Creatures Of the Dark

* * *



She might have avoided him if she'd seen him first.



Narcissa Malfoy had just finished visiting her son in the school infirmary and was stepping out into the corridor when one of the professor's nearly ran into her.



"Oh, dear! Forgive me. I should have looked where I was going," said a kind and pleasant voice.



His obvious sincerity made her knee-jerk reaction of annoyance calm instantly and she looked up into the warmest and somehow saddest eyes she'd ever seen.



"I'm sorry, too, Professor--"



"Lupin. But aren't you Mrs. Malfoy? Narcissa, if I recall correctly," he replied with a smile that warmed his eyes even more.



Flustered now, she blinked and nodded. "Yes, in fact. Do we know one another?"



She had cause to doubt once she looked at his attire.



He was threadbare and tatty, two words that did not describe anyone she knew, leastwise, not anyone of quality. Still, he was a professor, so his mind must be top-notch for the Board of Governors to have approved him.



"We were in school together. I'm Remus Lupin."



She processed this and everything clicked. "You're the Gryffindor prefect -- the one that got our Severus into so much trouble sixth year."



The smile wavered, lessened, and she found she did not like this.



"I'm afraid so, yes. Boys will be boys."



"Yes, indeed." Narcissa was eyeing him so closely Lupin wondered if he had food in his teeth. His smile died completely.



"Is something wrong, Mrs. Malfoy?"



"Please, call me Narcissa, Remus. You're teaching my son. That puts us on a par."



"Thank you, Narcissa. I appreciate your kindness."



"What exactly do you teach, Remus?"



"Defense Against the Dark Arts."



Narcissa considered this, her respect for him ratcheting up a few notches. The only students that excelled at DADA much less achieved NEWTs in it, tended to be Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Gryffindor he might have been, and poor, but clearly he had a good mind and some Slytherin tendencies.



"How is my son doing in your class?"



Remus's smile returned and she found she liked it very much.



"Instead of standing here talking in the corridor, why don't you accompany me to my office and we can discuss your son's work in my class?"



"Please lead the way, Remus."



* * *



Narcissa revised her opinion twice more when he brought her a steaming mug of tea.



The mug, clean, but chipped and as worn-looking as the man himself, made her frown. The tea he served, though... this was not inferior brew or even the mostly palatable drink the Hogwarts elves provided. No, this was something he must know about. Her estimation of him rose.



"However did you come by Dragonheart Mountain tea, Remus?"



"I thought we were going to speak of your son's work in my class?"



"Can't we do both?"



He blinked, and then sat back in the chair. He'd allowed her first pick of seats and she'd chosen the edge of the small couch, facing away from the window, which also had the benefit of having him looking into the light to see her.



"It was a gift from someone whose child I tutored."



"Then you're as good an instructor as I thought."



He considered this. "Your son is very efficient in his defensive spells. A bit quick on the draw, perhaps, but that can be useful in dueling."



"Yes. Draco was taught by his father."



"I imagine Lucius is quite proficient," Remus demurred.



"Indeed. He had wanted Draco to attend Durmstrang. Lucius feels that to learn how to defend oneself against the Dark Arts, one needs to understand them. This, of course, is contrary to Hogwarts criteria."



"A criteria that is both Ministry and Board approved."



"As you say."



She sipped at the excellent tea and re-assessed the man before her. He was more than pleasant to look at. His hair was not as long as she liked, but it was clean and well cared for. His eyes were kind and had a sad quality to them that she found appealing. His face... those scars were quite appealing.



Scars worn openly in a world where salves and spells existed to fade or erase them were badges of pride. He could have glamoured them off his face if they resisted magical cure, but he didn't. Whatever he had faced that scarred him, he had clearly conquered. This made him a man worthy of due consideration.



His height was good, not too tall. His build was not as bulky as some, but then Narcissa preferred more slender men. She found him imminently attractive.



"Your tea is excellent. You should come by our estate sometime. I should very much like to proffer you some of our own tea. I have special blends from Asia and Indonesia."



"That's very kind of you, Narcissa. Wouldn't your husband find it odd to have his son's professor just dropping by? I'd hate to alarm him."



Narcissa smiled. "Lucius keeps busy. I see him twice a week at most and usually at meals. I may invite any guest I choose and I choose to invite you, Remus. Please say you'll come. This weekend."



