Lion Kisses

A/N: This idea came to me while I was cleaning my room, I’m not sure how housework inspires me but it did. Anyway today is my birthday so, Happy Birthday to me! nn I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Lion Kisses.
By Ran Mouri.


“I can’t live without you, you have to believe me!” A seventeen year-old Sirius Black cried as he clung to his younger brother’s smaller body. “I can protect you, please don’t leave me… James and Remy and Peter, we can all protect you.”

Regulus stared at his brother’s piercing eyes and tried to smile.

“Sirius… I…” He whimpered, wrapping his own arms around his brother’s neck. “You are not lying are you? You will really…” He chocked. “I don’t want to be a death eater, please help me…” Fresh tears ran down the younger boy’s cheeks as he sobbed into his beloved’s embrace, his strong, brave brother would protect him, he knew.

“Regulus…” The older one whispered tenderly. “It’s ok, little one, I’m back.”

“I missed you so much, brother, mother was saying such horrible things about you, and I couldn’t believe you had left me at home, and then Wilkes said you didn’t want me anymore either.” He choked, trying to regain his composure. “That would rather have your Gryffindor friends than me, and I felt so alone and scared, and then your friends were pranking the Slytherins and I couldn’t bear the though of your hatred.”

Sirius stared at Regulus with a small, gentle smile. How he had missed his brother’s nervous babbling, it was something he did when he was scared or in a very emotional state and their parents hated it; they said he looked less refined when he did so.

For Sirius himself, it was awfully endearing.

“Never, my little one, never.” He promised, finally allowing himself to relax and just enjoy the feel of the smaller body in his arms. How he had missed his Regulus, not mother’s, not father’s…

…only his own.

No one would have dearest Regulus like this…

Because he was his.

“Regulus. Listen to me very carefully.” He said suddenly, slowly lifting his brother’s chin with his hand. “Pack your things, we’ll meet at the main hall in an hour. We’ll run away from here, just the two of us, no one will be able to find us. We will finally be able to be together.”

The boys eyes lit up and he nodded.

The older boy placed a soft kiss on the younger
one’s forehead.

“Thank you, Sirius.” He whispered softly and ran to the dungeons. Sirius saw him go with a smile on is face.



*****


“Draconis?”

Ten years old Draconis Augustus Malfoy turned to smile at his Godfather as he entered his study at Spinners End. His mother and father had an important meeting in France and had left their son to the cares of the Potion Master, whom Lucius trusted implicitly and Narcissa could hardly stand. Draco didn’t know why, since Severus Snape was such a nice person to him all the time.

“Uncle Severus, I was listening to Uncle Regulus’s stories.”

The black haired man nodded and stared at the 16 year-old portrait with melancholy. The portrait stared back with his tired grey eyes.

“Good day, Regulus.” He said simply.

The portrait smiled.

“Severus. I was lecturing Draconis about the dangers of Hogwarts.”

“Oh.” It was the same every year, Draconis would come to his house and beg for stories about their old school days. Severus would refrain to some founder’s stories, mostly about Salazar Slytherin’s achievements.

Regulus, on the other hand, would fill the boy’s head with Pilgrims and Mauraders and their endless prank war. The way the Slytherin group would do all in their hands to spoil their Gryffindor counterparts’ plans.

Severus closed his eyes.

Four of them.

One for each Maurader.

Lucius, Regulus, Lucien and Severus himself against Lupin, Pettigrew, Black and Potter.

Gryffindor against Slytherin…

He stared once more at the little blonde boy.

Nor Regulus nor himself had the heart to tell him how Gryffindor had won in the end.

Maybe it was time.

“Come sit with me, Draconis. I think I recall some Pilgrim stories.” His black eyes met Regulus’s grey ones and they both knew it was time.


*****

As Regulus made his way to the Main Hall, his trunk floating gently behind him, he ignored the Bloody Baron trying to get his attention. His heart was fluttering in his chest and his cheeks were flushed, everything he had always wanted was at hand’s reach finally and he would stop at nothing now.

Sirius was waiting for him…

They would run away together and be finally with eachother… No mother, no Gryffindor or Slytherin to tear them apart, no mother and father.

But his smile died on his lips as he finally entered the hall, his trunk fell to the floor in his shock.
Headmaster Dumbledore stood in the middle of the hall, his hands behind his back and his eyes solemn.

Behind him was his mother, her furious eyes
regarding him coldly.

“Ah! Mister Black, so good you could come so quickly.” He greeted cheerfully, as always, as sickening as the poison his eyes conveyed to every Slytherin that knew him well enough.

“…Professor Dumbledore.” He said back, his eyes not moving from his mother’s aloof figure.

“I see the Bloody Baron informed you quickly, I’m glad.” Mrs. Black smiled as she offered her younger son her pale and cold hand. “Let’s go home, Regulus.”

“Wh... what?” He whimpered.

“I’m withdrawing you from school.” She explained. “I don’t like the influence Gryffindor have on you, also that Snape kid, disgraceful… You will be home schooled from now on, your favorite uncle is waiting at home.”

