Check Mate

FEEDBACK: Always welcome, please send to Nephir@yahoo.com
DISCLAIMER: Belongs to JKR. No profit. No infringement etc. I could only dream that they are mine, but alas, they are not, so I only play with them in my mind….
SUMMARY: Remus and Harry discover that they are meant to be together, regardless of anyone else’s opinions.
CATEGORY: Alternate Universe / Romance
NOTES: Featuring OOC Dominant!Remus and shy/retiring/femmy!Harry (I’m sooo sorry, but that how they insisted on being written)
This fic is part of the 'Mortal Moon' Harry/Remus Fuh-Q-Fest (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mortalmoonfest/). Challenge: -enter the challenge-13. In Harry's seventh year, Remus returns to teach DADA. Harry says something that he moments later realizes is inappropriate, but Remus doesn't react the way Harry thinks he will... (Cara)
20. Remus can't stand anyone touching Harry, who should be his alone... (Cara)
92. Love. Sex. Altars? Harry and Remus indulge in a little ritual sex. (Kristi)
BETA: Herb McSidhe and Phoenix Whitebirch. Without the two of them, this story would not be. All mistakes are mine.
ARCHIVING Mortal Moon Fest until 6/1/03; Snitchfiction; Restricted Section, any others, just ask after that date.


HP~RL~HP~RL~HP~RL

It was the beginning of his 7th year when it started… at least that was what Harry thought. He’d been sitting with Seamus, Draco and Ron at the welcoming feast and they had been talking about the upcoming Quidditch season when he felt the first stirrings. Later he would say that it was like a bell had gone off deep in his soul. He’d suddenly looked up and around the room, trying to pinpoint what the bell was telling him when his eyes ran across Remus Lupin sitting at the Staff table and it all fell into place.

He’d never really been interested in anyone sexually before, and the feelings flowing through him were confusing, and more than a little frightening, as desire ripped through his body.

Out of his hands and beyond his control. He knew that he wanted Professor Lupin. Not as a friend (he was already one), not as a teacher (again, he already filled that role) nor as a parental substitute (or at least an adopted uncle) but as a lover. Somewhere deep in his soul he knew; knew that he was his and his alone. His eyes kept returning to the Professor as the evening progressed. His friends noticed his preoccupation and asked him what was wrong. Unwilling and unable to answer them, he instead said that he was tired and headed off to bed.

Days passed, then weeks.

Harry kept watching Professor Lupin. It had become his favorite hobby, far surpassing Quidditch and flying. He watched him during class, admiring the way that he took control of the students and guided them to knowledge. He watched him during meals, admiring the way his hands moved as he cut and ate his food, and he watched him as he walked in the hallways. The only time he only stopped was when his Godfather came to visit. Somehow he knew, just knew that Sirius wouldn’t appreciate it. He just kept watching and waiting. He was sure that whatever it was he was waiting on had something to do with the desire that he felt every time he was around the older man. He continued to Lupin-watch, and his friends kept watching him, waiting for him to tell them what was going on.

He was distracted in classes, most notably in DADA, though Potions came in a close second. It was not enough however to earn more than his normal detentions from his Professors.

It was Professor Snape who noticed that Harry wasn’t himself and mentioned it to the Headmaster. He was worried that perhaps something was really wrong with him. Nothing ever normal happened to Potter; it was always the unusual.

“Have you noticed, Albus, that the fire no longer burns in those jade eyes at every snarky comment he receives from me? He’s… cowed. But that’s not really the right word," he told the Headmaster. “He’s unnaturally submissive. Something is blanketing the boy’s natural spirit and making him more pliant.”

“I’m sure Severus that you are worried about nothing more than your typical teen troubles. I’m sure that he’ll bounce back in no time, and that you’ll be in here to complain that he’s too cheeky for his own good,” the Headmaster said, the smile on his face causing his eyes to crinkle at the corners. “Would you like some tea? Or perhaps a lemon drop?”

“No thank you.” The Potions Master huffed and glowered but with nothing more than a vague feeling of unease he could do nothing. “I’ll just return to my dungeons then, and work on lesson plans.” Standing, he stalked out of the office, his robes swirling about him.

More time passed; Halloween, the Christmas holidays and then… Spring.


