Aftermaths, Part 127

by Geri ([email protected])

Rating: Mostly PG-13, but NC-17 for overall story

Pairing: Snape/Lupin, Theodore/Blaise

Warning: AU; events that occurred at the end of Order of the Phoenix were significantly altered from the book.

Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, and Phoenix Rising.

Summary: The various characters deal with the aftermath of the war, and Snape and Lupin try to build a family together with Theodore and Dylan. However, some people are unable to let go of the past...

Author's note: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except Hob, who belongs to William Mayne; no money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
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A few days later, dressed in Muggle clothes, Amos and Williamson ventured into the Muggle world and picked up two large dogs from a pound in London. Williamson filled out the paperwork and paid the adoption fees in Muggle cash. He was prepared to cast a Memory Charm if necessary, but the harried clerk gave the paperwork and Williamson's fake ID card only a cursory glance, and just seemed relieved that someone wanted the dogs. "It's hard to find homes for adult dogs, especially ones this large," she said with a smile. "I was afraid that we were going to have to put them down. Most people want cute little puppies."

"We'll take good care of these fellows, never fear," Williamson said with a charming smile, patting the dogs on the head.

He and Amos left the pound, each walking a dog on a leash. Williamson's dog walked obediently by his side, but Amos had trouble controlling his dog as it strained against the leash, obviously wanting to run. "Heel, you stupid mutt!"

Williamson just chuckled. "Just hang onto him until we get them out of sight, then we can use a spell to make him more docile."

"It makes me nervous," Amos grumbled, "walking among Muggles."

"I told you before, it's safer this way," Williamson said impatiently. "It's much less likely that anyone will be able to trace the dogs back to us if anything goes wrong. It's not like we can just stroll into the Magical Menagerie and ask to buy a couple of wolves!"

"They don't even look like wolves," Amos said. "Maybe yours, a little, but mine will never pass, not even in the dark." The dog Williamson was walking was a German Shepherd mix, while the other had wiry fur and floppy ears.

Williamson patted the floppy-eared dog, and it wagged its tail happily. "He looks to be part wolfhound, which is appropriate, as they were bred to hunt wolves, and he will be helping us to snare a werewolf, in a roundabout way. A little magic will take care of any cosmetic differences."

"And where do you plan to hide these beasts when we're not using them?"

"I've rented a place not far from here, under a false name, of course. We'll leave the dogs there with plenty of food and water, and I'll check in on them from time to time. A silence spell will keep the neighbors from hearing any barking, and we'll Apparate in and out to lessen the chances of being seen. You're not getting cold feet, are you, Amos?"

"I don't like it, but I'll do whatever I have to, in order to keep Cyril from taking the estate."

"That's the spirit, Amos! Trust me, we'll have that mangy werewolf sent to Azkaban in no time, and maybe the rest of his pack, too, if we're lucky."
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Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, things were going smoothly. The students were thrilled to have a hero in their midst, although Lukas was still rather embarrassed about the whole thing. He thought it was ironic that he was getting more acclaim for saving one girl than he and his werewolves had for their part in defeating the Death Eaters.

There were no more pranks and threats, and the older students were busy studying for their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, which were fast approaching. And all the students were caught up in the excitement of the resumed Quidditch season. Gryffindor handily beat Ravenclaw that weekend, and most people were convinced that it would be Gryffindor versus Slytherin in the Quidditch Cup finals once again, although Slytherin needed to win their matches against Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw to make the finals. (Their match against Ravenclaw was being rescheduled, as the game had been cut short due to the appearance of the false Dark Mark.) Still, the experienced Slytherin team was favored to win over Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, whose teams had several new and inexperienced members.

The Slytherin team was excited about the prospect of finally winning the Cup, and had forgotten their fears, assuming that the increased security and the presence of the Aurors had scared off the prankster. "We won't be scared off by some coward who isn't even man enough to show his face!" Draco declared, and the team cheered. Only later did it occur to him that the Death Eaters had hidden behind masks, and ruled through fear and intimidation. They had operated on a much larger scale, but in essence, had been no better than the mysterious prankster. It was a sobering thought.

