Chapter 46: The Unforeseen Dangers Of Blood lust

Open field, Unknown Location...

The pungent scent of ash and seared flesh had nearly gotten the best of Severus Snape as he stood surrounded by his Death Eater brethren at the request of the dark lord, his "reeducation" as it had been labeled by the dark lord, had barely begun following his multiple weeks of all out torment in a bid to prove his worthiness to the despot once more. The screams of the victims had been the loudest thing he had ever had the privilege of enduring given his wolfish sense of hearing, it seemed to be all the more devastating then it had in the past with him being able to hear the exact moment their lungs take in their final breath and their heart's final beat. Given his precocious position, Snape managed to block it all out with a cool façade up until a Muggle woman with lengthy brown hair and green eyes was brought before him. She had of course not been alone as The LeStrange Brother pulled a younger girl looking to be no more than a teenager next to her. Both women had been severely beaten and there had been a good deal of mortal wounds about their bodies. Snape noted the ripped and tattered attire they had been draped in and focused his efforts to ignore their shapely forms in a bid to keep his disgust at bay.

"Lovely, s-s-s-supple little things-s-s." hissed the dark lord as he smirked rather wickedly at the Muggle women before him. "Wouldn't you agree...S-S-S-Severus-s-s-s?"

Snape had not been in the least in agreement but hid his disgust thus far.

"Indeed my lord." he said dutifully in a rather emotionless tone.

Voldemort's red eyes flickered with malice as he brought Snape to his knees with a swift flick of his wand.

The Potions Master struggled to keep the raging beast within him at bay while being forced into such a submissive state. Via magic, The despot removed Snape's trademark frock coat, a gesture mostly done when he meant to punish the dour wizard for some infraction or another.

"I find my self rather curious S-S-Severus-s-s." hissed the despot as he ran his wand rather gently along Snape's pale exposed flesh. "Of all those that serve me...you do not seem to have as much fun with our vision as your more advanced brothers."

Snape said nothing as Voldemort circled him like a vulture eyeing it's prey, those red eyes glowing as he felt the despot penetrate his rather keen mind. He had been forceful of course...the dark lord seldom did things without force these days. Given his mistrust of the Potions Master it was quite a given.

"I remember a boy, whom had been denied all the pleasures life had to offer." said Voldemort with his gaze trained on Snape while he continued his mental onslaught. "A boy whom seldom experienced what it was like to truly be free to enjoy the spoils of war."

Upon hearing this Snape felt a kind of heat wash over him, it started out slowly building gradually in intensity. Before long it was an unquenchable fire that burned his loins and boiled his already unmanageable beast blood. A smirk filed across Voldemort's face as he noted the projected lust spell had taken effect.

Snape struggled to regain himself despite feeling the sensation of his hardness upon being permitted to stand on his feet. His body tensed and coiled like a cat ready to pounce, his muscles bulged and there was the taste of blood that filled his mouth teasing his senses. Unable to sustain his own wicked nature for long, Snape found himself being ruled by the longing of the beast that dwelled within despite keeping it imprisoned safe from the view of his current master.

"Now..." said Voldemort with his eyes gleaming. "Show me what you've been holding back."

Snape's obsidian eyes had been filled with darkness as he looked upon the cowering Muggle women.

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Snape's Quarters, Slytherin Dungeons, Wizarding World...

Rage filled the thunderous beating heart of Severus Snape as he burst into his private chambers. The stench of all that blood and death lingered in his senses as he ripped off the dirty gray robes that clung to his cold pale flesh, collectively increasing his shame. He could still hear their screams as he tossed his attire onto the cold stone floor. He needed to shed it as soon as possible given what had covered it. The scent still so intoxicating provoking things that he dared not give into. Draco had been out for the evening and the silence of his quarters had been eerie as of late. The fire had gone out, though he had been secretly glad, the embers of flame had no place illuminating the darkness of his repressed death eater nature.

Snape felt the familiar creeping of bile indicate that he was likely to vomit from the intense memories of his last outing with his fellow death eaters. Lucius had managed to keep a lid on his revulsion until the festivities had been over and he was cleared to return to Malfoy Manor, The Potions Professor had to sit through and hour long meeting with Albus Dumbledore recounting everything down to the most intricate detail. He had not known how long it had been since he had spent some time alone processing his own emotions. Given the situation he had been more than happy to forgo them.

It had been clear to him that despite his best efforts to control the ambitions of the beast that dwelled inside him, he would always be slave to his rather unsavory primal nature. The Potions Master made his way over toward his bar downing the entire bottle of Firewhiskey in a bid to calm his already shattered nerves.

He had not known how to go about any of this. The secret affair with his student, a Muggle-born witch at that was the only means of salvaging his identity if ever he had one. His spy work for both the Order of Phoenix and The Dark Lord had been weighing rather heavily upon him. He had yet to be welcomed back into the inner circle given his time under Dumbledore's roof and Voldemort's mistrust of him since that time. He was beaten and tortured for weeks not to mention forced to murder an innocent Muggle woman and her younger equally Muggle blood sister this night.

