Xithion's Gift

Xithion's Gift

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Chapter 6:

The Batty Vampire

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"I don't understand why I have to talk with you at the first place," Sirius muttered. "What's the point?"

"Well, we are supposed to trust each other," Snape said levelly. "Which is quite reasonable, I think."

"Reasonable? What's reasonable about that?" snapped Sirius. "Why should I trust you?"

"Well, you will have to trust me not to mess up the potion you'll be drinking and thus risk your life and sanity," the Slytherin replied dryly. "It'd be much easier if you trusted me in other matters as well. And I have to trust you not to pretend to lose your control and thus make me bear the consequences of any damage you inflict on something or somebody while supposedly controlled by my potion."

"Do you really think that little of me?" asked Sirius disbelievingly. "Look, I do pull pranks and stuff, but never anything like that! Okay, so the Shack thing was bit of an overkill, I'll admit that -- believe me, Remus and James told me that enough times already -- but I definitely won't risk anybody just to get back at you! I'm not that much of a bastard, you know."

"And I'm not that much of a bastard as to mess with your potion," Snape replied. "I think we can trust each other on that. However, I think we'd better learn to trust each other otherwise as well."

"And why's that?" asked Sirius, raising an eyebrow. "It's not like we have to even talk with each other."

"Well, I fear it is indeed so. By Dumbledore's order, we will be partners in every class we have together -- which means Potions, DADA, Charms, and Transfiguration." Snape shrugged, seemingly unaffected by Sirius' disbelieving stare. "Don't blame me, blame the Headmaster."

For a moment, Sirius' mind worked on processing this information and trying to decide on an appropriate reaction. Finally he came to a result and acted on it.

The scream could be heard three corridors down from the Hospital Wing.

*

The next few months went surprisingly easily. Sirius explained that he'd been attacked by some monster from the Forbidden Forest, and nobody questioned him further. To James and Peter's inquiries as of who Remus was sneaking off to meet he told that the werewolf had a secret boyfriend, and made sure the Map was either with Remus or himself at those times. When asked about why Snape and he were forced to be partners, he told that it was Dumbledore's idea to make them stop fighting -- which actually worked, as they had grudgingly agreed on a truce.

He kept drinking the potion and adjusting to his new vampire features. Lucius helped him with figuring out his new powers. Remus and Snape usually tagged along, as neither seemed to mind being up at night when they actually had a teacher's permission to do so. Sirius himself noticed that he was turning nocturnal, enjoying nighttime much more than daylight. He didn't need nearly as much sleep, either, so nobody could figure out that he was staying up most nights. Actually, James commented on how he apparently finally got enough sleep as he wasn't nodding off at lessons.

The first full moon had been difficult. Not because it'd really been difficult -- Lucius had kept Remus perfectly in control, he'd heard -- but because they'd had to explain the other Marauders why there wouldn't be the usual "animal fun" this time. Finally Sirius and Remus had together managed to convince James and Peter that Remus was taking a new, experimental medicine that kept the wolf under control, but they couldn't be there or they'd distract it. At first they'd been doubtful, but as they noticed that Remus wasn't seemingly injured at all this time around they'd accepted the fact that they couldn't be around anymore. Sure, they'd enjoyed the full moon nights, but Remus' well-being was more important.

Despite his new vampiric powers and all the other things going on, however, what Sirius found most interesting nowadays was Snape. (Not that he'd ever admitted it to anyone, of course.) At first he had been disgusted at the mere thought of having to work with Snape, especially as seemingly all their teachers had decided to assign them projects to be completed in pairs. Especially much he'd resented the thought of being Snape's partner in Potions class; who'd want to be paired with the teacher's pet?

At first he'd been determined to do everything he could to bring down Snape's perfect Potions score. However, like he'd come to notice, Snape would have none of that. Being the best student in Potions, the Slytherin was determined to stay as such, even if it meant that he had to drag his unwilling partner through every single step of the brewing process. And he had done exactly that. The first time Sirius had received a perfect score for a potion he had actually brewed half of, not just watched somebody else brew, he'd been filled with a strange sense of satisfaction. At the same time, he'd made a firm decision to work on the skill he apparently did have hidden somewhere. He'd show his parents he wasn't worthless.

And, slowly and surely, he was showing them that. Snape was a surprisingly good teacher when he wasn't concentrating on being nasty, and even though he didn't have the same devotion and determination in every subject as he did in Potions, he was clever. Very clever, to be exact. Sirius noticed that Snape was actually very much like Remus, and that his grades were definitely well earned. And now, being named Snape's partner, he was actually deserving the good grades he got.

