Title: Veil of the Moon pt.16/?
Author: Deathangelgw
Disclaimer: You only WISH I had them…then you could borrow them!! *cackles madly* oh well I don’t.
Warnings: slash, humor, teasing, violence, dark, angst, language

Pairings: Sirius/Snape, Remus/OFC, Hr/RW, HP/DM

Rating: R
Note: HBP is hard to work in, but damnit if I don't do it! Thanks to MA for the beta! Enjoy and please review!!

‘thoughts’

"I'm not taking the Wolfsbane potion." Remus' soft declaration as he sat and waited out Pomfrey's ministrations stunned the gathered as they stared at him.

"Remus, did Evie's attack hit you harder than you said?!" Sirius demanded in a raspy voice as he struggled to sit up in his own hospital bed, glaring at his best friend incredulously.

"That wasn't Evie!" Remus snapped back huffily before nodding in thanks to Pomfrey as she finished healing his wounds. "And no…it would be wiser to not take it," he added stiffly.

"I do believe you have taken leave of your senses at last, Lupin," Snape drawled as he sat down next to his husband on the bed and pushed Sirius down in a silent order to relax.

"No, Sev, I haven't. You don't get it, do you? Moony has to control Hên Ithil. It is the only way that I can also control her until the curse is reversed. I need to reassure Evie inside Hên Ithil that she is safe and I am with her. If I have my human mind in control, she will sense it and fight me, which may end up fatal," Remus explained grimly as he sat on the edge of the bed slowly. (Moon child)

"No! We have to do something!" Harry whispered as he came over with Draco, Hermione, and Ron.

"Let us help…we can help find something!" Hermione pleaded softly as she looked over at Snape and Sirius.

"You need to stay focused on your studies. I will be looking with Bill on ways to reverse the curse," Snape answered stiffly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"We can help!" Ron insisted firmly as he glared at Snape, but he was shaking with how close things had come. He calmed a bit as Hermione put a soothing hand on his arm, gazing at him calmly before refocusing on the teachers.

"I'm afraid that Professor Snape is right. We will need you safe and focused on your studies. Besides which, it is Halloween. We must keep the spirits up and continue on," Dumbledore stated as he returned to the room, followed by a worried looking Bill, who went over to Snape and began speaking with him swiftly.

"Hang keeping up our spirits!! That…that piece of trash attacked my godmother and I want him *dead*!!" Harry suddenly shouted, enraged as he strode over towards Dumbledore. "That monster down there…that isn't Aunt Evie!! It was Voldemort! I'm sure of it!! And she's stuck that way until we find a way to reverse it!!" he cried in growing hysterics. Strong arms suddenly wrapped around him and he sobbed as he struggled. "She tried to protect us!! That monster almost killed Sirius and Remus!!"

"Harry…calm down…" Remus' firm, yet soft voice brushed past his ear and Harry began to calm down as he tried to stop crying. "We'll get her free, but losing control now serves no purpose. And she is free of Voldemort for now, I can promise you."

"How do you know?" Harry asked softly, his voice choked with his tears as he relaxed even more.

"Her smell was different. And Moony is not as agitated. That is why Moony must come out fully…to bring out Evie from within Hên Ithil," Remus explained gently as he rubbed Harry's arms soothingly.

"Who is Hên Ithil? Is that like Moony is to you?" Harry asked softly as he was calmed, taking comfort in Remus' ever steady presence.

"Aye, her name is Ancient for 'Moon Child'. She is the wolf within your godmother," Remus explained as he pulled back and smiled down at Harry.

"Which is why Moony is so restless," Hermione said in realization. "His true mate is released, just as Evie is your true mate."

"Exactly. Which is why I can't take the potion and why we can't give the potion to Hên Ithil," Remus murmured as he sat back down, tired.

"Because it might have unforeseen consequences on an unnatural change," Severus concluded grimly before sighing. "Well bugger…there goes that batch for the month," he muttered, eliciting a snort of laughter from Sirius and Bill.

"So then it is decided. Remus, you will go down, escorted by Professor Snape and Mr. Weasley, and be with your wife. Bill, Severus, please be sure to ward the doors and halls securely before returning to do research," Dumbledore said firmly as he faced them. He wagged his finger at Sirius. "You will rest and heal. Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger will all return to their towers and then I believe it will be dinner time. And you are to stay in your towers afterwards, do I make myself clear?" he ordered sternly, earning four sheepish nods. "Good…that is settled then. Do have a good evening," he added before leaving the room.

Harry scuffed his foot on the floor as he all but pouted. "Damn it I want to help…" he grumbled, eyes flashing with anger and frustration.