The Potions Professor made his way into the bathroom giving no notice of the late night chill against his bare pale flesh. The faint scent of jasmine filled his nostrils as he passed his well used bed and stepped toward the sink. He splashed a bit of water onto his face in a bid to wash off the blood but it only served to intoxicate him all the more.

A low growl had rumbled deep within his throat as he turned his attention to the scent enjoying it more than ever in the wake of the atrocities he had been forced to commit. It had been much too late to rouse Hermione, despite needing her apparent comfort given what he had endured, so he turned to his other alternative for keeping his mind from caving in with the weight of his unbridled guilt.

Brewing.

Ever the busy Potions Master, he set to work on brewing himself a calming draught.

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The Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Hermione Granger had anticipated another day of lengthy study given her wolfish lover had plans for a pop quiz this week in potions and despite sharing his bed, the bushy haired witch got no favors in the academic department. Finishing off her breakfast in record time, she had been up and out of the hall before Harry Potter, or Ron Weasley had been able to sit and start on their own meals. The bushy haired witch still fumed from Ron's insensitive remarks and given her temper decided it best to just forgo being around them all together. She had studying to do any how and there was also the promising idea to drop by the dungeons and see Severus. If anyone asked she was merely doing a research paper for practical purposes.

She made her way down the corridor ignoring the looks and whispers along the way to the Slytherin dungeons. Severus had been a big help to her when it came to dealing with the other students, their time together made it worth it some times just to endure the relentless ridicule. His protective nature had been comforting.

As she neared his office, she found herself growing a bit concerned as she didn't seem to recall him being at breakfast. He had made it a point to be there if only to indulge in his favorite pass-time of unnerving students before Potions class. She figured this out in second year when he showed up despite having a really late night and a wound via Fluffy.

The bushy haired witch invoked the ward that allowed her to pass rather easily into Snape's office and from there venture into his private quarters. Of course she had to be careful not to attempt anything sexual in nature with him given the choice of visitors at this hour of the day, she didn't figure her dropping by for a "purely academic" visit.

She smiled to herself as she neared the secret entrance to his private quarters also warded to allow only her entry. Upon entry of course, she was immediately hit with the familiar scent of herbs and fresh earth that always seemed to accompany the rigid wizard given his Potions work.

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Snape's Office, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts Castle...

Hermione arrived to find the front room a mess with furniture toppled and broken, claw marks had been embedded deep into the wood finished surfaces as well as the stone. The Rivermist plant for all it's value had remained in relatively good shape with the exception of being a deep blood red color. Amid the scattered paperwork she found Severus with his attire torn and blood seeping from his self inflicted wounds. His raven hair slick with blood and his face covered in soot from the fireplace. He had apparently burned the flesh of his palms for some unknown reason scaring them a good deal with nearly third degree burns.

He had been naked as he lied upon the cold stone floor glass broken from his drinking set phials alike.

"Severus!" said Hermione immediately coming to his aid.

The Potions Master did not stir even upon her touch, his rigid body seemingly held in place during his apparent black out.

"Severus!" said the bushy haired witch once more stroking his cold sallow pale cheeks.

She wondered how long he had been this way as she used her wand to awaken him.

A low growl rumbled from deep within his throat. His nostrils flared and he took in the sickeningly sweet scent of jasmine that seemed to come from her in droves. He shifted having no regard for the injuries he suffered as his obsidian eyes flickered with an unspoken heat.

"Hermione." he said in a gruff tone.

She studied him for a moment as if trying to judge if he had been in his right mind.

"Severus what happened?" she asked concern heavy in her tone.

He seemed uninterested in recalling the events prior to his black out and merely grunted with evidence of his apparent arousal. She healed his wounds and helped him toward his bedroom wondering what state it had been in. She got her answer in the form of slashed sheets and broken posts.

He said nothing as he leaned against the askew mattress amid tattered sheets slashed apparently by his beast like claws.

"You're having problems controlling yourself aren't you." she asked cautiously.

Snape didn't seem all that interested in her inquiry as he made his way rather uneasily to the loo. She could hear him relieving himself of the various bottles of firewhiskey he had downed the previous night. In his absence, she managed to get his quarters back into shape via magic and watched as he came into the bedroom dripping with what appeared to be water he had splashed on himself via the sink.

His lengthy raven hair swung at his shoulders as he moved rather swiftly, cornering the bushy haired witch as she stood against the stone wall. Another low growl escaped him as he took in her scent. It was intoxicating being so near her his body physically ached to have her. He noted the concern on her face and instantly knew she'd never go for his brand of entertainment. Given all that has happened he wouldn't have blamed her.

"Severus, please talk to me." said Hermione softly. "Something is happening to you...something that even you can't hide."

