Starts With A Spin, Staff Edition

Snape held his breath and tried not to panic.



Okay…okay…bears, you play dead…mountain lions…make yourself seem as large as possible…wolves… bend over and kiss your arse goodbye!



He made what he hoped was a subtle move for his wand, then realized it was in his robes…in the other room.



He shifted slightly in the bed and peered at the door to see if it had been left open. It had. The wolf continued to observe him.



Is it my imagination, or does he have one eyebrow cocked up?



Snape shifted again, attempting to free one arm to catch his wand when it was summoned, but then cringed as the wolf let out a low, guttural growl just inches from his ear. He flinched, waiting for the sensation of teeth ripping skin, but when it did not happen, he dared open one eye.



The wolf stared intently back, then ventured it\'s snout nearer Snape\'s face and gave a cautious sniff.



Snape had never been close to a wolf, let alone shared a bed with one, and despite his primitive fear, he couldn\'t help but be impressed with the sheer size of the beast.



It was at least as large as Lupin\'s human form, but much more muscular and considerably more hairy. The wolf took a few more sniffs at Snape\'s throat, and while the beast was otherwise occupied, Snape discretely slipped one hand free of the sheets and whispered,



"Accio wand."



The wolf pricked up its ears, and with a quickness and agility Snape would not have thought possible, it turned and leapt into the air, deftly catching Snape\'s wand as it flew by. It landed nimbly on the ground, wand squarely between its teeth, and let out what could only be called a bark.



Don\'t tell me you\'re into Extreme Frisbee too!



He then gently dropped Snape\'s wand on the floor between his paws and pushed his great head into Snape\'s still outstretched hand. Snape remained statue still until he realized what the wolf wanted.



"You…you want me to scratch behind your ears?"



The beast rubbed against him again, catlike, and Snape acquiesced, wriggling his fingers into the fur. And what luxurious fur it was. Thick and soft, the downy undercoat was plush as velvet, and the long, coarser guard hairs went from a creamy tan at the base to an inky black at the tips. No wonder he\'d felt as though he\'d been sleeping beside a furnace!



Having traveled his entire body length away, the wolf turned around for another go. Snape sat up for better leverage and was about to marvel at how good it felt to pat the wolf when he realized that it was still Albus Dumbledore\'s Binding Spell at work. Touching the beast wasn\'t making him horny per se, but he was probably reveling in the feel of it more than he might have otherwise.



The wolf picked up Snape\'s wand and gently deposited it in his lap, then jumped almost effortlessly onto the bed. Snape clutched his wand, rolling it between his long fingers.



"Thank you…erm…Remus."



In reply, the Remus/wolf rolled onto his back and began to shimmy about, legs pawing the air.



"I\'m not exactly sure what you are asking for, but belly-rubs are absolutely out of the question."



The Remus/wolf continued to shimmy, effectively shoving Snape to the edge, and almost off the bed.



"This is MY bed, I\'ll have you know, and I refuse to be bullied off of it."



The Remus/wolf wriggled some more, and it\'s tongue lolled from the side of its mouth. There was now no doubt that he was smiling.



"Fine. One belly rub, and that is it!"



He placed his fingers into the firm flesh of the wolf\'s stomach and scratched. Remus, in turn, wriggled even more and kicked his paws in the air.



"I suppose you\'ll have that one special place that will make you go wild?"



Snape lowered his hand to the inner thigh, where leg meets body, and Remus did not disappoint. His back leg began to kick, slowly at first, and then picking up speed until it was in full scratch mode.



Snape laughed and gave Remus a final pat on the head.



"Alright, that\'s quite enough. I have potions to attend to.



Snape got up and began to busy himself by picking up the trail of clothes the two men had discarded on the way to the bed. The wolf jumped down as well and followed Severus into his work room. He had managed to retrieve two entire outfits, minus one errant shoe, and was folding Remus\' shirt and trousers since it seemed he would not be needing them forthwith. They were shoddy and threadbare and Snape briefly considered tossing them into the fireplace, but then decided that it would probably be disrespectful.



"I don\'t suppose you would ever forgive me if I incinerated these rags?" he asked, holding up the worn cape.



The Remus/wolf did not answer, but instead, paced in front of the door.



