Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and associated characters belong to JKR. All else belongs to me.

Author's Note: This is the sequel to Velvet Song's "Damsels and Dragons", which she allowed me to complete in her stead last year. I want to thank her for encouraging me to write this story and noybate for being my beta. The story is complete, and I am hoping to post a chapter a week.

For those coming to this particular series for the first time, I might recommend you read the first part before continuing on. The first part, written by Velvet Song, may be found on the TPP archive here: http://www.thepetulantpoetess.com/viewstory.php?sid=18337. The second part, written by me, will be found on the TPP archive here: http://www.thepetulantpoetess.com/viewstory.php?sid=19501. This may lead to less confusion later in this story.

Chapter 2

Minerva narrowed her eyes at him. "If you think that, then we need to get together and decide what we have to do next. The three of you," she nodded at Severus, Hermione, and Remus, "go and take your headache and painkiller potions." She glared at Hermione. "I would also suggest something to help you stay awake, Professor Granger."

Hermione jolted, her head having begun to sag with weariness. "Of course, Headmistress," she agreed. "Right after breakfast."

"Right then," the headmistress said. "I suggest we meet in the staff room one half hour after breakfast so we can figure out what, exactly, is going on here." She picked up her tea cup. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's eat."

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Minerva took her customary seat at the head of the table in the staff room and watched as the few teachers who remained at Hogwarts for the summer came in and took their seats. Harry and Neville sat together at the far end, as far away from Severus as they could get, she noticed. Severus took the seat usually reserved for Minerva's deputy, and Hermione sat down next to him while Remus took the seat on her other side. Lucius sighed over the usurpation of his regular seat and slid into the chair opposite. Narcissa sat next to him and smiled at the way Severus unwittingly held Hermione's hand. Draco, Susan, Poppy, and Hagrid rounded out the roster of teachers and took their customary places...Draco and Susan next to Narcissa, and Poppy sat down next to Remus. Hagrid sat at the end of the table so as not to block anyone's view.

"Now that we are all here..." Minerva began.

"Shouldn't Professor Binns be here as well?" Neville interrupted. "He's been here a long time and..."

"Binns is good for nothing but putting people to sleep over the Goblin Wars," Severus snarled. "This really doesn't concern him, so just leave him be." Neville, chastened, slumped back in his chair.

"Severus, that was uncalled for," Minerva scolded. "While I agree that Professor Binns doesn't need to be involved, Professor Longbottom has a right to express his ideas and opinions without censure."

"My apologies, Minerva, Longbottom." Severus nodded his head at each of them. "I am frustrated at the idea that people think I've become a dragon again. However, I will attempt to control my vitriol."

"That's all I ask," Minerva said. "Professor Longbottom, do you concur?"

Neville swallowed nervously and gripped Harry's hand. "Yes, Headmistress," he squeaked. "That's fine."

"Good." The headmistress rubbed her hands together briskly. "The first thing we need to do is see if you retain any memories of last night, Severus. Would you object to Legilimency being used?"

Severus thought for a moment. "I am so used to Occluding when the Dark Lord...What, woman?" he objected when Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

"We don't call him that anymore," she reminded him. "Use his real name: Tom Riddle or just plain Riddle."

"Just Plain Riddle?" Severus snorted while the rest of the staff chuckled, chortled or howled their laughter. "How very apt. Very well. 'Just Plain Riddle' it is." Surreptitiously, or so he thought, Severus wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. However, Minerva noticed and smiled inwardly at the sight of her old friend relaxed enough to actually enjoy laughing.

"As I was saying," Severus continued as the laughter died down. "I am so used to Occluding when 'Just Plain Riddle'..." He scowled at the sniggers coming from the opposite end of the table. "Tom Riddle would use Legilimency so often to ensure he was hearing the truth I am not sure I won't automatically Occlude now." He glanced at Lucius. "Perhaps if it were done by someone I fully trust..."

"I would gladly try," Lucius said. "If nothing else, we would find out if your Occlumency skills are still up to par." He stood and walked over to the hearth. "Why don't we try this over here? Away from the children." He sniggered at the outraged expressions on the faces of Harry and Neville. Draco smirked until he noticed his father had included him in the comment, then pouted. Susan patted his hand in commiseration.

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Severus pulled his chair around the table while Lucius did the same. They sat facing one another, and Severus shifted nervously. He was trusting one of his oldest friends to look into his mind and wasn't sure he liked it.

