Mirrorverse

~~Mirrorverse~~

Just for record, this chap is a 'pretimed' chap, meaning I've turned back the clock many hours from last chap. The other side of the coin so to speak in POV's :) Just so you know what's 'going on' and not wondering why it's not the 'next day' or anything. :nods:

One important note here. Due to the fact that we know virtually nothing about the days of the MWPP, I have sadly run out of pure 'canon' names for 'add-ins'. Therefore (and please don't kill me for this :sigh:) I am forced into using skewed time-lines for some of the canon characters. Yes I know the Weasley's were never at Hogwarts during the MWPP days, I know Lucius wasn't either (not that he is now either, I have something else in mind for that man heh!), we know Bertha Jorkins was a few years above the MWPP, but other than that we know very little. Therefore I'm taking a few err...'liberties' so don't be surprised at some of the names you will see throughout the fic all right? Figured I'd get that out of the way before anyone yells at me saying 'you know that's not possible!' :sighs: Anyway onward!

~~Chapter Four: A Look Into The 'Other Side'~~

Severus and Draco quickly caught up to Remus who was quietly conversing with Frank Longbottom, though they chose not to listen in at the moment. Whatever was going on here was just still a bit much for them both, and right now conversation wasn't exactly what they wanted to embroil themselves into. They both had a funny feeling though these few moments of 'peace' wouldn't last long however, and they were sadly right.

As Frank approached a large portrait of a man that could only be Godric Gryffindor he said the password, 'Bellus Impero' to open the portrait so they could enter. As the three did so however, all they could do was just stare round them in shock and surprise. They expected things to be different, but they were in no way, shape or form prepared for what they were now seeing before them. If things hadn't been bad moments ago, they certainly had just taken a turn for the worse.

The once proud house of Gryffindor was nothing more than a shambles, deteriorated to practically nothing. The commons that used to be resplendent in golds and reds, comfy and cozy, was barely a shell. Gone were the comfortable, warm sofas and overstuffed high-backed chairs. Hard black mesh chairs took their place, and only one sofa in faded gold and red, now tattered, torn and mice eaten sat near the fireplace, empty at the moment. The golden candelabras and scones that had thrown soft light into the room were gone, replaced by only a few candle-lit lamps of smoky dull grey.

The beautiful rugs that you could walk barefoot on and nearly sink into were gone, only hard, cold, grey flagstone in it's place. The portraits of Merlin, Agrippa, the Druidess Cliodna, Ptolemy, and the other 'good' wizards and witches of the ages no longer adorned the walls. The once elaborate gold and red marbled fireplace that used to give off roaring flames of heat and comfort, now was a normal looking small grey stone fireplace without even a mantle above it, and barely a fire blazed there at all.

Above the fireplace however, hung one single portrait. A small collective gasp came from the group of three as they looked into the eyes of someone they knew all too well, yet they wondered how it was possible. Only a small plaque written in golden script told them who they were seeing wasn't the person 'they' knew, and reading the name they wondered how the person in the portrait was related to the person they did know.

Frank however was oblivious to the three as they looked round, instead he went over to a group of four people who were at a long table, obviously doing 'homework' from the looks of it. Frank looked at something one of the girls had written and shook his head, then looked back up at the trio, noticing finally that they were just standing there dazed. 'What's with you guys tonight huh? Honestly, we've got homework to do, stop standing there like someone's died or something will you and come help us with the potion's assignment, before we all end up in detention again!' he said wearily.

'Let me guess, they was with tha' bastard again, weren' they,' a voice drawled now from a chair that was over in one of the corners. Somehow they hadn't noticed the person right off, and they could only stare at the boy now as he got up and walked into the dull lighting of the room.

'Lay off them Aiden, even if they were it doesn't matter. Are you going to help us with the homework tonight or not?' Frank said throwing Aiden a glare.

'Matter's ta me, Frank. Them runnin' round wit' tha' good-fer-nothin' snake sullies th' good name o' Gryffindor. Don' you think tha's importan'?' Aiden said glaring back at Frank.

'Not much more can sully the name these days, Aiden, we all know that,' Frank said heatedly. 'Besides, I found them in the library, do you really think someone like him would go to a place like that? Honestly, you're thinking stupidly, I doubt they were with him at all.'

'Oh let them be for Godric's sake. It doesn't matter if they were or weren't with that prat earlier, they aren't now. Get over it, Aiden, you're just jealous because he took Peter away from us,' a new voice said coolly from the stairway leading to the boy's dorms.

Aiden threw a very nasty look at the newcomer then snorted. 'Now why would I have ta be jealous abou' tha' eh, Billy? Pete wanted ta go runnin' off ta tha' prat. But if they wan' ta go off an' get themselves detention fer hangin' round tha' snake, tha' becomes our problem. No point gettin' into trouble fer these ungrateful bastards,' he said huffily then went back to sit down in the chair he had previously occupied.

The freckle-faced lad with long red hair that was tied back that had spoken earlier gave Aiden a level gaze dripping with ice, and shook his head slowly. 'You've got some serious issues, Aiden Macnair. Peter got tapped, that wasn't his choice and you know it. To refuse the claim mark was asking for his death,' the boy said coldly. He then turned to look at Draco, a look of pity now in his eyes. 'She's in a right snit with you going off like that though. You might want to go say something to her before she - '

'DRACO WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?' a new voice called out angrily, a voice that made everyone in the room wince, even the three newcomers. Two of them especially as they recognised the voice in question, and both slightly groaned at what they had a good feeling was coming up next.

