Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J. K. Rowling.

 

No monetary profit is being made from this writing

 

Summary:  AU - another telling of the tale with what happened between Black, Lupin, Potter (James) and Snape.

 

Rating PG -

 

Enjoy!

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

                                                           WOLF IN THE FOLD

 

 

  “Severus, don’t go in there,” James Potter urged.

  “I’m going to find out what you three are up to,” Snape hissed.

  “Severus, please.

Snape smiled.  “Hiding something, Potter?”

He turned and pushed the stick against the Whomping Willow which obediently opened.

  “Severus...”

  “Shut up, Potter,” Black said.  “If he wants to find out what we’re hiding in there, let him.”

  “Sirius...”

Black smiled.  “Don't worry.”

Snape turned.  “Where’s Lupin, by the way?”

Black smiled again.  “Why don’t you go and see for yourself?”

  “I will find out your little secret.”

Snape entered the tree and entered a dark corridor.  He would be lying if he said he wasn’t in the slightest bit apprehensive.  “I know you’re in here. Lupin.  Come out where I can see you.”

A deep throated growl emerged and Snape saw a pair of yellow eyes glaring at him.  A large werewolf came into view.  Severus’ eyes widened and he backed off as the wolf advanced.  He fumbled for his wand.  Lupin leapt and Snape was too late to defend himself.

 

A blood curdling scream was heard outside the tree.

  “That’s enough!” James said, "let him out!”

  “Oh all right ... You’re no fun...” Sirius pressed the tree to open.

Both Potter and Black stared wide eyed at the sight and covered their mouths.

  “I only wanted to scare him ...” Black said, horrified.

Potter stared with equal horror at Severus Snape’s mutilated body.

  “Oh Gods ... what are we going to do now?"

A bloodied wolf Lupin growled at them and lunged forward.  Black shut the tree and the two boys bolted.  Neither of them wanted to think about what Lupin would do to the remainder of the Slytherin boy.

 

When it came time to let Lupin out, all that remained of Snape was a tattered cape.  Black and Potter took a deep breath.

  “Don't tell him,” Potter whispered.

Lupin’s human form emerged, none the wiser.

 

 

Snape opened his eyes and looked around him.  It was a while before he realised he could see through his hand.

  “Ohh gods ... No ...”

He wanted to cry, and he found out ghosts could not.

 

 

*    *    * 

 

 

  “I haven’t seen Severus around,” Lupin said a few days later.

  “We haven’t either,” Black said.  “That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

Potter hit him.

For the remainder of the month no one saw Severus and some of the teachers became quite concerned. But it seemed no one knew anything of his whereabouts.

 

            *    *    *

 

A month later, Lupin entered the Whomping Willow.

  “See you in three days, guys.”

He walked toward the Shrieking Shack.

  “Nice to see you,” Snape said.

  “Severus!  What are you doing in here?  Get out, now!  You don’t realise the danger you’re in!”

Snape raised an eyebrow.    “Oh, I don’t?”

  “Snape ... Please ... I ... I ... Turn into a werewolf ... I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

  “You turn into a werewolf?  Really?

  “It’s true, Severus.  I don't know who I am when I’m the wolf and I might-“

  “Ooh?  You might what?  Attack me?  Hurt me? Kill me?”

Lupin took a breath.  “All of the above.”

  “No?  Really?"

  “Snape, I’m serious!”

  “Are you?”

  “Yes.  Deadly serious.”

Lupin took a step forward and stepped right through Severus Snape.

  “What ... I ...”

  “About the werewolf thing - I found that out last month.”

Lupin turned, shocked and he shook his head.  “No ... No .... NO ....” He screamed and carried on screaming until he changed.  The scream turned into a howl before the wolf quietened down and growled.

  “Don’t you growl at me,” Snape hissed.  “You’re the one who did this to me.”

Even though the wolf could not hurt him, being here with Lupin was still eerie.

 

Snape waited patiently for three days until Lupin changed back.  Lupin ran out of the tree, opened by one of the teachers.  He found Sirius and James.

  “Lupin,” Sirius said.  “What...”

Without warning, Lupin punched him in the head and would have again if Black had not grabbed his hand.  Lupin winced and wrenched his hand free.

  “How could you?  James I’m sure you had more sense, but Black, how in the name of Merlin could you?”

