Entry tags:
FIC: A Sort of Fairytale, Part 5; end
Title: A Sort of Fairytale, Part 5
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Snape/Lupin
Word count: 6513
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part. Characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except for Death, who belongs to Neil Gaiman.
Author's notes: Canon compliant up to HBP, more or less, but I made up my own ending to the series, although I borrowed a few crucial elements from DH. I borrowed the character Death from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series; she also appears in my story The Revenant. You don't need to be familiar with the Sandman comics/graphic novels in order to follow this story, although I've thrown in a few little in-jokes for Gaiman fans.
Summary: Written for the Trading Places challenge on
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif){kind=small}
lupin_snape, and based on ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
karasu_hime's lovely artwork. The day of the production arrives, but will Sirius's plan actually work?
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
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The day of the production finally arrived, and the students, at least, were having a grand time. Flitwick found time outside of the play rehearsals to also coach the school choir, and informal groups of students had banded together to put on plays, sing songs, juggle, and do acrobatics. A pair of Gryffindor boys even did a comedy routine.
However, Snape and Remus saw none of it, because they were locked up in their rooms, nervously pacing back and forth, over and over again until Sirius thought that they'd wear a path down in the carpets. Remus kept going over his lines, and every now and then he'd take a little velvet-covered box out of his pocket and mutter, "You're a Gryffindor; you can do this! Just be brave!"
Sirius grinned. It looked like Moony would be fine; now it was time to check up on Snape. It was about an hour before showtime, and the Slytherin had broken out into a nervous sweat and decided to take a shower. Sirius had no desire to see Snape naked, and was about to leave when he got a glimpse of the bottle of shampoo sitting on a small shelf on the shower wall. It was a medicinal Muggle brand, probably bought to combat the greasiness of Snape's hair, although it didn't seem to be very effective, judging by the results.
"So you do care about how you look, after all, eh Snape?" Sirius chuckled. "And I doubt that you're trying to make yourself pretty for Dumbledore or McGonagall's sake! All right then, your fairy godfather will help you out a bit, for Moony's sake!" He waved his wand and a cloud of glittering sparks descended on the shampoo bottle.
Snape didn't notice anything out of the ordinary until he opened the bottle and poured out the shampoo, which smelled sweet and flowery. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed. "Someone switched my shampoo?" He looked around suspiciously and muttered, "If Black were still alive, I'd suspect him of pulling some idiot prank...but I suppose he's just on my mind because of that dream." He examined the shampoo more closely, then said, "Well, it seems to be normal shampoo, although I still don't know how it got here. I wonder if the bloody house-elves switched it?" He sighed irritably and muttered, "Well, I'll just have to use it; I don't have time to go out and buy another bottle right now, but I'm going to have a little talk with the elves after this play is over!"
After Snape had washed and dried his hair, it turned out suprisingly sleek and shiny and not at all greasy. "Hmm," Snape said thoughtfully, gazing at himself in the mirror as he combed his hair. "Maybe I will stick with this brand, after all." Then he scowled at himself and said, "What am I thinking?! It's not as if clean hair is going to shrink my nose or magically make me more attractive."
"Remus finds you attractive the way you are, nose and all," Sirius told him, and Snape frowned and glanced around the room.
"I thought I heard...no, it must be my imagination," he muttered. "Why the hell have I been dreaming about Sirius Black, anyway?!" Then he quickly got dressed and hurried down to the Great Hall as Sirius followed.
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A stage had been magically constructed at the front of the Great Hall, where the head table normally was. The small antechamber behind it served as a backstage area and dressing room; screens had been set up to give the men and women some privacy for costume changes.
All the students had assembled in the Hall, and appeared to be eagerly awaiting the performance. Dumbledore walked out onto the stage and said, "Welcome, students, to the faculty's presentation of Cinderella!" There was enthusiastic applause, which Dumbledore accepted with a polite bow, and then he began the narration.
"Once upon a time, there was a young boy of noble birth called Ashton. Tragically, his mother died young, and his loving father took a second wife, a widow with two children of her own, so that his son might have a mother. She pretended to treat Ashton kindly at first, but as soon as Ashton's father died of an untimely illness, the Wicked Stepmother showed her true colors."
