The novel grew heavy and awkward in his hand as the evening wore on. Bill found the words blurring on the paper and his attention span wavered as he lost the thread of the current sentence. Though his head did not move to make it obvious, his eyes wandered off the page and onto the man sitting beside him in bed, reading a book of his own. He took in the image before him, the gentle smile, the amber-brown eyes, the chestnut brown hair streaked with grey.

"Bill," Remus said softly. "I’m afraid that at my age twice in one evening is my limit."

Bill smiled and chuckled lightly. For a man his age, Remus’ stamina was amazing, even if his desire was a bit less than Bill’s on any given day. He wouldn’t have minded another tumble beneath the sheets at the moment, however, if it had guaranteed to free his mind of other things. Bill set his book down on his bedside table and turned in bed to face Remus. "Can’t a man just watch his lover read in bed without wanting anything more?"

"Mm." Remus marked his ending place and placed his book on his matching nightstand. Then he rolled onto his side to face Bill, his head sinking into the still half-way propped up pillows. "I suppose he could. But I know that look, Bill Weasley. That’s your restless look."

Bill sighed deeply. "It’s just this week of training. I’m going to be bored out of my mind thanks to it. It’s not as though I am new to curse-breaking. I am just relocated. I don’t really see why I have to bother sitting through it."

"This is not Egypt, Bill," Remus told him, as though it was not the most obvious thing in the world. After the war, Bill had permanently settled back in England in order to stay with Remus. For the first time in his life, Remus had both an actual job and a man to share his life with as well. Bill willingly gave up his life in Egypt in order to give Remus this life. And while Bill was sure curse-breaking in England would not be as remotely as exciting as it had been in Egypt, he already looked forward to abandoning a desk job in favor of a little more adventure.

At Remus’ comment Bill started laughing, and Remus chuckled at himself as well. "What I mean to say, is that there are potentially different dangers, different creatures, and different sorts of curses to deal with. With Scandinavia close and the ancient Celts’ influences all over. If you need further reassurance of that, I can raid the history and culture bookshelves at work tomorrow." He leaned forward and gave Bill a quick kiss, pulling back before it got too involved. "I have faith that you will be able to handle a week of books and lectures."

Bill gave him a reassuring smile. "Well, if you think I can, I’ll certainly give it my best shot," he said as he lifted a hand and waved it in a motion that told the candles on the nightstands to extinguish themselves. Both men then readjusted their pillows and pulled the blankets up to their shoulders, settling in for the night.

"Goodnight, Bill," Remus said softly, pecking him on the lips with an even quicker kiss.

"Night, Remus," Bill echoed, returning the quick kiss.

Then Remus rolled all the way over onto his other side and Bill slid up behind him, matching the curves and bends of his body to his lovers’ and hugging from behind. So comfortable and contented was Bill that he did not think of the training again before falling asleep.

Just as the training had been occupying his mind last night in bed, it was certainly last night in bed that was going through his mind as he sat through the training the next day. So far, Bill already knew everything that had been covered. And for some reason, he found it far more interesting to think about his time with Remus last night rather than the several thousand page long manual they were slowly working their way through.

The lecture hall was large and sloping. It contained row upon row of long desks. Behind each, ten people could sit comfortably though some had as many as thirteen. The lecturers had to use various magnification spells for their voices and their visuals, and the manuals assigned to everyone assured that the participants could at least follow along.

The word "werewolf" registered in Bill’s mind, and he turned his attention back to the lecturer to find out the context. "... can be terribly dangerous. If it is at all possible to avoid hunting during a full moon night, you should certainly do so. However, not all jobs are flexible enough to allow this. So you need to have a basic understanding of werewolves including how to recognize them as well as defend yourself against them." Bill tuned it out again with a sigh. Dangerous, vicious beasts. That was pretty much what he had expected to hear when it came to werewolf education. The textbooks from his youth had said no more than that, as well. In fact, there were few books that even acknowledged the fact that werewolves were actually real people with real lives and emotions during all the other days during the year. Which was not to say there were no contrary sources of information. But Bill could only think of one published book that took a more logical and understanding point of view when discussing werewolves.

"So you might find it useful to distract it with wolfnip. Vampires, on the other hand, are more difficult to deal with as they can attack on any night and..." Something in Bill’s stomach flipped and his head snapped to his side as he nudged the young woman sitting beside him.

"Excuse me," he whispered. "What did he just say about distracting werewolves?"

Assuming that he was asking in order to flirt with her and obviously unable to resist Bill’s charms, the young woman flicked her brown hair over her shoulder and batted her blazingly blue eyes. Bill was used to this sort of a reaction, but the fluttering in his stomach was making his leg bounce up and down in excitement and anticipation. He was completely uninterested in anything but her answer. "He said you can use wolfnip," she told him. "The information about that is on page seventy-four."