"I'm...fine." said Snape in his usually emotionless baritone drawl. "This matter is none of your concern Miss Granger."

Hermione sighed. Clearly there was something dangerous happening to her lover and he wasn't too keen on opening up about it.

"Severus does this have to do with...you being..." she began unsure if she should mention it.

"With me being a cursed hound from hell?" he asked with unmistakable bitterness in his tone. "Why the hell not?"

The bushy haired witch tried to keep a lit on her own rising temper noting his level of sarcasm.

"Perhaps...we could research..." she said hoping to be helpful. "Your condition is rather strange even for known werewolves."

"Research..." he said mocking the term rather mercilessly. "And what knowledge could you possibly find that would enable me to live out the remainder of my days as a beast of burden?"

Still taking care not to take offense, Hermione sought a new approach.

"I suppose you are not in the mood to speak of this." she said. "I shall leave you to your self imposed misery then."

She attempted to leave and was cornered by Snape once more.

"You will go nowhere." he growled his eyes intense as he glared at her as if he wanted nothing more than to rip her in two.

His claws dug into the stone as he blocked her every means of escape in this close proximity.

Hermione did what she could to try and keep him calm.

"Severus you are not yourself." she said softly. "Something happened to you that's caused this sudden change and I want to know what it is."

Snape appeared to be struggling as he glared down at the bushy haired Gryffindor.

"What you want." he spat bitterly. "This seems to be all I hear from you as of late."

Hermione weathered the insults as best she could not willing to risk him flying off the handle.

"I want to rip you limb from limb." he grunted pressing his body into hers. "I want to bathe in your blood until that scent of yours fills me...I want inside you witch...I want to hunt...I want to kill...I want so much to be free of this fleshy prison."

Hermione arched an eyebrow at this.

"S-Severus...the way you speak...it doesn't sound like you at all." she said carefully.

"I need to touch you." he growled. "I need to feel your life beneath me...I need to hear the blood streaming through your veins...I need to feel the heat from your center...I need something other than this darkness that's been eating away at me."

Hermione closed her eyes as he leaned down and ran his tongue along her neck taking care to lick the soft exposed flesh slowly.

"I can hear him." he said with his head resting on her shoulder. "He calls for me in the night..."

"Who calls for you?" asked Hermione trying to remain calm.

"The Father." replied Snape as if he had been in a trance.

Then suddenly he backed away from her as if he couldn't get far enough away in the small amount of time.

"Severus please don't run." she said evenly. "Talk to me...please tell me what's happened to you."

Snape dropped to his knees the tension in his body evident.

"I am marked." he hissed. "Marked by the father."

"Who is The Father?" asked Hermione worried for him.

"I must hunt." he said one again as if he had been in a trance. "The blood moon returns soon."

"Severus." said Hermione making her way over toward him unafraid.

Snape said nothing more as he once again blacked out from the apparent strain to control himself.

Hermione levitated him into bed and informed the Headmaster that Snape had been unwell. Lupin had come by for a visit noting as Hermione had Snape's apparent absence from the Great Hall.

"What's happening to him?" asked the concerned bushy haired witch as she looked into the eyes of the DADA Professor.

She had filled him in on what she witnessed and the condition she found Snape in upon her arrival.

"He said those exact words?" asked Lupin with a worried expression filed across his pale face. "He mentioned The Father?"

"Yes." she replied. "The Father is calling him for some reason."

"If that is true Miss Granger, then you are in a great deal of danger." said Lupin. "And so are your friends if Severus doesn't gain control of himself in the wake of the blood moon."

"W-What do you mean?" asked Hermione. "Severus would never hurt me."

"Not intentionally." replied Lupin knowing all too well what this would do to the dour wizard should it come to pass. "But Severus is not himself...he's been marked and he'll be a danger to anyone in his path."

"So what are we suppose to do?" asked Hermione. "We can't just wait for him to lose control...he has a job to do."

"Indeed he does." replied Lupin. "Needless to say, it has become a good deal more difficult given the Ministry's attention on Hogwarts as well as Voldemort prowling about...but once the blood lust over takes him, Hermione...Severus will not be the same until it is sated."

"Professor Lupin...how can I help him?" she asked seemingly desperate. "He's been through enough...and after all we've shared I...I cannot simply abandon him now."

Lupin sighed.

"I wish I knew." he replied. "I-I'm sorry I could not be of better use."

The werewolf took on last look at the slumbering Potions Professor.

"Whatever he's done...it will only get worse from here." he said before taking his leave.

Hermione turned her attention back to Severus. Tears streamed down her supple cheeks as she gripped her lover's hand.

"I'm going to find a way to help you." she said wiping away the tears as she became more determined to push back her despair. "I swear it."

Snape shifted some in his sleep as another low growl resounded deep within his throat. He seemed to be aware of her presence but not of her promise as he continued to suffer through his blacked out slumber.