Lessons

For Remus Lupin, enjoying the solitude of an early morning walk, the sudden appearance of Severus Snape was not something good.

When he looked closer, however, he realised that here was a man who needed his help.

It wasn’t that Snape was naked, it was the blood covering his body, and the tear stains on his face that decided the matter.

He lifted the unconscious man in his arms and moved swiftly towards the entrance of the castle, and then to the infirmary for treatment.

After leaving the unconscious Potions Master in the capable hands of Poppy Pomfrey, he joined the Headmaster in his office.

“He’s very badly injured, Albus.”

“I know. Poppy will be able to heal the physical injuries, but…”

“He’s been scarred mentally as long as I’ve known him.”

“Severus was a very lonely boy, Remus. And is a very lonely man.”

“I know what it is like to be lonely.”

“You, my boy, also know what it is like to be loved all-consumingly. Severus never has. He has never had anybody to love him as you and Sirius loved each other.”

“Why do you let him keep doing this? Obviously this is not the first time he’s been injured like that.”

Dumbledore sighed. “One of my failures in the first years of my headship was to not immediately overturn some house customs. Severus was a victim of one that has now been abolished. Equally unfortunately, the same custom still has a hold on him, and the information he brings us back is too useful for me to stop him.”

“But rape – I’m sorry, Albus, but that goes way beyond the call of duty.”

“And what is his alternative, Remus? If he refused then Voldemort would know that something was up. Unfortunately, what began when he was a teenager cannot now be undone without revealing Severus clandestine activities.”

Remus shook his head. “It’s wrong. Plain wrong.”

“Then perhaps you can do something about it.”

“Me?”

“Remus, I’ve noticed. You are getting more and more wound up with frustration. I know that you have a very active libido – I don’t want to know what you did whilst Sirius was in Azkaban, but it was certainly more healthy for you than what you are doing now.”

“I’m not doing anything . And I’m certainly not going to do anything to Severus. For one thing, he’s not my type, and for the second I happen to believe that Sirius is not dead. I’m certainly not going to be unfaithful to my mate.”

“Severus needs this, Remus. He needs to know that sex can be good. I can think of other people I’d ask, but frankly, you would be the best for him. You have a good and loving heart and would never willingly harm anybody.”

“Don’t bet on it.”

“Remus, I need you to do this. It will help to heal Severus, and yourself.”

“I don’t want healing.”

“You may not want it, but you need it.”

“No.”

“I don’t want to order you, Remus, but…”

“Albus! You can’t order me to seduce Severus!”

“If necessary, I can and I will.”

“And I would disobey. Severus does not need a lover, he needs a friend.”

“Then that is your starting point. As a friend, you can at least tell him of ways to minimise the damage. Be there and try to get him to talk. And if the chance comes for you to seduce him, and he goes willingly, so much the better.”

“No! I don’t use people like that.”

Dumbledore looked Lupin straight in the eye, a direct and candid gaze that had the younger man squirming in his seat. “You don’t?”

Lupin blushed. “Not friends. I will admit freely to having had quite a number of one night stands – but that is different to what you are asking me. You are asking me to befriend somebody – somebody, by the way, who hates me to start with, and then use them to decrease my own sexual frustrations. No.”

“Remus, I am asking you to befriend Severus – who does not hate you, actually, and who may be more willing for your friendship than you would ever know – and as a friend show him how to stop being physically hurt by what those fiends do (well, as little physically as possible) and to teach him that sex can be good.” The Headmaster sighed. “As far as Severus is concerned, sex is violence and pain. He has no idea, no concept, that it is really about loving.”

Remus Lupin stood and paced the Office. He knew Dumbledore was right, he could feel the sheer sexual need building in him, and knew that it was only a matter of time before he reached breaking point. The wolf was hungry and missed its mate physically and mentally and did not understand why Padfoot was no longer there.

He thought carefully over what Dumbledore had said and shuddered. Imagine never knowing the softness of a lover, never knowing shared passion and release. Never know the joy of waking up to soft kisses and caresses.

To believe that sex was only for making use of.

No wonder Severus Snape was a bastard; he had missed out on the one thing that most people agreed on: sex was good, to be loved was even better.

Unconsciously, Remus decided then and there to change that. Consciously, however, he knew that he could not , in good faith, let the other man suffer the constant physical torture. Not when he could help him there.

His decision made, he turned back to Dumbledore. “Very well, Headmaster. I will go ahead with this insane scheme of yours. I won’t make promises, though. I am not attracted to Severus and the thought of having sex with him is enough to turn my stomach. I will, however, be his friend. Whether he likes it or not.”