Title: Farewell

Author: Bell Pie toggledog@yahoo.com

Rating: R

Warning: Attempted rape and general angst and violence.

Summary: After Snape attacks Lupin, Draco inadvertently saves him. Set at the end of PoA.

Pairings: Snape/Lupin, Sirius/Remus implied. Draco also appears but in a non-slash way. (Ok, hints of UST Harry/Draco)

Author’s Notes: Had to write this after rereading PoA. Hey, I usually love Snape but he was a total bastard in this novel, so… J

"Leaving so soon, Lupin?"

The now ex Hogwarts teacher turned to the sneering face of Severus Snape.

"Yes." He managed a smile. "Don’t want to keep the carriage waiting, so-"

Snape cut directly in front of him, moving into his body space. Remus sighed and stepped back.

"Do you want something, Severus?"

"How did Black escape?" As he spoke, the greasy haired teacher moved forward, forcing Lupin to recede. "What did you do, Lupin? How did you get Potter involved?"

He maneuvered both so the other man was nestled in a darkened corner.

"Just like his father. James Potter never was one to play by rules, either. The same arrogance."

"If you don’t mind, Severus-"

Snape grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him harshly against the wall. A spiral of fear uncoiled around Remus’ stomach. Snape had never been one to use force before, preferring to exert fear through intimidation and threats, rather than actual violence. But the events of the last day seemed to have enacted a crazy malady in him. He rested his hand on his wand in his robes, preferring not to pull it out until it was absolutely necessary.

"You may have Dumbledore and that idiot Fudge fooled but not me. I know you’re in on this with Black-"

He edged closer, pressing his body against the other man’s, crushing his wand hand between them. Remus endeavored to cringe away from the closeness but ended up against the brick wall.

"Don’t be a fool, Severus! What would anyone say if they saw us like this?"

Severus raised a brow. "Like what, Lupin? Oh you mean pinned up against a wall. I’m certain you are used to this sort of caper. After all, you and Black were caught out more than once."

"This is what it’s really about, isn’t it, Severus?" Lupin spoke softly. "This has nothing to do with whether Sirius is innocent or not." He looked into the man’s beady dark eyes. "You’re upset because I never chose you."

Too late, Remus realized his mistake. The Potions Master gripped his claw like hands around his throat, adding pressure, his face a snarl of deepest hatred and anger. The werewolf had never seen him so enraged. He reached for his wand and took it out, placing it against Severus’ chest. Sparks sizzled out of the end and the teacher jumped back, thankfully loosening his hold on Remus. He moved to curse him but Severus was faster.

"Expelliarmus!"

Snape caught his wand and held both on him. Remus simply stood warily, waiting for his next action.

"I’m surprised you didn’t jump each other as soon as you saw each other."

"Really, Severus. This jealousy is-"

This only enraged Severus more. He stepped forward, body shaking with fury.

"Where is he, Lupin?"

"I truly don’t know."

Snape moved closer, studying the man intently.

"For a dirty wolf, you certainly are very striking. I will grant you that."

Lupin gulped. He didn’t like where this conversation was headed. Snape leant forward, pressing the wands into his chest painfully. Remus jumped as he felt the man nuzzle against his neck.

"Please, Severus-"

The pressure on his chest deepened. His mind was in a muddle as he felt hateful lips and teeth start to bite and kiss the tender flesh. Extreme actions called for extreme measures.

"Mmm.. that’s nice…" He murmured as a distraction as his hand reached for one of the wands.

Snape grabbed the hand and slammed it painfully back into the wall. He brought his knee up as Snape uttered the spell.

"Mobiliarus!"

A new form of terror washed over him as his entire body froze, unable to fight Snape’s attentions. A scream gurgled in his throat as the Potion’s Master shoved his slimy tongue into his mouth. His mind thought to bite down but his body would not respond. Hateful hands reached under his tattered robes, clawing at his bare flesh with gnarled nails. Snape released to bite at his ear and neck once more, the exclamation of disgust still rising in Lupin’s throat, his only defense against the assault. He could not even move down his eyes to look to the wands now lying side by side on the ground nearby. Snape grunted, lifting up his robes as he raised his legs, holding him in place on the wall.

