WARNING: This is a slash story, which means it contains male/male erotic content involving consenting adults. If you're not of legal age or are offended by such material, please go find something else to read.

Title: Black
Author: Black Bludger
E-Mail: blackbludger@yahoo.com
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Remus and Severus are pulled into a dangerous triangle with Sirius.
Warnings: violence
Disclaimer: Of course they’re not mine, why do you ask? ;)

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Remus held Snape’s shoulders tightly, leaving red imprints on his pale skin as he slammed into him from behind. He was trying to reach climax before he thought about who he was with again.

He was certain that Snape always chose to face the wall for exactly the same reason. The tall thin man was bending over slightly to allow him access, one hand planted firmly against the cold stones and the other stroking himself the entire time. This was nothing more than a way to scratch an itch. An itch that Remus had felt building for the past week, since the last time he had met Snape in the abandoned classroom.

As always, the other man began cursing and muttering under his breath, the only indication Remus ever had that he was losing control and reaching a climax. He felt Snape’s body close tightly around him as the potions master came into his own hand, and soon the friction was great enough around Remus to pull a line of fire from his balls up through his cock and into the other man’s body. He shuddered and yanked his waning erection free, ignoring the grunt that came from Snape. He quickly buttoned up his trousers as Snape did the same before putting his shirt and robes back on. “Well, I hope it was as good for you as it was for me,” he chided, smiling ruefully.

“Shut the fuck up, Lupin.” Snape never bothered to make eye-contact when they were finished. Ever. “You know damned well that I don’t really want to be with you either.” Snape grabbed his robe, pulled it on and strode out of the room.

“Until next week then, love?” Remus called after him. The only way he could cope with the lack of partners in the remote castle was to make light of the situation. And the fact that doing so aggravated Snape had made it into something of a game for him.

As he extinguished the solitary candle and left the classroom, he thought about Sirius Black’s impending arrival. Dumbledore had managed to make Hogwarts a relatively safe place for the ex-prisoner; enough people on their side now believed that Black wasn’t the traitor who had aided Voldemort in the murder of James and Lilly. And those who still thought he was guilty had remained on their side of the line so far, which was still drawn as far from Dumbledore as possible.

The cast of the play that was Hogwarts was filling out nicely.

Of course there was Snape, the Death Eater-turned-spy whose work had finally been revealed and who could no longer leave the castle without risking his own immediate death.

Then there was Remus himself. He had been accepted back into his teaching position and had just completed a two year probationary period during which his behavior and transformations had been closely monitored.

Soon the castle would be a sanctuary for three outcasts. Remus thought about his arrangement with Snape and his past relationship with Sirius. He wondered if perhaps he wouldn’t prefer returning to the wild and living as a full werewolf again instead of teaching Dark Arts in a school that sometimes seemed like a cross between a prison and an asylum.

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“Good to have you back,” Dumbledore said, shaking Sirius’ hand warmly. “I hope you’re enjoying your dinner. I’m going to announce your decision to stay with us to the other professors after dessert.”

Black nodded and smiled. Then he turned to look at Remus. His gaze was dark and hungry, despite the fact that he had already finished two helpings of every dish on the table.

Remus turned away. His ex-lover had filled out considerably since the last time he had seen him. And he looked good. Too good. His dark eyes were framed by thick black hair which he was constantly running his fingers through, much to Remus’ distraction. “Not to mention his perfect nose, mouth, and cheeks,” the Dark Arts professor thought moodily, mentally scolding himself for behaving like he had when they were in school together. Sirius had always known the affect he had on Remus.

As Dumbledore made his announcement to the other professors, Remus looked down the table, watching their expressions. Everyone seemed to be smiling, with the exception of one person. He knew that Snape would be trying to kill Sirius with his eyes. And if Sirius had bothered to return the potions master’s gaze, he just might have succeeded.

Remus considered Snape, and then blinked. The dark eyes. The black hair. In so many ways, Snape resembled Sirius. Yet the composition here was all wrong. No perfection in the nose, mouth, or cheeks. It was as if nature had created twins and then laughed as it tipped the balance in favor of Sirius while depriving Snape of whatever it took to please the senses. Although Azkaban had attempted to drain Black of his physical charms during his incarceration, they had been fully restored and even somewhat enhanced over the course of his exile in the warmer southern climate. And all the while, Snape had withered in his cold, dark dungeon.

Remus couldn’t believe he had never made the comparison. Perhaps this was why he had been so quick to agree with Snape’s suggestion that they “form a mutually beneficial alliance”. He chuckled softly as he recalled Snape’s wording when he had first propositioned him. It had been a business meeting rather than a romantic tryst.

He glanced at Snape again and found him glaring back. There was nothing remotely romantic about the man.

Then Remus looked to Sirius who was sipping his wine and staring back lustfully.

Suddenly Snape seemed like a considerate lover.

After the dishes had been magically cleared, Remus lingered in the Great Hall, discussing the warm summer weather with anyone who would listen and watching Sirius out of the corner of his eye. Much to his relief, the other man finally finished his conversation with McGonagall and walked out of the room. Just to be safe, the professor mentioned the upcoming Quidditch season to Hooch and then stood beside her silently, thinking about other matters, as she launched into the predicted exposition. It was another half-hour before he finally stepped through the double doors and into the main hallway.

As he walked to his quarters, along the empty corridor, he soon heard the soft sound of footsteps trailing behind him. “Damn,” he thought, turning to face his follower.

At first he thought it was Sirius, but to his relief the form took on more definition as it neared and he was able to make out Snape’s sneer in the dim light.

“Is there something you want, Snape?”

“I just wanted to remind you that our ‘arrangement’ is binding through the end of the summer.”

“Yes, I know that. I was there when we drew up the agreement, remember?”

“I thought perhaps the arrival of your lover would make you forget your responsibilities.”

Remus frowned. “Sirius is not my lover. Not any more.”

Snape raised a single eyebrow, and looked the other man over cautiously. “At any rate, we’re due to meet in two nights. Don’t be late this time, I do have other matters to attend to, you know.”

Remus merely nodded as Snape turned and walked away. He had the feeling that if he dropped dead on the spot, the potions master would come back to lecture him about breaking their contract. Or worse, continue to hold him to it. He had never understood Snape. Luckily, he had no intention of backing out of their agreement. He had spent enough time alone, and the future was so uncertain that he had decided to get it while he could. Even if he had to get “it” from Snape.

“Don’t tell me you’re on speaking terms with Snape again,” a soft voice spoke at Remus’ back, causing him to jump slightly.

He turned to find Sirius’ face inches from his own. “Ah, Sirius, it’s nice to have you back in the castle.”

“I got the impression you weren’t too thrilled to have me back. In fact, I was certain you were avoiding me at dinner,” he said, smiling mischievously.

“No, Sirius, of course not,” Remus lied. He had never been one to intentionally injure another person’s feelings. Especially when the person in question had been a lover and a brother rolled into one. He looked into the dark eyes and wondered just how strong his feelings for the other man still were. Even though Remus had been the one to break off their relationship, it had been excruciatingly painful to do so. But he hadn’t had any choice.

“I’m going to go celebrate my arrival with a drink in my new quarters. Care to join me?” Sirius faced Remus and put his hands on the professor’s waist. Then he smiled and moved his hips in closer while leaning in for a kiss.

Remus pulled himself free, trying to appear nonchalant about the matter. “No thanks. I have a lot of work to do tomorrow in preparation for the upcoming year and I need to get an early start.”

“Come on, Remi…just for old time’s sake?”

“Old times are gone, Sirius. You know that as well as I do,” Remus said. To his surprise, his voice sounded bitter. He hoped that Black hadn’t noticed.

“There’s no reason to act like that, Remi. I’ve been alone in exile for ages, and it’s not like you’ve had anyone else to spend time with here.” Then Sirius laughed. “Not unless you’ve been shagging Snape.”

Remus growled to himself. He felt torn between embarrassment and defensiveness.

“When you’re not so busy, we’ll have to get together just to catch up,” Sirius continued, raising his hand to trace a single finger over Lupin’s bottom lip. Remus shivered. He hated that Sirius could arouse him so easily.