The curtain rose to reveal McGonagall, Sinistra, Hagrid, and Snape on the stage, in "Cinderella's" home. McGonagall looked appropriately haughty and arrogant, and the male students whistled and cheered at the sight of Sinistra in her slinky black gown. All the students giggled at the sight of Hagrid, who looked silly and sheepish in his fancy dress robes, and then their mouths fell open in shock when they spotted Snape clad in his faded, patched robes, down on his hands and knees, scrubbing the floor with a sour look on his face.
"The Stepmother took control of the family fortune," Dumbledore continued. "And she and her children treated poor Ashton like a servant, forcing him to do all the cooking and cleaning, and to wait on them hand and foot. They gave him only rags to wear, and he was not even allowed a bed to sleep on, but instead was forced to sleep on the hearth, where he was covered with soot and ashes from the fireplace."
"Ashton?" Sinistra laughed mockingly. "I think I'll call you Ash Boy instead; it suits him better, don't you think, dear brother?"
"Er...yeah," Hagrid agreed nervously as Snape glared at him. "A filthy Ash Boy, all covered in soot." And then, in a loud whisper that carried throughout the hall, he added, "Sorry, Professor, yeh know I don' really mean it, right?"
"Shut up and stick to the script, you oaf," Snape hissed back at him.
The audience burst into laughter, and over at the Gryffindor table, Sirius heard Ginny say, "They turned the play into a comedy! How clever!"
"I'm not sure that the comedy was intentional," Hermione replied doubtfully.
"Boy, I never knew that Professor Sinistra was so hot!" Ron blurted out. Hermione glared at him, and he added hastily, "Er...but not as hot as you?"
"Oh, just keep your mouth shut before you stick your foot any farther into it!" she snapped, then turned back to watch the play.
"I wonder how Dumbledore convinced Snape to act in this play?" Harry wondered.
"Probably blackmail," Hermione replied matter-of-factly. "There's no way that he'd ever do this voluntarily."
"Pretty close," Sirius acknowledged. "Dumbledore threatened to fire him." None of the Gryffindors could hear him, of course, but Luna Lovegood cast a curious glance his way from the Ravenclaw table.
Back on the stage, the Stepmother and stepsiblings continued to bully and harass Snape. The students laughed at these antics at first, but turned pale and quickly fell silent when Snape cast murderous looks their way.
"I'm taking points off anyone who laughs at me once this farce is over," he muttered sullenly under his breath.
The curtain came down for a quick scene change, then rose again to reveal Madam Pomfrey sitting on a throne. "Meanwhile," Dumbledore said, "the Queen summoned her son, Prince Charming, to the throne room."
Remus walked onto the stage, bowed, and said, "You summoned me, my lady Mother?"
"I'm not getting any younger, Charming," Pomfrey informed him bluntly. "Someday soon you will be King, and it's about time for you to settle down and get married."
"But Mother, I don't know anyone that I wish to marry," Remus protested.
"I've taken care of all that," Pomfrey assured him. "I will hold a great ball, to which every eligible young man and maiden in the kingdom shall be invited. Surely you can find someone who fits your fancy among them."
"Um...why are you inviting both men and women, Mother?" Remus asked timidly.
"Why, to give you more options to choose from, of course," Pomfrey replied as the audience giggled. "Do you think it's escaped my notice that handsome young men attract your attention far more than pretty young girls?" Remus blushed, and the audience laughed again.
"You must do your duty, my son, but I want you to be happy," Pomfrey continued. "I don't care whether you marry a man or a woman, but I expect you to choose a bride or a groom from among the ball guests. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Mother," Remus replied meekly.
The curtain fell and rose up again on the residence of Ashton and his family. A messenger, played by Filch, delivered an invitation to the Prince's ball.
"This is our chance!" McGonagall said triumphantly. "If one of you marries the Prince, then we can all live in luxury for the rest of our lives!"
"What about me, Stepmother?" Snape asked sourly. "The invitation is addressed to all the young men and women of the household."
"You?" McGonagall scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous! You can't possibly attend a ball in those rags! Now get to work on your brother's and sister's robes! Everything must be perfect for the ball!"
After the three of them left for the ball, Snape said, "Oh, woe is me. I wish I could attend the ball, too." Sirius knew that the directions in the script said that the lines were to be spoken "wistfully," but Snape said them with such acid and cutting sarcasm that the audience couldn't help but laugh, even with the threat of Snape glaring at them and silently threatening detention and lost points.