Grey eyes widened and his blood ran cold.

There was no favorite uncle waiting at home…

Only the Dark Lord.

“Mo… Mother, I would hope you would at least wait for the school year to be over.” He tried, picking up his trunk in hopes it would hide his trembling from both adults. “I wouldn’t dare to arrive home to my uncle with my studies incomplete, as you shall know, he should see me as a well groomed wizard, don’t you agree?” Dumbledore’s eyes darkened, he knew what that conversation was about.

‘Please save me, Headmaster.’ The boy thought desperately. ‘Don’t let them take me away from Sirius.’

The old wizard just sighed.

“You should obey your mother, young Regulus.” He said. “Hogwarts will send the syllabus of the year to you and you won’t be so far behind.”

Regulus closed his eyes.

He was going to die…

‘At least I will die honoring my own beliefs.’

“SIRIUS!” He cried suddenly, trying to run to the north tower. Hoping beyond hope his voice would reach his brother. “SIRIUS, I LOVE YOU! BE STRONG AND FREE! AND NEVER LET THEM GET YOU! I LOVE YOU, BROTHER! MORE THAN LIFE ITSELF!” A hand stuck his cheek, rendering his speechless.

Mrs. Black was glaring at him, her cheeks red with rage.

“How dare you speak the name of that traitor! I forbid you!” She yelled, slapping her son once more.
“It’s the name of the man I love the most.” He answered defiantly. “The one I will never forget!”
“You insolent child!” She growled, sizing his arm in her grasp and dragging him away, Dumbledore stood by the door, avoiding at all cost to look at them.

“SIRIUS! SIRIUS! DON’T FORGET ME! PLEASE! I LOVE YOU! SIRIUS!”

Regulus left Hogwarts with his brother’s name in his lips, the same name he whispered with his last breath as he died. The dark mark burning his tender skin…

He would never forget.



****

Draconis listened, his eyes wide and full of tears.

“That man…” He said in shock.

“Lucius and I discovered later on that Albus
Dumbledore had obliviated Sirius Black.” Severus explained. “There was no way he could stop your Mrs. Black from taking Regulus home, so he obliviated Sirius, his prized boy, to spare him the pain. For years to come he would never remember his love for Regulus, or his promise.”

The tears Draco was trying to hold back spilled from his mercury-colored eyes and ran down his pink
cheeks.

“Horrible Gryffindor.” He choked. “How could he… Why would he…”

“Because we are Slytherin.” Regulus answered hollowly. “Albus Dumbledore is obsessed, since his childhood, with Gryffindor’s pureness and perfection. He would stop at nothing to ensure his dear children are never caught doing something they shouldn’t.”

“He usually is a good man.” Severus interrupted. “Fair… but his Gryffindor are priority to him, and any Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff that dares to taint them with impure thoughts must be eliminated.”

“So please, Draconis, whatever you do, don’t mix with Gryffindor, run from them if you can, hide, save yourself…” Regulus pleaded. “Gryffindor will only bring pain to you too, maybe even death.”
Draco seemed to think about it for a few moments.
“Uncle Severus… you too?” He asked weakly, his all time hero couldn’t certainly…

“…yes… a few months after Regulus.”

The blonde’s world seemed to be falling apart.

“In fact, Regulus’s death spiraled us all into our defeat.”

*****

“I’m sorry, I really am…” The brown haired boy whispered, embracing the smaller, black haired one tenderly. “He’s my best friend and he needs me.”

Severus Snape, the sixth year Slytherin prefect sighed brokenly.

“And you think I don’t need you…” He said slowly. Avoiding Remus Lupin’s troubled gaze. “My best friends are dying, Remus…They are important to me.”
Remus seemed to ponder this.

“Sirius lost his only brother. You wouldn’t understand this, but he loved Regulus… more than we could imagine.”

“And just because I didn’t sleep with Regulus I don’t feel?” He snapped. “Regulus doesn’t matter to you, Black is the only thing that matters! If Malfoy or Lucien died, you wouldn’t be here to comfort me, you would probably be congratulating your Gryffindor friends and celebrating. WHAT’S THE USE! WE ARE ALL DEATH EATERS TO BE TO YOU!” He violently separated himself from Lupin and looked at him.

There was no difference, he was the same man he had so foolishly fallen in love with, the same Lucien and Malfoy had warned him he should be wary off.

…the same that had almost killed him once.

And he had so stupidly forgiven.

“You know I don’t think of you as a Death Eater, Severus! I love you!” Remus tried, slowly loosing his cool.

“…but you love Black more. I understand.”

“… They are my only friends, I can’t afford to lose them.”

He knew Remus didn’t mean it like that, he knew he clung to his friends because he was afraid of his own condition…

But those words stung.

“Then you can afford to lose me... I understand, three loyal Gryffindor friends over a greasy and disgusting Slytherin you sleep with from time to time, not a difficult choice.” Against his will he felt tears soaking his school robes and tried, unsuccessfully to dry them with his scarf.

