Chapter 35: Heart Of A Man, Will Of A Beast

Amber eyes had been concentrated on Severus Snape for what seemed like an eternity. He could hear the thudding beat of her heart as her blood continued to run in her veins. A scent of familiar notion caught his attention and he smiled a wolfish smile in her direction. She had not appeared to be amused as she got a look at all the blood and lifeless bodies surrounding him. Snape got to his feet and made his way over toward the witch un-phased by the destruction he had caused to who's ever ranch he had trespassed upon.

"Severus." she said looking at him intently. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine." he replied. "I simply went to hunt."

"You ran off like a mad man in the middle of our conversation." said Hermione.

"I...did?" asked Snape not at all liking the implications of what he was being told.

"Yes." replied Hermione. "Listen we have to get out of here before someone sees you."

Snape snarled.

"Let them come." he said in a voice heavy with pride.

"Severus this isn't a joke." said Hermione. "None of us have wands and you cannot access your magic like this."

Snape growled and got to his feet. A small breeze passed by them making the scent of her all the more intoxicating as she stood near him.

Shaking his head Snape saw the logic behind her words and they left the scene of his apparent crime.

"What happened to you?" asked Hermione when they were safely away.

"I...I don't recall." replied Snape. "Perhaps the presence of these other werewolves is affecting me somehow."

"Other wolves or Reka?" asked Hermione unable to hide the bitterness in her tone.

Snape arched an eyebrow at this.

"Is there something you wish to speak to me about?" he asked.

"You ran off in the middle of our conversation about what you were doing in the river with Reka." said Hermione.

"I-I don't know." replied Snape.

"What do you mean you don't know?" asked Hermione. "You were gone for three hours...Harry and I woke up searching for you."

"I wasn't aware that I had been gone that long or at all for that matter." replied Snape.

Hermione had been stunned by his words.

"Severus are you having blackouts?" she asked. "Could it be whatever Horik was talking about affecting you."

"I wouldn't doubt it." replied Snape annoyed at his condition "I-I can't seem to recall certain things but for the most part I do have a grip on my sanity."

"We need to get you back to Hogwarts." said the bushy haired witch. "Maybe Lupin knows what this is or one of the books in the restricted section."

"I already know what it is." replied Snape.

"Y-You do?" asked Hermione.

"It's an ancient mating rite." he said in a rather exhausted tone. "The wolf is searching for an equal."

Hermione's eyes widened.

Snape suddenly grabbed her and pulled her close to him.

"Not me...her." replied he said. "She's projecting some form of mating call to drive out my wild nature...she wants me to lose myself and come to her on impulse."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." said Hermione narrowing her amber eyes in rage.

Snape smirked.

"You have nothing to worry about." he replied. "I chose my own mate."

"But you don't have to be her mate to bed her Severus." said the bushy haired witch. "There is a such thing as an interloper wolf."

Snape kept his smirk.

"That is exactly what she is." he said.

Before Hermione could issue any more threats to Reka's person Snape captured her lips in a heated kiss. The bushy haired witch pulled away from him with her eyes narrowed.

"Gross!" she said. "You've just been eating dead animals and cow entrails!"

Snape laughed highly amused.

"I suppose I could clean myself up."

He used his wand-less magic to clean himself up and her as well.

Once he was done he used a moment's distraction to pull her into another heated kiss. This time she wrapped her arms around his neck. A low growl came from him and he carried her to a secluded spot amid the trees. His little distraction was effective in quelling her temper but it did little to erase the problem at hand.

"Severus, you have to learn to control yourself." she said stroking his cheeks as he continued to pull her close to him. "This time it was livestock what if it was a human you attacked?"

"That is not going to happen." replied Snape. "Unless that human happens to be a dreadful toad faced monster threatening my witch."

Hermione laughed at this getting all too clearly the visual of Umbridge.

"Come on." she said. "We have to get back before your new friends decided to eat, Harry."

"They are not my friends, and I should be so lucky." replied Snape. "I wouldn't eat him if I was starved half to death and he the only decent meal around."

Hermione shook her head and clasped Snape by the hand.

"I meant what I said witch." he told her pulling her close to him again.

The bushy haired witch kissed him on the lips.

"Tonight." she said. "When everyone has turned in."

Snape growled at the prospect of having to wait but he could be patient a little while longer.

"Tonight." he said with his eyes aglow in red.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Back at The Cave...

Harry had been curiously watching the werewolves. They had been nothing like Lupin or Snape for that matter but then again no one was like Snape. He seemed to be in a field of his own. They each seemed to be capable of great strength and speed, effortlessly moving about albeit without as much grace as the Potions Professor.

