The Heart of Night

Heart of the Night

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Heal

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3 Moons

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As the full moon poured its light onto the grounds of Hogwarts, three wolves once again strolled outside. This time, however, the dark wolf was keeping an extremely close watch on the cub. The smallest wolf was clearly exhausted from the transformation, not running and playing like it usually did.

the black wolf said worriedly to the golden one. He watched the cub stumbling forward, wolf-frowning.

The other wolf, however, just gave him a comforting wolf-grin. he said. However, there was a worried tone in his voice, too, as he also watched the cub.

As the night went on, the wolves finally returned to the castle, the two adult males leading the cub's way. A couple of times the cub even stumbled over its own feet, but every time it went on stubbornly. At last, however, the black wolf could not watch this any longer. Very gently it picked the cub up with its teeth, starting to carry it towards the castle. The Alpha hovered around them, worried.

Little did they know that after the transformation they would have even more to worry about.

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3 Moons, 1 Nights

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Remus and Severus both stared at the tiny, pale form on the hospital bed. Alan's red hair seemed misplaced on his pure white pillow, although just as frighteningly his white skin almost fit it. No sight could have been more disheartening, however, than the tube leading to the boy's thin arm. When Wizarding people trusted Muggle inventions in medical care, it usually meant that the death would soon follow.

The transformation back to a human had been unusually hard on Alan, making him collapse right after it. They had immediately rushed him to the Infirmary, where they had, to their immense shock, discovered that his internal organs had been severely damaged in the transformation. Usually, even those injuries wouldn't have been a problem to a werewolf, but with his disease, Alan couldn't heal from them as easily.

Poppy Pomfrey gave them both a careful, compassionate gaze before speaking. "I am so very sorry," the mediwitch whispered. "However, I'm afraid that Alan will not live another week."

At this, Remus hid his face in his hands. Severus just stared right ahead with unseeing eyes, not saying a word. He didn't trust himself to be able to form a sentence coherent enough to be let out.

Poppy, seemingly realizing that they needed some privacy, quietly left the Infirmary. After a long time, during which not a sound was made, a voice thick with unshed tears finally broke the silence.

"Why do you mourn him so?" asked Severus quietly. "You hardly even know the child. Besides, you said yourself that it's me who has the stronger bond with Alan -- to you, it's just what the wolf feels."

"I do not know him as well as you, no," replied the other werewolf, biting his lower lip. "Nor am I responsible for what happens to him, at least not by Albus's word. But while he is here, in Hogwarts, he is of my pack, I am his Alpha. I should have kept him safe. Now he's dying, and I can't help feeling that it is my fault."

Now, he abruptly rose to his feet. "I have to go to tell Albus," he said briefly. "I'll be back later."

As Remus left the room, Severus was left alone watching the small boy on the hospital bed. Alan was so pale and thin, so fragile. He looked like a breeze might blow him away.

Something inside Severus felt like it was about to break. His heart, presumably, if one wanted to be that sappy. It didn't surprise him. He couldn't remember ever caring for someone as much as he cared for Alan. Well, so he did also care for Remus, but that was very different -- and that he couldn't admit to anyone.

Slipping down from the chair he was sitting on, the Potions Master knelt down next to the cub's bed. Folding his arms onto the edge of the bed and resting his head on them, he watched Alan in silence.

At last, he sighed deep. As far as he was concerned, there was only one thing that could be done at the moment. And that would require using all his natural powers to his advantage.

Oh, Severus knew very well of his powers, unlike he had claimed to his Alpha. He knew that he had the talent of Awareness, or Knowing, like most called it. He also knew what this made him able to do, and therefore, he was currently preparing for something he had never even thought of doing before.

To cross the line between two worlds and enter the realm of Master Wolf.

Master Wolf wasn't just a myth; he'd known that as soon as the first words had left Logan's mouth. Master Wolf was just as real as Mistress Moon, and even more cruel. However, even though cruel, was the father of all werewolves also powerful, and willing to bargain. And thus, Severus would seek his help.

