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
- 71
- 72
- 73
Direct quotes in bold from Chapter 32 of OotP and the lyrics for Weasley is Our King are © J.K. Rowling

Chapter 72: Paradigm Shift

Snape had done his very best to ignore Gryffindor's victory for the Quidditch Cup at school. However, he had no such luxury at Grimmauld Place for the next Order meeting. Black and Emmeline, usually so discreet when any other Order members were around, were billing and cooing over each other like adolescents as they bedecked the kitchen in Gryffindor coloured bunting before the Order meeting.

"Ho bloody ho," Snape sneered at Black when he was the first to arrive, not knowing whether he was more disturbed by the Gryffindor bunting or the spectacle of Black with his hands all over Emmeline Vance.

"Cheer up, Snape. At least it was against those boring brain boxes and no-one likes them. Except Remus, of course." Black laughed and sang,

"Weasley can save anything,

He never leaves a single ring,

That's why Gryffindors all sing:

Weasley is our King.

"Sing along, Snape!" Black chortled.

"Where on earth did you pick that up?" Snape said, ruing the day he had ever slipped the idea to Malfoy for a song to antagonise the Gryffindors.

"Well, the kids were teasing Ron with it at Christmas. But Bill's taught me the up-to-the minute version. We could make it the Order's anthem." Black nudged Snape in the ribs and then went to put his arms back around Emmeline's waist who was laughing softly as she placed the Order-sized kettle on the range.

Of course, Lupin had loved seeing Black with a "special friend", as Lupin called Emmeline in a rather old-fashioned way. Lupin thought it must be making an enormous difference to Black's self-worth to have someone to hug, to be affectionate and comforting with, all those things that Lupin had first convinced Snape were worthwhile three years ago.

"You mean shag, don't you?" Snape said dismissively. "He just needed a damned good shag."

"No, I'm sure there's more to it than just a shag, Severus," Lupin admonished. "Although I don't deny, shagging has been good for his temper," Lupin conceded with a small smile.

It was true, Black's load seemed lighter and his moods brighter; he was clean and didn't smell constantly of old Firewhiskey and his humour was consistently good. In fact, Snape didn't know how much more of Black's good humour he could take. It unnerved him. When Lupin was around, it was worth suffering the indignities of Black's idiotic sense of humour and constant trespasses on his person in nudges and claps to the back, just to see the happiness on Lupin's face (not to mention, how his gratitude rather deliciously transferred to the bedroom). When Lupin wasn't there, like this evening, however, it was, at best, a trial – at worst ...

The kitchen door opened and Snape's expression changed from bad tempered irritation to schooled inscrutability as he took his usual seat.

"Bill, Arthur, Molly – you must be so proud of Ron!" Black crowed. "I've just been telling Snivellus ..."

"Sirius!" Molly scolded, and started flapping about Black with a tea towel.

... At worst, it was hell, thought Snape.

oooOOOooo

The following weeks were spent reviewing materials for OWLs; reporting on his spurious advances and then set-backs on the Muggle-murdering potion to the Dark Lord, working on Lycanthropy remedies and his speculations on a cure; reviewing gains and losses for the Dark Lord, reviewing the same information for the Order. It made for grim reading – for one side at least.

Most of the known and feared vampires had now pledged their support to the Dark Lord. There was nothing that the Order could offer them to entice them to change sides – there was nothing the Order was prepared to concede in the way of fresh human victims. All that could be done was to ensure Order members were trained in repulsing them or killing them and ready and able to pass that information on once the Ministry realised the danger looming over the magical and Muggle worlds alike and took action.

Snape had gathered information from Wilkes on various witches and wizards who were being approached by the Dark Lord. Snape was disturbed by the growing numbers being garnered even as Fudge idiotically denied the rebirth of the Dark Lord. It was clear, many others knew the supposed fable to be true and they were making their allegiances known early for best favour. The tally of minor Ministry officials itself was astonishing, and Malfoy and Yaxley were busy attempting to influence those with greater authority, especially now that they had such vital inside information coming from Rookwood. He knew Dumbledore was using his own contacts to block them as much as possible, but now Dumbledore himself was a fugitive, these interventions had become of necessity more convoluted and less effective. He put those reckonings to one side and picked up the next.