Surely he can’t be wanting to-

A hand was clamped over his mouth as the scream reached a higher pitch, Snape’s own body weight holding him up. Gnarled hands tore at his pants and underwear, as teeth found their mark in the flesh of his neck. The scream turned to a gasp as a tearing sound signaled that the cloth separating his bare flesh from Snape’s assault had given way. The thankfully cloth covered obvious proof of the wizard’s intentions pressed against his exposed aperture.

"I hate you. Dirty Wolf." Snape said as he fumbled into his own robes, undoing his pants.

Lupin didn’t hear. He had retreated into his own mind, to Sirius. He had heard of his escape and was with him now, riding the haughty Buckbeat high up in the darkened sky.

"I’m sure Potter had something to do with it-"

Remus was brought back to the present with an almost audible clunk in his mind. Severus let him go, instantly moving a few paces back and concurrently affixing his pants and robes and taking one of the wands, pointing it at him and quickly uttering the desisting spell before turning to the boy.

"Ah… Mr. Malfoy. What are you doing in this part of the school?"

He wasted no time. With Snape thoroughly distracted, Remus raced forward and grabbed his wand, holding it on the Potions Master. Behind him, an utterly surprised looking Draco Malfoy and his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle looked from him to Snape and back again.

"Ah… Professor Snape? What are you doing?"

"Nothing, Mr. Malfoy. Now if you don’t mind-"

A slightly arrogant tone entered the boy’s tone as he spoke next. "It didn’t look like nothing. It looked as if you were attacking Professor Lupin."

"Right, that’s it! Fifty points off Slytherin."

Malfoy’s pale eyes narrowed. "Whatever for?"

Snape stalked forward. "For being a nosey little brat!"

The boy gasped, eyes filling with tears. Lupin remembered that here was Snape’s favorite. He could see why. Draco was a dead ringer for his father, Lucius. One of Snape’s conquests in high school. Snape left the pale boy looking stunned and hurt and turned back to Lupin, who held his wand steadily on him.

"Farewell, Lupin."

He started down the hall. Remus couldn’t believe it. Here was a man who had been just about to rape him and now he was simply walking away as if nothing had happened. He looked back to Draco, placing his wand back into his robes. Crabbe and Goyle looked to the boy for reassurance. Draco simply stood awkwardly, a faint pink blush appearing on his cheeks.

"I am in your debt, Mr. Malfoy." Remus finally managed. "Thank you."

The boy looked to him, eyes suddenly narrowing and darkening, mouth pursing. Remus was certain he was about to make a cutting remark. But then it passed. He pointed to his robes.

"Your…er…. robes are completely torn, Professor Lupin. I mean, more torn." He smirked a little.

Ah, so he couldn’t help but be a little bit mean, even when he was trying to help.

"Thank you, Malfoy. I do not have the time to mend it now." He went to move past the boy, his legs shaky. Draco appeared to be deep in thought.

"Professor Lupin!" Remus stopped and turned back to the boy. "Was… was Snape doing what I think he was?"

Remus looked to him, frowning a little. Draco obviously adored Snape. He was the star pupil. It was a pity that he should be the one to witness such a travesty.

"I suspect so. Yes."

Draco blinked hurriedly, as though clearing tears. "Why?"

Remus was silent a moment to formulate his answer. "He was enraged. I suspect he wanted to punish me. It is a long running feud between us. Like, I suspect between you and Harry Potter."

Something glittered in the boy’s eyes at the mention of Harry’s name.

Interesting…

"I would never do that, sir! What are you implying?"

Remus leant against the wall. His body felt as though it had been battered ceaselessly. He suspected Snape’s nails had drawn blood.

"Of course not." He looked into the boy’s face. So like Lucius. But there was something more there, also. A spark of determination and vitality not present in his father. Even Lupin had to admit that a lot of the insults directed towards him had some wit behind them. "I am sorry."

