To Hope For Nothing

To Hope for Nothing

~*~

Remember

~*~*~*~

2 Days

~*~*~

Remus lay on his bed in the Infirmary. Poppy hadn't released him yet, and had told that she still wouldn't for a couple of days to come. After that, however, he would be moved to Severus's quarters, like the man had told him. Everything was set with Dumbledore, and, according to the Potions Master, not even Sirius was going to cause problems. He hadn't had the opportunity to ask it from the Animagus himself, as Sirius hadn't visited him yet, not at least when he'd been awake.

That was a relief, really. Remus did love Sirius as a friend, and as a dear friend at that. However, he was indeed with Severus's child. And, as the wolf inside him had found Severus trustable, his human side was also able to trust Severus, knowing instinctively that no harm would come to him from the Slytherin. But when Albus tried to approach him, or even Poppy, he always shied away from them, afraid of being touched by them. Of course he knew that neither of them would ever hurt him intentionally, but he simply couldn't stand any touch from them. Yet at the same time he knew that he wouldn't be afraid of Severus's touch. And that would upset Sirius more than anything.

However, he knew that Severus would take care of him even if Sirius abandoned him. That thought was comforting.

Closing his eyes in exhaustion, he slowly drifted into sleep.

~*~

Remus sighed. He had to visit only one wizard more that day, and then he could go back to the Headquarters where his friends were already waiting for him.

He turned at the next corner, going to use the shortest way to reach his destination.

He knew it had been a mistake at the same moment as he felt a concealment charm being laid over the whole tiny alley. Three Death Eaters appeared in front of him, their wands drawn and pointing at him.

"My, my... What do we have here?" Remus heard a malicious voice behind him.

Remus froze. He recognized the speaker immediately. "Wormtail," he hissed, turning slowly around to face his former friend.

"Exactly," the smaller man grinned. "I'm glad you still remember who I am, Remus." He lifted his hand -- his silver hand -- and brought his fingers mere inches away from Remus's face. "Should I end your miserable life now, werewolf?" he laughed. "Or should you suffer at first?"

"I'm not afraid of you," he snorted. "You can't kill me by only touching me with that." It was a lie, but he hoped that Peter didn't know it. He had once accidentally touched a tiny silver ring of Andromeda Tonks's -- and spent three months in St. Mungo's, on the edge of death. He'd rather not repeat that experience, especially when that as much silver as there was in Peter's hand would have killed him for sure. But he was hopeful -- Peter hardly had heard of that, as he'd been a rat at the Weasleys by that time. However, if Molly and Arthur had discussed his accident in Scabber's hearing...

"You're not afraid of me," Peter echoed. "Are you afraid of the Dark Lord, then?"

Remus shivered and lowered his gaze, not paying a reply to Peter's question.

"He'll be delighted to get Dumbledore's little pet wolf," Peter chuckled. "He sent us especially after you. I think he'll maybe give you to Lucius. And who knows? Maybe I can have some fun with you when Malfoy is through with you."

Remus felt as some Death Eaters grasped his arms. He was dragged away from Peter, then Portkeyed somewhere. He was thrown in a dark cell, and the door was slammed shut behind him.

He didn't know how long he had lain there as he heard Voldemort's voice through the door. "Give him food and water," the Dark Lord hissed to his followers. "But nothing else. No beating, no rapes. Don't even talk to him -- especially not you, Peter. I want him to be unharmed when I give him to Lucius." A dry, hoarse laugh bursted out of the menacing man. "I want to hear him really scream."

Remus shivered and closed his eyes, trying to close the cold laughter of the Death Eaters out along with the sight of the dirty cell.

Unfortunately, he didn't manage.

~*~

"Remus! Remus, wake up!"

Remus stirred in his sleep. Was somebody calling for him?

"Remus! You're having a nightmare! Wake up!"

Yes, indeed. Somebody was telling him to wake up. But who it was? His half-asleep brains felt confused. It wasn't Sirius, nor was it Nymphadora, or Harry, or anyone else of his friends. Still the voice was familiar, he had heard it before...