New recruits to the Order: a few more Aurors, quite a number of Ministry officials and employees, a few more Hogwarts professors, a number of Gringotts employees (courtesy of William Weasley), quite a number of Apothecaries and Healers (Snape supposed that would be natural to their calling), quite a few in trade - ah – Florean Fortescue – unusual, but apparently, people didn't guard their speech before the ice cream emporium-owner – interesting. Onto the next -

By Snape's reckoning, Idris's pack should now be augmented to over one hundred and thirty werewolves. Those packs that had pledged had each decided they wanted to be part of an augmented pack. Snape wondered how Idris was handling them all, especially the rock group pack. He wished he'd been there to see Idris's reaction to that odd bunch.

/

Before the Order Meeting convened on Snape and Lupin's return from Whitby, Lupin had received Idris's Alpha wolf Patronus, which said, in the Alpha's rumbling voice:

"Are you kiddin' me, boy?"

The voice had not sounded that amused, but Lupin had laughed so hard, it had taken him several minutes to recover his equilibrium.

"A Patronus Howler! Which one do you think finished him off that he had to send me that message?" Lupin had asked, laughing merrily, as they lay in bed at Grimmauld Place that night.

"I don't think any one of them would have inspired him with confidence," Snape drawled, thinking of all of the many things that displeased him that might displease an Alpha of the longevity of Idris.

"Perhaps, it was their 'Whitby werewolves' T-shirts ..." Snape said silkily, as Lupin traced Snape's chest playfully. "Or ... perhaps ..." Snape raised an eyebrow and inclined his head in enquiry, "Conway said, 'Yo.'."

/

Lupin had decided to visit the extended pack in the summer, to lend any support he could. But that was a long way off yet. He and David had just returned from a large pack on Scafell Pike. It had been a difficult infiltration. It had already been visited by Greyback who was due to return for their decision. Remus had spent many days locked in conference with the Alpha and his main lieutenants. Just like Zachary's pack, there was a schism; however, this time, Albany, the Alpha was the one that wanted to affiliate with Idris. He was challenged on his decision by Rufus, a previously loyal Beta, and they had fought. Albany had won, but Rufus and those that followed him had left in search of Greyback and the Dark Lord.

Lupin had only had three days back in London, for meetings with the Order and Dumbledore and what felt like stolen days and nights with Snape, before moving on to the next identified pack: the Ancients of Dartmoor.

oooOOOooo

Snape had arrived at Grimmauld Place, anxious to see Lupin after his latest assignment, and was walking down its grim hallway when he heard Black and Lupin talking animatedly in the kitchen.

"Go on, Moons. Tell me! We always said we'd be godfather to each other's children. Can I be godfather to your cub? Yours and Snivelly's? "

"Sirius!" Lupin scolded. "Still? I thought you'd grown out of that name-calling!"

"Snape's – your and Snape's cub." Black's voice almost seemed to almost bounce in wheedling excitement.

"You know how I feel about that, Sirius. You know how I could never make another werewolf."

"Bet Snape could whip up a potion to sort that though. He may be a snake but – I mean – y'know – he's clever isn't he ...?"

"Yes, he is. And if he could, then our children – if we ever decide to have any - would hardly be 'cubs', would they?" Lupin teased.

"Children?" Black yelped. "Blimey, you're going for a Snape dynasty? A Lupin dynasty? Which name would it be? I suppose that's not important, but ..." Snape heard a pause and he imagined Black raking his hand through his long hair the way he did when something perplexed him. "Blimey, Moony. You've really got it bad for him, haven't you?"

Trying too hard - as good as wagging his tail ..., Snape thought with mild annoyance that he would ever consider Black as a godfather to any child of his.

"As bad as it can get," Lupin confirmed softly.

Snape kicked the troll's foot as loudly as he could to signal his arrival in the hall and the two men stopped talking abruptly. Snape smiled into his chest then schooled his expression to one of disdain as he swept into the kitchen.

"Yes, the surname would be an interesting conundrum for you, wouldn't it, Black? Imagine not marrying one's own cousin with the same surname ... how extraordinary that notion must seem to you ..." Snape said, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Severus!" Lupin greeted him, happily, only wincing slightly as the wide smile hurt his swollen black eye and his split lip.

oooOOOooo

Lupin reported to the meeting that the pack on Dartmoor had proved the strangest by far.

