An Unshaken Trust

An Unshaken Trust

Two nights after the full moon following Albus Dumbledore's death, Remus Lupin turned up at Severus Snape's house. The doors were locked, the wards raised, the lights out, and Severus in bed when there came the sudden pop of Apparation and someone was clutching at Severus' nightshirt

"Severus!" rasped a hoarse voice. "You have to help me!"

"What the--Lumos!" Severus stared in astonishment at the ragged werewolf whose fists were knotted in his pyjamas. His hair was long and straggly, his beard was untrimmed, and his golden-brown eyes were wild.

"Lupin! What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"I need your help!"

Bemused, Severus blinked. "The entire Wizarding world knows I'm a loyal Death Eater, the Ministry has issued a "wanted dead or alive" warrant, and you show up at my house? How do you know where my house is, anyway?"

"Went through your personnel file the year I taught at Hogwarts," Lupin explained, shrugging it off. "And you're no Death Eater."

"I beg your pardon!" Severus snapped, glaring. He and Dumbledore had worked very hard to make sure everyone would think he was a Death Eater. "I murdered the man everyone in the Wizarding world loves, and you think I'm not a Death Eater?"

Lupin shrugged. "Merlin knows I've wanted to kill the man a few times myself," he said. "And anyway, I know you. You're too hung up on the fact that Dumbledore trusts you to be a traitor." He scratched the back of his head vigourously. "Anyway, at this point, if it took Dark magic to deal with this, I'd take the Mark tonight. I need your help!"

This last was delivered in tones so urgent that Severus was forced to believe it was true. "Fine. I'm not a Death Eater. Don't go telling everyone. Now what is it you want so badly that you had to wake me up at--whatever ungodly time it is?"

"I itch!" Lupin howled. "All over! It's driving me mad! Someone's cursed me or something. It won't stop."

Severus had to bite his lips to keep from laughing. Then he remembered this was Lupin, so he laughed anyway. "You itch? Dear God, man, just go ask Nymphadora Tonks what sort of social disease she's given you."

Lupin stopped scratching to glare at him. "It isn't like that, Severus--she's practically a child! Anyway, this isn't a social disease unless social diseases get in every bloody crease of skin and leave little red spots and make you scratch yourself bloody."

Severus' eyes widened. He'd just spent an entire summer with a rat Animagus. "Get the fuck off my bed!" he snarled. When Lupin didn't move fast enough, Severus pushed him. The werewolf hit the floor with a satisfyingly loud thump.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"Haven't you ever had fleas, you dolt?" Severus sat up and cast a series of cleansing and repelling charms on his duvet, then peered over the edge of the bed at Lupin.

The werewolf was rubbing his arse and looking betrayed. Oh, fine, killing Dumbledore earned Severus undying faith, but pushing Lupin off the bed was not on. He rolled his eyes.

"Oh for Merlin's sake. I can tell you won't let me rest until I help you. Just a moment, I have something that ought to help." Grumbling, Severus climbed out of bed and made his way to the cupboard where he stored all his potions. He rummaged around for a bit, then came back with three bottles. "First of all go take a bath. Dump this in the water. Soak in it for at least an hour. Don't use a warming charm on the water or you'll ruin the efficacy."

"Thank you, Severus! Thank you!" Lupin clutched the bottle as if it contained salvation rather than flea dip and hurried off to the bathroom.

Severus went back to bed. The potion would have been just as effective if Lupin had dabbed it on with cotton, and a warming charm wouldn't do anything but give the man a comfortable bath, but Severus wasn't about to tell him that. At least this way he'd get an hour of uninterrupted sleep.

The night's second awakening wasn't quite as rude as the first. Lupin seized his shoulder and shook him, but at least Severus had remembered he was there.

"What, done with that? Right, then drink the blue one."

Lupin did so. "What are these for?"

"The first one is a marinade, and the second one to tenderize you. Didn't you know Death Eaters feast on werewolf flesh at our monthly Dark revels?"

Lupin snorted. "Ha bloody ha, Severus, your sense of humour is so endearing."

Would nothing make the werewolf afraid of him? Severus sighed. "Very well. Drop trou. In fact, take all your clothes off. I might as well get all the bites at once."

For the first time, Lupin looked dubious, but he still did as he was told.

"Lie down on the bed," Severus instructed. "Itchiest side up," he added wryly.

"What were the potions for?"

"The first one to kill the fleas, the second to keep them away from you," Severus explained, unscrewing the lid of the third jar. "This one is to make the bites stop itching."

"Oh, thank you," Lupin sighed. He stretched out on his stomach and closed his eyes.

Dear Merlin, did the man have no sense of self-preservation? Severus could be planning to kill him. Then again, Severus reflected ruefully, if he hadn't killed Lupin immediately for ruining his night's sleep, he was unlikely to do it at this point. He began scooping out glops of ointment and spreading them anywhere he found the angry red rash. This didn't affect him as he coated Lupin's shoulders and armpits, nor did the backs of his knees and ankles distress Severus. But then he reached the part he'd been avoiding--the places where the fleas had obviously felt secure in the folds of Lupin's pants. Severus chewed the sides of his mouth as he slid ointment-slick fingers along the curves of Lupins arse. Breathe, he told himself. Remember you wanted to kill him two hours ago.

Finally he was finished and needed Lupin to turn over. He had to clear his throat before he could speak.

"Other side," he said, his voice not nearly as silky and threatening as it usually was.

"Oh, this is much better," Lupin muttered. "I don't think there are many bites on my front." As he spoke, he twitched involuntarily and whimpered slightly.

"Indeed?" Severus said, proud that his voice managed to sound arch that time, instead of desperately aroused.

Lupin's entire body turned beet red, which was an interesting thing to watch. Finally the werewolf rolled over, displaying conclusive evidence that he had been as affected as Severus by the process.

"No bites, hmm?" Severus said, staring at Lupin's neck and chest out of sheer desperation for his sanity. He began working the ointment over the other man's torso, coating the bites liberally.

"I--" Lupin cleared his throat. "I didn't think it was as bad."

"If you've got fleas on my bed, you mongrel, I'll make you regret it."

"Dumped me off it before I had a chance, didn't you?" Lupin retorted. Oh, yes, he was definitely breathless.

To Severus' despair, Lupin's groin had clearly suffered the brunt of his flea infestation. Severus glanced down at the jar of ointment in his hand. "I think you can manage that bit yourself," he said finally, his voice uneven rather than curt, damn it.

To his disbelief, the werewolf actually smirked. "Oh, but Severus, you've done such a...thorough...job so far. I'm afraid nothing will do but that you take care of this for me."

Merlin, could he fit any more double entendres into one sentence? Severus cleared his throat again, reached down, and then hesitated. "We haven't discussed the matter of repayment," he said suddenly.

Lupin's mouth flapped open, then closed. Severus almost wanted to laugh. "Repayment?"

"Indeed. You don't believe I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart, do you?" he sneered. Then he licked his lips, betraying himself. Bloody hell.

A slow, slow smirk spread itself across Lupin's face. "Oh," he said, his voice low and hoarse as he reached for Severus' hand, "I'm sure we'll think of something."