subtle_simmer ([info]subtle_simmer) wrote,
@ 2006-09-18 22:54:00
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Current mood: sore

Coming Home
Date: Thursday, 21 September
Time: Nearly dawn
Place: Hogwarts
Characters involved: Snape and Lupin
Rating: Not more than PG



Severus didn't loiter once he was released from his 'questioning'. He was furious, and there was far too much to do. Hopefully, Minerva had had the presence of mind to warn Lupin what had happened, that his arrival wouldn't be a total shock. Severus didn't have time for explanations and formalities. They would go after the known 'high ranking' Death Eaters first, yes, but Lupin was believed to be Severus' 'right hand man', and would come high on the priority list as well.

Slinking into the castle through a concealed door low on the east wall that Albus had put in just for him, during the war, Severus was instantly in the dark corridors of his familiar dungeons. He went straight to his own private rooms. He completely ignored his own injuries for the present - couple of black eyes, split lip, a nice swelling to his jaw that probably looked similar to when Lupin had slugged him in the same place years before - this time he had lost the tooth out of the deal - he'd have to take a potion to restore that as well. He was also pissing blood, which suggested some damage to a kidney during the scuffle, so he would be unable to avoid seeing Poppy this time around.

However, such things could wait a little while longer. He took something out of a desk drawer and flooed directly to Lupin's rooms. Now was not the time to wait for trivialities like calling ahead and waiting for permission to come through! Nor to worry if the indecent beast was sleeping without his bloody shirt again.

"Lupin! I must speak with you at once!" he called loudly before he was even completely out of the floo.


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[info]m4moony
2006-09-19 05:21 am UTC (link)
"Remus, they've taken Severus."

Four words and Remus hadn't slept in two hours or more. Minerva had indeed woken him with the news Severus had been taken -- and then promptly left him alone to digest it while she ran off to...well, Remus wasn't actually sure, but he assumed it involved several howlers directed at the Ministry for daring to encroach upon Hogwarts.

For his own part, Remus had not been idle. He was well aware that anything incriminating Severus in any wrong-doing was likely to turn on the pack as well. After throwing on the clothes he generally wore to meet with other packs, he set about secreting the few items he might have difficulty explaining within the Marauder-designed hiddy-holes he'd created in his private corners. Even the twins had nothing like it on the market. Being 'Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers' had not just been about Mischief as they got older.

Then all he had to do was wait...and pace.

Which activity is what currently had him occupied in the small sitting room when Severus' voice startled him within an inch of his life.

"I'm right he--" Remus' sharp response to the proximity of the shout died on his lips at the sight that greeted him as he turned to meet the Potions Master emerging from his floo.

"Bloody hell! What did they do to you!?" Anger and outrage boiled up hot and fast inside him, flashing fiercely behind normally placcid brown eyes. Whoever had done this did not want to meet this Alpha wolf in a dark alley at the New Moon, let alone the Full. Kicking a chair closer to the floo, Remus ordered Severus to "Sit while you speak, then," and retrieved the glass of water he'd poured two hours earlier but couldn't drink and the doily it sat upon to dip into the cool liquid.

"What the hell is going on?"

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[info]subtle_simmer
2006-09-19 05:50 am UTC (link)
"I'll stand," he said crisply with a shake of his head - as much as his side and ribs ached, he wasn't sure he'd be able to easily get UP again if he sat. He was not in any mortal peril, but he would prefer to cling to what little remained of his dignity.

"Ministry shites don't appreciate my sense of humour," he said dryly, holding out a small square of waxed paper toward Lupin, which appeared to have an almost-clear circle of another waxy substance on the surface of it.

"Take this, for Merlin's sake don't argue! It's a time-release Veritaserum antidote. I've not had time to modify it for your metabolism - you'll have one hell of a headache if it actually has to be activated, which it probably will... press it to the inside of your cheek, here."

He demonstrated by withdrawing a thin, translucent, onion-skin-thick disc, about a centimetre in diameter, from his own mouth and then replacing it.

