Silver Snake

Silver Snake

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Chapter 7:

Incendio

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"What's wrong, Severus?" asked Kingsley quietly, tracing his fingers along the pale man's spine. "You're even more quiet tonight than usually. There's obviously something that is disturbing you."

Now, his lover sighed, rolling over to his back. Staring up at the ceiling, Severus said quietly, "I am worried about Lupin." As Kingsley made a questioning sound, the Slytherin sighed again. "Albus told me not to tell anybody about this, but I can't just keep it inside anymore... Lupin has now reached his true powers. You see, as he's a werewolf, there are restraining spells on his wand that keep him from being able to use more than just a tiny bit of power. However, in reality, he's really powerful -- frighteningly so, even. Now, he's discovered this power, as well as that it's been kept from him all his life. He is angered and feels betrayed by everybody he trusted, and he very well might do something... something horrible."

Kingsley nodded, knowing that even in the dim light of the bedroom his lover would see it. "So you're fearing that he'll become evil because of his now discovered powers?" he asked.

"Evil... or insane. It wouldn't be the first time unleashed power damages the person's mind. Usually wizards can get used to their growing power as it develops by age. Lupin, however, has now received all of it at once, and that might break him completely -- or indeed draw him to the Dark Side. And I don't know which option would be worse." Severus felt a hand petting his hair but didn't mind. Instead, he welcomed the soothing touch, pressing his head against the black wizard's palm.

"Remus is not only powerful, he's also stubborn," Kingsley said softly, wrapping an arm around the pale man's waist. "I am sure he can make it through it. He won't give in to Voldemort."

"I am more stubborn than he is," snapped Severus. "And I am powerful, too -- yet I gave in to the Dark Lord's lies. Darkness has taken some of the greatest men -- and I most certainly am not one of those. And, unlike me, Lupin can never truly abandon the Dark Arts; they will always be a part of him. I, at least, had a choice between light and Dark. To Lupin, there is no choice -- just by existing he is Dark."

Now, Kingsley's gentle grasp turned into a tight embrace. "Don't talk like that," he said quietly. "It is not your fault that you fell. And at least you realized your mistake before it was too late." A hand crawled down Severus's left arm, stopping to gently caress the ugly mark there. "It is not your fault."

"Yes, it is." The Potions Master sighed. "If not mine, then whose is it? I made a mistake, true. I've paid for it, and, hopefully, managed to redeem myself. But it was my mistake, not Voldemort's or anyone else's, so do not try to say that it was not my fault." After a pause, he continued, "But there is one big difference between me and Lupin. If I had stayed on the Dark Side, I might have done some damage. I'm intelligent and I know potions, surely I would have been of use. But Lupin... When I said powerful, I didn't mean more powerful than you and me. I meant that he's possibly more powerful than Voldemort or Dumbledore, even without his wand. If he turns Dark, he might destroy the entire Wizarding World as we know it."

To that, Kingsley couldn't find anything to say. So, instead, he just hugged his lover even tighter.

After a moment they both drifted into sleep. However, Severus's sleep was restless, and he woke up well before dawn, sitting up on the bed with cold sweat running down his back.

*

Remus rubbed his forehead with a hand and sighed. He had definitely got enough reading for one day. With a simple wave of his hand he banished the book to the shelf, then leant back in his chair. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to relax, thinking about the recent events in his life.

Even though Remus was deep in thought, he wasn't too relaxed to not notice the sound of foot steps crossing the room. He didn't open his eyes, though; he knew the sound of the steps and knew who was walking. Therefore he wasn't one bit surprised as Tom stopped behind his chair.

He was very surprised, however, when two hands were placed onto his shoulders. Then he was simply too stunned to do anything as the hands slid slowly downwards and then back up, caressing his chest gently. It wasn't until one hand slid inside his robes and a small kiss was placed on top of his head that he managed to snap himself out of it. Standing abruptly, Remus turned around and shoved Tom away from himself.

"What the Hell do you think you are doing?" snapped the werewolf. A tiny voice inside his mind screamed, Shut up, you fool! He's going to kill you with that rate! However, Remus found himself pretty much unable to care. Voldemort could not harm him, thanks to their bond.