"Oh, but you shall, my boy!" Flitwick declared dramatically as he floated down onto the stage, to the sound of more laughter. "I am here to make your dreams come true, dear Ashton!"
"And just who are you?" Snape asked.
"Why, your fairy godfather, of course!"
"This sounds suspiciously familiar," Snape muttered under his breath.
"Excuse me?" Flitwick asked, looking puzzled.
"I said, I can't go to the ball in these rags," Snape replied, returning to the scripted lines.
"Oh, that's no problem," Flitwick said, waving his wand, and a moment later, Snape was clad in the black robes and mask that Sirius had created. "And here, a present from me." He slipped the glass serpent bracelet onto Snape's wrist.
"And how I am supposed to get there?" Snape demanded, a bit more imperiously than the scripted role called for. "The castle is too far away for me to walk there."
"That is no problem at all, my dear boy," Flitwick replied. "Just fetch me a pumpkin from the garden, a mouse, and a lizard." He transformed the pumpkin into a carriage, the mouse into a Thestral, and the lizard into a coachman--or rather, coachwoman, since she was played by Madam Hooch. She smiled and bowed, holding the carriage door open for Snape, who stepped into it with a resigned scowl on his face.
"Just remember that the spell will only last until the clock strikes midnight!" Flitwick called out to Snape as the Thestral-pulled carriage rose into the air.
The carriage soared over the heads of the students and flew out of the Great Hall, to the applause of the crowd. The curtain fell, and Dumbledore announced a brief intermission, during which the students drank pumpkin juice and chattered about what a great play this was.
"Snape is hilarious!" one of the young Slytherins laughed. "Who'd have thought he could be such a great actor?"
"He was a spy, you idiot; of course he can act," Theodore Nott said scornfully. "But I don't think that he's been doing much acting up there. And I wouldn't want to be in your shoes after the play is over, if he happened to notice that you were laughing at him." The other Slytherin gulped and turned pale, and slipped so far down in his seat that he nearly vanished under the table.
Sirius chuckled to himself. He had to admit that he was impressed that Snape had the students so cowed that he could terrify them by reputation even when he wasn't around. Maybe if--when--he got back together with Remus, he would soften up a little. But then again, maybe not.
The second act began in the ballroom, with the Prince dancing with his potential mates. Everyone was dressed in formal robes or fancy gowns and small masks that mostly covered just the eyes, leaving little doubt as to the wearer's identity. Sinistra vamped up her role to the hilt, smiling at Remus in such a predatory manner that he looked like he wanted to flee in terror, and Sirius wasn't sure that it was all acting. Then he danced with Hagrid, who stepped on his foot--an action that wasn't in the stage directions.
"Oops, sorry, Remus--I mean, Yer Highness," Hagrid apologized.
"Don't worry, it's nothing," Remus said politely, although he was wincing in pain, and was still limping slightly after the dance ended. His next partner was Trelawney, who informed him in an ominous voice, "You are under a dark cloud, Highness. I sense that your life is in grave danger."
"My feet, perhaps, but surely not my life," Remus replied lightly, but his eyes began to dart about the stage restlessly, as if seeking an avenue of escape.
Just then, Snape appeared at the top of the staircase leading down to the ballroom and slowly descended it, his cloak billowing out behind him with a dramatic flourish.
"Oh!" Remus gasped, stopping dead in his tracks, causing Trelawney to stumble, and murmurs of awe began to ripple not just through the ball guests as scripted, but in the audience as well. They had rehearsed this scene several times, but in full costume, with the stage lights upon him, Snape seemed remarkably striking, and he seemed to flow rather than walk down the stairs with a smooth, easy grace.
Remus abandoned his current partner and pushed his way through the crowd over to the cloaked figure, moving as if in a trance, his eyes never once leaving Snape's face.
"May I have this dance?" he whispered, holding his out his hand.
Snape hesitated, then placed his hand in Remus's and said, "You may," his voice sounding a little unsteady and lacking its customary bitterness for the first time this night.
They danced together with such perfect harmony and unison that it seemed like they had been rehearsing for months rather than days, and Snape didn't object or mutter even one sarcastic comment when Remus pulled him closer as they danced.
"Let's go for a walk in the garden," Remus suggested breathlessly when the music ended, and Snape nodded mutely, although the script called for a verbal acknowledgment. They moved downstage, to a small corner that had been set up as the palace garden and sat down on a bench as Remus removed his mask. "I am Prince Charming," he said.