So, concentrating hard on his destination, he closed his eyes and imagined himself sliding out of his body. After some trying, he finally managed to leave the burden of his flesh. Before he could even think about finding Master Wolf's realm, he saw his surroundings changing. The next second, he was in a large, gloomy forest. There was a throne in the middle of a small clearing, and on the throne sat a huge wolf.

He truly was an enormous wolf, his golden eyes silently watching him as he advanced. His fur was long and shiny, all the time changing colours to match the surrounding shadows. When the wolf then yawned, it revealed a mouth full of sharp teeth. Even during its yawn, its gaze never left Severus.

After some time of silence, the wolf spoke. "Speak your mind, Fierce Dark Flame," it growled.

Severus, however, was not startled by the harshness of this command, nor by the flames in the wolf's eyes. "There's a cub in my pack, Master Wolf," he said quietly. "A cub that is dear to me, and that is now about to die of a vicious illness. Allow him to live and grow, and I will be glad to stay as a lost soul in your realm."

Now, the large wolf watched him closely. At last, however, he just barked in laughter. "Truly I see you are ready to even give up your soul for the sake of a mere cub," he said. "Very well, your wish shall be granted. The cub will be healed of his disease, and your Dark soul will stay here for all eternity." He reached out one huge paw and ran a claw across Severus's cheek, deep enough to wound. "It's been done."

And with that, Severus felt all his ties to his body being cut, making him unable to return there. However, at the last moment he was still connected to it, he saw Alan drawing a deep breath and then sitting up.

And as he had seen that, he could not be disappointed.

*

"Poppy, you have to help," Remus said, sounding almost desperate. "I went back to check on Alan. Severus is unconscious, and he won't wake up!" The brunette werewolf looked frightened.

"Calm down, Remus," the mediwitch said, frowning. "Maybe Severus is just sleeping. You know very well how exhausting the full moon can be." As the werewolf didn't look too convinced, she sighed. "Very well. I will come to check on Severus. I'm sure he's all right, though."

So, Remus followed her as she walked to the Infirmary from her office. They found Severus on his knees next to Alan's bed, his head resting on his arms, which were folded on the bed next to the boy. As soon as Poppy got near enough, however, she frowned and hurried to Alan's side instead.

After a moment of checking over the boy, she turned towards Remus, her eyes wide with wonder. "He's asleep," she told. "Not unconscious, but asleep. I can't see any signs of unwellness in him!"

Remus was really shocked. As she then checked over Severus, however, her next words made him even more shocked. "Go and get Albus, now," she said sternly. "I fear Severus has done something very stupid."

Never had Remus before hurried so.

*

"So this was how it ended," sighed the Headmaster as he watched the unmoving Potions Master. "Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. I think I always knew that Severus would not go the usual way."

"What do you mean?" asked Remus. "He's still alive, he's just unconscious! Why do you talk as if he were dead?" He stepped between the ancient wizard and his packmate as if to protect Severus.

"Because in essence, he is dead," Dumbledore replied seriously. "Why do you think Alan has been cured of his illness -- an incurable one, even? Severus did it. A human's soul has great powers within itself, but as long as it is burdened with a body, it can't do anything. On the other hand, if the body dies, the soul has no more power in the living world. Therefore, only by separating the soul from a living body can miracles, such as this, be done." Very quietly, he added, "But, once severed, the soul cannot return."

"That can't be true!" argued the Gryffindor, tears in his eyes. "Surely there is some way to bring his soul back. It has been done before, I know it. I have read of charms that could do it!"

"But Severus is beyond our reach," sighed the other man. At Remus's questioning gaze, he sighed again. "I am afraid," Dumbledore said, "I am afraid that his soul has crossed the borders of worlds."

"What?" Remus was dumbfounded. "But -- but only Seers can do that!"

"Seers, yes," the Headmaster said quietly, "but also Knowers." Remus could hear the capital letter in the word. "Severus is a Knower. Surely you've noticed how he sometimes just knows things? Well, that is his gift in work." After a short pause, he added, "And now he has made full use of that gift."

