Title: Trials of the Heart
Author: HanaHeart
Beta: Boho Bytch
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Lupin/Snape, Black/Lupin, OMC/Snape
Summary: Lupin and Snape's love is tested repeatedly over the course of their lives...Every time they seem to be getting closer, they are torn apart by the circumstances surrounding them... Will their love ever have a chance?
In response to multiple Snupin Challenges...
Disclaimer: Harry Potter Universe and all of its characters belong to J. K. Rowling. I only own the OCs.
Warnings: AU obviously, Mpreg, Mention of torture, Language
Notes: The story can also be found in Fanfiction.net and Archive of our own
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Chapter Two
*** *** ***
Dumbledore and Lupin waited silently on the chairs outside the healing wing. The two were waiting in the corridor after Poppy had shooed them out from the infirmary as soon as the werewolf reached the healing wing, carrying an unconscious Snape.
The werewolf closed his eyes, trying to control the whirl of emotions that was storming inside of him. His fists unconsciously closed and opened as anger and worry battled inside his heart. His mind kept flashing to the sight of Snape’s disfigured torso.
A heavy sigh snapped Lupin from his thoughts. Looking up, he saw Dumbledore rubbing his hands together impatiently. His face looked gloomy and almost frightful. He was deeply worried, Lupin realized, for the man lying inside.
Suddenly, a scream echoed through the hall, coming from inside the infirmary.
Jumping to his feet, Lupin rushed to the infirmary’s door and was about to burst in, but halted when Dumbledore called his name.
He knew that Pomfrey was doing her best to heal Snape and he wouldn’t make anything better by interrupting her, but he still wanted to be inside. Another scream came from the infirmary, making Lupin flinch. He leaned his head on the closed door.
“Remus, my boy.” Dumbledore’s gentle voice called him. “Come and sit.”
Taking a deep breath, Lupin looked up and forced his legs to move, returning to his previous seat.
Moments passed like hours for the two as they waited for Pomfrey to come out and put their minds at peace. Then, when the door of the infirmary finally opened, the two wizards practically jumped to their feet from anticipation. Pomfrey appeared from behind the door with a tight expression set on her usually cheerful face. She stood in front of the pair, regarding them silently.
“Well?” Lupin asked impatiently.
“I healed most of his injuries,” Pomfrey said. “The rest is up to his body.”
“What did they do to him, Poppy?” Dumbledore’s tone was flat and emotionless.
“Will it make any difference if you knew?” the mediwitch almost snapped at the Headmaster. “You’ll just keep sending him back for more…I tell you, Albus, one day he’ll return a dead corpse…”
“Poppy!” the Headmaster’s tone was stern.
The nurse pressed her lips into thin lines. “He was exposed to Cruciatus, Fiendfyre, Sectumsempra, and …” her voice trailed off, unable to continue.
“And?”
“I think they used Antonin Dolohov’s curse.” Pomfrey’s voice was barely above a whisper.
Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly, pressing two fingers on the bridge of his nose. Lupin looked at the old wizard, noticing the single tear that slid out from the corner of his eye.
Opening his eyes again, Dumbledore looked up at Pomfrey. “Take care of him, Poppy, please.” With that, he stood up and walked away, disappearing into the darkness and leaving Lupin and Pomfrey standing in the empty hallway.
A deep sigh next to him snapped Lupin from his thoughts. Looking to his right, Lupin saw the mediwitch regarding him silently.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Pomfrey said. “Good night, Remus.” With that, she turned around and entered the healing wing.
Lupin stood alone in the dark corridor for few moments before sighing deeply and leaving.
*** *** ***
Snape let out a soft groan as the morning sun filled the room with bright light. Opening his eyes slowly, he found himself staring at the familiar ceiling of Hogwarts’ healing wing.
Blinking, the Potions Master wondered what was he doing in the infirmary when last night’s events came back to his memory.
Last night’s meeting had only included the high-ranking Death Eaters. The Dark Lord had been furious and had been obviously losing his patience. He had roared at them like a dragon, accusing them of tardiness and indolence in following his plans to control the Wizarding World. And when his rage had reached its highest peak, that blasted Bellatrix had opened her big mouth and questioned some of the Death Eaters’ loyalty to their Lord.
