Circle of Love

Remus and Severus stood where the Room of Requirement's door would appear and thought of what was needed for this night. Remus hated this time of the month, and like regular clockwork it would arrive and he'd drink down the vile potion and head for the room. This time the young ones would view his humiliation and his transformation. He truly hoped that Severus's decision in letting them see this was the correct move. They still feared the wolf inside him, not truly understanding the control the potion gave him upon his change into the furry little problem that plagued his life.

He was a human, a wizard and for one small technicality a full blown werewolf once a month. He knew that Severus was working on an improved potion, and hopefully he planned on one day creating a cure. Their uneasy friendship confused others, but working together the past few years had brought an understanding alliance.

The four young adults arrived as the door appeared and the group walked as one into the small room. Harry still had problems meeting either professor in the eye after yesterday, and had been fighting off Ginny's questions about it all day. Draco just smirked as he watched the other couple, an arm thrown casually around Hermione's hip. He was enjoying the male Gryffindor's discomfort as much as he was the feel of Hermione's small body against his.

“Chains?” Hermione gasped out as they looked around the room, Draco's arm pulling her closer as she started to pull away. “How barbaric! How could you subject-”

Remus held up his hand, already feeling tired from what was to come soon. “It's a safety precaution, Hermione. They are long enough for me to comfortably sit or lie down.” They all watched as Remus drank the potion down with a grimace and held his arms out for Snape to clasp and lock the shackles around his slim wrists. They clanked as he let his hands fall to his sides, and he gave them a weary smile as he settled onto the cot.

Time seemed to tick slowly as they waited for the sun to fall and the moon to rise. Hermione and Ginny both leaned back into their boyfriends, who held them close.

Suddenly Draco gasped in pain, and grasped his left forearm, pulling away from Hermione. She turned to look at him with concern, but his face turned away. Draco's eyes met Snape's in horror. There was no way he could answer the summons. The older wizard nodded, they had both known it was only a matter of time before this happened.

“Out!” Severus hissed, pushing them in front of him out of the room. The door closed for the totality of the evening, not to reopen till the morning. “Bloody rotten timing!”

“Draco?” Hermione's hand went to touch his arm but he pulled back from her.

“He summons.” Was all Draco said, his arm painfully throbbing. He held himself stiffly, not allowing it to make him bow. It would only get worse as the time passed. His greatest fear was to end the pain by answering the call.

“You will stay here Draco, of course. You other three stay away from that room, keep Draco occupied, hopefully He will let the summons go when enough show up.” Severus said, looking at Draco and the others one by one. He was used to the pain that summons caused, years of it conditioning him till it seemed to be just a pinprick.

“You can't just leave us here alone, Professor!” Hermione exclaimed, and her eyes went to the Room of Requirement's door. Even though it was sealed tight, her remembrances of the werewolf they met Third year still scared her.

“Listen Miss Granger, Tonks or Shacklebolt should arrive soon to babysit you and the wolf. The longer I stay here, the angrier He gets and the worse it will be. I don't know when I will be back. Potions class cancelled for a few days. Enjoy your freedom, don't get into trouble.” Snape said, a sneer on his face. He gave one last look at Draco before disapparating.

“What can we do?” Ginny asked, a look of compassion on her face. Harry snorted and walked away. Turning back, he gave Ginny a lets-get-out-of-here look. Ginny sighed and threw up her hands in defeat. “We'll be back as soon as I talk some sense into him.”

Hermione touched Draco's cheek and pulled him close, her forehead touching his. “A calming draught or a pain draught? Would either of those help?” She asked as she watched the blond grit his teeth and remove his hand from his forearm.

“Nothing will help, unless he cancels the summons, the pain will continue until I go into his presence.” Draco turned and walked away. Hermione wouldn't let him go, so she followed him as he entered his room. The soft click of the door's closure barely registering with either of them.

“Just go,” Draco looked at her, “Please.” He softened his words. He wasn't in the mood to be gawked at, and he was afraid the pain would soon make him lash out.

“Dreamless Sleep draught?” Hermione suggested, not liking how he suddenly bent over in pain.

“I'd rather not die in my sleep,” He spat out while heading to sit on his bed. He felt the mattress shift slightly when she sat next to him; drawing him closer to her.

“Well Professor Snape said to keep you occupied till Tonks and Shacklebolt arrived. What can we do?” Hermione's fingers ran through his pale blond hair, pushing it off his face. She heard Draco sigh and he leaned towards her, his head touching hers.

