The Heart of Night

Heart of the Night

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React and Regret

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2 Moons, 4 Nights

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"Look who's here," said a nasty voice. "Isn't it our resident wolfie puppy? What's the matter, puppy? Lost your bone?" Cruel laughter from various throats immediately followed the comment.

Alan looked up from his textbook. He was busy catching up with the others after the full moon, and thus, he had spent the whole day -- it was Saturday -- in the library. Until then nobody had approached him, save a few of his less scared classmates, who had actually dared to talk with him. Now, however, he saw a group of Slytherins -- young ones, who had not yet learnt to be wary of the teachers.

"I'm not a puppy," replied Alan calmly, turning his eyes back to the book. "At first, like you can see, I am a human, not an animal. And at second, wolves don't have puppies. They have cubs, or whelps."

"Well, you are a mutt anyway," said the same boy who had originally spoken. "Although an average mutt would not be scared of this." With that and an evil smirk, he drew something from his pocket -- a perfectly ordinary cloak clasp of the Hogwarts uniform, complete with the sharp fastening needle. And, like Alan knew very well, even though he had a brass clasp on his cloak, the others had silver ones.

An involuntary shiver ran down the young werewolf's spine. "Put it away," he said quietly. "Please."

"Awww, so the puppy is already afraid," another Slytherin -- a girl this time -- giggled. "Tell us, what would it be like to you to touch it? Would it melt your flesh, or just burn you?"

"Well, let's find out, shall we?" said the boy holding the cloak clasp, an evil glint in his eye. Smirking and nodding, the Slytherins started to advance on the tiny boy. Alan gulped. Suddenly, he didn't feel as safe as he had just mere moments before...

*

Severus stopped dead on his tracks. Suddenly he had a feeling that everything was definitely not all right. There was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind, telling that he should have been somewhere entirely else. Recognizing this feeling as his odd talent and immediately thinking about Alan, he didn't think any further, just turned around to hurry towards the direction where he was being pulled to. Cleopatra Sinistra, who had been talking with him as they walked along the corridors, frowned in confusion.

"I have a feeling something's wrong with the cub," replied Severus briefly, and Cleopatra nodded. She was a Slytherin, true, but she was not as prejudiced as most of her House. And, most importantly, she'd always had respect for Severus. Along with Albus and Remus, she was one of the rare members of the staff who still would look the Potions Master in the eye. Well, the Weasley twins were never hesitant to do anything they thought of, but Severus still did not count them into that number.

So, the new Head of Slytherin House followed the old one as they hurried towards the library. As soon as Severus stepped inside, he froze again, his nose twitching a bit as he caught the scent of Alan's fear -- and silver. Then, with even more determined steps, he walked quickly further into the labyrinth of bookshelves. This time, however, he was not just worried. Instead, his speed was fuelled with pure rage.

*

Alan tried to scream, but the spell one of the Slytherins had casted on him prevented that. True, he should have had superhuman strength, but he was still small and sickly, and still weak from the last transformation. Therefore, the bunch of Slytherins had no problem holding him on his place. The wolf was screaming inside him, though, its pained voice filling his mind as the malicious Slytherin's hands pressed the silver needle deep into his scarred skin and twisted it around inside the wound.

He couldn't stop the tears of pain leaking from his eyes as the Slytherin -- Martin Gisser, his pain-hazed mind finally told him -- pulled the needle out of his arm. There were already a few wounds on his thin, pale arm -- the silver burned its way into his flesh like a hot knife into butter. His whole arm was throbbing painfully now, but still it stung even more painfully every time the needle was pressed into him.

Gisser leant forward again, now preparing to press the needle nearer to his shoulder. However, just as Alan was going to shut his eyes and prepare for the next wave of pain, somebody lifted Gisser from the ground, one hand gripping on his neck, the other on his jaw. Then, in front of the student's horrified eyes, the hands suddenly moved quickly. Gisser's last scream died on his lips as his Potions Professor snapped his neck.

Letting the boy's corpse fall unceremoniously to the ground, Severus eyed the young Slytherins, who were all frozen with fear. "Who wants to be the next?" he asked with a voice that held no emotion at all.

Everybody immediately let go of Alan, who, by now, was just staring at the adult werewolf. Then, noticing Professor Sinistra standing nearby, they all ran to him. "Professor Snape murdered Martin!" shrieked one of the girls, shaking uncontrollably. "He just snapped his neck! Call the Aurors, now, Ma'am!"

"I'm afraid I can't do anything, Marietta," said Cleopatra coolly, having no sympathy at all at the Slytherins. How could they attack a small, scared, defenceless boy? "There's a certain law that states that a werewolf protecting their pack cannot be held accountable for anything they do. And, like I saw very well, I think Professor Snape was truly protecting his pack. If needed, I will even give a testimony in court that his attack was well reasoned." Her cool eyes surveyed the shocked children in front of her. "You, you, and you," she said, picking the ones who had encouraged Gisser most loudly, "it's two months of suspension. And the same time of detention to the rest. I don't want to be the next one dead."

