“Did anyone realize he meant you?” she gasped as she quickly understood the implication.

“Yes, Hermione Granger, she’s a very bright girl. And luckily for me, she kept it to herself, as I was going out of my way to teach her best friend how to defend himself against Dementors.”

“That would be Harry.” she smiled “Leave it to you to keep an eye out for our clan.” seeing a flash of sadness in Remus’s eyes, she leaned against him and allowed him to wrap his arms around her, drinking in his warmth. “Why are you so sad Remus? I feel like you want to say something to me.”

“You are a perceptive woman, Tristessa.” he sighed as he pulled her closer to him. “I’m worried, very worried. Kitty isn’t confiding in me like she used to, in fact, she seems to be holding in a lot of secrets and pain. And I’m also terrified that your clan won’t allow her and Sirius to be together, and your coming here to ask me about Snape doesn’t do anything to ease that fear.” he confessed.

“Why would it ‘terrify’ you if Kitty didn’t wed Sirius? I don’t understand how that can be a frightening thing.”

“That’s because you weren’t there, Tris. You didn’t see Sirius when he first escaped, when he was scrounging around just trying to find enough food and warmth to stay alive. He had been beaten, starved, mentally, physically and emotionally ravaged, and heaven only knows what else. I saw the scars on him, they did horrible things to him, Tris, things that no man…. He reminded me for all the world of a beaten dog who had lost his home and had no where to turn. Kitty was right you know, he used to be very proud of his looks, always clean, neat, well dressed, by the time I found him he was in rags, covered in filth, he looked like he had clawed his way out of the grave…. ”

Remus shook his head slowly as his memories rose to the surface. “I remembered him the way he USED to be, young, handsome, vibrant…..all the girls wanted to be with him, he could pick and choose who, what, where and when. I was so jealous of him for that. And then Kitty showed up, and she liked ‘me’, not him, it was a bit of a slap in the face for him, the infamous Sirius Black passed over for the scrawny bookworm.” he laughed softly as he recalled the look on his friend’s faces when Kitty told Sirius she couldn’t go to Hogsmeade with him because she had already made plans to go with Remus.

“He handled it pretty well, all things considered, he even seemed glad for me, you know, finally having a girlfriend and all. But as the days went by, I realized she was more than just another girl to him, I caught him watching her all the time, and even blushing when ‘she’ would catch him watching her. At first I hated him for it, I thought he was trying to steal her away, but the more I watched him, the more I realized how deep his feelings for her went, and then when James saved her from that fall at the Quidditch match and Sirius nearly decapitated a few of the Slytherin team members with those bludgers….not to mention the way he risked himself to save her life when I attacked her” he added softly, only to smile as he felt Tris‘s lips press against his cheek.

Remember how I told you he had his pick of girls? Well after a few weeks, he always lost interest in them, all of them. But after Kitty arrived he didn’t go out on ‘dates’ anymore, or sack sessions as James and I called them. He just kept watching her, he wouldn’t let anyone else near her unless they were a marauder, or Lily. Even then, his world was slowly beginning to revolve around her. Anything she needed, he was there, in fact, I had to remind him a few times that ’I’ was her boyfriend, ’I’ should be the one to take care of these things.” he laughed softly as he recalled Sirius’s sheepish grin and mumbled apologies.

But what really got him going was the private tutoring lessons Dumbledore had set up between her and Snape.” Remus nodded as Tris gasped softly. “Yep, those two have hated each other for a very, very long time. And it seems as though everyone but Kitty realized how in love with her Snape was, but she just thought he was sweet, that he treated everyone the way he treated her.”

“Uhm, Remus….please understand, Kitty is my clannad and I love her dearly; but was she blind?” Tris asked in all earnestness.

Remus chuckled as he felt Tris instinctively cuddle against him, “In all honestly? Yes, I think she was, and to a point still is. And you have to remember, in front of her, he is a completely different man. Snape is a very careful man, he thinks things through, weighs the benefits and the costs before making decisions; completely unlike our Sirius, who simply lives for Harry and Kitty, making brash and sometimes foolish choices, but for the very best of reasons.” Remus sighed as he ran his fingers through Tris’s golden hair, it felt so good to be this close to someone, particularly someone as beautiful as she was, now if only she could understand why Sirius did the things he did.

