He's My Mate! -reposted-

Disclaimer: Don’t own or make money off Harry Potter…

Thank you to moonfinder, claired, Ada, grugstar, NewJay, Tsuyosa, BabyBlueRowen, sorot and shadowmouse! Your reviews are greatly appreciated! ^_^

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Chapter 9

“Remus?” The werewolf turned on Severus’ couch, watching her expectantly. They hadn’t spoken to each other since Nicole had stormed off in a huff earlier that morning. “Have you seen Severus? He said he was going out for a short walk, but that was a few hours ago.”

Remus frowned and shot up from the couch when he realized Severus was still hurt. Severus’ knee may not have been as bad as a few days ago, but the man was still limping.

He sent Nicole a look of worry, as she wrung her hands and walked after him. “Did he say where he was going?”

“Just for a walk.”

They searched the Potions classroom first then the storage cupboards and when they didn’t find him there they went and searched in the staffroom and Great Hall. Remus could feel his stomach sink further with every room they searched. Nicole didn’t seem to be bearing the current state of events too well either.

They visited Flitwick and found he hadn’t seen Severus since the day before, Remus tripped over Mrs. Norris and was yelled at by Filch, who hadn’t seen the professor since early that morning. McGonagall hadn’t either as they peeked into her office and asked her. The grounds were next and they felt a wave of nausea when Hagrid claimed that the professor hadn’t been down since the incident with the Acrocromulas.

They strode up to the Headmaster’s office, Nicole jumping slightly at the moving gargoyle, and then cursing the long staircase up to the room. They found Dumbledore snoozing in his seat, a pile of paperwork in front of him. It didn’t take long to shake the old wizard into a state of consciousness, and the man frowned gravely when he told them of Severus’ disappearance.

“I had a little talk with him this afternoon.” The old Headmaster said, stroking his beard in thought. “I assumed he would return to the dungeons, are you sure he wasn’t there, or that you’ve passed him?”

Remus and Nicole shook their heads, “He’s not anywhere um… Sir?” Nicole cringed under Albus’ gaze, the twinkle gone. “And it’s not like Severus to go off somewhere and not let somebody know.”

Albus nodded, “And you can’t tell where he is Remus? Like you did with the Acrocromulas?” Remus narrowed his eyes. Now that he thought of it, he had an inkling that Severus was in the castle. But that couldn’t be right. No one had seen him and Nicole and himself had just searched the entire castle.

“No. It’s like he’s completely disappeared.” He replied, shaking his head sadly.

“I haven’t seen Mr. Black around either. Could he have done something?”

Remus with held a growl. If Sirius had done anything to Severus he was… He cut off the thought, instead focusing his attention on the Headmaster. “Is there a clock like Mrs. Weasley’s one? It will at least let us know whether they are in the castle or not.”

“Clock?” Nicole blinked in confusion.

“Severus will tell you all about them when we find him.” She nodded and remained seated as Remus and Albus stood, moving to an old cupboard at the back of the room.

- - -

Severus groaned as he rolled over, his head feeling as though he was getting hit with a beater’s bat repeatedly. His eyes snapped open when he felt the ground beneath him to be moist and glared around him, trying to see make out anything in the darkness.

It was a cold room, a… Dungeon he guessed. “Lumos.” He muttered, shakily standing, moving to lean against a wall. But he didn’t recognize the room, and he knew all the dungeons around the castle.

His eyes widened when he noticed a few chains on the ground, and heard and saw the rats scuttle away from the light. There were no doors, nor windows. Then he spotted Black, lying a few feet to his left. He rolled his eyes as he hurried over to him, turning him over so he was facing the ceiling.

Severus rolled his eyes and sat down, sneering at his knee, which had started throbbing again. He leant against the wall, silently wishing to get out. He regretted turning Black over once his snoring started.

- - -

“They’re in Hogwarts.” Remus said clearly, after pulling out a small watch. “S.B and S.S, Hogwarts.” He showed it to the Headmaster who hummed and returned to stroking his beard. Fawkes was quietly sitting on his perch, gazing down at the clock.

Nicole was staring at the silver and bronze clock, awed by how old it was. “Maybe they’re just… having a game of chess in one of the common rooms?”

Remus blinked. The Slytherin Common Room! Why hadn’t he thought of that? Severus wouldn’t stray very far from it, his house was too important to him. He’d automatically ruled out the others.

“We didn’t check the Slytherin common room, and he wouldn’t, not even under the Imperius, step into the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff one.”

Dumbledore nodded and called for a house elf. He instructed the small elf to check, and if he wasn’t there to ask the other house elves if they’d seen him. She nodded, bowing politely before disappearing with a ‘pop’. Remus went back to pacing worriedly around the room.

- - -

“Oh Merlin…” Severus shook his head as Black came, resisting the urge to kick the Gryffindor’s head in the effort of knocking him out again. “Where am I?” Black it seemed had decided to face the wall Snape was staring at, and jumped six feet in the air when he heard Severus’ not-too-worried voice pierce through the semi-darkness.

“We seem to be in a dungeon underneath Hogwarts.” He smirked at the withering look Black sent him.

“Oh fan-bloody-tastic,” He said, pulling at his soaked robes, “I’m stuck in a small dungeon with you.”

