Hey guys. This is short chapter, I know, btu I'm running on next to no sleep. I dont own harry potter and I wish ownedboth Severus and Remus. That would be lots of fun. Sorry it took so long, like I said no sleep. Camp is almost over though so expect more updates soonish. I dont think I keep you guys waiting too long any way but if I do sorry for that too.
Chapter Ten
Remus wished he had thought to borrow James' invisibility cloak when he heard someone at the bathroom door. It had voiced a soft creak as it slid open. There was the sound of a few footfalls before Remus heard a pause and the sharp intake of a worried breath.
Remus cast a silent invisibility charm. It wasn't nearly as efficient or effective as a cloak but it would make him harder to spot, merely a fuzzy patch of vision. The intruder would have to be looking to see him in the corner.
Remus still didn't know who the unexpected, unwanted visitor was so he needed to do more to protect from this potential enemy. He moved farther to the corner and held his wand out, ready to fling the hardest curse he could if the shadowy figure turned hostile.
"Remus," a soft sigh so light Remus was sure he could have, had to have heard it wrong. Who ever it was stepped closer, causing Remus to move out of the near corner, to a reserved alcove in the marble pedestal sinks.
After more invisible footsteps, "Why the hell isn't he Lupin anymore?" That voice. It was Snape. Remus was to stunned to move, too shocked to take the exist that the last step presented him. He just sat and stared at the place where the voice must have originated..
"So yesterday I thought of him as Lupin, if I thought of him at all. Now its Remus running 'round in my mind all the time." Snape was pacing. Remus wanted desperately to go comfort him. Hold him close like parents should. Remus wasn't sure he trusted Severus in this situation. He wasn't sure what reaction that would garner.
From the look of the sun through the window it seemed he had only slept for five minutes. He checked his clock, wordlessly adjusted to whisper into his ear. It was only five minutes. Five fucking minutes since class. Snape was too distracted with his own things to notice the electronic whisper. That alone tugged at Remus' heartstrings. But he had a good guessed what reaction would grace interference, in special from him.
Snape was mumbling about how tough it had been on him. How stupid the class was. How incompetent his partner was. Snape was distraught within his own mind with plentiful fresh offences from five fucking minutes ago. Remus could use the sleep, as Severus had harshly implied earlier, last night hadn't been his greatest sleep.
"He," Snape stumbled and slid down the wall. "He cried. Right here. And I left. All I can think of is him walking in with blood on his collar, no doubt from me. He stepped in between me and his friends." Snape sneered the last word, louder than a whisper now. "That fucking asshole has me to the point that I feel bad for him. I cant feel bad. I haven't felt anything for a while. If I feel bad He'll know. He will punish me."
He? Who was he? Remus decided it must be Voldemort. Who else could elicit the fear on Snape's face?
Operating under both the assumption that the He was referring to Voldemort and the obvious fact the Remus was causing, in part, the fearful expression on Snape's face, he was conflicted. He could either comfort Snape, Severus, he should be Severus. He could either comfort Severus and risk his life according to what he is saying, or he could let Severus be and possibly allow him to be consumed in the abysmal pit that is the service of the supposed Dark Lord.
Remus would have to stay quiet now though, to avoid provoking a wounded and vulnerable death eater who undoubtedly blamed Remus for the danger he was in. Remus decided to go see Dumbledore and consult him on the possibility and consequences for residing in the pocket of an evil wizard and calling Hogwarts home.
But now he sat very near the feet of Snape, Severus, and had to keep his arms physically held to avoid reaching out to touch and comfort this sad, angry peer.
"Remus. If you could only feel what I feel you would understand why I can be so mean. When I see the hurt in your eyes I know I should feel glad, He would ignore it if I enjoyed torturing you. But I care so it will mean punishment if he knows. Instead, when I see your eyes I feel numb. The pain of hurting such a caring soul, the like of which so reminded me of my mother last night, is too great to bear. It sobbed on the floor and I left it." Snape, Severus, leaned further back against the wall in the hopes of becoming inanimate and being absorbed into the stone never to be seen again. Severus didn't shrink back with fear though. He didn't look scared anymore. In fact he looked pensive. Not saddens just a pondering unlit look, focused on either a world beyond or a world of the future.
As Remus watched the play of emotions across Snape's face he felt the pain of each whiplash o feeling. He wanted to smooth the thought lines from his deeply creased forehead as he would if it were Sirius in front of him. Remus couldn't help but see similarities between the two brunettes. They both had different personalities. They both were obnoxious and the most rude when hurt or frightened. They both ran from real conversation and they both happened to reside on Remus' personal, private, permanent endangered species list,, a position which earned them both special care and attention.
"And I gave the shits he called friends that note. I didn't know what would happen. I hadn't been told that part. Why would I be? I'm not important. I wish now I talked to him. I should have talked to him in class. Someone needs to warn him of the nasty scheme against the Gryffindors with him directly in the crosshairs. " Snape looked so torn.
He was fighting his self-preservation instinct and the small part of him that remembered the lessons of his mother. On one side Severus had the threat of Voldemort and the Slytherins. On the either lay the wrath that would be incurred if he was seen with the brainy marauder. Black would either hit him, or Remus would go to protect him.
Remus wanted to talk to him. If he could figure out what was being plotted against him he wouldn't have to get all the Slytherins tomorrow because he would have the necessary information already.
Severus stood in the bright but fading light glittering around the under used bathroom. Moaning Myrtle hadn't made an appearance during Snape's stay which was appreciated by both parties. Severus wet his hands and splashed water an his face, relishing the cool water and the calming sensation it provided. The nearly frigid water removed some of the pallor from his cheeks and with the warm light and clean hair he looked nice. He would never be stunning but even Severus himself could see some desirable things in the mirror looking back with his own eyes.
As Snape, Severus, washed his face and observed what light and color can do for anyone, all Remus could think about was both extracting the needed information from the ailing death eater and helping the obviously frayed nerves. Severus needed both from what Remus had seen. Poor Severus would have company during Remus' marauder free lunch period.
Snape strolled of to his room, the Room of Requirements. He had the hour free as well and wanted some sleep. Ironically Remus was wide awake and had to do something constructive. He wasn't in dire need or sleep. On most full moons he functioned on much less than this. This was no challenge.
Remus went to read up on the spells for his potion that had thus far been thwarted. The library was, as always, a marauder free safe zone and Remus' brain moved on to other tasks. Though he still worried for Sirius and Severus and himself he chose to focus on a potion for the good of humanity.
A/n Review. Or not. But come on. So many story alerts, so few reviews. Just a "Kewl" or a "Sux" would be fine. If your going to ignore me ignore but just know this rant doesnt mean I dont love each and every reader with all my heart.