'Now ya've done it,' Aiden said smirking at Draco.

'Done what?' Draco asked, but before he could get another word in he was decked out on the floor. Someone was also now hovering over him with a very irate expression on their face. 'What the hell?' he muttered and rubbed his jaw where he'd been smacked.

'Don't you give me that, Draco Meritus Malfoy! I wait and wait and wait and all you can say is that? Were you with him again? If you were so help me - ' the person began to say threateningly but was cut off by Frank.

'Calm down, Lily! He wasn't with him all right? He was in the library with Remus and Severus, I found them there myself,' Frank said stepping in and picking up a very confused Draco from the floor, as well as trying to hold Lily at bay. 'Honestly, why everyone is jumping to conclusions tonight is beyond me,' he said in exasperation, then turned to Draco. 'All right, mate?'

Draco nodded slowly and checked again to make sure he wasn't bleeding or anything, grateful that apparently all the girl had done was just slap him. It felt worse than it probably was though and he was more than wondering what the hell was going on here. The girl before him looked familiar, and from the looks on Remus and Severus's faces it was obvious to him now who she was. Those flashing angry green eyes could only belong to one person...Lily Potter...or rather Lily Evans at least at this point in time, and in this world. Stepping back a few paces so he wouldn't be in reach of the woman he asked, 'What did I do?'

Lily looked at him like he'd just broken every rule that Hogwarts had and threw her hands up in disgust. 'Now you act like you don't even know what you did? Just great, Draco, really great!' she said completely agitated.

Draco threw Remus and Severus a pleading 'please-to-Merlin-help-me-out-here' look and glanced back at Lily. Remus luckily understood completely, and knowing Lily Evans's temper better than anyone stepped in gratefully. 'Err, we lost track of time, Lily, sorry about that. I'm sure Draco didn't mean to ah...do anything to get you so angry,' he said quietly.

Lily turned and glared at Remus and Severus for a moment, but thankfully her anger abated and she did calm down with a sigh and a shake of her head. 'What am I going to do with you two huh? You know that Drake and I study every night right before curfew, so why do you insist on keeping him all to yourselves for so long?' she said petulantly.

'Err...bad luck?' Remus said with a slight grin, hoping it would ease the tensions in the room. By now everyone in the common's was watching this scene, and Remus was trying in vain to figure out himself what was going on here, and why Draco was involved.

'Hold up here, did you just call me Drake?' Draco asked in a strange voice as he finally began catching up to things, remembering now what Lily had called him earlier. 'Why are you calling me...that?'

Lily rolled her eyes and then sighed exasperatingly. 'Maybe we have been studying too hard, Drake, you're going a bit mental I think these days. I guess I shouldn't complain though, I mean just because you're my fianceé doesn't mean I get to monopolise you all day long eh? You are entitled to hang out with your two best friends now and then,' she said giving Remus and Severus a grin now. 'Just as long as you two keep him out of trouble that is, though I know I'm asking for a miracle.'

Draco was too stunned at what he had just heard to even dare respond to that. For that matter Remus and Severus were pretty much close to being stunned themselves. However, Severus thankfully managed to be least affected over the others and said in an odd voice, 'Fianceé...err...right. Miracle...out of trouble...sounds...good...yes...'

'You know...I think I'm beat...let's ahh...let's get some sleep...right mates?' Remus said recovering a bit himself finally, and giving Draco and Severus strange glances.

'Sleep...yes...sounds...umm...good...right...' Draco repeated, still half stunned.

'Yes, sleep does...err...sound good...to me too...Lu-Remus,' Severus said slowly with a nod towards Remus and Draco.

'Sleep? But...but, Severus...we need help on the potions essays!' Frank pouted now.

'Sleep ha! You three are just up to more plotting if I know you,' Lily said with a huff and gave Draco a knowing glance. 'Oh fine, I managed to get our work done for tomorrow anyway, and I should know trying to keep you three apart if you are planning something won't happen. Don't worry, I'll help them out you three go on and get it over with. Just don't fall asleep on their floor again, Draco, I don't want to have to have Remus or Severus carry you back to our room in the middle of the bleeding night for the third time this week,' Lily said in a huff. With saying that she leaned over and kissed Draco full on the lips to his utter horror, then went over and sat down at the table where Frank and the others were at.

Remus didn't even think twice anymore, instead he just grabbed Severus and Draco's hands, and with a quick apology to Frank for ducking out on him and the others nearly ran with the other two up towards where he hoped his dorm room would be. To his relief at least that hadn't changed, the seventh-year boys dorm was right where it always had been, though when he got there again things were different. Only four beds were in the room, not five. Making a quick check round for a trunk or anything that would indicate his own bed he finally found the one furthest from the door and right next to the window to be his. He practically threw the still dazed Draco and Severus onto his bed, shut the threadbare red and gold curtains round them, put up a silencing spell and finally let out a very long breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding.

No one said anything for a few moments, just looked at each other, none of them was sure even what to say. Finally Draco recovered himself and said in a strange voice, 'What. The. Fuck.'

Severus finally came out of his own daze and snorted at Draco. 'Well that certainly sums things up quite nicely, Mr. Malfoy,' he said with a sniff. 'Wherever did you manage to learn such colourful language.'

'Oh shut up, Severus. Personally I think he has every right to say what he did, and I'm inclined to agree,' Remus said glaring at Severus. 'This is definitely something out of the ordinary.'