Lucius noticed his nervousness and spoke softly. "Just relax," he whispered. "Think of going to bed last night and what happened afterwards. I won't look any deeper than that."

Severus nodded and took a deep breath, closing his eyes in order to marshal his thoughts. When he was ready, he opened his eyes, and looking into Lucius' eyes, he nodded.

"Legilimens!"

Severus put down his book and gave a small yawn. "Good night, Hermione," he said, nodding to the young woman sharing the couch, and exited the staff room. As he took the stairs down into the dungeons, he heard the first howls of that blasted werewolf crying at the almost full moon and frowned. How Minerva even got permission for the werewolf to teach at the school once more was a mystery to him.

As the room began to warm, he removed his frock coat and laid it out over the back of his easy chair. Sitting down on the chair, he removed his boots and slipped on a pair of backless slippers laying on the floor next to him. "Accio nightshirt," he called and caught the article of clothing as it came flying to him from the bedroom. He spread the nightshirt out over the arm of the chair to give it a chance to warm while he unbuttoned his shirt and removed it from his body. Shivering a little, he silently cast an additional warming charm on the nightshirt, then pulled it over his head and onto his arms. As he stood up, Severus wiggled a little, causing the nightshirt to fall into place.

Slipping in between the warm sheets, he yawned again and pulled the top sheet, blanket, and duvet up and over himself. "Nox," he said as he placed his wand on the bedside table. Once the lights were doused, he fell asleep easily.

Lucius pulled out of Severus' mind and frowned. "Well, as interesting as that was," he said, "I think we need to move ahead a bit faster. What do you say, Severus?"

"Is something wrong, Lucius?" Minerva asked from her place at the staff table. "What exactly did you see?"

"A wizard going to bed, Headmistress," Lucius answered. "Just a tired wizard going to bed. Well, Severus? It's up to you. May I go deeper and look into your subconscious thoughts last night?"

"As I usually don't remember my dreams, I can see no harm," Severus said. "I might even see something interesting myself. Merlin, I never knew I was so pedestrian when getting ready for bed."

Lucius laughed. "Most of us are," he said. "Most of us are. Prepare yourself, my friend. Legilimens!" He dived back into the slate-coloured eyes in front of him, bypassing the memories of Severus' bedtime routine and delving into his friend's subconscious. "Don't fight me," he reminded Severus as the other wizard started putting up his usual Occluding walls. "We need to know what happened last night, remember?"

Severus sighed and relaxed into the back of his chair, his eyes still open and focused on Lucius' grey ones. "I'm trying," he muttered, clenching his teeth. "Old habits aren't easy to get rid of." With a visible effort, he banished the walls and allowed Lucius to enter his inner mind.

A soft laugh. Hermione, her smile lighting up the room, wearing nothing as she lay on the rug in front of the fire. Kisses soft as cotton wool covering his face. Watching her face as he forced her up into an orgasm with nothing but his fingers down below and his mouth on her breasts. Stroking one another softly. Lying in bed, holding her after much satisfying sex. Falling asleep with Hermione in his arms. Feeling like he could stay there forever.

Lucius blinked, breaking eye contact. "Well...," he began and cleared his throat. "Ahem. Yes. That was interesting, but not what we're looking for."

"I rather enjoyed it," Severus drawled with a smirk. "It's too bad I couldn't remember something like that this morning. I might have felt better."

"Are you finished, Lucius?" Minerva asked. "Did you find anything?"

"Nothing pertaining to the matter at hand, Minerva," he reassured her. "I want to discuss this dream of yours with you later, however," he muttered to Severus, who smirked once more.

"What do you remember when you woke up this morning, Severus?" Narcissa asked casually. "Were you still in bed?"

Severus frowned as he looked back on the morning. "I was," he said slowly, "but my nightshirt was on the floor. I distinctly remember putting it on last night." He looked over at the staff table and met Hermione's eyes. "I suppose I may have grown too warm and removed it in my sleep," he added.

Minerva sighed. "If you can't remember anything from last night, is it possible you were sleepwalking? After all, you used to do so as a boy, but I'd thought you had grown out of it." She frowned in remembrance. "I can't remember the last time, but I know it was before you left school. Poppy?"

"That's about right, Minerva," the school matron said. She looked up at the ceiling as if it could help her to remember. "I don't recall any mention of sleepwalking when Severus came back as a professor."

