Cave Canem

A/N: To those of you who have already read this chapter when I posted it in error, my apologies. I hope it makes more sense now.

Cave Canem

Disclaimer: Anything you recognise belongs to JK Rowling; the rest of the drivel is mine.

Severus took refuge in an empty classroom as his mind churned with the images he had stolen from Miss Bien-Aimée. He knew he should not have done it, but his curiosity, then his anger and his hurt had driven him further than he had intended.

He had hoped to understand what was so complicated that she could not tell him, only wanting to clarify what he felt happening between them. Instead, his thoughts now swirled in confusion.

The last time he had entered her mind, he had sensed warmth and seen the serene image of a flying wizard. This time, there had been only chaos. Visions of wounded students, shattered stonework and the strong impression of fear had overwhelmed him. Through thick smoke, he had glimpsed a sagging Potter cradled in Hagrid's arms, and in another image someone had been kissing Charmaine. Ginger hair had filled his view, and he shuddered at the thought.

Curling in on himself, he slumped against the wall. Obviously, he had been kidding himself. He meant nothing to her, and the realisation hurt. He was just another student to be cared for amongst all the others. Even Lupin meant more to her than he did. He had heard her tell Lupin she loved him.

Potter had stolen Lily from him, and now Lupin had stolen the witch he really wanted.

Charmaine, he whispered.

Anger spiralled up inside his chest.

"I hate that filthy werewolf."

*

Lupin wanted to grab the witch by the shoulders and shake her into agreeing with him. With an effort, he stilled himself and tried pleading again with Mademoiselle Bien-Aimée. No matter how much Lupin implored her, she still declined to help with the brewing of the Wolfsbane, and she would not come to the Shrieking Shack to keep him company this coming full moon.

Firmly, she advised Remus that Severus Snape was quite capable of doing both duties from now on, and it was about time he did.

Remus whined that she was abandoning him, that he needed her. She only shrugged and turned away.

"Why?" He wanted to know.

"Ask Severus. He broke a promise he made to me, and I can't trust him at the moment. You, on the other hand, must trust him implicitly, no matter how paradoxical that sounds."

Lupin muttered under his breath. "Severus sodding Snape. I hate him!"

Turning back, she gave him a wan smile. "He'll always be there for you, Remus, right to the bitter end." A slow tear crept down her cheek as she bit her lip and walked away.

Lupin's shoulders stiffened, and his hands clenched in anger. "Snape!" he roared into the empty corridor, setting off to look for him.

By the time he found Severus, Lupin was in a monstrous rage. He grabbed the other wizard by the robes and threw him across the empty classroom. Growling with menace, Lupin backed him into a corner. Snape stumbled backwards, fumbling for his wand, but Lupin snaked out a hand and grasped his wrist, shaking it brutally. Snape's wand clattered on to the floor.

Slamming Severus's wand arm roughly against the wall, he seized the wizard's other arm and pinned both wrists above Snape's head with one hand. He stepped in closer, leaning his lower body hard against Severus, trapping him against the stonework. Lupin's breathing ebbed and flowed raggedly as he glared at Snape.

Drawing his own wand, he held it to Severus's chest, pressing the point into the fabric over Severus's heart. Bending forward slightly, he put his mouth to Snape's ear.

"I could kill you, you greasy git," Remus whispered. He leaned back to ascertain Snape's response.

Severus nodded, swallowing.

"What did you do to her?"

Severus raised an eyebrow haughtily.

"Charmaine won't help at the full moon anymore. She's left me with you, because you fucked up and upset her. I hate you, Severus Snape!" Lupin's voice rose in anger as he jabbed his wand harder into Snape's ribs.

Leaning in again until their foreheads touched, Remus shoved Severus's captured wrists callously against the wall.

"What am I going to do? I can't cope without her now, and I fucking hate you," he shouted, spittle flying over Severus's face. Suddenly, the werewolf jerked his head back, then sharply forwards, head-butting Severus violently and smashing the back of Snape's head hard against the stonework.

Lupin's breathing wavered a little as he drew another ragged breath. Then, he dropped his wand to the floor, let go of Snape's wrists and sagged against the startled wizard, hugging him tightly and crying into the black cloth of Snape's chest.

