Furry Magic

Title: Furry Magic, chapter 85

Disclaimer: I do not own HP.
A/N: If you can't stand to see Dumbly in a bad light...better not read any further....


Dumbledore settled himself into the comfortable reading chair as the kitten carried in a pot of steaming tea. He did not recognize the young male, the young man was not a student of Hogwarts, though he was certainly old enough. Must be a pure lycanthrope, no wizarding blood at all. The headmaster only just managed not to sniff his disdain. The slim youth set the pot near to the Headmaster, avoiding getting nearer than he had to, and left to fetch cream and honey. Dumbledore watched him go, eyes lighting on the firm, well rounded buttocks. Well, perhaps the little beast was not a total loss.

The honey pot was set near to his cup, and a small pitcher of cream next to that. A plate piled high with tea biscuits was already at hand. Dumbledore sighed happily, already feeling the saliva filling his mouth. He loved sweet things, his eyes darted back to the rapidly retreating bottom and the boy attached to it. All sorts of sweet things. Succulent things.

A discreet cough drew his attention back to the two other men in the room. The headmaster blinked, forcing himself to forget the boy, and concentrate on the critical negotiations he was determined to force to his advantage.

The blond lycanthrope's eyes were half-lidded, glittering, disapproving. Dumbledore held back a snort, as if the man didn't enjoy the fruits of this exotic, bestial culture himself. They had no sexual mores, no modesty. He'd caught the man rutting with Severus in public by Merlin, and there were stories aplenty of wild orgies...Now the were-creature was acting as if Dumbledore should not have been looking at the boy like that. As if he, a full blooded wizard of impeccable family, should not have the right to even look at the seductive little minx....

Amrys leaned back in his own chair. His hackles were fighting to stand on end. There was something very wrong about the man who was daintily sipping his tea in the chair across, waiting to state his business. Amrys wanted to throw him out. Or at the very least, to rub his face into the floorboards, wipe that smirk off his mouth. The way he had looked at Stephan....Amrys growled low in his throat. Amrys hadn't liked the look at all. Dumbledore pretended not to hear.

Severus Snape was dressed, covered completely, his ablutions seen to. His face was stonily correct. He made no mention of the state he and Amrys had been found in, not even when the older wizard had tried to joke with him. Severus knew there was not a genuine attempt to draw the two of them closer, rather, Dumbledore wanted him to be on the defensive. Wanted to sneer at him. Put him at a disadvantage. Snape had not worked with the old wizard as long as he had, without learning the headmaster's favorite tricks.

"How may I help you?" Amrys asked, his manner calm, unruffled. He had not seemed the least disturbed by being caught naked and in flagrante delicto. He had taken his time dressing, not bothering to wash his lover's seed from his skin. He liked the smell. He liked Severus. He liked sex. He liked being one of the pride's rulers. And this was his home. He had every right to make love to his man. If others insisted on violating his privacy, then they would get an eyeful, and he would make no apologies for that. Nor would he allow them to succeed in making him uncomfortable.

"I am here to meet with Lucius. We had arranged a meeting to discuss the return of the pride's students to Hogwarts." Dumbledore, paused to sip at the very sweet tea. A terrible shame he could not think of a reason to call the delectable boy back for another little peek and pinch. "I also am concerned over the amount of time Hogwarts' potions professor is spending away from his classes and his house. He is Head of Slytherin House. He should be attending to *some* of his duties." The old man stirred a liberal amount of honey into his refreshed cup. The spoon clinked as he set it down and lifted the cup and saucer to his lips. The man he had directed his comments to didn't flinch, damn him. Dumbledore's fingers itched for a chocolate, or a lemon drop.

"I am listening." Amrys said, with perfect manners. Dumbledore sipped, his brows raising. The tea was wonderful, not a thing to ridicule there, the honey wondrously rich, the cream perfectly fresh. Damn. Even the crisp biscuits were sublime.

"I had thought to meet with the king, with Lucius. Continue our preliminary discussions." Dumbledore stated, silkily, offering his grandfatherly smile. Amrys shook his head, not pretending any regret.

"He is not able to entertain you at this time. He is conducting pride business. If you wish, you may return at a later date, whenever he is able to see you. Or....you may speak with me, now." Amrys let his leg brush against the long, black clad one of the human professor. Snape tensed at the unexpected intimacy in front of his supervisor, but didn't pull away. Jumpy, Amrys thought. And what wonder, with his slimy headmaster smirking and simpering at him knowingly.

Dumbledore appeared to think for a moment then reluctantly he nodded his defeat. "The school grounds are now safe for the return of all the students, including the lycanthropes. It is raising questions, their continued absence, especially in light of the rumors of just who was attacking and killing the children."

Dumbledore frowned at Amrys, as if he saw something dishonest in the pride's second, as if he expected Amrys to fail at this task, fail to understand what the situation required. Amrys quirked a corner of his mouth, untroubled by the attempt to make his feel some guilt for the situation. He was familiar with that trick, kings liked to use it, courtiers and lords. amrys had grown up not responding to the subtle pressures. Not allowing himself or his feelings to be manipulated by others who wanted to command and use him.

"One of your own professors was killing the students. Not one of us." Amrys offered mildly, reminding the wizard of the true circumstances, not the rumored ones. "Surely you have informed the parents that we are not to blame? And just who was."

Dumbledore cleared his throat, taking another sip of tea. He did not meet the second's eyes. He selected another buscuit, swirled it in the tea. Nibbled.

"Ah. So that is how it is." Amrys nodded. "You have not told any that we are not at fault. You have let them believe we are." He could picture the man nodding in sage sympathy, letting the falsehoods go unchallenged.

