A/N: The idea for this story just kind of came out of the blue. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. As always, I don't own the Potterverse.

As the last of the third years cleared the staff room, Remus heard Severus returning to the room. As the Potions Master made himself a cup of tea, Remus pulled a pair of chairs over to a side table, and bade Severus join him.

"There was a rather interesting display in my class that you'll want to be aware of, Severus, and one which I think I'd like an explanation for as well," began Remus. "One of the students' Boggarts was a Hogwarts professor. Now, I know that it has been some time since I was here regularly, but I don't recall any of the professors being so frightening then as to inspire utter terror in their pupils. Is this the new norm, perhaps? Should I try to be scarier in class?"

A snort of derision met this last statement. "I suppose if you truly wished to frighten the students, Lupin, you would merely need to show up to the classes you miss for the full moon, wouldn't you?" Snape took a sip from his tea. "But I suppose since you are having this conversation with me, I am the one whose form the creature took? Which pathetic excuse for a Gryffindor was it, then?"

Remus looked rather furious at Snape's nonchalance about the matter. "Setting aside for the moment whose Boggart it was, the fact that you don't seem surprised by this, Severus, is rather disconcerting to me. If not for Dumbledore vouching for you, I'd wonder if you were even on the side of the Light at all."

Severus set down his teacup with a sigh. "Lupin, you may not believe this, but there are times where I would not hesitate to switch places with you in an instant. Albus, wise old wizard that he is, is more convinced than ever that the world has not seen the last of the Dark Lord. Why he thinks this I do not know, but for as long as he believes it to be true, I find it wise to do the same. As part of this belief, I have been asked to make sure to not lose influence in the Death Eater camp, and the best way I can do so is to keep their children happy." The contempt in his voice was palpable now. "And unfortunately, that mission seems to come at the expense of more than a few other students' interest and competence in potions. So, as I asked previously, who am I frightening so much?"

Remus looked contemplative for a moment. "The Longbottom boy, Neville."

Severus put his head in his hands. "I should have guessed. I have been trying to limit my outward displeasure with the boy over the last year, but it seems as though he is scared of even my mere presence. While he has shown almost zero aptitude for Potions, I fear I can attribute that almost entirely to myself. I have seen his Herbology marks, and that knowledge should give him a leg up on understanding some of the reactions inherent in potionmaking, but his confidence evaporates the second he walks in my door. He's responsible for more melted cauldrons than even the dullest of my Slytherins, and I cannot even offer the least of helpful suggestions for fear of compromising my position. I have sent more than a few owls off to Madam Longbottom suggesting the boy get some tutoring from another source, but I haven't seen anything to suggest that any action has been taken."

Remus took a sip from his own tea cup. "Given how he solved his Boggart problem, I fear that Augusta may be more trouble than help in that particular situation. Are you familiar with her usual getup, Severus?"

As Remus tried very hard to hold in his laughter, Severus sat up to look at him again. "Who in Britain isn't? That hideous hat alone…oh Merlin, he didn't. Lupin, tell me right now that he did not dress me as his grandmother!"

It was at that point Remus lost his battle with laughter. Rather loudly, in fact. Severus downed the rest of his tea, and returned his head to his hands. It took Remus almost a full minute to regain control of himself again.

"Are you quite done, Lupin?" Remus nodded, still suppressing the last few chortles as he did so. "Then I will ask a small favor of you before I depart. Somehow, some way, give that boy the help he needs. If necessary, bypass Madam Longbottom. I have already caused too much pain and fear to hope to repair his confidence, but I will be damned if that boy does not some day do great things for the world of Potions, whether he believes it or not."

With that, Snape swept out of the room, his cloak billowing behind him, leaving a pensive Defense professor in his wake.