"Don't leave me, Severus." Remus sobbed, holding on tighter. "Everyone abandons me. I'm an outcast. A freak. I'm a... a..." His arms dropped to his sides.

"You're a dirty, stinking, mangy, flea-bitten cur of a mongrel werewolf!" Snape finished for him.

Placing his hands flat on Lupin's chest, he pushed the crying wizard away from him forcefully. Severus drew himself up to his full height.

"Severus, please. I need you," Lupin pleaded.

"It's just the two of us now, is it? Half-bloods against the world," Snape snarled, prodding the werewolf angrily in the chest. "Won't your beloved Charmaine help anymore?"

Remus grabbed Severus by the throat, squeezing hard.

"It's your fault, you arrogant tosser," Lupin yelled, shaking him savagely. "I don't know what you did to her, but you screwed up royally. There's no way she's going to help me at the full moon now."

Snape curled a lip at him. "And you think I will?" he sneered, his voice wheezing through his compressed vocal cords.

Releasing his grip, Remus dropped to his knees and started to weep again, covering his face with his hands. "She said you would."

Severus sighed, running grazed fingers through his lank hair.

"Why would I, Lupin?" Severus asked. "You have dog breath, and you smell when you're wet."

He continued more quietly. "Like any stray you need someone to care for you. Why it should be me, whom you profess to hate, I don't know."

Severus laid a gentle hand on Lupin's heaving shoulder, rubbing his own bruised forehead with the heel of his other hand.

Remus snorted moistly. Rising shakily to his feet, he wiped the snot off the front of Severus's robe with his sleeve. "Sorry, mate," he muttered.

Snape sighed again deeply, casting a simple cleansing spell over his robes.

"Is there a Hogsmeade weekend after this full moon, Lupin? I need a distraction."

*

The school year slipped past quicker than expected. Before they knew it, students were studying for their N.E.W.Ts during the week and spending any free weekends in Hogsmeade. For many of them, Death Eater meetings were the highlight of their outings. Snape attended regularly with Avery and Mulciber, but, more often than not, it was Lupin who was beside him on the walk down to the village.

On the whole, the gatherings were a chance to get to know the other younger members of the Death Eaters and enjoy the hospitality. As the end of the school year approached, the speeches became more frequent and more impassioned. Older Death Eaters were present more often and started to encourage the graduating Hogwarts students to join their ranks.

Voldemort rarely appeared, but when he did, it added a frisson to the occasion. The meetings he attended always ended with revels and sometimes the initiation of another member. Being too young to become fully initiated Death Eaters meant Lupin and Snape could not attend the revels or participate in the ceremonies, and both of them felt an increasing draw to join, to be accepted as part of the group. When, eventually, they received the invitation to enlist, they didn't hesitate.

Together, they made their plans. First, they would finish their exams; second, they would head into Hogsmeade to join the Death Eaters. After that, it would be the end of the school year, and they could leave the confines of school for the big, wide world. Lupin proposed renting a flat together in Edinburgh whilst they attended University, though he couldn't decide what course he wanted to study.

Snape was sure he wanted to study Potions, but was nervous about approaching Mademoiselle Bien-Aimée for a reference. He had been surprised he had not been hauled up in front of Dumbledore for his transgressions. Instead, Charmaine had retreated. She had been unapproachably polite and avoided his gaze since their altercation, only looking at him when she was teaching him. In class, she reverted to calling him Monsieur Snape, never by his given name.

Outside the classroom, he often watched her covertly as she walked the school's corridors. If she saw him, she would frown and turn on her heel, striding purposefully away from him.

His fingers itched to touch her bouncing curls, and he longed to look into her warm, brown doe-eyes again without seeing the horrific images behind them or the recriminations he knew would be there. Severus soothed his yearning by rubbing his thumb in absent-minded circles over the worn monogram on the corner of the old handkerchief he had taken from her. He could visualise the embroidery without taking the scrap from his pocket. It was quite frayed, but he was certain the initials were not Charmaine's. Idly, he wondered who the hanky belonged to.

A/N: sunny33 is a grammar goddess. Thanks to kittylefish for the admin work.