“Tris, I honestly think Sirius has loved her since the moment he first laid eyes on her. And after everything he’s been through, all the suffering he’s done…..if your clan takes her away from him, it will kill him. There isn’t even a question in my mind, he will waste away and die without her. He loves her too much to be able to go on alone, you might as well cut out his heart as make him leave her.”

“Please tell me you are being overly romantic about this, or at least overly dramatic.” Tris pleaded., concerned by the tone in his voice and the way his body had suddenly tensed.

Remus pulled her far enough away from him so that she could see his eyes. “No, Tristessa, I mean and believe every word of it. If your clan denies them permission to wed, it will be the same as killing him.”

“Remus, I know he’s your friend, and I also know how loyal you are, after all you are a mortal child of ‘my’ clan. But there is something else you’re not telling me about this.” she rose up on her knees as she tilted his head up towards hers, staring deeply into his eyes. “Tell me Remus Lupin, what are you hiding from me?”

“Pain,….longing and loss….” he sighed deeply as he caressed her cheek. “I keep telling Kitty I will never marry, never be a father due to my curse, and I intend to stay true to my word, but it hurts me.” a stray tear silently slipped down his cheek as he continued. “I want to have a family, I want to be a father and a husband, but I can’t; although for a brief period of time, she gave me hope that things might have been different, I saw myself with her, with children.” seeing Tris about to argue, Remus cut her off. “And before you argue with me, don’t. You are a beautiful and understanding woman, but even you cannot comprehend what its like to wake up screaming because you’ve just dreamt that you transformed and slaughtered your own family. That you got too sick to make it to a cage, or something went wrong with the wolfsbane potion and now its too late, your own children are shrieking and crying as you tear out their throats. To wake up with their screams still ringing in your ears and expecting to see their blood on your hands.” Remus turned away as the tears fell freely from his eyes, his voice was little more than a choked sob as he continued. “I have lost everyone I’ve ever loved Tris, everyone but Sirius, Harry and Kitty. My own family abandoned me emotionally shortly after I was bitten, I don’t really remember when they physically left. Lily, James, Rufus, Veronica, Joe, Nathan, Cecile, Sean and Liz, Emily, Scott…. I was practically an uncle to their children, and I had to bury them all.”

Tris’s eyes were brimming with red tears as she wrapped her arms around Remus, hugging him tightly as she tried to soothe him. Her heart broke for him as she felt his frame shake with emotion and pain. It was no wonder he was placing so much of his own fear and hope on Kitty and Sirius, they were all he had left in the world, they were his last chance, his last hope to prove that there was a point to his life, to anyone’s life. “Remus, oh my dear Remus” she cooed softly as she gently pushed his head onto her shoulder allowing him to lean against her as he tried to compose himself once more.

“Let it out, Remus” Tris advised, “it can’t be healthy to hold everything inside of you like this. You’re amongst family here, and we will NEVER abandon you, no matter what, I promise you will always have a warm and welcoming home here, and so will Sirius.” she insisted as she cupped his face in her hands. She wasn’t sure what, but something hidden in his hazel eyes called out to her, drawing her closer to him. Before she realized what she was doing, she felt her lips pressing against his, tasting his wet, salty tears as they mingled with his warmth. It was heaven to her, he was both so frail, so mortal, and yet he possessed so much inner strength, it was the sort of mixture that had always intoxicated her.

She sighed softly as he kissed her back, there was no sense of fear from him, only surprise and delight. Tris pulled herself back, fighting against her predatory instincts; she wanted to taste him, to make him her own. But instead, she kissed his cheeks, drying his tears with her lips as her hands gently combed through his hair, delighting as the softly curling ends wrapped themselves around her fingers. She melted as she heard him whisper her name, his voice was as full of longing and desire as she was.

