AN: Thanks to my lovely reviewers OCfan, notwolf, and irze. And to all the new follows and favs as well.

Late Night Lies

With the feast over and the students all in their dormitories, he could finally stalk down the hallways to the stone gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office. "Cockroach Cluster." He snapped at it, then rode the spiral stairs to the top. He tried hard to keep a hold on his anger, but it kept getting away from him. It had been building inside him all summer as he read report after report of Black slipping through the fingers of his pursuers and he didn't know how much longer he'd be able to keep it from bubbling over. Most of his summer had been spent brooding in his basement potions lab, trying and failing to keep the memories of his school days at bay. He'd been unable to sleep for more than a few hours at a time and had lived on tea and biscuits and Hunger Suppressing Potion all holiday.

He'd known that there was something dodgy going on yesterday with Albus and his 'rushed meeting with the Minister'. They called him to the Ministry so often right before the term started that it had seemed almost normal. But then there was all that talk about the new Defense professor coming in on the train with the students, because of the Dementors, with no mention of who this new professor was. Then Albus had been unavailable the entire next day until the feast. It all added up now.

When he'd seen Lupin come into the school with the returning students he'd almost gone blind with fury and had just about bitten through his tongue when Albus had introduced him to the students. He could not believe Albus this time. How could he hire the werewolf best friend of the crazy lunatic mad man fugitive that was expected to try to storm Hogwarts? Fresh memories of Black's torments flooded his mind and he clenched his jaw so hard he was surprised that his teeth didn't crack.

Severus still didn't know how they had managed it, but knew that the Marauders knew the school and the town like the backs of their hands. He could only assume they'd never been caught at their hijinks because they knew entrances and passages that no one else did. How many times had he overheard Potter and Black bragging to each other about the previous nights 'adventures'? Now, thanks to Albus, there would be one inside the school and one outside this year. He didn't think the one on the outside would stay out there for long if the one inside was allowed to stay.

"Thank you, for the day with Brie at the end of last year." He said as he entered the office. "I wanted to make sure to remember to say that before I asked; Are you insane!?" The last words exploded forth and Albus looked up from behind his desk with a raised eyebrow, and waited. Severus sighed. 'He's not going to make this easy.', he thought to himself as a fresh wave of anger rolled through him. "He's a werewolf, Albus! I feel like I shouldn't have to point that out!"

"Now, Severus, we've had conversations very similar to this before, many years ago." Albus sighed.

"And I raise the same arguments as I did back then. He is a danger to everyone in this school! At the very least, if you insist on this travesty of an appointment, the staff has a right to know!" He wanted to jinx Albus into a smoking pile of robes with little half moon spectacles on top.

"I informed the staff at the beginning of the meeting yesterday. The students and parents are still largely unaware for obvious reasons." Albus said mildly, confirming Severus' suspicions that he had started the staff meeting early so that he could tell the staff about the werewolf before he and Brie had gotten there. He saw red.

"So you told Brie sometime today, then?" He lead with the part of this abomination that didn't make him want to curse someone to dust, but was unable to keep himself from veering right into the heart of it. "And you thought the best way for me to find out who the new professor was would be to see him for the first time in front of the entire school?" The urge to curse suddenly rose so he clenched his hands into fists and tried to keep them from going for his wand.

"I think you can most likely guess why I didn't want you to know until the feast." Albus answered mildly.

"So you didn't have to listen to me point out that Sirius Black is on the loose and he and Remus Lupin were the best of friends? Or was it so that you didn't have to hear me voice the obvious concern that Black now possibly has an inside man in the school?! Maybe it was because you still don't believe me that Potter and Black and their little gang would go out at night and roam the grounds and the town and probably know more than a few ways in and out of this could it have been so that you didn't have to be reminded that the man was most likely in on the 'prank' that almost killed me?"