"Greatly appreciated!" Bill replied quickly, turning away from her and flipping through the pages of the manual. He hoped she wasn’t expecting him to buy her a drink during their next break. He located the page and scanned it for the first instance of the word that he could not remember ever hearing or reading before. And as he had tried to track down practically everything ever written about werewolves when he had developed feelings for Remus, this was certainly saying something. The word practically popped off the page at him in a moment, and he backed up to the start of the paragraph to be sure he missed nothing.

A relatively new finding in the field of Herbology is Nepeta lupuria, a perennial herb in the weed-like mint family. Previously ignored because its uses were never properly researched, herbologists, scholars, and aurors alike all now believe it to be effective when it comes to werewolves. It is native to the Mediterranean but can be found grown in the wizarding world on all continents for its practical uses. This herb is more commonly referred to as wolfnip, because of its many similarities to catnip.

Just as not all cats are attracted to catnip, not all wolves are attracted to wolfnip. Extensive studies and real world observations have found that werewolves are, however, immediately drawn to it without exception. The reaction is both chemical and magical and triggers receptors in a werewolf’s sensory system. Wolfnip has been found to contain various aromatic oils, including one mild hallucinogen. This response and the resulting attraction is present whether the werewolf is in human or wolf form.

However, the responses vary for each werewolf. Some are unusually attracted to it in such a way that it makes an appropriate and foolproof lure. Others have been observed to revert to a cub-like state and "go crazy" with such displays as rubbing against the plant, jumping, running, licking, drooling. Some act as though they are highly intoxicated, in appearance, coordination, and speech. Still others find wolfnip induces a psychosexual response and act as though it has an aphrodisiac effect. No matter which response, or combined set of responses, wolfnip has been proven safe to be touched, inhaled, or ingested.

While wolfnip is not widely available, treasure hunters and curse breakers are authorized to purchase it. Some may also be kept in reserve at the bank’s storage centers for use. Though it is, in effect, a harmless herb, identification must be presented in order to acquire seeds. This is mainly due to the fact that it is many times difficult to control when being grown and has a reputation of taking over one’s garden. It must not, under any circumstances, be grown in any proximity to wolfsbane. Wolfnip will not interfere with wolfsbane or the wolfsbane potion that werewolves may take during the week preceding the full moon. However, when the two are grown near each other, both are found to have no effect upon werewolves when they are picked and presented or added to potions.

The section went on to discuss wolfsbane in more detail. Bill lifted his head to determine the current place in the lecture. Apparently, they had moved on to creatures not usually found in Wizarding Britain which might present a problem. Certainly not needing to learn more about mummies, Bill buried his head in the book again, rereading the wolfnip passage. He mouthed the words "psychosexual response" and broke into a wide grin. That was certainly something he would like to see for himself.

"We’re a bit low at the moment," the wizard said to Bill through the Plexiglas separating the pristinely white hallway from the equally bright white store room. The only difference between the two were the rows upon rows of shelves which held hundreds of small white, labeled boxes and bins. "That is one of the herbs not indigenous to the region. It had to be shipped in from the wizards in North America and they had a particularly dry summer last."

"I only need a small amount," Bill said, nodding in understanding. Normally he might feel guilty about taking some from their stores if they were running low. He had been informed, though, that the staff at the storage center said that about practically everything, just to be sure the wizard or witch requesting it was truly serious about it. "It is for testing purposes."

The man paused a moment, running a hand through one of his two tufts of white hair. Then he hopped down from the stool and headed into the back. Bill could see he was only a few feet tall, yet perfectly able to reach the top shelves by pointing at the clearly enchanted boxes. When pointed to, each slid out, dropped slowly to the ground, and opened themselves up. Bill stood on tiptoes to look over the counter into the box on the floor to see that it was packed full of bags of grounds. They were by no means running low.

So Bill ended up returning home with a small bag of the dried herb tucked away neatly in a pocket of his robes. As usual, he started dinner and set the table as he waited for Remus to return home from work. He set the bag down in the middle of the table and, as the roast and veggies cooked, he sat in a chair with his arms folded on the table and his chin resting upon it.

He wasn’t entirely sure what to do with the wolfnip, especially as he was note entirely sure why he had felt compelled to acquire some in the first place. A dozen thoughts came to mind, but none struck him as the perfect solution. By the time he had to start the mashed potatoes, Bill still could not decide what to do. He kept glancing over his shoulder at the innocent-looking bag which held so much promise. On one hand, he wanted to come clean about it to Remus right away. But something deep down inside of him thought otherwise. He was curious about Remus’ unbiased, purely natural reaction. Bill simply could not shake the phrase "aphrodisiac effect" he had read in the manual earlier and did not want such a thing spoiled by explanations and long analyses.