Spring, when a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of love….

It was the last few days prior to school being out for the Easter holidays when Remus found himself on the prowl, following a scent that he’d picked up earlier in the day. He had first smelt it earlier, during his 7th year combined Gryffindor/Slytherin class, but he’d been distracted from discovering who the scent belonged to during the class when a fight had broken out between Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy.

He was no longer worried about being outed as a werewolf to the students or the Wizarding world at large. That had already happened in Harry’s 3rd year.

Since that time Albus had been working, running a tireless campaign within the Ministry to allow ‘dark’ creatures to be treated as equals with the rest of the Wizarding world.

And then there was Snape, who had developed the Wolfsbane potion that allowed Remus to keep his rational mind during his transformation.

Remus' walking brought to mind his own 7th year here at the school. He’d spent a lot of time in the Forbidden Forest with the Pack that lived there, learning about being a werewolf. The Alpha of the Pack; a female in the prime of her life named Lenore, took pity on the young Wizard and adopted him into the Clan so that he could learn about their lore and history.

She’d lived her entire life among the Pack and she took it upon herself to make sure that Remus was taught all about the Weres. He remembered sitting in her kitchen, the fall light shining like liquid gold through the windows as she told him the legend of the first werewolves.

How he embraced the stories, of how they were descended from Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. The legend said that the milk that the she-wolf suckled the twins with changed them, made them more than human, and that those changes passed through their bloodline, from parent to child.

She made sure that her teachings also covered how the Wizarding world interacted with the Were world; infrequently and with prejudice. She also took the time to explain to him why it was that some Weres went crazy and attacked innocents. That was what had happened to Remus Lupin when he a child, she was sure of it.

It was only Weres who were also Wizards that had the urge to attack innocents. This urge was caused by a conflict between the two magical signatures. It was during these lessons that the rumor of a Wolfsbane potion first came up. One that could possibly help him retain his human mind during the full moons. He made sure to take these rumors back to the school when he returned from visiting the Pack; he passed them on to Professor Dumbledore.

Lenore had told Remus that it would take a talented Potions Master to create the potion, and that it might take years of research before it could be used, but still, it was a hope for his future, and one that he was determined to see carried out.

A noise brought him out of his memories and he was surprised to realize that he’d ended up in one of the disused corridors on the third floor. He was about to turn around when his sensitive ears picked up the sounds of students talking quietly. He remembered that sound, it was a sound that was only made by teens who don’t want to be overheard. He stopped walking and listened to see if he could tell where they were and what they were talking about, just in case there was trouble brewing.

At least that was his rationale, but he was honest within his own mind as he grinned wolfishly at the possibility of a little fun at the students’ expense.

Ears perking, he followed the voices to an empty classroom where he eavesdropped on what was being said inside. He recognized at least two of the voices, Ron’s baritone was easy to pickup, but what took him by surprise was the aristocratic tones of Draco Malfoy talking with Ron. He’d known that they were dating, but after the scene in class today he wasn’t sure that was still true. A third voice joined them, a pure tenor that caused shivers to run down Remus’ spine in response. He had just stepped closer to listen better when the voices rose in an argument.

“Damn it Draco, why is it that every time I see you with Harry, you have your hands on him?” Ron’s voice was full of pain and anger.

“Ron, you know that I love you and only you. I’m sorry that I hurt you, you know that I never meant for that to happen. I was only giving him a hug.”

The tenor voice spoke up, “Ron, don’t blame Draco, blame me instead, it’s entirely my fault. Ever since… Professor Lupin came back to the school I’ve been wound up tight and I feel like I am about to explode.” The voice rose and fell and Remus could tell that the speaker was pacing around the room as they talked. “I don’t know what’s going on with me. I keep dreaming about him, lusting after him. It’s like I am under a spell of some sort, every time I see him I want to pounce on him and have him shag me into the floor. Shite! I shouldn’t have said that.”

The tenor voice that sent chills up and down his spine belonged to Harry, and he’d just admitted that he desired him, Remus Lupin.

His nose twitched at the volume of pheromones seeping out of the classroom from the three of them, then it twitched again. There was no mistaking that particular scent coming out of the room; one of the three in there was to be his Mate, and if he was correct it was Harry Potter. That would explain Harry’s response to him and clarified the discussion that Remus had been listening to between the three boys. It also made him think about Harry’s recent passivity. He took in a deep breath, filling his very being with the smell of his Mate.

