Banished: Chapter 31
May. 3rd, 2007 08:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zephyr_macabee“Welcome to Sedona, Mr. Lupin.” The agent collected the dream catcher portkey as Remus stepped down from the platform. “Your driver had an errand to run. He asked me to tell you he would be back in 20 minutes.”
Remus decided to step outside and take a look around. It was warm and the sky was a intense blue quite unlike a London sky. He drew a few curious stares before he doffed his traveling cloak and tucked it away in his jacket pocket. He found a bench in the shade of a huge oak tree and settled down to do a little people-watching. Remus was a connoisseur of human beauty, and this place was providing a bumper crop of prime specimens of both sexes. He indulged himself in a happy daydream of a time when his lycanthropy was under complete control and he was free to find long-term companionship and not the brief encounters that were his current lot.
One particular male caught his eye from down the block, standing with his back to Remus and conversing with a street vendor. He was tall and slim, fit but not muscle-bound, filling out a T shirt very nicely. He had a lovely butt accentuated by tight, black jeans and he wore cowboy boots. His hair was black, worn in a ponytail held by a silver clasp. From the back, he fulfilled all Remus’ criteria. Concluding his conversation, he shook hands with the vendor and turned in Remus’ direction.
Remus nearly fell off the bench. It was Severus, but not a Severus that Remus had ever seen before. His skin was tan, not sallow. The deep lines that used to etch his face were hardly visible. He looked healthy; he looked……delectable. Remus leapt to his feet and started walking in Severus’ direction.
Severus watched him approach. Remus was ghostly pale compared to the natives of Sedona, but he appeared to have been eating regularly and he was wearing new clothes, tweed jacket and trousers, of course. “Perhaps I should have listed exactly what kind of clothes to buy”, he mused. “Well, we can always stop at Wal-Mart. Why is he staring at me like that?” He stifled an impulse to check his fly.
“Hello Severus,” Remus came up to him, holding out his hand and smiling rather uncertainly.
Severus shook it. “Any problems on the trip Lupin?”
“No, no, everything was fine. You are looking very well, Severus, I think this place agrees with you.”
Severus did not know how to answer. Lupin was being friendly when he should be cold and aloof. Wasn’t he angry with Severus for what he had done?
Remus saw confusion on Severus’ face. That was a surprise. Severus never showed any emotion except anger. He could guess what he was thinking. Well, best to get it out of the way.
“Severus, I want you to know that I forgive you for what you did to me back in June, at Hogwarts. You were correct, I was a danger to the children, and I would have resigned that day on my own. The method you chose to force me out was cruel and made my life difficult for a time, but I don’t think you were truly in your right mind after what happened with Sirius and Minister Fudge. By inviting me here, I think you are trying to make up for your actions and I appreciate that. Can we be friends?” He held out his hands.
Severus was stunned. Remus was offering forgiveness and a chance to start afresh. The lump in his throat kept the words from coming out, so he nodded and took both Remus’ hands in his. Remus grinned at him and Severus returned the smile. Remus’ mouth fell open and he stepped back.
“Severus, what happened to your teeth?”
The tension was broken as Severus burst into laughter. He led Remus to the truck as he told him the story of Susan Barboya and Dr. Todd, who had prescribed a course of treatment for Severus that had resulted in white, straight and quite lovely teeth, just as Susan had promised.
As they drove out of town Severus offered his apology. “Looking back on it, I realized that I was punishing you for the humiliation I felt when Black escaped. You were the only target available so I did the worst thing to you that I could. I am so very sorry Lupin, and I will do what I can to make it up to you.”
“You have already done a lot, Severus, but there is one more thing you need to do.”
“What is that?” Severus braced himself.
“You must call me Remus.”
Severus relaxed. “As you wish, Remus. Are you hungry, Remus? We will be too late for lunch and too early for dinner if we drive to the Institute now. We can stop along the way.”