Greyback had been approaching them regularly but they had not pledged to the Dark Lord, but neither would they pledge for the Order. That they truly loathed wizards and witches was not even up for question. For the Ancients of Dartmoor, the oldest pack in Britain, the Dark Lord was also a wizard, even if he was a powerful one, and his dominion was to be resisted at all costs. It seemed so blindingly obvious that Lupin wondered why more werewolves couldn't see it as true. Whatever the Dark Lord promised would always be subject to their complete subservience to him. That was in no werewolf's nature.

For Lupin, just their abstinence from the fight was positive. It was a large pack, well-organised under a monstrously large, aggressive and highly intelligent Alpha called Hereward. It was just the kind of pack the Order did not want forming alliances with Greyback.

Lupin and David had been accepted into the pack relatively quickly, although Hereward had demanded their presence within two days of their arrival once word reached him they were medicated werewolves. Lupin quickly realised there was little to be gained by dissembling with this werewolf: no properly feral werewolves took Wolfsbane, after all, and he did not want to antagonise this leader. He spoke with him in private council over a number of days and it was during these that Lupin gleaned his now extensive knowledge of the pack.

As Hereward became less mistrustful of Lupin, he questioned him about the word that ran with the wolves of the ever-expanding pack in Wales: the pack of Keigwin. Lupin explained that Keigwin was Old English for white dog and it was Hereward's name for Idris. Far from insulting, it appeared the Hereward had a great deal of respect for him. After all, Keigwin had been Alpha of his pack for longer than Hereward had lived – that took cunning and intelligence as well as strength. (And Wandsong, Lupin had thought.)

But the greatest triumph, along with the guaranteed neutral status of the Ancients, was that Hereward had told Lupin that the word with the running wolves was that Keigwin's pack was a safe harbour for those seeking escape from Greyback and the Dark Lord. Lone wolves and small packs were beginning to make their own way to the Welsh mountain without the Order's intervention.

Greyback's aggressive recruitment was backfiring.

oooOOOooo

Usually, if Lupin was home, after the meeting, as the others had a drink together, or sat down to eat, Snape would make his way to the library and throw Floo powder on the fire so it would flare, covering the sound of his Disapparition to Lupin's bedroom. There, he would wait. Somehow, Lupin would transport a bowl of stew and some bread, or a portion of shepherd's pie up to Snape so he could eat whatever they were eating downstairs. It may well have been part of their cover, but, misanthrope that Snape was, it suited him right down to the ground: he never minded missing the chit-chat. In fact, he hated chit-chat. He would eat at the little desk in Lupin's bedroom, then Snape would undress and lie in bed, with one hand behind his head, and wait for Lupin. Sometimes, he would read whatever book Lupin had by his bedside, sometimes not. It beat a social evening with the Order any night of the week.

This evening, however, Lupin excused himself to tend his injuries and met Snape in his bedroom as Snape enlarged his Apothecary bag to get his Bruise Balm and Dittany and applied them as Lupin sat at the table.

"Tell me," he said as he began to dab at the facial bruising and the cut lip.

"Ah," Lupin sighed. "Young David got into a bit of brawl because he mentioned his mate was a witch. I rendered some assistance." Snape raised an eyebrow awaiting the rest. "It was nothing really," Lupin said lightly and then gave a slight hiss of pain as Snape removed his robe and shirt and Snape began to treat the bruises to his torso, his mood becoming darker with each bruise he treated on Lupin's body.

"That young man has the brains of a rocking horse, Remus. He really doesn't seem to know when to keep his mouth shut. And how many did he annoy that you have so many bruises ... he really does need some training. Perhaps that mate of his .." He stopped as he saw Lupin smiling at him, affectionately but with that patient air that told him he, Snape, was becoming aggravated, when Lupin had very different things on his mind as he slowly started to undo Snape's own robe.

"Talk of something else. Let's unwind, Severus," Lupin said gently. Snape put his salve down and relaxed against Lupin as he continued to undress him deliberately slowly and then led him to his bed. They slid under the covers together and Lupin laid on his side to look at Snape.