The oven bell chimed, and Bill grabbed a potholder to remove it from the quick-heat oven. He set it on one of the stove burners to cool for a few moments. A quick check of the time told him Remus was due home soon, and Bill still had not quite decided what to do with the wolfnip. Deciding that he did not have to make up his mind at the moment, he grabbed the bag from the table and took it to the bedroom.

He sat down on his side of the bed and opened the bag. He dipped his hand in and rubbed some of the dried herb pieces between his thumb and forefinger. They were soft and crumbled into smaller pieces at his touch. Curious, he took up a pinch and lifted it to his face to sniff at. The smell was strong, but didn’t exactly excite him the way he hoped it would Remus.

"Bill?" Remus was home.

Bill jumped and some of the herb fell onto the bed. Bill quickly brushed it off. Then he stuffed the whole bag under his pillow, intending to keep it close at hand in case situations heated up and he got brave about it. Otherwise, he would just keep it around until the right moment presented itself and he had worked through the possibilities in their entirety. He did not want Remus to stumble on it in the next few seconds, however.

Perhaps it was Remus’ habit of getting things done ahead of time because of his transformations, but Remus usually spent the first few days of the week at his store pouring over the books and inventory lists in order to get it sorted out for the upcoming week. As such, he was home late this evening. Bill returned to the kitchen to tend to the food, giving Remus a "Welcome home!" call across their flat.

Remus took off his cloak and hung it up beside the door. "Something smells fantastic," Remus commented, appearing in the doorway to the kitchen.

With his back turned as he cut the bread, Bill bit his lip. "Several somethings, I hope. Dinner’s ready and dessert is cooling."

His sweet tooth prevailing, Remus smiled widely at the mention. He walked over to Bill and wrapped his arms around the man from behind. He gave a tight squeeze of a hug and a small kiss to Bill’s cheek as he peered over Bill’s shoulder at the food. "I’m sure it will be scrumptious."

"We will soon find out," Bill replied, scooping out the last of the vegetables into a separate bowl and handing it to Remus to put on the table. In no time they were seated across from each other at the small table. Remus sat with his feet up on Bill’s lap beneath the table, and Bill rubbed at Remus’ ankles with one hand while he ate with the other. The dinner, both agreed, tasted as good as it smelled.

Conversation kept Bill’s mind off the wolfnip for a while. But Remus’ questions about his day brought it to the forefront "Was your first day of training really as bad as you expected?"

Bill drummed his fingers on the tabletop absentmindedly as he gave that some thought. For the most part, it had been just as boring as expected. But nothing horrible had happened, in the long run. And his discovery of the herb he didn’t even know existed had certainly made his day. "It went well, all things considered," Bill replied with a shrug. "It’s not all the waste of time I thought it would be. There were a few rather enlightening parts."

"That is excellent to hear," said Remus with an approving smile and a nod. He switched topics in the briefest of beats. "Now, where is that dessert you mentioned?"

Near the end of dessert, as Bill leaned across the table and guided a forkful of the cake into Remus’ mouth, Remus gave Bill a playful smile. He took hold of Bill’s wrist and stood up, bringing Bill with him. Remus grabbed the plate and continued to guide Bill over to the couch. He swallowed, then kissed Bill powerfully as they collapsed onto the couch together.

"You’re pretty energized tonight," Bill observed as Remus nuzzled his face into Bill’s chest and tugged Bill’s robes up.

"Thank you for noticing," Remus said, grinning. He tugged his own robes up and straddled Bill. "I cannot imagine what has gotten into me." Then he stopped the conversation with another powerful kiss.

 "I don’t know and don’t care." He ran his hands up Remus’ thighs and rested them on Remus’ strong hips. Bill closed his eyes to enjoy what was to come.

He came twice that evening, once on the couch and once in the shower after the pieces of cake were completely finished and the dinner dishes had been cleared away. Both times had been enjoyable and slightly wilder than normal. Remus had kept Bill guessing, bringing him right to the point, then changing techniques. So preoccupied with Remus had he been that Bill completely forgot about his earlier discovery and acquisition.

That is, until he and Remus had settled into bed together. Remus sat back against the headboard with his book while Bill continued to towel-dry his hair. In a matter of seconds, however, Remus had set the book down on his lap. "Do you smell that?" Remus asked, sniffing the air.

With his head tilted to the side, he dabbed his hair dry and only shrugged. "Nope. Sorry. Is something wrong?"

Remus shook his head. He leaned into Bill and sniffed again. "Did you perhaps put on new cologne when I was not watching? Using a new hair product?"

Bill shook his head, letting the towel rest around his neck. "No..." He trailed off, realizing that he’d spilled a bit of the herb. It was only a little bit of it, but apparently even that was enough to alert Remus’ senses. As he thought about it, the idea of easing into it gradually, with a bit of secretiveness and some playfulness, was probably how he had intended to go about it all along.

"Bill?" Bill snapped out of his thoughts to see Remus grinning and giving him a rather seductive look. "Would you like to try for number three of the night?"