"Hmmm." Minerva looked over at the two wizards. "Why don't you rejoin us here at the table?" she asked. "I have a few more ideas we can toss around."

Severus and Lucius exchanged glances then moved the chairs back to their original positions at the table and sat down. Hermione reached over and patted Severus' knee in sympathy. He caught at her hand and held it under the table while Minerva looked through an ancient book she had brought with her to the staff room.

"This book," she said absently, "was originally written some five hundred years ago. This is a later copy, but I've compared it to the original, and they're identical."

"What's it about, Minerva?" Hermione asked, straining to get a look at the title. "Will it help us here and now?"

Minerva held up the book so all those present could see the title: Animagi and Their Formation. "There's a passage in here that talks about a witch who was cursed into a rabbit. When the curse was finally broken, it was discovered that she had become an Animagus with a rabbit form."

Severus sputtered. "You think I've become a dragon?" he asked in disbelief. "It's not enough that I might have started sleepwalking again. Now you've got me becoming a dragon as well." He started to get up and storm out, but Hermione's hand clenched on his leg.

"Please hear Minerva out," she said quietly, her brown eyes pooling with tears. "We're just trying to help you."

Severus huffed but settled back down on his chair. "Please continue, Headmistress," he said with a touch of sarcasm and a slight nod. "I'm all ears."

Minerva glared at him stonily. "Hmmph," she said. "You're something, all right." She turned back to the rest of the staff. "But to continue, the book lists some spells that we could try. They were developed to determine if someone might be an Animagus, albeit an unknowing one."

Remus held up a finger. "Would this be the Revelius Animagi spell, Minerva?"

She nodded. "It's similar. I believe it might possibly be the origin of the modern-day spell. Severus, would you allow us to test you and see?"

He sighed deeply. "I suppose I won't have a moment's peace until I do, will I?" He shook his head in resignation. "What do I have to do?"

"Go stand over by the hearth," Minerva said eagerly. "Then we can..."

"Wait!" Susan cried out. "If this spell reveals an Animagus form, won't he be too big for the room? I mean..." Her voice trailed off as the others looked at her.

"'E'd be a dragon agin, won't 'e?" Hagrid spoke up. "That'd break walls, fer sure."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Hagrid, the Revelius Animagi spell simply shows a shadow form if the wizard it's cast on is an Animagus. He won't actually become a dragon."

"Oh," the half-giant said with a blush. "Sorry, Perfessors."

Minerva waved her hand in dismissal. "That's quite all right, Hagrid. I suppose it did need to be explained. Remus, would you care to cast the modern-day spell?"

"Right you are, Headmistress." He got to his feet with alacrity. "Severus, if you'd stand over by the hearth, please." He grinned in anticipation.

"I believe you're enjoying this a bit too much, Lupin," Severus grumbled as he stood up and moved over to the hearth. "Make this quick, would you? I have better things to do this afternoon."

"Right you are, then," Remus said. Giving a complicated flourish with his wand as he pointed it at Severus, he chanted, "Revelio Animagus."

Severus smirked as nothing happened beyond a few sparks from the end of the wand. "Are you sure you have the proper spell, Lupin?" he taunted. "Perhaps you should try it on Minerva to be sure."

"Go right ahead, Remus," Minerva said with a glare at the smirking wizard. "Prove to the man that the spell works."

Remus quickly repeated the gestures with his wand, this time pointing it at Minerva, and chanted the incantation once more. Suddenly, Minerva was outlined with a pale blue light, and the lifelike shadow of a tabby cat with spectacle markings glowed in front of her. She smirked at Severus and said, "I believe it works well enough."

He sighed deeply and straightened to his full height. "Very well, Minerva. Since the werewolf wasn't successful, you may try your antique spell."

Minerva cleared her throat and stood up. Consulting the book laying open on the table, she raised her wand and made a complicated gesture, incanting, "Ostendo sum Animagus!" Lowering her wand, she glared at Severus, who stood unchanged and smirking. "You're not cooperating, Severus," she accused.

"I have stood here as you requested, Minerva," he answered. "It's not my fault your spell work is faulty and your foolish wand-waving ineffective. Now, if you will excuse me?" He made a move for the door.

"Stop right where you are, Severus Snape!" Minerva ordered. "We are not finished!"