"Hungry are you?" he asked, fishing the mislaid shoe out from under his desk. "I\'ll have one of the house-elves bring you breakfast…or perhaps I\'ll have one of the house-elves BE your breakfast."



He considered this option while absently rubbing the stubble on his chin. The Remus/wolf paced in front of the door some more, this time giving a quiet whine.



"Yes, yes, I will summon one as soon as I shower and shave."



The Remus/wolf seemed not to be listening, as it continued to whine, and began to scratch at the door in earnest. Snape did not understand what was being asked of him, until his own full bladder began to complain.



"Oh, of course, how foolish of me! Yes, as soon as I shower I will take you out the back way to the forest. It certainly wouldn\'t do to be seen by any of the students. I shan\'t be more than ten minutes."



The wolf gave a sharp bark and scratched the door again.



"Patience Remus, patience. I\'ll only be a moment or two." Snape finished folding the clothes and began to tidy the work area. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the wolf abandon the door and walk over to the couch.



Excellent. I\'ll be showered and shaved in no time.



The wolf lifted its hind leg against the arm of the couch.



"NO! NO! NO! Not here! Not ever! Shoo!" Snape ran at the wolf, hands flailing in the air, and the beast scooted away from the couch resuming its place by the closed door.



"Fine!" Snape grumped, hastily pulling on some trousers and a tunic. "Just save your bodily functions for the out-of-doors!" He threw on a cape and led Remus out the back way.





The morning air was crisp and cool, and as his feet crunched through the fresh snow, Snape chastised himself for donning shoes instead of boots. Remus was bounding around like a puppy, digging holes, chasing imaginary prey and rolling about in the frozen, white snow. Snape wrapped his cape more tightly around his shoulders and trudged on towards the Forbidden Forest. There weren\'t many students about, but he did not need to be seen taking his pet wolf for a walk.



Especially his pet wolf who seemed more interested in acting like a certain goofy, crime-solving, cartoon Great Dane than a proper man-eating predator.



Remus put his great head to the ground and proceeded to act like a canine snowplow, pushing banks of snow around with his snout. He then stood up abruptly, cocked an ear toward the Forest, and took off running into the dense underbrush.



Snape was about to follow when he heard his name being called.



"Professor Snape?"



Severus continued to walk. He had no desire to speak to a student on his day off, and he could no longer see Remus in the trees. Neither man had tested the parameters of the binding spell, but Snape had no desire to find out what the repercussions might be if they wandered too far from each other.



The student, however, would not be ignored.



"Professor Snape! Hold up a minute!"



It was Draco Malfoy.



Insufferable, snot-nosed little two-faced bigot-in-training.



"Mr. Malfoy, what a lovely surprise. Whatever can I do for you this morning?"



Draco ran up to his professor, then stopped short upon seeing his face.



"Pr..professor? Are you alright?" The boy\'s cold grey eyes raked over Snape\'s mussed hair and unshaven cheeks, and Snape made sure to keep his gaze even.



"I couldn\'t be better, Mr. Malfoy. Now if you\'ll excuse me, I have some…ingredients to gather for some very demanding potions I\'m attending to. Good day."



He hiked up his cape again then turned back towards the Forbidden Forest. It was then that he noticed the frayed patch on the front of his chest. In his haste to exit the castle, he had mistakenly donned Lupin\'s cape.



Splendid. Not only was I just seen by a Malfoy with my face unshaven and teeth unbrushed, but to cap it off, I am wearing Lupin\'s moth-eaten, Salvation Army cast-off. Nothing could make this more devastatingly embarrassing than…yes, of course!



He checked the fly of his trousers and it was, indeed, open.



The string of expletives that followed made even Remus in his wolf form blush.









After an hour in the winter air, Remus/wolf was energetic and invigorated. Snape was chilled to the bone. His head felt too heavy on his shoulders and the lacerations on his hand had begun to throb in a disturbing way. He could barely fathom making the long walk back to the castle, and it was only the promise of a warm bath and a hot cup of tea that kept his legs moving.



I must remember to brew some more Pepper-Up Potion this evening. I no longer have the stamina for excessive drinking and staying up all night that I did in my youth.



