Out of Nowhere

Disclaimer: Like you didn\'t read it in the other 9 chapters...I still don\'t own anything but the plot and Leah.

A/N: Well, I had everyone\'s answer typed out for their review, and my computer ate the whole text, except for catpower\'s name. LOL!! I\'ll probably be adding the review answers on 5/15, because right now, my brain is hurting so bad it feels like it\'s going to leak out of my ears. *sighs* I love you guys!! I\'m soooooooooooooooo sorry that you\'ll have to come back for your review answers!!

A/N2: Well, it\'s not even 9AM, and here I am, sitting at my computer fixing the review stuff from last night. I guess I\'ll learn not to do anything when I have a borderline migraine. LOL! Now, to your reviews!! Also, I want to apologize for the lack of action in this chapter. It should be remedied next chapter, promise. =D Oh, and I\'d like everyone to know that with this chapter, this story is the longest story I\'ve ever written. Not too shabby for a short story writer, I don\'t think. =)

Jenn: Yeah, I love ol\' music lovin\' Dumbledore. As eccentric as he is in canon, I can see him having an obsession with music. LOL! And, no, it doesn\'t mean you\'re any more perverted than I am wanting her to be with them both. *g*

Alauralen:I\'m going to try to fit a little more guide stuff in the next chapter to explain the twist there. =) I was going to be predictable and make Snape the serpent, but my muse just wouldn\'t let me. She smacked me upside my head more than once while I whined at her that I was going to have to explain it to my readers. Can you believe she just laughed at me? LOL! The wolf guide really had no interest in Remus because she had nothing to \'teach\' him. I\'m planning on trying to explain that (hopefully) in the next chapter, also.

Papaya: Thanks!! I am going to try to fit in why they have the guides they have, hopefully in the next chapter. We will also find just exactly what Snape knows about spirit guides, because he obviously knows something. *winks* I\'ll also explain Remus having a serpent guide, don\'t worry. I think everyone loves musical!Dumbledore. LOL! I haven\'t had a single review that didn\'t mention it! I\'m glad they reconciled, too. heh Now we can get on to more fun things in the story. *grins evilly* Oh! Before I forget, to answer your post script, no, I\'m not Wiccan. I am pagan, but Wicca just isn\'t the right path for me. My path is more of a conglomeration of Wicca, Hinduism, Shamanism, Christianity, and my own life philosophies. Yep, I\'m one of them free thinking type people. LOL!

catpower: LOL, you\'re welcome! I\'m going to try to explain her accepting the physical manifestation of her circle in a way that I don\'t confuse myself. (Yes, I will confuse myself if I try to explain things like this sometimes. LOL!!) I don\'t know if you meditate or do any kind of visualization, but to the person who is doing the exercise, I\'m going to liken it to a very vivid dream. What\'s going on in the visualization is very real to the person it\'s happening to, kind of like waking from a dream where you sprained your ankle and you can still feel the pain for a moment after waking. Clear as mud, right? LOL! She kind of expected something like that to happen, but then, speaking with her guide as always been a \'real\' thing to her. SNape is just biding his time until he\'s ready to strike and get his revenge, which should be in chapter 11, and I can promise you, it\'s going to be goooood. Can\'t have him getting all whipped, can we? You\'ll see a bit of her struggle this chapter, and a bit more next chapter, then MWAHWAHWAH *cough*... Well, I\'ll just say things are going to get interesting. And I\'m with you, if I had to choose, I\'d choose both. LOL!!


Last time:

Leah sighed, knowing that what he was asking of her was impossible, but she did as she was told. “Lumos.”

Both wizards sat there looking at her and Remus’ wand. She rolled her eyes. “See, I told you nothing would happen. Shall I cast another? Wingardium Levosia.”

She pointed the wand at her coffee table as she muttered the spell and nothing happened. She turned around and pointed the wand at Remus, “Accio werewolf,” she smirked.

Leah handed the wand back to Remus and sat back down. “Now do you believe me, Severus? I am but a mere muggle.”

He shrugged, not telling her he had other thoughts, and rose from the couch. “It is as you say, I suppose. Will you be joining us for lunch today?”

Leah scratched her head and grinned sheepishly. “I suppose that I should, shouldn’t I? As a matter of fact, I’m ravenous! When is lunch?”

Taking a glance at his watch, Remus answered, “In about an hour.”


“I should probably get dressed, then,” she answered as she rose from the couch. “I won’t be long.”

Severus left, leaving Remus to wait on Leah. When she emerged from her room, she was wearing a plain white tee shirt and a pair of baggy blue jeans. She sat next to the tawny haired man on the couch. “So, can you tell me about this bond? I mean, will I be compelled to be near you or touch you?”

