Redemption - Part 31 - Restoration

[innerslytherin]

Restoration


Prompt: 53 - Hunting
Pairing: Remus/Severus
Warnings: Slash
WC:  1,861
Redemption - PG to R (WIP) - After Voldemort's defeat, Remus--crippled in his last battle--and Severus--pardoned but a pariah--manage to forge a connection, despite the expectations of the world around them.
Series so far:

1. Reconciliation 2. Rehabilitation 3. Recovery 4. Reply 5. Rediscovery
6. Receiving 7. Repartee 8. Relapse 9. Requisite
10. Retreat 11. Refining 12. Repose 13. Reconsidering
14. Renaissance 15. Retribution 16. Return 17.Rematch
18. Redefining 19. Relishing 20. Recognition
21. Remembering 22. Refrain 23. Reformation 24. Recrimination
25. Reliance 26. Reverting 27. Repercussion 28. Reminder 29. Retracing
30. Reassurance

Note: _lore had a bad week, so I thought she needed a pick-me-up.




Shacklebolt doesn't look at all surprised to see Severus again.  "Remus send you again, or are you here on your own?" he asks, his deep voice ironic.  Severus glares at him, but he can't think of any suitably venomous reply.

Instead he thrusts the wand at Shacklebolt, letting it clatter onto the desk.  Shacklebolt stares down at it.  "You made Tonks steal the case file for the Greyback-Mulciber Incident."  His expression is calm, not revealing what he thinks about that.

"Borrow," Severus says irritably, and wonders why he cares about making that distinction.  "This is the wand in the evidence case."

"It's Mulciber's," Shacklebolt replies.  He is telling, not asking.

"It isn't.  This wand killed Bill Weasley and Parvati Patil, as well as some annoying Hufflepuff whose name escapes me."

"What?"  Now Shacklebolt does sound surprised, shocked, even, which is gratifying.

Severus folds his arms across his chest, liking the way his hair is just long enough to slant into his eyes.

"There were eyewitnesses who said Malfoy killed Patil and Weasley.  We never found anyone who saw Smith murdered, but--"  The Auror tilts his head to stare up at Severus, who is still standing, in a somewhat dramatic pose, in front of his desk.

After barely a moment's hesitation, Shacklebolt flicks his wand in an Imperturbable Charm that washes over Severus and sticks at the opening of his cubicle.  Then he gestures for Severus to sit down.

"You're absolutely certain this isn't Mulciber's wand?"

Severus sits, looking at Shacklebolt as if the man is stupid.  "I am."

Shacklebolt swears.  "Then this is Malfoy's wand.  This wand is the reason they couldn't get Malfoy sentenced to the Kiss.  There were enough eyewitnesses for life imprisonment, but the Ministry was pushing for the Kiss, for known murderers."

Severus' gaze turns ironic.  "Then you'll have to reserve one for both me and Remus," he drawls.  Then he feels a momentary panic that he has said Remus and not Lupin.

Shacklebolt studies him for a long, long heart-stopping moment.  "You and Remus both had mitigating circumstances."

"What, a murder is less than a murder if it's committed against a Death Eater?" Severus asks, his voice sharp.

"Don't be difficult, Snape!" Shacklebolt says, and there is an edge of frustration to his voice, so Severus backs down.  He doesn't actually hate Shacklebolt.  "Look, you know as well as I do how the Ministry works.  Change comes about slowly.  I'm not in favour of the Kiss for anyone, and you ought to know it."  He presses long fingers to his forehead, rubbing there, then pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm not interested in what this wand has done," Severus says finally, into the silence.  "It isn't Mulciber's, and therefore I don't care whose it is.  What I need is the wand that attacked Lupin."

He can see the exact moment when Shacklebolt comes to the same conclusion that Severus has held for some time.  The eyebrows up, a light of interest kindling in dark eyes.  Shacklebolt raises a hand and smoothes it back over his bald head.

"You want to invent a countercurse."

Severus doesn't speak, he merely shrugs.  Naturally.

A smile breaks across the big Auror's face, and then his laughter booms, rolling out of his chest like the lazy Thames.  "Snape, you are an ingenious devil."

Severus smirks at him.

Shacklebolt leans back in his chair, studying Severus' face.  "The problem is, if that isn't Mulciber's wand, where is it?"

"I have a lead on that," Severus says, "but...I'm afraid I'm not going to share it with an Auror."

Shacklebolt raises an eyebrow.  "If it's anything to do with Dung..."

"Not in the least," Severus replies.  "But I'd rather not get arrested."  He smirks again, and is pleased when Shacklebolt laughs.

"All right, Snape, keep your secrets.  But--what about Malfoy's wand?"

Severus shrugs.  "Keep it.  If you're in any doubt, make a trip up to Azkaban.  Draco is being suitably punished for his deeds, I assure you."

He knows he is Occluding, that there is no possible way his own feelings about the prison could be known--and yet, Shacklebolt's gaze softens.

"I'm sorry about that, Snape," he rumbles, his voice low.  "Remus swore at me for turning you over to the Ministry, but..."

Severus shrugs.  "I expected no less."  And that, of course, is why Shacklebolt is on Severus' List of People Who Owe Him.

They stand, appraising each other for a moment, then Shacklebolt surprises him by holding out a hand.  After a pause, Severus grips the Auror's hand tightly.  He pulls away quickly, they nod to one another, and Severus leaves.

