Encounter in Dalmellington

Remus pulled his scarf up around his ears and glanced over at Caradoc Dearborn, but the older man was watching the buildings at either side of the road.  They'd had a report of suspicious activity in the region, and Dumbledore hadn't been able to spare any actual Aurors just now, so the Ministry clerk and werewolf were the best he had.  It was bloody cold out, and the dusk was deepening.  Remus still thought they should've come as soon as they got the report, but Caradoc had insisted on picking up some supplies first, and Remus was unwilling to argue with a man who'd left school eight years ahead of him.

"See anything?" Caradoc murmured.

"Not so far," Remus said.  Most of the Order members knew nothing of his lycanthropy, but he did have a reputation for being among the sharpest-eyed of them.  "Hold up."

He dropped to one knee and pretended to do up his shoelace, while actually glancing subtly behind them.  The road was empty.  After a moment he stood and caught up with Caradoc again.  "Nothing.  But I don't like it."

"Nor do I.  Almost too quiet," the other man said.  "If there aren't any Death Eaters, why isn't there anyone out and about on a Friday evening?"

"We could stop in at the pub?" Remus suggested, glancing to where a sign had a fat horse with a hen on its back.

"Two strangers won't go unnoticed in a town this size," Caradoc said, and grimaced.  "No help for it, though, I suppose.  You go on in while I suss out the corner shop."  He sighed.  "I'll meet you in the pub in a few."

"I don't think we should split up," Remus objected.

"It'll take us twice as long if we don't."

Remus closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath through his nose.  "Yeah, I know.  But something's not right.  I just--please, Caradoc?"

After a moment Caradoc nodded and they made a quick round behind the corner shop.  Nothing out of place.  Finally, unwilling to return to Dumbledore without following up all leads, they made their way into the pub and ordered a pint each.  They were on their way to Glasgow, was the official story, looking for work with a cousin.  Remus, feeling more in his element, chatted up one of the local lads in a friendly way while Caradoc joined a friendly game of darts.  When they'd finished their drinks, neither of them any the wiser about suspicious activity that might translate to Death Eaters in the area, they said an amiable farewell and headed out again, neither of them noticing the short brunette who followed them out, then circled around behind the pub.

"They've left the pub."

Severus glanced past Lucius and watched the woman approach, eyes flickering beyond the building to the two Order members he couldn't see.  He was not looking forward to this at all, especially when he realized that Remus was here. 

"Where were they headed?" Lucius asked, tone bored as he straightened his robes, which weren't in the least bit in need of straightening because Severus had watched how prissily careful he'd been to avoid wrinkles.

Severus held back a sigh and pushed away from the wall, fists in his pockets.

"North, up the lane towards Market Street."

"Excellent.  Go have another pint," Lucius instructed, then patted the woman on the head as if she were nothing more than a pet. 

Severus took a few steps and stopped.  "What do you reckon?"

"I think this was a very poor turnout," Lucius drawled, fingering the head of his snake cane.  "Only two, and neither of them Aurors."

"I don't bloody know who's going to be impressed with those two," Severus agreed.  "Though I'd like to get that Lupin."

"Hmm, yes, that little group of idiots you were at school with do seem to keep cropping up, don't they?"

"Like a bad rash," Severus muttered, sharing a dark look with Lucius.

"Well, we walked the lane, do you think you can Apparate up there and cut them off?"

"Sending me out first, how nice of you," Severus commented, drawing his wand and sending Lucius a careless mock-salute.

Lucius only smiled at him, then drew down his mask.  Severus pulled his into place and Disapparated.

When he reappeared with a Crack! at Market Street, he realized he'd overshot the twosome by several meters.  Severus only had a split-second to think before Lucius Apparated in from behind--before the two Order members could react to his appearance--and fired off a hex at Remus that would hopefully take him out of the fight early on.

"Fuck!" Remus swore as something ripped through his shoulder and spun him around and into the wall.  "Caradoc, go!" he shouted, trying to keep from losing his feet entirely.  Fuck.  This wasn't good.  The rumours had been correct, and a Ministry clerk and a werewolf weren't going to do much on their own.

"Bugger that!" Caradoc swore, firing a hex back at the Death Eater who'd attacked them.

Remus groaned and slid down the wall, just as someone else Apparated in behind them.  Remus swore and fired a nasty hex at the second Death Eater, but he had a feeling he'd missed.

Severus sliced the air with his wand and Caradoc's hex ricocheted harmlessly away.  He Apparated a meter closer, though he supposed his aim had been just fine before, and sent another hex at Caradoc that would hurt if it hit, but not do serious damage.  He jumped to the left as he did it, looking as though he were trying to aim, though it put him in line with Lucius when Caradoc threw himself out of the way to avoid a hex from each Death Eater.  Severus swore under his breath and repelled the spell.

"Get out of the bloody way," Lucius shouted, which annoyed Severus because even if they were wearing masks--masks that needed bigger eyeholes--voices were still mistakable.  Idiot.

Remus frowned.  That voice was familiar...and then the breeze wafted a scent to him, and he realized why he recognised it.  Malfoy, a voice snarled in his head, and he sent another nasty hex at him, then staggered to his feet.  "Caradoc, get the fuck out of here," he growled.  The other man ignored his advice, spinning to throw hexes in each direction.