Severus turned to the headmistress and sneered. "I believe I am quite finished, Minerva. Your foolish wand-waving and spells have proven nothing. As I told you before, I am not a dragon!" His final roar could have rivaled Athair's at his angriest, but Minerva just blinked.

"I'm afraid I'll have to agree with you," she finally conceded. "You are not an Animagus, but there is definitely something going on with you. Please, Severus, will you sit down so we can discuss this as rational human beings?"

Severus glanced at Hermione, who looked at him pleadingly, then towards Lucius and Narcissa, who made gestures of concern. Sighing dramatically, he moved towards his chair. "Very well, Minerva," he said as he sat down. "Let's get this over with. We now know that I am most emphatically not a dragon, so what else is there to discuss?"

"You remember nothing of last night?" Poppy asked softly. "Isn't that unusual for you? I-I mean, even as a boy, when you walked in your sleep, there was some awareness."

"I remember nothing," Severus said with a sneer. "I went to bed as usual and woke up as usual. The only unusual thing I noticed this morning was my nightshirt on the floor when it should have been on me."

"So you took it off sometime during the night, then," Lucius said. "That would imply that you were cognizant of something even if you don't remember. Whatever it is, however, was not retained in your subconscious mind."

"Which means?" Remus asked. When Severus stared at him, he grinned. "I don't always remember what happens when I'm a wolf, remember? It might be the same if you're changing into a dragon."

Hermione gasped. "The moon!" she cried. "Last night was the first night of the full moon!"

Turning to Severus, she grasped his hands. "If that's it, you'll change again tonight and tomorrow night when the moon rises."

"Not possible," Severus argued. "If that were the case, why didn't it happen last month?"

"Because you were still a dragon last month, old boy," Lucius drawled. "You've only been human again for three weeks. After last month's full moon."

Severus shook his head in frustration. "What you're saying is I've become some sort of were-dragon?" he asked. "That's impossible!" He glared at Hagrid who had started to speak, and the half-giant subsided back into his chair. "If it's true," Severus conceded, "when the full moon rises tonight, I should change once more. Since I apparently changed in my sleep, someone should probably stay with me to keep watch."

"An excellent idea," Minerva stated firmly. "Those of us not in your quarters will watch from the grounds outside. Hermione, I would ask that you watch from your window. Being directly opposite the Forbidden Forest, you should have a good view from there."

Hermione nodded her head numbly as Minerva briskly continued, "Remus, you won't be any good to us tonight." The werewolf grinned. "Hagrid, I doubt very much if Severus would want you in his quarters." The half-giant wriggled in his seat in embarrassment as Severus muttered, "Indubitably."

"Narcissa, Susan, and Poppy are out," the headmistress continued, "as am I since we are female, which leaves Lucius, Draco, Harry, and Neville. Who would you prefer be your watchdog this evening, Severus?" She rubbed her hands briskly as she finished summing up.

"If those four are my only choices for a night-time companion," Severus said with a sneer, "I would definitely not want Potter or Longbottom. I prefer some stimulating conversation in the evenings."

"Hey!" Harry protested. "I can be stimulating. Just ask Neville."

Neville blushed at the unwitting innuendo. "Uh, let's not," he choked out.

As it dawned on Harry what he had said, a blush spread up his cheeks as well. "Um, sorry, Nev," he apologized. "I got carried away."

Severus sneered at the pair while laughing at them in his head. "If it's all the same to you, I would prefer to have Lucius attend this watch party with me. It's a total waste of time, but we can have a stimulating conversation, and I believe I still have some excellent Firewhisky left." He glared at Lucius. "Even though persons unnamed decided my Hundred Year Reserve was best used for Scrimgeour."

Minerva reached over and slapped Severus' arm. "That was my Hundred Year Reserve we used for Scrimgeour," she scolded. "As I understand it, Mr Phelps still has your bottle. You'll need to take that up with him." She glared at him until he subsided with a murmured apology. "Right then, Lucius, you'll stay with Severus tonight. I think you should try to recreate last evening as much as possible. Yes, Severus, that means going to bed and sleeping. Lucius doesn't mind staying awake, do you?" She turned to the blond wizard who gave her a formal bow from his chair.

"Not in the pursuit of science, my dear Minerva," he crooned. "I would be most happy to remain awake and observe Severus' night-time habits." He smirked at Severus' groan of protest.