darth_stitch: (severus is SO whipped)
[personal profile] darth_stitch
Previous chapters are HERE.

Warning! Capslock abuse ahead. Heh. My salute to OotP!



As You Wish
Chapter Fifteen: The W.O.U.S. and the D.O.U.S.



Now there is a common conception, popularized by a recently released film, that the W.O.U.S. of the Hogsmeade Fire Swamp was a scrawny, hairless, tailless, bug-eyed, slavering, misbegotten cross between man and beast that no wolf in his right mind would be proud to acknowledge as any relation on their family tree.

Foul calumny, I say - a monstrous and libelous attack on the reputation of a rather proud and magnificent, if still terribly dangerous dark and magical creature.

The Werewolf of Unusual Size, true to its name, was indeed an enormous lupine thrice the height of a man, with a thick light brown coat that was slightly gray in spots. Since he was a werewolf, he was also able to stand on two legs, his fur-covered hands sporting a wickedly sharp set of claws and of course, his lupine snarl displayed a matching set of long and equally lethal fangs.

Severus, of course, had no intention of ending up either as a werewolf's dinner or a werewolf himself. He let fly with a deadly, fatal hex that might have neatly disposed of the creature had Harry not fouled his aim by grabbing his wand hand and the werewolf's own fast reflexes.

"Have you gone completely round the twist?!" Severus snarled at Harry.

Harry, for God knew what reason, was looking at the werewolf intently. "Severus, no, it's not what you think -- "

Severus wasn't listening. When he'd been but a boy, he had been nearly killed by a werewolf and only James Potter, one of the banes of his existence, had saved him from certain death or a lifetime having to bear the werewolf's curse. Potter and his misbegotten gang had never lost an opportunity to bully Severus but he was not mean-spirited or cruel enough to leave a fellow boy to such a fate.

It had left Severus with a wizard's life-debt to pay to James Potter, which he fulfilled by taking Harry in. But it seemed that the experience had served to sober up the spoiled, self-centered boy James had been as he had never been actively unkind to Severus ever again. Many people claimed that it had served to make James Potter a better person -- but then, Severus was quite disinclined to believe that and thought that it was only rather fortunate that Harry had not taken so much after his father as he had first believed when he had taken the boy in. Harry's mother Lily was a far better influence on her son and had given him so much more than just her remarkable green eyes.

In any case, the experience had also left Severus with a horror of the creatures and he wrenched free of Harry's grasp and was about to launch another hex when a huge, black dog leaped up from nowhere and knocked Severus to the ground. It bounded over in front of the W.O.U.S., snarling and growling ferociously.

Harry went to take his own protective stance in front of Severus and spoke sternly to the dog. "Really, this is bloody ridiculous, you great big prats. Is this any way to greet your godson?"

Severus' eyes narrowed. It couldn't be --

The dog barked happily, leaped up - he was so huge that he could reach Harry's
shoulders on his hind legs - and proceeded to lick a roundly protesting and laughing Harry.

"Terribly sorry about this," said the werewolf mildly to Severus, who had now sat down and was busy attending to the burrs in his rather nice and bushy tail (yes, werewolves DID have tails). "I haven't scented you in years, Severus and I recognized you a bit too late. And this time of the month always leaves me a bit too....er.... wild."

"Lupin," Severus said frostily, refusing to grant the creature who had nearly killed him in boyhood (never mind if it wasn't really Lupin's fault, as he was not in his right mind at the time), the courtesy of calling him by his first name. "I suppose you've been taking my new formulation of the Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Well, yes - I rather like having control of most of my faculties now - all thanks to you," said Lupin, whose first name was Remus, rather affably.

"Don't thank me - I was researching for a killing potion, not a bloody reliever of werewolf woes," Snape returned acidly. Of course, the truth that he'd once rather liked Remus Lupin as a boy, the only person in James Potter's gang who had never been truly cruel to Severus, was something he would never ever admit. Of course, that old, bittersweet memory was rather overshadowed by thoughts of Harry now.

Lupin threw him a wolfly, fang-filled grin that sent creepy shudders down Severus' spine (GAH - werewolves!). "Whatever you say, Severus. You have my thanks all the same."

Severus ignored him and turned his attention to the dog who was still happily
wagging his tail and getting scritches from a very amused Harry Potter. With nothing to stop him, he took up his wand and spoke a single word.

Severus' aim was rather excellent.

The dog yelped as the curse hit him and he leapt away from an equally startled Harry. Huge clumps of black fur fell from him.... turning what once was a huge black dog into a huge bald dog.

A huge bald dog that was also now covered in disgusting, oozing scabs.

The bald dog glowed with magic as he frantically tried to undo the hex and then he transformed back into a tall, rather handsome man, even if he was still bald.

He had gotten rid of the scabs though.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR YOU GREASY SNIVELLING PRICK?!" He roared.