This was going to change every thing, but he could no more ignore the dictates of his Werewolf nature than he could stop breathing. Sirius would not be pleased. Sirius could get stuffed. This was his life, his Mate, and nothing was going to stop him from claiming what was his.

All thoughts of pranks were long banished from his mind with this new information.

He turned and headed back to his rooms to change so that he could go for a run to clear his mind and think…


In the unused classroom on the third floor Harry was sitting in the arms of Ron and Draco, crying in frustration. He felt like he was slowly going insane, and he didn’t know what he could do about it. The two boys shared a glance over his head. Both of them were worried about Harry.


Things had seemed fine on the train into the school, but both of them had noticed that something had changed during the Welcoming Feast. Harry, Ron, Draco and Seamus were sitting and talking, waiting for the Sorting to be over with so that food could be served when suddenly Harry began to look around the room, almost like he had heard something calling to him. He glanced across the House tables then turned his eyes to the staff table, searching for something or someone.

He’d calmed down a little after looking over the staff table and he'd begun to talk with the three again. However, he kept throwing puzzled glances at the teachers sitting before them as though he were expecting something to happen at any moment.

After the feast Harry told them that he was tired and needed to go lay down. No one sitting there had believed it, and Ron ended up walking down to the dungeons with Draco to talk with his boyfriend about it, hoping that maybe he could shed some light onto the situation.

They had ended up sitting together on Draco’s bed, the two staring deeply into each other's eyes, looking for and finding the reassurance and love that they had found with each other during their 6th year. They weren't sure as to what to do about Harry, and they agreed to keep an eye on him, and help him if they could.


Remus began running and let his mind have free reign to work on how he was going to claim his Mate. His memories drifted back to Lenore and what she had taught him about sex and love in Were culture. He’d been to a few Moon Fests and had been somewhat scandalized at first with the openness of the sexuality there. She’d laughed at him as he blushed, and then she explained that if he’d been raised within the Pack he’d not think it was strange at all.

“We embrace and celebrate our sensuality, sharing freely with our fellow Weres. There is nothing to be ashamed of; the morals of the Wizarding world don’t belong here.”

“But I noticed that Chris and Harper don’t participate in the Moon Fests.” He’d said to her.

Lenore had smiled at him and then explained; “Harper and Chris are Mates, not just lovers, spouses or friends. To find a Mate was rare, very rare and always treasured, much like the concept of Soul Mates in the Wizarding world. If you are destined to have a Mate,” she said, “You will know them by scent and action, for they will seek you even as you seek them. Should you ever be blessed in this manner, let nothing stand in the way of your Claiming, for madness and death will follow if the Claiming is not completed after you have found each other. This has happened a few times in our history, and it is never pretty.”

Remus had sat there, and let the knowledge that she had shared with him seep into his very bones.


By the time he’d finished his run, Remus had worked up quite a sweat, but still hadn’t come to any definite plans as to how he was to Claim his Mate. He replayed the overheard conversation in his mind. He knew Harry wanted him, and had admitted it in front of witnesses.

There would be issues when he Marked the Boy Who Lived as his. The Wizarding world would be horrified, their Golden Child bound to a werewolf.

It really didn’t matter to Remus either way. Harry was his, his scent proclaimed it to any with the nose to smell it. Harry was feeling the call as well, if the conversation he’d overheard was correct. The only thing that mattered was Harry, everything else would wait until he was Claimed and Mated. With that in mind he headed in to clean up before dinner.


Stepping out of the shower, he dried off quickly and threw on a clean set of robes before heading out to the Great Hall for dinner. Walking swiftly down the hall, he was pleasantly surprised to meet up with Severus. Exchanging pleasantries, they walked together into the Hall. Entering, Remus picked up Harry’s scent immediately. Glancing over at the Gryffindor table he noticed Harry sitting between Ron and Seamus, both of whom had an arm around him.

Remus began growling low in his throat. No one touched his Mate, no one. His feet, in perfect accord with his instincts, tried to take him to the table. He’d remove their arms at the neck so that there’d be no misunderstandings.