"Tell me something," Snape said, and Lupin pulled away slightly with eyebrows raised. "That conversation I overheard before the meeting ... does Black understand how we would ... ah ... have a child?"

"Yes, he does," Lupin said, laying his head on the pillow. "He did a lot of research on werewolves when he first found out about me."

"I'm surprised then," Snape said.

"About what?"

"I would have thought that would be prime taunting material against me ... to try to shame me."

"Don't you think he's changed now? Don't you believe that?" Lupin asked gently.

"He tolerates me for your sake, just as I tolerate him. Barely. It makes life easier for us but I know what ..."

"No," Lupin said softly, "not anymore. That's not true anymore. Sirius and I have had many discussions when we've been here on our own. And after I was captured ... well - I know how he's changed towards you – I know. Of course, he teases you! He teases me too! If there were no Voldemort, he wouldn't keep calling you that stupid name and being unpleasant just to maintain your cover. It's past ..."

"No, Remus, I can't believe that. He has made plain to me on numerous occasions he thinks I'm tricking you – an unreformed Death Eater who has pulled the wool over Albus Dumbledore's eyes."

"Has he once since you rescued me said these things to you when you two have been out of earshot of other Order members? Hm? Even once?" Lupin said carefully.

"No, but .." Lupin's fingers gently brushed Snape's lips and he shook his head at Snape.

"I don't need you both to be friends, but I'm always optimistic," Lupin smiled. "I don't believe for one minute now that Sirius does not trust you."

Snape looked at Lupin for a long time, trying to assimilate this information – this fundamental tremor in his reality. Did he care? Should it even matter? He didn't like Black. He suffered Black for Lupin's sake, because Lupin meant everything to him. It didn't stop him hating Black, did it? He hated Black. Didn't he? His head hurt. Had his world shifted so greatly yet again? Did Black feel this paradigm shift uproot his own certainties too?

He nuzzled his face into Lupin's neck, a cover to carry on thinking away from Lupin's gaze that seemed to read his inner thoughts and feelings more clearly than any Legilimens ever could.

"Do you ever think about our child, Severus?" Lupin said softly, as he stroked Snape's hair.

"I do. Probably more than I should as we don't know when the Dark Lord will fall."

"He will fall, so we can think on it," Lupin said confidently.

"I worry if I think too much, it will never happen for us," Snape confessed, knowing how much their hopes for a future together meant to both of them.

"How do we get through this if we can't dream for fear of jinxing ourselves? I don't believe in that, Severus. Tell me what you think."

"I wonder if we don't choose, whether it will be a boy or a girl."

"You would prefer to choose?"

"I suppose we need a potion anyway. I could always add another election to it."

"A boy," Lupin said definitely. "A son."

Snape nodded. "Who looks like you."

"What if I want him to look like you?"

"Why would you condemn your son to a life time of jibes about the size of his nose exactly?" Snape snorted.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Severus ..."

"But easier to be conventionally handsome. I want him to look like you," Snape said firmly.

"But without Lycanthropy."

"Clearly. But with your kindness, gentleness, intelligence, magic ..."

"Kindness and gentleness will come from the love we will show him as parents. Intelligence – well, you're hardly lacking in that department." Lupin lay back, with his hands behind his head, as if conjuring the boy in his mind. "I rather hope he will be a potions prodigy like his father. I see him in the cellar with his My First Potions Set, set up next to his dad, who is not at all impatient with him." Lupin said, in a teasing voice, nudging Snape slightly. "And as for magic – well, Severus, you do have rather powerful magic."

"Somewhat Dark for our son, don't you think?" Snape said, now on his side, resting his head on his hand to watch Lupin daydream.

"But your magic wasn't always, I'm sure, and I think mine is only so strong because my Lycanthropy strengthened it."

"Possibly. We don't know, but your intelligence in using it is quite human though."

"We have plenty of time to debate it." Lupin moved closer, and laid his hand softly on Snape's shoulder. Then he looked into Snape's eyes, with a cheeky smile. "Will he be allowed to be athletic if he's so inclined, or is that too Gryffindor?"

"Our son will not be a Gryffindor," Snape said with finality. Lupin started to protest but Snape interrupted, "Or a Slytherin. He will be a Ravenclaw because he will be a clever mixture of the both of us."