“You really aren't going to leave me are you?” He asked, wanting her to both go and at the same time to stay. The pain was only increasing and he wanted to let loose and scream. He couldn't with her there, and he just wanted to hold on to the comfort her presence brought.

“Did you leave me the night I grieved for my parents?” she asked him, a slight blush staining her cheeks at the memory of that second kiss. He shook his head and her hand reached up to pull his face closer. Their lips touched and all thoughts of Voldemort disappeared.

****


Harry made his way to the kitchen, Ginny not far behind him. He opened the charmed closet and grabbed the pitcher of pumpkin juice. Ginny reached up into a cupboard and retrieved two glasses and set them on the table.

“I can make some sandwiches if you are hungry, Harry.” Ginny said, watching Harry’s face. His lips were set into a line of displeasure at the thought that Hermione had stayed with the Slytherin.

“I can’t believe her. Yet again she chooses the Death Eater boyfriend over her friends. He treated her like crap in school, but now all he’s got to do is wiggle his finger and she runs to him.” Harry slammed the pitcher onto the table and juice sloshed over the rim onto the wood.

“Now Harry, you know that is not true.” Ginny said softly, her hand going to his shoulder. She jumped as he jerked away from her touch in anger.

“You too Ginny?” Harry’s emerald green eyes looked accusingly at his girlfriend. Why does everyone defend the ferret? He thought, he’s the enemy not me!

“I don’t like the prat much more then you do Harry, but right now Hermione does. The more you fight the two of them being together, the more she’s going to be drawn to him. Quite frankly Harry, he doesn’t seem that bad to anyone but you.” Ginny set sandwich makings in front of her on the table.

“So you think if I stop making a big deal about it, she’ll come around?” Harry looked thoughtfully at Ginny, sitting down near her.

“I think what ever is going to happen between them will happen whether you like it or not, and forcing her to chose between the both of you is going to hurt her.” Ginny said as she spread some mayonaise on the top piece of bread.

“She’d choose us.” Harry smiled at his words.

“Yes Harry, but at the price of possibly hating you. Is it really worth it?” Ginny asked him, watching the expressions flit across his face.

“We’re her true friends.” Harry reminded her, not liking where her words drew his thoughts.

“Malfoy saved her life from his own father and the other Death Eaters that night. That shows to me he has made his choice.” Ginny stated, more firmly then Harry liked.

“It was an act to get in the Order’s good graces, his true allegiance will show soon.” Harry nodded as he took a bite of the sandwich Ginny set in front of him.

“I think he has Harry, so does everyone else. He may be the same disgusting prat he was at Hogwarts, but I have yet to hear him say one mean thing to Hermione since he’s been here. His mother’s death has opened his eyes also.” Ginny touched his shoulder, letting her hand drift down his arm to hold his hand.

“You think that’s all real also, Voldemort having her killed because of his failure?” Harry asked.

“Yes Harry. Tonks and Shacklebolt were at the Mansion minutes after it happened. They confirmed it as so in their reports.” Ginny said.

“I’m never going to be friends with him. He’s part of the reason Ron is dead.” Harry shoved his plate away, his half eaten sandwich forgotten. He missed his best friend, and feared he was losing another. He just didn’t want Hermione hurt by all this.

“I don’t think Hermione asked that of you, or anyone else for that matter. Just some civility towards the prat. We are all working towards the same goal, love. The defeat of Voldemort.” Ginny’s eyes looked sadly at Harry at the mention of Ron. She felt the tears well in here eyes and fought them back. One escaped and she snuggled closer into his wiry frame. Harry reached up and his thumb gently rubbed the tear away. He let his hand slowly caress down her cheek.

“Is that what you really want?” Harry asked her, his eyes gazing into hers. The love they felt for each other radiated throughout the room.

“If it will help Hermione and keep us all friends, yes.” Ginny reached out a hand to wipe a small stain of mayonaise off Harry’s cheek. She brazenly brought her finger to her mouth and licked it off. “So Harry, why won’t you tell me about the vial the Professors gave you last night?”

Harry’s face turned five different shades before settling on a deep red of embarrassment. He groaned and buried his head into her shoulder.


****


“My Lord,” Severus Snape bowed low before Voldemort, and waited for the permission to speak. He could feel the anger that permeated the air around the monster's throne.