"Yes, the crown on your head sort of gave that away," Snape replied dryly, recovering some of his sarcasm.
"Yes, I suppose it does," Remus laughed. "But you have the better of me, good sir, for I do not think that I have ever seen you at court before."
"And how would you know, when you have not seen my face?" Snape replied.
"If I had met you before, I am sure I would never forget you, even if your face were covered," Remus whispered, laying his hand over Snape's, and the Potions Master blushed. "Please, will you let me see your face?"
"As Your Highness wishes," Snape whispered hoarsely, but as Remus lifted his hands to remove the mask, the deep sound of a bell tolling echoed through the hall. "It's midnight!" Snape exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "I must go!"
"Wait!" Remus cried, grabbing Snape's wrist. "At least tell me your name first!"
The glass bracelet slipped off, remaining behind in Remus's hand as Snape jerked his arm free and fled off the stage. The Queen and several courtiers rushed into the garden a moment later.
"Your Highness, what happened?" one of them asked.
"I do not know his name or face, but I have found my true love!" Remus announced. "Mother, I have made my choice!" He held up the bracelet. "I will marry no one but the man whose wrist will fit this bracelet, and I will search throughout the entire kingdom to find him if I must!"
The curtain fell to allow another scene change, and Dumbledore said, "So the Prince searched throughout the land to find the mysterious man who had captured his heart, until finally he arrived at the village where Ashton lived..."
The curtain rose on Ashton's home. Snape was clad in his soot-smeared rags once again, but he carried himself with a new air of dignity, and his hair, Sirius was pleased to notice, was still sleek and shiny. It had been pulled back in a neat tail to keep it out of his face as he swept the floors, humming softly under his breath--it was the same tune that he and Remus had danced to.
"Mother, the Prince is here, in our village!" Sinistra said excitedly. "He's going to each house and asking every single young man to try on the glass bracelet that the stranger left behind at the ball!"
McGonagall frowned. "I wonder who that stranger was and why he fled even though he captured the Prince's heart. Well, no matter--it gives you two a chance to win the Prince's hand. Hurry and make yourselves presentable, my children. Even though the Prince is seeking a man, perhaps you can charm him with your lovely face and figure, my daughter."
"Fat chance," Snape muttered, and the audience giggled as McGonagall turned to glare at him. "Make yourself scarce, Ash, and do not disgrace us with your presence! The Prince will hardly want to lay eyes on such a dirty, ragged creature as yourself."
Snape retreated into a corner next to the fireplace, his gray robes blending into the shadows. A knock sounded at the door, and McGonagall quickly opened it and stepped aside to let the Prince and two courtiers (Sprout and Vector) in.
"Is there a young man in this household, madam?" Remus asked.
"Yes, my dear son," McGonagall said, motioning for Hagrid to step forward.
"I remember you--or rather, my feet do," Remus said with a smile as the audience laughed. "But you may try on the bracelet if you wish."
The bracelet, of course, was much too small to fit on Hagrid's huge wrist. "But I can wear it as a ring, see?" he said, slipping it over one of his fingers.
"That's very nice, but I'm afraid you're not the one," Remus said, firmly but politely as he took the bracelet back.
"May I try it, Your Highness?" Sinistra purred, swaying her hips seductively as she stalked towards him.
Remus took a hasty step back and replied, "I am sorry, Miss, but I am seeking a man, which you most obviously are not."
"But how do you know that the hawk-masked stranger was a man?" Sinistra countered. "His face was covered by the mask, and his body was concealed by a cloak and loose robes. 'He' could have been a woman in disguise."
"I seriously doubt that, but if you insist, you may try on the bracelet," Remus sighed. Sinistra eagerly donned it, but it was far too big for her wrist, sliding down to her elbow.
"Well, you clearly are not the one, either," Remus said with obvious relief, taking the bracelet back from a pouting Sinistra. "Are there any other sons in this household?"
"No, there are not," McGonagall replied, but then Snape stepped forward and asked quietly, "May I try it on, please?"
McGonagall shot a furious glare at him and said, "He is no one; just the servant boy. He cannot possibly be the one that Your Highness seeks."
"Nevertheless, I declared that every eligible young man in the country may try on the bracelet, and a prince must keep his word," Remus said, gazing intently into Snape's eyes. "Please try it on, good sir."