"Exactly. All of that. But don't worry, I assumed that you were going to say all this and took it into consideration. I even imagined that your eye did that twitchy thing it's doing now." He pointed to Severus' face and Severus slapped a hand over his twitching eye and rubbed it furiously as Albus continued. "It is exactly as if we had had the twelve arguments we would have had, and the result is the same in the end as well. I even told Remus and the Ministry that you strongly protested his appointment. And for what it's worth, Misters Potter and Black and the rest were never once caught outside of the castle and Remus said he was not in on that prank. I am inclined to believe him. He was very upset with Sirius when I had them up here to question them all." Severus simply gaped at him."As for Brie," Albus ignored his expression, "I'm not sure it would be a good thing for her to know just yet. Werewolves are just as feared in the Muggle culture as they are here. I'm not sure how she would react to a real werewolf, so..."

His eyebrow winged up and he momentarily forgot the personal slights as he interrupted Albus. "Oh, she'll just love that once she finally finds out. And you know she will. You know how she is Albus. She poked and prodded until she figured out the Basilisk. She knew there was something off about Quirrill. So now this year she'll dig around about Lupin because she's observant and things will be off about him too. I'm just going to save myself the grilling questions and tell her."

Albus frowned and said, "I hope you won't forget the promise you made, all those years ago."

"What promise?" He narrowed his eyes, not liking the look on his face.

"You promised me that you would never reveal Remus Lupin's... problem to anyone not already aware."

Rage sputtered up into his throat. "You made me promise that! I was 16 years old! I had just practically been turned into a werewolf myself! I was afraid of being expelled and sent back home for being so far out of bounds!" That had been the deepest fear of all, that'd he'd have to go back to that dirty, Merlin forsaken hell hole and he'd never be able to claw his way out again.

"A promise is a promise Severus. Even Brie. I will inform her about Remus at an appropriate time, in an appropriate manner. I fear that you are incapable of being impartial with this particular information."

He stared at Albus through a red haze and thought that he might explode from the indignity of it all. To keep himself from saying anything he'd truly regret he spun on his heel and wordlessly left the office, his robes streaming out behind him.

"Whoa, what's up with you?" He heard Brie's voice ask from behind him when he reached the corridors. "I almost got sucked into that wake you're making, speedy."

Internally cursing at the horrible timing, he stopped and tried to wipe the anger from his face before he turned. "Nothing." He lied. He didn't like to, but if he couldn't tell her about Lupin, his best course of action would be to completely hide everything. He caste Muffliato because he knew that she'd never buy it and they were about to spend some time here.

"Right, because you always stalk ninety miles an hour away from the Headmaster's office when nothing is bothering you." She quirked an eyebrow and took a bite of the sandwich she was holding. "I assume that means that he's finally in? I was about to check again on my way back to my rooms." She finished after she'd swallowed.

He cursed her for being so observant and seized the opportunity to change the subject. "Where were you for the Sorting and feast?" He asked, indicating the sandwich. He'd noticed that she hadn't been there, but had been too enraged to wonder much. He'd assumed that she'd been reading in the library and had lost track of time.

She blushed. "I, ummm, may have fallen asleep while waiting for dinner time." She confessed. "I think I'm getting old. I seem to be losing the ability to stay up for ridiculously long periods."

"I'm sure crossing so many time zones in such a short amount of time doesn't help." He pointed out.

"That's true." She agreed.

"And what is that?" He pointed to her other hand where she was holding a large coil of something.

She perked up and turned her hand over to let the coil unravel. "This is a Slinky. It walks itself down stairs. I was testing to make sure it works in the school like it does in the Muggle world before I take it into class tomorrow. With my luck, if I hadn't checked, the damned thing would probably go up the stairs here."

"You're using that in class?" He was confused, but relieved that he'd been able to distract her. It wasn't usually this easy.

"Oh yeah!" She replied. "It's a great tool for teaching about potential and kinetic energy and inertia and a bunch of other principals. Plus all the non Muggle borns won't have seen one and every Muggle knows the Slinky, so, two for one lesson. I just met the new Defense professor, he was amused by it."

He nodded, distracted. He didn't at all feel comfortable keeping this secret from her and she'd already run into Lupin alone. It made him feel guilty and worried for her safety, given her penchant to wander at night, so he threw caution and promises to the wind. Albus' could chastise him for it all he wanted. "Brie, listen, there is something you should know about the new professor. You need to be careful, he's a,"

"A werewolf? Yeah he told me. He said Albus told the staff yesterday. That must have been the part we missed. Did he finally fill you in?"