“Arise Severus, and remove your mask.” He heard the words finally. He stood up, pulling the mask away from his face, his inner mask firmly in place covering his thoughts. “Crucio!” Voldemort said with a lazy flick of his wand. Severus fell to the floor in pain, writhing as the spell held him for a few minutes before the Dark Lord ended it.

“You have not found the traitor yet?” Tom Riddle asked, watching the Potions master arise from the floor painfully. His punishment had been just a warning this time. His fingers lightly stroked his chin while waiting on Severus's next words.

“No my Lord, his trail alludes me at this time.” Snape answered, and carefully steeled his face into an expressionless facade.

“Shall I assign you some help? I'm sure Lucius or Bellatrix would enjoy the hunt.” He smiled grotesquely at the two standing behind Snape. Severus could hear their breathing as they stepped closer behind him. Their hatred of him barely masked, they sneered at him.

“The Order has him hidden, I'm your best bet at tracking him down and eliminating him in a timely manner. I have never failed on an assassination target before, my Lord.” Severus bowed his head in deference, awaiting Voldemort's response.

“The rest of my followers have orders to kill him on sight, and if that happens Severus, your failure will cost you.” Voldemort thinly veiled his warning. It wasn't often that Severus failed to follow one of his commands, but for some reason his feelings for the young Malfoy traitor were getting in the way of his duties.

“Understood, my Lord.” Severus stepped back from the throne at Voldemort's wave.

“Nott, any targets accessible tonight?” Voldemort addressed one of his lesser minions.

“Since the murders of the mudblood Granger's parents, they have all been moved, my Lord.” Nott reported.

“The Longbottom matriarch available? Her being a pureblood means nothing to me.” Voldemort asked another of his Death Eaters.

“Her manor is heavily warded, my Lord. But nothing too taxing to break down.” Goyle replied, stepping up from the pack.

“Severus pick a team and head out there. Make sure my Mark illuminates tonight.” Voldemort watched as Severus pointed at Nott, Crabbe and Goyle. With a flick of his wrist, Severus motioned his small group to head out.

“Head there and await me,” He said to the three. “I need to pick up some vital potions for the break-in.” Maybe tonight he'd be rid of the three of them. Severus watched silently as the others nodded at him and disapparated. Severus walked farther out, past the disapparition point near the Manor. His hand fingered a small object contained in his pocket. Their plans were finally coming to fruition, and he hoped the Aurors were ready.

Severus pulled his Portkey out and invoked the spell with a whispered word, and with the weird tug of it landed him at his camp in the druid ring. He poked around in his tent there for a few moments, and then stepped back out.

“Expecto Patronum!” He shouted and a silvery raven appeared in the air and headed for the Aurors Tonks and Shacklebolt. Severus prayed to Merlin it arrived in time as he headed off to meet with his Death Eater assassination team. He hoped that Bellatrix played her little spy on him game, for she too would then be swept up in the fray.


****


Remus felt his bones crack and shift as the hair grew along his body. He raised his snout towards the ceiling and howled, the silencing charm invoked by the room's wards preventing the house's occupants from hearing it. His werewolf senses fully aroused by the moon, he could feel his mate's heart beat from miles away. There was danger afoot, and he pulled angrily at the chains that bound him. The sound of the clinking metal further pushed his ire and fear for her. He bayed once more before falling to the mattress, his human emotions fighting with the potion to control the wolf inside him.

“My Nymphadora,” Remus thought, waiting out the night.


****


The silvery raven made its way towards the number 12, Grimmauld Place. Tonks and Shacklebolt neared the steps leading up as Snape's Patronus reached them. Without a word after hearing the message, they both disapparated for the Longbottom Mansion. Voldemort had finally taken the bait, and Snape's plan was a go.


****


An old woman sat at a dressing table, a vulture feather covered hat hung from a hook near her. Augusta Longbottom braided her greying hair, and made a tsk sound at the wrinkles that covered her face. Her wand was within a hand’s reach. She turned when the shadows moved behind her and a tall bald-headed man stepped out, his fingers gently caressing the casually held wand.

“They will be here soon, Kingsley,” Grandma Longbottom said, now holding her wand in her hand, ready for the unwelcome visitors. “Remember to stun Snape first, get him out of action.” Her eyes turned hard and cold.

The Auror nodded his understanding, and more shadows moved, more wands were held at the ready. The trap was set, now for the prey to enter it.

~*~*~*~*~*

Betaed version now posted. Please review-- I love them. juls