Snape slipped on the bracelet and it fit perfectly, the glass serpent coiling itself a little more tightly to be sure that it fit snugly on his wrist.
"I knew it!" Remus cried joyfully. "I suspected it was you when I heard your voice, and when I gazed into your eyes, I was sure that you were the one I met at the ball that night!" He went down on one knee before Snape, took his hand, and gazed up at him adoringly.
"Wow, Lupin is a really good actor!" Ron whispered to his friends at the Gryffindor table. "I can almost believe that he's actually in love with the greasy git!"
"I'm not so sure that he's acting..." Hermione murmured thoughtfully.
"I fell in love with you at first sight," Remus said. "Will you consent to marry me and become my consort?"
"How can a servant boy in dirty rags marry a prince?" Sinistra screeched spitefully.
That was Flitwick's cue to make his entrance and transform Snape's clothing, but Sirius grinned and flew onto the stage, saying, "Sorry, but I'll take it from here!" He waved his wand and a cloud of glitter fell down onto Snape as Flitwick and the cast stared in amazement.
"Are you doing this?" Remus whispered to Flitwick, who had just emerged from the backstage entrance.
Flitwick shook his head, his eyes wide with amazement. "I haven't cast a single spell yet," he replied.
The fairy magic transformed Snape's ragged, ash-stained robes into an elegant tunic of charcoal-gray velvet with long sleeves and a high collar, and a long row of buttons running down the center from throat to waist. The sleeves of the tunic were slashed to reveal a white silk shirt beneath it, with long, lacey cuffs that spilled out of the tunic's sleeves to flow over Snape's wrists. The magic had also created close-fitting striped gray trousers to match the tunic, and knee-high boots of black suede. Sirius had always thought of gray as a rather drab color, but it seemed to suit Snape, and clad in flattering clothing with his hair clean and sleek for once, his nose somehow seemed to fit his face better, looking more aquiline and aristocratic than ugly or comical. Sirius wasn't really a good judge of such things, but Snape looked almost handsome.
Remus certainly seemed to think so; he stared at Snape with an entranced look on his face for several moments, until Dumbledore discreetly cleared his throat to remind him that he had the next line.
"I would love you whether you were clad in rags or fine silks and velvets," Remus said, with heartfelt sincerity. "Be you prince or pauper, there is no one else in this world that I wish to marry!"
"As it happens," Snape said smoothly, "I am not a servant. My name is Ashton, and I am the son of the late lord of this estate."
"Then that means you are of noble blood, so I trust there are no more objections to our marriage?" Remus said, turning to smile sweetly at McGonagall, who spluttered and fumed in outrage. Turning back to Snape, Remus said, "So will you marry me, my dear Ashton?"
Snape hesitated; there was a look of pain and longing on his face, and Sirius didn't need to be a Legilimens to know that he was wishing that Remus was proposing to him for real and not as part of an act. But finally he replied, "I will."
The original script had called for a kiss, but Snape had made it very clear during rehearsals that it was not going to happen. So the revised play ended with Ashton's acceptance of the Prince's proposal, and Dumbledore said, "So the Prince married his true love, and Ashton ruled by his side as his consort, and they both lived happily ever after."
The audience applauded and the curtain started to fall, but Remus, still kneeling on the stage floor, cried out, "Wait!"
Dumbledore halted the curtain with a flick of his wand and said, "Yes, Remus? Is there something you wish to say?" The old wizard smiled, and there was a knowing twinkle in his eyes.
"Yes," Remus replied firmly. "I would like to announce here, in front of everyone, that I am in love with Severus Snape."
A startled uproar arose from the audience, and a horrified Ron said, "This is still part of the play...right?"
"Well, Remus said he was gay, but I never imagined it was Snape that he fancied," Harry muttered.
"Lupin, have you lost your mind?!" Snape exclaimed. "If this is some sort of practical joke, I'm going to kill you!"
"I'm quite sane and it's no joke," Remus said earnestly. "I love you, Severus. I've loved you since we were fifteen, and I have never stopped loving you. I was a fool to ever let you go, and I'm not going to make that mistake again."
"What about Miss Tonks?" Snape asked suspiciously.
"As I said before, I never loved her," Remus replied. "I let the others pressure me into dating her for a brief time, which was cowardly and despicable, I admit, but it never went beyond holding hands and the occasional good night kiss." Snape scowled, and Remus hastily added, "On the cheek, of course."