 “What are you talking about?"

  “SNAPE!”

  “Keep your voice down!  What about Snape?”

Lupin glared at him.  “You know exactly what.”

  “He’s been missing for a month.  No one knows where he is.”

  “Missing for a month.  Oh, I wonder why?”

  “What’s gotten into you, Lupin?”

  “Oh I don't know.  Seeing Snape’s GHOST three days ago in my tree.  I guess that shook me up a bit.”

  “You what?!”

  “You heard me.”

  “You ... Saw his ghost ...”

  “Yes ... I can only wonder who lead him into the Willow.”

  “Lupin ... We didn’t mean for it to happen .... We only wanted to scare him.

  “Oh I’d say YOU DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB!!  He would have been terrified when I ... Ohh Gods, I’m going to be sick ...”

Lupin fell to his knees and vomited.  “Gods ...”

  “So what are we going to do now?  You can’t tell anyone, we’ll all get expelled or worse...”

Lupin glared at him.    “And whose fault is that?

Potter placed his head in his hands and then looked up.  “I begged him not to go in.”

  “And he was too thick headed to listen to you.”

Lupin hit Black and his look warned the other if he retaliated there would be more where that came from, even though Black was physically stronger.

  “We have to think of something ...” Lupin said.  “Now I’m going to class.”

 

            *    *    *

 

Snape sulked by himself and felt an empathy for the first time with Moaning Myrtle.  No one seemed to care about her either.  He cried, though he could shed no tears.  There was no one to hear him and no one to care, or so he thought.

 

  “I have an idea,” Lupin said to James in private.  “It’s risky, but I think we can do it together.”

 “What is it?”

  “I have a way we can bring Severus back.”

  “What?!  Oh Gods, You’re talking necromancy aren't you?  It’s almost as forbidden as the Avada Kedavra curse...”

  “I know, but what else can we do?  We can’t leave him there ... I can’t leave him there.  It’s my fault.”

  “It’s not.  If anyone’s to blame it’s Black and Snape went in of his own accord.”

  “Can you blame him and his curiosity?”

  “... I suppose not, but-“

  “We have to.  We owe it to him.  Best keep this between ourselves.  I don't want Black to know.”

  “Good idea ... How did you talk me into this again?”

Lupin smiled.  “My irresistible charm.”

Potter chuckled.  “We’ll have to go into the restricted section of the library.  I hope you remember where you put that cloak of yours.”

  “Of course...”

 

  “If that new caretaker catches us we’re done for. What’s his name again?”

  “Filch.  I think his first name is Argus.”

The two boys found their way to the library, to the restricted section and began searching.  They found a large book with a key on raising the dead.  Carefully they opened it.  Words rose from he book.

            ~ Beware any who utter the spells locked within

               For only a true heart will make the spirit whole

               Severe punishment awaits those who misuse

                this gift ~

 

  “Are you sure we should be doing this?” James asked.

  “True heart ... We want to save a friend ...”

  “I guess so ... Sort of ... Snape’s not really our friend is he?”

  “Well we’re still true about wanting to help him aren’t we?”

  “I guess so.”

The boys hid the book under the cloak and left.

 

 

The two boys found their way to the Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom.

  “Come to say hello?”

  “Hello, Myrtle,” Lupin said.  He turned back to Potter.

  “So what do we need?”

  “It’s quite complicated.  “I think I can get the things from Professor Dane’s Lab.

  “Don’t let him catch you.”

  “I don't intend to.”

 

            *    *    *

 

During a diversion in Potions, James ducked out of the classroom and began to obtain some of the ingredients.

 

Lupin obtained the other ingredients from the greenhouse.

 

Together, they stirred them in a small cauldron in the girl’s bathroom.

  “We have to take it to Snape.”

   “What are you making?” Myrtle asked.

  “It’s a ... uhh special potion ...” James said.   He didn’t want to tell her what they were making in case it got her excited.  They weren’t planning on raising her from the dead, unfortunately and it could only be used once.

  “What’s it for?”

  “It’s to ... uhh ... make your hair purple ...”

  “Oh ...” Myrtle giggled.  “Should be fun ...”

 

 

When it was finished, James poured it into a green bottle and sealed it.  He took it and Lupin under his cloak and together they walked across the school grounds to the Whomping Willow.  James pressed the tree with the stick and it obediently opened.  Together, the two boys went inside.  James threw off the cloak.

