Werewolves at Hogwarts

Chapter 12

The staffroom was decorated with turnips and white ghost shapes, as well as orange and black streamers. Snape stared around with a glare that almost melted the top off a skull shaped candle. "I left my dungeon full of demented Slytherins ducking for apples and trying to scare each other with creeping flesh charms. I had assumed that the staffroom would be a haven against the madness that claims this pile of stones when Halloween crawls around. However, it seems I was incorrect."

"Hufflepuff," Mosley said cheerfully then buried his nose in his cup when Severus withered him with a glare.

"Oh, lighten up, Severus, you old grouch," Minerva said merrily, toasting him with her punch glass, her hat slightly askew. "Get some of this Mock Rum Punch into you."

"What good is a 'Mock' Rum Punch?" Severus sneered, sniffing the brew and drawing back hurriedly as bubbles went up his nose. "Besides, you can't tell me you are totally sober."

"Well we could, but you wouldn't believe us. Still, bet you there's no alcohol in that bowl, not a trace," Agytha Sinistra snickered, toasting him with her own cup.

"Careful, Severus, your fabled nose might be about to play a trick on you," Minerva warned between spluttery giggles.

Annoyed, Severus dipped out a cup and sniffed deeply, dabbing his tongue into the brown fluid cautiously. It was sparkling on his tongue, carbonated somehow, and sweet tasting, almost like honey. Taking a cautious sip, he held it in his mouth for a few moments then swallowed, not feeling the usual burn that alcohol left behind. "You are correct, Agytha, no alcohol at all in this stuff. There is honey, carbonation from an alkaline mixing with the citric acid, fruit concentrate, probably pulp, and caramelised sugars. Not bad really, but nothing to turn you lot into giggling gerties."

"Told you there was no alcohol in it," Rolanda said cheerfully and held up a square bottle, wagging it suggestively. "Alcohol's in here." All three women burst out in fits of giggles while Snape rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"You're all pissed, and don't expect hangover potions from me, you daft tarts," he told them severely as he caught the bottle and tipped a measure into his own cup of punch. "What is this grog?" he asked as the fumes took his breath away."

"Something last year's seventh years brewed for their leaving party and didn't get around to drinking," Hooch said very seriously as she poured some more. "'S pretty good."

"It's bloody lethal!" Severus gasped as his second mouthful hit the back of his throat and almost burned his tonsils out. "Just for the record, why did the seventh years not finish the moonshine?"

"They were too ruddy pished!" Minerva said and burst out laughing, the others joining in.

Phillip Mosley blinked as the very stern and proper deputy headmistress nearly fell off her chair laughing. He was even more astonished when Severus Snape, humour-ectomy walking, snorted with laughter at her antics, a distinct sway making him lean up against the mantle shelf. Without consulting him, Rolanda Hooch slopped more of the obviously lethal alcohol into Snape's cup and he didn't even seem to notice. Before the Herbology Professor could make an informed decision to warn him, Agytha Sinistra slid down her chair and began to snore quite loudly. Rolanda Hooch kicked her feet a couple of times then shrugged when she didn't wakeup.

"Guess that's Gytha out of it," she commented as she drank some more of the punch. "So, Severus, what you plannin' for the rest of the evenin'? Gonna dissect some rats or something?"

"Nah nothin' so simple nor's much fun. I was goin' t' try an' get some shleep for a change, once the brats had quietened down," Snape replied then frowned before articulating carefully. "I am slurring already, usually takes best part of a bottle to get me this pissed. I'm going to bed, one of you look out for the Slytherins. They were plotting some mischief tonight." He nodded sagely, downed the rest of the cup and wandered off in a very wobbly line for the door. As he reached for the handle, the door opened and made him stagger backwards, clutching at the nearest stable object, which happened to be Remus Lupin, as he came in the door. "Oh good, Remy, you're sober. Those stupid bints got me drunk, and the floor won't stand still now."