Draco sighed. "Stay here!" He ordered his two goons. Both looked to him and nodded.

"What are you doing?" Remus asked.

"What do you think? Battling a troll? Obviously you're too cowardly to walk through alone. I’m walking you to your carriage, you silly wolf!" Remus realized that the boy’s sense of humor was shining through. He laughed a little.

"If you insist, you duplicitous Slytherin."

The boy turned to him in shock then caught his smile.

"You’d better watch your tongue, Lupin. I know my Father could hang your fur out to dry."

"I remember him in high school. The only thing he could hang out would be his own pride. Again and again and again."

"I can understand that." Draco said and frowned. They walked in silence a few seconds. "So was it the same with Father in high school? Was he always bettered by James Potter?"

Remus regarded him a moment. "I have seen you with Harry Potter. You both compete. The reason why you are always matched against each other is because you have the same strengths. To be frank, from what I’ve seen of both you and Lucius, you are a better wizard than he was."

Draco glared at him a moment, then decided he wasn’t insulted and finally finished on sadness.

"Potter always beats me. Again and again. I hate it. I hate him." His grey eyes flashed in anger.

Remus remembered how Sirius and him were in school, both with the same competitive nature, continually contending. In the first two years, he had absolutely hated the black haired God who continually upstaged him. Harry was exactly like his father in that he did not go for that cater.

He eyed Malfoy critically, wondering if there was more to their bordering on obsessive competitiveness and loathing.

"Harry looks exactly like his father." Remus watched the boy’s reaction carefully as he spoke. Both stepped out into the warm summer air of the school grounds. "Same hair, same face. Has his mother’s eyes, however."

There. That was it. A slight pink to Malfoy’s cheek at the mention of Harry’s eyes. Remus decided it was very cute.

"He looks like an alien." Malfoy scoffed. They walked in silence a few more metres, the carriage looming ahead. Lupin was endeavoring to not think of the attack he had just endured but it repeated in his head like a looped bad movie. Snape’s jealousy of his and Black’s relationship had always been obvious but he was disgusted that he should stoop so low.

Snape had once told him he was in love with him. This was long after he had become lovers with Sirius, in his sixteenth year. Remus instantly recognized that it wasn’t love at all. It was obsession.

Perhaps he had brought this on himself. After all, he had been as much as stalked by Snape in high school, the dark haired boy tailing his every move, always being at places where he was, continually watching him with his unfathomable dark eyes. The day he had cornered him in an empty class room and told him of his love, in a despaired yet angered voice, Remus had politely refused him, explaining that he was with Black. Snape had not attacked him then but the wolf had read something in his eyes. A total utter streak of insane rage broke through the blackened orbs. In that moment, Remus had been one hundred percent sure that Snape would kill him.

Black’s ‘prank’ had been nothing of a sort. He had not told Remus why he did it, but he knew. Snape left him alone after that.

But then, after Remus had returned to the school, Snape had fallen back into his old habits, tailing him, staring at him across the room. Then there was the time he quite casually informed him, while he was drinking his potion, that it would be very easy for him to mix a few more ingredients inside. And then told him that for a disgusting wolf, he was still a ‘pretty one.’ That lunical look had overcome his face then but both were interrupted by Mcgonagall walking in to discuss the final Quidditch match with Snape.

Yes, perhaps the signs all pointed towards this happening. He rubbed his temple.

"Are you alright, sir?" He turned to the boy next to him. They had reached the carriage. Good looking kid. Harry had better watch himself around this one, he thought and smiled.

"I’m really sorry about what happened with Snape."

"Don’t be." Remus smiled once more. He did not need to include the boy in this. He would work it out on his own. "I’ll be alright. Farewell, Draco."

The boy offered a genuine smile. "Goodbye."

"One last thing." Remus had one foot in the door. "Smile more often. Especially around Harry Potter. That will drive him mad."

He inwardly laughed at the boy’s confused face and boarded the carriage, away from Hogwarts, his mind clouded with his attack.

THE END.