Tuck seemed to be interested in Harry only as a possible meal.

"See something you like morsel?" he asked with a murderous glare.

"No." replied Harry looking away from him quickly. "I-I'm just waiting for my friends."

Horik smirked.

"Tuck leave the poor boy alone." he said. "We wouldn't want to upset the Alpha."

Tuck snorted and turned his attention elsewhere.

Rorik had been watching from afar with his arms folded across his chest. Ever the focused look out he made his stand amid the trees watchful of the slightest movement and taking in every scent.

Reka had gone off to hunt some time ago and it was highly unlikely she'd be back any time soon.

"You said that Brother Severus was your Potions Professor?" said Horik making small talk.

"Yes." replied Harry bitterly thinking back to said classes with Snape.

"You seem to have great difficulty with him." said Horik. "No doubt because you have a son's spirit and he a father's."

Harry looked at him confused.

"He's not my father." he said coldly.

Horik smirked.

"Oh come now boy I meant no harm" he said. "I am simply pointing out why you and your Potions Professor clash."

"I know why he hates me thank you." replied Harry.

"Do you?" asked the elder werewolf.

"My father and godfather bullied him when he was a kid." replied the green-eyed wizard. "He says I act like them but I don't bully people...if you ask me he's the bloody bully."

Horik smirked.

"As I said, you carry a son's spirit." he said.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Sons are always rebellious." continued the older werewolf. "Rorik, Tuck, and I clash all the time...it's a part of life."

As Harry got ready to say something possibly scathing, not at all paying attention to how much like Snape he was becoming in his manner, said Potions Professor and Hermione arrived.

"Where have you two been?" asked Harry bitterly. "I could have been eaten."

Horik simply burst into laughter.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"I seriously doubt that Potter." he replied. "As soon as one were to come in contact with your foul flesh they'd spit you out in a heartbeat...if your adolescent stench doesn't choke them to death first."

Harry narrowed his eyes at Snape.

"Are we really talking about who smells and foul flesh here?" asked the young Gryffindor. "The man who hasn't had a working relationship with a hot shower in possibly ages coupled with being a freaking giant dog."

"I think you are confusing me with that mutt you call a godfather." replied Snape.

"Greasy git." said Harry.

"Pompous crybaby." replied Snape.

"Dungeon bat!" shouted the younger wizard.

"Consonant victim." replied the dour wizard.

"At least I wash my hair." said Harry bitterly.

"With vinegar." added Snape.

"I fucking hate you." said Harry annoyed.

"I assure you Mr. Potter the feeling is mutual." replied Snape in an icy tone.

Harry narrowed his eyes at his Potions Professor.

If he had his wand Snape would be sorry.

Snape smirked.

"You don't stand a chance with or without wand, Potter." he said in a casual sneer. "I'd wipe the floor with your sorry carcass in seconds."

Unable to take anymore blows to his Gryffindor pride Harry suddenly charged Snape in a bid to attack him.

"SIT DOWN!" ordered Snape as his eyes glowed.

Harry found himself complying against his will.

Hermione looked at Snape in confusion.

"H-How are you doing this?" asked harry struggling. "I'm not a bloody werewolf."

Horik looked at Snape and smiled.

"So it is true." he said in a pleasant tone. "You are indeed a very powerful Alpha, able to shape the will of even mortals."

Snape looked at his hands. He had no idea where this new found power was coming from but he was beginning to feel intoxicated by it. At least he now had a means of controlling Harry Potter and a wicked smirk filed across his pale face.

"Oh no you don't." said Hermione knowing all too well what he was plotting.

"What?" asked Snape looking at her innocently.

"No using your wolf powers to torment Harry." she said.

Horik observed them for a moment.

"The spirit of a mother." he said stunned. "All the makings of a pack without much beast blood."

Everyone turned their attention to the elder werewolf.

"What?" asked Snape.

"You have command over a pack." said Horik. "A rare thing for a whelp such as yourself."

"What is all this whelp business?" asked Snape annoyed.

"It is what the newborn are called." said Horik. "You were barely turned say...one two years ago perhaps?"

"Yes." said Hermione. "And it was my fault."

Horik looked at her in confusion for a moment then smirked.

"I see." he said. "It was you who caught the father's attention...it all makes sense."

"What are you talking about?" asked Snape.

"The father meant to collect the girl and you got in the way." replied Horik. "It explains her dominion over you, an Alpha."

Snape narrowed his eyes at the elder werewolf.

"No one has dominion over me." replied the Potions Professor bitterly.

Hermione gave him a stern expression.

"That's different witch." said Snape earning a laugh from Horik.