But he wasn’t tempted to follow his old friend when he turned to leave.

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Remus removed his reading glasses and set them down on the large library table, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb. Large, dusty tomes were spread out before him, revealing portraits of evil wizards and runes describing ancient dark spells. He was about to resume his work when Sirius walked into the room and pulled up a chair beside him.

“I’ve looked everywhere for you, Remi.” Sirius laughed and looked around at the towering shelves of books. “I never thought I would find you here. I mean, we never came here when we were students, did we?”

Remus attempted to smile. “No. We weren’t exactly what I would call exemplary students.”

“So why are you here now?”

“I told you, I have a lot of work to do before classes begin.”

Sirius smirked and leaned back in his chair, resting his boots on the top of a snakeskin-bound volume. “Remi, you know this teaching job is just a formality. Dumbledore gave it to you to convince you to move back into the safety of the castle until Voldemort is gone. You don’t really think he expects you to actually teach?”

Remus stared back into the twinkling eyes. There was always a touch of fun there – a touch of danger. “Sirius, you may not believe this, but I am fully qualified for the position. And I truly enjoy teaching. The students have come to mean a lot to me and I care about their education.”

Black observed Lupin carefully for a moment. “You’re serious, aren’t you? I can’t believe it. One of the Marauders has finally grown up…” Then he laughed again. This time Remus joined him.

“I was thinking,” Sirius continued, “Come with me to Hogsmeade tonight. There are a lot of people I want to see.”

Remus blinked in disbelief. “Sirius, have you gone insane? You’re not safe outside of the castle!”

“Not as a man, maybe. But no one minds a nice, friendly dog. Especially if he’s with his master.” Sirius smiled and winked.

“No. And that’s final. I’m too busy and I’m not pulling an idiotic stunt just because you want to get out and ‘see people’.”

Sirius pouted playfully. “Too bad, Remi. And I always thought you wanted to play the master.”

Remus was just opening his mouth to respond when Snape walked into the room. He sneered at Black, then stepped directly between the two men, facing Lupin.

“Dumbledore wants to meet with the two of us. Since you’re not busy at the moment, perhaps now would be as good a time as any.”

Remus glanced past Snape at Sirius, who was grinning wickedly. “Hello to you too, Snape,” Black said, his low voice rising up from behind the potions master.

Lupin saw Snape bristle slightly, clenching his hands into fists. He didn’t bother to turn around. “I don’t have time to lower my intelligence by speaking with you today, Black.” His words dripped like poison from his curling lips.

“That’s a pity, Snape. And to think, you used to be my biggest admirer…”

Snape’s face colored slightly in rage. “The meeting, Lupin?” His voice was barely audible.

Remus glanced back at Sirius, in confusion. He barely caught the question. “What? Oh, yes. I’ll meet you in the Headmaster’s office as soon as I can get these books sorted out. Thank you.”

Snape turned and left. Sirius’ narrowed eyes followed his exit. Then he laughed.

Remus took a breath. “What was that about? Your ‘greatest admirer’?”

Sirius folded his arms across his chest and looked down at them. He laughed again. “There’s something I never told you about the time I tricked Snape into following you past the Whomping Willow.” Black seemed to be considering his words, in the same way that a person would consider a joke before the telling. “You were so angry with me after that ordeal that I wasn’t completely honest with you about what happened.” Then he shrugged. “But now, well, it was so long ago…”

Remus felt a knot growing in his stomach. He wasn’t certain he wanted to hear what his old friend had to say.

“You remember how Snape was always following us around, watching everything we did?”

“Yes, he knew we were always breaking rules and he wanted to catch us in the act and turn us in.”

“That’s what I thought too, until the day before that incident.” Sirius removed his feet from the tabletop and leaned closer to Remus. “You see, I was so fed up with him, that I hid behind a suit of armor and waited for him to catch up to the rest of you. Then when he did, I grabbed him by the robes and slammed him up against the wall, demanding to know what on earth he thought he was up to.”

Remus looked away from Sirius. The image he was painting was all too familiar.

“He wouldn’t speak, the greasy git, but a diary fell out of his robes and I picked it up. He panicked. So I flipped it open and found all sorts of entries about me. He was apparently madly in love with me.” Sirius lifted his face to the ceiling and laughed heartily. “Can you imagine? Me and Snape?”

So I acted touched, and told him that I would show him how to follow us the next time we went under the Whomping Willow. Bloody fool fell for it too. That’s the best part of all.”

Remus stood abruptly. “Sirius, that’s…that’s terrible. How could you do that? It was bad enough that you endangered his life, but…how could you do that? Have you ever actually thought about anyone besides yourself?”

Sirius looked confused and then angry. “Remi, that was a long time ago! You’re can’t possibly be upset about it now. Besides, it’s SNAPE we’re talking about. It’s not like he’s your lover, or something.”

Remus couldn’t stop himself from flinching slightly. To his horror, Sirius noticed. Shock slowly filled Black’s face. Then he laughed. “No. Nooooo!!! Don’t tell me you’ve been fucking around with SNAPE!”

The professor felt his face grow hot. He wanted to walk away.

“Oh pleeeeease, Remi! I know that your options are limited here, but….no!!!!!” Sirius laughed so hard, he couldn’t speak for a while. Remus gathered his books and prepared to leave.

“Wait, Remi, please.” Sirius sniffled and caught the professor by the arm. “I just want to ask you one thing.” Black was trying desperately to stop smiling. “How is he? Does he scream out the names of potion ingredients?” Then he was lost in another fit of laughter.

Remus stormed from the room.

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During the meeting with Dumbledore and Snape, Remus could hardly keep his mind on what the other two men were discussing. He knew how vital it was for them to go over the security measures in the castle, but it was all he could do to keep from staring at Snape.

It was as though he was seeing an entirely different man. He thought about the pain Snape must have suffered as a boy when he was treated so cruelly by the person he loved. No wonder he hated Sirius so much.

And it was no wonder he hated Sirius’ friends as well. Remus realized that the potions master must have always assumed that Black had shared his secret and let them in on his malicious joke. “Not to mention the jealousy he must have already felt toward me since I was Sirius’ lover at the time,” Remus thought silently, watching as Snape read through a list that Dumbledore had passed to him. The other man’s brow furrowed in concentration and he frowned.

Remus suddenly remembered a time when Snape had walked into the Quidditch changing-room as he and Sirius had been having sex on one of the wooden benches. He had always thought the other boy’s _expression had been one of disgust and shock. Now he understood how painful that discovery must have been.

“Lupin! I said, ‘What is your suggestion in this matter?’” Snape asked impatiently. “Are you going to join us in this conversation, or not?”

Remus brought his attention back to the present as he focused again on the glare in front of him. “Yes, I’m sorry. Could you repeat that last bit?”

Snape crossed his legs and growled. Dumbledore smiled and began to repeat his ideas.

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According to Remus’ watch, he was five minutes early, but Snape was already in the empty classroom, waiting with his usual lack of patience.

The Dark Arts professor hesitated as he closed the door, instead of just stripping down to his trousers as it had become his habit to do. He looked at the potions master and tried to search for the words that had been eluding him all day. He wanted to say something to Snape about Sirius. About the incident at the Whomping Willow. But he still couldn’t think of a way to breach the subject.

“I don’t have all day, Lupin,” Snape snapped as he realized Remus hadn’t yet joined him in pulling off his clothes.

“Snape, I…” Remus began. He looked away from the angry black eyes. “I wanted to tell you something about Sirius. He never told me…I mean none of us knew…”

“What are you whinging on about now?” Snape asked.

Lupin’s resolve melted. He wasn’t certain he wanted to reopen a wound that was over twenty years old. Snape certainly didn’t seem to be in any mood to discuss his personal affairs…not that Remus had ever seen him in any such mood.

“Nothing,” Remus mumbled. “Let’s get on with this, shall we?”

In a matter of moments, the two men had performed the necessary spells and were in their usual positions. Remus always thought it was strange how his body responded automatically to the situation, arousal always arriving at the appointed time as Snape presented himself for preparation and entry. He was reminded again of the physical similarities between Snape and Sirius, but tried to brush them out of his mind as he increased the pace of his thrusts inside the other man.