"Protego!" Remus muttered, trying to cast the shield so it would protect both of them.  Merlin, he wanted nothing more than to use something truly dreadful on Malfoy.

Point in fact, Severus had trouble seeing the path of Caradoc's latest spell, and sent a sweeping motion that didn't quite knock it aside, getting clipped on his wand arm.  He snarled wordlessly behind his mask and pushed aside the pain to send something a little nastier.  The Protego deflected it, but Malfoy took down the shield with a spell and then fired off another hex.

Remus felt his ward crumble and swore, then aimed a Trip Jinx at the other Death Eater before turning back to Malfoy.  "Stupefy!"  Bloody hell.  The Muggles were going to notice something eventually, and then innocent people could get hurt.

Severus watched Lucius get clipped with Remus' spell as he wondered how it should happen that Severus should be hit with a trip jinx from Lupin twice in one lifetime, and fall the same bloody way.  Severus resented the universe very much, especially when he felt a hex slash right through his robes and strike his side, pulling a small involuntary noise from him.  The pain jolted him to his feet, however, and he lunged for Caradoc without thinking, hissing the Sectumsempra angrily.

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Lucius was rising, albeit sluggishly, and then his vision went red with rage as he felt another spell knock him off his feet backwards.

Caradoc was bellowing and sending off hexes in several directions, few of them helpful.  Remus half-stumbled, half-ran over to him, dragging him back and trying to get the blood to stop.  Fuck.  Sectumsempra, and I've never known the counter for that!  "Protego!" he shouted again, trying to calm Caradoc even as the man flailed in pain.  His fist gave Remus a good clip on the jaw, making him bite his tongue.  "Caradoc, stop, it's me!" he hissed in his ear, wrapping an arm around his torso and pulling him against Remus.  Malfoy was getting up again.  Good.  "Crucio!" Remus growled, and then turned his attention to the other Death Eater.

"I have to get you out of here," he muttered, more quietly as Caradoc calmed.  "Just hold on, we'll go."

"Can't go, Lupin!" Caradoc gasped.  "Need to get these bastards."

"We've got no defencible position!" Remus protested, his voice low.  "And I can't hold this Shielding Spell forever."  He felt like his arm was going to come off, as a matter of fact, and wondered what hex the Death Eater had originally hit him with.

Severus had been covertly casting the counter-curse to his Sectumsempra--Lucius would never notice, rolling around on the ground in agony as he was--though half of his efforts were being stopped by Lupin's shield, ironically.  Anyway, he figured Caradoc probably wouldn't die now, but he realized that Lupin had a chance of dragging them both out of it, and Severus wasn't about to go back empty-handed--at least he couldn't look as though he wanted to go back empty-handed.  He heard Lucius' screams stop and sent a shoving hex at Remus.

Lucius wasn't getting up so easily this time.

Remus fell over, releasing his grip on Caradoc a moment too late to prevent pulling him over on top of him.  Caradoc slumped against him weakly.  "Fuck, Lupin," he muttered.

"Not just now," Remus replied, his voice light though he was scanning the area around them grimly.  He rolled over to cover Caradoc with his body.  He couldn't Apparate without lowering his Shield Spell, but maybe he could get Caradoc to the alley.  It was closer to the other Death Eater, the one he hadn't identified yet.

Glancing over at Malfoy, Remus saw that he was still mostly down.  "Rictusempra," he muttered, feeling ashamed of how badly he'd wanted to hurt the other man.  He struggled to his knees and sent a hex singing past the other Death Eater, trying more to distract him than to hurt him.

"Come on, mate," he whispered.  "If we can get to the alley--"

"Used an Unforgivable," Caradoc gasped.  He wiped blood from his face with a shaking hand.  "Shouldn't have done that, Lupin."

"No choice," Remus grunted.  "Come on, Caradoc."  He heaved them both to their feet and staggered towards the alley.  That was when the breeze shifted, carrying the scent of the second Death Eater to him.  Mingled with Caradoc's blood and sweat, Remus could smell his lover very clearly.  Severus.  He froze--

And in that instant, Malfoy, momentarily forgotten, managed to get off a hex that hit Remus squarely in the back.

With a cry, Remus fell, trying to push Caradoc towards the alley.  "Leave me!" he hissed at him, because he thought Severus would be able to do something to keep Lucius Malfoy from killing him, but he didn't trust that Severus would take such drastic measures for anyone else.  He hit the cobblestone road hard, his back feeling as if it were on fire, his ribs taking most of his weight.  He grunted, the breath driven from his lungs, and tried to blink away the black sparks that were flashing in front of his eyes.

"Grab--" Lucius shouted, short of breath, "I can't--"

Talk, Severus finished for him, frowning.  Merlin, what a catastrophe when they'd had the drop on them and all.  And not even Aurors.  Of course, it didn't help that Severus had been trying to keep them both--especially Remus--from dying.

"Grahhaaanhg, you bloody idiot!  Graaa!"