"The best way you can help is by staying out of the way, Harry. The wolf will hunt, especially if she is free. And with Moony loose…" Severus shrugged tightly as he stood up. "Lupin…Weasley…let's go," he ordered before sweeping out of the room, robes swirling in their customary flare, followed by Bill and Remus.

"He's right," Sirius stated calmly before Harry could protest. He smirked as Harry glared at him and shrugged slightly. "Before, there was intent. Now that it is just the werewolf, there is the need for human blood. If Moony can control her, then Remus can. Now go on! Let an old man sleep!" he ordered as he made shooing motions.

Smirking as the others chuckled slightly, Harry came over and hugged his godfather carefully before leaving the room with his friends and boyfriend. Draco laced his fingers with Harry's and tugged on them in a silent bid for them to talk. Stopping, Harry smiled at his friends. "Go on…I'm going with Draco down to his rooms. We'll see you at supper," he directed before leading Draco down towards the Slytherin Tower. They took a left just before the tower into a side hall and went into the area that was at the end: Draco's rooms. Once inside, Harry faced his boyfriend with a gentle smile. "What's wrong?" he asked softly as he pulled a somewhat reluctant Draco to him.

"I…just didn't want to be parted from you for that long…" Draco replied as nonchalantly as he could while playing with Harry's robes, slowly removing them. He looked up finally into Harry's concerned eyes and smiled tremulously. "I…almost lost you once today. I don't think I want to let go just yet…" he murmured as his cheeks flushed and tears shimmered in his eyes.

"I owe you my life, Draco…and I will enjoy taking the rest of my life to repay that debt," Harry replied tenderly before he brushed his fingers across Draco's pale cheeks. He leaned in and caressed his lips over Draco's, sighing as Draco pressed into his kiss with a slight whimper as they wrapped their arms around each other and held the other tightly. Their kiss deepened before breaking as Harry led Draco to the bed. He smiled as he crawled onto it and lay out, pulling his boyfriend to him before their kiss resumed. He knew he had to soothe his boyfriend and didn't mind in the least.

*~~**~~*

The quiet sound of dripping water echoed around the three men as they went swiftly down the dungeon steps towards the cell block that Evie was being held. About a couple meters from the door, they stopped as they heard howling and then the alarming sounds of a body smashing against the bars of a cell. Bill glanced at Remus nervously as the Professor's jaw tightened in determination. "You sure on this?" he asked a final time as he and Snape stood to one side.

Nodding sharply, Remus smiled tightly at the two. "When I go in, ward the doors and walls all along this hall. Don't take any chances. I'll take care of the rest inside. When I have control of Evie, I'll give you any test results you need to do your research," he ordered stiffly as he glanced over at the wooden door just a bit away from them.

"Be careful, Remus...and good luck," Snape murmured quietly and followed after Remus with Bill towards the door. They stood with their wands out and ready and watched Remus going in, feeling fear prickle their skin as the sounds of snarling and an increase in the ramming floated out from the room. As soon as the door closed, they warded it with heavy charms and then did the same all along the hall. Finished, they headed to the library to see what they could find out on any curses that might cause such premature and long lasting changing.

Remus went in slowly, feeling Moony practically crawling under his skin as he watched his wife's attempts to escape while her warning growls and barks kept up a constant cacophony. He placed his wand down on the ground and began to strip, knowing that the moon's rise was a couple of hours away, but also intent on being bare so that he wouldn't have to worry about it when the time came. He sat down on the cold stone floor, watching Evie as he was watched just as intently by the snarling werewolf.

Eventually, Evie lay out, but her golden eyes never left the man before her. Her growling never ceased either, not even when she was drinking from a nearby puddle. At around an hour before moon rise, a tray of food appeared next to Remus and he ate gratefully, tossing some of the meat to Evie. She took it with a snap of her jaws, eyeing him as she tore the meat from the bone. Remus found that he couldn't help but be aroused by his wife as he watched her for Moony was very close and his need for his mate was overwhelming.

They didn't have to wait much longer. Remus laid out as he felt the pull of the moon increase exponentially and waved his hand in a bit of wandless magic to open the bar doors just before he began to transform. He was somewhat afraid that Evie might attack him while he transformed, but the thought vanished as Moony came out. He lay panting on the ground afterwards, shaking with his residual pain before looking over when he heard a low warning growl reverberate through the room. He snarled low in his chest as he stood up, facing Evie as she prowled out of the cage she had been in, her eyes glowing with malice and the desire to kill.