"If you are given Veritaserum, it will burn slightly to alert you. Feign the outward signs of being under the influence, and lie like a rug - they'll never know. You'll need to conceal its existence from anyone using Legilimency, I trust your Occlumency is decent.

"There's been an attack of some sort tonight - they would tell me no details. All I know is someone is dead, the Dark Mark was set in the sky over the location, and of course, as the Next Dark Lord, I clearly had a full explanation for the situation. They were not satisfied with my answers. Then again, I took several pages out of Potter's book for cheek just to make it more entertaining for all involved."

Poppy was going to have kittens by the time Severus made his way to the hospital wing. Especially as he had no intention of being kept from his classes, having gathered, in addition to the antidote for Lupin, several of his own strengthening potions.

"Here I was starting to get bored," he drawled.

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[info]m4moony
2006-09-20 05:40 am UTC (link)
"The Next Dark Lord...horse shite."

Something dark and fierce woke in Remus and was just as quickly forced aside as there was no time for such things. Was there ever going to be a time when it wasn't this simple to switch into 'general' mode? Setting the water and doily back on the side table, he took the thin disk without argument. There were too many people who could be hurt if he didn't!

"A headache I can handle. I'm likely to get that anyway." The grin he offered the other man once he'd secreted the disc inside his own cheek was positively feral. "But then, so might they. There's a couple distraction techniques up my sleeve for their Legilimens."

Retrieving the water, he dipped the discarded doily into the glass and moved closer to Severus in order to try and clean at least a tiny portion of the other man's injuries, starting with a nasty scrape along one fine black eyebrow. Remus didn't have time to try and anaylize the reasons for his fury and concern over Severus' condition, or the protective instinct rising stronger than the Alpha part of him had ever been. The thought was probably high in both their minds that it could be only moments before the knock at the do--

"Open up! Ministry!"

"That didn't take long." Back on the table went the doily and water. "Get going. It won't do any good for them to catch you here. I'll stall in opening the door until you leave. If you can, send a warning to the pack. Tell Glamis to make sure Perry keeps his temper."

"Lupin! Open this door!"

"Coming!" Remus turned back to Severus, tapping his cheek. "Glamis and Perry may need these, if you can?"

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[info]subtle_simmer
2006-09-20 05:15 pm UTC (link)
Had he given the matter any thought, Severus would not have been able to answer precisely why he stood, calm and docile, while Lupin daubed at the least of his injuries. Anger, hot and fierce, burned inside him, as well as a healthy surge of adrenaline from his ordeal, and a sprinkle of endorphins as his nervous system tried its best to soothe the pain-receptors still firing madly throughout his body.

He could sense Lupin's anger, too, of course. It was written in the terse lines of the werewolf's face and coloured every syllable as he spoke. Yet he took time to attempt some brief moment of comfort - that the cut was relatively insignificant in light of everything else didn't matter. What struck him so profoundly is that Lupin took the time to do it, even knowing the Ministry goons would be banging on his door any minute.

Severus actually jumped very slightly when the expected pounding broke the minuscule moment of silence. His own hurts meant nothing to him - he had endured far, far worse in the war. The thought that they would now treat Lupin to the same 'courtesy' was almost unbearable - he would rather face another round, himself!

Nodding briskly, he dropped his voice and prepared to use the floo. He hated to reveal his secret antidote - if any of them were discovered, they'd be re-questioned, while testing for the antidote, first, and he'd have to start from scratch to make a new one. This one had taken years to develop, and he was rather proud of the ingenious way he had made the time-release portion effective.

Ah, well. If he was found out, he could at least publish that particular tidbit with impunity. This was no time to slack in its use.

"Of course, I'm going to the house next," he confirmed in answer to Lupin's fears. "Play nice with the Aurors, Lupin - pretend they are me and you are trying to drive me insane with your kindness. Our solicitor is already on the case, so hopefully they won't 'entertain' you long - and I'll alert Poppy to be watching for your return."

It was as close as he would come to 'be careful'.

The pounding on the door continued, angry and insistent. Severus threw in the powder. He would have to return to his own rooms before he could floo to the house, which was just as well, because he would need more of the antidote discs. "Snape's quarters," he said, and was gone.

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