"And Miss Tonks was willing to settle for that?" Snape asked skeptically.
Remus smiled sheepishly and replied, "I managed to convince her that I was saving myself for marriage."
Snape tried to keep scowling, but he couldn't hold back a little snort of laughter. "The silly girl probably thought that was very romantic!"
"She did," Remus said, looking relieved. "But in her defense, she was bewitched at the time. I promise, Severus, there is nothing between Tonks and myself now but friendship--very platonic friendship, I assure you."
"Your friends didn't approve of me before," Snape reminded him. "What makes you think that things will be different this time around?"
"I will be different this time around," Remus said firmly. "I'm sure that Molly and Harry and my other friends will be shocked to hear the news." He grinned and winked at Harry, who was indeed looking very stunned. "But I believe that they will come around, once they get over the initial shock."
"And if they don't?" Snape demanded.
"Then I would be very sad to lose their friendship," Remus replied quietly. "But I will not give you up for their sake--not this time. That is why I have made this public declaration, to prove to you that I won't go back on my word and let you down as I have in the past." He smiled up at Snape. "If you wish, I will even take out an ad in the Daily Prophet and announce to the entire wizarding world how I feel about you!"
"I doubt that will be necessary," Snape said, glancing at the gossiping students. "I am sure that the owls will be busy soon, carrying news of your temporary insanity home to the students' families and friends, and eventually Rita Skeeter will hear of it, probably sooner rather than later. You do realize, Lupin, that you will likely be triply ostracized now, for being a werewolf, for being homosexual, and for declaring your love for a pardoned Death Eater?"
"I don't care," Remus said, quietly but firmly. "I love you, Severus, and even if you reject me, I will never take any lover but you. However..." He took a deep breath and reached into his pocket, pulling out the small velvet-covered box that Sirius had seen earlier in his quarters. "I am hoping that you won't reject me." He opened the jewelry box, to reveal a small gold ring shaped like a coiled serpent--a miniature replica of the glass bracelet that Snape was wearing. "Severus Snape, will you marry me?"
A hush fell over the room, and the entire school seemed to collectively hold their breath; Sirius was holding his breath even though he didn't need to breathe. Nick had appeared beside him, and was clasping his hands together, as if praying for a positive response.
"I always thought that Cinderella was a stupid story," Snape finally said. "Only an idiot would marry a woman--or a man--that he's known for only a few hours at most. But you're even more of an idiot, Lupin, since you know exactly who and what I am." Remus began to look crestfallen, anticipating a rejection, but then Snape grinned and said, "So how can I turn down the only person in the wizarding world who's stupid enough to want to marry me?"
"Is that a 'yes'?" Remus asked hopefully.
"Yes, I will marry you, you idiot werewolf," Snape said gruffly.
His hands trembling, Remus slipped the gold ring onto Snape's finger, then jumped up and flung his arms around Snape and kissed him soundly on the mouth as half of the room erupted into cheers and applause. The other half was still sitting in stunned silence.
Sirius smiled fondly at his friend. "Good luck, Moony; I hope you'll be happy," he said. "I even wish you happiness, Snape, although I know you wouldn't thank me for it, even if you knew that I was the one who got you together with your true love."
Suddenly Death was standing in front of him, smiling at him approvingly. "You did a good job, Sirius," she told him, and he felt warmed by her praise, even though he'd been furious at her the last time they had spoken.
"Yeah, well, you were right about Snape and Moony," he admitted. "But don't rub it in, okay?"
Death laughed merrily and said, "I would never be so petty. You fulfilled your mission, Sirius, so now I will keep my promise. Are you ready to move on?"
"I am, but I have a favor to ask," Sirius replied. "I have a friend that I'd like to take with me." He motioned to Nick, who stepped forward hesitantly.
"Perhaps you don't remember me, Lady Death..." he started to say.
"Of course I do, Sir Nicholas," Death said with a smile. "I never forget a face, and I especially remember the ones who stay behind."
"I was afraid of death," Nick said. "But now it doesn't seem so bad, compared to a monotonous existence that never changes. The students come and go, they age and grow up, fall in love and marry, have children of their own, and eventually die. But I remain the same, and I am weary. I am not dead, but neither am I truly alive. I cannot feel the warmth of the sun on my face, or feel the biting cold of winter. I cannot savor good food or drink, or feel a lover's caress." He glanced over at Snape and Remus, who were still locked in an ardent embrace and kiss.