Lucius was making goat noises.  Severus wondered what that translated to in English.  He thought he met Remus' eyes for an instant--

And then Caradoc, amazingly suicidal prat that he was, somehow managed to come up unawares and tackle Severus from the side.  They fell to the ground and rolled, Severus scrabbling to pull Caradoc's hands away from his face.  The Order member was digging his fingers into the eye holes of Severus' mask, jabbing Severus in the eye, but he thought the man was trying to get his mask off with the way he was wrenching on it and uttering, "Show yourself, bastard," brokenly. 

Then Lucius crashed into them, and he heard a litany of swearing that could've come from any of them.  "Get Lupin," Lucius shouted, and Severus dutifully fired off a wild hex that was not anywhere near the direction of his lover--and then felt the familiar jolt of side-along Apparition that meant the three of them were no longer down the pub.

"Oh, God, oh fuck!" Remus groaned, and then he realised there was a hubbub of voices coming from the direction of the pub.  He rolled onto his back, choking back an involuntary sob of pain, and then breathed a sigh of relief (which also hurt) when he realised it was too dark for the Muggles to have seen anything but a few flashes of odd light, and that could be explained logically by fireworks, though Bonfire Night was still half a year away.

It was time to get out of here.  Remus dropped his Shield Spell and Apparated, despite his prone position, to Hogsmeade.

It had been raining in Scotland, and he landed ear-deep in mud.  "Fuck," he swore again, and rolled onto his side, then forced himself to his knees, whimpering softly and then sinking his teeth into his lower lip to stop making such pathetic noises.  Hogsmeade wasn't necessarily any safer than the village he'd just left.  He needed to get to the Hogs Head.  He wouldn't be able to make it all the way up to the castle without help, but Dumbledore needed to know what had happened.

It was a setup, he thought as he finally forced himself to his feet.  He stared down at the mud for a moment and realised that whatever spell Malfoy had hit him with, he'd drawn blood, and a lot of it.  He sighed and staggered towards the Hogs Head.

*

Severus' back hit stone.  He groaned and thrashed, trying to shift the two bodies atop his.  Lucius tumbled off one side and Caradoc the other; Severus Stupefied Caradoc immediately as Lucius pulled up his mask and spit a mouthful of blood onto the stone floor.  He immediately got to his feet, because he wasn't the one who'd just gone through a round of the Cruciatus, and went to find the Dark Lord to request an audience.

Unfortunately--or fortunately, actually--Rodolphus Lestrange informed him that the Dark Lord was quite busy at the moment, though he'd been waiting to hear from them on their mission.  Severus gave Lestrange a brief synopsis, then informed him that Lucius needed a Healer and could give the Dark Lord a better account when he was well enough.  After confirming that it would be several hours and as long as Lucius stayed--it had been his mission, after all--Severus need not. 

Karkaroff took care of Caradoc.  Severus remained for a while, until the Healer arrived to transport Lucius to somewhere more comfortable than the floor, and then when his own health was inquired after, decided it was time to leave.

He shrank his mask and shoved it into a pocket, then Apparated into one of the private rooms the Order always used at the Hog's Head and Flooed into Dumbledore's private office with the password he'd been given--thoroughly startling the Headmaster from his evening tea.

"Mr Snape!" Dumbledore said, taking in Severus' dishevelled appearance.  "To what do I owe this pleasure?"  He stood and crossed the room to greet Severus, as well as to give him a careful once-over.

Oh Merlin, it was such a relief to stop moving.  The adrenaline had carried him through what needed to be done at Death Eater headquarters, but it was gone now, and Severus suddenly felt the force of all his injuries.  The rug looked incredibly comfortable, and he didn't need to be bleeding on Dumbledore's furniture, so Severus let himself slump to his knees on the floor.  "Sent me on another mission to get Order members," Severus said, dropping his gaze to the floor.  "Re-Remus and Dearborn.  Left Remus.  Dearborn...was taken."

Albus frowned.  "You were in Dalmellington tonight?" he said.  "Then the rumours of Death Eater activity are true.  You're hurt, Mr Snape.  Come."  He helped Severus to his feet.  "We must get you to the hospital wing.  We can speak more comfortably there."

Severus couldn't stop Dumbledore from helping him up, but that didn't mean he had to stop talking.  "Left Remus!" he repeated, wondering if the man had selective hearing.  Something tugged in his chest--bloody Merlin's bollocks, he'd left Remus there--"Injured!" he added, though he stumbled along with Dumbledore complacently enough, when his legs followed his directions.

"I'll send someone," Dumbledore agreed smoothly.  "But you need healing.  Come along, it isn't far now," he said encouragingly.  They were silent the rest of the way to the infirmary.  When Dumbledore pushed the hospital door open, Poppy turned away from the potions she was inventorying.  Her smile faded when she saw Severus.

"I thought I told you to be more careful, Snape," she said briskly, wiping her hands on her smock and hurrying over to join Dumbledore in helping Severus onto a bed.

"Should've gone back," Severus uttered, then hissed as he was awkwardly helped onto the bed and his injuries reasserted themselves.  Oh, but the bed was nice and soft, and Severus laid back immediately.  Much preferable to hard ground.