"Will Lucius be there?" he inquired pleasantly, adding, "I'd be glad of the chance to ask if I might peruse his library for advanced tomes on my favourite subject."



"I'm afraid my husband is going to be at our manor house in Lausanne taking care of some local matters, but I'm sure he'll be delighted to allow you use of our library."



"Perhaps I should visit when he's there, so I could ask him personally. I'd hate to cause offense."



"You wouldn't. You're free to ask him, of course. However, I had truly hoped for some company this weekend. I could use some help cataloguing my own reference materials. Perhaps you'd find something useful there; my private library is not the size of my husband's, of course, but I am more selective of what I collect." Narcissa spoke blithely, but Remus could hear the pain it cost her to add, "I'd ask Draco, but my son is growing up and wishes to have as little to do with his parents as possible."



"They outgrow that phase."



She looked at him. "Do they?"



"Yes, indeed," he assured her, and then spoke on a whim. "When would you like me to stop by?"



* * *



The books in Narcissa Malfoy's private reading room were beyond all of Remus's expectations. For one thing, her private reading room was twice the size of his entire office plus classroom at Hogwarts. For another, the surroundings were not the plush opulence he had assumed.



The room was sturdy and comfortable. There were chairs before a fireplace, two chairs in a far corner, a lounge in another corner near a low table with pillows around it, a desk with a box on it and a complete set of writing materials by a window with a gorgeous view, and a door on the far wall that led to an en suite bathroom. The floor was a warm, polished and expensive hardwood with various rugs.



Before he had been able to go inside the room, a tiny dragon made of silver had flown up when he approached the door, circled his head, and then flown off again.



"Dark detector," Narcissa said in a bored tone, as if everyone had tiny, silver dragons vetting their guests. "If you don't have some genuine interest in Dark Arts or aren't touched by the Dark yourself, it will singe you."



Remus looked at the tiny magical bit of metal that had winged its way to a shelf on the bookcase and stood as an ornament and wondered which it had seen in him; a man with a genuine interest in Dark Arts or a creature of the dark, a werewolf? Both were true readings.



Apparently, Narcissa had the same questions in mind.



"So tell me, Remus - I know you are interested in the Dark Arts, but have you been touched by the dark?"



She had sat on the lounge and was eyeing him speculatively. She was wearing a silk dress that displayed her to advantage and Remus had a hard time taking his eyes off her long legs.



"Doesn't the dragon say?"



She smiled. "I'd rather hear it from your own lips."



"I... I thought I was here to help you sort some reference material."



"We will. First, I wish to learn more about what kind of man is teaching my son to defend himself... what kind of man I invited to my private parlor."



To his chagrin, Remus felt himself harden. Her tone was deliberately seductive and her gaze was frank and clearly interested in him. All he could think about though, was the fact she was married.



"W-what would your husband, what would Lucius think of your inviting me here?"



Her smile grew. "Lucius has his own interests; his own people he 'hosts' in his wing of the estate. Our interests rarely coincide. We share a fascination for the Dark Arts, a pride in our heritage and concern for our son."



Probably in that order, too, Remus thought now. He considered his situation. It was obvious Narcissa had more on her mind bringing him here, but was it a trap?



She knew he was Gryffindor, therefore unlikely to be a proponent of the Dark Arts, in fact, he taught students to defend against them. She knew he was not a pureblood, although that didn't seem to bother her as much as he'd thought it might. Was her interest in him purely licentious?



"So your interest in me--?" he finally asked evenly.



Narcissa eyed him before snapping her fingers. A small house elf appeared instantly.



"Mippy, bring food and tea. I'm famished. Aren't you?"



Remus shrugged slightly. "It is near lunch."



"So it is. For two, Mippy."



The house elf bowed and vanished without a sound. It was less than a minute later that she reappeared with a tray that she put on the low table, waiting to see if her offering would please her mistress.



"A good choice, Mippy."



The house elf smiled shyly and disappeared.



The tray was laden with small savoury sandwiches, a plate of fruit, a bowl of honey and a tea service for two.



"Join me, Remus," Narcissa said, before gracefully settling herself on some pillows by the table.



Remus did, carefully sitting with his legs crossed before him.



"I hope you enjoy lunch. Our kitchen elves make wonderful sandwiches."



He smiled and took a sandwich and put it on the small plate for him. He reached for the tea. "May I pour?"



