Howling Lesson

An hour later Severus was sure about one thing - it was a lot easier to kill a werewolf than to shut him up. He'd been thinking that Remus was the most talkative person he'd ever come across, but no such luck. It seemed to be a species thing. He looked at his watch. Ten past five. The moon would come up at six, so this would be over in fifty minutes. Good. He watched Remus making a lively comment involving both his arms and a kind of bow to something this Bogguard guy had said. He checked his watch again. Eleven past five. Oh dear.

"Tobias," Bogguard addressed him after Remus had finished his little charade. "It was a pleasure talking to you. I hope Remus brings you along some time."

"I bet he will," he said without so much as a hint of subtext. The last five conversations had made him go through sarcasm and out the other side.

Bogguard left and Remus sighed, flopping on a chair. He made a face.

"What's it now?" Severus asked, rubbing his forehead.

"Your head again?" Remus retorted.

"No," he lied. In fact, his head had been hurting with increasing intensity over the past thirty minutes, and he had the feeling it wasn't going to stop. It was a deep, pounding pain that slowly seemed to work its way down his back and chest. "So, what is it with the face-making? Don't say all that babbling is getting on your nerves too."

"Hm."

Severus' hand fell down. "Now wait. What do you complain about? I've got five invitations including dinner, brunch and something I'd rather think of as ... sportive activity, and Mrs Calahan gave me her private - well, that doesn't count really but: I think I'm doing exceedingly well here. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"I didn't want you to come just to pull acts for me!"

"I meant the socialising."

"Sorry. Yes. I think so ... maybe."

"Maybe? I don't believe this." He grabbed Remus' arm and dragged him over to a free space near the door.

"Hey, let go! What is it with you and your mood swings tonight? Or roller-coasters, more like."

"Look who's talking. And see me laugh."

"Excuse me? I'm the one who transforms into a wolf in less than an hour. What's your excuse?"

"Well, I had to smalltalk with at least 20,5 people per hour. I've invented some really fascinating details about Eagletown's bloody life, and I couldn't even take points from non-listeners like Mr Brushman, or for interrupting me - frequently - at interesting points like Mrs Jeery did. And I had to memorise all those ridiculous names like Espladagos, Mountinshire and Grubbkart -"

"- Krubbgart."

"Don't push it."

Remus gave him an annoyingly innocent look. "Alright. But ... they didn't invite you actually, or ... us. I mean, perhaps it would have been easier with you just being yourself."

Severus mentally clenched his fists. Now he thought of that. "Easier? In what sense?"

Remus didn't reply, but Severus knew anyway.

"Maybe next time you should leave the planning to -" He stopped. All heads had turned in their direction. He forced a smile on his face. "What?" he hissed, out of the corner of his mouth.

But Remus seemed as puzzled as he was. "I don't have the slightest idea. You weren't yelling. For once."

But everyone was already minding their own business again, like nothing had happened. Only Packler was still staring with unhidden discomfort and what Severus thought was disgust. Then he felt someone behind his back.

"Now look at all the little wolvies. Scared ugly freaks they are. Aren't they, Lupin? Just like you."

Remus froze on the spot while Severus jerked his head.

"So this is it? The Pack? Really frightening."

Remus turned around with a most impressive calm.

"Just stay for a little moon-gazing and we'll give you a lesson you won't forget, Malfoy." His voice was completely indifferent. "Bought yourself out of Azkaban, eh? What are you doing here?"

"That's none of your business, Lupin. Talking to you is a waste of time anyway." He looked at Severus pointedly. "And you are?"

Severus tried to come up with an answer, but he somehow couldn't think straight. His head was now sending steady waves of pain through his body and this was just absurd. Lucius didn't belong here. He belonged to the other part of his life. To one of the other parts ...

Lucius curled his lips. "I say?"

Severus caught the quick, worried look Remus gave him but coudn't make anything of it. And Lucius looked as if he'd just come back from a sunny holiday trip. Severus made a step forward. The sudden rush of hate he now experienced took him by surprise. It reduced his headache to a mere background humming.

"I don't need to give you my name. I'm just ... with him."

Remus and Lucius each raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating," Lucius drawled. "Another disgusting detail about ex-professor Lupin. It adds nicely to all the other things on my list."

