Chapter 3: Suspicions Of The Mind

The Library, Hogwarts...

Hermione Granger found herself surrounded by every known book on Lycanthropy that she could get her hands on. Including her textbook from Defense Against The Dark Arts class. She went over the reading forward and back trying to see if the conclusions Professor Lupin had made about Professor Snape were indeed true. It was a daunting task searching for the answers but she persisted in looking. Her guilty would not let her do otherwise. Snape had risked his life for her and her friends it was the least she could do to understand what might be happening to him. Harry entered the library about an hour after she had. He had been curious about the health of the professor as well.

"You find anything yet, Mione?" he asked.

"No," replied Hermione. "It's all just generic knowledge...they've got all the better books in the restricted section."

Harry sighed.

"What makes you so sure that Snape's a werewolf?" he asked.

"I overheard Professors Lupin and Dumbledore talking about it," replied Hermione still focusing on her book. "Professor Lupin seems to think he might have transmitted Lycanthropy to Professor Snape during the attack."

"What does Dumbledore think?" asked Harry.

"He seems to think that Professor Lupin is worrying too much and that Professor Snape will be fine."

"Maybe he will be," said Harry. "I don't see the point in worrying about it if Dumbledore doesn't see any reason to."

"Harry this is Dumbledore we are talking about," said Hermione. "As I recall he didn't see any reason to worry about The Sorcerer's Stone either. but Professor Quirrell still attempted to steal it."

"You've got a point," said Harry. "But what does that say for us if Snape does become a werewolf?"

"Between the death eaters, Voldemort, and Lupin's transformations, I don't know what's worse," she replied still scanning the texts.

"Out of all four I'd say Snape is a werewolf," said Harry. "You do know who he'd try and eat first don't you?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Honestly Harry, I think you're spending entirely too much time with Ron," she said.

Harry gave her a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his head absently.

"I-I guess I do sound like him," he said. "Although, I wouldn't put it past the git to come straight for me."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I've got some more research to do," she said. "Either stay and help or go find Ron and bug him."

Harry sighed and picked up a book on werewolves. He sank into a nearby chair and began reading. In the back of his mind, the green-eyed wizard hoped beyond all hope that Snape was not going to become a werewolf. The man hated him enough as it was. If he became a clawed and snarling beast no doubt the hate would be a million times worse.

"Just perfect," said Harry under his breath at the image.

Hermione did not seem to notice she was far too busy being engrossed in her book.

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The Defense Against The Dark Arts Classroom, Hogwarts...

Remus Lupin paced the empty classroom as thoughts of the night he attacked Snape and the children came flooding back. He had been on edge ever since they brought Snape in. Sirius made light of the situation as always when it came to Severus but Lupin felt terrible. If Snape had become infected with Lycanthropy it was all his fault. He didn't see who the man would ever forgive him. He didn't even see how he could forgive himself for his carelessness. It could have just as easily been Harry lying in that bed gripped with the progressive madness of the disease. Despite being a monster, Lupin recalled having an enormous support system as well as animagus friends to make his condition bearable. Snape was a loner and an outcast. There was no doubt in Lupin's mind that those traits would carry over to his wolf side.

The DADA Professor sighed.

He had not known much about Severus Snape outside of being a part of the group that bullied the dour wizard when they were kids and that he had been a former Death Eater turned spy for The Order of Phoenix. Much of the details of the man's personal life have been kept private. Much as Snape liked it Lupin was sure.

Lupin continued to pace the floor lost in his thoughts.

It had been his understanding that whoever becomes a werewolf, their subconscious traits would manifest into their wolf form. He had been quiet and submissive in his regular life. He tried to keep his head down and cause as little trouble as possible. By contrast, his wolf form caused a great deal of trouble and made its presence known when on a rampage.

Lupin did a quick assessment of what he believed Snape's traits would be in wolf form.

The man had been quiet, mildly aggressive, barely raised his voice, and practiced a great deal of self-control, as far as Lupin knew the dour wizard had not allowed himself not a single impulsive reaction. The more Lupin thought about it the more he concluded that most likely Snape was going to be a bloodthirsty savage in his werewolf form.

With a sigh, he sat down at his desk as more and more terrible scenarios went through his already crowded mind. He could be responsible for another monster prowling the grounds at night.

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The Infirmary, Hogwarts...

Severus Snape had been asleep in the infirmary. His body temperature had seemed to regulate but he had still been too weak to move much less keep his eyelids open for very long. He had not known what was causing all of his symptoms but he couldn't shake the images of that strange place from his mind. He caught the scent of a wet dog. A familiar scent that could only have been from Lupin and the scent of jasmine letting him know that Hermione Granger had made her way back to the infirmary to check on him.

For some reason, The dour man had not minded Hermione's frequent visits. It had been Lupin's that unnerved him. Especially given all that has happened. The Potions Master seemed to be improving a great deal, it was a matter of time before he was up and terrorizing the students of Hogwarts again. Both Lupin and Hermione had hoped that if he was indeed a werewolf, he would somehow be able to control himself during the full moon. Snape continued to sleep unaware of the beast that raged against its fleshy prison, it would be only a matter of time before it managed to get free.