"I was nearly a Ravenclaw," Lupin said, looking off to the middle distance. Snape started, quite visibly, and he felt his stomach flutter, not particularly comfortably. "That's right. The Hat wanted to put me there, but it said, as I would always have to have the heart of a lion to get past my curse, my House should be Gryffindor." Lupin turned to look at Snape. "What's wrong, Severus?"

"Nothing, really," Snape said briskly, unaware his confusion showed on his face. "So was I," he said softly, "but I begged to be put in Slytherin, where my mother expected me to go."

"There it is then! It must be Ravenclaw – our own history demands it." Lupin gave Snape a knowing look. "Merlin help him if he's not, I suppose."

"Merlin help him indeed, because the only other choice would then be Hufflepuff ... and that would never do."

"I've met some intelligent Hufflepuffs, courageous ones, even one who hears Wandsong! I hope our son can be whatever he wants to be – even a Quidditch professional, if that's what he wants!"

"Whatever he wants, Remus. I promise we will not ruin his life with all the prejudice that's ruined ours. If that's what he wishes, then as I recall his godfather-elect was no mean show at Quidditch, whilst not as good as his best friend – I'm sure he'll see to his flying lessons ..." Snape said, gruffly with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Lupin gasped and his eyes widened and brightened as he understood the import of Snape's throwaway comment and leant over Snape.

"Thank you, Severus," Lupin said softly, stroking his brow with the gentlest of touches and brushing his lips with a kiss like gossamer and holding Snape's eyes with his own, reading him, understanding him, and yet loving him just the same.

"I don't think I have ever been so happy," Lupin sighed.

So Lupin had made love to him in that gentle way of his that would devastate Snape so completely with its emotion as well as physicality. It was almost as if Lupin could draw Snape's very soul to the surface of his body just so he could caress it and love it. It would always leave Snape in a state of indescribably perfect contentment. How could he ever deny this man anything? Even if it was Black.

He had awoken to the early morning sky, its grey light leaking through the grimy window of Grimmauld Place. Lupin lay next to him, one arm and one leg thrown across Snape's body. He smiled gently to see the way Lupin's head rested on Snape's shoulder, his face towards him, and Snape softly played with a lock of Lupin's hair.

Ravenclaw.

Oh the irony of it, Snape thought now. Now at four in the morning, when the brain could run wild with no cares of the day to occupy it.

So desperate had he been to be accepted into the pureblood House of his mother, he had begged – no - demanded that the Hat put him in Slytherin.

"You've certainly got the ambition to be in Slytherin, oh yes, and the cunning," the Sorting Hat said. "But Ravenclaw is the place to hone your considerable mind and sharpen your wits. There are other paths to greatness, you know ... other forms of power ..."

"I need to be in Slytherin. Make it Slytherin!" young Severus demanded.

Slytherin: where so much had gone so very wrong for him, and fixed the path his father had put him on. Imagine if he had been sorted into Ravenclaw. He wondered how different his life might have been.

Lily. Oh Lily. He never would have become so entrenched in those ideals that hurt Lily so much. They would have stayed friends. Perhaps, in Ravenclaw, he would have made other friends who wouldn't have been constantly demanding he drop his Muggle-born friend, straining at their friendship all the time. Perhaps they'd have become more than friends. The thought stumped him for the first time. No, no, that wasn't who he was, even then. Lily had been everything to him – she was all he had. But they probably wouldn't have been more than friends. Potter would have come along eventually and ...

Potter, Black – no first argument on the Hogwarts Express and from thereon in forever after on sight. The Marauders rarely ever picked on Ravenclaws, he remembered. Potter just would have been a Quidditch idiot going out with Snape's friend. He probably would have sneered at her choice, but lived with it, looking down his Ravenclaw nose with amused condescension.

Lupin. Lupin in Ravenclaw with him. Would they have become friends? Study partners? Studying advanced Transfiguration and Charms together; maybe Runes and Arithmancy. Snape could almost picture them both, studying by the Lake. In his mind's eye, he saw them both in their Ravenclaw colours. In his mind's eye, he was no longer twitchy with the reflexes of fear or cold and unpleasant in self-defence. He stood tall with his friend. His special friend.