It was with a shaky sigh of relief that he was able to sit on the edge of his bed and remove his sodden footwear. His head throbbed and his throat burned and he browbeat himself for staying out in the wretched Scottish weather for so long.



He lay back on the bed and let his eyes roll back into his head.



Just for a moment. I\'ll just rest here for a moment.



Remus/wolf jumped up beside him as he shivered. When the fur brushed against his stained fingers, he drew the beast closer and snuggled into its heat.



Warm. You\'re so warm.



He fell asleep and dreamed of a Wolf in the Forest. Its yellow eyes glimmering back at him from the inky shadows. Snape moved through the trees, following the beast. It had led him here with a promise, but of what?



The air hung thick around him, muggy and humid. Steam rose from the long grass, clouding his view of what lay ahead. He wiped the sweat that dripped into his eyes with his one good hand, and clutched the other to his chest.



The Forest was on fire. Flames shot columns of smoke and sparks high into the night sky. Severus pressed a damp palm to his forehead and tried to think, but the exact nature of the wolf\'s pledge eluded him. His head felt as cloudy as the smoky air around him.



He stopped in a small clearing, unsure of his bearings. A tree fell somewhere behind him, sending up a fresh shower of sparks. Snape jumped and turned at the noise. When he turned back the wolf was gone, the yellow eyes replaced by red ones. A second set of eyes appeared beside them, and a third.



Death Eaters.



Panic gripped Snape as a rivulet of sweat trickled down the small of his back.



The wolf betrayed me!



Another pair of eyes, and another.



Snape backed away, fighting the urge to turn heel and run as more Death Eaters appeared, grinning behind their skeletal masks. Snape\'s foot caught on an upturned root and he tumbled backwards, crawling crab-like through the smouldering moss. The hard bark of a tree trunk pressing into his back signaled a dead end.



He reached for his wand, but his cape had twisted, placing his wand out of reach.



Then something snaked its way around his waist. A tree branch. Then another around his neck. Squeezing and pressing against his soaked skin. He grabbed at it and tried to wrench it free, but it tightened even more. He cried out a breathless plea for help and he frantically scratched and slapped at the vine around his throat.



"Noooo!" he moaned, the hot air blistering his throat.



The wolf! He lied!



The world wavered around him and as he fought to stay conscious, he was able to focus on one thing in the heated darkness ahead.



The red and yellow eyes of his advancing enemies. Pressing closer. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable pain and suffering to follow.



Something cold touched his forehead and Snape startled awake. He fought to catch his breath, the details of the dream dissipating in the faint light of early evening.



"He lied," said Snape, his mind still reeling from the dream. The cloth was removed, wrung out and replaced on his forehead. Blissfully chilly hands smoothed the wet hair that clung to his cheeks and cool lips whispered in his ear.



"You\'re burning up."



"Remus," he sighed. It was both a question and a statement. "Yes, there was a fire."



And something else, what was it?



"You\'re soaked with sweat. I think you have a fever," Lupin said, pressing his lips to Snape\'s cheek.



"And a wolf!" said Snape, triumphantly. He could feel Lupin smile against his neck.



"Blew your house down, did he?" He blew a gentle stream of air across Snape\'s ear and began to unbutton his shirt.



"So hot," breathed Snape, relishing the cool touch of Lupin\'s fingers which then spread the shirt open and ghosted across Snape\'s nipples. Snape shivered despite the heat still rolling off of his body.



"You have a fever," Lupin repeated, now tracing larger circles on the man\'s chest, "and perhaps an infection." He let his hands slide lower to the fastenings on Snape\'s trousers and the growing bulge below.



"My, my!" breathed Snape, as Remus pulled his legs free of the trousers and slid his hands up Snape\'s thighs to the new heat pooling in his groin. "What big hands you have, Mr. Wolf."



"All the better to…" Lupin began, but then found a better way to occupy his mouth.



Snape sighed with contentment then suddenly shot up into a sitting position and almost leapt off the bed.



"My potions!!"



Remus sat back on the bed and pulled Snape onto his lap.



"They\'re okay. I\'ve been tending to them."



"The Veresirum? Have you been stirring it counter-clockwise?"



"Yes, Severus," said Lupin, pulling Snape backwards to rest on his chest.



