Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery

Chapter 97 ~ Busted and Informed

At ten o’clock that night, Remus apparated on the corner of the boulevard, a distance from Isadora’s flat. He had enough presence of mind to go and get a haircut and shave, and was dressed in new robes. He walked toward her flat, checking to see how many muggles were about. Not many at all. He turned into her small yard.

Yes! A light was on inside. She must be there. Remus growled deep in his throat as his erection throbbed. If she were there, she would accept him. She must.

The aroused wizard once again went around to the back of the flat. This time it didn’t take him as long to bore through the wards and enter the house. Quietly he made his way through the kitchen. He didn’t light his wand, using the light coming from under the crack of the kitchen door from the living room to guide him. He approached the door and stood there listening, breathing heavily from desire. He couldn’t scent her however. He heard a slight noise. She was in the living room. He opened the door and walked through…to find Severus sitting at the computer terminal Remus used, staring at the screen intently.

“Good evening, Remus,” Severus said, still staring at the screen.

Remus blinked at the Potions Master.

“Where…where is Isadora? I …I …need to see her,” Remus said, a low growl in his voice.

Severus looked at him for a moment, then rose from the chair and stood facing him.

“My mother is not here, Remus. She is with my wife and children. I assure you, you will not seek her out there,” the Potions Master evenly. “And by the growl in your voice, I daresay you are not just interested in seeing her.”

“I want her, Severus!” Remus growled, drawing his wand. “You will take me to her.”

Severus drew his own wand.

“I will not take you anywhere near my mother, Remus. The only reason you aren’t blasted to hell right now is because I promised my mother I wouldn’t harm you should I find you here,” Severus hissed at him. “But if you attack me, I will feel no remorse about hexing a hole in you. That would break my mother’s heart, but it is your call, werewolf.”

For a moment, Remus faltered as he imagined Isadora’s grief if either he or Severus were injured or killed dueling each other. Then he lowered his wand, and walked over to the sofa and sat down.

“I can’t do without her. It’s driving me mad!” Remus said, laying his wand on the cushion beside him and holding his head in his hands.

“You’ve only two more days to go Remus. Now listen, I am here for two reasons. The first being you’ve used dark magic to get through Hermione’s wards, so my mother is no longer safe from you while you have the means to do this. So firstly Remus, you will give me your wand to hold until the animal influence is containable. Without it, you will not be able to gain entrance here. As long as it is in your possession, she is not safe. So hand it over, or I will take it by force,” Severus said coldly, his black eyes fixed on the wolf.

Still thinking of Isadora, Remus picked up his wand and tossed it to Severus, who caught it neatly and deposited it in his robes pocket.

“The second reason I am here Remus, is that I have the cure completed to end your malady,” he said.

Remus looked up at him in disbelief.

“So quickly?” the werewolf asked him.

“I had already completed much of the research and initial experimentation years ago. I was quite close to a cure when I stopped working on it, due to other more pressing duties. But…the cure is dangerous. It requires three applications of potions and will be quite painful. And it will have to be administered on the night of the full moon, just before the moon rises. You will still have to be shackled during its administration and there is a very good chance you won’t survive the cure if I cannot get the other potions in you in time.

But if I can administer all the potions in a timely manner, you will no longer transform during the full moon, although you will retain much of your animal nature. It has been with you so long, it is now part of your psychological make-up. But for all intents and purposes, you will be fully human again and permanently cured of your malady.”

Remus could not believe it. He sat in silence on the couch, his desire for Isadora momentarily wiped from his mind as he absorbed what the Potions Master had said. He could be cured…there was risk involved, but his entire life was a risk. As a recognized human, he would no longer fall under the laws of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, be taken off the Werewolf Registry, freed from the watchful eye of the Werewolf Capture Unit and have full rights under the law. He could travel where he wished, not be discriminated against in public establishments, he could even marry and reproduce. Was he willing to face possible death to acquire these rights?

He was very willing.