He hesitated, thrown off by the surprise that she'd already found out what Albus had been trying to hide and had shattered his concerns about it. He nodded. It would be easier this way.

She continued with a frown. "Kind of important information for Albus to forget to fill me in on then."

Severus threw a dark look at the stone gargoyle that guarded the Headmasters office. "I went up to see him about another matter and he told me then. I'm sure it must have slipped his mind that you weren't at that part of the meeting, with all this increased security business because of Sirius Black's escape." He lied and thought. 'You owe me one, old man.' He'd go back up and tell Albus about this after he and Brie were done. There was no reason for Brie to know that Albus had been purposely withholding this information from her.

"What what, now? Sirius Black is the escaped prisoner everyone is talking about? Sirius Black, like the same Sirius Black you told me about, Sirius Black?" She asked and he snorted and told her about Black's escape from wizarding prison. "Did anyone explain about the Dementors?" He asked, unsure if she understood precisely what about them was so effective in the 'd arrived that afternoon sometime after lunch and he personally planned never ever to get near enough to one to feel it's effects. He was fairly sure Brie would share his sentiments.

"I read about them after you showed me the spell that made your pretty, pale doe. I'm glad I haven't seen any yet but I still don't understand why do people think they are needed here. Shouldn't an escaped prisoner be trying to stay far away from people? Even one like Black. Breaking into Hogwarts isn't exactly subtle."

"Expecto Patronum, is the spell." He said. "The popular belief is that he has broken out of prison in order to try to get to Harry Potter."

"Geeze. Potter again?" She asked, surprised. "Well, now I'm much more nervous about Black being on the loose. All those precautions make much more sense now. I see what you mean about the wizarding world revolving around Potter. Poor kid."

"I'm sure he thoroughly enjoys the attention." He scoffed.

"Not if he's anything like me, he doesn't." She pointed out. "So, why Harry? What? Is this Black guy mad at the kid for having no parents because of his own betrayal or something crazy like that?"

"It's said that he was set to be the Dark Lords second in command once he triumphed."

"Oh, but baby Harry supposedly vanquished the Dark Lord. Right, right. I can see where the bitterness would set in now. I didn't realize he was so highly placed."

He grinned inwardly when she said that baby Harry had 'supposedly' vanquished the Dark Lord. He enjoyed the fact that she thought to question the idea that a toddler who couldn't even talk yet might be able to defeat the most powerful wizard of all time. Until he'd learned of Lily's sacrifice, it hadn't made sense to him either.

She beckoned him down to her level and he stooped low. "Now, by the time he betrayed the Potters, hadn't you already come over to Dumbledore's side?" She whispered into his ear so softly that he barely heard it himself.

"I had. And you don't have to whisper, I caste Muffliato."

"Then didn't you know that Black had turned?" She still kept her voice low and he smiled to himself, she still didn't fully trust magic when it came to things like this.

"I never saw Black at any gathering. I assume he turned in secret and had been instructed by the Dark Lord to remain undercover to be sure that no one would suspect him of being a spy. The Dark Lord vanished the night he killed Lily so no one really knows the entirety of all his plots and plans., or even everyone who was working for him."

"All this espionage stuff wears me out." She said, taking another bite of her sandwich.

He nodded wryly in agreement.

"So, are you OK with all this?" She asked as the information settled into her mind and she remembered that, besides betraying the woman he secretly loved, Severus was particularly un-fond of this Sirius Black character because of how he'd treated him during their school days. He jerked his shoulders up and she could tell he wasn't ready to talk about it. "So, it's crazy escaped prisoners and happiness sucking monsters this year, huh?" She sighed. "I swear, Severus, this school is getting to me. What happened to the days of not having to constantly look over your shoulder?"

"It will be alright." He assured her, glad she wasn't pushing him about Black and especially glad that he'd hidden Albus' little deception from her if she was already frustrated with the school. "The Dementors may be horrible things, but they won't let him get into the school."