It wasn’t long before he heard Snape begin his chorus of whispered curses, signaling his impending climax. The potions master hissed softly and began to repeat the word “yes”. These were the same barely audible whispers that Snape had always made, and Remus had always ignored them. Until now. Suddenly they rearranged themselves and became clear in his ears.

“SSSSss…yesss…fuck, yesss….ssss…yes….siri…yes….sirius…fuck, Sirius…yes…”

Remus froze, having understood the other man’s words for the first time since they had formed this arrangement. But Snape didn’t notice, having already slipped over the fine line between desire and satiation, releasing his seed onto the stone floor. Remus didn’t follow him, but rather pulled back gently and began to dress again as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Snape cleaned up the mess and dressed without comment before walking out of the room. Remus couldn’t keep from staring at him as he left. He could hardly breathe.

For more than two decades, Severus Snape had apparently clung to his longing for Sirius, even though he knew full well that he could never have the object of his desire because that object despised him; had tried to kill him.

He wondered if Snape had ever had sex with anyone without imagining he was with Sirius. It wouldn’t have surprised him to find out that all of Snape’s partners had been secured through the same business-like arrangement that he was currently sharing with the potions master.

Remus thought about the pain Sirius had brought to his own life. It seemed almost insignificant in comparison.

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Over the course of the next few days, Remus took great pains to avoid Sirius. He managed to only speak to him a couple of times, and then only when other people were near. He didn’t want to have to hear his innuendo or his comments on Snape again.

But Remus knew that Sirius wanted to be alone with him, and he wasn’t surprised when he found Black waiting outside of his office one afternoon.

“Hello, Sirius.”

“Greetings, Professor.” Remus turned to lock his door and frowned as the other man stepped closer and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Hard…day at work?”

Remus jerked the key back out of the lock and stepped away. “No.”

“Of course not. You’ve been working with Snape.” Sirius laughed softly.

Remus almost replied that he had been working alone, but caught himself in time to avoid the comments that Sirius would certainly have made to such a response.

“I came by to ask if you wanted to join me for lunch.”

Remus glanced at Black as they walked side by side through the empty hallway. “Well, I would assume that I will be eating lunch with you like I do every day…in the Great Hall.”

“No, I had something more…intimate…in mind.”

The professor stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look up at the taller man. “This has to end, Sirius. I made it clear to you the last time we were together that our relationship was over. Now, if you want to remain friends…”

Sirius smiled. “Come off of it, Remi. I can tell just by looking at you that it’s almost your ‘time of the month’. We both know how you get just before your transformation.” He slipped his hand into the opening in the front of Remus’ robes and guided it quickly down toward his trousers. “You just can’t say no.”

The professor closed his eyes. He hated that Sirius was right. All of his desires increased exponentially just before the full moon – his hunger, his thirst, his lust. It felt as if all the blood in his body was quickly rushing to his cock. Sirius’ dark eyes and musky scent weren’t helping matters any.

“No!” Remus finally managed, pulling away from the invasive touch. “I don’t want this any more!”

Sirius stared at him for a moment, as though he was trying to get a grasp on the situation. “But you do want Snape?”

Remus hesitated.

“Well, you leave me no choice then. I suppose I too shall have to look for affection elsewhere.” Sirius grinned maliciously.

Remus stood in shock as Black walked away without saying another word. Suddenly lunch didn’t sound very appealing.

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All through the rest of that day and the next, Sirius seemed to be everywhere Remus went. Black never actually approached him, but he was always within eyesight whenever there were people around. And Lupin didn’t miss the display he was putting on for his benefit.

Sirius made the most of his physical attributes, leaving his robes open to reveal fitted shirts and jeans. He smiled and laughed with the other staff members, even flirting with the women, much to their delight.

But the portion of the show that bothered Remus most of all was the silent gleam in Sirius’ eyes every time he glanced at Snape. Remus recognized the predatory gaze because he himself had stared into it a thousand times. Snape didn’t seem to notice, or if he did, he wasn’t responding any differently to Black. Remus hoped that this would continue to be the case. He knew that Sirius had no real intention of carrying through with Snape…on any level.

Then, on the afternoon before the full moon, Remus was approaching Snape’s office to pick up the Wolfsbane when he overheard Sirius’ silky voice.

Remus stopped short of the open door and hid in the shadows of the corridor, listening to every word of the conversation in sharp detail with his heightened senses. He could see the two men as they stood in front of Snape’s desk.

“I believe I asked you to leave, Black,” he said. Remus noticed that he was shaking slightly in his rage.

“Now, now, Severus. Don’t be hasty. Like I said, I’m here to apologize for the past, and I want to make amends.”

Snape’s _expression didn’t loose any of its hatred. Remus thought about interrupting the confrontation, but decided that it might be best to let Sirius find out for himself that Snape wasn’t going to give in to his manipulative advances.

He listened as the potions master spoke. “I don’t care about the past any more than you do. And I’m not interested in your pitiful attempts at gaining influence in the castle. The days when you could march around here with everyone singing your praises and letting you get away with murder are gone.” Remus didn’t miss the emphasis on the word “murder”.

Sirius stepped closer to Snape, and the potions master backed away in surprise. Remus realized that Snape hadn’t truly guessed the nature of the other man’s game until that moment.

“Severus, you’re not listening to me. I don’t want the castle. I don’t want ‘everyone’. I want you.”

Snape’s mouth opened slightly in shock. He quickly closed it, his face flooding with pain and suspicion. “You’re lying. That’s the only skill you’ve ever truly possessed.”

Black took another step toward Snape, forcing him to back into the desk. Remus had never seen the potions master so flustered. He had watched the man face down Dementors and Death Eaters while remaining in control of his every action, but now that he was being attacked emotionally, his grasp of the situation seemed to be slipping rapidly.

Snape fumbled at the edge of the desk with his hands as Sirius moved in closer, until their faces were only centimeters apart. He finally grasped his wand and raised it to Sirius’ chest. “Step away, or die.” Snape whispered.

“Save your energy, Severus” Sirius purred, tracing a finger down the long row of buttons on Snape’s black coat. “You’re going to need it.”

Remus’ body tensed. He didn’t know which was worse…watching the man he still had feelings for attempting to make love to someone else, or watching Snape being used for Sirius’ amusement again. “Tell him no, Severus. Push him away!” he muttered to himself.

To his disappointment, Snape froze as Sirius tilted his face to the side and brushed his lips over his neck. The potions master didn’t lower his wand and he appeared to be holding his breath. Remus continued to hope that Snape would force Black to back off.

But when Sirius lowered his hands to the desk on either side of Snape and raised his knee between his legs, forcing them slightly apart, Severus closed his eyes and groaned, letting the wand slip from his fingers. Sirius didn’t waste the opportunity, moving quickly to slip his tongue into the professor’s open mouth.

Remus hesitated as the kiss deepened. He couldn’t blame Snape. The man was finally getting what he had always wanted.

But Snape didn’t know how costly involvement with Sirius was. And Remus did.

“And I need that Wolfsbane, anyhow,” Remus reasoned to himself.

He coughed a couple of times before entering Snape’s office.

Sirius had already taken a step back, and was as cool and collected as ever. Snape, on the other hand, was still leaning against the edge of his desk, and looked like an animal caught in the headlights of the Hogwarts Express. He quickly bent down and picked up his wand.

Remus decided to ignore his dishevelment. “Good afternoon, Snape. I believe you said something at lunch about the Wolfsbane being ready?”

Snape seemed confused for a moment. Then he straightened to his full height and rearranged his robes. “Yes, Lupin. I’ll just need a moment…” He turned and walked toward his lab.

Once he was out of the room, Remus rounded on Sirius. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he whispered angrily.

“What’s the matter, Remi? Jealous?” He smiled mischievously.

“No, Black. I wouldn’t wish you on my worst enemy.”

“Well, before the night’s out, I plan to be on Snape.” Sirius laughed quietly. “And in him. But I have to assume he’s not your greatest enemy, given the quality time you’ve been spending with him.”

