Warning: 

The following content depicts graphic violence and gore. Reader discretion is advised.

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Laurel had her face pressed against the windowpane, trying to discern in the shadows of the night, the dark figure of the wizard who had just left the room. A second howl made her skin crawl with fear. Fear of thinking that Severus had really gone after the werewolf. She tried to locate where that terrible howl had come from, but under the full moon it was only possible to see the outline of the hills in the distance.

"He can't be that foolish." - she said to herself, anguished. - "He has gone to Hogwarts; he has gone back to the castle. He is safe".

She paced back and forth in front of the window, like a caged animal, trying to convince herself that if she repeated those words over and over again, they would become a reality. And even though she tried to swallow the fear, it stuck in her throat, stinging her insides.

"He is safe. He is at Hogwarts". - Her voice broke. – "He will be back".

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The wizard had apparated as suddenly and as silent as the shadow of a ghost, in the middle of that forgotten megalith, overrun with scrub and rubbish. The site was clearly used by some of the day laborers from neighbouring farms to spend their free time lounging around and drinking alcohol (given the huge number of beer bottles and cans) unseen by the scrutinizing eyes of their foremen.

In the dark, he noticed the footprints of the werewolf's massive paws and a bloodstained boot. The shreds of the garments of some unlucky man who had had the misfortune to come across the monster were caught in the bushes, indicating the path that Greyback must have taken when capturing its prey. He slowly raised his eyes until he saw a rock formation at the top of the hill. In the distance, he could hear the faint moans of a man. He took a firm step and apparated.

The stench of faeces and decomposing bodies was the first thing he felt as he moved to the entrance of a small cavern hidden among the rocks. His shiny shoes were stained as he materialized right over a large pool of blood and scattered around him, the carcasses of at least a dozen of what were once unsuspecting victims.

Pointing his wand at himself, Severus felt the icy spell run through his body, making him totally invisible and with anger still built up in his chest, he stepped into the darkness of the cavern. His eyes adjusted quickly: Greyback, transformed into a hulking beast, was holding the mangled body of a young Muggle. Its prey was still alive, his erratic and hyperventilated breathing, his legs flapping in the air, were proof of this; but his mutilated neck, his face turned into a mass of flesh and his eyeball hanging from a socket, left no doubt that the wretch would have the fortune to die in the next few seconds. Greyback ripped off an arm with a snout full of sharp fangs, making a sinister noise as it parted flesh and bone. A stream of thick blood shot out, staining the rock walls and splattering the wizard's face, who, unfazed, moved a little closer to the beast. It did not seem to notice the presence of Severus, as it was busy licking the blood that smeared it completely and growling in such a macabre way that it almost seemed a laugh. The wild blue eyes were fixed on the corpse and with its claws, cracked open the rib cage, beginning to tear off pieces of bloody organs, devouring them eagerly.

Severus wasted no more time, using his utter hatred and disgust, he began to walk in circles around the werewolf, widdershins, reciting in his mind, the dark incantation to paralyze and trap the beast in his magic circle. Turning around for the sixth time, he pulled a small bag of dried sage, aconite, and moonstone powder out of his pocket, and knowing Greyback would immediately realize it was being trapped, he put aside any stealth. He ran like lightning, flinging the contents of the bag in the direction of the werewolf and completed the seventh circle.

Fenrir Greyback let out a demonic howl when it felt how the entire weight of its body seemed to crush hard against the filthy ground, being immobilized on top of the corpse that seconds before it was feeding of. The eyes, glowing in the dark, turned desperately, searching for the culprit. Its pointy ears twitched, trying to locate the intruder and it was then that Severus removed the invisibility spell, bending one knee to the filthy ground and getting as close as he could to the magic circle.

"Greyback". - he whispered as he spat angrily at the werewolf. – "I'm going to make it very clear to you what happens to the sons of bitches who want to interfere in my work".

Getting back to his feet, gnashing his teeth, he brandished his wand in a sweeping motion:

"Sectumsempra!"