New pictures flew into his mind.

~*~

"This is my birthday present to you, Lucius," the Dark Lord's voice hissed. "Have your way with him." Then, after a moment, "But don't kill him."

He stared in horror at the Death Eaters around him. Then one of them approached him, his steps determined. Before he could do anything, the Death Eater had grasped his wrist and ripped his clothes off with his other hand. Then he was thrown on the ground, unprotected from any attacks.

Then he felt the pain...

~*~

Severus stared in horror at what he had seen upon entering the Infirmary. Remus was tossing to and fro in the bed, little whimpers and screams escaping his lips. It was obvious that the werewolf was having a nightmare, but he wouldn't wake up, no matter what Severus tried to do to calm him down.

"Remus!" he yelled, continuing his useless attempts. "Remus, wake up -- please --" He stopped. Had he just begged the other man to wake up? He, Severus Snape?

Yes, he had. And he was going to do it again, if nothing else would help.

He leaned over the small brunet, knowing better than to grasp his wrists, if the nightmare Remus was suffering of was indeed about the events of the night a day before.

"Remus," he said again, trying to sound as soothing as possible. If he couldn't make the werewolf wake up, he could maybe at least calm his sleep a bit. "It's okay, Remus. You're safe. It's only a nightmare. Calm down, Remus, I'm here -- it's me, Severus. It's okay, Remus, there's nothing to worry about..."

Little by little, the werewolf seemed to calm down. His whimpers lessened and, eventually, faded away. He lay still, and his sleep seemed to be undisturbed.

Severus stood there for some time, watching Remus sleep. Then the werewolf blinked once, twice, and then awoke wholly.

"Severus," he said quietly. "I had a nightmare..." Closing his eyes momentarily, Remus then brought his amber gaze intent on the Potions Master. "You tried to wake me up... didn't you?" he asked then, already knowing the answer.

"Yes," replied Severus simply. "It was me."

"Thank you." For a moment, neither said anything. Then, however, Remus said, "Could you get that book on that bed in the corner to me, please? Poppy took it away from me, saying that I should just rest without any disturbances, but I'll go mad if I have to think over and over about what happened."

Nodding in mute understanding, Severus went to get the book. To his great shock, however, he then felt the Dark Mark burning in his forearm. He turned towards Remus to tell he had to go, but before he could say anything, Remus had met his gaze with his amber eyes, nodded understandingly and said, "Go. No need to make him angry."

Not even having time to wonder how exactly the werewolf had known what he was going to say -- some odd Lycanthrope instinct, most probably -- Severus left the Infirmary, knowing that Remus would tell Dumbledore the reason of his absence. Once outside the school grounds, he Disapparated immediately, ending up right in front of the Dark Lord. Nobody else was present.

"You called for me, my Lord," he stated the obvious, going to kiss the hem of the bastard's robes.

"That I did. I believe you've by now discovered what has been done to him, haven't you?" Voldemort hissed.

"Really, my Lord, I have," he replied. "Lupin is pregnant with Lucius Malfoy's child."

"Exactly," the Dark Lord said, and smirked. "Perfect." He was quiet for a moment, then continued, "I want you to slip some potion to Lupin to prevent any paternity tests. We don't want them having any proofs, do we?"

"In fact I've already done that, my Lord," he lied without even blinking. "They have no other proofs but his word, and even his memories of the events are rather broken and unclear."

"You've done just right, Severus. I'm very pleased with you." The Dark Lord glanced at him again. "Has anything been decided about the beast's further fate?"

"Nothing has been really decided yet, my Lord," he replied -- or, more accurately, lied again. "But Dumbledore has a strong trust on me. I believe I can convince him to let me take care of the beast, especially as Lupin seems to think I saved his life."

"Excellent. Just don't forget that I also have a strong trust on you, Severus. Don't betray that trust." Voldemort nodded thoughtfully. "Excellent, indeed. You may leave."

"Thank you, my Lord." He kissed the hem once again before Disapparating.