The Challenge

Snape found himself strangely excited the following weekend when he arrived
at Grimmauld Place.


His conversation with Dumbledore regarding Black had also been enlightening, and Dumbledore had been most interested in the information. He had also agreed that on no account should Harry Potter be told Black was alive. On the other hand, he had said that Remus must not know either, although Snape had chosen not to reveal that Remus was privy to this information.


\"So what do we do now?\"


\"We allow Sirius to be helpful, to be of use as he has craved to be for the
months he was imprisoned in this house. And he can be of great use where he is, especially if he can hide his presence like he seems to be able. You will have to spend at least one night per week at Grimmauld Place to get reports from him.\"


\"Yes, I understand. I trust that you will be able to concoct a suitable
reason for my absences?\"


\"Of course. You will report back to me tomorrow?\"


Snape nodded, and left. He felt strangely eager to enter Limbo again.


The usual screeching from the portrait of Mrs. Black heralded his arrival at the house. Snape scowled at her and made a note. Next time he would bring one of his dissolving potions and see if that would shift the dammed thing.


Remus greeted him in an eager manner, and a question hovered on his lips.


\"No, Lupin,\" said Snape quietly. \"There is no way I can let you enter Limbo with me. Firstly, I have not the slightest idea how I entered the *first* time, and, secondly, you would try to find a way to stay.\"


\"I miss him.\"


\"Not really a good enough reason. I will, however, carry short messages.
Preferably sensible ones and I absolutely refuse to utter any crap about
love.\"


\"Then tell him Remus says hello. And I have an idea for a good game.\"


Snape was surprised. \"That\'s all?\"


\"Well, you won\'t tell him what I really want to.\"


Snape snorted. \"You think he doesn\'t already know? I need to relax and
meditate, though. I think that I have devised some sure means of
communication between Sirius and me.\"


\"I\'ve made up a bed for you. The room is quiet. Nobody will disturb you.\"


\"Thank you.\"


Remus had been right. The room was quiet, and comfortable. Trust to to
make sure the ambience lulled him into a relaxed state. Snape did, however, toss the joss sticks out the window. He really disliked the things, and instead of finding them relaxing, he tended to worry about
things catching alight from them.


He relaxed back onto the bed after removing his shoes and socks and tried to make himself comfortable.


The problem arose because, well, trying to relax on a bed whilst fully
dressed is not really conducive to comfort.


After an hour of trying to relax, he finally succumbed. Removing his
clothes, he slipped between the covers, relaxing and letting his mind open.


And found himself in Limbo again. Black was curled up in the couch, rocking himself back and forward, a keening noise coming from him.


Snape moved forward. \"Black?\"


The figure on the couch looked up. His eyes were haunted and he looked
stressed. \"Snape.\"


\"What have you been doing?\"


\"Trying to keep sane. It\'s been harder since I talked to you. I had no
idea how much I missed human contact.\"


Snape looked closely at him, and saw the unzipped trousers. \"I see you are
as randy as ever.\"


\"At least it\'s human touch. You have no idea what you do when you become
touch-starved. At one time in Azkaban I thought I\'d rip my cock off I
wanked so hard. But it was human touch. Better than nothing. At least you knew you were alive.\"


Snape was shocked. He had thought Remus was fragile, but now realized that
Sirius Black was a man slipping into madness, assuming, of course, that he
had not already descended. He had also not fully realized what human touch
meant to him.


He reached out and placed his hand on the other man\'s shoulder. Instantly,
Sirius hand covered his, rubbing as if to memorize the touch of another
human\'s flesh. \"Remus says hello,\" Snape managed to say, moving to sit on
the couch behind Black.