This time it was Greyback's own blood that stained the cavern floor and walls. A howl of pain came from its throat, mixed with roars of rage. The curse cut had struck square in the face, wounding one eye and severing part of an ear.

Severus didn't stop there, he continued to lacerate the body of the beast with the dark curse, brandishing his wand in hatred, every move devoted to revenge.

"I am not so worth it".

"Damn, you're worth everything, Laurel". - He thought.

Sweat was beginning to break out on his forehead. He stripped off his cloak and dropped to the ground, dizzy with the effort, the rage in his gut, and the terrible stench of the place. Not a single inch of skin was left intact, the werewolf was writhing on the ground, despite its enormous strength, it was not possible to escape the dark magic that Severus had used to trap it. Greyback let out those grunts that seemed like laughter and kept its good eye fixed on the wizard who at that moment was trying not to vomit.

"I'll make the Akardos moan my name, Snape". - thought the beast, knowing full well that the wizard would be able to read its mind. - "I'll fuck that whore and tear her skin off. You'll be lucky if you find a piece of her body..."

Severus could not control himself, rushing into the magic circle, he lashed out madly at the werewolf with his fists, striking it wildly. This was what Greyback expected. Opening its huge jaws, it tried to bite him on the neck, but he could realize its intentions in time. Cursing himself for being so foolish to allow himself to be provoked and trapped, he materialized a dagger and drove it with all his might into its snout. Greyback let out a whimper and shook its head violently, trying to get rid of the dagger, a moment Severus used to escape and get safely out of the circle.

"Crucio!" - He shouted, breathless. – "It's a shame you can't use your voice to beg for your life".

He pointed his wand at the bloody body contorting in pain, ready to utter the killing curse. Beads of sweat clouded his vision and trickled down the tip of his nose, nausea made his mouth fill with thick saliva, and the dizziness had now turned into a terrible headache. He had to end this once and for all. He longed to get out of there soon. He felt sick, he wanted to go back to the Malfoy Manor again, he wanted to feel Laurel's embrace, the smell of perfumed soap on her hair...

"I will not allow you to stain your hands. You are not a murderer. Promise me you're not going to do something stupid".

Severus paused, wand still raised in the air, the unforgivable curse ready to come out of his mouth.

"Do it now, you bastard! I don't have the whole fucking night!" - Greyback's incandescent gaze was fixed on his black eyes.

He was exhausted, all the contempt and rancour he had used in his dark magic spells had consumed him, leaving him disoriented. Laurel believed he wasn't evil, she trusted him. If she could see him right now...

"Scared, Snape? The Dark Lord's arse-licker, incapable of slaying a werewolf?"

Severus laughed. A dry, cold, malicious laugh that made Greyback desist from further provoke him. Still pointing his ebony wand at it, he approached the beast, stepping back into the circle. With his free hand he tore violently the dagger that was still stuck in the snout, letting out with it a haemorrhage that soaked his robes. He pressed hard on Greyback's neck with the tip of his wand, preventing any movement and using the sharp dagger, he amputated one of the animal's fingers whispering:

"This is just a warning, Fenrir. Next time, it won't be your finger that I'm going to cut off".

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Laurel kept walking around the suite, begging, waiting for some sign, not really knowing what to expect. If he was in Hogwarts, there was really nothing to worry about. She should simply go to bed, try to sleep, time would run faster that way. But she was incapable to do so. The sinking feeling in her chest would never allow it. Her hands were tickling, she had to do something with them, keep herself busy. She moved to the stores cabinet and began pulling out the ingredients needed to create the Calming Draught that she had been practicing for the past few days. She wished she could use it on herself, but at least she would be distracted for a couple of hours while she brewed it. Letting out a shaky sigh, she opened the jar with the preserved crocodile hearts and began taking them out one by one, weighing them carefully.

