A/N: A response to Tantz's second installment.
Disclaimer: Remus doesn't belong to me, sadly. He's JK Rowlings.
~~~~~
There's really nothing for me to do in the empty castle. I stroll lazily to the tower just biding my time. I can't afford Christmas presents, so I just make them myself out of things I find in the world. I found a wonderful cinnamon colored feather of a barn owl possibly, for Ron. I wish I could give him his Hermione back, but I can resurrect the dead.
For Harry I made something special from things I keep in my battered briefcase. I took some of Colin Creevy's old pictures and finally charmed them to be like regular wizard pictures. There is one that I had to take to a Muggle shop to get it enlarged. I was afraid if I used Engorgio charm it might blow up the picture, or at least ruin the print.
The picture is of Ron, Hermione, and Harry during better times. I'd date it to their first year here at Hogwarts. They seem so carefree and happy, and even determined. Ron keeps making rabbit ears behind Harry and Hermione, while she keeps giving him chastising smiles. And Harry, well Harry seems aloof as he always has, but something in him seems so innocent, seems so untainted.
Knowing that he prevailed in many Crucio curses makes me put the picture back in its manila envelope and address it quickly. I wonder if he'd accept me as a replacement godfather. I shake my head in disgust. I'm a werewolf, and he's a growing boy. A very sad growing boy. Why the hell am I just staring at the desk then? With a faint chuckle to myself I stroll back out of the tower and down to the Gryffindor Common Room, where I bump into said Harry.
"Good Evening Professor." There's that charming Potter smile, I nod politely and smile back. Always keeping up appearances for the boy, I'd hate for him to be even more depressed.
"Good Evening Harry! How would you like to come to my office for some tea? I have a new creature for class I want you to peek at first." I winked at him and nearly felt my heart melt when he gave me a true and honest smile.
"If they're anything like the Grindylows, Professor, I can't wait!"
"Harry. Just call me Remus. I'd like that better."
"Uh.s-s-s-sure! Remus.. Remus. Yeah!" I kind of wanted to hug him, but I knew he needed some space, and if he wanted a hug he'd surely give it in his own time. I bade him farewell and strolled past him towards the Great Hall, just to look at the perpetual snow on the enchanted ceiling. I sat on a student bench at the old Ravenclaw table and looked up. I even caught myself sticking my tongue out expecting the snow to drop daintily on my tongue. Of course I was left in the lurch by getting nothing I expected and a drawl sly voice chastise me for it.
"We can't have lunatics who dream of pure white snow be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts class." His humor was as greasy as his hair sometimes.
I let my gray eyes lazily look at him, and I smiled at him.
"Silly children grow up to be silly adults, don't they? And to what do I owe the pleasure, Severus?" I wanted so badly to bow at him mockingly, but that was always more of Sirius' style, and I really didn't want to lure Snape into a battle of wits.
"In that they do. I was just concerned about Weasley---don't you look at me in that tone, Lupin."
I was truly shocked. I wasn't entirely amazed, but yes, shock was there. Severus Snape actually cared about someone openly, in civilized conversation, I should bake him some brownies. I nodded my head at him to continue, and he just sat there peering at me with his abysmally dark eyes. I wasn't giving in either; we just both spent the better part of the hour staring at each other, trying to figure the other one out.
A loud noise sounded behind me, and Peeves the Poltergeist crashed in.
"Oh looky! Loony Loopy Lupin and Snakey Slimy Snapey! Peevsies got himself a party!" He began to launch bottle of unlabeled mixtures into the air, and Severus utterly exploded at the Poltergeist.
"Finite Apparitnarum!" A large PUFF! The poltergeist was gone in a sickening green smoke cloud. I waved away the polluted air and I saw a pretty stunned Severus grinning like an ass.
"Always wanted to do that." He stuffed his wand into his cloak and I blinked at him and faintly chuckled.
"The things one learns from old enemies." Isn't that that the truth.