“You have to stop this! This isn’t a game,” Remus whispered, cutting off his words as Snape entered the room again. The potions master glanced between the two men and narrowed his eyes as he handed a vial to Remus.

“If that is all, gentlemen, I have a great deal of work to attend to.”

For once, Remus was glad to hear the insulting undertones in Snape’s voice.

“Thank you,” Remus said, smiling at him. The potions master glared back. Remus wished he could read the man’s mind.

He was relieved when Sirius stepped outside of the office with him and walked beside him down the dungeon passageway. But his relief was short-lived.

“So, have you changed your mind?” Sirius asked.

Remus was tempted to ignore the man and return to his chambers as quickly as possible. But he knew that Sirius’ game was far from over. “Changed my mind about what?”

Sirius laughed. “About my offer. I’m still available.” He stepped in front of the professor, forcing him to stop. “Last chance, Remi.”

Remus stared into the coal black eyes and shivered. He was almost thankful that the full moon would be rising soon, sweeping him away from the web of emotional chaos that Sirius was weaving.

He stepped past Sirius without saying a word and continued on to his rooms alone, sincerely hoping that Snape would be able to escape the trap Sirius was laying for him as well.

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As the transformation overtook him, Remus fought against it with every ounce of his being, as he always did. Luckily, the Wolfsbane eased his suffering greatly in every aspect except for one. The dreams he often had during his time as a werewolf were more realistic as a result of the potion. And more horrifying.

The visions began to assault his mind as reality gradually slipped from his grasp. The bed chamber around him became hazy. Heavy tattered drapes grew to cover his window. He watched in terror as his furniture aged and rotted before his eyes. And the duvet on his four-poster dissolved into the mattress to be replaced by a torn and stained sheet.

There was blood on the bed. Blood in streaks on the dusty floor boards. He gasped and sat up suddenly to discover that he was naked.

“It’s okay, Remi,” came a whisper from the shadows. Remus spun around on his hands and knees to search for the body that belonged to the voice. To his relief, a young Sirius stepped into the dingy light. “Your transformation is over now.”

Remus glanced at the blood again. “Did I…did I hurt anyone, Sirius?” he asked. This was always the first question out of his mouth. It was the partner of the last words he always uttered before the moon’s corruption was complete: a prayer.

“No, Remi.” Sirius sat on the bed and wrapped his arms around his young lover.

The lycanthrope closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Where are the others?”

“James and Peter had to get back to the castle. They had a lot of homework tonight so I told them to go on, that I would stay with you, and they agreed. You’ve been back in your human form for over an hour now. I thought you could use the sleep.”

“Thank you.” Remus gazed into Sirius’ eyes. The dark-haired boy smiled and framed Remus’ face in his hands before drawing him into a kiss. Then Sirius slid his hands over Lupin’s chest and reached down to grasp his aching erection. Black’s tongue darted into his mouth, and Remus sighed as he felt Sirius’ warmth entering him, trickling down over his body. Then there was a loud crash of thunder.

Suddenly, the room had changed. It was dark and Sirius was standing by one of the windows, prying the drapes loose so he could look out into the storm. Remus glanced down at his chest and screamed. The trickling warmth had been blood. It ran in rivulets over his abdomen and pooled into his lap.

“SHUT UP, REMI!” Sirius yelled. “I didn’t mean to hit you, and you know it!”

Remus reached up to his nose and discovered the source of the blood. He noticed that his eye was also swollen and sore.

“Why did you do it? I only said that I was too tired to have sex with you tonight!”

In another flash of lightening, Black was on top of him, pinning him to the bed with his knees. His hands were around Remus’ throat. “I can have anyone I want! ANYONE! I chose you…and this is how you repay me? After everything I’ve done for you? I’m the only one who really cares about you!”

Remus struggled to get out from under the other boy. Struggled to breathe. Then, just when fear was closing in to suffocate him, Sirius jumped up from the bed and lifted him roughly by the arm before twisting it behind his back. Black shoved him toward the broken window. Remus cried out as pieces of glass cut into his bare feet. Rain blew into his face, mingling to drip with the blood as he was forced to look out of the top-story window into the storm.

“Tell me what you see!” Sirius yelled, over the roar of the gale.

Remus squinted and tried desperately to focus his eyes. For some reason, he knew he had to see through the dark night and discover the answer to Black’s question. The trees beneath the old house whipped wildly in the fierce wind. And then, on the ground just beyond his line of sight, something moved. It surged. Then it flowed toward the house.

It was a river overflowing its banks. It was a river of blood.

Remus screamed again. Sirius held his arm more tightly.

“All I ever did was love you, Remi,” he whispered. “I kissed you, and fucked you, and loved you. And all you could ever think about were the times accidentally I hurt you.”

Remus watched in horror as the river began to lap at the house, rising quickly against the bottom floor.

“And you know I never did it on purpose. I didn’t ask you to make me angry.”

The blood was approaching the bottom of the window. Remus fought to break away from Sirius’ grasp, but Black’s fingers transformed into iron shackles that now encompassed both of his wrists.

“I love you, Remi. Kiss me again. You know how good it feels. You know how much you want it. You know how much you want me.”

Now the river had reached the window sill, and it paused and swelled. Suddenly the bubble burst and slid like a red sheet into the room, spraying over Remus injured feet. He screamed and struggled, slipping and falling into the rising liquid. He couldn’t stand again as the swirling flow pulled him down. He tried in vain to free his hands from the shackles at his back. Sirius was gone, but he could still hear his laugh -- deep and strong and cruel. As lightening shattered the darkness again, he looked up and saw Severus chained to the ceiling above him, wearing nothing but the bonds that held him prisoner. Then the blood closed in over Remus’ face and he couldn’t breathe.

Remus bolted upright in his bed, gasping for air. He was in Hogwarts. He was alone.

“Thank God,” he murmured, falling back against his sweat-soaked sheets. “Thank God.”

The transformation was over and he was exhausted.

But he was afraid to sleep again, for fear that the dream would return.

The only problem with trying to stay awake was that his thoughts kept returning to Snape. He feverishly hoped that the potions master had managed to fend off any more of Black’s advances.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Remus ran his thumb over the intricately carved designs on the goblet’s cold metal stem as he walked slowly toward Snape’s office. His emotions were pulling him in two directions: toward the potions master and the knowledge that he was safe, and away from Snape to a place of indifference and cold detachment. For the tenth time that morning, Remus tried to reason with himself that it had all been a dream. Just a dream.

But somewhere deep down in the pit of his stomach he didn’t believe it.

The door to the office was closed and locked when he reached it. Remus wasn’t surprised since it was Sunday, and he knew that Snape often took this day off from his work. He turned to leave, but felt himself being drawn to Snape’s living quarters.

“I must be insane,” he thought, raising his hand to the knocker. “Why should I care what the man does with his personal life?” As seconds passed without a response, he glanced down at the goblet again. “At least I have a good excuse for being here.”

He was about to walk away, when he heard the lock being turned. A wave of relief washed over him as the door opened slightly and he saw Snape fully clothed and alone. Remus felt foolish as he suddenly wondered what he had expected to see.

“Lupin.”

“Yes, I just wanted to return your goblet. Thank you again.”

Snape stared at him suspiciously. “You could have waited to return it. There was no rush.”

Remus hesitated. “I know, but I have a lot of work to do today, and I didn’t want to forget to get it back to you.”

Then something just inside the door caught Remus’ eye. He quickly looked away from the black boots, hoping Snape hadn’t seen the consternation on his face.

“If that’s all, Lupin…” the potions master said, glancing at the boots and then staring into Remus’ eyes. Snape raised an eyebrow while one corner of his mouth followed suit.

“No. I mean, yes, that’s all.”

Remus turned and walked away. “It’s none of my business,” he repeated to himself, all the way back to his office.

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When the time for his weekly meeting with Snape arrived on the following day, Remus expected to find the classroom empty. There was no reason to think that the potions master would continue to meet with him now that his physical needs were being attended to by someone else, regardless of their contract. He was a Slytherin, after all.