Theodore, however, was very happy. Not only were Lupin and Snape getting along, but Snape was getting along with his mother--at least as well as could be expected, given their history. And Lady Selima had accepted his relationship with Blaise. All was well with Theodore's family, and the only slight damper on his happiness was the fact that he couldn't spend much time alone with Blaise. It was a bit frustrating, but they would graduate in a couple of months, and then they would be able to be together. He had spent most of his fifth year and the beginning of his sixth quietly, secretly, and hopelessly loving Blaise without saying anything because he had believed that his love was unrequited. So he could be patient now, content in the knowledge that Blaise loved him.

Blaise, however, had other ideas. One day after practice, as the Slytherin team was leaving the Pitch, he pulled Theodore aside, leading him beneath the stands.

"What are you doing?" Theodore laughed. "Do you know how much trouble we'll be in if we get caught?"

"I don't care," Blaise said, kissing him. "I've been going crazy from wanting you; I can't take it anymore!"

"But Blaise," Theodore protested--not very forcefully, he had to admit, "Grandmother told us to be discreet. She'll be upset if we cause another scandal."

"We won't get caught," Blaise said in a coaxing tone. "Besides, how much of a scandal could it really cause? Everyone knows we're a couple."

Theodore felt his resolve waver as Blaise kissed him again--a longer, more demanding kiss this time. "Well..."

"Besides," Blaise whispered in his ear, "I let you talk me into making love in the woods near Lupin's cottage. So you owe me one."

"So it's my fault that you've suddenly turned into an exhibitionist?" Theodore asked with a grin.

"Entirely your fault," Blaise agreed. "Not to mention the fact that you look incredibly sexy in those green robes."

Blaise began undoing the fastenings of the Slytherin team uniform, and Theodore laughed, "Then why are you so eager to get them off?" In response, Blaise pushed him up against a nearby support beam and kissed him hard, thrusting his tongue into Theodore's mouth. Firmly pinned between Blaise's body and the beam, Theodore was unable to squirm away--not that he was trying very hard, mind you. Blaise was rarely this aggressive, and he found that it was an incredible turn-on. "Wow," he gasped breathlessly when Blaise finally broke off the kiss. Blaise just smiled, and feeling slightly dazed, Theodore leaned back against the support beam and allowed Blaise to continue unfastening his robes without further protest. When he was done, Blaise pushed the robes aside and slowly kissed his way down Theodore's exposed neck and chest, teasingly running his tongue across each nipple as Theodore gasped. Then he moaned softly as he felt Blaise's mouth moving across his belly as Blaise sank to his knees and his hands reached up to unfasten the button on Theodore's trousers...
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Aric's favorite spot to be alone, the Astronomy Tower, had lost some of its appeal after he had been caught drinking there with Draco by Professors Snape, Lupin, and Sinistra. So he decided to go out to the Quidditch Pitch; the Slytherin team should just be finishing up their practice. His timing was perfect; he saw the team and their spectators heading back to the castle as he approached and slipped into the stands unnoticed. He took a seat and stared up at the sky wistfully, remembering how he had played on the Durmstrang team. He wished that he'd held off on antagonizing Theo and Draco long enough to make the team; Quidditch would have proved a welcome distraction and a way to work off some of his frustrations. Now all he could do was sit here and brood about his upcoming marriage. Maybe he should have brought his broomstick; he could at least enjoy the sensation of flying even if he wasn't playing Quidditch...

And then the sound of quiet laughter below him interrupted his thoughts. "Do you know how much trouble we'll be in if we get caught?" he heard his cousin say.

"I don't care," Blaise said. "I've been going crazy from wanting you; I can't take it anymore!"

"But Blaise," Theo protested weakly. "Grandmother told us to be discreet. She'll be upset if we cause another scandal."

"We won't get caught," Blaise said in a coaxing tone. "Besides, how much of a scandal could it really cause? Everyone knows we're a couple."

There was the sound of a kiss, and then Theo said hesitantly, "Well..."

"Besides," Blaise whispered, "I let you talk me into making love in the woods near Lupin's cottage. So you owe me one."