Not quite trusting that Remus really meant it, Bill slid his hand beneath the blankets and down Remus’ body. He found Remus was hard and ready to go already. He returned the grin. "Absolutely, Love." Throwing the blankets down, Remus immediately jumped Bill with a playful growl. And though he honestly meant to mention something about the wolfnip when the sex was over, he and Remus had fallen asleep so quickly thereafter that he was not given a chance.

The next afternoon, Bill sat restlessly in his seat during a particularly repetitive lecture on the forbidden curses. His rump was a bit sore from his activities with Remus the night before, as well. But he was also looking forward to getting out of the training and home again. After his success the night before, he felt ready to take it one step further. During the last half an hour, he had been going through ingredients in his head. With a plan far better befitting the twins, Bill planned on making a pudding and adding a little of the wolfnip to it. Now that he knew the herb wouldn’t cause Remus to get sick or go absolutely crazy, he was eager to discover the full extent of those psychosexual responses. If just a pinch of the herb on the bed made Remus hard and wild, Bill was curious to know how much more intense it was possible to get.

Which is why he walked into the flat after a day of sitting through lectures, he made immediately for the bedroom. The bag was still beneath his pillow, where he had left it. He paused, hovering over the bed for a moment in thought. Then, smiling he withdrew the packet.

He went straight for the kitchen to prepare dinner. For dessert he had a chocolate pudding planned, of course, as chocolate was Remus’ favorite. He hoped the cocoa would mask the taste of the wolfnip long enough for Remus to get a few bites in. Or at least allow Bill to eat a bit without pulling a face at the unnatural addition. The pot pies for dinner were taken care of with a few flicks of his wand and some recipe spells he’d memorized from his mother’s box. But Bill wanted to make the pudding by hand.

When he got to the step where he wanted to add the wolfnip, however, he was startled to find the bag nearly empty. Apparently, he had not closed the bag tightly enough when rushed the night before and there was now wolfnip spilled in a trail from bedroom to kitchen. Bill groaned deeply. He was sure the amount left in the bag was not enough to have any significant in the pudding as a whole, and he stopped to wonder if this might perhaps be a sign.

Though conniving and mischievous were not Bill Weasley’s dominant traits, and while he was being both where this wolfnip was concerned, he had to admit that he was enjoying this. It wasn’t as though Remus was not enjoying it either. On the contrary, Remus had seemed quite thrilled at the boost to his sex drive and had taken full advantage by taking Bill repeatedly. And while Bill did think it right to tell Remus what was going on, he wanted just one more stab at it first.

Resolutely, he made two small bowls worth of pudding and added what remained of the herb into just one of them. Then he pulled out his wand to clean up the floor. The wolfnip blended into the grey-brown carpet and he had to squint a little to see it.

Before he could clean it up, however, Remus returned home. Quickly, Bill set the pudding in the refrigerator to set. Then he brought the finished pot pies to the table. He kept glancing anxiously on the floor, wondering if he should risk the clean-up even with Remus in front of him. And he wondered what he would say if Remus noticed the herb and called him on it.

Remus said nothing about it, however. He simply settled in his chair across from Bill at the table and asked if Bill’s second day of training had gone as well as the first.

"It was all right," Bill told him with a shrug. "There was nothing new today, though. And I’m not very hopeful about the rest of it, either. I’m much more interested in hearing about your day."

And so Remus told a story about a nice Hungarian couple who had visited his bookshop that day and engaged him in conversation. "I never have a chance to practice my Hungarian," Remus explained animatedly. "The gentleman knew a little Romanian as well. I told him my partner’s brother lived there and that we had visited a few months ago."

Bill felt his heart sink a bit at the word ‘partner’ and the thought of the aphrodisiac-laced dessert cooling in the fridge. He was certain Remus would be amused, rather than angry, were he to find out what Bill was up to. But that did not make him feel much better about the scheming and tricking.

Remus, on the other hand, seemed to be feeling quite well. Instead of just sitting with his feet in Bill’s lap as usual, he was rubbing one foot along Bill’s leg rather seductively. The touching started on the top of Bill’s thigh, but worked its way to his inner thigh, coming remarkably close at times to Bill’s crotch. Several times Bill had to remind himself to keep eating rather than just close his eyes and enjoy the sensation.

"Bill?" Bill looked up, realizing he had not caught Remus’ last sentence. "I asked if you’d planned dessert or if you wanted me to make something." Remus pulled his feet down and leaned forward, elbows on the table, chin cupped in his hands. "Because right now I could go for some cherries and whipped cream... oohh, or dipped in hot fudge..." He dropped one hand to the table and began tracing his finger upon the tablecloth.

