Furry Magic

Title: Furry Magic, chapter 108

Disclaimer: Not mine, HP is free....uh, actually it belongs to JKR.

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Severus was propped up against a mountain of pillows and furs. Amrys was seated at his side, expression worried. He held the pale hand of his adored human lover, Snape's hand was convulsed around that of the wereleopard, clinging tightly. Severus was a bit shy about being touched in front of others, but Amrys was working on getting him used to it. And given what had just happened, Sev was just going to have to put up with a hovering and concerned lover.

Amrys had been absolutely panicked, a very unusual state for him, when faced with the insatiable Severus. It had quickly turned from a fun romp and roll in the furs to him being afraid for the wizard's mind and safety. Love and lust he could take, but being unable to alleviate the need in Severus had been frightening. Draco and Remus showing up when they did had been Merlin sent. Amrys had run out of ideas.

"Where on earth did such a potion come from?" Lucius growled angrily, standing next to the bed that held the resting wizard. Harry sat beside his former professor, looking over the paler than normal features with continuing concern. He dabbed at the sweat beaded brow with a square of cool toweling, marveling that the older man was allowing himself to be fussed over at all.

"Did you mix it up?" Harry was more direct than the king of the leopards. Though he couldn't imagine Snape mixing up a potion with the actions of the one he'd taken. Remus Lupin had outlined the contents of the small vial and Harry had blanched, thinking of how horrible it would be to feel that degree of need wash over him. Of having to turn to many, many men to slake his lust. It had nearly happened to Snape. If Lupin had not apparated in with an effective counter spell.....Harry shivered. There was no dignity in the vision that Harry's mind came up with. He took a deep breath. It hadn't turned out that way. Professor Lupin had come to the rescue soon enough.

"It was from Albus' personal potions. I found it in his office, and I kept it, meaning to have it analyzed, until that was possible, I put it in my quarters for safe keeping. High up on a shelf. Entirely out of reach. It should have been far out of harm's way." Severus held his aching skull in his hands. Harry dabbed at the beads of sweat. "Obviously I was mistaken."

Snape shook his head, and Remus took the towel from Harry, re-wet it, and pressed the cool, damp towel to his forehead. Snape, again, instead of objecting to the pampering, allowed the other teacher to hold the cloth in place. It was the clearest testament yet, on how horrible Snape was feeling. He hated being fussed over. But now he lay on his back enduring the care of others with nary a scowl or glare.

"I just don't understand how it could have gotten into my tea." The black haired man murmured. I didn't take anything off of the shelf, didn't bump into it...." He shook his head gingerly. His dark eyes glittering with fever. Amrys sat next to him, looping an arm around the white shoulders.

Amrys looked up at Lupin when that man made a small noise of distress. It alerted him to a situation he might not like. He cast a suspicious look at the Hogwarts' teacher.

"Promise you will control your temper, Severus." Remus said, quietly. Amrys stood, realizing the other man knew something about how his lover had been poisoned. He loomed over the slender werewolf, flexing and glowering. Lucius waved him back from the wary Professor. Harry put a hand out, but Lucius would not allow Harry to touch the other wereleopard. Using his own body he moved Amrys back. Placed his hands on the gold-skinned waist.

"A reasonable request." Lucius said, mildly. "Upset will not aid your condition." He said to the recumbent man, as he kept his hands on his second, who was still glowering. They all heard the grinding of Severus' molars as he gave a curt nod, then pressed a hand to his forehead. Even that small movement was unwelcome in his current condition.

"Very well. It was Peeves. He tipped it accidentally into your tea." Remus explained quietly. "He did not intend to do you any harm.

"Who is Peeves?" Amrys growled and was promptly ignored as Snape's gaze sharpened, then he shut them, the pain too much.

"What exactly was he doing in my personal rooms?" Snape asked with both eyes closed. As the silence lingered he opened one eye, fixing Remus with it's harpoon-like glare. Lupin cleared his throat. "I really don't feel quite well enough to drag it out of you Lupin. Please take pity on my condition and just explain it to me."

"He was watching you." Remus said gently.

"Watching me?" Snape sounded utterly confused. "Why on earth would that little pipsqueak want to watch me?" The complaint held none of the usual sharpness.

"He has found you increasingly compelling of late, he says. Apparently he finds you quite beautiful." Lupin found he could not stop the faint pink flush from rising in his own cheeks, even as he saw a darker hue rise in Severus'.

Snape appeared to digest this new and very unexpected information. Then both eyes flew open. "This has been going on for a time?"

"Oh, most certainly, yes." Remus admitted. "He was going on and on about how wonderful you were."

"How long would you say?" Snape asked pointedly, cutting through the rest of Remus' statement."

"Peeves admitted to several months." Lupin shrugged. "He did not say, not exactly."

"During which time he has watched me. Doing what exactly?" Snape inquired more sharply than before. "Only when I was alone, or...perhaps when others were with me?"

Lupin's cheeks pinked. The others in the room stirred at the question every one of them knowing what Snape was thinking. Amrys let out a low growl. Coming so soon an the heels of Dumbledore's discovered activities, they were all uncomfortable with the idea of being spied on. "Well, he seemed to like to watch you doing anything at all, as frequently as possible. If I am to interpret his statement."

"I was afraid of that." Snape let his head fall back onto the pillows. Almost without a doubt the meddlesome ghost had watched him at some very intimate moments. The legacy of Dumbledore had allowed the spirits residing at Hogwarts to develop some reprehensible habits. No doubt they had seen Albus engaged in his nefarious and illegal games. Snape would not allow himself to dwell on those times and just what the ghost had seen of himself. He would put a stop to it. There was nothing he could do about the past infractions. But he fully intended to set a firm and moral new standard.

"That is not all I am afraid." Lupin said hesitantly. Everyone looked at him again, with growing alarm. "Uhm, I found Albus' potion's manual. The wards protecting his books were negated on his imprisonment. I thought it worth consulting, given the severity of your reaction. It was one of the compulsion mixtures he'd composed."

"Yes. I deduced as much." Snape said with pained patience. "What other bad news have you discovered? I am sure you would not have mentioned it if it weren't bad news."

"Well, Albus never dared use it on his...victims. It was everything he wanted, except it had a side effect he could not eliminate. One that negated it's usefulness. He spent countless hours trying to eliminate it."

"Again, I am left wondering what the bad news is going to be." Snape said into the charged silence. Amrys freed himself from his king and went to Severus' side, he lay a hand over his chest. Snape put his own on top. Amrys lifted it to his mouth and kissed it. Snape pretended he didn't notice, but his insides warmed with pleasure.

"The one side effect he could not get rid of...it increased fertility as well as libido. All the subjects inevitably became pregnant." Lupin said after a short pause. At first the new Headmaster of Hogwarts' found it impossible to comprehend. He blinked.

Amrys froze, his mouth warm on the palm of his lover's hand. Then very slowly he lowered the hand to his lap and stared at the werewolf.

Severus Snape sat bolt upright. "I am PREGNANT?!" He roared, long hanks of pitch black hair flying around his face.

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