Sirius immediately slipped and put his head in Snape\'s lap, sighing
contentedly. Happy just to be in contact with another human. \"That\'s all?\"


\"I made some stipulations on the messages I would carry. He did mutter
something about a new game, though.\"


Sirius actually laughed. \"Bastard. I take it Dumbledore was okay with
Remus knowing I\'m alive?\"


\"No, actually, he wasn\'t. Unfortunately, by the time I spoke to Dumbledore, I had already told Lupin about you.\"


\"Did you tell Dumbledore?\"


\"Not in so many words. I let him assume Lupin was still in ignorance.\"


\"Sophistry?\"


\"No. I did not *lie*, so to speak; I merely chose not to reveal the entire
truth. By the way, both Lupin and Dumbledore agree we cannot tell Harry.\"


Sirius sighed. \"I thought that would be the case. I\'m not happy about it,
though. By the way, have you worked out how to get me out?\"


\"Not yet. But whatever you do, don\'t eat or drink anything you find here.
I\'m goin try try to bring food and drink with me next time. God knows how – but there must be a way. But Dumbledore wants you to stay here, for a while at least. I\'m to visit at least once a week to receive your reports.\"


Sirius sat up and looked him in the eyes. \"When you come, can you just talk as well? *Shit*, Severus, I need the contact. I can feel myself going
insane. Gossip, or even bloody potions lectures. Anything that gives me
contact with another lg crg creature.\" Sirius paused, uncertain. \"Look, I
know you hate being touched, but do you mind if I do? It\'s the contact. It
makes me feel alive. Makes me remember I am alive.\"


Snape saw the despair in his eyes and slowly opened his arms. \"I can
adjust,\" he said, holding the other man close.


Sirius sighed happily, and rested against Snape\'s shoulder, his own arms
clutching him tightly. It wasn\'t his Moony, but it was human. He burrowed
closer, almost sitting in Snape\'s lap. It felt good. If he closed his
eyes, he could pretend it was Remus.


Almost. Remus smelled nothing like this – a musky scent that carried
overtones of darkness and the potions he brewed.


In spite of himself, he felt the beginnings of arousal. Wishing the man was Remus, he could not help himself.


He hoped Snape would not notice.


Snape *did* notice. Almost immediately. It was rather hard for him not to, as Sirius never had done up his trousers, and the evidence of his arousal was rather noticeable. He felt Black nestle closer, his face burrowing into his neck, and felt him move so that they were half-reclining. Severus Snape felt his own libido come out of hiding and began to panic.


He did not want to shag Sirius Black. Ever. Really. He pulled away and
stood. \"I have to go. Time seems to run differently here, and I have no
idea how long I\'ve been away in the real world,\" he said testily. \"And for
God\'s sake, Black, do up your bloody trousers. You look like an animal.\"


Sirius grinned, but complied.


Very interesting. He really did crave human touch, and had been surprised at his arousal. Even more surprised when he felt Snape\'s.


This could be fun. Both he and Remus were rather indifferent to the sex of
their partner, their overwhelming preferences being for each other, but it
looked like they might just be able to have some fun here with Severus
Snape. And he remembered the second part of Remus\'s message. This game
could be a lot of fun.


\"Will you do me a favor, Severus?\"


\"I don\'t think I could.\"


\"Please. And it\'s something that isn\'t directly for me. It\'s for Remus.\"


\"Then it depends on what you want.\"


Sirius grinned again. The double entendre in that sentence was erfuerful.
And, likely, completely unintentional. \"Will you stay with Remus next full
moon? He hates to be alone when he transforms. Will you just be with him?\"


\"Black, I am otherwise occupied. It\'s going to be difficult enough getting
myself to Grimmauld Place once a week to communicate with you, let alone at
a full moon!\"


\"Then get him to Hogwarts for the full moon. Dumbledore won\'t mind. And
Remus could just stay curled up in your quarters or something. Just
*please* don\'t let him be alone.\"


Snape nodded slowly. He had noticed that Lupin seemed to crave company at
full moon, but never actually asked for it. The Wolfsbane potion made him
harmless. He could handle having a wolf\'s companionship for one night.


\"Yes. I will do it. You\'re right. Dumbledore won\'t mind.\"


\"And can you give a message to Remus?\"


\"If I must.\"


\"Tell him that things are happening. Tell him I bet I can before he does.
Tell him that you\'ll stay with him during full moon, and please, give him
this.\"


This surprised Snape. Black came forward and kissed him. With tongue.
Lots and Lots of tongue. Snape jumped backwards.