'Out of the bloody ordinary? The woman kissed me!' Draco said shuddering now and wiping his mouth as if he was trying to erase what had happened. 'She. Kissed. Me!'

'We get the point, Draco,' Severus said lazily. 'Though I do believe that is something fianceés do with each other,' he drawled now as if he was enjoying the pain Draco seemed to be in.

'Severus,' Remus said warningly and glared again at him, 'this isn't funny. Something is definitely not right with this. Lily as Draco's intended? Where is James then or is he even here at all?' he mused thoughtfully.

'Probably with Harry in Slytherin,' Draco said with a deep sigh. 'Tell me...she did not just say...'our' room...did she?' he said in a small voice, shivering slightly at even the thought.

'I believe she did, yes,' Severus said, and actually gave Draco a look of pity. 'I dare say that does explain the lack of five beds in this room as well.'

'This is not happening. I do not sleep with women, especially when...eww...she's Harry's mum! NO WAY am I sleeping with her! I can't! I love Harry!' Draco said acting like a five year old.

'Draco calm down, pouting will not get you anywhere,' Remus said rubbing his temples now, a deep grimace on his face. 'We have no choice at the moment but to play along as it were with whatever is going on here. If you have to sleep in Lily's room or rather 'your' room, then you have to. I'm sure however you can manage to come up with some excuse to err...fend her off. You're a Slytherin, cunningness is supposed to be one of your strong points.'

'Obviously you seem to have forgotten the fact that Potter and Evans were shagging like rabbits in their seventh-year, Lupin?' Severus smirked causing Draco to groan and flop back against the bed in total defeat.

'Err...well...yes...err...no I mean...I hadn't forgotten that ahh...detail, Severus, thank you. However I'm sure Draco is resourceful enough to figure out something on his own,' Remus said curtly. There was no way he was going to admit it, but the thought of anything connected to shagging anyone at the moment with his own refound youthful seventeen year old hormones was not helping matters at all. Not when both Draco and Severus were currently sitting on his bed, and both were smelling and looking all too good to the werewolf's suddenly hyped up instincts.

The news about Lily and James Potter however only made Draco groan in agony this time, and caused him to sit back up with a heavy sigh. 'Alright, fine, I'll do what I have to, but under extreme protest mind you. It's bad enough I have to be a Gryffindor, but now I have to fight off my boyfriend's own lust-filled mum. Can this day get worse?' he muttered.

'Usually I find that things do tend get worse before they get better, Draco,' Remus said with a slight chuckle. 'Right then, maybe we should do some interacting after all, see what's what. We're not going to learn anything sitting up here that's for sure.'

'I'm not so sure I want to know 'what's what' as you put it, Lupin,' Severus grumbled. 'I know if we go back down there I'll get roped into helping those idiotic Gryffindors into doing that potion's assignment.'

'Don't forget that you are one of those 'idiotic Gryffindors' yourself now, Severus. Besides, we can't ask Draco to deal with things if we're not willing to do so ourselves. We can't make things appear too far out of the 'ordinary' right now till we know what's going on,' Remus said in cold tone of voice.

'There's been nothing ordinary about any of this since we got here. Wherever 'here' is,' Severus replied.

Remus muttered something under his breath and rubbed his temples again, feeling a huge migraine coming on, as well as something else he couldn't quite put his finger on just yet. 'Fine, let's just forget about going back downstairs. I'm not in the mood anymore to deal with those 'strangers' down there. Anymore than I am in wanting to deal with the both of you at the moment,' he said testily.

Draco looked at Remus oddly, he'd only seen his professor act so tense and moody like this right before the full moon, and that had been a couple nights ago last he remembered. 'Are you all right, pro-err...Remus?' he asked now concerned.

'No I'm not all right!' Remus snapped at Draco, his eyes blazing amber yellow for a moment causing Draco to actually recoil. Closing them he shivered slightly and sighed before reopening his eyes again, which thankfully were back to their normal golden brown. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you, I don't know what's come over me all of a sudden,' he said quietly now.

Severus however was watching Remus and just by sheer chance happened to glance through a small slit in the curtains, and saw something that made him realize exactly what was going on. 'Draco I think you better get going to your room. I need to talk to Lupin alone. Most likely Lily's dorm, or rather your dorm, is where the Gryffindor Prefect rooms are. I assume you do remember the way to them?' he said in a gruff tone of voice.

Draco stared at Remus a few moments longer, then turned to Severus with a nod. 'Err...sure, I remember. Harry had those dorms last year when he was a Prefect. You sure there isn't anything I can do?' he asked hesitantly before getting off the bed.

Remus shook his head. 'No, thank you, Draco. I'll be fine,' he said smiling weakly at the other boy.

'All right then, I'll see you in the morning...if I survive the night that is. Somehow though we have got to find a way to get to Harry, and soon. I don't know why but...' he said trailing off with a glazed look in his eyes.

'But?' Severus asked giving Draco an odd look.

Draco didn't respond for a moment then suddenly he shivered slightly, shaking his head. 'I just get a bad feeling something's going on and I don't like it. That's all. Call it intuition or whatever you want, but I know something isn't right with him,' he said quietly, though there was a hard tone in his voice.

Severus nodded. 'I'll take your word for it. Not that I would know about things like this never having...er...quite...had someone I cared for or that cared for me...in such a manner,' he said looking at Remus oddly, who surprisingly had turned to meet his own eyes. Somehow he found he couldn't pull his gaze away, though he did manage to finish what he was saying. 'But I'm told that when two people truly care for each other they just seem to...know...when the other needs them.'