"Please. I like it plain, no honey, no lemon, no cream."



"We have similar tastes, then," he noted, biting into the sandwich and finding that it was, indeed, delicious.



Narcissa eyed him almost mischievously before saying in a low tone, "Oh, I don't think you would taste at all like me."



Remus nearly choked on his sandwich. Narcissa found this amusing.



"You aren't often given compliments, are you Remus?"



He swallowed down a bit of tea and urged his brain to focus. He finally just shook his head.



"Why is that, I wonder? You are clearly intelligent, dedicated and kind."



"What makes you say these things?"



"They're true. You are a professor at Hogwarts, not something easy to achieve, as I am aware of the Governor's vetting process. You took time out from what is likely a busy schedule to assist me with my reference materials, not to mention time out to discuss my son with me at the school. And despite a clearly burning curiousity, you have yet to insist on answers. You're a gentleman, Remus. I admit to being ... charmed."



"I'm the one who's charmed, Narcissa. And flattered. But I... perhaps I should not say this--"



"You may speak freely in this room," she said sincerely.



"I'm not a believer in Lord Voldemort's reforms," he said carefully, fully expecting to be told to leave or even possibly escorted off the property.



She eyed him, then said evenly, "How boring life would be if everyone believed the same thing. Don't you agree?"



He nodded, uncertain of her emotional state. She merely continued eating and he relaxed slightly, and did the same.







To Lupin's surprise, after their impromptu meal, Narcissa led him to the desk and box. It was full of books.



"Those reference materials I mentioned. I'd like your opinion of them."



Lupin hesitated; some Dark Arts books did not take kindly to being handled. "Where did you obtain them?"



"I purchased them at auction from Dorcas Abernethy's estate sale," she replied. "They were touted to contain a great deal of esoteric information."



Lupin vaguely recalled that the prior generation of wizarding Abernethys did have their fair share of relatives in Azkaban for practicing Dark Arts.



"May I?" He pulled his wand out.



"By all means."



He cast a retegere charm, but aside from one book changing its title from "A Manual of Magical Asiatic Fungi" to "A Manual To Achieving Mind-blowing Fornication", nothing else happened.



Narcissa pulled that book out and raised a brow. Remus blushed slightly.



"How fascinating. I needed some light reading."



She said nothing else, merely taking the book and placing it on her lounge. Lupin considered this. He knew of few women who would treat such a subject so openly or blithely, and none were married.



"You may borrow the box if you like, Remus."



"Oh, well--"



"Or maybe you'd prefer for it to stay here?" She approached now. "You could come bring me each book back after examining it. It would give you an excuse to return... to see me."



Remus felt himself blushing more and paradoxically becoming quite erect. He cleared his throat.



"Whatever the lady prefers," he demurred.



"So polite. So respectful." She stepped up very close now and looked him in the eye. "Is that how you are all the time?"



"Narcissa..."



"I'd bet you'd be a surprise."



One of those manicured hands touched his chest and Remus groaned. This was wrong. She was married, he was teaching her son, and her husband was a known Death Eater!



"I... really should be going."



She did not argue nor even look disappointed. If anything, she looked amused.



"Take the box, Remus. Bring me back the books as you finish examining them." With that she turned and walked out of the room, saying without turning back, "Mippy will show you out."



All too soon he found himself outside the Malfoy estate with a box of Dorcas Abernethy's books.



* * *



He avoided looking at the books for some time. The next chance he actually had was when he was in the Infirmary recovering from the passing moon cycle. That also happened to be when he next saw Narcissa Malfoy.



She suddenly appeared at the Infirmary doorway and headed toward his bed.



"Remus! I came to speak with Severus about Draco. When I asked after you, I was given to understand that you were... sick."



Remus sat up a bit in the Infirmary bed, just avoiding a wince. He was still quite bruised and battered from his adventures the past three nights whilst in his transformed state. He wondered what Snape had actually told her.



"Yes. It, er, comes and goes."



"Well, you do look rather the worse for wear." She stepped up to him, all starched linen and expensive jewelry and traced the edge of the bruise on his cheek. "Poor man."



"I've had worse."



"No doubt. A man who teaches DADA must have experienced a lot more than a few bumps and bruises."



"May I ask, Narcissa, why my teaching DADA fascinates you so?"



She did not reply, but then any reply would have been interrupted as Madame Pomfrey stepped up, then noticed he had a visitor.