He gave her a solemn look. “From what I can tell, the bond affects everyone differently. I’ve only had one other mate, so I don’t really know that much from experience, but at first Sirius was content just to be around me. Then, as time wore on, he became more physical with me, touching me and running his fingers through my hair and such. I think it was at his strongest around the Christmas before the fell through the veil. We were having an Order meeting, and Severus made an untoward comment directed at me, and Sirius punched him in the mouth.”

“So he became fiercely protective of you, then? That’s interesting. And he wanted to touch you all of the time, that’s interesting too. I wonder, though, what will happen if you have to leave while I am here. I mean, will I become restless or agitated?”

“That is a good question, Leah. Can I ask you something?” Remus said, changing the subject abruptly.

“I suppose so; after all, I am your mate, aren’t I? We should be honest with each other.”

“You don’t seem to be a bit concerned or upset that my last mate was a man. You are also taking this whole thing rather well. Why?”

Leah looked over at the curious man and chuckled. “Well, first, I have no problem with the fact that you have been with a man for two reasons. The first being that I think two attractive men being together is hot. It really does it for me. And, well, I went through this stage in college where gender meant nothing to me. After dating a few girls, I realized that I’m a woman who needs a man. There’s just something about a guy oozing with testosterone that appeals more to me than a beautiful woman, now anyway.

“As far as the bond goes, I’m trying to see it from all angles. Yes, it’s put a burden on me in a place that I really didn’t want one, but what we want and what we need are rarely the same thing. And, I’m wondering if the fates have something else in store for me. Had this happened to me five years ago, wait, that would be three years from now…Ok, I’m going to confuse myself if I don’t rephrase that…”

The werewolf chuckled as Leah’s eyebrows furrowed in concentration. “Ok, let me try this…Had something like this happened to me when I was twenty, I’d have had a total freak out and probably tried to kill someone. Since, I’ve just settled down and taken what life has thrown me. You know, ‘Qué será será’. It’s much easier to just live with what you have than it is to worry about what you don’t or how you could make things different.”

That last statement made Remus realize just what he saw in this young woman, and what the wolf saw in her too. Not only was she intelligent, but she recognized when the situation was out of her control and she just kind of went with it. He got up and said, “Well, it’s almost time for lunch, shall we?”

She followed him to the portrait and as they stepped out, she took his arm. “What?” She asked indignantly. “So sue me, I’m used to having a handsome werewolf escort me to meals. It has nothing to do with anything else.”

With that, she turned her head away from him and lifted her nose in the air in a haughty manner. He laughed at her antics, causing her to smile at him. They arrived just after Albus and took their seats. “So, Leah, have you decided to rejoin the land of the living?”

The old wizard’s choice of words tickled her and she replied, “At least for right now, I have.”

“Well, I hear that you made good use of the remote control I left you. You should definitely come to my office and look through my collection of music when you have time!”

She giggled at his comments. “Yes, Albus, I did quite enjoy the remote you loaned me. It came in very, very handy. And I will definitely take you up on your offer. I am, after all, a big lover of music.”

Lunch was a fairly subdued affair, and the conversation was light. Afterward, Remus took Leah back to her room so she could take a nap. “Stay with me?”

“I don’t know if that would be such a good idea if you want to deter to wolf,” Remus chastised gently.

Leah hung her head. “I know, but I really missed you and Severus. I could just picture him agreeing to an afternoon nap. It’s okay. I understand.”

She went into her room and immediately fell into a deep slumber. It was neither restless nor did she dream. Leah woke about two hours later feeling much better and decided to spend the rest of the afternoon outside. She grabbed her bag and the guitar Albus summoned, and she made her way to the oak tree by the lake.

It was several hours before anyone found her. “Need more time alone?”

She looked into the smiling face of Dumbledore. “No, I just didn’t want to disturb anyone. Besides, it’s been a long time since I’ve just sat and been.”

He conjured himself a tall stool and his own guitar. “Shall we just be together?” He asked as he strummed the instrument.

They sat for some time not speaking, and simply playing the guitars. Some melodies that Leah didn’t know, she just listened to. It was nice not to have to say anything or have anything expected of her. When they finished, Albus banished his stool and guitar and offered his arm to Leah to escort her back to the castle. She gladly took it and the made their way to the Great Hall for dinner.

The next few weeks went much the same way for Leah. She spent her days busy assisting Pomona and Poppy and her evenings in Dumbledore’s company. She began to rarely spend more than a couple of hours a day with Remus or Severus. She could feel the bond getting stronger with the werewolf as the full moon approached, though. Two days before, she finally gave in and went to see him.