***

The wand shop is dark, as are all the shops along Diagon Alley.  Severus peers along the street, making certain no one is about.  A quick Disillusionment chills him, but is a necessary protection.  He darts across the street to skulk into the shadows by the door.  Crouching there, he examines the wards quickly, then whispers the words that will slip between the wards, allowing him inside without alerting anyone.

Inside, it is darker still.  He pauses just inside the door, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness.  Finally he feels secure enough to make his way from the door towards the counter, where he knows Ollivander always kept his records.  Something inside him is thrilling to this--he has always been good at breaking, entering, eavesdropping, pilfering.  He has not realised, until tonight, that some part of him has been bored.

Some larger part of him is terrified.

He has so much more to lose, now, if he is caught.  He is not risking only himself, nor even only himself and a few of Dumbledore's and the Order's secrets.  He is risking a man he loves with every fibre of his being.  He is risking that man's health and well-being.  He is risking that man's wrath.

He pushes away the fear and charms open the cabinets where Ollivander's files are kept.  A nonverbal spell has a soft, diffuse glow emanating from the end of his own wand.  He thinks--too late--that he should have kept the stolen wand and used it to commit this crime.

His fingers fly through the folders, and finally he comes to "Mulciber, M.", "Mulciber, P.", and "Mulciber, Y."  He removes the folders, leaving no record of Ollivander's ever having sold to them.  There are other wandmakers, of course, but no self-respecting pureblood wizard would ever buy from anyone else.  The information he needs to identify Mulciber's wand should be contained here.

He doesn't risk slipping out onto the street again.  Instead he Disapparates, going first to Scotland, then back to London, then to Dublin, before heading home to Halifax.  He is confident the break-in at the wand shop will go undetected, but even if it is detected, there should be no risk of being traced.

He lets himself into the house at Spinner's End just after one in the morning.  He expects Remus to be asleep, because Remus is not a man who keeps late hours.  He is unpleasantly surprised.

"Where have you been?"  Remus' voice is as tight as his jaw when the light suddenly flares in their bedroom.  Severus pauses with his shirt over his head, then decides to finish disrobing as if nothing is wrong.  Remus is sitting propped against the headboard, his gaze hard on Severus.

"Hunting," he replies, his voice clipped.

"Hunting?"  Remus' eyes reflect disbelief and anger...and hurt.  It is the last that gives Severus pause.  Whatever Remus thinks, it must be worse than simply breaking into a wand shop and stealing some records.

Severus draws the files out of his pocket and goes sheepishly to Remus' side, where he drops the folders on the bed.  Remus picks them up, studying them for a moment.  When he looks up, his expression is--if anything--darker.

"You broke into Ollivander's?  My God, Severus, what were you thinking?"  His voice is low, but it crackles with anger.  Severus shivers.

"I need to find Mulciber's wand.  This is the quickest way--"

"Did you ever consider simply asking the boy to give up that information?" Remus demands.  "Did you consider asking Kingsley or Arthur to utilize legal channels to get the information for you?"  His eyes are burning a hole in Severus.  "What would have happened if you had been caught?  What would I have done?  What would become of me, Severus, if you were thrown back in Azkaban?"

Severus' breath catches in his throat.  Why hasn't he thought of these questions himself, before now.  He shakes his head.  "The information was--"

"I am aware of how badly you need that information, despite your stubborn secrecy!  What I cannot understand is why you need it so urgently!  What made you think it was worth getting yourself imprisoned again?"  Remus' hands twitch, and Severus can tell his lover wishes to pace.

"Do you truly wish to know?" Severus asks, his voice low.  He feels warmed by the fact that Remus seems terrified by the prospect of losing Severus.

"Of course I do!"

"You must promise not to mock me or attempt to dissuade me."

"I promise."

Severus tells him.  He speaks of his idea that finding Mulciber's wand will tell them what specific curses were used on Remus.  He talks about the possibility of developing a countercurse to reverse the damage.  He carefully doesn't mention hope, though it needs no mention; it is alive in every word.  When he finally finishes talking, he is staring at the carpet, unable to quite meet Remus' eyes.

The silence seems to be a living thing, creeping into Severus' chest and stealing his breath, as he waits for Remus to say something.  Finally, when his ears are ringing and his mouth dry, he looks up.

Remus is crying.

A rush of shame fills Severus' lungs instead of air and he leans forward, appalled.

"Shh, nevermind," he says, putting his arms awkwardly around Remus and wishing he wouldn't cry.  Severus isn't certain what, exactly, has made Remus cry, but he can't stand the sight of the tears trickling down his lover's cheeks, only days after he swore he would never hurt Remus again.

"You--"  Remus lets out a shuddering breath and clutches at Severus.  "You would risk Azkaban for me?"

The question is like a Bludger to the head.  Remus isn't angry with him--it's something else.  But Severus is still confused, even if he knows why.

"Of course I would," he says, his voice matter-of-fact.  "Don't be daft, Remus, I would risk anything for you."

"I love you," Remus whispers.  "I love you, I love you."

Severus holds him, grateful that Remus has forgiven him for his risks.  After a long time, Remus relaxes against Severus.  He thinks Remus is sleeping, and shifts them both so Remus will be more comfortable.  A nonverbal spell darkens the room again, and Severus rests his cheek against Remus' hair.

"Thank you, Severus," Remus whispers, through the safety of the dark.  "Thank you for believing.  Thank you for never giving up hope.  Perhaps, with your belief, I can find my own again."