During their shared studies Sirius came to know the Slytherin better as well. For example, he found out that Snape was actually Halfblood; his father was a Muggle. Or, rather, had been, as Snape's both parents had died when the boy had been just seven. (At this, Sirius had definitely felt very bad for every time he had taunted the other boy about his parents.) Ever since he had lived with the Malfoys. Apparently Snape and Lucius were actually cousins; their mothers had been sisters. Having been around even before Lucius had been Turned, Snape was also something of an expert on vampires, and often Sirius noticed that the other knew more about his powers than he did. This, of course, encouraged him to learn even more.

Slowly and surely, as his grades got better and he found out more about Snape -- and Snape found out more about him -- Sirius noticed his earlier hatred for the Slytherin slipping. They still kept up a cool facade in the public even though they had stopped open fighting, but whenever there was nobody else around -- or just Remus and Lucius -- they actually chatted and joked. And, to his immense shock, one day Sirius found himself talking of Severus instead of Snape and not even thinking twice about it. While he was stunned, both Remus and Lucius appeared rather smug that day. Severus didn't seem to notice.

However, by the time the Christmas holidays were coming close, Sirius noticed that, much as he hated to admit it, he and Severus had become something of friends. Not that he'd ever admitted it, of course, but it was true. He didn't want to even imagine what James would say if he found out.

Except that James would not find out. Not ever. He couldn't.

At the moment the four of them -- Remus, Lucius, Sirius, and Severus -- were all standing on top of the Astronomy Tower. James and Peter had both already fallen asleep, and Remus and Sirius had sneaked off to meet the two Slytherins. Even though Sirius was nowadays pretty familiar with his powers, they kept meeting at night, as they had found it was quite fun in a way.

"The moon will soon be full," Remus said thoughtfully, glancing up at the glowing light in the sky. He leant back against Lucius' chest, covering the hand on his waist with one of his own.

"So it will," Lucius admitted, apparently not overly worried. Well, he had no reason to be, either. "Will you be staying with me during the Christmas holidays?"

"Of course." Remus turned his head a bit to smile at his boyfriend. "Do you even have to ask?"

"I think I'll be coming as well -- assuming you'll have me around, of course," Severus said, smirking a bit. "What about you, Sirius? Are you going home for holidays?"

"Are you kidding?" asked Sirius disbelievingly. "I'm not going anywhere near my family if I only can help it. They've been only horrible this far, and Merlin only knows what they'll say about me now." To press his point he opened his mouth wide, allowing his fangs to flash a bit. "Most probably they simply wouldn't tell me to come in and let me stand outside until I got bored and went away."

Lucius didn't hesitate one moment. "Well, come with us," he suggested right away.

"Don't be like that, Sirius," Remus said as he saw his friend's disbelieving gaze. "Lucius' parents definitely won't mind another boy there. And besides, what options do you have? Both James and Peter are going to go home this year. You either stay alone at school, go to James', or come with us to Lucius'. And I'd like to see you hiding your 'condition' from James if you were at his home for the whole holidays."

At first Sirius just stared at Remus, and then he turned to glare at Lucius. "You're bad influence on him," he said accusingly. "He's talking like a Slytherin now!"

"Oh, no, I didn't influence him," Lucius laughed. "He's a natural talent, you know." At this, he placed a light kiss on top of his boyfriend's head, making Remus blush slightly. "So, you coming or not?"

"I guess I am," Sirius replied, feigning disgust. In the inside, he was delighted. He definitely hadn't been looking forward to spending the Christmas alone at the school, and going to the Malfoys' was much better than nothing. Maybe he'd actually be able to enjoy the holidays.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Excellent," he sighed in mock disgust. "Another bat to deal with."

Now, Sirius' eyes flashed. Before anybody could do anything, he grasped Severus' arm, dragged him to the edge of the tower, and heaved them both over the edge. Remus and Lucius watched, shocked, as the two now fell right towards the ground, Severus yelping in surprise and fear.

Then, just before they hit the ground, enormous bat wings erupted from Sirius' back. Holding tight onto Severus, he now curved up, somehow managing to stay mid-transformation all the way back up to the tower. Only after he had safely dropped Severus next to Lucius and Remus did he allow the transformation to go through completely and turned into a bat. A second later he was a boy again, grinning madly.

"You -- you idiot!" shrieked Severus once he got over his worst shock, black eyes blazing fiercely. "You could have killed us both with that! How dare you do something like that!"

"Hey, calm down," Sirius laughed, apparently amused at the other's shock. "You should know by now that I can control my transformation for long enough not to get either one of us killed. One of the benefits of being an Animagus as well as a vampire, probably. I just thought you should see what a bat can do."

"You bastard," snapped Severus fiercely. "If you ever even think about doing something like that again, I swear I will kill you. You're not immortal, you know, no matter what the Muggles say."

"Well, well," Lucius said as he and Remus walked nearer to the fighting pair. "I must say that I don't know whether I'm more shocked or impressed. I knew you could control your transformation, but this..."

"Better get used to it," Remus sighed. "Sirius always finds a way to surprise. Always."

Sirius grinned, then shrugged. "What can I say? I am what I am."

*