Chapter 66: Dominance Before The Counsel

Wolfback Summit, Uncharted Forest, Unknown World...

Enormous carvings of werewolf and wolf statues had been carved along the rocky gorge where the army of were-beasts gathered for their summit. Lupin had been as impressed as the woman as they moved along the rickety rope bridge toward the mouth of a cavern carved in the cliff side in the shape of an enormous howling wolf's head. The air had been increasingly cold as they moved fearing the massive drop down the gorge as the bridge shifted and rocked. Tonks had done her best to ignore the massive drop down below wishing to fly across but not wanting to alert any of the other werewolves of non-werewolves being among them had kept that notion at bay.

Hermione's mind had been on her wolfish lover once more as she moved toward the cliff side. She had no idea what was going to happen at the Wolf Summit given that Forengar had made it a point to try and sway the Wolven counsel against Severus and Dumbledore respectively. The grieving and jealous werewolf sought to use the werewolf army to further Voldemort's gains which had not truly been a surprise given his son's former allegiance.

"I believe he's here." said Lupin noting the familiar scent of the elder wolf.

"We can't let him get to the counsel." said Tonks noting the urgency of the matter.

"We may not have a choice in the matter." said Lupin narrowing his glistening predatory eyes as he gazed into the distance.

"Failure is not an option." said Hermione determined. "He can't be allowed to sway the other wolves toward Voldemort."

"And how do you propose we stop him?" asked Lupin with an arched brow. "None of us have the backing of Hircine to sway this counsel, it's quite possible that they would side with Forengar just because I've brought two non-Weres into the heart of wolven politics."

"We have to try something, Severus stayed behind to fend off Voldemort." said Hermione meaningfully.

She had been scared out of her mind about the condition of her lover given the despot's track record for violence against his subordinates, his hatred of half-breeds was also something to take into consideration, there was no telling what could happen to her lover.

"He'll be here." said Draco with narrowed eyes. "He wouldn't miss this, not to mention the fact that he's insane when it comes to Granger here."

The junior Malfoy's words were proven the moment Severus Snape arrived seemingly out of no where in half-wolf form rushing straight toward his witch sniffing her hair and checking for signs of injury.

"I'm alright." said Hermione pleased to see him in one piece.

Snape seemed to calm a bit further noting that she had been well.

"Witch safe." he said shifting back into his human form.

Hermione smiled seeing him reverted back.

"We were just about to get started without you." she said.

"I'll bet." he replied feeling the heated beast blood rush through his veins.

"So what's the plan?" asked Tonks eyeing Snape for a moment.

She still had not gotten use him being an Alpha werewolf.

"You stay back." said Snape with an odd expression on his face. "I'll speak with the counsel, Forengar's treachery is not going to go unpunished."

"I'm with you Severus." said Lupin determined.

Snape shook his head.

"No." he said. "Guard the witches, Draco will assist you...this is a task I must do alone."

"Severus I want to come with you." said Hermione not at all pleased about being left behind.

"No." said Snape again more sternly than before. "I am not going before the counsel to speak witch...the traitor must be punished."

Hermione sighed noting the growl rumbling from her lover's throat.

"Be careful." she said meeting is flickering eyes of obsidian.

"No promises." he replied before taking off toward the main gathering place of the werewolf army.

Hermione had been angry that Severus told her to stay away but she knew he was quite serious about her staying put. The last thing he needed was for her to get hurt in the wake of his challenge of the elders.

"He knows what he's doing." said Lupin with something of a fond smile. "As his wolfish forebearer I couldn't be more proud."

Tonks shook her head.

"Let it go Remus." she said noting how worried Hermione looked.

"Will do love." he replied evenly despite seeing the humor behind his own phrase.

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Wolfback Summit, The Wolven Counsel Cliff-Side...

The Hogwarts Potions Professor made his way toward the rocky cavern carved within the mountainous cliff side known as Wolfbone Cavern within the werewolf army's inner sanctum. He had noted the vast number of growling beasts and half-formed men all enraged at his very presence. It seemed that Greyback kept close counsel with a few of them and they were very well aware of just whom Severus Snape had been.

"What is the wizard doing here?" snapped one of them eager to slay the seemingly unimpressed pale man as he continued to move toward a wood carved podium in the shape of a carved tree trunk riddled with wolf claws and bite marks, it was the speaking place of counsel elders by the look of it.

The cavern had been an impressive work of stone engineering, carved seats and tables had lined the seemingly untouchable fortress filled with vast space as grand as a castle although not one as grandiose as Hogwarts.

The Shaman from the outpost had been present as were the other wolves who's loyalty to Hircine and Snape were evident. They had been expecting Snape and were willing to fight to the death to have him heard despite all of Forengar's lies.

"This spineless wizard is not welcome among us." hissed one of Forengar's faithful followers.

"You will do well to hold your tongue." said the Shaman with narrowed eyes. "You speak ill of the father's chosen."

"He is no more chosen by Hircine than you or I." declared Forengar bitterly.

"The lies you speak can easily be dis-proven." said Snape as his obsidian orbs took on the familiar glow of red the already knowledgeable wolves had come to expect.

"BOW." hissed the lean pale wizard as a rumble filled his throat of absolute dominance.

Within an instant, the entire counsel as well as the werewolf army found themselves bowing to the will of Severus Snape, and due to association, the will of Hircine.

"W-What is this trickery?" asked one of the elders in confusion.