'Yes, I've...heard something like that myself,' Remus said softly, his gaze still lingering on Severus's.

Draco actually noticed their stares at each other and the fact that they weren't even looking at him anymore led him to a few conclusions of his own. 'Well...err...I'll just be going than shall I?' he said, and having a good feeling he was already forgotten slipped off Remus's bed and out of the dorms, the nagging feeling still there though that Harry was in trouble. Or if it wasn't trouble, it was something very much like it.

Neither Severus nor Remus even heard him leave, nor for some reason could they take their gaze off each other yet. For a few more minutes neither said anything, just stared at each other until finally Severus said in a soft voice, 'It's the moon isn't it. She's calling you again.'

Remus shuddered slightly and sighed, breaking the gaze and closing his eyes as if he was in pain. 'Yes. Not only was it a full moon a few days ago in our world...but it will be again in a few days here. Two days to be exact. Oh Merlin, Severus...what am I going to do? I doubt there is any Wolfsbane Potions here, not if we're back during our younger days.'

Severus thought on that and nodded. 'Agreed, the potion was by no means available back then. However, I don't think you will have to worry as much as you think you will,' he said.

Remus reopened his eyes and gazed back at Severus, worry, fear and questions in his once again amber yellowed eyes. 'What do you mean?'

'I'm surprised you didn't notice, Lupin,' Severus said with a bit of his usual impatience now.

'Notice what?' Remus replied back semi-defiantly.

'The fact that you are not the only werewolf here, that's what,' Severus said off-handedly.

Remus blinked, then blinked again, letting that information register. He then opened the curtains a bit, climbed off the bed and went to the doorway that led back to the commons and stood there for a moment, sniffing slightly. He tensed at what he was detecting then walked back over to the bed and pulled the curtain back round, nodding slowly. 'You're right. I smell traces of at least two others here. I can't tell who they are though unless I'm closer to them. You knew?' he asked in surprise now and gazed back at Severus.

Severus snorted. 'Of course I knew, I sensed them right away, the moment we walked into the commons. I knew what you were back then didn't I? For someone who teaches what you do, and being a dark creature yourself, don't tell me what I am wasn't covered in the curriculum?' he said smirking slightly.

'Of course they are, don't be daft. I just...that is...only know what I've err...I mean I've never had the distinct pleasure of meeting one face to face to get proper information, that's all,' Remus snapped.

'Well now you have. Any questions for me oh mighty Professor of the Dark Arts? Oh forgive me, I correct myself. That should be Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts,' Severus said in a low, silky voice that also held a mocking tone in it.

Remus glared at Severus a moment, then surprisingly shook his head and chuckled. 'You amaze me sometimes, Severus. All these years you've hated me because of what I am, don't you think that's the pot calling the cauldron black?'

'And that's exactly who I had my hatred for. I thought we covered this already, Lupin,' Severus said leaning back lazily against one of the posts of the bed. 'Or are we suddenly playing Alzheimer's Roulette?'

Now Remus did laugh full out. 'Touché. I suppose we both had our hatred of Sirius for what it's worth, though I chose not to fully keep that hatred. Distance perhaps, I doubt we'll ever have the friendship we once had, but that's what happens when someone breaks your heart,' he said, then a look of fear came into his eyes as he realised what he had said. 'Err...that is...'

'Black broke your heart?' Severus said jumping in before Remus could even finish, giving Remus an intense black-eyed gaze.

Remus almost couldn't tear himself from that deep gaze but somehow managed to, slightly blushing and shaking his head. 'No...not in the way you think he did. Let's drop this, I don't want to talk about it,' he muttered.

'You loved him,' Severus said quietly.

'I said I don't want to talk about it, Severus. Drop it,' Remus said in a hard voice through gritted teeth.

Severus didn't say anymore, but somehow he felt like a part of him got scoured away, though what part he wasn't sure. He had a funny feeling though it was in the spot where he once had a beating organ called a heart, and he wondered why that particular organ had constricted like someone had squeezed it when Remus had refused to answer. Though the inference was clear, Remus had loved Sirius, at least that's the way it looked to him. 'Very well, I'll not say more on that. However, as for the full moon, I dare say you will have time to figure out who the others are, and what is to be done for you when the moon is full again.'

Remus nodded slowly, exhaling a deep breath. 'I'm sure I will.' Suddenly something else came to him and he looked up at Severus almost startled. 'What about you?'

'What about me?' Severus replied in surprise.

'I haven't sensed any others like you here, what will you do? How have you managed to hide it all these years, Severus? How is it you're able to do what you do? And I know you sleep at nights...how?' Remus asked curiously.

'You've been reading too many textbooks, Lupin. Not everything you read is correct.' Severus snorted. 'But as it happens, I manage to do some of the 'things' I do through a concoction of my own creation. It allows me certain 'advantages' over what I am, and helps me to be able to function normally, or as close to 'normal' as one of my kind can get. Though there are some drawbacks to using the potion that even I have not be able to find ways round yet,' he said with a sigh now.

'Such as?'

'For starters my skin, my hair and my teeth looking as they do. They are a few things the potion affects, but like you, the potion helps me function so I am more than willing to suffer through it,' he said quietly.

