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“This is the last dose, Remus.”
Severus Snape handed his friend the goblet he held in his hand. Remus took the potion and then looked at the Potions master, uncertain.
“I shouldn’t be here, I should have left like I usually do. What if it doesn’t work? You’ll be in danger if the transformation remains unchanged.”
“I’ve seen the research and I have gone over the theory carefully. It will work. I am certain of it. You will transform as usual, but you will retain your own mind.” Severus sighed as he realized that his words did not have the impact he had hoped. “Look, Remus, the Browns have Harry for the night. I’ve raised wards around this room so that you can’t escape and I will be activating more wards around me so that you can’t reach me. I’m also ready to apparate out at a moments notice. It’s as safe as I can make it and I need to be here. I need to see for myself that this will work. I also need to report back to Damocles on the success of this trial.”
Severus relaxed as Remus drank the potion. He quickly moved to the other side of the room from the werewolf and raised the wards around himself. He had been in communication with the creator of the wolfsbane potion for months. Damocles Belby was certain he had found a partial cure for the transformation that werewolves suffered from each month but he was having trouble finding werewolves who were willing to participate in the final testing, even anonymously. Severus had quickly volunteered his friend as a test subject, once he had satisfied himself as to the safety and likely effectiveness of the potion. Tonight would be the moment of truth.
The two men settled down to wait for moonrise. As the full moon appeared in the sky, Remus cried out in pain. The forceful transformation of his body to that of a wolf was not an easy one. Severus watched as his friend’s bones rearranged themselves and fur sprouted. He knew that there was nothing he could do to make the transformation easier but he could at least watch and be with the werewolf as it happened. Soon a panting wolf lay where Remus had been sitting. It slowly got to its feet and approached the wizard. Severus looked into the wolf’s eyes. Was his friend still in there?
“Remus - Moony, it’s me, Severus. Do you know me? Do you remember who you are?” It was only his command of Occlumency that kept Severus’ voice from shaking when he spoke. He had to draw on all of his years of mental discipline to keep from thinking of the first time he had faced the wolf. He would have died that night if it had not been for James Potter. He held his breath.
The wolf shook its muzzle and whined. It then sat before Severus and looked back at him. Severus exhaled in relief. There was a clear spark of intelligence in the wolf’s eyes. He let down the wards and cautiously approached his furry friend. Remus nuzzled the wizards outstretched hand and then curled up on the floor at his feet. Severus sat down and ran his hands over the wolf’s fur.
“It worked, Moony,” he whispered. “The potion worked. You will never lose yourself to the beast again.”
Remus huffed in reply. The wizard and the wolf sat together in silence, each warmed by the others presence.