The pendulum clock was already striking four in the morning. She eyed it with a reprimanding look, blaming it for her anxiety. The potion was boiling in the cauldron and a soothing scent of peppermint filled the room. The woman began to clean the table, putting the ingredients back in the cabinet, her eyes turning to the door every two seconds, listening carefully for the noise of the doorknob, her heart skipped a beat, and that was when she knew that Severus had finally returned.

She left everything she had in her hands on the table and ran to where the tall wizard was standing. With her heart pounding, she appraised him quickly, brushing his dirty hair from his face. The first thing that caught her eye was the splatters of blood on his pale, clammy skin. Then she noticed the enormous amount of dark red stains that soaked his robes, barely hidden by the black fabric. Dripping from his cloak, a nasty smelling liquid.

Severus was stunned to see Laurel standing in front of him, the lights fully on and the unmistakable scent of the Calming Draught, filling the chambers.

"I didn't think I would find you awake". - He said in a whisper, embarrassed to see himself discovered.

He didn't want Laurel to know that he had gone after Greyback, not after the conversation they had had. She trusted him and yet, he hadn't listened to her words. It would have been more sensible to go to Hogwarts directly, but the irrepressible desire to see her after that brutal episode was stronger. He had hoped to sneak in, clean himself quietly, and say goodbye to the sleeping woman with one last look, before having to go back to his tedious work at Hogwarts.

"Did he bite you?" - Was all she asked without taking her eyes off the bloodstains.

"No".

Laurel removed his cloak and dropped it to the ground. Taking his hand, she led him to the bathroom and made him sit on a small bench next to the bathtub, while she dampened a towel and began to wipe the blood from his face, searching for any wounds, any scratches he might have. Her eyes roamed meticulously over the sallow skin, and Severus couldn't help but blush as her fingers began to undo the collar of his frock coat, undoing the knot in his cravat, leaning so close to him that he could feel her warm breath against the nape of his neck.

"I'm fine, Laurel". - He whispered nervously.

She did not answer him, kneeling in front of him, she continued unbuttoning his robes, one button at a time. For an instant, Severus had thought of using magic - as he normally did - to make the task easier for her, but he realized he felt an enormous satisfaction watching Laurel's fingers loosen one by one, the long row of black buttons. He swallowed hard as her delicate hands descended to the height of his belt and he could feel his anatomy awaken. He desperately sought the woman's gaze, trying to see some sign that would clarify what exactly was happening. He was feeling lost, shy, undeniably horny, but Laurel just kept her eyes fixed on her task. She proceeded to unbutton the sleeves of his frock coat as well, removing the blood-soaked garment and leaving him with his white shirt.

Suddenly, the woman leaned toward him, and Severus let out an aroused growl.

"Laurel". - He purred.

But to his utter shame, Laurel had only reached down to turn on the bathtub tap. Severus felt his face burn and he was about to apologise, but when he saw the woman's absorbed gaze, checking the temperature of the water with the back of her hand, he believed she had not heard him.

Laurel cleared her throat a little and stood up, going to the sink to rinse off the towel. She looked at Severus through the mirror, her voice edgy and concerned.

"¿Did he hurt you, Severus? Tell me the truth".

"He could not touch me. I am fine. I swear".

She turned back to him, towel in hand and removed his shirt unceremoniously. He flinched a bit, ashamed by the appearance of his scrawny, scarred body; he tried to hide the dark mark as best he could from Laurel's sight. She continued her search, her cleaning, the tip of her fingers tracing the scars left by punishments he had to endure during his rise to the higher ranks of the Death Eaters. She was wise enough not to ask about them.

"There is so much blood". – She said, kneeling once again in front of him.

"It is not my blood".

Laurel nodded to his answer, afraid of asking, afraid to know. She untied his shoelaces and pulled them off along with his socks, comforting his tired feet with the cold towel, showing complete devotion to him. She loved him. She realised that night while brewing the potion, she loved Severus, the potion master; while waiting for his return, he loved Severus, the reckless idiot; while cleaning his body, she loved Severus, the timid spy. She was afraid to learn that she also loved Severus, the murderer.