Snape scowled, remembering that accusing look Bellatrix had shot him as she talked.
Her words had made the Dark Lord torture and humiliate him more severely than the rest. Despite the cold weather, he had been ordered to take off his robes and undershirt in front of the Death Eaters before being subjected to a variety of curses, much to Bellatrix’s delight.
The blasted wench had seemed to enjoy his humiliation, or his state of nakedness, more than the Dark Lord himself. By the time the Dark Lord had vented his anger on him and several other Death Eaters, Snape was in a very bad state that he couldn’t possibly have reached Hogwarts, thus, he went to Grimmauld Place, despite the fact that Lupin would be there.
‘Well, at least he was sensible enough to return me back to Hogwarts.’ Snape thought grimly, then another thought occurred to him that made his frown deepened.
Did Lupin return him directly back to Hogwarts, or did he have a look on him first?
Snape cursed himself. He should’ve endured the pain and try to apparate back to the school instead of Black’s house.
‘It’s too late for regrets now.’ The Potions Master thought with a sigh. Taking a deep breath, he focused his attention to something more useful instead. He tried to get up but an excruciatingly pain shot up his body, causing him to fall back to his bed.
It had taken him a great deal of self-control not to shout at the pain. He breathed heavily. It was futile! His body, though it was healed physically, was still shocked from the mistreatment it went through last night.
He could almost feel how the cells of his body were trying to adapt after being tortured and then forced to heal suddenly by magic.
‘This will not do.’ Snape thought. He should leave this damned place before Pomfrey return and start fussing over him.
Not to mention that Dumbledore would surely come and perhaps force him to quit his classes for the day or until he was fully healed…and maybe Lupin would also come to display a tasteless show of worry and concern that he didn’t really feel.
Looking around him, he spotted his clothes and mask, neatly folded on a chair by his bed. Eyeing the set of clothes, Snape wondered if Poppy had found the set of small vials he usually kept in a hidden pocket in the inner lining of his jacket, or the mediwitch, in her haste to treat him, hadn’t paid attention to his clothes.
Inching with great difficulty closer to the bed’s edge, the Potions Master weakly raised his hand and muttered a soft “Accio” summoning the long black jacket from the chair.
Snape winced as the use of wandless magic in his condition was still painful but he had to find the vial of his special potion. He didn’t have to search much until he found a small vial containing a deep red liquid. Uncapping the vial, he raised himself slightly and drank its contents. Snape waited patiently for the potion to take effect.
Gradually, he felt the pain dulling and his strength slowly flowing back into his body. He knew that the sense of wellbeing was only due to the potion and would wear off in two or three hours max, but those hours were very important in keeping his strong façade intact. Rising up slowly, he quickly donned his clothes and strode out of the infirmary before Pomfrey could put her claws on him again.
*** *** ***
Lupin stood still, staring in shock at the empty bed that was Snape supposed to be resting in. He had spent the night in Hogwarts, unable to leave without making sure that Snape would be alright.
He was barely able to stay put in the guest quarters until all the students were in the Great Hall for breakfast and the coast was clear before he rushed to the healing wing to check on the ailing man…only to find that man gone.
Where could he possibly be?
He couldn’t possibly have healed already, could he?
Lupin shook his head at the ridiculous idea. It was only few hours ago when he carried a half-dead Snape to the infirmary. His body couldn’t have restored its strength and healed in those mere hours!
Frowning, the werewolf decided to wait in the infirmary until either Pomfrey or Snape return.
*** *** ***
Pomfrey stomped through Hogwarts’ corridors, heading down to the dungeons; her usual smiling face was twisted in pure fury. Albus Dumbledore followed the Mediwitch silently.
They were all shocked when the Potions Master appeared at breakfast, as confident and commanding as ever. Pomfrey glared at him from her seat but he completely ignored her.
On his part, Dumbledore kept stealing glancing at the young wizard, noticing how Snape’s hands were shaking slightly at times. His hold on the knife was a little bit unstable, despite his tremendous efforts to maintain a firm grip around the metal tool. Eventually, dropping his knife and fork, Snape stood up and excused himself from the table.