“It’s not like that, I… can’t we just wait? Until Sirius is better, until the year is over…?”
A cold, black glare met his troubled honey brown eyes.

“Regulus wasn’t given that choice, he was sent to die by your headmaster.”

“There was nothing he could do about it! I told you!”

“And I listened, but I don’t believe it! How can you be so blind, Remus! He’s going to destroy us, Slytherins, until we cannot hurt you Gryffindor anymore! He’s going to watch as we are killed! And he will fix it all with his disgusting spells! And you’ll keep your happily ever after with Black while I shrivel and die because I’m a half-blood!”

A slap met his face.

“Don’t talk about Dumbledore like that, he has done
all in his power to protect you! He tried to save Regulus too, but his mother was quicker! There was nothing he could do for him!”

“Then how come he can protect Sirius and not Regulus? They were both underage! Mrs. Black asked for them both! Why was Regulus the only one killed?”

“Because Regulus was stupid enough to show up at that moment!”

Severus kept quiet, he didn’t want to face the situation anymore.

Remus was leaving him because he wanted to dedicate himself to help Sirius heal, from what? From betraying his brother and supposedly only loved one?

From the humiliation of being the only Black left?

And why did he have to leave for that?

Because Sirius hated him, and his presence might upset him some more…

God forbid his horrible Slytherin presence might hurt Black’s sensitivity.

“I just…” Snape began, swallowing the lump that was forming on his throat. He was once again someone unwanted, someone not worthy enough… “I just hope that one day you will regret your decisions but will still have the choices to fix your mistakes. I hope the trust you are placing now won’t turn its back on you and leave you alone, as I fear.” He raised a pale hand and caressed Remus’s cheek, trying to memorize the warmth of his skin one last time.

“I hope the same for you, Severus.” The words were piercing, but held no malice, Lupin was far to good for that.

“Good bye, Lupin.” He whispered one more time and ran away, to the dungeons, to his only remaining friend. He ignored Remus and his whispered promises of love.

He knew they were empty.

That night the two last pilgrims slept in
eachother’s arms.

Severus held Lucien Hubber as tightly as his slim arms allowed him to, fearing he might disappear if he let go.

Lucien caressed his hair and whispered sweet reassurances in his ear, whispering love and understanding.

“We are Slytherins, Sev…” he would say from time to time, Snape didn’t know which of them needed those words more. “We will survive this war, the hate… we will bloom under the sun once more, you just have to be patient.”

The following morning the Ministry of Magic took Lucien away. Accused of performing an ancient, forbidden curse, something they both knew was a complete lie.

Severus remained, the echo’s of Lucien’s cries bouncing off in the darkened walls and ringing in his ears.

The last soldier of a dying, innocent era.

****


Fifteen year-old Draconis Malfoy fell to the floor in front of Regulus Black’s portrait as he used to do as a child. His small hands scratching the hard stone wall and his breath in ragged gasps, half sobs half whispers.

“I’m sorry, I wanted to… I really wanted to… please forgive me, please save me!” He whimpered incoherently over and over again, Regulus could only stare and offer his silent support, praying against all odds that Severus would feel his godson’s distress and hurry back home.

At midnight Snape entered the study and found Regulus with tears running down his cheeks and Draconis asleep on the floor, his slender body trembling. He slowly took a self warming blanket and enveloped his Godson in it, slowly rocking him back and forth.

“… Harry Potter kissed him.” Regulus whimpered. “My brother discovered them, he was enraged Harry Potter is going to break Draco’s heart, Severus. Potter is going to kill our baby too.” The painting covered his face with both hands and finally broke down, he couldn’t stand the sight of history repeating itself.

“I’m sorry, uncle…” Draconis whispered softly, his hands clutching Snape’s black robes tightly. “I wanted to get away, I wanted to stay calm… but I can’t… I love him… I’m going to die too, aren’t I?”
Severus felt for a moment that he had Lucien in his arms and not Draco, Lucien as he had seen him for the last time, desperate and scared, crying for a crime he had hardly committed, but still accepting his fate, his death.

He reminded him of Regulus, screaming his love and begging not to be forgotten. Knowing it would be the last time someone would ever hear his voice.

The huddled form, the tussled blond hair and shaking hands.

Lucius image in Azkaban over posed on Draconis.
And Severus once more felt he was alone, holding the last vestiges of a broken time.

Another Slytherin was going to pay for accepting the most pleasurable poison there was.

The kiss of a lion.


The End.


A/N: I’m sorry for the ending! TwT I really am! I’m also sorry if this seem confusing to you all, it’s just that I was brainstorming and came up with this plot.


If someone’s wondering Lucien Hubber, Regulus Black, Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy were in a group called the Pilgrims, a sort of counter group to the Marauders that some friends and I invented during a HP Rpg. Maybe one day I will write their adventures, but I doubt it. Please send your reviews!