"You couldn't have openly helped him without drawing suspicion to yourself," Dumbledore said.  "Poppy, see to Mr Snape's injuries.  I have urgent messages to send, and then I'll be back to speak with him, so no Dreamless Sleep potions."

She sniffed.  "Who's the Healer here, you or me?" she retorted, but quickly turned her attention to examining Severus and applying various healing and pain-relieving potions and ointments, asking a few terse questions.  Finally she stopped and went away for a moment, then came back with a glass of cold water.  "You're here on your own this time?" she asked.

Severus frowned at her, his pain much eased by her attentions, and sat up enough to take the glass and drink it.  "Yes."

"I hope you and Remus are still getting on," she observed, finishing up a bit of work on his knee.  "I've never met a more trustworthy lad, or one who cares more about his friends."

At that moment Dumbledore entered the room again, looking somewhat relieved.  "Sirius and Peter are going to look for Remus," he announced.  "I'm certain they'll find him quickly and bring him to us in fine shape."  He smiled benignly at both of them.  "Poppy, my dear, I'm afraid I'll need to ask for a bit of privacy."

She snorted and rolled her eyes, exchanging a look with Severus, then went into her office.

Dumbledore flicked his wand to draw a chair near Severus' bed.  "Now then, my boy.  Tell me."

Severus recounted the tale between swallows of water just as it occurred, without anything but the bare facts of how exactly everything happened.  It could have been one of Binns' lectures, it was so dry.  He didn't stumble over anything, including the times he'd hexed Remus or casting Sectumsempra on Caradoc, and finished the tale with leaving the Dark Lord's headquarters.

Dumbledore sighed.  "It sounds as if it were a very near thing," he said quietly.  "Remus is quite a fighter.  And Dearborn..."  He sighed and looked away.  "Is there any chance you could try to spirit him out, Mr Snape?  Our losses have been heavy this winter.  We cannot afford to lose him."

"If you wish, I shall try," Severus replied, feeling guilty.  He felt as though he was hindering as much as he was helping, most times.  "I confess, I don't understand why I'm being ordered to take part in these types of missions.  I'm a bloody potions brewer."

Dumbledore sighed.  "I am certain Tom has reasons," he said.  "Though at the moment I confess I cannot imagine what they are."  He fell into a thoughtful silence.

*

Remus had been slumped against the lamppost outside the Hog's Head for...well, he wasn't certain how long it had been...when he heard the Crack! of Apparition nearby.  It roused him from the sluggish haze he'd fallen into, and he looked around.  Fuck!  How much time had he wasted?  He needed to get to Dumbledore!  He pushed away from the lamppost and headed for the pub.  The lights were so inviting, casting their warm glow on the muddy ground outside.

"Bloody fuck, Moony, we've been looking for you everywhere!"  Sirius' voice was loud in the stillness of the night, and it made Remus wince.

"You're bleeding all over!" added another, smaller voice.  "What happened?  Dumbledore seemed worried, said you and Dearborn hadn't come back from your mission."

Remus shook his head.  "Got to get to the castle," he muttered.  "Pete, can you hold me up?"

Peter obligingly offered his shoulders for Remus to slump over, while Sirius hurried ahead and pushed open the door.  "Hold on," Peter whispered, and Remus felt a wash of warmth over him.  "I cast a glamour so no one would notice you're hurt.  They'll just think you're rat-arsed."

Remus managed a dry chuckle, and then they were inside, and God, the warmth felt so good.  He staggered once as they made their way to the stairs, and then they were in a private room and then the whirling confusion of the Floo.  He stumbled out and landed on his hands and knees in the Headmaster's Office.  From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a flash of light, but when he turned his head, it was nothing.

"Come on," Sirius said, getting on Remus' other side.  "Dumbledore said to bring you down to the hospital wing."

"You're dripping blood all over the floor," Peter observed.

Remus sighed.  "Good thing I'm a werewolf, innit?" he muttered, his words slurring a little.  "Used to losing a lot of blood."  He quit paying attention to where they were going and concentrated on putting on foot in front of the other.

An eternity later, Sirius shoved the door to the hospital wing open.


Dumbledore had not been idle.  Fawkes had come to the hospital wing to warn him of Sirius' arrival, and Dumbledore smiled.  "They've found Remus," he told Severus.  "And if we wish to keep your identity from two other Order members, I believe we should move you to another bed."

Severus nodded and slid out of bed onto his feet gingerly.  He moved to a bed in the back that Dumbledore indicated and climbed in, lying down as Dumbledore closed the curtain and listening to his steps fade as he walked away.

Dumbledore was sitting in a chair near the door when the group of three Marauders arrived.  He stood quickly and summoned Poppy from her office.  She darted a glance towards the curtained bed, then clucked loudly, handing him a vial of pain potion.  "Remus Lupin, and here it isn't even the full moon!  What am I ever to do with you?"

"We found him in Hogsmeade," Sirius said, his voice loud and angry.  "Leaning against a bloody lamppost.  What did you send him out to do, Dumbledore, fight three or four Death Eaters alone?  Moony isn't exactly cut out for this sort of thing."