"I meant to hit you with a rather painful Castration Hex, Sirius Black," Snape drawled. "But then I remembered that you were still Harry's godfather, as delinquent in your duties as you have been - YOU MANGY FLEABITTEN HARPY-WHELPED CUR!"

Sirius Black, formerly the Dread Pirate Roberts, shook himself and he soon had a full head of long, wild dark hair again. He smiled disarmingly at Severus. "Ah, it's a great compliment you pay to my mother, Snivellus - may she forever rot in Hades. I have missed you and your great big snooping beak too -- Engorginostri!"

Severus almost toppled over as his already considerable nose grew to titanic
proportions. He was able to undo the hex fairly quickly and bellowed the incantation for a blasting curse which Sirius was only barely able to dodge in time.

Harry had been carefully watching Remus, prepared to come to his lover's aid if the werewolf decided to aid his mate. However, Remus was watching the two other men scrap it out like they were still eleven years old with a great deal of amusement.

"You're just going to let them fight it out?" Harry asked the werewolf.

"Yes, little cub." Remus sighed. "They've been like this ever since they were boys. I must admit that we were all right little prats back then... it's just that these two in particular have never really grown up."

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, AS USUAL, BLACK!" Snape was yelling. "IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU, HARRY WOULDN'T HAVE NEARLY DIED, YOU FECKLESS IRRESPONSIBLE WANKER!"

"IT WAS JUST A LITTLE KNOCK ON THE HEAD YOU GREAT FLAMING NANCY DRAMA QUEEN!
IT WAS A BLOODY ACCIDENT!"

"A LITTLE KNOCK THAT HAD HIM OUT FOR THREE BLEEDIN' DAYS! HE LOST HIS MEMORY, YOU STUPID SOD!"

And more hexes flew between them, turning them interesting colors, shapes, sizes, giving them extra appendages...

"I can't stand this anymore," Harry said decisively. "We have to get them apart.

"Try using a hose," Remus said helpfully.

"AND WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH ABOUT HARRY ANYWAY, SNIVS?" Sirius hollered back. "I WOULD THINK YOU WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN A RAT'S ARSE ABOUT JAMES' BOY, ANYWAY!"

"BECAUSE I LOVE HIM YOU GORMLESS TWIT!" Snape was quite red with rage and perhaps he would not have chosen to announce his feelings to Harry's godfather in this fashion but then it was rather too late at this point.

Sirius' eyes bulged and then his face contorted in sheer animal rage and he quite literally leapt for Snape's throat --

-- except that he was blasted back by a spray of water.

Harry had conjured up a hose and now stood between his godfather and his lover. "Sorry, dogfather but I do believe you two have had just enough fun for the day, don't you think?"

"And before you ask," Harry continued serenely, "I have not been hexed, dosed with a love potion, coerced, forced or any such other such nonsense. I love Severus - period. Meet your godson-in-law."

Sirius meeped.

And then, before Severus could gloat over his victory, Harry whirled around to face him, green eyes snapping. "Now that you've had your fun, could you PLEASE try not to hex my dear and beloved godfather into next year while we're in their company?"

Severus might have protested but then the words were out again before he could
stop them. "As you wish."

Remus laughed, in a way only wolves could.

Sirius grinned weakly up at his new "godson-in-law." "So whipped, are we - Sniv- I mean, Snape?"

"I don't see you leading the mutiny against your godson any time soon, are you, Black?" Snape returned tartly.

"Now that's all out of the way," said Remus pleasantly. "Why don't we head for home so we can put you two boys up for the night?"

Despite Severus' misgivings, Harry was only too eager to agree.

Remus Lupin and Sirius Black lived quietly and happily in the Shrieking Stack, so called because it had been believed to be haunted by ghosts. The truth was the "shrieking" came from a young Remus Lupin, in the years before the Wolfsbane Potion had eased his sufferings. The Shrieking Stack could only be entered through the great Whomping WIllow Tree, whose branches swayed and "whomped" at any trespassers.... unless of course one knew how to carefully get between the tree's madly battering limbs to get at that knob at the base of the tree and make them stop moving.As they made their way there,

Sirius was telling Harry about his adventures after his retirement from piracy.

"... and so I looked up good ol' Remus here and thought if the Hogsmeade Fire Swamp had a W.O.U.S., it wouldn't mind getting itself a D.O.U.S."

"A what?" Harry asked.

"Dog of Unusual Size," said Snape dryly. "How very...original."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Whatever makes you happy, Snivvykins."

"Don't. Start." Harry said ominously to the both of them and they subsided.

Remus laid a careful paw on Harry's shoulder. "Well done, cub. Well, done."

All things considered, Remus was a good host and despite the look of barely-controlled paternal outrage on Sirius' face, Harry and Severus spent a rather
restful and peaceful night in the Shrieking Stack's guest bedroom. Over breakfast the next day, Harry was wistfully thinking aloud and proposed something that Severus thought was a bit too rash.