The Dark Lord's answer, however, shocked him entirely. "Seducing you, of course," replied Voldemort casually. "And it does seem like I'm doing a fairly good job of it." Quick as a lightning, his hand was down on Remus's crotch, meeting there clear evidence of the werewolf's body's response to his doings. An unwilled piece of evidence, one that was tried to be put down with all will and might Remus only could summon up, but true nevertheless. One that couldn't be denied.

However, there was no other good response to his actions. "Keep your hands off me!" spat the other man, forcefully removing the hand from himself. At the same time, he was fighting against a strong blush that was quickly making its way over his face. "I'll have nothing to do with you!"

"And yet your body responses to me," Voldemort pointed out with a cheerful smirk. "Admit it," he then said with a low, seductive voice. "You do find me attractive, don't you? So why couldn't you give in? It can't be that bad, you know. In fact, I can be a fairly good lover when I put my mind on it."

"Why are you doing this?" snapped Remus. "Why are you taunting me? I'm sure there are a lot of Death Eaters who would be more than delighted to sleep with their oh-so-mighty Lord. Why on Earth can't you just go to pick one of those sluts and leave me the Hell alone?"

"That is exactly why," replied the Dark Lord calmly. "Those 'sluts' like you call them are only willing to sleep with me because I am their Master. If I manage to get you into my bed, however, it will be because you want me, Tom Riddle, not the Evil Dark Lord Voldemort. And besides, none of those Death Eaters is worthy of standing by my side, or of anything else but one night of fast pleasure. However, I want somebody to stay with me, somebody to share my power and realm. A lover in a permanent, consensual relationship. Is that truly too much to ask for?"

"Yes," said the werewolf sharply. "No matter what you say, I will not become one of your servants!"

"I never said that," Tom said, sounding slightly amused. He raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you hear? I want somebody to stand by my side, as an equal. You might be deserving of that. I'm not asking you to abandon your precious Light Side," he added. "However, you have to face the truth and admit that you can't do anything for them anymore. So why couldn't you be with me? Whichever side wins, you will come out on the victorious side, as my lover or a brave fighter who was unfairly captured." Now, a hand was again lifted and then placed onto Remus's shoulder. The werewolf flinched but didn't take the hand away.

"What's to say that it would happen that way?" asked the younger wizard, feeling his resistance crumbling down under his temptator's charm but too stubborn to give in yet. "That you won't just make me one of your conquests and then abandon me when you've had your fun?"

"Well, look at it this way," Voldemort said cheerfully. "If I betrayed you like that after promising to keep you on my side, wouldn't that be hurting you worse than anything?"

"...Yes," admitted Remus quietly. Then he continued, "However, that does not mean that I am going to give in to you so easily!" He took a step back, but collided with the table. Smirking, Tom stepped forward.

Remus could have easily pushed him away. He was a werewolf, after all. However, as long, slender fingers started to dance along his sides and a heated body stepped even closer, he found himself unable to move.

Unfortunately to Remus's wavering resistance, Lord Voldemort was indeed the master of temptation.

*

Later Remus found himself in a place he'd never thought he'd be at. He was lying on Lord Voldemort's bed, the sheets only covering his sweated body up to the waist, a lean, pale body pressed against his side.

"You are mine now," purred Tom into his ear. "Forever and ever you are mine."

"Yes, I know that," whispered Remus quietly in response. Then he snuggled up to the other wizard, placing his head under Tom's chin. A pair of strong arms was wrapped around him, and suddenly he felt warm, so incredibly warm and comfortable...

Remus drifted into sleep rather soon. That was why he never registered the one last kiss that was almost gently placed on his forehead before his lover fell asleep as well.

*

"Well?" Severus locked his eyes at the werewolf in front of him. Once again he had been asked to stay behind after a Death Eater meeting. And he knew that it couldn't mean anything good.

However, Remus was more nervous than he was. After all, he was the one who had bad news. Well, at least news that would be taken as bad. "I..." Remus drew a deep breath, then forced himself to meet the piercing black eyes of Dumbledore's spy. "Severus, I do not need the potion anymore."