Remus stepped into the musty room and allowed his eyes to adjust to the candlelight. To his surprise, Snape was already waiting there, impatient as always.

“You’re late once again, Lupin.”

Remus closed the door softly. “No, I’m not. I’m early.”

Snape began pulling off his heavy robes. As Remus watched his movements, he wasn’t certain he could carry on with the arrangement. It all seemed ridiculous to him now, knowing that Sirius had succeeded in pushing his way past the fortress of hatred that Snape had built around himself and was now sharing his bed.

Remus hadn’t missed the furtive glances between the two men across the table at meal times. They had been the only indication in public that anything had changed in their relationship, but they had been as obvious to Remus as a fork of lightning in an inky black sky.

Thinking about his ex-lover and his current partner in each other’s arms caused an icy ache to enfold Remus’ heart.

“Look, Snape, I know circumstances have changed. Perhaps we should end this arrangement…”

Snape merely snorted. “Nothing has changed, Lupin. I expected you to keep your part of the bargain, and I have no intention of neglecting mine. I am a man of my word.” The potions master gave him a hard look. “And I thought that you were too, otherwise I never would have made this agreement.”

“No, of course not.” Remus found Snape’s unemotional treatment of the situation exasperating. “I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you and your sense of etiquette,” he added frigidly.

“You seem to be operating under the illusion that we’re here to talk,” Snape said, his voice low and dangerous. “I can assure you that your deplorable verbal skills are not the reason for this meeting.”

“Fine,” Remus thought to himself. “If all the bastard wants is a good hard fuck, then that’s all he’s getting from me.”

Remus stripped down to his trousers and began to work open the buttons as Snape turned to face the wall. “Aren’t you going to remove your shirt?” Lupin snapped.

“You were tardy, Lupin, and I do have other business to attend to today.”

“Fine. As you wish.” Remus angrily raised his wand and whispered the spell to lubricate Snape. Then he lowered his fingers to his entrance. When the potions master flinched at his hasty actions, Remus reproached himself for his callousness. But as he removed one of his two fingers and slowed his penetrations, he realized that Snape was still in pain. Something didn’t feel right.

Remus looked down and found that Snape’s shirttail was blocking his view. Without thinking, he grasped it with his free hand and lifted it out of the way. “Oh shite,” he whispered almost silently when he saw what the clothing had been hiding.

A long green and black bruise angled down across Severus’ pale back, ending just at the top of his buttocks. A quick glace down revealed the cause of Snape’s discomfort. A red mark ran along the skin surrounding Remus’ blood-tinged finger, leading inside the potions master’s body. He had been torn.

Remus removed his hand as gingerly as he could, noticing that Snape seemed to be holding his breath as he rested his forehead on his arm against the cold stone wall. Seconds passed and Severus didn’t move.

As fury and concern flooded through Remus, he reached out and lightly traced his fingertips across the bruise. This seemed to be more than Snape could bear. He pulled away from the wall and rounded on Remus as he quickly began fastening his trousers. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Lupin? Romance was not part of our bargain. I distinctly remember discussing this!”

Remus watched Severus’ face as agony was slowly replaced by his usual mask of anger.

“Sirius. Sirius did this to you.” Remus hardly noticed that his own hands were clenched into fists.

“It’s none of your business what I do with Black.” Snape grabbed his robes and began to pull them on again.

“It IS my business. I intend to make it my business.” Remus stepped closer to Severus and grabbed him by the arm before he could turn to leave.

“Unhand me, you fool!”

“Not until you tell me you won’t let him do this to you again.”

Snape was clearly shocked at Remus’ words. Remus was slightly surprised himself.

“Severus, he’s using you. He’s playing a game and he wants to hurt us both.”

The potion’s master’s _expression grew deadly. “Is that the best you can do, Lupin? It’s not my fault that you couldn’t keep Sirius from leaving you. It’s not my fault that you aren’t enough of a man to handle him.”

Remus choked. “Is THAT what he told you? That bastard…”

Snape yanked his arm free. Remus followed him to the door, not willing to relent so easily. “Severus, listen to me. I’m the one who left Sirius because he abused me!” Remus stopped and took a breath. “Physically and emotionally,” he muttered, feeling shame burning red across his face.

Snape froze in the doorway, his back still to Remus.

“You know it’s the truth. He’s already hurt you once. He’s going to do it again and again. Trust me, I know.”

Severus reached up and rested his hand on the doorframe. Remus watched him, hoping he would turn around and come back into the classroom.

Instead, he simply walked away in silence.

-------------------------------------------------------------

All throughout the rest of the week, Remus found he couldn’t concentrate on his work. The images of Severus’ pained _expression and wounds were burned into his mind.

The only other thoughts that kept surfacing were the painful memories of all the times Black had injured him during their time together. He remembered what it was like to be so close to the fire that he hadn’t realized it was burning him. It was only after he had finally escaped the inferno that he was able to look back at their warped relationship with any clarity.

Remus wanted desperately to share some of that clarity with Severus. But he knew that he himself would never have listened to such advice when he was with Sirius. Snape wouldn’t listen to him now. Remus hoped to Merlin that Snape would survive his experiences with Black relatively unharmed, physically and emotionally.

As he was clearing off his desk one afternoon and preparing to leave, he heard a soft movement in the hallway just outside of his office. It wasn’t truly a noise but rather the removal of something that had been blocking outside sounds from his door. Someone had been standing there watching him.

Remus hastily shoved notes and books into his satchel and then headed out into the corridor. He wasn’t able to see anyone in either direction.

With an uneasy feeling, he began the long walk back to his chambers. When he turned into a little-known corridor and passed the abandoned classroom that he and Snape used for their meetings, he was surprised to see the door closed with a faint light spilling out from beneath it onto the flagstones. He could hear the murmur of men’s voices mingling behind it.

He didn’t think anyone else had used the room in years.

Remus reached out to the handle and attempted to turn it, but instead of feeling it give way under his sweaty palm, he felt a tingling sensation traveling up his arm. The handle glowed orange and he withdrew his hand hastily as ripples of light spread in concentric circles over the surface of the door. As the magic coursed through the wood, it became transparent.

He blinked in shock as Snape and Sirius gradually came into view on the other side. Remus felt awkward staring at the two men who were standing inches apart, talking in an intimate manner, but he soon realized that they couldn’t see him. He touched the now invisible handle again, and waves of blue light pulsed briefly, making it possible for him to hear the conversation as well.

“Sirius, I don’t think this is the best location. We can go back to my quarters,” Snape said. “That is, if you’d prefer.”

“No. I wouldn’t prefer. I want you here, Sev. I want you now.”

Then Black’s mischievous eyes moved from the potions master’s face and came to rest on the door. Remus gasped as he realized Sirius was staring directly at him, even though he couldn’t see him. This was a performance solely for his benefit.

Lupin tried the handle again, to no avail. He pounded at the door and then kicked it furiously. Snape didn’t react. Clearly the door was soundproofed on their side. Apparently Black had planned everything. Having made certain that Remus was about to pass through this corridor, he had placed a number of intricate spells on a door the professor was certain to investigate.

A chill ran through Remus’ body. Sirius must have been watching his meetings with Snape if he knew that this was where they had sex.

As the two men on the other side began to kiss, Remus pointed his wand at the door and muttered every spell he could think of to remove the charms. Each of them failed in succession.

Remus didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to watch, but he knew he had to in case Severus was in any danger; he had no choice but to stay. He decided he would only go to the Headmaster for help if he had to, for his own sake and for Severus’ sake.

Remus observed the activities inside of the room out of the corner of his eye at first. But it was difficult to keep from feeling drawn into the passion that surged between Sirius and Severus, even if that passion wasn’t based on anything other than a lie. He had never seen Severus react to anyone the way he was responding to Black’s every caress, and it made his heart ache for the potions master.

Sirius raised his hand to cup Snape’s face as he sat on the edge of a dusty desk, and the professor broke their kiss to turn and brush his lips over the open palm.

“Tell me what you want, Sev,” Sirius said calmly.

“You.”

“When you want something, you should be specific. Otherwise, I could become confused.”