No one touched his Harry, except that he wasn’t going anywhere. A hand was holding onto his arm, a hand attached to Severus. He turned and faced the Potions Master, his eyes glowing gold in the candlelight.

Snape was surprised when Remus stopped suddenly in the doorway to the Great Hall. He watched curiously as Remus began to growl deep in his chest and then started to move towards the Gryffindor table. He reached out and grabbed his arm at the shoulder, stopping him from moving any further into the room. Remus turned and looked at him. ‘Shite!’ he thought to himself, ‘the wolf is loose and angry about something.’

“Lupin, get a hold of yourself man! Take control of your wolf before I have to hex you here and now!”

Remus snarled at Severus, pinning him in place with the look in his eyes. Slowly he began to breathe deeply, regaining control. Severus could see the wolf fade from his eyes as they returned to their normal honey brown color. Severus didn’t know what had set the wolf off, but he didn’t want to see that again, especially not in the Great Hall filled with students. Glancing around, he saw that no one had really been paying attention to them. ‘That's good, less to explain then,’ he thought.

Remus took another deep breath, and then nodded to Severus. “You are right, of course. Something in the air must have set me off.”

Severus looked at him strangely. “I suppose. Let’s sit before we make bigger fools of ourselves, shall we?” He turned and walked to the staff table and sat down in his normal place.

Remus followed and tried to focus on the meal and not on Harry, but he could feel those jade eyes on him throughout the meal, studying him, branding him. He glanced over at the Gryffindor table and was pleased to note that no one was touching Harry now. He excused him self and left the Great Hall to go to his chambers.


Harry had known when Remus walked into the Great Hall. It was like he had some sort of ‘Remus radar’ ever since the Welcoming Feast, but with each passing day it got stronger. If Ron and Seamus hadn’t been holding on to him when Remus came in, he would have made a huge fool out of himself by jumping up and running to him.

He could tell that something was going on with the DADA instructor and Snape. Remus looked… furious… truly angry over something. Then he seemed to take in several deep breaths and calm down. Harry wondered what had set off his normally calm-tempered teacher, though his little display had created a different response in Harry. He was going to have to go take a cold shower before he could sleep tonight at this point. He stood up from the table and headed off for his room.


Harry woke from the nightmare, and shuddered. ‘Thank the gods it wasn’t another vision,’ he thought to himself. He knew that he’d not sleep anymore tonight, but he didn’t want to sit in the dorm room until breakfast. He pulled his invisibility cloak out of his trunk and pulled it around his shoulders. He walked out of the Tower and headed off to wander the halls until daybreak.

He ended up back in the third floor classroom where he, Ron and Draco had been earlier that day. He sat down by a window. ‘I’m tired, so tired of fighting,’ he thought to his self as he dozed off into a light sleep and began to dream again.

~~He was lying back on a firm surface that felt gritty, almost like stone against his back. The moon was high above the trees, half full and bright in the clear sky. He could feel his heart beating like a heavy base drum as he waited in anticipation, excitement thrummed through his veins; this was what he had been waiting for. There, at the edge of his sight he could make out the shadowed figure of Remus. Knowing that he was there, watching Harry laid out for all to see, caused Harry’s blood to surge heavily and the scent of his arousal wafted out to all in the Circle around him.

At a silent signal, Remus stepped forward, into Harry’s line of sight, nude and heavily aroused. He reached out and stroked Harry’s face. Harry smiled up at him, the desire and love etched on his face was plainly obvious in the emerald eyes meeting the gleaming gold ones.

“Are you ready, my love?”

“Yesssss Remy, please don’t make me wait any longer.” Harry’s tenor voice was deep with desire.

“No more waiting… no more hiding… you and I, together… Marked and Mated. Is this what you want?” The question held a hint of ritual and magic.

Harry moaned and replied, “Mated and Marked, together, you and I, forever.”

That was all Remus needed to hear; he climbed atop the pale boy on the stone and began to kiss his throat in preparation of the Marking~~

Harry woke with a gasp. Another dream about himself and Remus… He'd been having them fairly frequently since the Christmas Holidays, but none were as erotic as this one. He needed to check the time. "Tempus." It was still early, only 6:30. He had plenty of time to shower and get ready for classes. He stood up wearily and wrapped his cloak back around him self as he headed back to the dorms.