Feeling the urge to control his mate slam into him, Moony snapped at her in warning as his hackles rose up and his steps towards her became purposeful while his cock slid out slightly, red and slick with his arousal and need to dominate this wayward female. She snarled back as she crouched down, but it wasn't in submission for she shot up a second later, pouncing onto him like he was some prey. But he was no one's prey! They began to wrestle for supremacy, their snarls and growls echoing around the chamber among the clacking of teeth and the splashing of water when they slammed into puddles. The walls shook when they slammed into them in their battle, but the wards held against the power of the two unleashed werewolves.

The battle seemed to take forever, yet lasted only for an hour or so and ended with Moony pinning Evie with his jaws around her scruff. He shifted above her and penetrated her easily, snarling in warning as she snapped at him in pain before they began to move together. The sounds of battle changed to that of animalistic passion as Evie arched under Moony, pushing her tail end into him as she gave into her need for him. His hips pistoned into her, forcing him deeper into her until they were tied together with his swollen pulsing knot locking them as one. He released her scruff and they shifted once more, her more on her paws and him balancing on top of her as he sped up his pace into her in the last rise to orgasm. They howled as one as their climax crashed into them, sending them careening into the instinctual depths of their joining as he released his seed deep inside of her.

They shuddered together for several seconds before collapsing down, Evie yelping softly as Moony's heavy weight pinned her uncomfortably to the ground. He licked behind her ears after modifying his position a bit, but since they were still connected for a while, he couldn't do anything else. She turned her head up to him and closed her eyes tiredly as he began cleaning her, showing his sated pleasure and possessiveness of his mate while they remained linked. They separated an hour later and lay down together, curled around each other.

At moonset, Moony crawled away slightly, groaning as the transformation hit him hard. He shuddered and howled in pain as he changed, his howls turning to screams of agony through the sounds of bones breaking and muscles and flesh reshaping, until he became human once more. Remus collapsed to the ground, shuddering in pain as he gasped for air before curling up and shivering in cold. He blinked as he felt a wet nose nudge around his foot before snuffling up his leg to his crotch. He looked down and watched Evie scent him, uncertainty in the golden eyes as she moved up and licked at his chest a bit. She sat down next to him, nuzzling his neck as she whined in worry. He smiled as he saw the concern in the warm gaze and knew that Moony had succeeded. He turned and wrapped an arm around her furry body, cuddling into her warmth before passing out from exhaustion. He would need a medic later, but for now, he was content.

*~~**~~*

"Any luck?"

The question was almost ignored by Severus as he perused the various books he and Bill had taken to research what had hit Evie. They had first examined the box that had carried the curse and found that a potion had been mixed with a mutated version of several different curses and charms. The potion had been to control the werewolf made more potent with the blood of Voldemort himself in the mix and had been along the box's coating. The curses and charms they were still trying to catalogue, for each had a different neutralizer and the process of figuring it out was slowly breaking down their patience.

Severus had already started the antidote for the potion and they had figured out at least five of the curses. They surmised that they had at least three more to figure out, but the answers were proving very elusive. Bill was working on breaking the curses and charms while Severus worked on the counters. It was a very slow and tedious process, but their determination was fueling them steadily.

Looking over as the question finally registered, Severus focused on his husband before sighing and rubbing his eyes tiredly. He sat back and tossed his head, sneering at the scattered papers, books, and potion ingredients. "We're stuck on the last two or three curses that were in that blast. If what we were told is true, it was a very complicated curse, but designed specifically for Evie," he explained roughly before clearing his throat in irritation.

"How do you figure that?" Sirius asked as he sat down next to his husband and picked up a piece of paper that had various diagrams and scribbles on it.

"From the magical residue Lupin has given us from Evie and the residue on the box, we found that there was also some blood from Evie mixed in and that there had been a suspension spell on it to hold until her specific magical signature opened it. Her time in the Dark Lord's hold has been used to our disadvantage," Severus explained darkly as he glared at the papers like they were at fault.

"I'm sure you and Bill can do it. Did you hear that Slughorn was asked back? He's teaching your spot and Charlie's taking over for now. Never thought we'd have a Weasely teaching Dark Arts," Sirius commented with a grin in an effort to break the depression that was hovering over their little group like a cloud of locusts.

"Charlie's always been good at that kind of thing. He and I would always work together on that stuff when we were in school. I'm not surprised he's substituting, but I am surprised he left his dragons for something like this," Bill replied distractedly as he pored over a very ancient looking book that had a skull on the cover. He leapt up suddenly, startling them both as he snarled and smacked his hand on the book. "Bloody hell! I can't make heads or tails out of this writing!! And I'm the fucking curse breaker!" he shouted before he started pacing in agitation.

Tugging the book over, Severus and Sirius looked at it together as their younger compatriot muttered imprecations at assorted gods and kicked at various pieces of furniture. Frowning, Snape looked at his husband in concern. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is Ancient. Which means that we can't decipher it," he suggested dismally and sighed.