"Oh. I heard you speaking, but I wasn't sure if you needed anything, Remus."



"I'm fine, Poppy. I just have a visitor."



Poppy Pomfrey's expression barely changed, merely a sort of blankness that shifted over her face. Her voice grew flat. "So I see. Well, call if you need me."



She used her wand to pull the privacy screens around the bed and walked out.



"That woman is ageless. She was here when Lucius and I were in school. She's still here now and looks no different. Perhaps this is a mystery that should be investigated," Narcissa opined.



Remus chuckled. "Hardly. Witches don't seem to age much after they achieve 50. Between 50 and 100 they appear exactly the same. I've never been able to tell the difference between a witch of 50 and a witch of 100. After 100 they begin to mature yet again."



"Something to look forward to, I suppose," she said coolly.



"Yes. Wizards on the other hand, we appear to start aging at 30 and just keep on aging. Time does not suspend for us so much."



"My mother used to tell me tales, a myth, when I was a child that this was because women bore children in pain. In exchange, we were given longer lives and beauty."



"Well, that would explain it," he murmured politely.



"You don't believe in myths then, Remus?"



"I think myths have their basis in fact. The trick is separating the truth from the more fantastic elements."



To his chagrin, she perched herself on the edge of his bed. He found himself hardening despite himself. Was it a proximity spell, he wondered. Or perhaps she wore some subtle attraction potion?



"I see you were reading one of those books."



"Yes." Remus was glad for something else to focus on beside the warmth of her hip against his thigh. "Fascinating tome. A worthy addition to any collection about Dark Arts, actually. This book contains many good counter-curses." He handed it to her.



"Very good. I'll be sure my son reads it after I peruse it." She set it on the bedside table.



Remus considered this. "Does your husband not read these books?"



"Oh, Lucius prefers hands-on instruction. He has little patience for books. If there is anything worthy of knowing, he can easily hire the best to instruct him in it. Or so he is fond of saying."



"Ah."



Suddenly her hand was between his legs. Remus could not move. Her fingers idly stroked his now-throbbing erection.



"This is the only thing of which I prefer to be hands-on about."



He swallowed and that skillful hand wormed its way beneath the bed sheet and his nightshirt and those warm fingers grasped him by the root.



"I did read recently that sexual release is actually quite a useful adjunct to healing," she murmured before leaning in and beginning to kiss him whilst her fist began to stroke him.



Remus suddenly broke free of his paralysis, fully intending to pull her hand away, to stop her, to say he could not do such a thing. Instead, his hands grasped her by the upper arms and brought her closer, kissing her harder.



She moaned slightly and her hand moved faster, gripped a little tighter. Remus moaned, as well, and fought a sense of pained desperation.



How could he? What was wrong? Had it been so long since he'd had release that he... that he would...



Suddenly he clutched at her tightly, almost biting her as he began to ejaculate forcefully, semen pulsing onto his nightshirt and the sheets and her strong, elegant hands.



A low, pained moan escaped him as she finished him up, then moved back without a change in her expression as she reached for his wand on the bedside table and casually cleaned her hand. Then she offered him his wand with a smile.



He couldn't quite meet her eyes as he took it and hastily cleaned himself and the soiled shirt and sheets.



"Well, did it help?"



He looked at her then, noting her smile, which held nothing of victory or smugness as he'd half-expected. She did appear amused, but not at him. It was as if she expected him to find amusement in their actions, as well.



As if, he thought, they were naughty school children.



"I do feel rather more relaxed," he managed to state with a shy smile.



"I'm so glad," she said, genuinely pleased. Then she bent close again and kissed his cheek, murmuring, "Owl me when you've finished checking the next book. I'll come at once... or I'll send for you."



She pulled back, having managed to imbue her statement with more innuendo than Remus had heard in a year's time, a very knowing look in her eyes.



"Yes, of course," he found himself saying.



"I hope you get well soon, Remus. I look forward to more hands-on inspection of one of those... books."



He watched her leave, then sank back on the pillows and groaned.



* * *



The meeting was just as bad as he'd expected, but he had, in all good conscience, felt the need to call for it.



The Headmaster leaned on the desk before him. Severus Snape sat scowling to his left, but Remus was doing his level best to not show how ashamed and uneasy he felt in his presence.