Dumbledore folded his hands and raised his eyebrows.  "Remus is quite skilled at self defence, Sirius.  You should have a bit more confidence in him."  He turned to kneel beside Remus, who was sprawled on his stomach across the first bed in the room while Poppy worked.

Remus drew in a deep breath.  The bed smelled of nothing but antiseptic and the astringent potion dribbling down his torso from where Poppy had poured it all over his back.

"What happened here, Remus?" he demanded.

"Not sure," he said muzzily.  "Hexed by someone."

Dumbledore leaned forward.  "Someone?" he asked softly.

"Malfoy," Remus clarified.  "Lucius Malfoy."

Sirius growled.  "That bloody prick!"

"You saw him?" Dumbledore asked, his voice tense.

"Smelled him," Remus corrected.  The pain potions were kicking in, which made him feel even muzzier.  Merlin, he needed something to perk him up, not make him sleepy!  "Poppy, need some Pepperup Potion."

"I believe I know what you do and don't need," she said with some asperity.  "But I also think you're right.  Just a moment, Remus."

When she helped him sit up, it didn't hurt nearly as much.  He drank the two potions she gave him without question.  When she'd finished her treatment, she sighed and went back into her office.  "I expect to see him again before he leaves," she told Dumbledore.

"Remus, what happened?  And where is Caradoc?"

Remus' face twisted and he looked away.  "I lost him," he admitted in a whisper.  "I tried, I tried so hard, Headmaster.  Malfoy and--and the other Death Eater, they were just too fast."

Sirius had been frowning, and now he asked, "How d'you know what Lucius Malfoy smells like, Moony?"

Remus froze.  Oh bugger.  "Em.  Unfortunate encounter with him in Diagon Alley," he muttered.  "Few weeks ago.  The tosser practically shoved me out of his way."

Sirius' frown didn't quite dissipate.  "Too bad they won't admit werewolf testimonies in court."

Dumbledore frowned.  "Sirius, Peter, perhaps you boys could wait for me back in my office," he suggested.  He waited until they were gone, then said again, "Tell me everything, Remus."

Remus reluctantly did so, confessing that he'd used Cruciatus on Malfoy (though not explaining why it had felt so good to do so), but keeping from Dumbledore the fact that he'd realised towards the end that Severus was the other Death Eater.  He finally ended with, "I'm sorry I failed you, sir."

Severus felt relieved when the others left, but though Remus was there and it was technically safe for him to come out, he refrained.  He wanted to see Remus for himself to assure himself Remus was whole and would be all right, to hold him and feel him under his hands, but he was also afraid--he'd hexed Remus, after all, more than once, and if Remus didn't know he'd been there (as it sounded, but he was surprised that Remus hadn't smelt him too), he didn't want to tell, even if it was inevitable.  Severus just couldn't bear the emotional whirlwind that had come about last time, and that time they hadn't faced off against each other.

"Is there anything else you'd like to tell me, Remus?"  The Headmaster's voice was kind, and Remus had to fight to keep from flinching.  He looked up, meeting Dumbledore's eyes.

"No, sir," he said quietly.  It was true; he would not like to tell Dumbledore that Severus was there.  He obviously couldn't do much to protect Severus, but at least he could do this.

Dumbledore nodded and sighed.  "How are you feeling?"

"Better," he replied honestly.  "I didn't realise how much blood I'd lost.  I was so tired for a bit."

"Yes, well, although you aren't an Auror, I don't feel you were wrong to use the Cruciatus.  I do, however, think you must be careful, Remus.  If you enjoy it too much, or if it comes too easily, you must stop.  There are other ways to fight them, and I would rather not see you damage yourself in the process."

Damage myself? Remus thought.  That's a bit rich.  But he only nodded.

"I believe I'll send Poppy to check on you once more.  Will you be able to find someone to stay with you, in case you need anything?"

"I'll be fine, sir."  He hoped he would have Severus, but he wasn't sure he should say that, either.  Then again, Severus had said he'd have told Dumbledore that he loved Remus.  "Severus should be home."

Dumbledore nodded absently and patted Remus' shoulder with gentle fingers.  "Be careful, Remus.  And please, come to me if you remember anything else.  We'll have to attempt to find Caradoc, of course, but I think I'd prefer to have our Aurors working on that."

"I might be able to help better," Remus said slowly.  "I--I fought with him.  Doesn't that make it easier for us to recognise each other's magic?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Dumbledore said.  "In any event, I would like you to stay home.  Be careful, Remus."  He nodded cordially to him, then went to Poppy's office.

Remus could hear him saying that he was going to go deal with Sirius and Peter and send them home, and that Remus could leave as soon as she deemed him fit.  Then he lowered his voice until not even Remus could hear.

When the Headmaster was gone, Poppy bustled over to him.  "Now then.  How's that shoulder?"

"The shoulder hardly even hurts," Remus said, shrugging it once.

"Mm.  You'll feel it tomorrow," she predicted.  "Here.  Pain potions for tonight and tomorrow, and a Dreamless Sleep for tonight, if you want it.  You should also drink some hot tea before you go to bed.  You won't be alone, will you?"

"No, I'll--find one of my friends to come kip on the sofa."