It was after dinner when she knocked on his door. He opened it with a puzzled look on his face that immediately turned into a smile. “Leah, what brings you here? I figured you’d be spending the evening with Albus.”

She smiled as she walked in his chambers. “No, not tonight. Remy, I can feel the bond pulling me to you. Is it the full moon?”

“I’m not sure,” he answered. “I haven’t felt as bad as I usually do as it approaches, though.”

She scooted close to him on the couch. “I want to be with you when you change.”

He was taken aback by her request. “I…I don’t think that would be wise, Leah.”

“Why not?” She asked.

“Well, even though I take my potion, I don’t want the wolf to decide to break loose and change you.”

“Since you’ve been taking your wolfsbane, have you ever not been able to control the wolf?”

“That’s not the point,” he said quietly.

She snorted in disgust. “What is the fucking point then? Remember, you marked me. I didn’t ask for you to either. I can feel this god damned bond and frankly, it’s driving me nuts! I’m having all of these mothering type thoughts and I’m compelled to be here with you and to care for you. And now you won’t let me!”
Leah began pacing, as she often did when she was agitated. Throughout her rant, her hands worked furiously trying to get her point across. She ran her hands through her hair and turned to look at him. His face held a look of guilt and sadness on it that made her heart want to break. When he looked up into her eyes, realization slammed into her much as a tidal wave might. She knelt in front of him and put her hands on his knees. “No one but the Marauders have ever been with you, have they?”

He shook his head, confirming what she knew. “Oh, Hon, you don’t have to do it alone.” She took his hand and laced her fingers into his. “Let me be with you this first time. Next month, I’ll do something else.”

She looked into his eyes as she kissed the pads of each of his fingers. “Please?” Her question was his undoing.

Remus agreed to let her stay with him the night of the full moon, but he didn’t want her there through his transformation because it was still, even after all of the years of taking the wolfsbane, very painful and he did not want to scare or upset her. She agreed, albeit reluctantly.

The next day, the day before the full moon, Leah woke and headed down to breakfast. Remus was nowhere to be seen, so she gathered up a few biscuits and sausage and took them to his rooms afterward. He answered the door looking pale and deathly sick. Immediately, her instinct (or maybe it was the bond) took over, and she ushered him to the couch and grabbed a quilt and pillow from his bed. He protested the whole time. “But I don’t need…” Remus began.

Leah held up her hand in a very Dumbledore-like manner, silencing him. “You need to rest today. I want you to eat these sausage and biscuits I’ve brought, and then rest. You are going to have a long night, and so am I.”

“But…”

The words died on his lips as Leah glared at him with her hands on her hips. “No buts. You will eat now, and then we will have lunch here together, and you are going to rest. You look like you are dying.” She sat in the floor near the middle of the couch and looked at him. “In all of these years, have you never noticed that in the days preceding the full moon that you tend to get sicker and sicker? Right now, I just bet that if you got up and about you’d tire easy, wouldn’t you?”

Remus had the grace to blush at her question as he shook his head. “I thought so,” she said. “What else happens?”

He sat there for a moment before answering. “I lose my appetite for most things and I only want water to drink. If I get restless, I pace, and my temper gets short. I’ll explode over things I normally don’t think twice about.”

She leaned near his face from her sitting position, and spoke with a grin, “If you feel restless and must pace, be my guest, but when you get out of breath and start wheezing and carrying on, it’s right back here on the couch with you.”

Leah put her face in her hands and growled. “Is the bond doing what I think it’s doing, Remus?”

He leaned up and looked down at her, her embarrassment clearly showing though her hands covered her face. “What do you think it’s doing?” He asked cautiously.

With a sigh, the young woman looked at him. “I feel all motherly and ah…” Before she could finish, her face flushed bright red, and Remus shook his head in understanding.

“Pups?” He asked.

“Something like that, yes. I keep getting this overwhelming urge to take care of and protect you like a mother would her…pup.” She whispered the last word before she began again. “I’m not going to be compelled to fuck you raw, am I? The bond won’t cause me to, you know, become aggressive…more aggressive, will it?”

At her first question he burst out laughing. “That’s certainly an interesting way to put it. No, I don’t think you’ll be compelled to rip my clothes off because of the bond. I think that it will ease a bit after I transform.

“Before Sirius passed, he would act much like you have been around the full moon. After the first couple of times, I began teasing him about being like Molly Weasley. He would get irritated with me and try as he might, as soon as I tried to do something for myself, he would stalk up, grumbling, and help me.”