Snape rolled his eyes.

"There is no trick to employ." he replied. "I am the hound of Hircine and alpha of all werewolves."

"L-Like hell you are..." hissed Forengar only to be levitated by a snarling Snape.

The Potions Professor's appearance became half-beast as he wrapped his rippling muscled hand around the treacherous wolf's throat.

"YOU DARE CHALLENGE THE CHOSEN OF HIRCINE!?" he demanded losing control of his beast blood. "YOU DARE SIDE WITH THE WEAK FLESH CREATURE IN PLACE OF YOUR FATHER!?"

Forengar struggled to breathe as Snape cast him onto the ground like useless rubbish.

"I WILL NOT SUFFER THE WEAK AND THE DISOBEDIENT IN MY ARMY!" growled the rapidly shifting beast Snape.

Forengar had barely any time to scramble to his feet finding himself released from Snape's command before the enraged wolf set upon him.

Before the counsel of wolves and the massive army, Forengar Greyback found himself torn to shreds for his treachery by the ebony beast that further cemented his dominance in the wolfish hierarchy.

None would dare question him or his will again. Unable to transform without the full moon, many of the mortal formed werewolves found themselves too weak to utter a word in protest. As for the beast locked members of the wolfish army, they were all too pleased to fall in line with the will of Hircine respecting the ancient traditions and the father's wisdom in terms of the true defacto leader of the army.

"Any more dare to oppose the will of the father?" asked the Shaman looking around despite everyone's bowed status.

Snape stood before his werewolf brethren larger and more powerful than anyone before him.

"Then let the will of Hircine be done." said the Shaman. "What would you have us do...Lord Severus?"

Snape allowed the were-folk to get back to their collective feet.

"We fight on the side of the wizards against the weak flesh sack known as Voldemort." he said with an eerie wolfish grin. "No flesh sack shall command the will of Hircine's children."

With a blink, Were-Snape projected the despot's true opinion of the werewolves into the minds of the army. He knew there was no love loss for the wizarding kind but to give them a common foe to hunt was as good as barking orders.

"So." said the first elder of the counsel. "What say you to celebrating the return of the father's most treasured gift?"

Snape shifted back into his mortal form seeing as there was nothing left in the way to challenge his reign as leader of the werewolf army. No sooner had he reverted, a certain bushy haired witch came running up to him fearful of what the wolves might have done to him.

"Severus!" said Hermione rushing over toward him.

She had not been content to stand idly by while he possibly fought the entire army to ensure his dominance.

"Settle down witch." he said stretching despite the minor discomfort from his very bones retracting and readjusting post his moonless transformation. "All is well and Dumbledore shall have his addition to his army."

The werewolves had been curious as to whom Hermione had been only briefly before one of the shaman smiled and welcomed her into the fold. She held the most honored of places among the werewolf hierarchy, she was after all the mate of "The Alpha".

Lupin and Tonks made their way over with a moody Draco folding his arms across his chest and a wrinkled expression of disgust on his pale face.

"It believe our work here is done." he said pleased that there was very little bloodshed involved in the matter.

Snape did his best to refrain from strangling him before turning his attention back to his witch.

"Let us feast!" shouted the counsel elder pleased to have order remain at the Summit Of Wolves.

Hermione could hardly believe what they had managed to pull off. Severus had gotten the entire werewolf army to go against Voldemort even above the influence of one of the werewolf elders. The Potions Master examined her once more before turning his attention to Draco. The adolescent werewolf had been all pouts and sneers until he caught the scent of a female were in heat.

"Uncle...I'll see you later." he said moving quickly toward the female.

Snape smirked after his one track minded godson.

"Are you just going to let him wonder off?" asked Hermione at least moderately concerned for her lover's ward.

"Yes." replied Snape evenly.

"You do know she's a werewolf?" asked the amber eyed witch.

"They'll be evenly matched then...if he can get passed her brothers." said the Potions Professor with a smirk.

"Her brothers?" asked Hermione confused. "Aren't you afraid he'll be killed?"

"He is of my blood." said Snape rather leisurely. "I'd say the problem lies with Draco losing control and killing them."

With wide amber eyes, the now speechless witch noticed how at ease the junior Malfoy had been. Unlike Lupin, Draco was well within his element as a young werewolf.

It didn't take long before he had a handful of werewolves cowering away from him in fear.

"So much like his father." said Snape rather fondly as he made his way toward a haystack and lied down.

Hermione arched an eyebrow as she followed him.

"Severus, are you sure you are alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine love, just something along the lines of blood-drunk." he replied given the savage way he killed Forengar in beast form it was no wonder. "I take no pride in being a kinslayer, but I will not tolerate treachery."

Tonks and Lupin made themselves scarce as far as the Alpha werewolf had been concerned. They had their own little discussion with the shaman whom had been greatly concerned about the nutrients of the fetus within the beautiful Aurors womb.

Hermione took note of the strange community of were-folk. All her life she had been taught to fear and despise these strange beings but they were no different from wizards when watching them play about like a rather enormous family. A rather enormous family with Severus Snape being the undisputed leader. She watched the rather exhausted wolf-wizard roll onto his back and drift off into a contented sleep as if he had been home.

The confident witch did not know what lay beyond the reaches of the wizarding war in terms of a future but she was pleased to be spending some of her time in the company of the capable were-beast. Looking around, it seemed everyone in the wolfish village shared her opinion of the notoriously dour wizard.