"You are by far the most interesting werewolf I have ever met, brother Snape." he said. "I hope you are successful in your future plans."

Reka came running through the forest. Her heart was pounding thunderously in her chest.

"RUN!" she shouted.

The sound of shots being fired in the distance could be heard.

Rorik let out a warning growl.

"HUNTERS!" he shouted "GET MOVING!"

Snape looked at Hermione and Harry both.

"Time to go Potter." he said.

Horik and his pack took off in one direction and Snape took off with his so called "pack" in another.

Hermione deduced what happened.

Snape's killing of the livestock got the attention of the ranchers and they were out for wolf blood.

Bullets whizzed by Snape as he did his best to protect Harry and Hermione.

Harry took off into the trees pulling Hermione along.

Snape did his best to look out for danger as they swiftly moved through the trees.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Somewhere in the forest...

Hermione had been trying to recall where they might have ended up and just how far from Hogwarts they had been when they stopped to take a rest. Harry was gasping for breath as he looked around, sweat was pouring off him and Snape looked equally disheveled. Hermione had been sweaty herself and a bit tired as she took more air into her burning lungs.

"D-Did we lose them?" asked she asked.

"I-I can't tell." replied Snape. "Too many scents and sounds."

Harry sighed.

"W-What happened?" he asked. "Why were people shooting at us?"

Hermione did her best not to look at Snape who simply glared angrily with his arms folded across his chest. At that moment Harry put it together that it was something to do with Snape.

"What did you do?" he asked in an accusatory tone.

"Harry." said Hermione trying to change the subject.

"You attacked someone didn't you?" asked Harry glaring at his Potions Professor.

"No." replied Hermione taking up for Snape. "He didn't attack anybody...it was...he was simply hunting in the wrong place."

Harry turned his attention to Hermione.

"Mione, I know you are still feeling guilty about what happened with Remus, but he doesn't need you protecting him." said Harry.

"For once I agree with Potter." replied Snape.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the dour wizard.

"Unbelievable." he said annoyed. "Hermione defends you and here you are being a git as usual."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"Harry please." said Hermione. "He's not himself right now."

"Mione, I love that you can still find some way to see the good in people but Snape is a nothing more than a greasy git bastard." said the green eyed wizard.

As they talked Snape caught the unfamiliar scent of an would be attacker. He left Hermione and Harry to their devices and sought out the would be assassin. Before he could warn them about their impending doom, the shot was fired.

Snape leapt in front of Hermione as the bullet went into his exposed pale flesh.

"Ahhh!" shouted Snape in agony.

Harry froze rushing over to the Potions Master.

There was a good deal of blood spilled and pooling around him.

"SNAPE!" shouted Harry helping Hermione check the downed wizard who had fallen unconscious.

He had a hole in his side from where the bullet caught him.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" shouted a strange voice. "THERE ARE KIDS HERE!"

Harry and Hermione found themselves coming face to face with one of the hunters.

An elderly looking man lowered his gun as he looked upon Snape and the two students.

"WE'VE GOT AN INJURED MAN HERE!" he shouted. "LOOKS PRETTY BAD!"

Two more hunters came up to them all toting guns and surprised they had been chasing a man and two young students.

"He looks bad." said one of the hunters immediately moving to apply medical support. "We got to get him back to the village or there's a good chance he'll bleed out."

Hermione watched him closely.

"Where are you taking him?" asked Harry taking the words right out of her mouth.

It was clear he had not trusted these men and given that he had not like Snape, the dour wizard was still a member of the Order of Phoenix. Harry felt it was his duty to look after the man. For Dumbledore's sake.

"Don't you worry bout it son, we're just gonna take you, your sister, and your father into the village to fix him up." said the elder hunter.

"He's not my father." replied Harry bitterly though he never bothered to correct the "sister" bit.

"If you can help him we would very much appreciate it." said Hermione trying to be diplomatic despite feeling as Harry had. She didn't want to jeopardize Snape's best chance for aid.

Snape remained out of it as Harry, Hermione and The Hunters moved toward the nearby village. There was no sign of the Frostmill pack at all since earlier that day. Hermione suspected they had moved on, she would have been lying if she would have told her self that she wasn't secretly glad that Reka was away from Severus. These hunters had done her something of a service in driving her off.

Now she just hoped that her snarky wizard could be aided with the recent gunshot wound. The poor wizard had gone through hell and back in a matter of a few days from delirium to getting shot and all because Umbridge was a power hungry maniac akin to Voldemort. The bushy haired witch thought the sooner they dealt with her the better it would be for everyone she's ever tried to harm.