Good Lord, thought Aric with a kind of horrified fascination. Did Snape and Lupin know that Theo and Blaise had been running around having sex in the woods? If they knew, did they care? Did they maybe even encourage it? Like father, like son, after all...and that conjured up an image in his head of Lupin and Snape having sex in the woods. Aric shuddered, vigorously shaking his head in an attempt to wipe that picture out of his mind.

"So it's my fault that you've suddenly turned into an exhibitionist?" Theo asked with laughter in his voice.

"Entirely your fault," Blaise replied. "Not to mention the fact that you look incredibly sexy in those green robes."

There was the sound of rustling cloth, and Theo laughed, "Then why are you so eager to get them off?" There was no verbal reply, but a thump and more kissing noises, then a soft, "Wow," from Theo. More rustling and kissing, then a gasp and a quiet moan. The sound of metal dragging against metal--a fly being unzipped. A slighter louder moan from Theo, and a muffled one from Blaise. The sound of a mouth sliding moistly across flesh...and then Aric realized exactly what they were doing, and to his horror, he felt himself growing hard beneath his robes.

{Damn it!} he told himself fiercely. {I am NOT getting turned on by the thought of my cousin getting a blow job from his boyfriend!} But in his mind, it wasn't Theo or Blaise that he pictured. Aric found himself wondering what Takeshi would look like without his glasses, with his hair unbound. He imagined himself loosening that braid and running his hands through Takeshi's long, coal-black hair. He imagined himself lifting those gold wire-rimmed glasses from the mediwizard's face; they were always sliding down his nose and practically begging to be removed. And then he would plant kisses all over Takeshi's face--forehead, eyelids, cheeks, and finally, his mouth. He imagined his tongue entwining with Takeshi's, his hands exploring beneath those lime-green hospital robes...

Theodore cried out softly, and that sound abruptly snapped Aric back to reality. He found that his hand was creeping towards his crotch as if it had a mind of its own, and he quickly jerked it away and clenched it into a fist. It was bad enough that he was fantasizing about Takeshi; he certainly wasn't going to masturbate in the bloody Quidditch stands with Theo and Blaise right below him! This whole mess was their fault, anyway, he thought disgruntledly, and not quite rationally. He decided to quietly sneak out of the stands and back to the castle, but his distraction made him clumsy, and he tripped and stumbled, falling to his hands and knees with a loud thump.

"Shit!" Theo cursed. "Who's there?!" Before Aric could get back to his feet, his cousin looked up and clearly recognized him through the gaps in the floorboards. "You!" he said furiously, hastily zipping up his trousers as Blaise scrambled to his feet, running the back of his hand across his mouth.

"Were you spying on us?" Blaise demanded, sounding both angry and embarrassed. It was dark beneath the stands, so it was difficult to tell, but Aric was pretty sure that both boys were blushing.

Aric's face was just as red. "I don't get my jollies from watching you two go at it, believe it or not!" he snapped, trying to regain his composure. "I came out to the stands to be alone--the two of you were the ones disturbing MY piece of mind, not the other way around. I was just leaving so that I wouldn't have to listen to you!"

"Right," Theo said skeptically.

"Look, I don't give a damn whether you believe me or not," Aric said. "I'm leaving!"

"Wait!" Theodore cried. "Are...are you going to tell anyone that you saw us here?"

Aric looked down at his cousin's anxious face and realized that he could make Theo squirm if he wanted. Even if Lady Selima was turning a blind eye to Theo's relationship with Blaise, she would be angry if another public incident occurred; Theo had just said so himself. And Snape might be angry with him, too. Or at least a little annoyed.

But then he thought of Takeshi, and his petty spite turned into a wistful longing. And somehow he felt too tired to carry on his vendetta with Theo right now. "Oh, what's the point, Theo?" he asked gruffly. "Our Head of House is your father; at best he'll ignore it, and at worst, he'll punish me instead of you. Besides, everyone already knows you're shagging Zabini. It's not exactly a state secret." Theo stared at him, looking puzzled and suspicious, but Aric didn't bother to try and convince him that he was telling the truth. He left without a backwards glance, heading back to the dorm to take a cold shower.
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"Do you think he's up to something?" Theodore asked in confusion.