Blinking at the fond smile Severus was bestowing on him, Remus looked past the tall thin figure to where Phillip was staring in utter shock. "What happened here? Who hexed Severus and turned him into Sev?" He laughed, slotting an arm around the thin man who was swaying alarmingly.

"They're all drunk, almost instantly drunk on that stuff there," Phillip said helplessly as the potions master continued to lean on Remus' shoulder and nuzzle his hair.

Remus chuckled, fending off a wandering hand, and held a hand out for the bottle. "I had better confiscate that, and get this one home or he is going to be totally embarrassed when he realises how he behaved in public. Yes, Sev, it's time to go to bed."

"Are you going to tuck me in and read me a story, Remy?" Severus asked suggestively with a wicked grin and unfocussed eyes as Remus guided him out the door.

"Only if you are sober by the time we get back to your place."

"And if I'm not?"

"Then we'll see what a few sobering charms can do for you," Remus promised as they made their way back to the dungeon.

"You're no fun," Severus complained as they wove their way down the hall, bending to nibble on Remus' ear and try to kiss him, which threw them both off balance.

"Sev, you are going to hate yourself in the morning," Remus warned, pushing him back upright and stopping in front of his door. "What's the password, Severus?"

"Say 'Hellsbane' and use the wand movements for Wingardium Leviosa."

"Trust you to make it complicated!" Remus chuckled as he drew his wand.

Hauling Severus inside, he just had time to shut the door before he was pressed against it by six feet six of amorous potions master, who seemed to have grown a couple of extra hands. Not that he was complaining, it was the closest he had been to Severus in more than five years, and he had missed him dreadfully. Although he knew it was not fair to take advantage of Sev's drunken state, Remus returned his kiss with full ardour until they were both groaning.

"Too many clothes, Remus," Severus muttered, tugging at buttons and frowning at the unfamiliar. "Why do you always wear those awful Muggle things? You should wear velvet, it suits you."

Remus chuckled and helped him release the buttons on the front of his shirt. Severus immediately ran his hands over the furry expanse of skin and sighed, pulling the smaller man close. "I missed you, where were you? What happened?"

"You left me. You remembered about Voldemort and his attack on you and why you had regressed into childhood and then you carefully and deliberately walled every memory you had of me up so that Voldemort could never use you to hurt me, or vice versa. You told me what you were going to do, but after the war you never came near me again, were totally hateful to me and basically drove me away," Remus said regretfully, working on Severus' old-fashioned style robes with nimble fingers until he was down to the pale, sallow skin he remembered so well. "Oh Merlin, I have missed you too, so much."

Severus gasped when he felt warm lips on his skin, the long, strong tongue of his dreams gliding across his chest. "Remy! Oh please, yes."

"Hush, Sev, take it easy. I'm going to put you to bed my love, and then leave you to sleep. When you are sober in the morning, if you remember and if you want to remember, you can talk to me then."

"No-o-o. I want you now, Remy, I want you immediately!" Severus whined, wrapping his arms around Remus' shoulders and holding him close.

"Well we don't always get what we want, do we, Love?" Remus said in amusement as he backed the taller man over to his bed and drew back the covers. "Stand still while I get these terrible robes of yours off. Honestly, it's worse than trying to peel an onion. Ah! Skin! Oh God, Severus, you are so beautiful! And so thin! You have to eat more, take better care of yourself. Ah, Love, no, I'm not getting in there with you, you would regret it in the morning."

"But I want you to. You kiss better than anyone else in the whole world."

Remus blushed and smiled as he tucked his love's long, pale carcass into his bed and pulled the duvet up to his chin before dropping a kiss on his pale, narrow lips. "I still love you and I always will. One day, when you find yourself again, I'll still be waiting for you."

"Will you really, Remy? Do you promise?"

"I promise," Remus said gently as he stroked the inky black hair aside and smiled as obsidian black eyes fluttered shut. "Oh Gods, Sev, hurry up and find yourself, this is killing me!"