“Severus,” he called, as the younger wizard was about to leave. “Why don’t you take a break today?” the old wizard suggested.
“Surely one day without Potions class would not affect the students’ progress … or maybe some other teacher can fill in your place for today?”
“No, Albus,” Snape replied coldly before striding away, his black robes billowing behind him.
Soon after him, Pomfrey stood up and left the main table as well. The Headmaster decided to follow her as well; one to check on Snape as well and two to make sure that the Mediwitch doesn’t accidently hurt the dark-haired wizard instead of helping him heal.
*** *** ***
Snape was in his office, preparing for his morning classes when the mediwitch stormed into the room, followed by Dumbledore.
“WHAT IN MERLIN’S NAME DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?” she bellowed. “AND HOW DID YOU GET YOUR HANDS ON THAT DAMNED POTION?”
The Potions Master simply looked at her with indifference before saying. “Don’t you know how to knock before you enter, Poppy?”
The witch pressed her lips, glaring knives and daggers at him.
“You will return to the infirmary with me right now, Severus Snape.” She stated angrily. “And will not leave your bed until I say so.”
“The hell I will!” he retorted, standing up. “As you can clearly see, I’m well and able to function.”
“This is only because you took that damn potion.” She snapped. “This sense of wellbeing is only an illusion created by the potion. You’ll only keep pushing your already tired body until it collapses.”
“Thank you, Poppy, for the lecture about the properties of a potion I invented. And now if you please, I have classes.” With that, he sat back.
The nurse was about to retort when a thin hand was placed on her shoulder.
“Severus,” Dumbledore said softly. “Poppy is worried about you as well as I am. You should rest and allow your body to heal properly.”
“Albus, I think we’re past this false show of worry and concern.”
The Potions Master said coldly. “I know that you are more anxious about the report on last night meeting than anything else. Rest assured. You don’t have to worry much. The Dark Lord called us last night so he can vent his anger and irritation on us. Nothing was discussed……And no, I wasn’t exposed as a spy.” He added as the Headmaster opened his mouth to say something.
The two stared at him as he indifferently returned to his work.
Sighing, Dumbledore tapped Pomphrey’s shoulder and gestured her to follow him outside. It was obvious that Snape wasn’t going to give in to either of them.
As soon as the door was closed behind the two, Snape dropped his quill and pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose. He could feel the effects of the potion already wearing off.
‘This is not good.’ He thought. ‘It hasn’t been two hours even.’
He had to take another and larger dose of the potion if he wanted to last the day. Quickly, he stood up and left the room.
*** *** ***
Pomfrey looked as if she was ready to hex someone to smithereens when she entered her office. Lupin wondered if it was safe to ask her about Snape or not.
“Remus, what are you doing here?” she asked, noticing his presence for the first time.
“I came to check on Severus.” He replied. “I couldn’t just return to Grimmauld after seeing the state he was in last night. But I couldn’t find him—”
“Of course, you couldn’t.” The mediwitch grumbled angrily. “That arrogant sly Slytherin would rather die than be seen lying in a bed, apparently. I swear, he is his own worst enemy.”
Lupin couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him. He knew well that Snape didn’t like to be in a weak position, thus he would never show any type of weakness or accept any help from anyone, let alone ask for it.
“Is his condition that bad?” he asked.
“Of course.” The matron replied. “He should be resting or his newly-healed body will surely relapse.”
“But how did he manage to leave so soon?”
“Because of that damn potion!” she snapped. “He has a potion that gives the body a boost of energy but its effects are temporary. Add to that, the illusion of wellbeing can make the drinker push their bodies too far than it could handle.” She explained. “I should’ve searched his clothes thoroughly before I placed them next to him. I swear he is worse than the students.”
Lupin, however, didn’t listen to the rest of her grumbling. His mind went once more to the Potions Master. Snape must have been awfully, extremely and desperately injured that he came to him last night. And now, Pomfrey was telling him that Snape was pushing himself too far.
“I need to go.” Without waiting for a reply, he rushed out of the matron’s office.
*** *** ***
To be continued…
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