Severus opened his eyes and frowned at Sirius. Remus could see the uncertainty in his face, the lack of trust. Black lowered his hand to Severus’ thigh, and the potions master’s eyes instantly lost their intensity as they filled with raw desire.

“I want to feel you inside of me,” Severus whispered as Sirius’ fingers repeatedly traced over the sensitive area. “Now.”

Remus rested his head on the door. “No, Severus…” he whispered, wishing more than anything that he could interrupt their actions.

“I thought I had made it clear that I don’t respond to demands,” Sirius said, placing one finger under Severus’ chin and lifting his face.

Snape turned his face away. Sirius glanced at the door again and smiled. “Very well. You shall have your way, just this once. Take off your clothes.”

Remus watched Snape carefully, trying to read his thoughts. Then the potions master spoke. “I’d prefer to do this in a more private location.”

Black’s _expression darkened. “I’ve already explained to you that the door is locked and warded. What more do you want?”

“Your dignity, Severus,” Remus whispered, pressing his palms against the obstruction.

Snape stood up and turned his back to Sirius, unknowingly facing Remus. He slowly began to undress, revealing a series of bruises on his white chest. Remus watched helplessly as the soft black cloth puddled around Severus’ ankles. He had never seen the potions master completely undressed. His tall porcelain form stood out clearly in the dim room. Remus instinctively pushed his entire body against the door without realizing he was doing so, trying to reach Severus.

He was torn between two desires. He wanted to protect Snape from any further damage at Sirius’ hands – to prevent him from having to live through the torment that he himself had suffered. And, to his great frustration, he felt a more carnal desire developing as he saw Severus in the nude for the first time, his erection standing out from the black hair at the base of his abdomen. Remus suddenly wanted to have sex face to face with him for once while staring into his dark eyes.

His fantasy was quickly interrupted as Sirius approached Snape from behind. They were standing just a few feet from the door. Black stared unseeingly at Remus over the professor’s shoulder and smiled maliciously as he removed his own clothing. The potions master shivered as Sirius’ body brushed against his bare skin.

“Get down on your hands and knees, Sev,” Black purred, reaching down to trace his fingers over Snape’s buttocks.

Remus watched the professor comply. It was painful for him to see Snape being broken and conquered by Black despite his utter disregard for Severus’ heart. Remus wanted Snape to resurrect his strong will and knock Sirius to the ground.

Instead, he knelt and dropped forward onto his hands. Sirius lowered himself behind Severus, positioning a knee between his legs. “Sev?”

“Yes, Sirius?”

“You know I love you, don’t you?”

Snape hesitated. Remus watched his face twist into a confused state of agony. Severus clearly wanted to believe the other man’s words. “No. I don’t.”

“Of course I do. Why would I be here with you if I didn’t love you?” Black feathered circles over Snape’s back with his fingertips.

Remus turned away as Black began to prepare Severus. He couldn’t breathe past the lump in his throat. “I’ll hear if anything goes wrong,” he reasoned. The long moments of silence were almost more than he could bear. Then a moan of pleasure slipped from Snape’s lips and through the charmed door. It was a thousand times worse than the silence to Remus, and he had to prevent himself from fleeing from the heartrending exhibition.

But Sirius’ next words erased all such thoughts from his mind.

“You know that I love you, Severus. Now tell me, do you love me?”

There was a pause and Remus held his breath.

“Yes, Sirius.”

“Tell me. I want to hear the words.”

Remus listened to his heart as it pounded in his ears.

“Tell me, or I will leave.”

Severus’ voice was thick and quiet. “I love you Sirius. I always have. You already know that.”

“Good. I want you to remain silent, Sev. No matter what I do. Do you understand?”

Panic gripped Remus as he turned to look through the door again and saw Snape nodding with his eyes closed. Sirius was kneeling behind him with the blunt edge of his cock resting against the potions master’s entrance. Black lifted his hand casually and whispered something that Remus couldn’t hear. Suddenly, something snake-like coiled on the floor and then levitated through the air until it rested against Sirius’ palm.

It was the biggest whip Remus had ever seen. “Damn you, Black!” The Dark Arts professor stepped back from the door and slammed his shoulder against it full-force, but it didn’t budge. Instead, pain seared through his arm and stars flickered across his vision. As they dissipated, he noticed that one of them was lingering on the wall to the left of the two men. He suddenly realized that it wasn’t an illusion, but rather the candlelight dancing over the surface of another door handle. “Of course! The house-elf entrance!”

Sirius was raising the whip above his head when Remus rushed away. He knew he had to find the concealed passageway quickly. When he rounded the corner at the end of the hallway, he mustered every ounce of his self-control and began to carefully examine the stretch of wall between the corridor he had just left and the next. He hadn’t been into the maze of house-elf passageways since his time at Hogwarts as a student, but he knew that each entrance had a unique hidden trigger.

Remus ran his fingers over the rough stones, searching every crack and hole. After several frantic minutes, he finally found a nook level with his knee that had been worn smooth by years of use. “This has to be it.” His fingers were too wide to reach to the back of the crack, so he drew out his wand and jabbed it into the hole. To his great relief, an area of stones slid back and revealed the waist-high passage. Remus dropped to his hands and knees and crawled into the dark tunnel before it closed in behind him. An eerie magical glow lit the damp walls just enough to make his eyes ache as they struggled to focus.

After crawling for what seemed like an eternity, Remus heard the loud crack of a whip. He followed the sound that seemed to resonate in his ears. Adrenaline coursed through his body making his muscles sting.

He grasped the small handle and shoved it forward with all of his might. It gave way quite easily, causing him to fall forward into the room. Remus looked up into the surprised expressions of Sirius and Snape.

The potions master had three long, bleeding welts running down the length of his back, and there were tears in his eyes. But it was with great fury that he glared back at Remus.

“Lupin! How dare you?” he snapped.

To Remus’ shock, Sirius stood, tilted his head back, and broke into peals of laughter. “You’re priceless, Remi. Absolutely priceless. I didn’t think you were the jealous type!” For the first time, Remus wasn’t tempted by the sight of Black’s bare body.

Remus stood and strode over to Sirius, pulling the whip out of his hand. “Stop it, Black! This has to stop now!”

“Black? Why are you calling me by my…” But Remus didn’t let him finish. He threw the whip down on the floor and swung his fist into Sirius’ face, connecting with his jaw. He felt like he was watching a dream as Black recoiled from the impact and fell backward into the desk.

Remus stepped closer to Sirius and was preparing to hit him again when something heavy slammed into him, knocking him into the ground. It was Snape.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Lupin?” he growled, pinning Remus to the flagstones with his knees. Remus looked up into the angry face. Snape was gripping the collar of his robes with both hands as blood trickled from his back, down over his pale arms.

“You can’t let him do this to you, Severus,” Remus said softly.

“It’s none of your business what I enjoy doing in my free time, you bastard. Or any other time, for that matter.”

A shadow passed over Snape’s face as Sirius stepped between him and the candlelight. “That’s right, Remi.” Black’s voice was seething with hatred. “Sev enjoys my attention…unlike YOU.”

Remus looked back to Severus whose face was so hidden by the darkness that his expression was unreadable. “Severus, he doesn’t love you.”

Snape snorted and shoved Remus’ shoulders back against the hard floor. “You are jealous, aren’t you?”

“No! Sirius is incapable of loving anyone. It took me years to realize that, but it’s true. All he cares about is himself and how much he can control others. You have to put a stop to this, Severus. Right. Now.”

Snape’s grip loosened slightly as silence filled the room. Then Black’s hand closed over Snape’s bare shoulder. Remus watched he draped a robe over Severus’ blood-streaked skin. “I’ll handle this, Sev.”

The potions master stood hesitantly. Black grabbed Remus’ robe and jerked him up into a standing position. “So you really do want to put an end to this? Once and for all, Lupin?”

Remus stared back into his crazed eyes as they twinkled in the candlelight. “That’s what I’ve been telling you for years now, Sirius.” He felt hatred building in his chest and spilling out with his words. “I really did love you. But you destroyed everything we could have had together.”