"Oh, you have a list, Mister ... what was the name again? Melody?" Severus growled.

"Malfoy."

"Never heard of it."

Remus laughed out loud and Lucius shot him a look of pure loathing. "Watch your snout, Lupin. Or I'll make sure you'll end up like that doggy friend of yours."

Remus didn't even flinch. "Save it, Malfoy. None of your threats can -" provoke me, he was going to say, but Severus was faster - and obviously provoked. He grabbed Lucius by the collar of his suit, lifted him a few inches above the ground and then threw him against the door. Heads turned again, but this time more than one face showed a satisfied smile.

"Get out of here, Mallory, or I'll make you."

"It's Malf-"

"It's what I call you! Now get lost before I -"

Remus stepped between them. "Perhaps you really should consider to leave." Remus knew that people sometimes acted differently under the influence of Polyjuice, but this was wrong. Usually they were supposed to display aspects of the other person's personality, if anything at all. Severus should be a lot calmer instead of this. But the look on his face said, wrong theory.

"Apologize first, Mal-few."

Lucius' face was rage-twisted. "Apologize? And it's Mal - "

"As much as I would like to hear it, let's not do this now." Remus was still determined to end this scene, but again someone else was faster. Packler entered the stage.

"Friends and guests," she boomed once more. "Last-minute-thanks are in order before our first ever official Howling takes place. Which is in exactly twenty minutes." An overall sigh was heard from the audience. "Well, before we'll hear Mister Bricky on the topic of 'The Werewolves' Pride', the WWA would like to thank Professor Severus Snape from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for helping us out with this most generous gift of Wolfsbane Potion."

"Is he here?" Lucius asked sharply and Remus tried not to laugh again. He really didn't feel like it.

"Although," Packler went on, "Professor Snape's attempt on flavour might have been a bit, let's say - overenthusiastic."

The laugh was out before Remus could stop it and both Severus and Lucius glared at him.

"Another special thanks this year goes to Mister," Packler breathed in deeply, "Lucius Malfoy. For the donation of 3000 galleons to the Werewolf Orphans' Fund." While the audience fell into an awkward silence, Lucius took his time to bring his suit in order.

"Ahem. So, without further ado - Mister Bricky, please!"

"I'll make it short, brothers and sisters. The common wolf likes the moon ... " Bricky started, but Remus didn't listen. "The Orphans' Fund? You must be joking. This will never work. Just how dumb exactly do you think we are?"

Lucius, who had recovered remarkably quickly, grinned. "Of course it will work, and you know that, Lupin. People are so easily manipulated by money. They are drawn to power. But someone as powerless, and obviously moneyless, as you will never understand that." He cocked his head. "What's with your friend? He looks a bit deranged."

Severus tried to shut out the voices, because his head was on fire. This couldn't be a normal headache, and why hadn't he noticed that earlier? Oh right, because he wasn't quite ... himself. Perhaps a bit of fresh air -

He shoved Lucius aside and stumbled out of the building. He had almost reached the edge of the forest when he felt someone seizing his arm.

"What are you doing?"

Severus shook his head. "I don't ... feel so good. Maybe I should skip the howling." Though - he strangely felt the urge to. He shook his head once more. And I must ask you to be discreet about this matter, Master Snape.

Remus looked at him thoroughly before he let go of him. "I think you should take this Anti-Polyjuice Potion you've told me about and change back."

"Change back? Now? With Lucius breathing over our shoulders?"

"Yes," he said determinedly. "Just do it. I think there's something wrong with the potion. You're in pain, and you're acting stranger than usual."

Severus needed a few seconds to take in the meaning of Remus' words, and then another wave of pain made his legs buckle. After what seemed to be hours, he looked up and saw Remus searching the sky ... looking for your darling moon, wolfboy? ... turning around, looking at him ... down their noses, all the time, at pathetic little Snape ... lots of people pouring out of the shack. And the pain ... Jus' you wait, one day I'll show you ... bite you ... oh, do take care of your chocolate wrappers for once, Lupin, this is my office ... Remus slowly backed away from him ... and hopefully we'll never meet again ... So that was it? It was the worst pain Severus had ever felt.

***