Chapter 31: When Toads Go Too Far, Wolves Come To The Door

Umbridge had been out of control. Dumbledore fled the school and the Ministry of Magic's noose seemed to tighten choking out the life of the school that was nothing like the Hogwarts of the previous years for far too long. The staff had been about ready to mutiny unfortunately, Snape and Minerva McGonagall had been the only real rebels among the staff who would even consider such a thing. They met in the privacy of the Slytherin dungeons mostly due to Umbridge's apparent aversion to anything involving Snape and dark secret places. She was at least smart enough to fear him that much he gave her in the way of credit.

Snape and Minerva had constantly been a war with themselves in trying to reign in their respective tempers when it came to the contemptible cow, but ultimately Snape had been pushed too far when Umbridge threatened Minerva. The sly Slytherin smuggled a good deal of Weasley products into the school after she placed a ban on them for "safety reasons."

Minerva had been the more vocal of the two conspirators getting in the toad's face over her outrageous policies. Umbridge had not taken a liking to the older witch's vocalized disapproval and sought to find a solution to ensure that she could eliminate this threat to her so called "power". Snape had not been as outwardly vocal, but being Slytherin there was no need to be. The Weasleys continued to obtain their products and pass them all over the school. Fred and George knew that it had been Snape helping them of course, they had more than enough experience with the mischievous Professor than Harry or anyone else. The only place he didn't like their disruption was in Potions Class and explained the dangers of such displays when cauldrons are boiling.

Snape had everything going according to his plan and soon the whole school would be rid of the jowl faced toad woman.

Hermione had gotten wind of how her moody lover assisted Harry when Umbridge tried to hurt him in detention. Of course it meant that Harry had to pretend to be going to detention with him for a while but it was the better part of the deal than lingering about for Umbridge to come up with something even more insane.

A couple of weeks in, Umbridge had gotten increasingly agitated by the frequent attempts to resist her authority. Feeling outnumbered among the Hogwarts staff she put together a Ministry sanctioned Inquisitorial squad. A group of brutes hell-bent on causing harm at Umbridge's direction. Snape had planned to scare the deranged power hungry tyrant out of the school with a few simple pranks. She had been getting increasingly paranoid as it was and he felt one good push would be just what she needed to go off the deep end and leave Hogwarts forever.

This was his peaceful solution of course. One that Hermione herself could appreciate given what he really wanted to do to the nutter. Well that was until the afternoon everyone heard a blood curdling scream coming from the inner corridor near the entrance to the school. No one heard it more loudly than Snape whom had bolted toward the sound as soon as it was uttered.

Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley had been among the many that gathered in the halls as Umbridge stood towering over a downed Minerva McGonagall. The wretched pink toad looked smug as she studied the agonized features of the Transfigurations Professor.

"I bet you have quite a few things to say to me, Minerva." said the toad in her shrill of a voice.

"Oh I have a great deal of things to say to you, Dolores but I'm afraid none of them are kind." replied Minerva ever the consonant Gryffindor.

Enraged she turned her wand on the ailing older witch with full intent to cause her more agony.

"EXPELLIAMUS!" shouted a deep baritone voice from the shadows that everyone knew could belong to no other aside from Severus Snape.

Umbridge went sailing across the corridor and into a nearby wall.

The Inquisitorial squad turned their attention to the dour wizard who moved like flowing water as they rushed him snarling while they tried to get a hold of him, but he was much too fast.

"Severus!" said Minerva grateful to see the younger wizard come to her aid.

The students watched Snape in awe. None more so than both Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

Snape looked at the Weasley boys and gave them a signal. They nodded in confirmation. He turned his attention back to his would be attackers with wicked smirk across his pale face.

"THAT'S IT SNAPE!" said Umbridge getting to her feet in a huff.

She turned her wand on the Potions Professor cursing him indefinitely with an unforgivable. The students had been stunned when he simply smirked glaring at the witch with wicked amusement.

Hermione noted immediately that his obsidian eyes took on a rather unsettling red glow.

"The weak are unworthy of command." said Snape in a deep low growl.

Umbridge blinked for a moment caught off guard by how truly powerful Snape appeared to be.

"D-Don't just stand there get him!" she ordered her squad.

Again they attempted to bring Snape down, but he was much too powerful.

"Bow." he said in a furious growl.

Immediately the inquisition squad fell to their feet. They had been unable to make any other moves against the towering dour man. Which shocked everyone in attendance. A wide smirk spread across Severus Snape's sallow pale face as he took in the scent of beast blood from them.