“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not too happy about being in here with you,” He mimicked Sirius’ tone, “Either Black. But don’t try to get out; all you’ll do is succeed in setting a trap or destroying a wall and making the ceiling crumble down on top of us.”

Black snorted and sat down next Severus, eyeing him suspiciously, “Don’t try any funny stuff.” He warned, pointing a finger as he drew his knees up against his chest, shivering slightly.

Severus watched for a few minutes before sighing and taking off his cloak. It was wet, but not as much as Black’s. He held it in front of the Gryffindor, still facing ahead of him.

To his surprise, Black took it and threw it across his shoulders before drawing it tightly around himself. “I didn’t think you were one for charity Snape.”

Severus snorted, “I am used to the cold,” He said, raising his chin, “It was bothering me.”

He continued staring, ignoring the surprised expression on Black’s face. “Not getting soft in your old age are you, Snape?” Black eventually teased.

“Not at all.”

There was silence for a while, a rat running through the light every so often. After a while Severus got sick of the quiet, but he didn’t speak. No… Black wouldn’t allow a civil conversation between them once he realized who he was: Severus Snape, his favourite victim.

“What caused your actions this time?” He asked quietly.

Sirius sighed, still suspicious, still stiff and cold, “Remus, of course, who do you think?”

Severus blinked slowly. There it was, there went the civil conversation. “I highly doubt Remus was the cause of your anger, he’d curse himself if you asked him.”

“Like hell,” Sirius snorted, “It just so happens that he’s sick of his ‘mate’ being picked on and nearly killed me the other day…”

It was Severus’ turn to snort, “Remus is too soft hearted for killing.”

“Not if his lover is in danger or mate as he calls you.”

Severus snorted, throwing a glare at the man beside him, “Do not joke with me Black.”

“I wish I was joking…” Severus didn’t know what hit him more, the sincerity in Black’s voice or the words, “He really thinks he loves you.”

The Potions Master sat rigid. “How did he manage that?”

Sirius stared for a moment, “What does that mean? Remus loves you! He doesn’t lie about these things!” To Severus’ surprise, Sirius had jumped up and grabbed the front of his robes, pulling him so close that they were nose to nose with the threatened Potions Master. “So don’t say things like that! Merlin! Ignore what everyone’s said and listen to Remus!”

His head snapped up, “What do you know about what people have said?” He snarled venomously.

Black let go of his robes, “Albus told us your life story.” He said bluntly, “I think you should listen to everything Remus says and take it to heart, because if you hurt him, I will hurt you.”

- - -

Remus growled loudly, restraining himself from kicking over a table, “What do you mean he’s not there?! He has to be there!”

The little house elf whimpered and scurried behind the Headmaster, hiding behind his long robes. “Remus, settle down…” Nicole was close to tears, her usual happy self buried deep as the thought of Severus missing completely, or maybe dead… No! She would not think of it, he’d survived the war; there was no way he could have died now!

They’d been thinking over ideas, before the elf had arrived, just in case. But as it had turned out, none really helped in the matter. Nicole had been silent, feeling rather put off at Remus and Albus’ wizarding know-how. How was she supposed to compare to that? What did muggles have for this type of thing that could compare to it?

She sighed as she continued staring into space. You know… She had an inkling that she was forgetting something. It was an important thing Severus had told her, either in a story or a rant, she really couldn’t tell when Severus threw his hands all over the place. She sighed and pouted slightly before beginning to chew on her bottom lip.

It was about a map… She knew it was! But what was special about the map? It was special; otherwise Severus wouldn’t have been raving about it… Oh! Why couldn’t she think of it?

“Please Remus, sit down, my boy. You’re going to work a hole in my carpet.” Albus tried reasoning.

“I think I prefer pacing Albus.”

Map, map, map, Moony! She knew he’d said Moony.

“Remus please,”

Moony… Prawns? No. Prongs… Maybe?

“Albus! Would you like me to throw a table instead?”

Moony, Prongs, Worntail? No… Worm… Hmm… Wormtail… Map, Moony, Prongs, Wormtail…

“Please, my boy, do an old man a favour and sit down?”

“Who else was there?”

Remus stopped pacing and Albus looked startled, “Excuse us?”

“There were four of you. Prongs, Wormtail, Moony and… Who? I can’t remember the last one.”

“Padfoot.” Remus replied, annoyed that Severus seemed to be completely out of his cousin’s mind, “Why?”

Nicole looked sheepish, “Didn’t you all have a map…?” She was surprised when the two men in front of her stared at her in astonishment, and she stuttered, “Well, Severus told me about this map thing in… I think it was during that boy’s – oh what’s his name? Harvey? - Harvey’s third year, and…”

Remus cut her off, his hands framing her face as he kissed her nose, chin and cheeks. “You really are Severus’ cousin!”

Nicole stared after him in shock, turning to the Headmaster as the door slammed shut. Albus eventually shrugged, “He seems energetic, oh, and the boy’s name is Harry.” He smiled.

The muggle nodded, not understanding how the man could seem so… Relaxed.

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DF: I’m so very sorry! But first I had work, then the internet went down, then the computer got a virus and my uncle was fixing it and then work took over my life again… So sorry! I really don’t know when I’ll update next either… The computer’s still mucking up… I think it’s time to get a new one… ==; That’s more money washed down the drain…

Anyway… Review please and I’ll get the next chapter up as quick as I can…