She nodded.  "Very well, then.  I don't think you'll want to go to the Headmaster's Office just now.  Can you Floo from the Room of Requirement?"

Remus sighed.  "Of course.  I'll see you in a fortnight."

She cupped one palm against his cheek, smiling.

Remus headed for home.

*

Severus stared at the curtain surrounding his bed, listening to footsteps and then the door open and close.  He wondered if--well, Remus had said that he would be around to take care of him...did that mean that he hadn't realized who he'd been fighting?  It must, or either Remus had lied, and just said that, when actually he didn't want any company.  But then, both Dumbledore and Pomfrey had insisted that someone needed to stay with Remus tonight, so even if he didn't want Severus' company, Severus knew he should go.  He slid off the bed and parted the curtain, making his way through the room hesitantly.

"Here, take these," Poppy said, businesslike, handing Severus several small bottles.  Severus recognized Dreamless Sleep and sneered, handing it back. 

"I don't need that."

"You ought to have it," Poppy insisted.  "Are you going to argue with me over this every time?"

"If you keep trying to force unnecessary potions on me, yes," Severus said.  He lowered his arm, however, when Pomfrey made no move to take it back.  Fine, he'd keep it, he just wouldn't take it.

"You'd better take those others, Snape."

"I will, I will," Severus muttered, then bit his tongue from asking how Remus was. 

"You know how to get out?  The other boys were in the Headmaster's office."

"Yes, I know how."  Severus glanced to the door with dread.  He wished that he could wait around and then go talk to Dumbledore again, if only to waste time before he had to go home, but he knew he shouldn't, with Remus injured and needing watching.  He bit back a sigh and offered Pomfrey a quick farewell before making his way out.

Remus was feeling the unpleasant combination of natural exhaustion and unnatural wakefulness.  He'd managed to make it home and strip out of his bloody clothes, leaving them to soak in cold water before trying any Cleaning Charms on them--blood was tough to get out, even with the charms.  He'd thought about getting dressed and decided it was too much work, so he just pulled the blanket off the bed and went out to curl up on the sofa with a glass of water, because tea seemed like too much work, too.

Then he watched the fire and waited for Severus to come home.  Surely Severus would come home, wouldn't he?  Perhaps he'd sent word to Dumbledore, and that's why Sirius and Peter had been looking for him.  Merlin, Severus was all right, wasn't he?  Remus had fired a few jinxes his way, and Caradoc had been a madman with the hexes for a bit.

Remus chewed his lower lip and watched the fire and fretted.


The Floo spat Severus out not much later, and this time he kept his feet underneath himself.  And there was Remus, right on the sofa, watching him with a line between his brows.  Severus looked down at the potions in his hands and then at Remus, mouth suddenly dry.  Well, Remus didn't look angry, and he wasn't shouting, so that had to be a good sign.  Severus wanted to go to him immediately and reassure himself that Remus was well, but he kept himself under control.  "All right?" he managed, swallowing thickly.

Remus nodded and just stared at Severus for a moment.  He licked his lips and cleared his throat.  "Are you all right?  I--Have you seen Dumbledore?  I didn't know it was you I was throwing hexes at until just before Malfoy hit me.  Are you all right?"  He was babbling.  He shut up.

"Yeah, I had to go to Pomfrey but I'm fine.  Side's a bit twingy.  I've got..." Severus looked down at his hands, full of potions," ...potions.  Em.  I saw Dumbledore just before you did."

"I...oh."  Remus frowned.  "He didn't say anything."  He licked his lips again.  "I--I didn't tell him it was you.  I couldn't do anything else to help you, but I thought that might."  Remus sighed.  "He sent Sirius and Peter looking for me.  I wondered why.  I suppose that was thanks to you, then?"

Severus nodded.  "I told him where you were, and that you were injured, but he wouldn't let me go back, so he sent them."  Remus looked so oddly frail there, wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa.  He remembered the hexes and curses that had been thrown from both himself and Lucius--he had a feeling that contributed to his perception of Remus now.

Remus sighed.  "Of course.  That's why he asked if there was anything else I wanted to tell him."  He shook his head, a faint, rueful smile crossing his face.  "Come sit with me?  I--I just need you."

Severus couldn't breathe for a moment, and he wasn't certain if it was from relief because he needed Remus too or if it was relief that Remus didn't seem to hate him.  He set the potions onto the low table in front of the sofa and then sat down next to Remus, angling his position to face him a little.  "I--where are you hurt?" he asked, wanting to touch Remus.

"Where am I not?" Remus asked, but he chuckled faintly.  "Mostly my back and my right shoulder.  What was that first hex you threw?  That was a nasty one."  He shifted and spread the blanket over Severus, sitting close but not actually leaning on him.  "And what about you?  Did either of us even hit you?"

"I--I just--I thought maybe if I took you out early, Malfoy wouldn't bother with you.  I'm sorry.  I got hit several times, actually, though I don't know--I think one or two were from you.  I know the majority were from Dearborn."  Severus pulled the blanket over himself better and drew his feet up, bending his legs to the side and tucking his feet underneath himself.  He was close enough to feel Remus' warmth, which was better, though he still wanted to hold him, just for a few moments at least.