~~*~~

The party was in full swing, the wizarding Radio blasting out some very good dance music. Quite a few older Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had come along to the Gryffindor party when their own house parties started to slow down. Andy and Malcolm were in the thick of the crowd, both dancing energetically with Lisa and Rose, as well as Porter who had been hauled up by Lisa, despite his protests.

Earlier, while the first and second years were up, they had bobbed for apples in a huge tub of water. There had been some games of Blind Man's Bluff which Charlie and Paul had excelled at until Andy made them put a clothes peg on their noses. There had been a few rounds of 'Kiss and Tell', but that had been kept strictly under control by the prefects. Dozens of chestnuts and apples had been roasted over the fire and eaten with honey and washed down with mulled cider or pumpkin juice. Corn had been popped and toffee pulled, before the little ones were sent off to bed, and the older party took over. The lights had been lowered and more than mulled cider did the rounds in small bottles that were carefully hidden from the prefects. There was also a smell of burning herbage in the air, but no one admitted to it.

Porter sniffed thoughtfully at the glass in his hand, as he tried to dance as fluidly as the other four. "I'm sure this is not plain pumpkin juice," he muttered, taking another sip.

"I can guarantee it's not," Malcolm grinned, twirling Andy under his arm and bringing her back with some skill.

Rose laughed when she and Lisa bumped hips with Porter at the same time, making him stagger a little. "Sorry," they chorused and giggled again.

He was about to protest when the portrait swung back forcefully, and white, sheet covered figures burst into the room, yelling at the top of their lungs. He wasn't sure what they were yelling, but they were also tossing something that went off with a bang. The most incredibly disgusting smell filled the room, making people cough and swear. Suddenly, Andy let out a scream of agony, clawing at her face and chest as she fell writhing to the floor, Malcolm not much better as he landed on his knees beside her.

"What is that smell? And what is wrong with them?" someone asked, coughing as the acrid fumes burned their noses.

Porter's eyes widened. "Quick! Get them out of here; the smell is killing them, literally."

There were mumbles and incredulous exclamations, but then Charlie stumbled down stairs, crying and gasping as he tried to block off his nose. Paul followed with his 'Blind Man's Bluff' clothes peg firmly blocking his nose again, a stumbling crowd of juniors followed him as he grabbed onto Rose's robe.

"The smell, it hurts! Get the betas out of here, please," he managed to gasp through the tears running down his face.

Bending, Porter slung Malcolm's body over his shoulder while the girls grabbed Andy and hauled her to her feet. Others came to help as they managed to get the werewolf contingent out of the reeking, foul common room and into the relatively fresh air of the corridor. Many of the others were coughing and gasping as the foul fumes closed off their lungs too.

Rose and Lisa exchanged worried looks as Andy's breathing became laboured and harsh. "Madam Pomfrey's now," they decided, steering for the Infirmary.

~~*~~

Remus, wandering on toward his quarters while dwelling on the opportunity he had just turned down, stopped as if running into a wall. The smell was like a living thing as it invaded the corridor and made him stumble in shock. He was coughing so hard, he didn't see the boys charge around the corner laughing and whooping. They all collided hard in the centre of the corridor, Lupin landing on his back, seeing stars as the back of his head collided with the corridor's flagstones. The boys yelped in horror, but kept going. Stunned, Remus could not get up even though the smell was getting worse, and he could hardly breathe.

He had made it to his knees when the next horde of teenagers engulfed him, these ones a little more careful, but they had brought the stench with them. "It's Professor Lupin," someone exclaimed. "Sir, are you alright?"

"Get that smell away from me, it's making it very hard to breath" he gasped, his head still reeling from the blow.

"Alpha, hold onto your nose, or it will make you throw up. Andy and Malcolm have the smell on them; it's a sort of oil."

"Get their outer robes off them and get them to the Infirmary! Now! Hurry!"

Galvanised the Gryffindors hurried, dragging their professor along with them.