More Nocturnal Emissions - 10. An Unexpected Ally

Sirius stands there for a few moments, unable to move, unable to think, as if he cannot comprehend what has happened, wishing that the earth could simply open up and swallow him then and there - until the voice of a deus ex machina rasps into his ear. "Don't just stand there, if you want to get him back, we have to move, and move quickly...."

Sirius blinks uncomprehendingly at the somber black figure which stands before him - not quite the image of a knight in shining armor, is he? What is he going on about? What does he know or think he knows?

"I saw what happened," Snape continues, shaking his head internally at Black's lack of a quick response when time is clearly of the essence, "do you have any idea where they've gone?" It' apparent to him that unless the boy is acquainted with the older man and knows something of his habits, searching for Lupin will be as easy as seeking the proverbial needle in the haystack.

"No, I don't know, I don't......" Sirius is fighting desperately not to panic, when suddenly he has an idea. "Wait. Maybe I do. Or at least I know a place where someone might know where they went. The Hen's Bane. A strange little pub, not too far from Grimmauld, past the river...."

"Then apparate us there, as I am not familiar with the place," Severus suggests, although the idea of making such contact with Black is abhorrent to him. But for some reason he has chosen to make his abilities available to him, and he hopes that he does not live to regret this unnaturally generous impulse.

"James...." Sirius begins, as if he wishes to tell him what is going on.

"The longer you hesitate, the worse it is bound to be for Lupin. You better than anyone seem to know what might happen to him!" Snape snaps, and Sirius blanches at the image his words produce, knowing he's right, and Remus is in distinct danger of being violated, a thought which sears Sirius' soul. He unwillingly grabs onto the other boy's arm, performing a side-long apparation, which leaves them a short but discreet distance from the Hen's Bane.

"What sort of place is this?" Severus asks, eyeing the nondescript building, watching the figures that can be seen entering and exiting - all male - as his mind seeks some sort of angle from which to attack this problem. Sirius blushes, as the words pass his lips. "It's a place for... wizards.... gay wizards...." Snape makes no comment on that, to Sirius' relief, steepling his fingers against his lips as he thinks.

"Then we shall need to make some attempt to blend in, in order to gain the information which we seek." How it pains him to utter those words, but his voice is atonal, at best, and conceals all.

"What do you mean, Sni....Severus..." Sirius catches himself in time. Well, mostly.

"Much as it pains me to say this, Mr. Black," the dry voice replies - insult caught handily, of course - "I believe in order to blend in we shall have to pretend to be a..... couple...." He says the last word as if it were actually painful. Perhaps to him it is. But this is no time to be persnickety, or squeamish, and he fixes Sirius with his stern eye, arching one eyebrow as if to tell him so. "If this is a problem for you, being seen with me, then I'll leave you now....." He hasn't failed to notice the involuntary flinch and grimace at his words, and it gives him great satisfaction, as he pretends to turn away from the other boy, to know he has struck home, as Sirius puts out a hand, as if to stop him. Yes, Severus does have a vengeful streak inside of him - he's only human, contrary to popular opinion. "Very well," he agrees, "come along, then," and together the two young men approach the entrance of the Hen's Bane and walk inside.

Seeing the interior of this place brings back to Sirius the painful night when he ran from Remus - and his feelings for him - and almost got himself raped in the process. How he hates Gabriel, how he wants to make him suffer for what he has done, what he is doing, might be doing, even now. Such thoughts cause him to wince, even as his mind runs over the various ways of how he will make Gabriel pay for this. His memories of the bar itself are blessedly obscured by the emotions which ran high that night, but it is pretty much as he expects - dimly lit to the point of obscurity, noisy with the murmur of men's voices, and totally populated by members of the male species.

"Find a table," Severus instructs him, "while I go to the bar and get us a couple of drinks. They won't question my age like they will yours. I'll see what I can find out at the same time. And do try to stay out of trouble, Black, I shan't be but a minute. "

Sirius can't help but think that somehow Snape finds this whole situation too amusing for words, but he's in no position to naysay him, now is he, nor to cause trouble - Remus' virtue hangs in the balance, and Sirius' thoughts center on getting back the love of his life, holding him close and never letting him go again. So he mumbles his acquiescence, and looks around the dimly lit interior, searching for an empty table.

He finds one, as far away from the large table of rowdy men singing bawdy songs as he can get, hoping that Snape won't be too long and that they can leave this place as soon as possible. He has barely seated himself when two men who occupy a nearby table weave their way over to him. One wraps an arm about Sirius' shoulder, leaning into him, and Sirius averts his face from the intense blast of alcoholic fumes which wash over him.

"Hey hey pretty boy, washa nice boy like you doin' 'lone?"

"Come and sit with us," the other, less drunken sot urges, "we'll take care of you, we promise....."

Sirius attempts to dislodge the arm which rests upon his collarbone so painfully, twisting away from the fetid breath, even as he replies, "No.... thanks... I'm with someone."

"Bring'um too," the man with the killer breath insists, "we have lossa room for two pretty boys...."

"Yeah, lots of room," the other echoes, as Sirius' annoyance, coupled with his nervousness at not knowing where Remus is, grows.

He tries to keep his cool, but it isn't easy. Where is Snape when you need him? Is he brewing the damn beer or what? He can't see the bar for the crowd of men which lies between them. Maybe he should just move, he thinks, before this gets out of hand. "Thank you, but I think I see some friends, so if you'll excuse me....." He attempts to rise from the table, but the meaty arm about his shoulders is making that difficult. And suddenly he feels a very intrusive nose nuzzling into his neck, a large wet tongue lapping his skin, and he is repulsed. He clenches a fist but finds his hand caught by the other man who shakes his head at him and scolds him, saying, "Now now, we just want to be friends, is that too much to ask....."

Sirius wonders how his life has suddenly become so complicated, and why are there so many men that seem to like to hit on him all of a sudden, when a sarcastic voice breaks into this strange tableau, and he glances up to find Severus standing there, two mugs in his hands, his dark eyebrows upraised.

"I leave you alone for two minutes and see what happens to you," he chastises him, setting the glasses upon the table. Reaching for Sirius, he deftly breaks the hold of the inebriate, pulls Sirius out of his chair, the other two reaching for him at the same time.

"Here, here," the more sober of the two protests, "there's plenty of pretty boy to share, don't be so selfish..."

But Severus' next actions stops any further complaints from the wizarding peanut gallery, as he pulls Sirius into his arms and fastens his lips upon his tightly.....