"Are you hurting now?" Remus asked, leaning over to brush his lips against Severus' cheek.  "Can I do anything for you?"

Severus sighed at the rush of warmth that chaste kiss gave him.  "I'm feeling rather guilty, but I'm not in pain.  Pomfrey's given me healing potions and pain potions and Pepperup potions and sent entirely too much home--I think she knows that I don't go to her every time I should."  He shifted a little and touched Remus' hair gently.  "How did you know Malfoy was there?"

Remus snorted and leaned against Severus, resting his head against the bony shoulder.  "Smelled him," he said.  "Smelled you, too, but not until we were going for the alley.  Fuck!" he exploded, clenching his fists for a moment.  "Bloody hell, Severus, I was almost there.  I'd almost got him to where I could lower the shield and Disapparate us."  He wrapped an arm around Severus' waist, wishing Severus would lie to him and tell him it wasn't his fault.

"I know," Severus lamented, closing his eyes.  "If the idiot hadn't tackled me, I'm certain you could have made it.  I'm sorry, Remus, I tried.  I purposefully kept my aim off and got in Malfoy's way and countered my own curses, but that bloody-minded fool was determined to keep going when he should've retreated."

"I tried to tell him to leave me," Remus whispered.  He tightened his arm around Severus.  "What--What will they do to him?"

"They'll likely torture whatever information they can get out of him and then kill him once he's either too broken or out of information."  Severus squeezed his eyes shut tighter.  "Dumbledore wants me to see if I can get him out, so...I'm going to try."

"Don't risk yourself!" Remus ordered, lifting his head to stare at Severus in horror.  "You can't!  You're--Severus, don't!"  Merlin, what a selfish thing to say.  He took a deep breath, trying to pretend he hadn't just suggested Severus disobey Dumbledore.

Severus watched Remus and felt a small thrill of fear.  "Dumbledore wants me to do it."

"I can't lose you," Remus whispered plaintively.  "Just--I just..."  He sighed finally in defeat and leaned against Severus again.  "Be careful.  Don't do it if you think you'll get caught."

"No, I won't."  Severus sighed.  "I can't compromise my effectiveness.  Merlin, I wanted to work for Dumbledore to counteract the things I'd done that I regretted, but they just keep piling up."

"How?  Why?"  Remus sat up again and shook Severus lightly.  "If you hadn't been there, if it had been someone else with Malfoy, I'd have been taken, too!  Did you think about that?"  He stared at his lover, gaze fierce, willing Severus to meet his eyes.

Severus immediately met Remus' eyes, staring at him during a long moment of terse silence.  "I--"  But he couldn't finish that thought, whatever it had started out to be.  The thought of losing Remus was more than he wanted to contemplate.  "No," he uttered, voice hushed, and wished he risked putting his arms around Remus.  "No, I wouldn't let that happen, I wouldn't let them do--anything--to you, even if--"  Merlin, what was he doing?  His voice had run away with him!

Remus smiled, his lips pressed tightly together, and nodded, then kissed Severus on the lips, gently.  "I know," he murmured.  "I know you'll protect me."  He leaned against him again, turning and winding both arms around him.  "Hold on to me."

Severus hesitantly put his arms around Remus, worried about hitting injuries.  "I wish I could have kept you from being hurt at all.  I wish you could have got away with Dearborn.  I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise to me," Remus murmured, snuggling against him.  "It isn't your fault he was more concerned with attacking you lot than--surviving."  He sighed.  His back and shoulder ached, but it was so much better to be in Severus' arms.  "Oh, Severus, I was so afraid when I realised it was you.  I just wanted to protect you."

"I felt the same way when I saw you there," Severus uttered with a sigh, feeling so much better now that Remus was curled against him.  "Maybe Lucius will complain about my performance and the Dark Lord will stop sending me on those bloody missions."

"But that would get you punished, wouldn't it?" Remus asked.  He swallowed.  "Oh, God, Severus, let's just run away to live in New Zealand or something."

"I don't know, but it's so irritating anyway, it might be worth it!  I don't understand why he's suddenly sending me on these, I mean, I'm a bloody potions brewer!"  Severus sighed explosively, then slumped back against the couch as much as he could without jostling Remus.  "Sometimes I'd like to run off," he confessed.

"Mmm, we could take on the world together," Remus said, grinning softly.  "Visit Bavaria, Transylvania, Romania, all the places that are favourite haunts of Dark creatures."

Severus chuckled.  "Sounds good."

"And we could sample all the different sorts of chocolate the world has to offer," he added, nuzzling Severus' throat.

Severus hummed in a mixture of amusement and enjoyment, leaning his head back to bare his throat.  "Very important part of any round-the-world trip."

"Exactly."  Remus licked and then bit very gently.  "You taste like antiseptic potion," he muttered.

"Nnn.  Good thing I don't taste like chocolate or I'd be worried right now."

Remus laughed, then immediately felt bad for laughing when Caradoc was probably being tortured this very minute.  He sighed and nuzzled Severus.  "What would I do without you?" he whispered.

"Have a much less stressful life," Severus replied, eyes slitting in enjoyment.  He loved feeling Remus' touch.