For some odd reason Remus couldn't figure out he reached out and touched Severus's hair, pulling back in surprise at what he felt. 'How?'

Severus flinched, though he understood what was being asked and grinned. 'Another of my own concoctions. I can do nothing about the 'look' the potion gives, but I can damn well control how it 'feels'. You never really got a chance to see my hair before I got turned as it happened within the first month of our first-year. All anyone remembers is how it looks now, but before that happened to me it was actually nice looking. It was soft like it is now, nor was it oily and greasy looking,' he said almost sadly.

'You are certainly full of surprises, Severus, give you that. You know...it's kind of funny...' Remus mused and gazed back at Severus strangely.

Severus raised an eyebrow in question. 'What is funny, Lupin?'

'How much in common we really have. Two souls doomed to a life of torment, doomed to forever be miserable and hated for what we are. Hiding behind our masks oh so well, never allowing anyone to get close enough to us so we won't be hurt again. Drowning in the darkness that neither of us wanted nor asked for. Our chances for happiness taken from us before we even knew what it could be like,' Remus said quietly, sadly even.

'You really believe that?' Severus asked.

Remus thought on that a moment then shrugged. 'Once bitten twice shy, Severus, no pun intended on either part,' he said with a slight grin. 'But sometimes I think...yeah...happiness has no place with like us. I've come to realize that it's better to stop feeling, to keep pretending rather then to keep getting hurt. I once had thought differently...long ago now. I used to sit at the windowsill of the dorm room and wish on those shooting stars. I even had grand dreams of my lifemate, what our life could have been like together...but...'

'But?' Severus asked.

'But...he and I were never meant to be it seems,' Remus replied softly and gazed down at the hands he'd unconsciously clasped in his lap.

'If it's one thing I have learned over the years, Lupin, is that you should never give up hope. Sometimes...it's out there when you least expect it,' Severus said.

Remus looked up in surprise at Severus, not even allowing himself the hope he wanted to read into that comment. 'That's a strange thing to say coming from you, Severus Snape. Do you really think that?'

Severus nodded and before he could stop himself he reached out and put a hand on Remus's arm. 'I do. Perhaps...not for myself anymore admittedly, but for others yes, there is always hope.'

'Why not for yourself?' Remus asked curiously.

Severus shook his head sadly. 'Because I am a lost cause, Remus Lupin. Any hope I had died long ago when I sold my soul for a few moments of dark-sided fame and fortune. It would take more than a few miracles to redeem that darkness now, and I'm getting far too old to think it possible these days.'

Remus looked at Severus a moment, then laughed. 'Ah, then it seems that you have a problem, Severus,' he said mischievously.

'Oh? And what problem would that be, Lupin?' Severus asked back, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

'You aren't 'too old' anymore, are you. Not unless seventeen is old!' Remus laughed.

Severus stared at Remus a moment dazed, then suddenly laughed himself. 'Well, so I am! Perhaps...there might just be hope for me after all hmm?' he said grinning back at Remus, aware that he still hadn't move his hand away from Remus's arm, nor had Remus moved it away yet.

Remus nodded however and smiled at Severus. 'After all, you're the one who just said not to give up hope,' he said, then something else came to his mind and he frowned a moment. 'What are you going to do though about your situation, Severus? You can't make your potions here, and I dare say with you being probably the only one of your kind here it's going to be difficult without someone to provide help for you.'

Severus tightened his grasp on Remus's arm, more in fear now than anything else. 'I...I don't know,' he said worriedly. 'The important one of the two potions manages to keep the need for it sedated for round two weeks at a time. Without it though...I don't know what I will do honestly.'

'Must you have...that...every day to survive? Without the potion I mean?' Remus asked concerned.

Severus shook his head. 'Again, that's more textbook and Muggle film myths than facts. We don't need it everyday, sometimes we can go weeks or months. Depends on situations really. For me, without the potion, I have found that I do have the need much more often because of...err...circumstances,' he said.

'Such as?'

Severus turned his gaze away from Remus, pulling his hand away quickly as well otherwise he wasn't sure he could control himself, then mumbled something under his breath.

'Sorry, but I didn't catch that. What did you say?' Remus asked puzzled now.

'I...err...that is...oh hell. Circumstances such as...' Severus said drawing in a breath and exhaling slowly, still not daring to look Remus in the eyes. 'The need is much stronger during hormonal changes, Lupin. Even the very scent of that in the air can cause reactions. I had the potion during my own changes, but from unfortunate experience...without the potion...it's...that is...oh Merlin this isn't happening...,' he groaned.

Remus did some quick thinking on that and Severus's reaction, then suddenly he understood. 'In other words...your being a teenager again...is only going to heighten the need for that...as well as...er...'other' things?' he said, and to his dismay and embarrassment a blush slowly crept up his neck and face.

Severus sighed deeply and nodded, still not daring to look Remus in the eyes. 'Exactly. If I don't get the potion soon...I'll need...need someone to...ah...help...err...oh fuck you know what I'll need!' he muttered crossly.

'That and more eh?' Remus chuckled now at Severus's usage of words.

'This is not a joke, Lupin! Just as the moon calls you, certain 'things' call me. It doesn't have to be just my own changes either, don't you get it? The more I'm around teenage hormones in general, the more pheromones I breath in, the worse it will get. The potion controls me so I don't react to them constantly as an adult, but as a teenager again...I can't even imagine what life is going to be like without it!' he said heatedly. 'Dammit! You don't have any clue what this means!'