The Slytherins exchanged shocked glances. A few opened their mouths to protest, but, seeing the expression on their Astronomy Professor's face, they quickly shut up and left before anything worse would happen. Even those who didn't have the sense to leave were dragged away by their more sensible friends.

Cleopatra looked after them for a while, then turned towards the two werewolves, and was shocked. Severus was now kneeling down on the floor, and he had collected the tiny shaking form into his arms. "Don't cry, Tiny Ginger Cub," he said with a much gentler voice than Cleopatra could recall him ever using. "They will not do anything to you ever again, Cub. I promise you that. I will protect you."

"It -- it hurt," sobbed the tiny boy. "It was silver and..." His voice trailed off, and more tears bursted out.

"I know, Tiny Ginger Cub, I know," said Severus, again using that odd name. "That bastard will never hurt anybody again. Not ever again. I took care of that." At this, he glanced emotionlessly at the corpse.

"Did you kill him?" asked Alan, although he probably already knew. Cleopatra had seen Severus's eyes glowing golden with rage when he'd gone to the Slytherins, and she knew that Alan had not only seen that, but had also smelled that rage. Severus could have not left Gisser alive when he was that badly outraged. So, when Severus simply nodded, the boy didn't look surprised. He just asked, "Will you get trouble?"

"No, I won't," the older werewolf told him soothingly. "That's one of the very rare good things in the Ministry's werewolf laws... The right to protect one's pack. How many times did he wound you?"

"I -- I don't know," sobbed the boy, still crying. "Many times." He showed his arm, and both Severus and Cleopatra drew sharp breaths. The pale skin was everywhere marked with angry red wounds.

"I'll go to inform the Gisser bastard's parents," Cleopatra suggested, staying calm like a true Slytherin. "You get the boy to the Infirmary. Albus can announce this tomorrow at breakfast, and nobody will ever touch Alan again." At this, Severus nodded. Alan, however, didn't nod. He'd lost his consciousness.

~*~*~*~

2 Moons, 5 Nights

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At breakfast, Dumbledore stood up. "I'd like to make an announcement," he said, looking extremely grave.

Everybody soon quietened down, knowing that whenever the Headmaster was serious, so was the matter. So, it was an absolutely quiet hall into which the ancient wizard spoke his next words.

"Like some of you have surely noticed, a few students are not here," he started. "Yesterday, a group of Slytherin students decided to attack the castle's youngest werewolf, Alan Mortimer, using silver as their weapon. Unfortunately to them, Professor Snape caught them red-handed. Four of them were suspended, the rest were dealt detentions -- save one student." After a brief pause, Dumbledore continued, "Martin Gisser, who was the one leading the group, was immediately killed by Professor Snape."

Of course, this brought a huge uproar of voices. "SILENCE!" roared Dumbledore, but it still took some time before he could go on. "Neither I nor the Ministry will hold Professor Snape in any way accountable of Mister Gisser's death," he said coolly. "He was allowed by the Ministry laws to protect his pack member. I think you might want to remember that the next time you think about bullying young Alan."

Then, the voices went up again, but the Headmaster no more cared. He just sat down and started to eat. However, like the teachers all noticed, he was indeed deep in thought.

*

"I don't know what got into me," sighed Severus, shaking his head slowly. "The moment I smelled them using silver on Alan just -- I was outraged, and so was the wolf. It was like I had no control over myself. I just walked to them, lifted the boy up, and snapped his neck. Simple as that." After a moment of silence, he continued, "He was a Slytherin, Remus -- one of my students. I'm not maybe their Head of House anymore, and he was definitely one of the worst kind of Slytherins, but still, he was my Slytherin, my child. And I killed him because he was hurting a Hufflepuff -- who just happens to be my pack member." Sighing again, he then raised his haunted eyes to the other adult werewolf. "Am I even a human anymore, Remus?"

"Of course you are," replied Remus quietly. "Even more so now than before. If you were not a human, would you see anything wrong in the way you behaved?" As the tall Slytherin shook his head, unable to find an answer, the Gryffindor continued, "It was not insanity, Severus. It was love, love for Alan, even if you refuse to see it as that. Love can make people do funny things, Severus. When you truly love somebody, you are ready to die for them -- or kill for them. It's what parents feel for their children, or wolves to their young. There's nothing more human than love, Fierce Dark Flame."

"But it's not real," argued Severus. "It is not real, no matter what you say. If Alan moved somewhere else, would I then feel that need to kill for him? Would you feel that? No. And that what makes it not real."

"Maybe I wouldn't," replied Remus calmly, "but you most certainly would. It's deeper than just the usual pack feelings now, Severus, and you know it. You've killed for Alan, and that's what makes it different. Your bond has been confirmed. You're about as much a father to him as his biological one."

"Well, isn't that just bloody fabulous," muttered the Potions Master. "I kill a child, a Slytherin to become a father to a Hufflepuff." Then he gave Remus a grim smirk. "Well, at least there's one good thing in this whole ordeal," he muttered. "After all those times the Ministry has accused me of doing things I haven't done, they now can't do anything to me even though I have indeed committed a crime this time."