She let out a sigh when his hands cupped her face, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"Greyback won't bother you anymore. I have made it clear to him".

"So, you haven't...?"

"It would have been better to kill him, but I thought of you. You asked me not to".

Laurel, dropped the towel to the floor, took his hands away from her face and held them between hers, examining them, caressing them. She took her time to speak:

"When Tobias told me about those terrible incidents with his family, many times I wished I could be there. I wished I had the power to stop all that". - She brought her hand to his chin and delicately traced the fine scar that had remained after receiving a strong blow from his father at the age of thirteen. - "Even without knowing you, I always felt the need to protect you. But in the end, it was you who ended up saving me. You are the one who is always protecting me. I wish I could do much more for you".

Severus realised then that Laurel really knew so much about his life, maybe even more than what he had shared with Lily. He blushed thinking he hadn't learned much about hers. He made a mental note to make sure he corrected that mistake.

"You do too much already, Laurel". – He answered her. – "But I wouldn't say no, to a swig of that Calming Draught".

The woman's face lit up with a smile.

"Do you trust that it won't hurt you? It's the first time that I think I manage to do it right".

"It is brewed to perfection. I know from the smell. But you must put out the fire right now".

Laurel chuckled and got up quickly, she went to the steaming cauldron and put out the flames. She carefully extracted a vial of the potion, which despite having been boiling for almost half an hour, it felt cold to the touch. Before turning around, she noticed the small test tube with the sample she had taken the day before. The silver foam, still swirling despite not being moved for hours. Taking both vials, she then went to the trunk containing the wizard's clothing and selected some garments that would be comfortable for him.

She went back to the bathroom, Severus was on his feet, throwing some salts and soap into the hot tub. Laurel blushed when she saw him. His bare chest, glistening from the steam of the hot water. Despite his slim appearance, his shoulders were well shaped, his pecs were marked, the two v-grooves running down from his lower abdomen until disappearing into his trousers. Her legs shivered slightly as she remembered the large lump in his crotch that she had noticed a few minutes ago and the lustful way he had called her name.

"I have brought you some clothes." - She said with a trembling voice. – "And the draught".

She put the clothes on the bench, watching as Severus downed the content in one gulp. His breathing became much calmer immediately, and a slight smile appeared on his face.

"Very good, Laurel. You make me proud".

They both stared at each other, unsure of what to do next.

"I... I will wait outside".

Severus nodded.

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The Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was sitting behind his desk, facing the class of sixth-year students. As usual, the Slytherins and Gryffindors had to attend the class together, which sometimes lead to threats and bullying in the classroom, nonetheless, under the gloomy and commanding presence of Severus Snape not even one of his students dared to utter a word. Of course, none except for:

"What are we supposed to be doing right now?" - Harry whispered to Ron.

They had arrived in class almost fifteen minutes ago, finding Snape sitting at the desk. His fathomless eyes fixed on a crumpled parchment, a test tube glinting faint silver in his hand.

"I have no idea". - The redhead whispered back, looking at the professor from the side. – "I don't think he is aware that we are here".

"He's already lost his mind..."

Hermione tried to silence Harry's comments, but it was too late.

"Silence, Potter." - Snape said without looking at him. – "Ten points from Gryffindor."

Looking up for the first time since he had discovered that vial and Laurel's note in the pocket of his coat, he decided to dismiss the class.

"I expect a two-roll parchment essay on necromantic curses by Thursday in my desk. No excuses."

When the students left and the classroom fell silent again, he reread once more the Akardos's words, written in in a handwriting that was clearly not yet used to quill and ink:

Severus,

I am sorry, I could not inform you personally about this result, I had to allow you some peace and quiet before heading back to Hogwarts.

As you can see, it is quite an interesting reaction. Concoction No. 93, mixture of wolfbane at 38%, silver shavings at 34%, moonstone powder at 28%, mature leeches' juice as base. Immediate reaction upon blood adding at 15:48. It may lead to somewhere!

I am wating for you.

- L.