Bill smiled. "Unfortunately, all I had planned is pudding. But if you would like me to--"

"Pudding is fantastic," said Remus with a shake of his head. "I’ll get it, shall I?" Before Bill could take the opportunity, Remus was up and at the fridge. He pulled out the bowls and got two spoons.

Letting fate dictate fate, Remus chose for himself the bowl Bill had added the wolfnip to and handed Bill the other one. Bill dug in to his but watched Remus out of the corner of his eye. Remus took a large spoonful, let it sit in his mouth a few moments before swallowing, then froze. "Rem?" he asked concernedly as the man’s face showed nothing. He did not look as though he would be sick, which was good. But it looked as though perhaps Remus had tasted something unusual. "Are you all right?"

Remus nodded. "This is more than fantastic. Best pudding I’ve ever had, actually," Remus said almost breathlessly. He looked up at Bill, an almost glazed look in his eyes. "But for some reason the only thing I want to eat right now is you."

Bill’s eyes widened as Remus practically sprang across the table and grabbed hold of him. Remus pulled Bill to the floor, toppling over Bill’s chair in the process of getting on top of him. It was a mad scramble for Remus to get under Bill’s robes. Maddeningly passionate kisses and skillful hands touched Bill in all the right places and he grew hard in no time to match Remus’ obvious excitement.

"Remus..." he gasped as Remus’ tongue met his erection. His voice was full of desperation. "Remus..."

"What is it?" Remus asked, gazing down at him a moment before leaning down and kissing behind his ear. "Is there something more you want?" Then Remus’ mouth overtook Bill’s earlobe, fang earring and all, pulling gently. He reached back and released Bill’s ponytail, a sure sign that the sex was going to be rough and quite intense. "You can have anything, Bill. Anything you like. So long as you let me make love to you."

Bill wanted to explain that it was the herb making Remus so desperate for sex. He wanted to explain that it had all been out of curiosity. Remus had always been a talented, caring, and enthusiastic lover. This was just an experiment... this was all just in fun... no harm meant. But for some reason, he simply could not end his fun just yet. "No, it’s not that," he said, shaking his head. "I... I only wanted to be sure you were feeling all right. It’s not normal for you to be so--"

Remus silenced him with a strong kiss. "We will talk after I have you the first time," Remus decided. His amber-brown eyes seemed far away, but his mind and body were both quite close. He kissed Bill again, wielding his control through his lips, and Bill did not attempt to speak again. Remus, however, grinned mischievously at Bill. "Perhaps after the second time." He administered another kiss, right to the nape of Bill’s neck. Bill shivered in pleasure. "Or perhaps the third..." Bill grinned back.

When Remus rolled him over and mounted him, Bill began wondering whether this was due to the herb spread across their apartment on the floor, that which he added to the pudding, or both. By the time Remus was plunging into him with deep, urgent strokes, Bill did not much care what had caused it. Ten minutes later when Remus was lying in his arms, panting from relief but still half-hard, Bill could think of nothing but how happy Remus seemed and how happy he was. Twenty minutes after that, and still on the floor but a few feet closer to the bedroom as Remus was thrusting into him again, Bill lost all ability to think about anything at all.

Hours later, sore and spent, the only thought in Bill’s head was how to go about getting more of this herb. He was absolutely positive that after such breathtakingly enjoyable sexual escapades as they had been through tonight, Remus could possibly not be too angry at him when he found out. But he wanted to come clean. Of course, that would have to wait until Remus woke up... and maybe also until Remus came again, as the werewolf was hard as he lay pressed against Bill’s side.

The next day’s subjects in training included the procedure to follow when dealing with standard curses on the job as well as the proper way to structure a report about such curses. Bill knew both like the back of his hand. After just a few hours of sleep and more sex than he had thought possible in one night, Bill completely gave up any hope of following the lectures.

Instead, he tried to work out how to go about getting more of the herb. He decided he couldn’t possibly go to the storeroom again. So that afternoon after training saw him perusing through an herbalist’s shop. He stopped at home briefly to clean, just in case his search kept him out late. He did not like to think about Remus coming home to an empty apartment full of a fragrance that sent him into a frenzy he could not control and had no knowledge about. Not wanting anyone to know he was a curse breaker, Bill changed out of his robes and into jeans and a black turtleneck. He donned his leather jacket and headed off to Diagon Alley, hoping to find something at the herbalist there so that he would not have to try some of the seedier places in Wizarding London.

The shop was warm and so dark that Bill had to squint to read some of the labels. The strong scent of spices hung in the air made his nose tickle and his head hurt a little. Bill shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket and shuffled from shelf to shelf, reading labels hopefully. There were jars of dried fluxweed, containers of chopped daisy roots, and packages of knotgrass, but no wolfnip to be seen anywhere.

Bill lifted his head with a sigh and headed over to the front counter. He stood behind a wizard who was buying a whole box full of seed packets and waited his turn to talk to the herbalist. There were two customers already in line, and he felt a bit shy about asking, but Bill had not come this far with everything just to back out now.