"Would you have preferred that Alan had died, then?" asked Remus quietly. Like he'd expected, Severus sighed and shook his head. The Gryffindor smiled sadly. "There, you see?"

"That proves nothing," spat Severus. "You're making me choose between an innocent boy I care for and a heartless little bastard of a bitch. What I mean is that I would much prefer that nobody had died. Shit, what I want is to react like a human! Do you know how the students kept watching me today?"

"Probably just the same way they looked at me," Remus said calmly. "Fearful and expecting me to kill somebody. Especially the Slytherins, mind you -- they seem to think we hate them all now."

"So they bloody well do," muttered the darkhaired man. "I had one class with Slytherins today -- second years. And do you know what they did? Paired up with Gryffindors to be a bit safer from my wrath! Paired up with Gryffindors, for Merlin's sake, and the Gryffindors didn't even seem to mind!"

"Interesting," mused Remus. "So one murder is enough to unite the Houses. We should have tried this much earlier." At Severus's icy glare, however, he sighed. "I know, I know. I do realize what you mean. However, Severus, it is the way you are now, and there's nothing you can do about it." Then, his voice hardly more than a tiny whisper that even Severus's werewolf ears almost missed, "I'm sorry. I really am."

Severus sighed also. "Don't be," he muttered. "I lost every right I ever had to be angry at you four days ago." At this, he glanced down at his left arm. Even though the pale arm was well covered by the sleeve of his robe, the only thing that was underneath the sleeve was the scar of the bite that had Turned him. The Dark Mark, the one burden he'd thought he would bear for the rest of his life, had been removed without a trace. Albus had checked it, and, even though he couldn't understand how it was possible, he had told that the Mark would indeed not reappear ever again. Severus didn't understand, either, but he was grateful.

"I did not remove your Mark to make you owe me," said Remus quietly. "Nothing I could do can ever be enough to compensate Turning you." After another sigh, he said, "I think you would benefit from meeting Logan. If anybody can convince you of your humanity, it's he. Maybe we should invite him here."

"Indeed we should." The werewolves both turned around, startled. They hadn't even noticed anybody approaching. As they saw Dumbledore, however, they relaxed slightly. If anybody could walk the halls of this castle unnoticed, then it was the Headmaster. At times it seemed like he could Apparate soundlessly around the school -- or like the school simply moved around him. "Something has happened, my boys -- something that makes it extremely important that you understand and accept your instinct to care for the young of your pack, Severus. I have already taken the liberty of inviting Logan Matson here."

"What has happened, Albus?" asked Remus worriedly, while Severus just gave the ancient wizard a dark glare. "It is something about Alan, isn't it?" continued the alpha werewolf then, still with a worried tone.

"I'm afraid so, Remus," sighed Dumbledore. "You see... young Alan's parents are dead."

Suddenly, there was a complete silence.

*

"Alan?" asked a soft voice from the direction of the doorway. "Alan, are you -- are you all right?"

The young werewolf raised his teary amber eyes, seeing the two adult members of his pack standing there, both watching him with worried eyes. "No, I am not," he replied quietly. "I am not all right. Not at all."

Now, the beta of the pack sighed, walking towards him. "It's okay, Tiny Ginger Cub," he said, sitting down on the edge of the boy's bed. "It maybe doesn't seem so right now, but it will be okay. I promise."

"I knew it," sobbed the tiny boy. "When they sent me to Hogwarts, I already knew I wouldn't see them again. They knew it, too. We never spoke about it, but we all knew it anyway. None of us just knew that it would be they who died first..." Then, the tears continued falling down his pale cheeks.

"How did it happen, Alan?" asked Remus quietly, also walking to the side of the bed. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, but... We'd like to know. Albus didn't tell us anything."

"It -- it was a car crash," mumbled the boy. "Not the most usual reason of death for wizards, I know, but my Dad was a Muggleborn, and he loved all Muggle things. It was four days ago -- my Mom had no living relatives, so my Muggle aunt sent me a letter. That's why it took so long time before I heard about it." Alan was quiet for some time, then said, "Just before my aunt's letter arrived, I got a package through owl post -- you know how they can take a longer time than letters, especially if they're sent through the Owl Post Centre. Anyway, it was from my Mom, she'd sent me a sweater so I would stay warm..." And then, Alan bursted into tears again, unable to talk anymore. Without hesitating, Severus drew him into his arms.

Remus watched the other members of his tiny pack quietly. It was obvious that even though Severus's mind could not accept his bond with Alan, his heart certainly could. Actually, Remus was a bit envious. He was the alpha of the pack, and a tiny part of his mind, the part that was older than werewolves or even wolves, told that all cubs belonged to the alpha. Still he knew that he'd never have the same bond with Alan as Severus did, not even if he killed a hundred people for the boy. The moment Severus had snapped the Gisser boy's neck in the library must have been the first time Alan had seen that somebody else than his parents truly cared for him enough to die or kill for him. At least it had been that if the boy's life had been in any way similar to Remus's. Now, he did not doubt Albus's statement that only Severus could help Alan.

However, he did doubt whether even Severus could do that.

*