Disclaimer: Remus doesn't belong to me, sadly. He's JK Rowlings.
~~~~~
There's really nothing for me to do in the empty castle. I stroll lazily to the tower just biding my time. I can't afford Christmas presents, so I just make them myself out of things I find in the world. I found a wonderful cinnamon colored feather of a barn owl possibly, for Ron. I wish I could give him his Hermione back, but I can resurrect the dead.
For Harry I made something special from things I keep in my battered briefcase. I took some of Colin Creevy's old pictures and finally charmed them to be like regular wizard pictures. There is one that I had to take to a Muggle shop to get it enlarged. I was afraid if I used Engorgio charm it might blow up the picture, or at least ruin the print.
The picture is of Ron, Hermione, and Harry during better times. I'd date it to their first year here at Hogwarts. They seem so carefree and happy, and even determined. Ron keeps making rabbit ears behind Harry and Hermione, while she keeps giving him chastising smiles. And Harry, well Harry seems aloof as he always has, but something in him seems so innocent, seems so untainted.
Knowing that he prevailed in many Crucio curses makes me put the picture back in its manila envelope and address it quickly. I wonder if he'd accept me as a replacement godfather. I shake my head in disgust. I'm a werewolf, and he's a growing boy. A very sad growing boy. Why the hell am I just staring at the desk then? With a faint chuckle to myself I stroll back out of the tower and down to the Gryffindor Common Room, where I bump into said Harry.
"Good Evening Professor." There's that charming Potter smile, I nod politely and smile back. Always keeping up appearances for the boy, I'd hate for him to be even more depressed.
"Good Evening Harry! How would you like to come to my office for some tea? I have a new creature for class I want you to peek at first." I winked at him and nearly felt my heart melt when he gave me a true and honest smile.
"If they're anything like the Grindylows, Professor, I can't wait!"
"Harry. Just call me Remus. I'd like that better."
"Uh.s-s-s-sure! Remus.. Remus. Yeah!" I kind of wanted to hug him, but I knew he needed some space, and if he wanted a hug he'd surely give it in his own time. I bade him farewell and strolled past him towards the Great Hall, just to look at the perpetual snow on the enchanted ceiling. I sat on a student bench at the old Ravenclaw table and looked up. I even caught myself sticking my tongue out expecting the snow to drop daintily on my tongue. Of course I was left in the lurch by getting nothing I expected and a drawl sly voice chastise me for it.
"We can't have lunatics who dream of pure white snow be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts class." His humor was as greasy as his hair sometimes.
I let my gray eyes lazily look at him, and I smiled at him.
"Silly children grow up to be silly adults, don't they? And to what do I owe the pleasure, Severus?" I wanted so badly to bow at him mockingly, but that was always more of Sirius' style, and I really didn't want to lure Snape into a battle of wits.
"In that they do. I was just concerned about Weasley---don't you look at me in that tone, Lupin."
I was truly shocked. I wasn't entirely amazed, but yes, shock was there. Severus Snape actually cared about someone openly, in civilized conversation, I should bake him some brownies. I nodded my head at him to continue, and he just sat there peering at me with his abysmally dark eyes. I wasn't giving in either; we just both spent the better part of the hour staring at each other, trying to figure the other one out.
A loud noise sounded behind me, and Peeves the Poltergeist crashed in.
"Oh looky! Loony Loopy Lupin and Snakey Slimy Snapey! Peevsies got himself a party!" He began to launch bottle of unlabeled mixtures into the air, and Severus utterly exploded at the Poltergeist.
"Finite Apparitnarum!" A large PUFF! The poltergeist was gone in a sickening green smoke cloud. I waved away the polluted air and I saw a pretty stunned Severus grinning like an ass.
"Always wanted to do that." He stuffed his wand into his cloak and I blinked at him and faintly chuckled.
"The things one learns from old enemies." Isn't that that the truth.