It would be far easier to explain to Remus if he had some of the herb for Remus to sample. Even just a few pinches would have been helpful. It certainly seemed as though a few pinches were enough to excite Remus. And last night, with it in the pudding and spread all over the floor, the effects of having more than just a few pinches had been evident. Remus had been wild and untamed, not to mention, for some reason, completely disinterested with why he felt that way. It was unusual for Remus to be so unconcerned by something so out of the ordinary. That, perhaps, bothered Bill more than anything else. And he wanted to give Remus the answers to the unasked questions. Hopefully they would still be able to enjoy the intoxicating and sensual effects of the herb together anyway. Nearly a dozen times in a night had been a bit much even for Bill... but he certainly would not admit he did not enjoy each and every one of them.

The witch behind the counter was elderly, but smiled kindly at him as he stepped up to it despite the fact that he probably appeared less than trustworthy. "I’m looking for a special herb," Bill started, wishing he had spent his wait in line rehearsing what he wanted to say rather than thinking about sex the night before. "You see... I..."

The woman narrowed her eyes at him pleasantly in thought. "You need something special for a potion?" she guessed. "You look rather pale..."

Bill smiled and shook his head. "No, no. It’s for my lover."

"Ahhhh," she said, nodding. "Ingredients for a love potion?"

Bill shook his head again. "Actually, he is a werewolf and--"

"So you need monkshood," she said so offhandedly and nonjudgmentally that Bill nearly did a double-take. The witch pointed over Bill’s shoulder at one of the top shelves. "Third bottle from the left. Bring it over and I shall measure out a month’s worth. Though it is a bit early to be worrying about the next full moon, isn’t it?" The moon was slowly waning as it was only a week since the last full moon.

Yet again, Bill’s head shook back and forth. "No. We have all we need for the wolfsbane potion already. I came here to see if it was possible to get some dried... well, I suppose the common term for it is wolfnip."

A slow smile grew upon her face. "Ohhh," she nodded in understanding. "Nepeta lupuria." Bill nodded emphatically and wore a smile to match hers. "But we are out of dried nepeta lupuria."

Bill’s face fell. He breathed out heavily in disappointment and he looked down at his shoes. "All right. Well, thank you anyw--"

"I’m afraid all we have are the plants themselves. So you would have to clip and dry it yourself."

In an instant, Bill’s eyes widened and he looked back up again. "I’ll take it!"

Confident that this was half a week’s pay well spent, Bill carried the plant as though it were the most delicate thing he had ever handled. And when the wind picket up, he tucked it under one side of his jacket to take care of it as he headed right home.

It was so late that Remus had dinner ready for him when he returned home that night. When it came down to it, he could fight evil with the best of them, but when it came to brewing a potion or making a stew, he was a self-confessed hopeless case. But he attempted it once in a while so Bill would not always have to cook, and Bill thought it was nice to come home tonight to a dinner lovingly prepared by the man he loved.

Though there had been a routine normality to their lives since moving in together a year ago, they were not what they would refer to as normal. But coming home from work with flowers for his lover who had dinner ready and waiting felt normal, natural, and both seemed rather pleased to greet each other with smiles and kisses. Bill handed the plant over and Remus set it in the center of the table.

"What is this for?" Remus asked of the plant, barely looking away from it as he brought over the salad, bread, and casserole. Beyond the ribbon tied around the terracotta pot, the plant stood about two feet tall. It was bright green, with stems and leaves jetting out everywhere. Though the leaves were small, they were plentiful. To add to the healthy fullness, there were a few dozen flowers covering the plant. The flowers had nearly-circular, bright white petals and had grey centers that resembled the moon.

"It’s for you," Bill told him as he helped himself to generous portions of everything Remus had prepared. "For putting up with my complaining about this training."

Remus smiled and cocked his head to the side. "Thank you. That is so sweet, Bill. What do you want?"

Bill laughed. Remus hadn’t missed a beat. "I’m not Sirius, remember? Just because I brought you something special does not mean I want something from you."

"Sorry," Remus said, not sounding entirely genuine. Sometimes Bill wondered if the only reason Remus had been attracted to him all those years ago were for the tiny resemblances between Sirius Black and himself. But Remus had soon come to understand that Bill sported many different qualities as well, and had learned to love each one of them over time. However, those similarities had not been, and were not now, unwelcome. Nor was the mention of Sirius’ name anything but commonplace. Still, Remus sounded as though he knew from experience that Bill was hiding something. Casually, Remus helped himself to seconds of the casserole which had actually turned out rather well in the end. "So I am to assume your day in training did not go as badly as you expected?"

Bill waved his hand dismissively. "I barely noticed it. Bored to death."

"Seems to be getting worse every day!" Remus laughed. "At this rate you will be bringing home a plant every day and I will be spending every night cheering you up."