Maybe – just maybe he would have been Lupin's first lover, like the Ravenclaw boy Lupin had told him about, and Lupin his, instead of being 'broken in' by bloody Lucius Malfoy. Lupin told him that his first time was a fumbling disaster. It wouldn't have mattered to Snape if it had been; it would have been wonderful compared ... compared with ...

He looked at Lupin's sleeping face again to chase the painful recollection away. He remembered adolescent Lupin, overlaying the unlined features and longer, lighter brown hair, not yet streaked with grey, over the sleeping man – imagining waking to such a sight when he was young: how fine that must have been for that Ravenclaw boy, he thought jealously.

He never would have had his head filled with foul mutterings of Mudbloods, half-bloods and half-breeds. Well, perhaps he wouldn't. Ravenclaws weren't always fair-minded or kind, after all. But he wouldn't have cared about Lupin's werewolfism, he was sure, because they would have talked and he would have found out from Lupin himself. And Snape would have become the greatest Potioneer ever, and found a cure! Idiot Severus! he told himself. At least, he would have ensured Lupin always had Wolfsbane, and not suffered years of neglect.

Perhaps, they would have double-dated with Lily and Potter. The smile on his lips now was twisted between disbelief and amusement. No, the thought was quite appalling, but appealing in equal measure – not to have been excised from her life – still the very best of friends. To have had both of his loves in his life at one time. Well, that would have been the greatest treasure.

He never would have been Dark Marked. Never been in the service of the Dark Lord. He never would have heard the Prophecy. Lily would be alive. Alive today with her husband and family, just as he wanted to be alive with his.

And all because he chose wrongly ...

He held Lupin closer, and closed his eyes, but knew there would be no more sleep tonight.

oooOOOooo

Whilst the fifth formers and seventh formers were taking their OWLs and NEWTs, those particular years seemed to forget that the life of the rest of the school carried on regardless. Lessons had to be prepared and taught, homework marked, detentions supervised and, in Snape's case, Potions brewed.

Snape added the barberry thorns to the Restorative Potion and watched and timed it and then gave it one quarter stir on the application of a dram of firethorn berry juice and lacewing flies until it turned bright blue. He extinguished the flame and replaced the lid to let it steep. Poppy had wiped out his store of this potion on Montague. It was certainly taking a great deal of time to restore Montague's wits to him. Snape wondered just what Montague had experienced between the Vanishing cabinet and the toilet to cause such a mental fracture. He had just begun to clear up when Malfoy came speeding into the classroom.

"What's ... your hurry, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape said coolly. "You know better than to run in a classroom full of potions equipment." Malfoy skidded to a halt.

"Sorry, sir. It's Professor Umbridge, sir," Malfoy said excitedly, his eyes alight.

Snape narrowed his eyes. This could not be good news.

oooOOOooo

Malfoy went into Umbridge's office first, holding open the door for Snape.

'You wanted me, Headmistress?' said Snape, looking around at all the pairs of struggling students. Miss Bulstrode had Miss Granger pinned against the wall, several of his House were gripping Weasley and his sister and Miss Lovegood and Longbottom was held in a strangehold by Crabbe. He schooled his expression to be one of complete indifference.

'Ah, Professor Snape,' said Umbridge, her ugly smile wide. 'Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can please.' (Am I a house-elf, sneered Snape, to be told 'as quick as you please'? Well, I do not please.)

'You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter,' he said, observing her coolly. 'Surely you did not use it all? I told you that three drops would be sufficient.'

Umbridge flushed.

'You can make some more, can't you?' she said, her voice becoming more sweetly girlish as it always did when she was furious.

'Certainly,' said Snape, his lip curling. 'It takes a full moon-cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month.'

'A month,' squawked Umbridge, swelling toadishly. 'A month? But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with person or persons unknown!'

'Really?' said Snape, tamping down any sign of interest as he looked round at Potter, although his instincts told him he very much wanted to know what the boy might be up to now. 'Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules.'

His eyes bored into Potter's, who met his gaze unflinchingly, Potter clearly concentrating hard on letting - no - willing Snape to see ...

'I wish to interrogate him!' shouted Umbridge angrily, breaking his concentration and making Snape break the visual connection. 'I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!'

'I have already told you,' said Snape smoothly, 'that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter – and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did – I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling.'