"Are you mad?" Severus exclaimed. "How do you propose for us to live happily ever after here with two mangy, fleabitten fuzzbutts underfoot?!"

"OI!" Sirius spluttered in outrage. "That's mangy, fleabitten dogfather and godwolf-in laws to you, Severus Snape!"

This time, the normally quiet and even tempered Remus joined in the fray. As it was no longer the full moon, he was in his human form - an affable-looking man with light brown, slightly graying hair and who wore his shabby wizard's robes with a certain insouciant charm. Nonetheless, there was still something quite formidable about him.

"You know," Remus said conversationally. "The mangy and fleabitten jokes are getting a bit old, Severus and it's not as if we say anything when we can hear and SMELL you two canoodling under the covers even WITH the privacy wards up!"


"Daddy," said Katerina curiously. "What's canoodling?"

Daddy turned a bit pink and Papa was making strangled, choking noises. "Er... kitten, it's... um...."

Katerina was very smart for her age and she knew that there were a lot of interesting things going on when grown-ups started blushing and acting oddly around her. She sighed in exasperation. "Let me guess, it has a lot to do with kissing stuff and I'm supposed to find out when I'm older."

"Hopefully when you're much older and perhaps, best of all, never," Papa muttered darkly.

"Er... yes, well," Daddy cleared his throat. "Moving along..."



The truth was, Harry and Severus might have stayed longer with Sirius and Remus and stay hidden and safe from the rest of the world but Harry knew that as much as he loved his dogfather and godwolf, he and Severus had to move on. They couldn't hide from the world forever (especially Prince Voldemort) and Harry had no wish to court disaster by keeping Sirius Black and Severus Snape within hexing distance of each other. He loved both men, if in decidedly different ways and did not wish to end up choosing between them.

And so our two lovers walked out of the other side of the Fire Swamp, hand in hand, bracing themselves to face the outside world once more.

Prince Voldemort was waiting for them.

- tbc -

Author's Notes

a. Yes, I broke a lot of Potterverse rules with the werewolf and how the wolfsbane potion is really supposed to work. I've never liked the werewolf design in the movie and I've always wanted to make Remus!Werewolf "talk" somehow. Here was my chance.

b. Yes, if you haven't missed it, there was just the teensiest bit of Snupin in there. Ancient history. Never happened. Shhh. Do NOT tell Harry. XP

c. Many thanks to [livejournal.com profile] blue_raven who pops in on my Snarry RPG to play Remus Lupin. Her delicious portrayal of him colors the Remus in this fic. Heh. And she also gave some of his lines. Thanks, Angie-Moo!

d. Also many thanks to [livejournal.com profile] ygrane for helping answer some of my questions while I knocked this chapter together. Especially with helping me invent some hexes out of whole cloth. Heh.

On to the next chapter!

Date: 2005-07-25 05:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wenelda.livejournal.com
The bald dog glowed with magic as he frantically tried to undo the hex and then he transformed back into a tall, rather handsome man, even if he was still bald.

He had gotten rid of the scabs though.


...i laughed so hard, i think my boss may have heard me. and the hose thing just about killed me. so did the fact that kat's nickname is "kitten" (though that's because, in one of my RPs, snape calls his lover "kitten" as well).

very well done!

Date: 2005-07-26 03:01 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
Poor Sirius. Snape really wanted to castrate him but I didn't want As You Wish to turn into a tragedy when Remus decides to have him for dinner for hexing away Sirius' precious bits. XP

Date: 2005-07-25 10:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gaycrow.livejournal.com
Lupin threw him a wolfly, fang-filled grin that sent creepy shudders down Severus' spine (GAH - werewolves!).

I hated that movie werewolf, too. I like yours much better.

Lovely to see this, and I'm really pleased that you're in the groove, so to speak. Looking forward to the next part. :)

Date: 2005-07-26 03:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
Call this therapy. It comforts me to write about little Kat and her Daddy. And Papa too. XP

Date: 2005-07-26 02:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thepinkangel.livejournal.com
fleabitten fuzzbutts

Oh dear. Stitch? This time, I believe you killed MY Writer. Goodness. *poke*
Well, she told me to send you the following picture! We both worked on it, as it required our imMEDiate attention *suspicious giggle*
Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Date: 2005-07-26 03:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
*dances with glee*

We're pleased to know that, Heaven knows I've been "killed" enough already.

And that's such a cute pic of a "meeping!" Sirius. *sporfles*

THANK YOU!!!! *glomps*

Date: 2005-07-26 02:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] amanuensis1.livejournal.com
"Hopefully when you're much older and perhaps, best of all, never," Papa muttered darkly.

Oh, I can't help it--I go all schmoopy over these bits! *loves*

Date: 2005-07-26 02:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
It goes without saying that Papa will come down like the wrath of God on poor Kat's future boyfriends.

Heh. I pity the poor lads. XP

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