"I warned you that this was how it was going to be," Death said quietly.
"I know," Nick replied. "I didn't truly understand what that meant at the time, but I do now."
"Please, Death," Sirius begged. "Can't you let him come with us? I nearly went crazy being in Limbo for two years; I can't imagine what it would be like to live as a ghost for hundreds of years!"
"All you ever had to do was ask," Death said, smiling at Nick kindly as she held out her hand. "Give me your hand, Sir Nicholas." She extended her other hand to Sirius and added, "And give me yours, Sirius Black."
Sirius placed his hand in hers as Nick did likewise. One would expect Death's hand to feel cold to the touch, but instead it felt warm and comforting. "Before we go, could I ask one last favor?" he said, and whispered something into her ear.
She nodded and said, "I'll take care of it. All right; are you ready, boys?" Without waiting for a reply, she stepped sideways into a doorway of golden light that had suddenly opened out of nowhere; none of the teachers and students seemed to notice, except perhaps Luna, who was gazing in their direction with a look of awe on her face.
They emerged in a meadow, and Sirius savored the warmth of the sunlight and the scent of flowers in the air, and the thick grass beneath his feet that cushioned his steps. Incidentally, he noticed that he was wearing his normal clothes again, but the idea of the fairy godmother costume no longer bothered him so much. He even thought that he might miss the wings. Beside him, Nick was no longer transparent and nearly headless, but was whole and human and solid, and tears filled his eyes as he whispered, "There was never anything to fear, was there?"
Sirius was about to reply when he saw two familiar figures heading towards them. "Prongs?" he gasped. "Lily?"
"Hey, Padfoot!" James said cheerily. "Who's your friend?"
"Why, it's Sir Nick!" Lily exclaimed. "I never thought I'd see you here!"
"So what took you so long?" James asked as he hugged Sirius.
Sirius grinned and replied, "I had some unfinished business to take care of."
"Well, you'll have to tell us all about it!" James laughed.
"It's a long story," Sirius warned.
"That's all right," Lily said with a smile. "We have all the time in the world."
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Back at Hogwarts, after all the commotion had died down, Severus and Lupin lingered behind on the set after everyone else had left the Great Hall. It was a warm summer evening, and Remus had taken off his heavy outer robe. Beneath them he was wearing a white silk shirt, a green velvet vest that matched his robe, fawn-colored breeches that fit him like a second skin, and brown leather boots.
Severus couldn't help but notice that the breeches showed off the werewolf's arse to very nice effect. He was glad that Lupin had kept the robe on until they were alone, though. He didn't want anyone ogling Lupin's arse but himself.
"Like what you see?" Lupin asked with a knowing smirk, and Severus blushed. He hadn't realized that he'd been so obvious about the ogling.
"You know I do, Lupin," Snape replied gruffly. "I wouldn't have agreed to marry you if I didn't."
The werewolf smiled wistfully at Severus. "That makes me very happy, but since we're to be married soon...do you think that maybe you could start calling me by my first name?"
"I'll try, Remus," Severus promised. "It takes time to break such an old and familiar habit, though. I might slip up every now and then."
"Well then, maybe I should give you a little incentive," Lupin--no, Remus--purred. "How about if I kiss you every time that you call me 'Remus'?"
"Remus?" Severus said experimentally, and Lupin--Remus--leaned over and gave him a long, lingering kiss. "Yes, I think that will be very effective," he gasped when they came back up for air. "It might prove a little inconvenient when I'm conversing with you during mealtimes in the Great Hall, though."
"I don't have a problem with it," Remus said with a grin. "I've promised not to hide my love for you anymore, after all."
"As teachers, we have a certain example to set for our students, Remus," Severus said sternly.
Remus gave him another kiss, then said, "Well, if you insist, I will try to restrain myself in front of our impressionable young students. But I shall have to kiss you twice as much when we're alone to make up for it."
"That sounds reasonable," Severus agreed. "And by the way, in case you haven't noticed, we're alone right now...Remus."
They kissed several more times, although Severus had only said Remus's name once--not that he had any complaints about it. Afterwards, Remus rested his head on Severus's shoulder and sighed, "I'm so happy, Severus. This really does feel like a fairy tale come true."