Snape looked back at Potter, who stared at him, clearly willing him to see. But see what? The Department of Mysteries again. Another dream? He needed his wand to direct this, Potter's message was unclear. Just … who …?

'You are on probation!' shrieked Professor Umbridge, and Snape snapped his attention back at her. Damn harridan! 'You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!'

Snape gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave wondering what his next move would be – how to extract Potter from ….

'He's got Padfoot!' Potter shouted. 'He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!'

Ah. But how is that possible?

Snape stopped with his hand on Umbridge's door handle.

'Padfoot?' cried Umbridge. 'What is Padfoot? Where is it hidden? What does he mean, Snape?'

Snape looked round at Potter and saw the desperation in the boy's face. He knew his face was inscrutable but surely the boy understood that he could no more speak plainly in front of Umbridge than Potter himself could.

'I have no idea,' said Snape coldly. 'Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job."

He closed the door behind him with a snap and swiftly made his way back to the dungeons and to his quarters, to the small mirror by his bed.

"Remus! Remus! Are you there?"

"Severus! What's the matter?" Lupin called back, appearing in his mirror.

"Is Black with you?" Snape said urgently

"Yes, of course." Lupin looked bemused.

"Are you sure? Potter thinks the Dark Lord has him."

"What? He's here, I promise you. He's up with Buckbeak."

"Check, will you?"

"Of course."

He heard the door of Lupin's bedroom open and Lupin call for Black up the stairs ... and Black call back.

"He's definitely there. What's going on, Severus?"

"Stay put. Make sure Black stays put, no matter what."

"What's going on?"

"Just make sure Black doesn't leave, and send for Albus – I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

Merlin knew how he was going to let the idiot boy know he was wrong. He was sure he'd come up with something and he made his way back to the Defence classroom. But he was stopped in his tracks by the sight of Potter, Miss Granger and Umbridge marching out of the Entrance Hall. He watched them make their way to the forest.

Well, he couldn't wait by the main entrance without looking suspicious so he cast a charm to alert him to Potter's return. He waited, pacing his drawing room, and he waited. Eventually, he started to become agitated. He should have followed them. It had been over an hour and Umbridge was no protector in the Dark Forest. He stood suddenly stock still. He knew at that point with pinpoint certainty: the boy was still convinced Black was in the Dark Lord's hands and whatever the trip to the Dark Forest had meant, it had been a ruse to escape Umbridge. What a fool I've been, he cursed himself. He swept back to the bedroom and called Lupin again.

"Severus. Yes. I've been waiting for you to call back. What's going on?" Then Lupin turned over his shoulder. "It's Severus. I think something's wrong." Lupin was joined by Black and Lupin enlarged the mirror so all could speak.

"Potter received a vision of you, Black, as a captive of the Dark Lord. That's why I called Remus earlier to check where you were."

"But that was ages ago!" Black burst out. "What's happened now?"

"Potter went with the Headmistress to the Forbidden Forest. I've been waiting for him to come back to tell him you're where you should be." Black inhaled sharply with offence. "Safe, is what I meant Black," Snape corrected in a cold tone. "Now they've been away too long and I wonder if Potter had tricked Umbridge." Snape turned to look at Lupin. "I'm going to search the Forest but you need to go to the Department of Mysteries to check. Is anyone else available to help?

"Moody, Kingsley and Tonks are in the kitchen. Albus arranged to meet us here. We'll go," Black said hurriedly.

"Black! You cannot go. Wait there for Albus," Snape commanded.

"You can't expect me to wait behind while everyone else looks for my godson, Snape! Don't you dare tell me to wait behind like a mummy's boy!" In that instant, all the old animosity was back as Black's grey eyes blazed in sudden anger and, Snape also saw, in fear.

"No-one's accusing you of that," Lupin said quickly.

"You cannot go to the Ministry of Magic! You'll be seen! Then what good will you be to your godson?" Snape said forcefully at the same time.

Black glared at Snape as Lupin watched the two of them.

"I could no more not go to Harry than you not go to Remus," Black said quietly, locking eyes with Snape. Snape saw the resolve. He understood it.

"But who will wait for Albus? He must be told," Snape blurted as a last resort to try to keep Black there.

Black's steely resolve did not waver. "There'll be someone here for him."
- 71
- 72
- 73
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