31. Unsolicited Advice

Snape remained in the hospital wing for three days.  The story was passed to the students that he'd suffered an accident.  As he seemed to be completely recovered and as nasty as ever when he returned to the classroom, no one doubted this at all.  Indeed, some wished it'd been worse.

Evangeline tried to visit with Snape in the infirmary several times, but he always begged off with stories of fatigue after she'd been there for only a few minutes.  He was polite, and superficially friendly, in his manner, but he was obviously determined to keep her at arms length.  And he had very long arms.

The young woman became more withdrawn as he pulled firmly away from her.  She stayed in her room exclusively, working non-stop on the paintings, and turning down all company for meals.

Lupin was very worried about her.  He didn't like what he was seeing from Snape either.  Severus was throwing around detentions and point deductions with wild abandon, but he never spoke to anyone at meals, nor did anyone see him outside of the classroom and the dining hall.  Most everyone who knew what had occurred was concerned, but no one seemed to know what to do about it, and no one wanted to interfere in Snape's private business.  Everyone valued their own personal well being far too much for that.

Finally, Lupin decided to take his life in his hands and go see Snape in his rooms.  When he knocked, Snape's voice snarled at him through the door and grudgingly granted entrance, which was lucky he thought.  It meant he could get inside the door without it being slammed in his face.  Quickly he opened the door and entered before he lost his nerve, closing the door firmly behind him. 

Snape was sitting at his desk holding a quill that dripped red ink like blood.  He looked up, from the scroll he was grading, now quite liberally coated with that same red ink, with an annoyed scowl on his face.  "What do you want, Lupin?" he barked angrily. 

Lupin tried not to show how nervous he was.  "Someone needed to talk to you, and I just decided to be the one."

Snape's scowl deepened.  "No one "needs" to talk to me about anything, Lupin. Certainly not you.  So you can turn yourself around and go back where you came from because I have no intention of conversing with you."

Good idea, thought Remus, too bad I never take really good advice.  Instead he said, "You're wrong, Severus.  Someone needs to talk to you about Evangeline, whether you like the idea or not."

Snape dropped the quill and scroll onto his desk, abruptly stood up, and stalked over to the fireplace with his back to Lupin.  "Evangeline is off limits.  I have no intention of discussing her with you or anyone else.  Now get out of my quarters before I curse you into tomorrow and throw your remains out into the corridor."

Ignoring the threat, Lupin bravely continued on.  "Don't you think you've punished her enough for her momentary distrust of you over that horror on your arm?  I told her at the time that I was sure you'd forgive her, even though forgiveness isn't usually in your nature.  It seems I was wrong.  Trouble is, I don't really understand why.  Any fool can see that both of you are upset and unhappy.  You need to talk to her, Severus."

Snape stiffened and stared moodily into the fire.  "She's better off without me in her life," he stated softly.

Now, we're getting somewhere, thought Remus.  "Why do you say that, Severus?  The woman is obviously in love with you.  I thought, based on what I saw at the Halloween Ball, that the feeling was mutual.  What's changed?"

There was a long uncomfortable silence.  Lupin forced himself to wait quietly while Snape struggled with himself.

Finally Snape sighed wearily.  "There's still so much that she doesn't understand."

"She may understand more than you know," stated Lupin kindly.  "Did she tell you what we talked about up on the Astronomy tower the night you were hurt?"

Snape glanced warily at Lupin.  "She said that you explained that I was a spy, nothing more."

"Well, there was more…quite a lot actually.  Sirius was up there as well.  He took the opportunity to enlighten her about our lengthy school days history."

Snape groaned and closed his eyes.  "It's a wonder she came back to talk to me at all."

"You don't give her enough credit, Severus.  She could see, in ways that the rest of us couldn't, just how much all of that history had affected the people we'd become, and the choices we all made.  Believe me, she understands why you felt you had to do some of the things you did, more than you think she does.  Perhaps you should give her another chance.  She's really hurting at the moment.  She never leaves her room, and she won't talk to anyone.  She's not accepting company from any of us anymore for meals."

Snape sent a troubled glance at Lupin.  "I didn't realize that."  He paused and hung his head.  "There's still much you don't know.  My absence from her life will be better for her in the long run.  Further association with me will only cause her more pain."

Lupin sighed.  "Look I'm not asking you to marry her, only don't abandon her.  For whatever reason, your friendship is important to her.  She needs to see you, talk to you, be convinced that you don't hate her.  Could you at least do that much?"

Snape sighed heavily and rested his head in his hands on the mantle.  "I don't know.  I'll think about it."

Remus felt some relief even at this doubtful promise.  "I guess I can't ask for more.  I'll leave you to your grading then, good night."  He turned and opened the door.  As he was about to step through it, Snape said softly, "Good night, Remus…. thank you."

Remus grinned in return.  "You're welcome, Severus."

He shut the door and was halfway up the hall when he realized that Snape had actually called him by his first name without bitterness or sarcasm.  He grinned to himself as he climbed up out of the dungeon.