  “Snape ... Snape ...”

  “Severus,” Lupin called.

  “What do you two want?” came a crabby voice.

  “We have something for you.”

  “And what could that possibly be?  What could I want I wonder?  A Solstice present?  Why that isn’t for months.  You really, really shouldn’t have.”  Snape stepped out of the shadows, with his arms folded.  James swallowed at having seen Severus’ ghost for the first time.

  “I never thought I’d say this, Potter, but I should have listened to you.”

  “I did try to warn you, Severus.”

  “Yes you did.   Black did nothing of the sort.”  Snape snorted.

  “As wrong as he was, none of us meant to hurt you.  Lupin least of all.”

  “Well the damage is done now isn’t it?” Snape snapped.

  “We came to hopefully undo it,” Lupin said.

 “ What?”

  “We have a  potion here we made from this book.”  James showed Snape.

  “We know it’s risky and it may not work, but we have to try.”

  “This isn’t some sort of a trick, is it?” Snape asked.

  “No trick.  We swear on the name of Merlin,” James said.

  “And you wouldn’t swear on Merlin’s name unless you meant it,” Snape said.  “I trust you, Potter, Lupin.  What do I have to do?”

  “You have to sit cross legged, right leg on top.  Place your palms on top of either knee, face up and close your eyes.  Remain calm.”

Snape assumed position.

  “I’m pouring the potion around you,” James said.  “Next, Lupin and I have to say the incantation and ignite it with our wands.  In a few moments, the energy burst should bring you back to the land of the living.”

  “Should,” Snape said.  “Let’s hope.”

   "Avanta!" the two boys chimed.

Sparks flew from both their wands Snape tensed and closed his ghostly eyes  He felt a violent lurch and nauseum.

  "Snape, you're vomiting! Ghosts don't vomit."

Snape looked up.  "You never told me nauseum was one of the side effects," he said dryly.

James smiled and helped him up.  "I'd say glad to have you back…"

Snape grunted, but not without a small smile.  Lupin took his hand.

  "Severus, I'm truly sorry.  I hope in time you can forgive me."

  "It's Black I won't forgive, but I feel I must thank you both for bringing me back."

 

The three emerged from the Whomping Willow to find a band of teachers and Professor Dumbledore running toward them.  James swore.  Lupin nodded.  Snape just stood there.

   "Explain yourselves at once!" Professor McGonagall demanded.

   "We … We … " began James, a loss for words for once.

   "We tried a spell to resurrect Moaning Myrtle," Snape lied.

   "She always looks so sad."

   "What you have done is very, very dangerous," Professor Dumbledore said.  "Have you any idea of what could have happened if the spell went wrong?"

The children hung their heads.

  "And must be in the vicinity of the deceased for the spell to work," Dumbledore said.  "I'm sure you meant well, but all three of you will be serving detention together.  I'm afraid Moaning Myrtle will have to remain a ghost."

  "Yes, Professor Dumbledore," they chimed.

   "And Severus, where on Earth have you been all this time?"

  "I … I was obtaining the ingredients for the potion," he lied. "travelled far and wide."

Something in Dumbledore's eyes told the students he knew exactly what they had done, but he said nothing.

 

  "I cannot  wait to see Black's face," Snape said when they had finished detention.

  "Neither can I," James said.

  "Serves him right if he gets a heart attack," Lupin said,

 

Black screamed.

  "Screaming like a little muggle girl," Snape said disdainfully.

  "How … what…"

  "Necromancy."

  "Necromancy, but that's forbidden."

  "And feeding fellow students to werewolves isn't?" Snape countered.

  "We only wanted to scare you," Black said, still aghast.  "Remind me why you brought him back."

Lupin slapped him.  Black smiled.

He turned to Severus.  "For what it's worth, I'm sorry.  Our prank just-"

  "Got out of hand?  If you're expecting forgiveness, Black, you can shove it up your-"

  "It's getting late," Lupin interjected.

  "Yes, Snape said.  "Very late."  He glared at Black before leaving, his robed billowing behind him.

 

And Moaning Myrtle was miffed that her hair had not changed purple.

 

 

*

 

Back to Snape/Lucius Page