"I don't know," Blaise replied, silently cursing Aric. "But we'd better get out of here in case he does decide to report us to a teacher. If no one finds us here, it's our word against his, and Aric's not exactly Mr. Popularity."

"But you didn't...well...I mean, I didn't get a chance to, uh, return the favor," Theodore said apologetically.

Blaise groaned in frustration, "I know, but I don't fancy being interrupted by McGonagall or Filch or--"

"Okay, okay!" Theodore quickly interrupted, shuddering at the thought; he wasn't sure which prospect he found more daunting. "Let's go. Maybe we can ask Damien and Dylan to make themselves scarce for a little while."

They made their way back to the dorm, Blaise being very grateful that Hogwarts was big on tradition, and required the students to wear the traditional, voluminous wizard's robes as part of their uniform; it would have been impossible to hide his arousal in the Muggle clothing that some of the students favored for casual wear on weekends and holidays.

No teachers confronted them along the way, and Aric was not in sight when they reached the Slytherin common room. The students were gathered in little clusters, gossiping or doing homework or playing games, the same as always; none of the gossip seemed to be about Theodore or Blaise. Serafina and Draco were apparently on speaking terms again, or had at least called a truce, because they were sitting in front of the fireplace together watching Serafina's kitten, Bast, play with a ball of yarn.

"Have you seen Dietrich?" Theodore asked cautiously.

"Yeah, he came stomping in here a few minutes ago, looking mad as hell about something," Draco said with a shrug. "I think he's sulking in his room."

Blaise and Theodore exchanged a puzzled look. If Aric was already here, he must have gone straight back to the dorm without stopping to report them to a teacher first.

Blaise looked around the room, not seeing either of their roommates. "Where are Damien and Dylan?" he asked.

"Pierce went chasing after that Patil girl, where else?" Draco said, sounding bored as he dangled a bit of yarn for Bast to pounce at. "She was watching in the stands today; didn't you notice him trying to impress her with his Quidditch skills? She actually did seem impressed; she was giggling and hanging all over his arm afterwards. And I think Dylan said something about meeting Granger at the library." Draco sighed in annoyance. "I don't understand why they're so obsessed with Gryffindor girls." Theodore and Blaise exchanged another glance, which did not pass unnoticed by Draco. The blond Slytherin boy smirked and added, "But I guess that means you've got your rooms to yourselves today."

They both blushed, but Blaise was too impatient to feel embarrassed for long; he had barely been able to restrain himself from jumping Theo in the halls on the walk back to the dorm. They hurried to Theo's room, and Blaise cast a silence spell on the room, then locked the door and cast a warding spell on it for good measure. The warding spell probably wouldn't hold for long if someone was determined to break it, but it would serve as an obvious "do not disturb" sign if Dylan or Damien should return early and come looking for them.

Once the door was locked and warded, Blaise promptly pushed Theo down on the bed, tugging impatiently at his robes, all but tearing them off.

Theodore laughed, "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I like it!" It occurred to him that Blaise was acting an awful lot like Lupin near the full moon, but he tried not to dwell on that thought too closely. As much as he loved his parents, he didn't really want to picture them being intimate with each other.

"Months of frustration!" Blaise exclaimed. "The last time we made love was Christmas night!" He jokingly added, "You know, I'm a little insulted that you don't seem to share my frustration."

"Ah, but you have only yourself to blame," Theodore pointed out with a grin. "You did just...ah...relieve my frustration under the Quidditch stands, after all."

"What did I tell you about Slytherin boys and the Quidditch stands?" Blaise purred into his ear, referring to the time on Valentine's Day when he had been determined to ward off any hypothetical suitors from romancing his little sister beneath the stands.

"You're wicked, love," Theodore said in a husky voice.

"I am a Slytherin, after all," Blaise retorted. He quickly got both of them undressed, then hesitated, panting heavily, filled with an unfamiliar and almost uncontrollable urge to possess and claim his lover completely. He had missed Theo much more than he realized; maybe he just wanted to reassure himself that Theo was still his. "Can I...take you?" he asked in a low, hoarse voice, not sure how Theo would react. He was usually content to let Theo be the dominant partner; that Christmas night was the only time their roles had been reversed.