They ended up at the same café where Nat had taken Severus on his first day. It had become a favorite of Severus’. He suggested the chili, but made sure that Remus got the mild version. The waitress teased Severus about his own first chili experience. He teased her right back about her life-saving skills. Remus looked on in amazement; this version of Severus Snape was someone he wanted to know better. He was looking forward to his sojourn at the Institute.
http://zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com/14541.html
Remus decided to step outside and take a look around. It was warm and the sky was a intense blue quite unlike a London sky. He drew a few curious stares before he doffed his traveling cloak and tucked it away in his jacket pocket. He found a bench in the shade of a huge oak tree and settled down to do a little people-watching. Remus was a connoisseur of human beauty, and this place was providing a bumper crop of prime specimens of both sexes. He indulged himself in a happy daydream of a time when his lycanthropy was under complete control and he was free to find long-term companionship and not the brief encounters that were his current lot.
One particular male caught his eye from down the block, standing with his back to Remus and conversing with a street vendor. He was tall and slim, fit but not muscle-bound, filling out a T shirt very nicely. He had a lovely butt accentuated by tight, black jeans and he wore cowboy boots. His hair was black, worn in a ponytail held by a silver clasp. From the back, he fulfilled all Remus’ criteria. Concluding his conversation, he shook hands with the vendor and turned in Remus’ direction.
Remus nearly fell off the bench. It was Severus, but not a Severus that Remus had ever seen before. His skin was tan, not sallow. The deep lines that used to etch his face were hardly visible. He looked healthy; he looked……delectable. Remus leapt to his feet and started walking in Severus’ direction.
Severus watched him approach. Remus was ghostly pale compared to the natives of Sedona, but he appeared to have been eating regularly and he was wearing new clothes, tweed jacket and trousers, of course. “Perhaps I should have listed exactly what kind of clothes to buy”, he mused. “Well, we can always stop at Wal-Mart. Why is he staring at me like that?” He stifled an impulse to check his fly.
“Hello Severus,” Remus came up to him, holding out his hand and smiling rather uncertainly.
Severus shook it. “Any problems on the trip Lupin?”
“No, no, everything was fine. You are looking very well, Severus, I think this place agrees with you.”
Severus did not know how to answer. Lupin was being friendly when he should be cold and aloof. Wasn’t he angry with Severus for what he had done?
Remus saw confusion on Severus’ face. That was a surprise. Severus never showed any emotion except anger. He could guess what he was thinking. Well, best to get it out of the way.
“Severus, I want you to know that I forgive you for what you did to me back in June, at Hogwarts. You were correct, I was a danger to the children, and I would have resigned that day on my own. The method you chose to force me out was cruel and made my life difficult for a time, but I don’t think you were truly in your right mind after what happened with Sirius and Minister Fudge. By inviting me here, I think you are trying to make up for your actions and I appreciate that. Can we be friends?” He held out his hands.
Severus was stunned. Remus was offering forgiveness and a chance to start afresh. The lump in his throat kept the words from coming out, so he nodded and took both Remus’ hands in his. Remus grinned at him and Severus returned the smile. Remus’ mouth fell open and he stepped back.
“Severus, what happened to your teeth?”
The tension was broken as Severus burst into laughter. He led Remus to the truck as he told him the story of Susan Barboya and Dr. Todd, who had prescribed a course of treatment for Severus that had resulted in white, straight and quite lovely teeth, just as Susan had promised.
As they drove out of town Severus offered his apology. “Looking back on it, I realized that I was punishing you for the humiliation I felt when Black escaped. You were the only target available so I did the worst thing to you that I could. I am so very sorry Lupin, and I will do what I can to make it up to you.”
“You have already done a lot, Severus, but there is one more thing you need to do.”
“What is that?” Severus braced himself.
“You must call me Remus.”
Severus relaxed. “As you wish, Remus. Are you hungry, Remus? We will be too late for lunch and too early for dinner if we drive to the Institute now. We can stop along the way.”
They ended up at the same café where Nat had taken Severus on his first day. It had become a favorite of Severus’. He suggested the chili, but made sure that Remus got the mild version. The waitress teased Severus about his own first chili experience. He teased her right back about her life-saving skills. Remus looked on in amazement; this version of Severus Snape was someone he wanted to know better. He was looking forward to his sojourn at the Institute.
http://zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com/14541.html
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-05-04 06:50 pm (UTC)Snicker!
Well, we can always stop at Wal-Mart
How quickly he acclimatised! LOL!
Remus looked on in amazement; this version of Severus Snape was someone he wanted to know better.
I hope that Remus will change a little before that happens. He's not good enough as is for this new Severus!
no subject
Date: 2007-05-05 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-05-06 05:36 pm (UTC)annakas