Without notice, Tris’s hands made their way to his shirt, pulling it out of his trousers and quickly undoing the buttons. She felt him tense for a moment as she pushed the shirt off of him, allowing it to hang loosely on his arms. He was starting to panic now, she could feel it, she could hear his heart pounding like a drum, but she didn’t want to stop, not yet. “Remus, please…” she cooed, running her hands over his chest, smiling as he gasped with shock and delight.

“Tris….Tristessa, you have to stop…. You …you don’t know what you’re doing.” Remus gasped as he felt her lips on his chest, her teeth gently grazing over his nipples. Sweet Merlin if she didn’t stop soon the bulge in his trousers may well lift her several inches in the air. “Tristessa…..please….” he never got to finish his sentence, her lips were already clamped over his, her tongue darting and teasing his own; breaking down every fibre of resistance he had. He finally managed to settled himself down, believing this was as far as she would go, after all, how well did she really know him, …..how lucky could he actually be? His unvoiced question was answered as he felt her hand take his, moving it to her breasts, urging him to do as he wished.

She gasped with pleasure as she felt his unsure hands moving over her, cupping and fondling her breasts as she continued to undress him. His trembling touch made her feel like a goddess, desirable to him, yet somehow to lofty to ever truly posses. She whimpered as he struggled against her for brief moments, but honestly, he never struggled for very long, in fact, it seemed the further she pushed him, the more willing he became. Although she almost cried with frustration when he lifted her off of him, thinking he was going to insist they stop, but one look into his eyes; his tender hazel eyes with their long matted lashes, told her he wanted anything but that. He simply wanted reassurance that this is what ‘she’ wanted, that it was more than just a spur of the moment, more than just pity. Her response was clear and unmistakable .

He watched with rapt fascination as she unbuttoned her own blouse, quickly shimmying out of it to reveal a sky blue silk camisole. He imagined he looked a bit stunned, as she once more guided his hands to her breasts, encouraging him to continue his attentions. He groaned deeply as he felt her nipples grow hard under his unsure fingers, savouring the sound of her soft moans as she settled between his legs. Slowly undoing his trousers, pulling the fabric down over his hips, but leaving his cotton shorts on, teasing his rapidly engorging manhood through the thin fabric.

Propping himself on his elbows, he stared, wide-eyed, as she ran her hands over his groin, smiling provocatively as she felt the length and hardness of his steadily rising member. “I take it you’re happy I’m here,” she teased, “although that may well be a rocket.” He heard a jumble of nonsensical words pour out of his mouth as he all but pounced on her; wrapping her in his arms as he rolled on top of her, kissing her with an abandon that he hadn’t known in years.

His body trembled as he pushed her camisole up, revealing her tantalizing breasts which he kissed almost reverently. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the feel and scent of her as she writhed underneath him, raising her hips as he gently suckled her nipples into hard little mounds. Gods, he felt so clumsy, so oafish, she deserved so much better than him, but he realized he couldn’t be doing that badly when he heard the low moan rising from her lips. He arched his back as he felt her nails dragging along the sensitive skin of his back, pushing his manhood against her soft nether regions as he let out a soft growl….

Tris all but purred as she felt Remus’s reaction to her touch, he was the most delightful mixture of fragility and strength she had ever come across. She had hoped she would be able to convince him to go ‘all the way’ with her tonight, but it was obvious from his trembling hands that the idea was out of the question, he just wouldn’t make it long enough to satisfy her, in fact, he was probably halfway there already. Deciding that tonight should not be a total waste, she swiftly rolled Remus over, forcing him onto his back as she straddled his thighs.

The look in his eyes was one of delirium, it was evident how much he needed this, it appeared that his passion had been contained for years and she was more than happy to be the one to release it. With a sure hand, she reached into his shorts, freeing his manhood from its prison as she slid her body along side of him, allowing him access to her breasts as her hand slowly pumped his shaft.