Remus got a far away look in his eyes and smiled at the memory of his bond mate. He missed Sirius, but he was content. He looked at the young woman and smiled sadly. She took his hand in hers and patted it. “I know how hard it is to lose your best friend. Just keep remembering the good times and smiling. It’s what he’d want.”

They sat there for some time lost in their memories before Leah summoned Dobby for lunch. “Dobby, would you please bring Remus and me something for lunch? I think Remus might need something hearty like roast beef and potatoes. As a matter of fact, bring me the same, along with a salad. Also, can you please inform Professor Dumbledore where I am and tell him that I will be here at least until breakfast in the morning.”

The overly excitable creature bowed and with a small pop he was gone. She looked at the werewolf, still lying on the couch. He kept shaking his head at her and smiling. “I’m going to start calling you ‘Mother Molly’ if you don’t slow down.”

She rolled her eyes and stood up. “I’m going to my rooms to get a few books off of the shelf for later. Don’t move unless you have to.”

The young woman heard him snort as she walked out. Back in her rooms, she grabbed her bag and made her way to the book shelf. As she got lost in the tomes, she plucked some of her favorites, and a few that she had never read from the shelves. Finally, she had more books than one person could read in a week. When she opened her door, she was startled by none other than Severus Snape. He smirked at her reaction and stepped into her rooms, forcing her to step back. “What do you think you’re doing?” He hissed.

“Uh…getting myself something to read?” She asked.

He pinned her with his fiercest glare and replied, “You know what I mean.”

Leah raised her eyebrows in a bored manner and decided to play dumb. “Actually, I don’t. Please, why don’t you tell me what I am doing so at least I’ll know why you’re stalking me.”

“You’re going to stay with him for the full moon? Have you lost your bloody mind?”

With a laugh, she answered, “Yes I’m going to stay with me for the full moon. I’d like to see his other form. And, no, I haven’t lost my mind. He’s got his wolfsbane, and he will be fine, as will I.”

Snape crossed his arms over his chest. “And what happens if the wolf decides to bite you?”

She appraised the tall man before her. “Is someone unsure of his potion making abilities?”

Severus growled as she patted him gently on the arm and stepped around him. He stalked out after her and made his way back to his dungeons. He was stopped by Albus as he got back to the main corridor. “Were she sorted, you know she probably would have been one of your little snakes,” he said with a hearty laugh.

Leah was still laughing as she sat down to eat lunch with Remus, who was already almost half way through his. “What’s so funny?” He asked.

After swallowing a bite of her salad, she answered, “Severus is. He practically pushed me back into my rooms as I tried to leave, wanting to know if I’d lost my mind staying with you tonight. Apparently, Dobby isn’t very subtle and just blurted out our business in the Great Hall. So, I just asked him if he was unsure of his own potion making abilities.”

The werewolf gasped. “You what?!? Leah, you must never, ever question a Master’s abilities. It’s very rude.”
With a snort, she answered, “Of course it’s rude! It’s also rude to accuse someone of losing their mind. He’s projecting his fear of you on to me, and frankly, I’m not scared. I’ll apologize to him in the morning if I must.”

Remus raised an eyebrow. “You must, and you had better not forget.”

The rest of their day was spent with Leah sitting in the floor with her back against the couch reading as Remus alternated between napping and explaining magical theory to her. As the sun began to fall gracefully below the horizon, Remus could feel the wolf begin to emerge. Immediately, Leah noticed what little color he had had was gone and she gave him is potion. His strength waned and she had to help him to his room.

He lay on the bed panting from exertion, and she handed him his wand. “I don’t know if my silencing charm will work, but if you hear anything in here do not open the door. Don’t open it until you hear me scratch on it.”

She put her hand on his cheek and kissed his forehead. “Not until you scratch, promise. Now, please be careful and don’t hurt yourself too much changing.”

She paced in front of the hearth the whole time he was in his room and finally, after about half an hour, she heard the scratching. She walked over to the door and paused with her hand hovering above the knob. With a deep breath she opened it and stood there looking into a familiar pair of gold eyes.

The werewolf stepped from the dark room and into the candle light. Tears welled up in the young woman’s eyes as she sank to her knees. She lifted a shaking hand to the head of the creature and ran her fingers through his soft fur. “You’re beautiful, Moony.”

His fur was a mixture of the sandy blonde of Remus’ hair and a wild gray color (if a color can have a wild ‘look’). He stood almost as tall as a Great Dane and built solidly like a Rotweiller. His eyes were the color of a pot of gold and they immediately told her that Remus was still there.