Black smiled and then shoved Remus back, causing him to nearly loose his balance. Sirius turned to retrieve his whip, but the Dark Arts professor didn’t give him the chance.

“Petrificus Totalus!”

Sirius’ form stiffened and then fell to the floor as Remus lowered his wand. He moved over to his ex-lover’s body and stared down into his shocked face. “Surprised, Black? Not only am I not in love with you anymore, I’m also not afraid of you, either.”

Remus found Sirius’ wand and lifted it to remove the charms from the door. But Snape’s strong hand reached out and grabbed his wrist, digging into the skin with his long fingers. “Mark my words, Lupin,” his low voice hummed dangerously near to Remus’ ear. “Sirius is mine now. If you try to come between us again, you will answer to me.”

Remus looked at him for a long moment, considering his words. “Snape, all the magic in the world couldn’t force me to step between you and Black again. The only one who can save you is you.”

Snape released his arm, allowing him to break the charms on the door.

As Remus walked from the room, he glanced back at Snape and saw him staring down at Black. His brow was furrowed in thought. Despite his anger with Severus, he found himself hoping that the man would be able to free himself from Black’s grip, just as he had finally done.

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The days passed quickly as the school year approached. Remus busied himself with preparations, and tried in vain to ignore the other two Hogwarts inmates. His nightly dreams were now filled with visions of Severus in chains, bloodied and beaten, but he avoided the couple and remained true to his word, not interfering again.

Doing so had proved more difficult than he had imagined. He couldn’t help staring at Snape whenever they were together with a group of professors, looking for signs of abuse. But there were none that presented themselves to the outside observer.

Remus didn’t return to the abandoned classroom when the appointed meeting time arrived. He knew that it would be empty. And Severus never mentioned anything about it. His non-professional ties with the potions master had been completely broken.

Remus tried to assure himself that it was all for the best.

Sirius didn’t approach Remus either, but continued to make eye-contact with him whenever possible. The hunger Remus saw there had changed. It was dark and raw and evil. It had lost all pretense of sexual desire and now all that remained was the thirst for violence that seemed to consume the man. Remus knew that Azkaban had fostered and fed Black’s deviant urges, twisting them into something ever so much more deadly than they had previously been.

The evening before the students were due to arrive, the staff held its annual end-of-summer party in the Great Hall. Remus arrived late, and found that the only seat left was beside Sirius and across from Severus. He pulled out the chair and looked away from Snape’s wilting glare.

After several failed attempts at conversation with Professor Trelawney, Remus finally succumbed to the strained silence that pervaded their end of the table. He pushed his food around on his plate and counted the glasses of wine that Black downed, hoping that each would be his last.

As the alcohol worked its way into Sirius’ system, he began to unravel the tension in the air by charming those around him with his deceptive charisma. But Remus wasn’t fooled. He looked at his ex-lover who was telling a joke to the other professors, and to his amazement, Black’s features struck him as cruel and ugly. His eyes were dark and hollow and his mouth cold and uninviting. Remus knew that it wasn’t Sirius who had changed, but himself.

Turning away from the spectacle, his eyes fell to rest on Severus. For the first time that day, Remus took a good look at the other professor, and discovered that he wasn’t the only one not appreciating Black’s entertainment. Snape was frowning slightly as he stared at his lover. Then he noticed that something wasn’t right. Remus finally realized that the shadows on Severus’ face were slightly out of place. He was apparently attempting to conceal a black eye with magic. Remus knew that the injury must have been quite impressive to still be visible despite the charms that Snape must have used.

Severus’ contemplative dark eyes reflected Sirius’ animated movements as the potions master sat motionless. Remus stared at his face and suddenly found it soft and human. A dull ache settled over him as he watched the pain evident in Snape’s _expression. Then, without warning, the black eyes darted to Remus before quickly dropping to the table. Lupin looked away only when he realized Severus’ cheeks were becoming flushed.

Remus recalled his own shame on the rare occasions when others had noticed the bruises Sirius had inflicted upon him.

As Black raised another glass of wine to his lips, Remus stood to leave. “Good night, all. I hope everyone has a pleasant start of term tomorrow.” He pushed his chair back as the other professors nodded, smiling.

“Leaving so soon, Remi?” Black said. He was obviously quite inebriated. “The party’s just beginning!”

Remus hesitated, trying to find the appropriate words to address the man he now despised as much as he had once loved. “Yes, well. I plan on having an early start in the morning.” He avoided making eye contact, glancing instead at the other teachers.

“You always know how to ruin my fun.” Sirius moved his own chair back and reached out, grasping a handful of Remus’ robes. Before he could catch his balance, Black pulled him down onto his lap. Shocked expressions from the other professors greeted the pair. They were obviously trying to decide if this was another of Sirius’ jokes.

Remus struggled to stand, but Black’s strong arms enfolded him and held him in place. “Let go, Black!” He tensed at the hardness that was pressing against his thigh from beneath Sirius’ trousers.

“Stay a while longer, Remi. You know you want to.”

The professor turned to look at Snape whose eyes were narrowed in rage. Professor Sprout gasped as Black leaned into Remus’ neck and ran his tongue up the length of his throat, stopping with a playful bite at his jaw line.

A loud scraping noise broke the shroud of silence as Snape shoved his chair backward over the stone floor. He stood with his nostrils flaring and walked briskly from the hall, leaving through the balcony doors in a swirl of black robes.

Remus jammed his elbow into Black’s abdomen and used the distraction to free himself from the unwanted embrace.

In the ensuing awkwardness, Black looked around the table at the confused faces and then glared up at Remus. “I hope you’re happy, Remi,” he growled. Then he stood and followed Snape out into the ebony darkness of the warm night.

Hushed whispers began to buzz about Remus as he stared after the pair. He was oblivious to the conjectures that were being spun around him. All he could focus on was the dilemma he now faced. “Do I break my word and interfere again, or do I remain inside and leave this to Black and Snape?”

Remus glanced down at Sirius’ overturned wine goblet. The blood red liquid was slowly spreading out over the white table cloth. Suddenly there was no longer any dilemma in his mind.

As he stepped out onto the balcony, he realized he was alone. After a moment, his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and he noticed a broad stairway leading down into the garden below. With his wand in hand, he rushed down the steps, two at a time.

But as he reached the bottom, he saw that the garden was also empty. The stillness of the balmy air unnerved him. It was as though the earth was holding its breath. He glanced in the moonlight at the two paths leading from the area and chose the one which meandered to the castle entrance. He desperately hoped that Snape had had enough presence of mind not to take the other one which led to the lake where he would be utterly alone.

Remus froze in his tracks as he thought about Severus. Then he doubled back and headed toward the lake.

“Lumos!” His wand spread an eerie glow over the gravel beneath his feet. The pathway grew darker as it passed between two large hedges. Suddenly his foot came down on something hard and he heard a loud cracking sound. Looking down, he realized it was a wand. “Please, Severus…tell me you haven’t lost your wand as well…”

Around the broken wand the gravel had been quite disturbed. Remus realized that a struggle had taken place on the very spot where he was now standing. He raised the light of his wand and looked at the hedges. To the right, there were several broken branches. He knew that the two men must have passed through to the other side.

He shoved his way into the thorny growth, ignoring the scratches he received on his face and hands. Then he stopped in surprise when he saw Sirius and Severus standing only a short distance away from where he was concealed in the hedge. They were gasping for breath, and had clearly been fighting. He was about to plunge the rest of the way through when their words caused him to stop. Once again he was a spectator to a most violent sport.

“Look at me when I’m speaking to you!” Sirius yelled, his voice thick with drink.

“No. I have no desire to look at you ever again, Black.” Remus could hardly see Snape’s white face in the darkness, but the tone of his voice was unmistakable. It was strong and surly.

Remus caught his breath. A faint tingle of hope began to dance through his chest.

“Why you ungrateful…” Sirius staggered toward Severus and raised his arm. To Remus’ amazement, Snape didn’t move.

But Black hesitated and lowered his fist. Then his voice changed, softening deceptively. “Sev, I don’t understand why you’re so angry with me.”

“After that spectacle you made of yourself in the hall? It’s obvious you still love Remus.”