But Theo just smiled at him sweetly and whispered, "Yes," looking completely relaxed, even eager. There was no anxiety, no fear in his eyes, and none of the distant aloofness that had so often come between them before. For once, his gray-green eyes did not look murky or troubled, but were filled only with love and desire--and most importantly, trust.

Blaise quickly reached into the nightstand drawer for the half-filled vial of lavender oil, which had been lying there gathering dust since Christmas. Theodore moaned as Blaise prepared him with his fingers, feeling passion beginning to stir within him again despite his recent orgasm. The truth was that Blaise's aggressiveness excited him, and it delighted him to know how much Blaise wanted him. With another Slytherin, Theo might have feared that sex was merely another type of power play, but he knew that Blaise only wanted to love him. Along with Snape and Lupin, Blaise was the person that Theodore trusted most in all the world.

"Enough," gasped Theo, and Blaise took him at his word; he had nearly bitten through his lower lip in an attempt to keep himself from simply pouncing on Theo, the way Bast had been pouncing on the ball of yarn. But he pounced now, and thrust hard and fast into Theo, too far gone to be slow or gentle. Theo didn't seem to mind--quite the opposite, in fact; Blaise could feel something hard pressing into his belly as Theo groaned urgently, raising his body to meet Blaise's thrusts. Blaise continued thrusting into Theo at an even more frantic pace as he wrapped his hand around Theo's erection, relishing his lover's loud cries of pleasure. Overwhelmed by pent-up lust and frustration, it wasn't long before he came inside Theo, and kept stroking until Theo came as well.

Afterwards, he snuggled up against Theo, sighing contentedly as he rested his head on his lover's chest. "Happy now?" Theo chuckled, stroking Blaise's hair affectionately. "You're practically purring; you remind me of Bast."

Blaise laughed wickedly. "You have no idea how apt an analogy that is. I was just thinking a little while ago how much I wanted to pounce on you!"

"Purr for me, kitten," Theodore teased.

"Mrrow!" Blaise said, playfully nipping at Theodore's earlobe. They indulged in a bit of leisurely kissing and caressing before Theodore reluctantly pulled away and sat up in bed.

"We'd better get cleaned up and dressed before Dylan walks in on us," he said regretfully.

"The warding spell would warn him off, but I suppose you're right," Blaise sighed.

Theodore kissed him, grinning mischievously. "Cheer up, school will be out in a couple of months. Besides, all those months of frustration were worth it, to see you so...ah..."

"Horny?" Blaise asked with a wry smile.

"I was going to say 'passionate,'" Theodore laughed, kissing him again. "Today was very...intense."

"We'll see how 'intense' things get in June, after we graduate," Blaise grumbled. "Although I'm hoping to steal a little time alone with you before then. Or I might explode."

"It won't kill you," Theodore said cheerfully, and Blaise glared at him. Theodore laughed, then kissed him on the forehead and said tenderly, "Love you, Blaise."

Blaise's frown melted into a smile as he marveled once again at how much Theo had come to love and trust him. It was a miracle, considering Theodore's background--all the abuse he had endured, and all the terrible secrets he had kept to himself for so long. And Blaise had helped bring this miracle about; the thought of it filled him with a sense of joy and awe.

"I love you, too, Theo," he whispered, and suddenly two months didn't seem like such a long time, after all.
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Lupin had an appointment to help a student with an assignment after dinner, so Snape returned to his quarters alone and began grading papers, taking his usual vindictive pleasure whenever he was able to mark down a Gryffindor student, which was quite frequently. Their impulsiveness often led to impatience and carelessness, two very major flaws in a Potions student. Allegra Zabini was turning out to be a good student, though, despite her annoying chatter, and rather surprisingly, so was Portia Pettigrew. Or perhaps Snape was unfairly comparing her to her uncle, who had never been an exceptional student. Peter Pettigrew had never been exceptional at anything, which was probably why he had attached himself to Potter and Black, hoping that a little of their glory might rub off on him. Snape's lip curled in an unconscious sneer. The only thing the little rat had been good at was being a bootlicking toady, first to Potter and Black, and then to Voldemort. Portia, however, was a careful and meticulous student beneath her timidity. She always did well on the written assignments and tests, although her squeamishness occasionally caused her to falter in the actual potion-making process when she had to handle ingredients that most of the students deemed "slimy" or "disgusting," such as slugs or horned toad innards. But Snape had to grudgingly admit that she had been improving lately, thanks to Allegra's influence, growing less squeamish and more confident.