She smiled seductively as she watched his eyelids flutter and his breathing come in deep gasps, his body was trembling so badly he couldn’t even concentrate on teasing her nipples anymore. In fact, the only thing he was managing was a deep, throaty moan, one that was urging her to quicken her pace and grant him the release he so desperately desired. Goddess preserve her, but he reminded her of prey, of the last gasping breaths they took as they saw her looming over them, knowing their end was at hand. She fought back the urge to bite him as her fangs grew larger, pushing her lips outward, giving her a pouty expression. The last thing she wanted to do was harm him, hell, given her way she’d mount him right now and put them both out of their misery.

Hoping to quell her urge for his blood, Tris increased her assault upon his manhood, tightening her grip and quickening her movements as she licked his neck, tasting the saltiness of his skin as a fine perspiration covered his body. Only instead of satisfying her, it only made her desire him more. She groaned with the pain of her hunger as she felt his shaft throbbing with his imminent orgasm. She was half tempted to take him in her mouth, at least it would give her some taste of him; but fearing the damage her fangs may do to him, she did the only thing she could think of. She clamped her lips over his neck, sucking his skin without breaking it as he screamed out with release and joy. He didn’t even seem to mind the fact that she didn’t release his neck afterwards, he simply wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair as he softly uttered her name over and over again…….

Rick cringed as he saw the ghastly grey colour of Roel’s face, and even worse the anguished expression on Cash’s. It was worse than he had thought, and even worse than he had feared. “Cash?” he whispered, “May I come in and see him?”

“Rick?! Yeah, of course” Cash responded, sounding a bit groggy himself. “What’s up with the professor? Is everything alright?”

“Yeh, its fine.” Rick stated, hoping that it was true. “Hamish promised to keep an ear on him for me so I could stop in and see how Roel was doing. And it looks like you could do with some relief yourself. Do you want to stretch your legs or go hunt or something? I’ll stay with him until you come back, I’d kind of like to talk to him.”

Cash nodded “I think that may be a good idea, it certainly couldn’t hurt. Maybe I’ll go find Minnie and see if she’s heard any news from Albus. Besides, I need to get a few things in order.”

“In order? It sounds like your planning on leaving us or something” Rick joked, only to have his smile fall as he saw the look on Cash’s face. “Cash? What is it? What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing, Rick, I’m just ….preoccupied…” Cash stated, “Things are changing quickly, Rick, far too quickly for my liking. We can’t tell who our friends or enemies are anymore, I can’t protect my own clan, I can’t even save my own childer.” Cash looked down at Roel as he wiped away a stray tear. “Don’t worry, Rick, I promise I won’t leave any of you without saying goodbye first.”

Rick froze and watched speechlessly as Cash left the haven and quickly disappeared out of sight. “Oh Cash, what are you thinking? That sure didn’t sound like a ‘we’re going home, start packing’ sort of goodbye.” Sighing deeply, Rick went to Roel’s bedside, taking Roel’s hand in his own as he tried to rouse his clan brother. “Roel, Roel, please wake up, I need to speak with you. Our world is falling apart, our clan is in turmoil, everything I ever thought I knew to be true is now being questioned. I need your laughter, Roel, I need your smile.”

“They’re yours, take them” Roel’s weak voice replied as he tried to smile for his clan brother. “And don’t be so serious all the time, it will make you old.” he added, managing a smirk as Rick’s eyes misted over. “Don’t you dare cry over me, Rick. You should know better than anyone else why I choose this path.”

Rick nodded his head, “I know why, I just don’t understand. I know what you said about dying with dignity, I was there with Carrig and Shane when your clannad died during the Black Plague, I know what you saw, what you suffered, but you don’t have to die Roel, we’re vampyres, Kindred, Gangrel…its as close to immortal as you can get without losing your soul. Don’t give up Roel, don’t do this.” Rick pleaded. “Here, take some of my blood, I’ve just come from home…Siobhan, Angel, Lia…rich, pure blood, it will heal you in no time at all. If you change your mind later, you can always….always…”

“No, Rick, I couldn’t and you know it.” Roel stated, “its one thing to allow nature to takes its course, to stop fighting when the battle has worn you down into the earth. Its another thing entirely to take your own life, I can’t do that, I just can’t.”