Blushing slightly, Bill nodded. "Well, you’re rather good at cheering me up. Actually, would you pass me the butter, please, Remus?"

To do so, Remus had to lean forward in his seat. His face came close to the plant and he could not resist sniffing at one of the bright white flowers. As his nostrils flared, he closed his eyes to saver the smell. It filled his senses. His lip curled and one side raised, exposing a canine tooth. Then, instinctively, he leaned forward more and rubbed his whole face into the plant. The leaves and flowers tickled his face softly and he nuzzled into it more affectionately. Suddenly Remus seemed to snap back into some normality. He pulled back, blinking at Bill. "What did you say this plant is called?"

"I didn’t, actually," Bill replied, smiling slyly.

"Says the man who supposedly has no ulterior motives?"

Bill continued to smile as he reached out and plucked a leaf off the plant. He crumpled it in his hand, causing the plant’s scent to escape and some of the oils rubbed off onto his fingers.

Remus watched him wide-eyed. Then he completely abandoned his dinner and pushed back from the table. Practically pouncing across the table, Remus ended up sitting in Bill’s lap and rubbing his cheek against the palm of Bill’s hand. His movements seemed stronger, quicker, more exaggerated now. One hand undid Bill’s belt buckle while the other slid under Bill’s turtleneck to touch the warm chest. "What is this plant?" Remus asked, his voice low and soft. "And why is it making me so desperate for a shag?"

"It’s called Nepeta lupuria, also known as wolfnip." Remus seemed more stunned than anything else, except perhaps aroused. "Learned about it in training a few days ago. It affects werewolves just as catnip does cats. And I figured since you were a werewolf..."

Remus nodded in understanding. "So this is why I have felt so strange these last few nights? And by strange of course I mean ready and willing to hump anything that moves."

Bill nodded back. Nervously, "Not too terribly angry at me, are you?"

Remus sniffed at Bill’s hand again and plucked a stem containing a flower and leaf from the plant behind him. He slid it into Bill’s hair, just above his ear and smiled at the look. Then he kissed every bit of skin he could find in that area, taking deep whiffs of the plant at the same time. "You are very lucky I’m not angry," Remus said, rubbing his hands against Bill’s thighs. "You are lucky that nothing turns me on like a good, small bit of mischief." His fingers scratched at the denim and then moved inward to cup Bill’s crotch. "Merlin, but I love when you wear tight jeans."

Bill chuckled and playfully muttered, "Perverted old man."

"Ohhh," Remus said, shaking his head and clucking his tongue. "Perverted old werewolf, perhaps. But one who’s going to have you on your back with your legs up in the air before you can say that again." He took another deep breath of the plant and shuddered happily. He was growing more and more spacey and his eyes showed how far away he was feeling.

Bill noticed, of course, and licked his lips in preparation. "Per--" He only had to start in order for Remus to spring into action. The man, the werewolf, pulled Bill off the chair and pulled his jeans down. Remus was moving more quickly than Bill could ever before remember, and before Bill knew it, his hands were bound together with his thick leather belt, his jeans were stripped off, and his legs were bent over Remus’ shoulders. "Per..." he tried again, his back arching slightly as Remus slipped inside him. At the same time, Remus took Bill’s cock in hand and began pumping it. Bill let out a pleasurable groan and gazed up into Remus’ dazed but adoring expression. "Perfect," he finished, breathlessly.

"It soon will be," Remus agreed, speeding up. His thrusts were less urgent and desperate this time around, more controlled and natural. But the strength and emotion behind them was just as full as the days before. And Bill had to admit, with each and every glorious stroke, that he preferred it this way. Remus now knew what was making him feel this way, and he had embraced it and was enjoying it. Bill knew very well that they could not keep doing this every night... but perhaps now that Remus understood they might be able to incorporate it into their stash of toys.

His breath racing, Remus grunted and pulled at Bill quickly, cupping his hands around Bill’s cock in ways Bill had never thought hands could. He moaned with pleasure as Remus’ thumb grazed over the head of his cock, and whimpered every time Remus’ hands changed positions to stop the current pleasurable sensations and start others. It managed to keep him from coming for far longer than he would have guessed possible. But it did not hold him off indefinitely. And as soon as he began, tightening and crying out, Remus gave a final last thrust inward and joined Bill.

When their orgasms passed, and Remus lay curled up against Bill’s side, Bill picked up the flower that had fallen out of his hair during the last moments of their exploits. He pulled the petals off one-by-one and sprinkled them over Remus’ scarred chest like soothing rain. His eyes closed and his breath still coming in gasps, Remus nonetheless smiled as it tickled him. "When I... catch my breath..." he panted, "You will... pay for that."