Snape reluctantly gave the girls appropriately high marks for their papers, then took great pleasure in being able to mark down Kenneth Sloper's homework, circling all the errors in bright red ink. He was humming to himself cheerfully when Lupin sauntered into the room. The werewolf embraced him from behind, nuzzled the nape of his neck, and asked, "So which hapless student are you failing today, Severus?"

"Kenneth Sloper," Snape replied.

"I should have known it was a Gryffindor, judging by your reaction," Lupin chuckled, shaking his head a little.

"It's not as if he doesn't deserve it," Snape retorted unrepentantly. "His work is sloppy; he's arrogant; and he's insolent. And so is his brother, for that matter."

"Peace, Sev," Lupin said, kissing him on the cheek. "I'm not trying to argue with you. I remember the prank that Kenneth played on Portia, putting that rubber rat on her plate. I agree that he could stand to be taken down a peg or two. He is stubborn and a little narrow-minded--common Gryffindor traits, I'm sorry to say. But he will gain maturity with time, I hope."

"Perhaps," Snape said doubtfully, but found himself disinclined to argue further when Lupin shoved aside the students' homework assignments and planted himself firmly down on Snape's lap. "Didn't the full moon already pass nearly two weeks ago, or have I lost track of time?" Snape asked sarcastically as Lupin wrapped his arms around Snape's neck.

"You seem to be under the misconception that I only desire you near the full moon," Lupin whispered into Snape's ear. "Let me prove to you how wrong you are, for I assure you that the wolf desires you at any time of the month."

"The wolf or the man?" Snape asked in a husky voice.

"Both," Lupin replied. "We are one and the same; you taught me that." And he silenced the Potions Master by kissing him hungrily, pushing his tongue between Snape's lips in a manner that was very demanding--and very erotic.

Full moon or not, Lupin was acting very wolfish that night, and his loud and lustful growls were probably the reason why neither of them heard the knock at the door. That, and the fact that Snape was also distracted by Lupin's hands and mouth roaming freely over his face, neck, and body.

The door swung open, and Dylan called out in a tentative voice, "Professor, Remus, are you in here?" Then he exclaimed, "Oh, I'm sorry!" when he caught sight of the two of them entwined in a passionate embrace, Lupin still sitting on the Potions Master's lap. Theodore peered over Dylan's shoulder to see what had startled his brother, and his face turned bright red.

Lupin was completely wrapped up in the taste, touch, and scent of his mate, oblivious to anything else around him. Then he heard his son's voice, and before he could fully register what Dylan was saying, he found himself unceremoniously dumped on the floor as Severus jumped to his feet.

Snape had started to draw his wand by reflex before he recognized the blushing faces of his two sons. Then he turned on Lupin, roaring, "Damn it, Lupin! Didn't you lock the door when you came in?!"

Lupin remained where he was, sprawled out on the floor, staring up in shock at his lover. He was taken aback by the strength of Severus's reaction; of course the Potions Master didn't like being embarrassed, but his fury seemed out of proportion to the situation. "I'm sorry, Severus," he said. "I was so eager to see you that I just forgot."

"Forgetting things like that can get you killed, Lupin!" Snape snarled. "I can't imagine how you survived the war with such a careless attitude!"

Lupin stood up, and very slowly and cautiously reached out to touch his lover's arm, as if trying to calm a wild animal. "Severus," he said gently, "the war is over. We are safe here at Hogwarts."