"Wolves Dolores?" he asked in mock amusement. "You, The Head Crusader against Half-Blood species, brings a pack of werewolves to my school to harm my students!?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Snape?" said Dolores with an indignant air about her. "And this is my school...I am head Inquisitor here...and by the Minister of Magic's authority I might add..."

Snape's eyes glowed more prominently causing her to jump back in fear for the first time since she arrived.

"Bow low." said Snape uttering his command to the squad as they lowered their bellies to the cold stone floor unable to move. "Stay."

Harry looked at Hermione with an arched eyebrow.

"What's Snape doing?" he asked unsure of what to make of what he'd just witnessed. "How is he able to control them?"

"Possibly a unforgivable curse." replied Hermione playing it cool.

Harry narrowed his eyes at her.

"Really Mione?" he said not buying it. "In case you have forgotten I remember that he's a werewolf."

"Shhh." said Hermione annoyed by her friend's constant blabbering. "Keep your voice down."

"That still doesn't explain why he can control the others." whispered Harry nervously watching Snape and Umbridge.

"I think it's because he's not a regular werewolf." replied Hermione attempting to explain it in layman's terms.

They both turned their collective attention back to Snape and Umbridge.

The Potions Professor bent down and lifted the downed Minerva McGonagall into his ebony clad arms. She seemed very grateful for the assistance as she leaned against him. His fury seemed to momentarily dissipate when dealing with the older witch.

"Rest." he said looking into her weary green eyes.

She offered him a half smile before loosing consciousness.

"This is over." said Snape turning his attention back to Umbridge. "You will leave these grounds and step down from your post as pretend Headmistress."

Umbridge glared at him defiantly.

"I most certainly will not!" declared the plump pink toad-faced witch.

Snape let out a growl and the wolves on her so called inquisitorial squad growled as well.

The Potions Master gave the signal and loud popping noises started from Weasley fireworks.

The rest of the school joined in using their newly acquired Weasley products to annoy the toad Umbridge. Snape took Minerva down to see Poppy and had been sure he had the matter of the bothersome witch well in hand when a faint scent caught his attention. It had been strong and masculine, territorial, and very feral.

His eyes widened as he realized just whom the werewolves had answered to prior to his intervention.

"Shit." he said getting Poppy's attention.

"Severus Snape, well I never..." she began outraged at his volatile slip of the tongue.

"Not now Poppy." said Snape in a hurried manner. "Look after Minerva...there is some...thing I need to take care of."

With that he took off back toward the corridor.

The students were scattered and cringing in relative fear as Snape hurried along watching the other professors try and get them all back to their respective houses in an orderly fashion.

"What the hell happened?" asked Snape grabbing one of the seventh year Gryffindors by the collar.

"W-Werewolf sir...he took them with Umbridge." stammered the lad unsure of how to handle everything descending into chaos.

"Werewolf?" asked Snape looking and seeing all those he had ordered to keep their positions slain. "W-Who?"

"It was Greyback." said Lupin showing up from out of nowhere. "He's taken them somewhere."

"He's got my godson!" said Sirius Black also making himself known. "He's a dead beastie if he thinks he can get away with that."

For once Snape had been glad to see his former childhood enemies. It wasn't hard to figure that they both must have come through the floo when someone alerted The Order to Minerva's injury. The faint scent of jasmine came across his consciousness and Snape's dark eyes widened in fury.

All three of the wizard's keen ears picked up the faint sound of anguished screams.

"Hermione!" shouted Snape taking off out the door.

"Right behind you Snape!" shouted Sirius taking off with him .

Lupin followed as well albeit cautiously.

KILL! KILL! KILL! MUST KILL INTRUDERS!

The beast could taste blood on the wind as he picked up speed. Her scent was unmistakable as it shifted and raged against it's fleshy prison.

THE FEMALE...THE FEMALE WAS BLEEDING.

Harry Potter's voice rang out as he too let out an agonized scream.

More blood stained the winds as The Ebony wolf sent Snape tumbling to the ground as his body began to contort and his bones lengthened. Agonized whimpers filled the air as Snape continued to crawl toward the screams of his lover. The taste of blood filled his lengthening snout and his heart beat thunderously in his chest.

"HERMIONE!" he shouted as the deep wolfish growl came from within rendering his projected speech null.

Sirius Black had been stunned at the sight of the shifting Snape as the lean pale mortal form of the Potions Master gave way to a large ebony fur clad werewolf. Were-Snape got to his feet, his robes in ebony tatters on the ground below and let out a wounded howl as he took off toward his female.

Sirius and Lupin continued to follow on foot lead via the trail of destruction via the enormous ebony furred beast.