“You might as well” Rick retorted, sounding far more accusing than he meant to. “You don’t have to die. You are choosing to die, to give up, ….to go on without your clan.

Roel slowly smiled up at Rick “Don’t you understand Rick? I don’t want to live anymore, I’m tired of it, tired of the fighting, tired of the same stupid games everywhere we go. Wizard fighting Wizard fighting Sidhe fighting Humans fighting …well… pretty much everything. Its been the same for hundreds of years, nothing we’ve done has made a difference.” Closing his eyes, he sighed deeply as he added “I miss my parents and my sisters, I miss not having to worry about tomorrow. I want to move on, I want to know what is on the other side, who is on the other side. I want the coldness to end Rick.”

The pain etched on Rick’s face was heartbreaking to behold, “Are you sure, Roel?” he asked as he reached into his shirt, pulling out two phials “Can you honestly and truly tell me you are ready to leave us? Isn’t there any chance you will change your mind?”

“Brother, don’t be so selfish. Don’t insist I continue to exist simply because you aren’t ready to let go yet.” Roel chided gently. “I know Angel would understand if she were here, at least she would when she was done tearing Gustavas limb from limb.” he grinned, “She and Cash are too much alike sometimes, he understands too. He just doesn’t want to accept it any more than you do. And why are you staring at those phials so intently?”

Rick closed his eyes tightly as he clutched the phials in his hand, Roel was right, it was his decision and his alone, even if it did effect everyone around him. Blinking away his tears, he placed the phials in Roel’s hands. “They refused to allow her to come to you, they insist she isn’t safe here; and you aren’t well enough to survive the jaunt home. So she gave me these.” he explained. “One is full of her blood, enough to sustain you for a few days, the other….” Rick hung his head, “the other will make your passing easier.” he whispered as he leaned over and kissed Roel’s forehead. “We love you, you know that, right?” Seeing Roel smile, Rick nodded. “Try to get some sleep, brother, I promised Cash I’d watch over you until he returned.”…………

Raul growled loudly as he caught scent of Gustavas, startling everyone but Minerva, who was concentrating far too deeply to be disturbed by anything at the moment. Mohrg and Severus exchanged glances as they watched Raul circling around the edge of the pit, as if he could somehow manage to find a way inside and do away with the Tremere.

Hearing the mocking tones of Gustavas emanating from the pit, Severus and Mohrg turned to Brutus who was sitting calmly on the forest floor, seemingly deep in meditation. “Go on, you might as well take a good look at him now. He’s too weak to risk undoing the spells and face us. And there is no way any of you are getting in, he is effectively trapped, at least for now.” Brutus stated, not even bothering to open his eyes. “Mohrg of Clan Nosferatu, please be so kind as to ask my Primogen to wander his way to me. I have a last request I am hoping he can fulfil.”

“Of course, Brutus, hunter of Clan Gangrel.” Mohrg replied, “Severus, why don’t you join me? I think Minerva will be ready to begin, and I am sure Brutus and Raul would like some privacy.”

Making their way to the pit, they both peering over the edge to stare at the Tremere who smirked back at them, arrogant and smug in his hole. Severus watched as Mohrg placed one hand on Raul’s forearm, and then the other on his shoulder. Quickly pulling the Primogen’s attention away from the Tremere and focusing it completely on himself. Sev gave a half hearted smile as he recalled both Catri and Rick explaining the importance of touch and body language among the Clans, especially Catri’s Clan. Never was that point more clearly made than now. He watched closely as the two vampyres communicated He could tell Mohrg was being far more reserved than he wanted to be, probably for the sake of appearance, after all, Sev wasn’t one of them, he didn’t really belong here. But as long as his school, his students, his Catri was at risk, there was nothing that would stop him from doing his part.

Seeing Minerva’s signal, Severus immediately strode to her side, “Are you sure about this Professor McGonagall? You do understand the risks…”