“I need to inform you, Remus…that my mother is against you taking the cure, although it was she who asked me to make it for you. She feels it is too risky and that you may lose your life. I know it is in your nature to kowtow to her every wish, and actually it is the one characteristic you have I approve of concerning her…but in this instance, Remus…you have to be a man and take control of your own destiny. All your life you have been apologetic for living, keeping your head low, accepting mistreatment of yourself, accepting the mistreatment of others…”

Here Severus paused a bit. This was as close as he ever intended to get to taking the werewolf to task for his lack of action when the Marauders attacked the Potions Master when they were students at Hogwarts together. The offending Marauders were all dry bones and dust now. It was time to let such things go.

“…this is your one opportunity to shed all of that, and take a your rightful place in wizarding society, a place that was stolen from you by a single bite received as a child. You are very lucky, Remus. It is not everyone that gets a second chance at life,” Severus said, thinking about Hermione and his sons. “I suggest you not pass on this opportunity, Remus, not even for the sake of my own mother.”

Severus walked to the front door of the flat and took down the wards.

“Come Remus, it’s time to leave the flat. You will see my mother soon enough. I will return your wand two days from now. I will also collect it again, three days before the next full moon. Hopefully it will be the last time I have to collect it,” the Potions Master said evenly.

Remus stood up and followed Severus out of Isadora’s flat. He still wanted the witch, but Severus’ news about the cure had taken precedence in his mind. That would be what the wizard would dream about tonight, and for the next nights to come.

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“Remus, it is too dangerous. I absolutely forbid you to take that cure!” Isadora raved, pacing back and forth in front of the sofa that Remus sat on, calmly watching the witch that meant so much to him rant and make demands.

“So you would rather I continue to transform every month for the rest of my life and live as less than a second-class citizen, Isadora?” he asked her.

Isadora looked at him, knowing what she was going to say next was extremely selfish.

“Yes, if it means you’ll be alive,” she said, scowling at him.

“Isadora, it was you who told me living is better than surviving,” Remus said softly, “You’ve been good to me, given me an opportunity to earn decent money, but money isn’t the answer to everything. I cannot travel when or where I wish. I make travel arrangements to places I can never see as a werewolf.”

Isadora stopped pacing and stared at Remus as he continued.

“At anytime the Werewolf Capture Unit can throw me against a wall, make me empty my pockets, take what they please and ask about my whereabouts on any given day. I’m not allowed to marry, Isadora. I am not allowed to have children. I am not allowed in certain establishments.”

“No matter how much money I make that won’t change, in fact, my money can be seized at any time for whatever reason they want to drum up, and I’d have no legal recourse. Werewolves aren’t eligible to take legal action because I am considered an animal. Animals don’t go to court,” he said to the witch.

“I need to take that cure, Isadora. You see me as a man, but the rest of the wizarding world sees me as a werewolf. I have to get that geis lifted from me so I can live as a man. Don’t you understand?” Remus asked her, “I have to take that cure, and I will…whether you support me or not, Isadora…though I sincerely hope you will.”

Isadora stared at Remus. This was the first time, other than the ‘boxer’ incident that he had refused to do as she asked. But he had good reason. As sweet and meek as Remus was, he was still a strong man. She sighed. Again what she was going to say was incredibly selfish.

“I will support you, Remus, but only if I can be there to see you take it. I want to be there in case…in case…”

Isadora’s eyes filled with tears. She couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“I’m sure your son has no desire to see you unhappy, Isadora. Severus will do all he can to give me the cure as quickly as possible. But, your presence might be distracting to me,” he said gently.

“I want to be there, Remus,” Isadora said stubbornly.

Remus sighed, then folded as he always did.

“Very well, Isadora. I will talk to Severus,” he said.

“I’ll talk to him too,” Isadora said, scowling.

Remus looked at her worriedly. He had a feeling that this talk between mother and son would be more like a clash of the Titans than a reasonable conversation.

Though he had no doubt who would win.

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A/N: Whew, another chapter done. Please review.

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The Burning Pen

Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery
by Ruth Solomon

The story content is adult in nature and can contain graphic sex and violence. Those under the age of 18 are asked to leave this site immediately. You are not welcome here. The author is not responsible for those under-aged who view these works.

CHAPTER 98

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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