Moony could smell her trepidation and worry, and it worried him. When she began to cry, he could see the happiness and relief in her eyes. He leaned into her touch and would have purred had he been a cat. Stepping forward, he licked the top of the hand in her lap, reassuring her. Leah threw her head back and laughed as she wiped away her tears.

She got up and motioned Moony over to the couch where she grabbed her book and laid down on his pillow. He pricked up his ears and looked down the couch as if to say, ‘And just where am I supposed to lie?’

Leah chuckled and drew her feet up, allowing him to crawl behind her when she turned onto her side. He crawled up next to her and put his head on her hip. She ran her fingers through his silky fur and scratched just under his ear.

The young woman finally got bored reading to herself, and looked down at her mate. He had been staring intently at her all night. “What’s a matter, Moony, bored?”

He whined and shifted closer to her, licking her finger tips as she reached up to pet him. “Would you like me to read to you?”

He nuzzled her palm in reply. “I thought so dearest.”

She put her book down and grabbed a couple from her bag. “Would you like to hear a few Grimm’s Fairy Tales, or maybe you’d rather me read A Series of Unfortunate Events? Hmmm…how about I tell you a story. I’ll tell you this now that you are in wolf form,” Leah said grinning, “I write short stories as a hobby, and I’ve been known to pen a tale or two featuring a werewolf. They are my favorite mythical creature, followed by the vampire.”

At this, his ears pricked up and he tilted his head. Moony wanted to hear an original story. She giggled and turned on her other side, giving the werewolf room to crawl up and lay his head on her pillow. Putting her arm around his shoulders, she idly stroked his fur. “I think I’ll tell you about one of my favorite characters. Her name is Kalldrea.”

He settled in and laid his ears back, enjoying the closeness with his mate. “She rode into the night as quickly as she could. Her horse, Lightning, carrying her away from danger and the deadly arrows sailing their way…”

After about three hours of her story, Moony began to drop off to sleep. She smiled at the wolf and nudged him. “Moony, let’s go to bed. When morning breaks in a while and you change back, this couch will be a bit crowded.”

The wolf yawned really big and buried his nose under her pillow. She sighed, reminded of her dog at home. “Come on, big guy. I’m not letting you sleep here.” She nudged him again, and he growled half-heartedly at her. “I know,” she responded with a smile, “but it’ll be a lot more comfortable in your bed.”

She moved into the bedroom and pulled the quilt back. It wasn’t but a moment that Moony padded into the room and buried himself under it. She lay there, reading by candle to keep herself awake until first light. Leah wanted to be at least awake when he changed back.

As the sun broke the horizon, greeting the earth and drying the dew, Moony changed back into Remus. The change was not terrifying or upsetting to the young woman. Changing back did not seem to affect him like changing into the wolf did. Once back in his human form, he moaned as he opened his eyes. “Morning, beautiful,” she offered smiling.

He moaned again as he turned his head. “I don’t feel beautiful,” he rasped out.
She cupped his cheek and went to the bathroom to get him some water. After taking a few sips, he settled against his pillow, exhausted. Leah carded her fingers through his hair and whispered, “Remus, you are a most exquisite creature at the full moon.”

“So I’m Remus now,” he whispered back, though his eyes were still closed.

“Yes, you are Remus. You as the wolf are Moony. There’s a definite distinction there.”

“You’ll have to tell me about it later, right now, I think I need sleep.”

The brown haired woman smiled and kissed his temple just before she slide out of bed. “Yes, you do. Right now, I’m going to bathe and go to breakfast. I’ll be back around lunch.”

Leah bathed and made her way down to the great hall. She knew that she looked like hell, but she was going to eat and then go to bed, so it really didn’t matter. Upon arriving, she saw that she was not the first person to arrive. Severus Snape was sitting at his usual position drinking a cup of coffee as she sat down. “I see you weren’t mauled to death in the night,” he drawled haughtily.

“Mmm…I see your potion worked as it should have,” she retorted tiredly.

A cup of strong coffee appeared before her, and she sipped it, relishing the robust flavor. “If you must know, Moony and I spent most of the night reading. He curled up on the couch and stared at me. I made sure Remus was in the bed before I came here. Honestly, he really is an exquisite creature. I don’t know why I’m explaining this to you, though,” she added with a shrug.

Everyone else made their way into the Great Hall and breakfast began. Leah finished up quickly and excused herself, telling all present that she needed a nap as she stayed up all night. Albus promised her that he would check in on Remus in a few hours and make sure that he didn’t need anything, and that he would wake her before eleven.

When she got to her rooms, she stripped down, and fell into a dreamless sleep.