"Wait, did you say Ancient?" Bill cried as he came over again and leaned on the table, eyes sparkling excitedly. "But Charlie and Dumbledore can speak Ancient! Maybe they can decipher this book, or at least that chapter with the symbol we discovered in our scrying!" he declared excitedly.

"I'll go get Dumbledore," Sirius stated as he rushed out and morphed into Padfoot. He careened down the halls, barking here and there to scatter some of the students as he ran. When he got to the Headmaster's office, he morphed back and straightened his robes. "Cupcakes," he said before going into the hidden doorway and up. He looked around as he went inside, scowling at the pictures that were watching him. "Dumbledore? We need your help in deciphering some of the curses," he called out softly as he went inside. He looked over as he heard some rustling and watched as Dumbledore came down the stairs.

"You have found some curses that have eluded our two investigators?" Dumbledore asked softly and Sirius felt sorrow at how tired and drawn the Headmaster looked.

"A couple of the curses are in Ancient," Sirius explained as he fell into step with the Headmaster down the stairs and into the hall. Classes had already resumed so they had no fear of running into anyone as they went swiftly to where Bill and Snape were working.

"I see," Dumbledore murmured as they stepped into the room and went straight over to where Bill was holding up a book. He took the book and gazed at it, mumbling slightly under his breath as he read. "Oh dear," he whispered and closed his eyes.

"What? What is it?" Bill asked as they all looked over at the oldest of them.

"This curse is one I have heard only in whispers and dark corners. It is Nodithil...Moonbind. It is a very rare curse that can only be cast on pureblooded werewolves. Where is the other curse you found?" Dumbledore inquired grimly as he gazed at the book. Bill reached over and took the book before searching for the other symbol that had been given to them. He finally found it and wordlessly gave the book back to Dumbledore and waited anxiously along with the other two men. The tension rose in the room as Dumbledore sighed softly as he placed the book down. "It is as I feared. The Moonbind is harmless for the most part, binding a man's mind to the wolf, yet keeping the instincts. It was used as a way of torture in old times, but was banned soon after the move towards the Americas began. But when combined with Tortho Hegeg, the Blood Control, the caster can control the werewolf in wolf form, causing it to kill," he explained and looked over when he heard some uneasy shifting to see Bill and Snape looking at each other.

"Are there any counters?" Bill asked softly as he rubbed his hand over his face tiredly.

"I think that when Draco used the Death Curse, he broke those two curses, if what we saw between Evie and Remus is to be taken as a sign," Dumbledore answered as he touched his lower lip with a finger lightly. "You have one more curse then to decipher?" he questioned as he turned to them.

"Yea, it's this one, but I think it's in Babylonian. I'm going to have to seriously look into it, if what I'm roughly translating is correct. So far, what I'm getting is that it's a curse that will shove a person into the form closest to their true nature," Bill said and sighed again. "Which I feel is insulting to Evie, saying she's closest to being a werewolf."

"No, it's not. It's saying that she's closest to being a magical creature and not human. She's known this all along," Snape retorted gruffly as he went over and stirred the potion he'd been working on. When he felt Bill's curious gaze on him, he looked over. "She was born of magic, no parents. She must have been born on a full moon, so thus her natural form would have placed her in the werewolves, since they are most powerful on the nights of the full moon."

"Back before the werewolves were turned into a curse, they were an actual being, or so I've studied. But some dark wizards, much like Voldemort, sought to control the race and ended up exterminating them. So, to try and emulate the once magnificent race, they created the curse, but there were side effects, the worst ones being the bloodlust and the sterility. In order to try and make more without having to cast the curse repeatedly, the wizards mutated the curse so that a bite from the wolf would spread the curse into its victims if they survived," Dumbledore commented as he cleaned his glasses.

"*If* they survived. I bet that's why those two curses were created, to try and subjugate the cursed version of the werewolves. That explains why Evie is so powerful, especially in wolf form. She's from an extinct race," Sirius murmured thoughtfully as he scratched at his neck, which was itching from the healing potion that had been applied to his wounds.

"It's interesting that she was born in this day and age. One would almost think she was created to help bring back the balance," Dumbledore murmured thoughtfully as he sat on one of the stools.

"Well, either way, we'll have this counter done by the evening. But we can't give it to her until the last night," Snape stated as he ran a hand through his hair and grimaced.

"Then we shall just hope that Remus can keep her under control and the wards hold until then," Sirius remarked lightly as he waved his hand dismissively. He grinned as Snape snorted while Bill grinned.

Dumbledore smiled softly as he watched them. Yes, all they had to do was wait and hope. Typical.

TBC

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