Master and the Wolf

Amazon.com - The World of Harry Potter

Amazon.co.uk - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2 Disc Special Edition) [2007]

Author: Bretta
Title: Hopeless
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG
Warnings: slash.obviously
E-mail: brody35@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: If I owned them do you think I'd share? I don't, don't sue.
Summary: 38) Remus didn't realize that he was in love with Snape. Until he instinctively took the hit that was meant for the snarky Potions Master.

Remus Lupin was a hopeless romantic. Considering what his life had been, one wouldn't have thought him so. Yet he was caught up in the great tales of romance, the flowers, the chocolates and the whispered promises of love. He was not foolish enough to believe he would ever have that sort of life or love; then again this may have accounted for his fascination in romance itself.

Another reason for his obsession may have been his beastly nature that over took him every moon. He had so convinced himself that only those completely in love or as romantic as he could ever live with this beast. He searched for the one to accept his more violent side.

Remus Lupin had never fallen in love in the pure romantic sense. He'd loved his family and friends but never the true devotion he believed love to be. He'd lusted, obsessed, and controlled, but never been accepted in all ways of love.

He had been told that when you were in love, you just knew, there was no confusion, and there was no question. The moment you fell in love with said person you knew, and it could no longer be denied. So it was much to his surprise that he finally found himself in love. It was not something that came suddenly but had obviously developed over time and had lay dormant in his continuing quest for romance and the perfect partner.

He had also always thought as soon as he'd found his love, he would have the time to express and explain his feelings to said person. What he never expected was to lose everything when he'd finally found the only thing he'd ever been searching for.

He had watched intently from his battle position as his soon to be known object of love was in danger. He watched in horror as the man stumbled under the weight of curses that a betrayed deatheater had sent his way. The Dark Lord's servant raised his wand, ready to make the final blow. The blood pulsed strongly in Remus' ears as he propelled himself from his crouch and raced towards his doomed love.

It wasn't until he felt the green light hit him squarely in the chest that he realized the truth. He'd loved and not known. He'd found the one and would not let him die. The irony of the situation brought a smile to his face as his source of life was taken. An exchange. His life, for the final discovery and the greatest act of romance.

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Severus Snape was not a romantic man. He hardly believed in the foolishness of love and sacrifice for love. There was lust and obsession but love was merely some Gryffindor excuse to shag each other senseless.

Those who believed in that sort of thing were obviously so lacking in themselves that they needed to search to fill the void. He sneered at every developing teenage couple and smirked when they broke up, which they almost always did. He was rewarded with the impossibility of romance and lack of love everlasting. He was allergic to roses, despised chocolate and that vile muggle drink, champen, or something. He saw no immortality in candlelight dinners, or snuggling in front of a cozy fire, and the shrieking shack incident during school had eliminated the beautifulness of moonlight walks. For him the only thing that existed was the primal attraction of hormones, which in many cases could be controlled.

He never wished for something more in his life and didn't search for someone to love him. He always left before something came to that point. It wasn't a fear of commitment but the belief in the impossibility of commitment.

People were animals, they cheated, deceived and were not capable of the kind of thing written in stories and sighed over by teenagers in puppy love.

Therefore it was little surprise to him that he never missed the company of someone after they were gone, he didn't lay at night wishing there could be something more, because there simply wasn't.

This philosophy was so engrained in his mind that the only romantic moment he had or would ever experience, occurred without him understanding the implications. He stumbled as the blood started to flow in his eyes and fell to his knee. He did not have regrets as death seemed to be approaching him. The sun blared down as he saw the wand being raised. His eyes remained steely and he stared in defiance waiting for the final blow.

His mind could not process as the wide shadow of a scraggly man blocked his view and darkened the harshness of the sun. The green light from the wand hit the man and Severus watched in horror as his saviour landed heavily on the ground. Severus' mind registered that he was still in danger, his wand was drawn and the deatheater fell as Severus coughed out a curse. He stumbled towards his fallen hero cursing the man for putting him in debt again.

He turned the crumpled man over and gently removed the greying hair from the man's face. His eyes darkened as he took in the beautifully peaceful face of his school rival. In vain frustration and shock he shook the man. Knowing nothing could be done, yet he continued his hopeless task. The heroic death and final moment, Remus Lupin found his romance. And Severus Snape avoided his commitment.

But as the snarky potion's master stared at the ashen face he suddenly realized, that he had not hated the werewolf. He had in fact; he had rather liked the man and might even say he'd miss him.