"I -- oh, Merlin." Remus shook his head slowly. "Well, we don't have to wonder just how much he cared for Alan." A single tear escaped his amber eyes as he continued, "He loved the cub more than his life..." Sighing, he glanced at the now peacefully sleeping child. His instincts told that something was wrong with the cub, but he trusted Poppy, who had said that Alan was okay. Thus, he didn't worry. Well, he didn't worry about the cub. Severus, however, was another matter altogether.

It wasn't until then that he truly realized what had happened. Severus had let his soul be severed from his body -- therefore, he was now dead. His body might breathe, but Severus, the man inside, was dead.

Suddenly, Remus felt his own breath catch in his chest. He swayed slightly. He could barely make out Dumbledore's worried expression as the Headmaster asked, "Are you all right, Remus?"

Then, his vision went black, and he knew no more.

*

"They are not mated, that much I can tell," sighed Madam Pomfrey. "So no, you will not lose another professor over this. However, Remus seems to be in a rather bad shape. He must have been ready to mate with Severus, if nothing else." She cast a worried glance at the unconscious brunet as she said this.

"It is so sad," Dumbledore said quietly. "So they were separated just when they were getting truly close. Has fate not punished them both enough yet?" With a deep sigh, he then leaned down to wipe a lock of raven hair away from Severus's eyes. The Potions Master's body now lay on a hospital bed in one of the private rooms in the Infirmary. Without the soul inside, it would die in a few days. Slowly, the Headmaster walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. Then he walked to Poppy, who was now again crouching over Remus, who lay on another bed nearby. "How bad is he?"

"Like I said, rather bad," Poppy replied with a sigh. "He'll survive, but it'll take a couple of days before I can let him even out of bed. I'm not afraid of him trying to kill himself, though," she added then. "As he's the only adult in the pack now, he couldn't even consider dying and leaving Alan alone."

"Ah, yes, Alan," said Dumbledore with a sad smile. "He must be an incredible child for Severus to be willing to make such a sacrifice." Glancing around, he added, "Where is the poor child, anyway? I thought you wanted to keep him here until you were sure he was okay."

"Wait a minute," Poppy said, suddenly alarmed as she, too, glanced around the Infirmary. "What do you mean by asking where he is? He was here just a minute ago..."

*

Alan glanced warily around himself. He had been awake when they had discussed the Beta. However, he also had been awake back when Logan had told about Master Wolf. Therefore, he was almost certain he knew just where Beta had gone to... and why. To see Master Wolf, and because of him. And Alan couldn't allow that. He couldn't let Beta be hurt, not because of a tiny, useless child like him.

It had been easy enough to sneak out while Madam Pomfrey had been checking on the Alpha. Another reason to do this, there. The Alpha obviously needed the Beta to be happy and healthy. It was Alan's responsibility for the pack to bring the Beta back, as it was because of him that he'd been lost.

Now, he was in the only place where he could achieve that. He had asked the Beta where Dumbledore's Army -- that's how they still called the group that studied DADA outside school lessons -- did their training. Severus, of course, had shown him to the room, as well as shown how it worked. Now, it contained the very thing he needed to bring back the man who had shown him the way there.

The large stone doorway in front of him, however, scared him. He knew that he shouldn't be afraid of it, nor of the fog in the middle of it, as it was his only way to get the Beta back. Still, he was afraid.

After some time, he forced himself to collect his courage. He'd known for a long time now that he wouldn't live to see the end of his first year at Hogwarts, but the Beta still had a long life ahead. Now, he was free of the disease and could have lived on -- if he survived his Lycanthropy, that was. However, he couldn't just live and forget. The Beta had been meant to live, not him. And to correct this error, he stepped through.

The next second he found himself in a gloomy forest. Glancing fearfully over his shoulder, he saw the same doorway behind himself. Severus could indeed go back to the world of living.

As the large wolf saw Alan, he frowned. "Turn away, cub," he said. "This is not your place of being."