"She's given you no indication of her intention beyond the sexual?"



Remus shook his head, fighting a blush.



"Headmaster," Snape murmured in his silkiest tone. "It's entirely possible that there is nothing inimical with this development. It could well be that Lupin has simply achieved the status of new conquest for Narcissa Malfoy. It is not without precedent. She's always had a fascination for the dangerous and exotic."



Remus glared at him and Albus sighed.



"Severus, there's no call for being rude."



"I'm merely stating a fact, Headmaster. Narcissa finds interest in men... occasionally women... and, frankly, toys with them for a while until she tires of the novelty. Lucius is well aware of her tendencies. He has his own extra-marital 'interests'."



"Have you been an interest of Narcissa's, Severus?" Remus bit off with irritation.



Snape stared at him with disdain, but Dumbledore sat up.



"Yes, Severus. I think I would like the answer to that question, also."



To Remus's amusement, the sallow Potions Master flushed. "My... dalliance with Narcissa was many a long year ago. I'd barely begun working here."



"Ah, so she was married already," Remus smiled.



"Marriage was never going to stop either of those two from doing anything -- or anyone -- they desired," Snape ground out with irritation.



"Forgive me, Severus, but I had cause to ask," the Headmaster insisted. "Is it possible that Mrs. Malfoy might place Remus in a compromising position? Try to discredit him before the board of governors? Use this situation against him in any way?"



Snape scowled. "Unlikely. While she mouths the usual Pureblood platitudes, that is mostly to appease Lucius. She does encourage Draco to mouth them, as well, but that is because she is well aware of their station and her duty to her husband. The Pureblood movement can't be seen to hold anything but a united front."



"What of Remus's 'special' status, shall we say?"



Severus shook his head. "Meaningless. If anything, I would think that would intrigue her. She may already be aware of it."



"You told her." It was not a question, but to his surprise, Severus frowned.



"Of course not. I had no cause to."



Remus considered him and decided he was sincere. Snape continued with his assessment.



"Narcissa is fairly straightforward in these sorts of dealings. She will be discreet, except, typically, when she begins the dalliance. She may proffer gifts. She rarely requires concessions from her party of interest. She is not likely to seek information beyond that of a personal nature. She will give clear indication when she wishes to discontinue the alliance."



"Alliance?"



"You're dealing with a Slytherin, Lupin. We think in terms of alliances."



"That's not very romantic."



Snape gave him an even stare. "Perhaps. Though, in my experience, it can be most exhilarating."



Remus swallowed, thinking back to her seduction of him in the Infirmary with only the thin privacy curtains between them and the rest of the room. She had not even cast silencing charms or any sort of ward.



"Thank you, Severus, you may go."



Snape glanced at the Headmaster, then shrugged slightly and stood, inclining his head at Dumbledore. "Headmaster."



He paused by Remus's chair. "A word to the wise, Lupin -- never disparage her son, and never alert Draco in any way to your relationship. She would not harm you, but Lucius would and Draco worships his father."



"Anything else?" Remus asked evenly, disliking the feeling of being lectured.



"Narcissa and I remain friends, Lupin. She feels free to discuss everything with me."



With that, he strode out of the room. After he'd left, Dumbledore turned to the pensive werewolf.



"I cannot tell you what to do, my boy. However, I can say that if you intend to continue this... dalliance... with Mrs. Malfoy, then I would appreciate hearing about anything she may tell you regarding the Death Eater doings."



"I hardly see that coming up, Albus."



"You never know what may happen between bed partners, my boy. I've been surprised by each and every one of mine. My current one still surprises me."



Remus smiled, delighted. "It does me good to hear that, should I reach your venerable age, I might still find partners for such activities."



Albus beamed and twinkled. "It's not increasing age, my boy, that is one's downfall, it's decreasing energy."



* * *



When Remus was nearly done reading and checking the next book, he sent a school owl to Narcissa. To his surprise, the owl returned that same night, a small scroll attached to its claws, a deep mauve satin ribbon holding it closed.



As soon as he touched the ribbon, the scroll crisply unfolded and an elegant hand had written: I'll be delighted to learn your opinion on "From Pastilles to Poisons" this Friday evening over dinner. 7 pm.



A stylized N finished the message.



Remus sighed. Dinner with Narcissa, and anything else that might ensue was only two nights away.



It appeared he had made his decision and was committed.



* * *

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