He was glad that it was the beginning of the Easter Holidays. He really needed some time alone to think about what was going on with his mind. He loved Ron and Draco, but he just couldn’t talk to them about these dreams and feelings.


Remus was not a happy werewolf, not at all. It had been a month had since he’d overheard Harry’s confession and he still hadn’t been able to get Harry alone, nor had he been able to get away and talk with the Pack. Severus had taken to watching him whenever they were in the same room together and in response Remus had begun to eat alone in his rooms to avoid seeing Harry with his friends. His control had eroded so much during the month that if he saw anyone touching Harry he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions.

Thank goodness it was the Easter Holidays. He had an entire week free of most of the student body. He might even have the chance to talk with Harry.

He was constantly aroused by the scent of his Mate in the school, there was nowhere he could go that it didn’t tease and tantalize his sensitive nose, unless he decided to go running again to work off his frustration. He’d already been running three times today, if he kept this up he’d have to invest in a new pair of trainers before the month was out.

He threw on his shorts and trainers in frustration and headed out to the Quidditch Pitch. He’d just begun warming up when his nose started to tickle. His head twisted up, the better to catch the scent, as he looked around the stands and the field. There, off in the corner stood Harry in deep shadow. He was watching him; if Remus hadn’t been looking so hard he would have missed him.

His heart rate sped up in preparation for the hunt. It was no longer under his control or Harry’s, if ever it truly had been. He was going to stalk his Mate, and he would catch him, and when he was finished, Harry would belong to him and him alone, finally.

Finished with his stretches, he began jogging slowly around the Pitch, away from where Harry was watching, slowly picking up speed until he was at his normal pace. He circled closer to the shadows with each turn around the field, each lap bringing him closer to his goal. He could feel Harry standing there; waiting and anxious… his desire and fear were heady scents drawn in with each breath.

Remus waited until the fifth lap to close in on Harry. He could tell that the boy hadn’t expected to come face to face with the man he’d been watching from the shadows, and he jumped when Remus stopped in front of him and spoke.

“Harry.” His voice was a deep growl. “I know what you want.” Remus moved into Harry’s personal space, crowding him back into the corner where there was no escape.

Harry gasped in response to the tactile feeling of his voice rolling across him. “R..R..Remus?” His voice caught as he spoke his name. “Do you know what is wrong with me?”

Remus moved closer to Harry, not quite touching him, but allowing him to get used to the feeling of their auras mingling. His breath whispered across Harry’s face as he spoke, “There is nothing wrong with you Harry. What you are feeling is a call. You are being drawn to your Mate.”

Harry’s luminous eyes glowed in the shadowed recesses of the stands, “Mate?” he asked. “I keep dreaming of you, and the moon, and me.” He broke eye contact and blushed.

Remus moved in closer, bringing his hips and thighs into contact with Harry, letting him become used to the feeling of being touched. He knew that he was pushing, but he needed to touch Harry, to dominate him, he could hear it like thunder in his blood, pounding and demanding.

“I know. I’ve been having similar dreams. Harry… do you trust me?”

“Yes.” His answer was quiet.

“Good. Let go and let me do this.” His voice caressed the young man standing before him, causing him to shudder with desire.

“Do what?”

“This,” he said as he reached out and lightly framed Harry’s face with his hands, and turned his head a little to the right so that they were in alignment for a kiss. He leaned forward, bringing their bodies into line, touching from chest to knees.

Harry trembled as Remus came closer, his lips opening in a silent sigh as they touched. He reached out and tangled his hands in Remus’ damp tee shirt.

Remus kissed him softly, the touch of lips a promise of more to come. When he felt Harry relax against him, he sealed their mouths together and inhaled deeply, taking the very breath from Harry’s lungs.

Harry tried to pull away, he needed to breathe but Remus’ hands on his face prevented him from pulling away.

Dizzy, he was dizzy, his legs started to buckle from lack of oxygen when Remus released his breath back into his body, and Harry sucked the air back into his lungs gratefully. He could taste Remus in his mouth, in the back of his throat, a warm flavour of cinnamon and the forest.

Their breath passed back and forth, mingling and warming them both.