"Gladly," replied Bill, chuckling. Bill knew the reason Remus wasn’t angry was due, in part, to how brilliant the wolfnip was making him feel. And how absolutely fantastic it was making the sex. Still, he had expected more of a reaction from Remus, and wondered if he might get one once the effects had passed and his lover had a chance to think the situation over a little longer.

But Bill did not even have a chance to think more about the situation. Remus grabbed Bill’s arm, pulled him to his feet, then directed him to the bedroom and the cool, comfortable sheets that would no doubt need a half dozen cleaning spells before the night was through. Still twitching and quick to react, Remus darted back into the kitchen, grabbed the plant, then tore back to the bedroom with it in order to make it a long, thrilling night for them both.

Remarkably, and despite the fact that he was a few minutes late in getting to work, the next morning Bill paid attention during lecture. He was so satiated and content that he was simply able to sit back and listen to the instruction. Today there was still nothing new being presented that he did not already know. And after a day of learning about cairns and standing stones, Bill returned home with a hungry eagerness.

"I had a feeling you might not be cooking so I stopped off for take-away," Bill announced once he’d shut and locked the door behind. But he spoke to a seemingly empty apartment. Assuming Remus was still at work, Bill sighed and wet to set the food containers down on the counter.

He was just in the middle of wondering whether to put a heating charm on them so they would remain warm until Remus got home, when Remus called out to him. "Bill? I’m in the bedroom. Set your things down and come on in."

Bill raised his eyebrows. It wasn’t the first time Remus had been able to practically read his mind. He headed into the bedroom. Remus was stretched out on his side in bed with a single sheet wrapped around his otherwise naked body. The wolfnip plant sat on the nightstand on top of several books. A large number of sex toys were spread out on the duvet. These were not some of their toys, but new ones that must have been recently purchased. "What’s this for?"

"They are for you," Remus said, grinning slyly. "To show my appreciation for your discovery and the plant. That is... if you’re interested."

"Oh," Bill chuckled. "Oh, I’m interested!" He kicked off his shoes and peeled off his robes on the way to the bed. He fell upon it with a bounce and examined the toys in front of him. Remus gestured for him to help himself, and Bill took his time selecting. Finally his hand moved past the dildo, butt plug and manacles to pick up a small silver set of nipple clamps that looked far too tempting to resist. He winced slightly as he put one on his left nipple, but after the moment of pain, his cock stirred against the inside of his boxers at the resulting pleasurable sensation rushing through his whole body.

"Favorable?" Remus asked, sounding concerned.

Bill nodded enthusiastically. Then he picked up a small, two-finger vibrator. He barely had enough time to strip off his boxers before his hand was drawn to his hardened cock. Movement beneath the sheet told him Remus was going for his as well. The vibrator began to shake as he slipped it on his fingers and then carefully touched those to his cock. He groaned and threw his head back, the end of his red ponytail tickling his back.

"I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself." Remus said, his eyes trained on Bill.

"I am..." Bill stopped in mid-nod. He’d tried to pull his hand away, but it would not move away from his cock. Slightly alarmed, Bill reached up to the nipple clamp but it would not budge either. The vibrator would not stop vibrating. And the clamp would not stop clamping. "Remus!" he exclaimed.

"I thought you were enjoying yourself," Remus said, not at all phased. He still lounged there lazily, touching himself as he watched Bill.

"But I cannot stop..." Bill closed his eyes and tried to harness all his energy together into the effort of removing the toys. But they stimulated him wither he wanted them to or not. Bill was starting to panic.

"I must not have told you," said Remus, not sounding the least bit panicked. "They’re cursed."

"Cursed?!" exclaimed Bill, who had moved passed panic to terror. It was possible these might never stop. He would be over-stimulated and die of exhaustion at this rate. He was starting to regret ever making changes to their sex life. In fact, he now had a suspicion that this was his punishment for deceiving Remus. Bill knew Remus had to have claimed he was not angry for a reason.

"Well, more like a specialized hex, to be precise," Remus told him. "And as you are a curse breaker, I figured..."

Bill rolled his eyes, regretting everything now. But he nodded in understanding and nearly chuckled at the situation he had gotten himself into. "All right. What must I do?"

Remus shrugged. "You are the curse breaker, not I. I know what I plan to do." He pushed off the sheet and Bill could see one hand gently stroking the long, slender and slightly-scarred cock in time to Bill’s own vibrating strokes to his own. "I am going to lie here and enjoy watching you try to figure this out. Nothing turns me on like a good bit of mischief." His other hand reached up and pinched his left nipple. Bill felt a tingle in his own just at the sight before him. "I would like to find out how many times it will take before you figure out how to counter the curses. And I am quite curious to see how long it will take to drive that restlessness out of you tonight."

Of all the reprimands he could have received, Bill had to admit this had to have been the least expected but also potentially the most enjoyable. So he closed his eyes and tried to work through some basic curse counters in his mind while he pleasured himself and listened to his lover’s matching gasps and moans.