"I hope you're right." She said, suddenly looking around. "We've been standing here too long. This isn't smart of either of us. Muffliato doesn't keep people from wandering by." She pointed out.

"You're right. Be careful and goodnight." He said as she moved off and he stepped back over to the gargoyle and gave it the password and rode the spiral stairs to the top again.

"You don't have to worry about telling Brie anymore." He said without preamble as he entered.

"Severus!" Albus exclaimed, banging his fist on his desk, upsetting the ink bottle he was using.

"It wasn't me!" He exclaimed back. "Well, it almost was, but she already knew anyway. I told you that you can't hide things from her!"

"So a promise from you is worth nothing?" Albus' eyes had none of their usual twinkle.

"Don't even try to play that card Albus." He scowled.

"Well?" Albus demanded.

Severus exploded. "I, unlike you, feel that it isn't right to play these hide and seek and select information games with everyone in your life! I know her better than you Albus, you wouldn't have been able to keep it from her and you shouldn't try considering what she gets into around here! Honestly, she's almost as bad as Potter. You might trust Lupin, but that doesn't change the fact that he is dangerous."

"I was trying to make sure she formed her own opinion of Remus without the stigma that knowing he is a werewolf would bring to her judgment." Albus replied.

"That's wrong too. It's unnecessary." Severus pointed out. "There was zero judgment in her voice when she told me that she knew. I believe the woman to be incapable of believing that anyone is truly terrible. Look at all the chances she gave me while I was busy being a narrow minded sod that first year." He looked Albus in the eye. "From here on out I will trust and follow every decision you make, even if I don't like it or don't understand, but this time you were wrong. If she ever finds out that you were trying to manipulate her like that, I don't know that she'd stay at the school Albus."

Albus frowned and said, "You are right Severus. It is not for me to manipulate the situation here. You are right."

"I told her it must have slipped your mind because of all this business with the Ministry and the Dementors and that you remembered to tell me only because I came to see you about something else." He said.

"She needs to know about Remus, but you'll hide this?" Albus raised an eyebrow.

Severus scowled. "Well, do you want to risk it? She's unpredictable. She could laugh it off as you being over protective, or she could be insulted and think that you think badly of her, or any of another thirty or so options and more that I can't even begin to guess at."

Albus sighed "Very well, I'll trust your judgment on this, but keep in mind, Remus Lupin, through no fault of his own, has known a life of almost nothing but sadness, hardship, rejection, and prejudice. He wants nothing more than to be treated like a normal wizard. Hogwarts was a sanctuary for him before and I hope it will be again.I was endeavoring to be sure that he doesn't run into the same problems here as he does out in the rest of the world.I know that you had problems with the people he was friendly with here at Hogwarts, but please, try your best to look past those years."

He sneered in response and Albus sighed again. "Fine. Well, as long as we're here discussing not manipulating situations, I may as well inform you that I will require you to brew the Wolfsbane potion for Professor Lupin to ensure the complete safety of everyone in the school this year. I was going to ask you after I'd buttered you up with the gift of some rare ingredients in hopes that you would make the right decision on your own, but I think now I'll just tell you that's what I need and expect you to do your job."

His mouth dropped open. "So I was part of your master plan all along here, but you didn't think it was appropriate to ask if I minded this little task before you set everything in motion? Let's set aside the fact that I can't stand the man, and the fact that you've blindsided me with the whole thing. Wolfsbane is an incredibility time consuming potion!"

It wasn't as if he wouldn't have brewed the potion, even if Albus had just asked like a normal person. Lives were at risk if he didn't, so of course he would, but couldn't Albus see what a constantly manipulating sod he was turning into?

Albus cut him off. "And you are Hogwarts' Potions Master and I am Hogwarts' Headmaster. My master trumps your Master. Have a good evening, Severus." He waved him out the door. Dumbfounded and furious, he went without another word.

After he was gone Albus frowned and paced his office for a bit before he stepped over to his fireplace with a pinch of Floo Powder in his fingers.