"With Sirius bloody Black playing fairy godmother," Severus chuckled.
"What?" Remus asked, lifting his head off Severus's shoulder with a start.
"Oh, it's just this silly dream I had," Severus replied dismissively. "Sirius Black appeared in it as a fairy godmother and said he was going to get us back together. It was the night that the house-elves made that awful curry for dinner, so it was probably just food poisoning."
"But I had the same dream, too!" Remus exclaimed.
"On curry night?" Severus asked, and Remus nodded.
"But I also dreamed about him last night, too."
"Me too," Severus reluctantly admitted. "But it's probably because I was nervous about the performance, and he was on my mind because of the first dream."
"But there were those mysterious costume changes," Remus pointed out. "You don't suppose...?"
They stared at each other for a moment, then laughed and shook their heads. "No, it must've been the curry," they said in chorus.
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The students, once they got over their shock, were mostly pleased for their professors, and if not, at least they were happy that they would get a holiday on the day of the wedding. The Gryffindors were a bit sad that Nearly Headless Nick had disappeared, though. Dumbledore tried to assure them that he had moved on "to the next great adventure," and Luna solemnly told them that Nick wouldn't be lonely because Stubby Boardman was with him.
Severus and Remus were married two weeks later in the Great Hall in front of all the students and faculty, and a few invited guests. As promised, Tonks served as Remus's "best man," and since she brought Kingsley Shacklebolt as her date, Severus decided not to hex her. Harry also stood as Remus's groomsman, although he still seemed a little bewildered by the whole thing. To his credit, he sincerely congratulated Remus, and timidly wished Severus well.
Fawkes sang the wedding march, Dumbledore conducted the ceremony, and somewhat to Severus's surprise, McGonagall and Sinistra had volunteered to stand as his attendants. "Good luck," Sinistra whispered with a sly wink, and McGonagall kissed him on the cheek and said, "You're both overdue for some happiness, Severus. I wish you a long and happy life together."
The costumes made by their mysterious benefactor now held sentimental value for them, so they wore them at the wedding, and this time, Severus had no objections to dancing with Remus at the reception.
Later, when they opened their wedding gifts, they discovered a huge box filled with what seemed like a lifetime supply of lavender-scented fairy-enhanced shampoo. All the gift tag said was "from your Fairy Godfather".
THE END.
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Afterword:
Wow, this turned out much longer than planned, but I had tons of fun writing it! Readers of my Always series will notice that I borrowed the idea of a male Cinderella named Ash from "Ash's Story," which focuses on one of my werewolf OCs. I wanted to give poor Snape a little bit of dignity! (But not too much!)
I was having some trouble with the middle section, when Sirius arrives at Hogwarts, but it started flowing nicely once I brought in Nick. He wasn't really essential to the plot, but it helped to give Sirius a foil to bounce ideas off of, so he wasn't always talking to himself. And I've felt sorry for Nick ever since reading Book 5; I thought he ought to have the chance to move on if he really regretted his decision to become a ghost.
I know I didn't have to make the story fit the illustration exactly, but I really loved the way Karasu drew their clothing in that picture--and I couldn't resist a mention of Lupin's arse! He really does look yummy, doesn't he? ;) And Snape looks so handsome and elegant!
Anyhow, sorry this was late--and thank you to Lore for the extension! I hope you all enjoyed this story as much I enjoyed writing it! ^_^
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I adored Severus's perfectly snapian response to the proposal:" ... Only an idiot would marry a woman--or a man--that he's known for only a few hours at most. But you're even more of an idiot, Lupin, since you know exactly who and what I am." Remus began to look crestfallen, anticipating a rejection, but then Snape grinned and said, "So how can I turn down the only person in the wizarding world who's stupid enough to want to marry me? Lovely.
I enjoyed reading it very much.
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was sweet but funny, and Luna's comment was the best.
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I'm happy that you liked the story--I had lots of fun writing it!
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If you write more, I'll give you a thin mint! I just raided the local gril scout club house, so I have my yearly suply now (I call it yearly, but lets face it, My 2 boxes only last a month)
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The last three parts were my reward for finishing the tweaks to my Chocolate & Asphodel vol. 2 piece...I really left some good bits for last, didn't I?
Thank you so much for having this here for me to enjoy once more!
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And thank you for giving it another read! I love fairy tales, too, and this was one of my favorites to write.