For a moment, Severus just watched him intently. Then he said quietly, "I see." And then, avoiding his eyes -- really! When had Severus Snape ever hesitated looking anyone in the eye? Even Lord Voldemort himself? -- he said again, "I see. Well... Shall I tell the others?"

"I'm not a Death Eater," hissed the werewolf in desperation. "I am not! I'm -- Merlin, Severus, I don't know what I am anymore. But I'm not a Death Eater, that I'm certain about. So, I'm sleeping with the Dark Lord, true, but..." The brunet wizard shivered, closing his eyes momentarily. "He's so charming, Severus," he said then quietly, raising his amber eyes to the other wizard's pale face. "Nice and charming and polite. He's never said a bad word to me. He is intelligent, and cunning, and a good conversationalist -- not to mention an amazing chess player. He has done horrible things, and still does those, true, but it is so easy to forget that when his charm is working on full force. Merlin help my heart, but I enjoy the time I spend with him. Maybe -- maybe I even love him."

"The Dark Lord does not know love," said Severus softly, still not meeting his eyes. "He does not know it now, and he won't. You enjoy your time with him, Lupin, just like I'm sure he himself enjoys his time with you. But don't be disappointed when he in the end is ready to sacrifice you to get to his own ends."

"I'm not expecting anything else," was all Remus said in response.

*

"Severus?" asked Kingsley warily, taking a step towards his lover. "Severus, what is wrong?"

At this, the pale Slytherin turned towards him, rage blazing in his eyes. Kingsley wasn't taken aback by this, knowing well that the rage wasn't targeted at him. "What is wrong, you ask!" hissed the darkhaired man. "What is wrong indeed? Lupin is fucking sleeping with the Dark Lord, that's wrong!"

"Do you mean that he --" Now, the black wizard just stared at his lover, unable to finish his sentence.

"Yes. He is now Voldemort's lover." Severus sighed, all the rage leaving him as he hung his head in sudden exhaustion. "I -- I don't think I feel very well," he muttered quietly.

At that, Kingsley frowned. He knew Severus very well, and knew that he didn't want anybody to know about his possible weakness. Therefore, if the Potions Master said that he didn't feel well, he had to be gravely injured or ill. Knowing this, he stepped forward to put his arms around his lover. Severus weakly tried to push him away in protest, but, after failing to make his stronger lover budge a single inch, the Slytherin just leant back against Kingsley's chest, sighing. "I really don't feel well," he muttered.

"Are you feeling feverish, love?" asked Kingsley quietly. "Perhaps you should see a mediwitch?"

"No! No, no, I'll be just fine. Just let me rest for a minute; I don't want to bother Poppy for nothing."

True enough, after a moment Severus seemed to be better. "You can let go now," he said a bit snappishly. As Kingsley did so, still watching his lover concernedly, the pale wizard took a couple of steps, then staggered. In an instant he found himself lifted up by his lover and carried to the couch.

"That's it," snapped Kingsley. "I am calling Poppy here right now. You are clearly not well."

"Don't!" exclaimed Severus, sounding almost panicked. Calming down a bit, he continued, "I'm not ill, Kingsley, but I am indeed exhausted. I always am after a Death Eater meeting, even if there is no torture. Most of my energy goes into holding up my mental barriers to prevent Voldemort from reading my true thoughts. This meeting was just longer than the others -- he was obviously very satisfied and wanted to brag." With a bitter tone, he continued, "And after the meeting I found out just what made him satisfied."

"This is not the time to be worrying about that," sighed the black wizard, sitting down on the floor next to the couch and combing the other man's hair with his fingers. "If you're exhausted, you need sleep. So, do sleep now. You'll have time to tell the news to the others soon enough. I will watch over you."

At first Severus looked like he was going to protest, but then he seemingly changed his mind and just lay back on the couch. The onyx eyes were closed with a deep sigh. After a moment, he was asleep.

Kingsley, however, remained awake, keeping watch like he had promised.

*