"I'd still be lonely," Remus said, then bit his tongue.  He hadn't meant to say that out loud.  "I'm not hurting you, am I?" he asked, to cover it.

"Still?" Severus asked, suddenly feeling paranoid and inadequate.  "Still?"  Did he mean still as in he was now?  Severus tightened his arms and swore his lungs wouldn't function.

"If I didn't have you, I'd still be lonely.  The way I felt when I was just--just going around the clubs pulling any bloke who looked like you."  Remus closed his eyes, embarrassed.  "When all I had in my life was that lot of friends who don't understand me."  He bit his tongue to make himself shut up before he said anything else humiliating.

Severus exhaled.  "Right.  I see.  Merlin, it's a good thing you didn't know what I was really like or you might never have bothered to trick me into coming home with you."  He smiled faintly.

Remus tightened his arms.  "More likely you might not've agreed to come," he contradicted.

"Except I fancied you madly from school, don't forget," Severus murmured, brushing Remus' hair back from his brow.  "I even wanted to get myself turned into a Dark creature.  I don't think I would have really said no when sober, once I realized you weren't having me on."  Of course it was easier to say that now, but Severus didn't like the morose turn Remus' mood had taken.  He was supposed to have cornered the market on those.

"Mmm, you've no idea how nice it is to hear that, the bit about fancying me at school."  Remus closed his eyes, smiling at Severus' touch.  "I just wish we'd done something about it sooner."

"Yeah, well, I won't disagree.  But circumstances weren't exactly conducive to friendliness between us, let alone romance."

Remus snorted.  "Like they are now."  He breathed in Severus' scent.  "I'm so glad you came home to me tonight.  I was--God, I was so worried."

Severus chuckled again.  "Well, you don't live with your friends, now, and neither do I," he reasoned, then switched gears when Remus did.  "I had to check on you.  Pomfrey said you'd need looking after in the night, and I had to make certain you were all right."

Remus blinked up at him.  "What did she--wait, you weren't going to come home?"

"No, I was.  I might've stayed away longer, though."  Severus frowned to himself.

"Oh.  You'd have come home and I'd have gone mad with fretting," Remus said, trying for a teasing tone.

"I didn't think about that, I confess."  Severus frowned apologetically.  "But I didn't think you wanted to see me."

Remus tilted his head back, studying Severus' face.  "What?  Why?"

"Well, I thought that either you'd recognize me somehow during the fight or you'd hear about my involvement from Dumbledore and then you'd be angry because I hexed you and because of Caradoc.  You were so angry over the Prewetts..."  Severus flinched, wondering if it was too soon to be mentioning them.

Remus winced, but didn't look away from Severus' face as he lifted one hand to touch Severus' hair.  "I...the Prewetts...it was--I don't know, it was a shock.  I...I hadn't really thought about what you were having to do for Dumbledore.  And I was pretty pissed that night, too.  I mean, it didn't make me stop loving you."

"I know, but I just think sometimes that eventually everything I've done will build and build and then one day it'll be one thing too many and you'll decide you don't love me anymore..."  Dear Merlin, he sounded like a needy prat. Talking about love?  Talking about feelings! 

"Severus, I bit you!" Remus said, frowning.  "I--That--that's...I mean, it's saying I'll love you forever.  I wouldn't just do that to any bloke I shagged or liked a bit or something!"  He leaned in and kissed him slowly.  "I'm not going to stop loving you.  Not ever."

Severus held Remus as tightly as he dared, feeling stupid and soppish and deciding to blame it all on the pain and healing and Pepperup potion combinations.  "All right."

"Good, that's settled," Remus said, clinging to Severus.  "Mmm, I don't want to leave the fire."  He shifted, trying to find a position that didn't hurt.  Finally he sighed briefly.  "Think I need to have a bit more pain potion, though," he admitted.

Severus glanced to the low table in front of them.  He definitely had pain potion.  "How much have you had?  It's probably too early to take more, though I might get away with a reduced dose."

Remus screwed up his face in thought, then finally shook his head.  "Can't remember.  She gave me some first off...then she dripped the healing potion all over me, and then gave me some Pepperup Potion and something else."  He sighed.  "'m so tired, Severus."

"Why don't you sleep?  That will let the Healing potions do their work better."  Severus rested his lips against Remus' forehead, not wanting to let him go, though he was also tired.

"I feel twitchy," Remus complained.  "That Pepperup Potion."  He couldn't help smiling at the touch of Severus' lips, though.  "You won't leave me?"

"No, of course not."  Severus closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the fact that Remus was all right and alive and they were together.

"Good," Remus sighed.  His eyes fluttered closed.

"Bed?" Severus asked after a long silence.  "I could levitate you."

"If you want," Remus agreed sleepily.

Severus detached himself from Remus gingerly, then drew his wand and levitated Remus-and-blanket from the sofa.  He got up and led Remus into the bedroom, settling him down as gently as he could onto the bed, then relocated the blankets on top of him.

"Mmm."  Remus shifted slightly to take the weight off the shoulder that had been intimate with the brick wall, then watched Severus through heavy-lidded eyes.  "Love you," he murmured.

Severus crawled into bed next to Remus.  "Love you too."