"And the Draught of the Living Dead?," he asked, still struggling to sit up.



"Professor," said Lupin firmly, tugging him back down. "It\'s all taken care of. Trust me."



He slid his hands around to Snape\'s hot chest, pressing their coolness into his skin, then his lips to Snape\'s neck and shoulders. Severus sighed with the relief that they afforded him and settled back against Remus.



His hand throbbed where the infection had set in, but something else throbbed with even more urgency. Lupin nuzzled Snape\'s neck and nibbled at the soft skin there with his lips. Snape let his head fall back onto the other man\'s shoulders, then winced.



"You muscles are tight," observed Remus, "it must be the fever."



Snape rubbed his good hand across the back of his neck and shook his head.



"I\'m sure it has more to do with a certain snowy Scottish moor than my wretched hand."



Lupin pushed Snape down on his stomach and leaned over him to search through the nightstand. He uncapped a bottle and gave it a sniff.



"Eucalyptus oil?" he asked, squeezing some into his palm."



Snape closed his eyes, muscles relaxing at the very thought of being rubbed. "Almond and tea tree."



Remus spread the oil onto both hands and then smeared it across the smooth plane of Snape\'s back. He then uncapped the bottle again and poured it liberally down the valley of Snape\'s spine. Snape sucked in a breath as it ran down his back and dribbled into the cleft of his arse. Remus spread the oil with skilled hands and soon the tension began to drain from Snape\'s tired muscles.



Satisfied that his patient was sufficiently relaxed, he turned Snape on his side and slid in behind him. The bottle was again uncapped, but this time it was drizzled liberally over Snape\'s very interested cock. He then took a moment to apply some to his own hard prick before pressing his body against Snape\'s and bringing one hand around, pulling long, slow strokes.



Snape responded by reaching behind him to return the favour to Lupin\'s prick, but he was rebuffed, Lupin placing his hand back to its resting spot in front of Snape.



"You just relax and enjoy this," he whispered huskily, "don\'t worry about me." He pressed his length up between Snape\'s thighs and Severus moaned as memories of the broom closet swirled about his head.



He grasped Lupin\'s hand with both of his own, and Lupin slipped his other between them, fisting his own cock. As the pace on his prick increased, Lupin let his other hand slip higher, between Snape\'s cheeks. Snape stiffened a moment, but was quickly distracted by the more impressive movement in front of him.



Snape crushed his hands over Lupin\'s grip on him, thrusting into that slippery palm. Lupin grasped the base of his own prick and guided it up into the cleft of Snape\'s arse, hovering at the soft opening, then slowly pressing in, slick with sweat and oil.



"WHAT IN GOD\'S NAME DO YOU THINK YOU\'RE DOING?" cried Snape, wresting himself from Lupin\'s grip and jumping off of the bed. "You don\'t\' just…just go ramming your dick up someone\'s arse without so much as a warning, you prick!"



Lupin\'s mouth dropped open in surprise and he regarded Snape with genuine confusion.



"I…I…didn\'t mean…"



"You didn\'t mean what, Lupin? You didn\'t MEAN to skewer me there?" Snape shook his clenched fists, his face contorted with anger. "You didn\'t MEAN to impale me?"



He was flushed with rage and an odd pounding began in his temple. Despite his agitated state, a shiver rippled through him and the air suddenly felt chilled. He shook his head to clear it then focused again on Lupin.



He hadn\'t moved a muscle through Snape\'s entire tirade, one hand still wrapped around the base of his prick, his mouth still agape.



"Severus..I…"



Memories of advancing Death Eaters flashed in his mind, and he was unsure if they were real or ones that he had dreamed.



"Save your breath, Lupin," he hissed, "I don\'t care to..." a sudden wave of nausea stopped him short and he reached to the bed knob to steady himself. The room had begun to waver in a most disturbing way as another chill shook him.



"Severus? Are you all right?"



The room lurched and Snape stumbled a bit to keep his balance.



"Don\'t touch..." he said, fighting the spin of the room. "Don\'t ever…t-"



The room heaved one final time and Snape\'s legs gave out, sending him crashing to the floor.



Then, only cold. Bitter, bitter cold.