"Well. No purpose would be served by letting it out that the culprit was one of the school's teachers." Dumbledore insisted, raising his chin defiantly. "The damage to Hogwarts would not be minor. The school would be ruined. Besides the remaining teachers are wholly innocent of transgression."

"Yet, it is acceptable to leave them with the impression a lycanthrope is responsible?" Amrys was astonished by the deliberate duplicity. His hair once again tried to stand on end, he felt his fangs extending. "Then why would you even consider having our vile kind back at your school? And how will you protect them from harm once they are back?"

"There have been concerns raised...other parents are not sure the school is safe... since none of the lycanthrope families have sent their own children back. The return of the pride's children would be a first step at restoring normal realtions." Dumbledore seemed to be considering his next words. Finally he said, "Many have refused to return their children to the school until it is proven safe by the return of the children of the were-families. They believe there must be another attack immenent, or the lycanthropes would be back in school. Surely you can see the lycanthropes have an obligation to return immediately."

"This dilemma is one of your own making." Amrys said, dismissively. "If you would announce who was responsible, and that she is dead, then there would be no such worry. Instead you allow rumor to convict us. We who are innocent of any wrong doing in this matter. You have made your bed, now sleep in it."

"Surely you won't abandon the children in this fashion." The old wizard adopted a conciliatory tone. "They need the school, and the learning, the training we provide. If your children would just return, there would be no need for this to go on as it is. The fear would be dispensed with. The rumors quashed."

"Not all the rumors. You would still allow the rumors that lycanthropes are responsible to persist." Amrys pointed out. "And that is not acceptable."

"It is the least damaging scenario....the reputation of Hogwarts will be protected. And we both know nothing will ever be proven against Lucius." Dumbledore wheedled, his bright blue eyes hard.

"No. If you want our children to return, then you must announce the truth. I will not send any back to Hogwarts and risk someone thinking they must take revenge. Our children, and our pride, our species, is innocent. It was a human witch who was responsible. And another witch who aided her. No shape-changers were culpable. You are wrong to let any believe we have any blame for the attacks or the deaths."

"Hogwarts' reputation will be damaged. Perhaps irreparably." Dumbledore whined. "The school will suffer..."

"The truth is the truth. Lies are not the way to deal with this crisis, wizard." Amrys insisted, lip curling.

"The Ministry of Magic is shocked and appalled that our screening procedures failed to catch Professor Trelawny's instability... They wish us to be placed on a three year probation. That, coupled with the release of such knowledge to the public....Hogwarts would be destroyed. No self-respecting wizarding family would send their children back to us." Dumbledore allowed himself to shudder. He would have to step down, take responsibility, resign. Be publicly humiliated.

"The Ministry is not my concern. We are a people apart. A sovereign nation on our own. The Ministry can not compel us to do anything."

"But you need us. The teaching we give to all children, yours included." Dumbledore insisted.

"Then announce that Trelawny is responsible. Then we will send our children back." Amrys stood firm. The school was a help, and it should not be put out of business, but neither would the lycanthropes agree to be the scapegoat. Unfairly blamed, vilified.

"Perhaps there is something more I can offer you. Or your...lover." Dumbledore murmured, his voice dropping into an oily whisper of conspiracy.

It took a moment for Amrys to react. He yawned. The teeth that started out human were long, preternaturally sharp fangs by the time the yawn was full. The fangs glistened. He licked one canine, then the other, lazily. Allowing a long moment for the wizard to see the lethal points. Amrys blinked his glowing eyes at the man sitting across from him.

"I will not agree to being used as a pawn in this, Albus." Snape spoke up, angrily, his tone icy. His expression was thunderous. "It is simply unconscionable."

"But, surely you of all people can see the advantages...." The headmaster asserted, stubbornly.

"No. Thank you." Snape sat stiffly. Amrys waited until he was certain his mate had said all he felt he needed to.

"I will not agree to returning our students until you have made it clear the lycanthropes are not to blame for these events." He said, quietly.

"Perhaps Lucius...." Dumbledore began. Amrys shook his head.

"We are of like mind on this." Amrys answered. "You will be wasting your time."

"Very well. But, I will merely pass it on that a rogue witch was responsible. I will not agree to releasing her name or her position. Is that acceptable?" Dumbledore managed through clenched teeth. He was furious, this was not how he pictured the talk going.

"Yes, if that is all you you can come up with. I would prefer the entire truth. But, if you will not agree to the full truth, I can do nothing for you that your conscience does not. The children will return, once we have heard that you have cleared our people of all blame. There must not be any doubts that linger. No possible misinterpretation." Amrys fixed the old man with the full weight of his glare.

"Naturally not." Dumbledore grumbled. He glared at them both, his colleague and the were-leopard. Then he turned on his heel to leave.

"Oh, headmaster?" Amrys called out to him, still reclining comfortably. His voice deepening, ominously.

"What is it?" Dumbledore turned, snapping at the man irritably. His brows were drawn down, gaze threatening, unmistakably unhappy. His teeth ground together. He owuld have to work hard to salvage his reputation.

"You would be well advised not to approach our young in any capacity that might be misinterpreted. We will defend our young-lings. And...." He paused, watching Dumbledore's face contort with outraged fury...

"Your invitation is revoked." Amrys smiled as the immediate reverse-apparation flowed over the wizard, taking him by surprise. His image twisted, stretched, and pfffttt! he was gone, absolute amazement written across his howling face.

Amrys sat with quiet dignity and watched the disapparation, casting his eyes cautiously to the side, trying to catch Snape's expression.

Stony. Disapproving. Amrys swallowed.

Then Snape's dark eyes flicked over to his gaze. The rigid visage cracked. The fearsome Potion's Master, and Head of Slytherin House, Defense Against the Dark Arts Scholar, broke down and collapsed, giggling madly.

ne'ichan
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