'Stop yelling at me and tell me then. All I know is 'textbook' material, Severus. Tell me what it means,' Remus urged.

Severus looked back up at Remus, an odd reddish tinge now in his eyes. 'It means, Lupin, that I must find a 'servant' to replace what the potion does for me. Otherwise the need will become so bad that no one would be safe,' he said in a detached voice.

'And if you did manage to find a pin cushion? What then?' Remus asked.

'If I can do that...the need for...for the 'other' thing...lessens. Once the need is driven down I can live on my own 'vices' to provide the rest. I have for this long anyway,' he muttered.

Remus grinned at that. 'You're not the only one in that area,' he said dryly now.

Severus stared at Remus full on in shock, he hadn't expected to hear that coming from someone like the man in front of him. 'Has every man in London gone blind suddenly?' he said before he could stop himself.

Now it was Remus's turn to stare at Severus full on, and this time his blush was all too apparent. 'Err...what?'

'Has every man in London gone blind?' Severus demanded.

'Severus...I haven't exactly been err...'dating' the last oh...twenty years or so? Do you really think I wanted to after - ' he began to say but cut himself off quickly and looked away blushing even harder.

'After what?' Severus said sharply.

'N-nothing, after nothing, it doesn't matter. In answer, no, not every man in London is blind, Severus. I have on more than one occasion been err...'propositioned', only to politely turn them away,' Remus said quietly.

'Why on earth would you do a thing like that?' Severus asked puzzled.

'Seems I'm not the only one who hasn't 'read up' on their dark creatures, Severus,' Remus said after a moment and looked Severus back in the eyes.

'Oh? Tell me what I've managed to miss then,' Severus replied in a low voice.

Remus smiled though it was more a sad smile than anything else. 'I never wanted a 'fly by night' relationship. The truth is, Sirius was the only one I've ever been with, and after what happened with him, after what he did to me...I didn't want to go through that pain again.'

That was something Severus wasn't expecting to hear at all. He knew he'd seduced Sirius away from Remus, but he never thought Remus wouldn't move on at some point. Something nagged at him though, something just wasn't right in the statement he'd just heard from Remus. 'You didn't answer the question though, Lupin. What is it I'm missing from my knowledge of werewolves?'

'You really want to know?' Remus asked quietly, giving Severus a searching look.

'I asked didn't I?' Severus said scowling slightly.

Remus nodded, though he didn't turn his gaze away. 'Very well, I'll tell you. Most think that the first person a werewolf has sex with...that's that. That once we mate the first time it's forever, that's bullshite, we don't. I could have had casual, meaningless sex with a hundred men after Sirius, I didn't want to. When a werewolf does choose their lifemate and marks them as their own...it's a mutual choice, not a forced one. It's irreversible as well, once placed it cannot be removed, the bond never fades. Do you really think I wanted to spend the rest of my life with someone who would eventually hate me for being what I am?' he said in a hard voice then sighed. 'I never wanted Sirius as a lifemate, Severus, nor did I even want sex from him for that matter. It just sort of happened.'

'How can something like sex 'just happen'?' Severus asked skeptically.

Remus groaned and flopped back against the pillows, not really wanting to say this but having little choice as he'd already said more than he had intended. 'Fact is, Severus, you never took Sirius away from me, I never had him to begin with. We only had sex, and I certainly wouldn't call it anything else because to make love you need the feeling of 'love' in there somewhere...anyway...we only had sex...once, and I was drunk and barely even remember it. It was the night of the sixth-year Yule Ball. He spiked my punch and I didn't know it, werewolves don't take to alcohol well you know...and I got drunk all too quickly. When I woke up the next morning I was naked and in Sirius's bed, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened.'

'What? But...the way you two acted round each other, always hanging on each other, holding each other...' Severus said in a strange tone of voice.

'A bleeding act, Severus, nothing more. I found out in the end he was trying to trying to get someone else jealous, and used me to do it. It turned out that his little scheme worked...all too well at that, but not in the way things were supposed to be,' he said with a growl.

Severus though on that for a moment, then gazed sharply at Remus. 'Are you saying...it was...me he wanted to get jealous? Why?'

Remus sighed. 'My biggest problem was that I confided in him something I shouldn't have and it backfired...on me. He said he would help me with something, but I didn't know what he was really up to until it was too late. In the end it was just another betrayal by him, and I'm the one who suffered because of my own stupidity,' he said angrily. 'It doesn't matter anymore anyway, what's done is done, can't go back and change it.'

'But if you could?' Severus asked curiously.

Remus sat back up and looked at Severus oddly a moment, then shook his head again sadly. 'I can't, so there's no use hoping to do so, Severus. Right now, you have to decide what you're going to do about your situation, that's a bit more important I'd wager then something from the long dead past.'

Severus scowled, not wanting to be reminded of that strain of conversation, but knew Remus was right. He was going to have do something and quickly, he could already feel the potion he'd taken that morning slipping away from him surprisingly. Though the dose was usually a twenty-four hour cycle, at the moment in this younger body and with what was in the air, along with the topic of conversation, it was like he'd taken the potion days ago rather then just that morning.

'I don't know if anyone here knows what I am, though they did know about you and Draco I gather. If they don't...it could mean a lot of trouble. If they do...then someone should have presented themselves to me by now as my err...servant. Since no one has however - ' Severus trailed off with a slight frown.

'Then most likely no one is,' Remus finished quietly. 'Well, you have a problem then. Why not just take anyone downstairs at random? Better than suffering.'