"Safe?" Snape shouted. "Do you really think this school is safe, Lupin? Have you forgotten the threats and hexes? Have you forgotten that both Theodore and Dylan were nearly killed during Slytherin's two Quidditch matches, not to mention the attack on Dietrich and the threatening notes sent to your precious Harry Potter?!"

"Perhaps we should discuss this in private, Severus," Lupin said quietly, letting his gaze shift towards Dylan and Theodore, who both looked pale and frightened.

"It's my fault, Professor," Dylan said in a small voice. "I shouldn't have barged in like that. It's our night to play chess, and I did knock, but no one answered..."

The boys' anxious faces immediately broke through Snape's rage and restored him to sanity, as even Lupin's soothing touch and words had not, and he suddenly felt both foolish and ashamed.

"I'm sorry," Snape said gruffly. "As a spy, I lived with such caution for so many years, always warding my quarters and even my mind against intrusion, that it is a difficult habit to break. Letting down my guard for even a moment could have meant death or worse."

"I'm sorry, Severus," Lupin said, with more understanding this time. After living with the constant threat of being discovered as a traitor, of course Severus was cautious to the point of paranoia. He still warded his fireplace and door, but Lupin had thought it a reflex, something done merely out of habit. He should have known that the fear Severus had lived with for so many years would not be so easily banished, even with Voldemort dead. The war had left scars on all of them, but only Severus had been a spy, living two lives at once, and his scars probably ran deeper than anyone else's. What he had been through would have broken a lesser man, and Lupin often wondered how Severus had managed to come out alive and with his sanity intact. And the sad thing was, after everything Severus had endured and all the sacrifices he had made, some people--the very people that Severus had risked his life to save--still regarded him as a traitor rather than the hero he was. And although Lupin was normally a gentle man, the wolf in him suddenly wanted to hurt those people for treating Severus so badly.

But right now, what he did was lay his hand against his mate's cheek and say, "I didn't think, Severus. Please forgive me." He silently added, {Not just for failing to lock the door, but for temporarily forgetting about all the pain you suffered, my love.}

Snape understood what Lupin's eyes, filled with compassion and remorse, were trying to convey. "There is nothing to forgive, Remus," he said, his voice managing to sound both gruff and apologetic at the same time. "We should still be careful, but I overreacted."

Lupin kissed him tenderly, and when Severus didn't push him away or scold him for doing so in front of the boys, he understood that it was the Potions Master's way of apologizing.

"I should have knocked louder or called out to you first," Dylan said, still looking distressed.

"No, it's all right, Dylan," Snape said, trying to sound reassuring. "I should have remembered that the two of you were stopping by tonight." He gave Lupin an obviously exaggerated glare and added, "The werewolf distracted me."

The boys smiled in relief and Lupin nuzzled Snape's neck, causing Snape to realize that his robes were unfastened and his shirt half-open. He flushed and glared at Lupin again as he hastily buttoned up his shirt.

Lupin just grinned at him, looking smug and possessive, causing Snape's blush to deepen. Then he turned to the boys and said cheerfully, "It is a good thing that you reminded me that I had forgotten to lock the door. I don't think we need to take the same level of precautions as we did during the war, but Severus is right; we need to be careful. I allowed myself to be lulled by the fact that there have been no incidents recently, but whoever carried out those dangerous pranks is still at large. Perhaps they've decided to stop, but I wouldn't care to risk anyone's safety on that supposition."

Snape, still feeling rather embarrassed about his outburst, said briskly, "Well, come in, then, and lock the door behind you. Let's get this game started; we don't have all night."

Theodore and Dylan grinned at each other, then closed and locked the door behind them. They settled down for a game of chess, Dylan playing against Snape while Theodore and Lupin watched, occasionally cheering or offering advice. Snape did not object when Lupin curled up against his side; the warmth of the werewolf's body seemed to seep into Snape's, driving away the chill fear that the memory of the Death Eaters had conjured up. All four of them luxuriated in the comforting familiarity of what Lupin liked to refer to as "family time," and for a couple of hours, it was as if everything outside of the room--including Death Eaters and mysterious pranksters-- did not exist.
 

Chapter 128

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