Chapter 4: Upon Awakening...

The Infirmary, Hogwarts...

Severus Snape's obsidian eyes opened to the familiar setting that was the Hogwarts infirmary. He had felt a little sluggish from lack of action for the past few days and understandably sore from Werewolf Lupin's attack. He had been annoyed to find that his trademark ebony robes had been gone as well as his frock coat. The pale wizard had been down to only his worn black trousers. His mouth had been dry but not as bad as it was when the onset of the strange fever came over him. He had still been pretty warm but it was bearable given the circumstances.

The Potions Professor grumbled feeling much older than he looked at the moment. It wasn't long before his stomach growled shattering the collective silence that filled the nearly empty room. He had been relieved to know that he had been the only one inside. It simply wouldn't have improved his standing to have students gossiping about his condition whenever he went about the halls.

He had been gossiped about quite enough as it was. The dour man had heard all the nicknames and jokes. He had not cared for any of it and there had been no sense in adding to any of it. He loathe blasted dunderheads and idol gossip. The dour wizard stretched feeling a slight tightness in the flesh around a recently healed wound on his pale chest. Snape looked at the teeth marks on his upper chest. They had been close to his shoulder and collarbone.

"What the hell?" he asked noting that he had no other injuries but nearly faint scars as a result of the attack.

Madam Poppy Pomfrey made her way into the room.

"Oh good your awake," she said walking over to him.

Snape couldn't get a single word out before she shoved a thermometer into his mouth and her cold hand on his sallow pale cheek.

"It seems that your fever has finally broken," she said eyeing him up.

Snape grumbled under his breath when she removed the thermometer and he looked around. The sun had been bright this afternoon.

"How long was I out?" asked Snape in a rough tone.

"Let me see," said Poppy. "I believe you were out of it for about three days."

Snape couldn't believe that it had only been three days since the attack.

"It feels like months," he remarked.

"It happens," replied Poppy. "We're just lucky you survived."

Snape glared at her with his obsidian eyes glinting.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

Poppy took a moment to consider how best to answer him.

"Severus," she said plainly. "I won't lie to you for a moment there it didn't look good...you were bleeding like a stuffed pig and many bones and tendons were not where they were supposed to be."

Snape grimaced at her words.

A thought crossed his mind and he found himself patting down his legs. Poppy seemed to note what he was thinking and smiled.

"All there and accounted for," she said. "And quite impressive might I say."

Snape narrowed his eyes at her again.

"Mind your business," he muttered.

The old Med-witch laughed.

"It isn't as if I haven't seen you naked before Severus," she said.

"A lot has changed since I was eleven thank you very much," said Snape.

Poppy seemed to agree much to his chagrin.

"Looking well I see." said the voice of Remus Lupin as he strolled into the infirmary.

"Just what I need a visit from the werewolf," muttered Snape.

Lupin looked down at his feet. He had not expected this to be easy. Given Severus' natural hatred when it came to him.

"I-I wanted to make sure that you were alright," he said.

"As you can see werewolf I am quite fine," said Snape bitterly. "No thanks to you."

"Severus about that night...I can't tell you how sorry I am..." said Lupin.

"Save it," said Snape hopping out of bed.

He summoned his clothes and made his way toward the floor.

"The best thing you can do for me Lupin is to stay the hell out of my way," he said.

"Severus there's something that I need to speak to you about..." started Lupin.

Snape had not heard him. While the Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor spoke, he had already called out his destination and threw in the floo powder.

"SEVERUS!" Lupin called after him.

The sheepish wizard really needed to tell him about his suspicions.

"Forget it, Remus," said Poppy. "He's long gone and closed the floo."

"Does he always just leave when in the middle of patient care?" asked Lupin.

"Afraid so," replied Poppy. "He's a stubborn sod, been like that ever since he was a boy."

Lupin sighed.

"I don't suppose you could tell him that he might be infected with Lycanthropy?" he asked.

Poppy lowered her spectacles and looked into the young wizard's sad eyes.

"Not on your life," she replied. "Severus does not take potentially upsetting news well."

"Tell me about it," said Lupin.

He gave one last saddened look at the floo and turned his back to it.

"Poppy could you at least let me know if he starts to show symptoms?" he asked. "It can be a truly painful process if one must go through it alone."

The Med-Witch nodded.

"Sure thing Remus," she said noting his sadness. "I'm sure you wouldn't have possibly infected Severus on purpose."

The Werewolf looked down at his feet.

"J-Just let me know if he's really alright," he said sadly. "I-I wouldn't wish this curse on anyone and Severus has enough to deal with."

Poppy nodded and Remus took his leave of her.

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Snape's Quarters, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...

Severus made his way toward his bedroom. He stripped off the remainder of his clothes and climbed into his shower. He felt the warm water hit against his sore lactic acid-filled muscles. He had only been out of it for three days and already it felt like he had been running a marathon and lifting weights at some muggle strong-man competition. The dour wizard sighed beneath the water that fell from the shower and let it trickle down his back. He took in the scent of his quarters. It smelled of herbs and fresh earth like always. He found after some strange coincidence that he could move his ears. He smirked as he picked up the sounds of the students going about their business in their respective dorms. It was nice to be up and about again.

After his shower, Snape made his way toward his front room where he started reading over his latest pile of parchments and notes for the next brewing project he had in mind. He had still been a little weak but he was glad to be out of that infernal hospital bed. Severus went about his daily routine as if the last few days had not occurred. His keen hearing had been quite the boon when patrolling the halls late that night. Several students had been unpleasantly surprised to find that Professor Snape was back and had a few new tricks up his sleeve when it came to reigning them in.

Later in the day, Snape retired back to his quarters feeling completely drained at the day's end. The dour wizard climbed into his large black four-poster bed and drifted off into a deep sleep.

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Elsewhere...

The prison of flesh had been maddening. The beast wanted out. It wanted to roam free and feed and mate until it could no longer perform those actions. The scent of the female had been intoxicating. The urge to rip her in two had been just as maddening. The beast raged and clawed but to no avail. It could not escape its fleshy prison. It needed the moon. It needed the sweet call of the mother to make its way into the strange world of man. Impatient and raging the beast fought to get free. It needed to get free.

The scent was driving it insane.

The female was somewhere he just needed to find HER.

It raged at the thought of someone else touching her. She belonged to him.

ONLY to HIM.