\"You have to be kidding!\"


\"No.\"


\"I said short messages, and that I\'m not playing cupid.\"


\"You aren\'t.\"


\"And I absolutely refuse to be the third party kissing machine between the
two of you.\"


\"Well, it was worth a try.\"


\"You are depraved, Black. Extraordinarily so.\"


\"No. Lonely. Lost without my mate.\"


Snaook ook another step back, and felt himself being pulled. \"I will see
you next weekend. Remember, don\'t eat or drink anything you find here.\"


\"I won\'t. Until next week.\"


The vision of Limbo faded, and Snape awoke, to find the form of Remus Lupin
wrapped around him. He sighed. They seemed determined to make this
impossible.


\"Wake up, Lupin,\" he said, and tried to disengage himself. The other man
was surprisingly strong, and he found it almost impossible to free himself
from clinging limbs. \"Wake up,\" he said again, louder, and poking Lupin in
the ribs,re ore one of his hands seemed to be trapped. He didn\'t want to
think about where the other one was.


Remus was dreaming. He could feel the hard male body in his arms and
thought it was Sirius.


The voice and poking shattered his dream, although the warm hand pressed
into his groin had another effect. He opened his eyes and looked up at thetherther man.


Snape tried to frown. He had no idea that the bloody werewolf looked this
adorable when he first awoke. He tried to get a grip on himself
(figuratively; Lupin seemed to already have a good grip on him). \"What the
bloody hell are you doing in my bed, Lupin?\"


Lupin smiled and stretched. \"I could ask you the same thing, except I know
what you are doing here.\"


\"Your bed?\"


\"Well, it seemed to me the best place for you to contact Sirius was
somewhere that was fairly strongly imprinted with him.\"


\"That seems surprisingly sensible.\"


\"Thank you. And as it happens to be my bed as well, then I have the perfect right to sleep here.\"


\"Did you have to wrap yourself around me?\"


\"Can\'t help what I do in my sleep. Did you see Sirius? How is he?\"


\"I saw him.\" Snape quickly recounted the conversation he had with
Sirius.


\"Did Sirius have any message for me?\"


\"Yes, in fact he did. Very strange message, but at least it wasn\'t sappy.
He said that things are looking up and that he bets he can before you do.
God knows what it means, though. And, one more thing: why did you not say
you wanted company when you transformed? Anybody in the Order would have
stayed with you had you asked.\"


Remus was contemplating the mges ges Sirius had sent, and so had to force
himself to answer the other question. \"I don\'t want just anybody. I need to feel comfortable with them.\"


\"Anyway, he asked if I would stay with you. I am willing, but I can\'t come
here. You will have to come to Hogwarts. Dumbledore won\'t mind.\"


Remus smiled gratefully, his eyes shining. \"Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.\"


Snape suddenly realized he was lying in bed having a conversation with
another naked man lying next to him and hastily removed himself, dressing
and leaving the room. \"The full moon is on Tuesday. Will you come?\"


\"I shall be there in time for dinner. Anything else?\"


\"Nothing I have any intention of passing on.\"


As he watched Snape leave, Remus stretched and thought about a number of
things.


Sirius message came first. So, Sirius was in agreement. And after seeing
the naked Snape (and feeling him), Remus felt that both he and Sirius were
in for a very entertaining time.


Remus felt himself grow hard and started to stroke his erection. This was
going to be a race between him and Sirius to see which one of them could
shag Severus Snape first. He thought of the comment \"nothing I have any
intention of passing on\".


Damn. Sirius had managed to get something first – Remus had no idea what,
but he determined that he was not going to lag behind.


Severus Snape didn\'t know it – but from that moment he was doomed. Remus
Lupin and Sirius Black may not be in the same dimension, but they still
thought alike, and their thoughts had focused on Severus Snape – both with
the same outcome in mind.


They would have him under them, screaming for more, as soon as possible. Of course, neither of them believed they would be the ones screaming for more. After all, they knew their own prowess as lovers. Surely Snape would not be as...*skilled*.


Remus chuckled. Well, he\'d got a bit of groping in – and had been
impressed. The man was certainly well hung. And Tuesday. If he couldn\'t
get at least one \"inadvertent\" kiss, then he was losing his touch. He was
also certain he could get at least one more mutual grope in during that
night.


He hummed to himself as he showered and dressed. This was going to be fun.