Sirius laughed cruelly. “Sev, you’re so stupid! I never loved Remus. He said so the other day, and he was right. He was never anything more to me than a good fuck.”

Remus felt the searing pain of truth cutting through him like a knife even though it contained no revelation, even though he no longer believed he held any feelings for Black.

Sirius moved closer to the other man, and Remus watched in horror as he ran his thumb over Severus’ bloody lips. “I’m sorry, love. I may have had a bit too much to drink, and I got carried away. I was just trying to make you laugh, that’s all.”

Black leaned in and brushed a kiss over Snape’s cheek. Then one of Black’s hands dipped inside of Snape’s robes and the potions master closed his eyes as his body rocked slightly from the concealed stroking movements.

“No, Severus, not again…” Remus whispered.

But this time Snape pulled back from the touch. “You are nothing more than a bloody, fucking, liar Black,” he whispered. “If Remus was correct about you not loving him, he was certainly correct about you not loving me. You never have, and I’ve always known this. Contrary to your earlier statement, I am not stupid!”

Silence lingered between the two men. Then Black laughed again. Remus found that he had grown to hate the sound with every ounce of his being.

“Do you honestly think you’re ever going to have the chance to be with someone like me again? Do you, Snape?” Sirius began to walk slowly around the professor, making a show of examining him. “Just look at you. You’re ugly, greasy, pale, and skinny. You always were. You always will be. It’s a wonder I was ever able to get hard enough to fuck you.”

Remus choked back his emotions as Severus stood motionless amidst the onslaught, his head lowered slightly.

“I suggest you forget any ideas you may have about leaving me, and enjoy our time together while it lasts. I will most likely be finished with you soon enough anyhow. Remus will surely come to his senses before long.”

Black stopped his circling as he stepped in front of Snape once again. “Well, are you just going to stand there like an idiot, or are you going to say something, Sev?”

Remus watched as the potions master shifted his weight slightly. Then he lifted one arm slowly. “Crucio!”

The words were spoken softly in contrast to the agonized scream that issued from Black’s gaping mouth as he fell in a crumpled heap to the ground. Snape held his wand steady as the other man writhed at his feet, watching him with the same _expression of contempt that he had previously reserved for Black. Remus gasped, but didn’t feel any pity for the victim. Instead he found himself stepping from the hedge and mentally cheering Severus on.

Snape finally lowered his wand and then tucked it casually back into his robes. After several minutes, Black stirred and looked up at the professor, his face still contorted with pain.

“Let that be a lesson to you, Black. Never fuck with a Slytherin.”

Sirius lifted himself up on one hand and scowled. Remus thought he looked like a tiger preparing to pounce. He couldn’t remain in the shadows any longer. He had to prevent the two men from killing each other. As he stepped into the moonlight, they turned to face his motion.

He saw hesitation fill Black’s eyes as he glanced down at Remus’ outstretched wand. Then in the blink of an eye, Sirius had transformed into his dog form. The Dark Arts professor was almost certain the dog had its tail tucked between his legs as he ran off into the night.

Snape groaned and Remus turned to find him with his arms wrapped around his chest, dropping to his knees. “Severus! You’re hurt!”

“No shite, Lupin.”

Remus strode to his side and gently pulled him back to his feet. “Do you think you can walk back to the castle if I help you?”

“Yes,” Snape grunted. Remus noticed that the potions master was looking back at him warily.

“Don’t worry. I personally think Black deserved all three of the Unforgivable Curses. What happened here tonight will remain between us.”

“Thank you, Remus.”

The two men straggled slowly toward the castle as a cool breeze began to stir around them. It was impossible for Remus to tell just how much pain the potions master was in. He knew that the man could be dying and would still walk on with his jaw set firmly and his eyes fixed on the dungeon entrance.

“Perhaps I should help you to hospital, Severus.”

Snape shook his head adamantly. Remus was certain the other man would conceal his injuries for the rest of his life, both the external ones and the internal ones.

When they finally made it into Severus’ living quarters, Remus helped him onto his bed and gently removed his robes. Snape lay motionless as the warm firelight danced over his bruised chest, watching Remus suspiciously as he cautiously examined his wounds.

“I’m not a Mediwizard, Severus. I don’t know what I’m doing, but if I had to guess, I would say these two ribs are broken.”

“Yes, that was my diagnosis as well. Bring the red vial from the table.”

Remus quickly retrieved the potion. “You need proper medical attention. There could be internal damage.”

Snape ignored him as he drained the contents. Then he lay back and closed his eyes.

“I’m not leaving you here alone, Severus.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Go back to your chambers.” Remus noticed that there was no venom or conviction in Snape’s voice. He seemed defeated.

The Dark Arts professor hesitated, considering his next words. “Sev, about Black…I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

Snape frowned and turned away from Remus, clutching his side.

All through the long night, Remus watched the slow steady rhythm of his breathing.

-------------------------------------------------------------

As the term began, Remus found his thoughts returning frequently to the healing potions master. Snape had refused to allow him to take over his classes, preferring instead to stand stiffly in front of his students, his bandages thoroughly concealed, acting as though nothing was out of the ordinary. Remus realized that in all likelihood no one noticed any difference in his behavior.

Severus hadn’t spoken once to Remus since the night of Sirius’ flight, excepting the rare instances they were required to discuss professional matters. And then he only said what he needed to say before quickly walking away.

Sirius hadn’t been heard from again, and the only person in the castle that seemed truly concerned for his safety was Dumbledore. Remus wondered if this was because he genuinely cared for the man or if it was simply mandatory worry that the Headmaster carried over from his days as Black’s teacher. No one really knew about the events that had transpired between Snape, Black, and Remus except for the two of them that were still incarcerated in the castle.

Each day as the Dark Arts professor passed the abandoned classroom, he thought about the meetings he had once held there. A part of him wished he could recover that time and spend it differently, enjoying his moments alone with Severus. Perhaps he could have persuaded Snape to appreciate the time more as well.

Remus’ dreams were still filled with Severus. Only now, the potions master was always beneath him, completely undressed and breathless. Occasionally, Remus even dreamt that the other man was smiling. He had gradually come to realize that Sirius had been correct about one thing. He had indeed been acting out of jealousy when he had come between Snape and Black. He had been jealous of Black.

His fear now was that the potions master would never reach out to another person again, having been permanently scarred by his short-lived relationship with Sirius. Remus worried that Snape would forever be entangled by the feelings he had held for the other man.

Then a few weeks into the school year, as he passed the room, he noticed a dim candlelight flickering from within. He paused in the doorway and looked inside, finding himself disappointed to discover that the classroom was empty. But when he turned to leave, a stack of parchment on the solitary desk caught his attention.

Remus stepped inside and looked down at the familiar handwriting. The words at the top of the page read:

“A Binding and Legal Contract Constituting a Mutually Beneficial Alliance for the Duration of the Current School Term. Wherein the first party agrees…”

Remus laughed. Then he pulled out his quill and began adding his own demands in the margins.

-------------------------------------------------------------

A week later, Remus arrived at the new meeting place to find Snape waiting impatiently inside.

“As usual, you are late, Lupin,” he growled.

“No, Severus. As usual, I’m early.”

Snape considered the other professor for a moment. His glare was suspicious but not as malicious as it had been during their previous meetings. “I still don’t understand why you demanded that we meet here.”

“You didn’t have to sign the contract, Snape.” Remus glanced around at the surroundings. He had never actually gotten a good look at the lavishly decorated room. “I was under the impression that you found the contents of the arrangement to be completely satisfactory.”

“Of course I did, otherwise I never would have agreed to it,” Snape snapped. “Let’s just get on with it, shall we?” The potions master began to undress quickly.

“One moment, Severus.” Remus pulled out his copy of the contract and held it out in front of Snape. “It says here that we will ‘conduct all business on the second party’s bed’, remember?”

Snape’s _expression softened slightly as he turned away. “Very well, Lupin. Follow me.”

Before Remus moved, he looked down at the pieces of parchment to find the clause that specified that they would face each other throughout the entire act. Then he smiled and made his way to Severus’ bedchamber.