'You really don't know more than what you've read in those textbooks and the myths, do you, Lupin,' Severus growled, his eyes tinged red again. 'I cannot just take anyone I please as my human servant, they must be willing to come to me...or I cannot have them. If no one knows what I am do you really think anyone would be willing to become a pin cushion, amongst other things, to a creature like me? I am a Sanguinarian, I may not need to fulfil certain needs all that often, but I do have them. Dammit, I have to find a way to get that potion made!' he said in a low, husky yet angered tone of voice.

'Does the servant have to be fully...human?' Remus asked in a strange tone of voice.

Severus closed his eyes, letting that remark twine round his senses, knowing full well what Remus meant. Shaking his head slowly he reopened his eyes, the colour in his eyes growing stronger, and his body began to betray him by responding to a new scent in the air, one that the werewolf was giving off all too clearly. 'No...they don't have to be fully human though it's preferred to have...human...blood. They have to be willing is the main issue. I should tell you...I have never taken from a human before...never by flesh anyway...the potion...helps that need in respect,' he said softly.

'Would...would it be dangerous for you to feed from a...werewolf?' Remus asked quietly, his gaze not leaving Severus's face.

Severus opened his now fully red tinted eyes and gazed deeply into Remus's amber yellowed eyes. 'I don't know to be honest. Sanguinarian Vampires and Werewolves are supposed to hate each other, Lupin. Not one of my kind has ever dared go against that and feed off your kind,' he said, though not unkindly, more just stating fact.

'Do you hate me?' Remus asked quietly.

Severus shook his head, swallowing deeply as his vampiric senses began to overtake him. 'No...'

'Then maybe it's time to break a few 'traditions', Severus,' Remus said in a low voice, keeping his gaze level with Severus's.

Severus closed his eyes, fighting off not just the urges he was feeling, but the dizziness and pain that was coursing through him now. He knew he hadn't fed in close to two weeks, and like he had said before he had never allowed himself to feed off humans, only creatures in the Forbidden Forest. He had made a vow right after he became a vampire that he would never inflict his curse on another, or even risk it, and had steered far clear of human blood. He had however tasted it once, sneaking into a Muggle place that stored it when he was younger just to see what it was like. It had made him giddy, it was like a drug to him to have human blood running through him, but in the end he knew he had to stick to animals. Primarily it was because he had a good feeling that should he ever feed off another human, he wouldn't want to ever let that human go.

Severus shook his head, trying to clear his mind though he knew the need was getting stronger, and he couldn't figure out why the potion wasn't working like it was supposed to be. 'No, Lupin...I...I can't do that to you. To anyone. I can't...risk it...' Severus said in a pain-filled voice.

'Severus...Severus listen to me. One thing I do know is that you cannot turn me. I'm already a creature of the dark, you have nothing to fear with me. Don't you see that? When was the last time you fed, Severus? When was the last time you took the potion?' Remus asked in concern now. Severus was growing paler by the moment, as if he was suddenly being drained rapidly and it bothered Remus quite a bit.

'T-two...two weeks. This morning...took p-potion...it's...supposed to...last...t-twenty-four hours...' Severus barely managed to say. His head was spinning now, it felt more like two months not two weeks since he'd last fed. He was growing weaker just thinking about it even, the scents of overactive teenagers were thick in the air, and his own teenage hormones were definitely making things one hundred times worse.

'Just like the moon,' Remus said in a half whisper, glancing out a slit in the curtains towards the window now. 'Severus...Severus, I think I understand. It's just like the moon is going full again...in this world it's like we've been gone already a month from when we left our world, do you understand what I'm saying to you? We're being affected by some sort of time shift, it's tricking you into thinking it's been a month, rather than a few days or weeks since you last fed...since you had the potion last. Severus? Can you hear me, Severus? It's a trick...nothing more...' Remus said worriedly.

Severus was not looking well at all now, and Remus had a very bad feeling about what was going on with him. He could sense the shift in Severus's body language and emotions, and how he was losing control. Remus knew beyond a shadow of a doubt then that Severus wasn't going to be able to fight himself much longer, just as he himself wasn't going to be able to fight the moon changes he already felt drawn to.

Severus groaned, he could barely register what Remus was saying any more. Something about tricking him into believing something...something about a month passing? A month? It couldn't be a month since he'd fed last...could it? It felt like it though, the need pressed on him so tightly it hurt...oh how it hurt...only pure pain coursed through him now, burning his very skin, his very blood seemed to have turned to ice. He couldn't even try to open his eyes anymore, any light would have blinded him at that point. Without the Siccus Potion he was vulnerable, weak-willed, craving things he shouldn't be. He needed those things though, like an addict needs his drugs. He needed blood, he needed it's taste, it's texture, it's scent and most of all it's warmth spreading through him, unfreezing the ice that was in his veins. Worst of it was he needed it now, this very moment even to stop the pain, to stop the complete torture that was consuming him.

'Severus...?'

Severus groaned again but it was harsh sounding now, the voice calling him put any rational thoughts he had in the back of his mind, only the deep burning desires were left behind as his torment. All that he knew now was the desire to feed, to feel someone beneath him, to take someone into his arms and become one with them. He started to shiver, the air that circled round him now was like sandpaper against his skin, both teasing and torturing him at the same time.

'Severus...'