Breath was passed between them and with it a building power. Remus moaned as his tongue touched Harry’s, and both of their hands stroked each other, touching chests and backs, gripping arms, intertwining thighs and legs.

Remus broke the kiss and looked down at Harry. His face was flushed, lips swollen and moist from the kisses. Clouded emerald eyes slowly lifted and looked into blazing gold eyes. “Tell me you want this Harry,” Remus growled.

Harry leaned forward, trying to reclaim the lips that had been mating with his just moments prior. When Remus leaned away and spoke, he focused on the voice, like fingers on his skin, teasing and burning him with passion. A question. He’d been asked something. ‘Did he want this?’ Remus might as well been asking if he wanted to continue breathing.

“Yes, oh god yes. More than anything else.”

Remus smiled. He leaned down and pick up Harry in his arms. Tucking Harry's head under his chin he murmured, “Then we will have this. We will have to go to the Pack, to have them witness our Mating and bless it. There is so much I need to tell you about the Werewolves. We will go today, before the moon begins to rise. For now, however, you and I need to go back to our rooms and prepare.”

“Do I have to go back to my room? Can’t I come to yours instead? I don’t want to be separated from you, not yet.” He shivered delicately in Remus' arms.

“What are you afraid of Harry?”

“I… I’m afraid that if you leave, that you won’t come back. I… I know it’s a stupid fear and that I’m being childish and clingy but I’ve lost everyone in my life that had loved me, with the exception of Sirius. But I don’t get to stay with him so it’s kind of like the same thing. I just want you and me, together, forever.”

Remus sat down on the ground and adjusted Harry on his lap so that he could see his face. “Harry, no one will stop this from happening, no one. You have to believe me in this. If needed, I will have Lenore come and speak with Dumbledore and Sirius about it.” He leaned forward and kissed Harry softly. The kiss was gentle and unhurried, right up to the moment when Harry’s tongue stroked along his bottom lip, asking for entrance to Remus’ mouth. A small gasp allowed Harry the opening he wanted and he darted his tongue inside, licking and tasting once again the cinnamon and forest that was Remus.

Remus allowed him a moment to taste and test before taking control of the kiss. His tongue swirled in deeply, thrusting in and out in blatant foreshadowing of what he was going to do to Harry later.

Harry moaned into his mouth and squirmed, rubbing against Remus’ arousal. A jolt of pleasure crept up his spine at the contact and he wiggled again, hoping to recreate the sensation. He’d never experienced anything like this before and it was frightening and exciting at the same time, desire and fear rolled together in a heady mixture that teased his senses.

Remus continued to thrust his tongue into Harry’s mouth in time with small thrusts of his hips, rubbing the two of them together. The boy in his arms shivered in response, his muscles trembling with the need for release from the pleasure that was building up between them. Remus slid a hand down and grasped Harry’s erection through his trousers, stroking and pressing against it in conjunction with the kiss and hip-thrusts. “Come for me Harry,” Remus whispered into his mouth and Harry did, with a cry that Remus swallowed.

He continued to pet and kiss Harry softly, soothing him down from his release. "Now, we truly must go shower and change. Night will be coming swiftly and we need to go to the Pack Denhold before then.”

He stood and helped Harry to his feet as well and they began walking back to the school. “Meet me at the Whomping Willow in half an hour. Dress for comfort, we will be walking for a while.”

They parted ways before entering the school, and Harry headed to his rooms quickly. He grabbed a quick shower and threw on a pair of jeans and a soft jumper. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked… happy. Not something he’d seen in the mirror in a while. He took a moment to thank the Gods that most of the students were gone for the weekend to Hogsmead so the dorms were quiet. He grabbed up his wand and his father's cloak and threw it around his shoulders, heading back out to the Whomping Willow to meet with Remus.

Remus made it to his rooms without meeting up with any of the other teachers or the Headmaster. Good, the less he had to say before the Claiming, the better it would be. He quickly washed up and threw on a pair of worn jeans and an old sweatshirt. Running a comb through his hair he grabbed up a pair of soft boots and pulled them on. He glanced around the room, making sure that he hadn’t left out anything incriminating, he stuffed his wand into his pocket. Then he locked his room and headed out to the Willow.