend.

"Possibly I am, but this animal is your brother-in-law." Black wiggled his eyebrows at Snape.

Snape's eyes widened, disturbed at the sobriquet. "I don't think so, Black," Snape shot back.

"You know, I'm not sure if I don't get a better rise from you if I'm nice than if I insult you. This may be a profitable line of enquiry." Black rested back on his chair until it tipped on the two back legs as he looked appraisingly at Snape with a huge grin, while Lupin rolled his eyes.

"It makes no difference, Black. Yours is an acquaintance I do not desire either way." Snape folded his arms and Lupin rolled his eyes at Snape this time and excused himself to go to the toilet.

"Yet Remus does, you see. I promised Remus anything for his forgiveness and this is what he wants." Black chuckled and Snape began to feel uncomfortable without Lupin in the room. "Really, I get the best of both worlds, especially since Dumbledore says I'm to insult you to the best of my ability, which is pretty extensive, as you know, to maintain your cover. Who could ask for more?" Black smiled broadly, checking the door to see that Lupin was firmly out of the way. Then he rocked back onto the four legs of his chair, leant forward and stared at Snape intently and Snape's back stiffened, but there was no hatred in that intensity. Not anymore.

"You walked into Voldemort's lair and walked out with Remus and healed his injuries. How you convinced Voldemort to allow Remus back to us, Remus won't tell me ..." Black's eyes searched Snape's, "but I know this, Snape – I know you will have paid a heavy price. I know it. That's how much you love him."

*Hoc nuntius – Take this message.
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You Will Not Kiss Me