Again that voice filtered through his mind, he still wasn't sure who's it was but it didn't matter any more. All that mattered was that someone was calling him...someone was there with him. Another whispery tendril floated through him, again that same voice, and now he felt someone touching him causing him to shudder and at the same time want to grab the person touching him, but something held him back. He whimpered, wondering why he was being held back from taking this person, from claiming them as his own. The more he wanted to do that however a part of him felt ripped into shreds, and he felt like an invisible pair of hands were holding him back.

'Severus...it's all right...you need this...take it...I offer it to you...willingly...' the voice whispered into Severus's ear now, a voice he almost recognised but at the moment he couldn't put a name to. Then he felt someone holding him close, pressing themselves against him and lowering his head down towards something...towards something silky and smooth. He smelled strange scents now, not the fear as he always smelled with the animals he took from, no. These were different smells, comforting and understanding ones. Scents of air and water combined, the fresh smell of grass and earth, as well as a hint of vanilla. All of it was too tantalisingly sweet to him, they played with him, teasing his senses making him wreathe in ecstasy.

'Severus...take it...willingly...do you hear me, Severus? I give this to you willingly...'

The next thing he knew was nothing short of relief. The invisible hands let him go as warm flesh pressed against his lips, and he knew he couldn't stop himself. A part of him for a moment tried to fight this, the once human side of him screamed and raged at him to resist this, but his needs and desires overruled as the scents bewitched him and the silky flesh ensnared him. Dizziness and hunger claimed him, and with a sigh of pure contentment he nuzzled the warmth pressed against his lips, licking at the offered flesh tenderly for a moment, as if he was trying to assure whoever this was that he wasn't going to hurt them...that they were safe.

As he sunk his teeth into the person before him and he began to drink the warmed blood he finally understood what it meant to be what he was. This was who he was, a Sanguinarian Vampire, a dark creature...a craver of humankind. As the coppery sweet taste spread through him he realised he had been a fool to deny himself human blood for so long. As he fed he tenderly embraced the one who was offering this ambrosia to him, and as he became fulfilled his other senses took over and he felt his body responding with other needs. Needs that only the man he was holding could provide him, and the burning that had been painful only moments ago had now turned in pleasurable burning desires.

He let himself surrender then, not just for the pleasure of the human blood but for the man giving the blood. As his senses began to come back to him he now knew who it was who had done this for him, and he found oddly that he didn't care nor mind. All he knew was now that the blood desires were being sated, his bodily desires needed to be met, and though he felt a touch of guilt that it was pure driven need that was to be the cause of claiming the werewolf, he also relished in that at the same time.

Sighing with filled happiness he released Remus's neck, gently licking away any last drops of blood, and leaned back to look into Remus's eyes. They were half-lidded, not from pain, he could sense that, but surprisingly in pleasure. His intense gaze now asked a silent question and with a slight nod of his head Remus gave his reply. Severus didn't need to know anymore, that nod said enough. With a soft moan he claimed Remus's lips, not in gentleness as he wished he could have, but in pure driven heated passion, and to his relief Remus responded back in kind, apparently equally as eager to please the vampire.

The fact that Remus was now beholden to be Severus's servant didn't seem to bother either of them as all rational thoughts ended. This wasn't an act of just sex, somehow they both knew that, but it wasn't like anything either of them had ever experienced either. They met as one soul, one body, pain and pleasure combined. Their lovemaking wasn't gentle, yet neither was it unbearably harsh. It was a balance of power, of wills, a give and take of something they weren't sure of what yet. Whatever it was though, it consumed them and brought them to the heights of the heavens, and it would be long past their room mates had returned and fallen asleep that they would come back down from those heights. As they lay together intertwined in each others sweaty arms, their passions spent, words weren't even needed between them, they both understood each other.

Any regrets or recriminations would wait till morning as sleep overtook them, though for some reason suddenly neither of them thought there would be any need for those regrets come morning. What neither Severus nor Remus knew was that there was a very simple reason why no one had stepped forward as Severus's human servant earlier...because in this world, Remus Lupin had always held that claim, and apparently he had never minded it in the least.

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'Bellus Impero' - 'Good Rules'
Siccus Potion - Bloodless Potion

The 'Alzheimer's Roulette' quote comes from the film Dark Harbour with Alan Rickman. Ah I do adore that film. A must see for any Alan Rickman slash fan yes indeed!

As for the information regarding Sanguinarian Vampires, what you see on the telly and in films for the most part is completely inaccurate. There are 'vampires' in the world, though they prefer not to be called 'real vampires'. They not are not always bloodseekers either, and vampires have many different roles. There are the Sanguinarian Vampires who do enjoy blood, though don't need to kill or anything to get it and most times don't even use human blood. There are also Psi-vamps who feed off 'energy' rather than blood, and tend to have err...'different' lifestyles then those who are Sanguinarian (the word means bloodthirsty by the by).

Vampires and Psi-Vampires are not what you see in the films, that much I can tell you. They are everyday, normal human beings, though they do have certain things that set them apart. If you're interested in Sanguinarian Vampires, I can direct you to several good places for accurate information. If you're interested in Psi-Vamps...you can email me directly. Let's just say on that particular topic I know...er...a lot :coughs:.

For the record, on the 'mythological' side of things however, Sanguinarian Vampires and Werewolves are indeed mortal enemies. Kill at first site type enemies, despite the fact they are both born of darkness. Sad fact, but true, they do hate each other, and there has never been a documented case where any type vampire, vampyre or vampeal could tolerate the presence of a werewolf.

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