Snape allowed Lupin to lead him into his office before he turned and slammed his fist into the door.
"Dammit!" he swore as he began rubbing his injured hand.
"Severus…" Lupin began softly reaching for his colleague's shoulder, but Snape slapped his hand away before he began speaking again.
"18 years Lupin. 18 years, I've managed to keep this a secret. Then that imbecile Longbottom comes along and suddenly the whole of Hogwarts will know within the hour." He sighed impatiently and brushed a strand of his lank hair out of his face.
Lupin decided he would try and cheer Severus up despite his common sense telling him not to. "How do you know it wasn't Miss. Granger?" he asked his lips curving into a slight smile.
"Please Lupin, Longbottom is one of the most inept, incompetent young fool I've ever had the misfortune of teaching while Miss. Granger is one of the best and the brightest."
He looked at Lupin sideways through his curtain of black hair and narrowed his eyes to a glare. "And if you ever tell her or any of her Gryfindor friends I said that, I will have to hex you."
Lupin tried very hard to return Snape's stare in a serious and dignified manner. It was hard however and despite himself he began to laugh. Snape deepened his glare for a minute and then began to laugh as well. They kept laughing for quite a while as the full absurdity of the situation reached them. When they finally stopped Snape had his hands bracing him on the desk and Lupin was leaning against the wall. Snape glanced at him and all traces of good humour fled the man's face.
He looked at Lupin for a minute then said in an apologetic voice "I'm sorry."
Lupin looked up surprised "Sorry for what?"
"For telling the students you were a werewolf." He explained looking somewhat ashamed.
"That's okay Severus," said Lupin "It's not like it did any permanent damage I mean I'm back this year and no one seems to care. Well except the Slytherins but they never liked me anyways."
"No Lupin" said Snape with a firm shake of his head. "I was wrong. I can admit that. We both had secrets the other knew the only difference is you kept the knowledge to yourself while I deliberately told people because I was angry. I had no business doing that and I'm sorry."
"It's okay Severus I understand, you were angry. Me and Sirius were hardly kind to you during our school years and you probably felt like they were repeating all over again." Said Lupin with a bit of a forced smile on his face.
"Lupin what I did was wrong. True I never liked you but childhood grudges and arguments have no business in the work place. I put you out of work because of something that happened over twenty years ago and a condition over which you have no control. It was a spiteful and immature thing to do and I apologize for it" Snape looked Lupin right in the eye as he said this and seemed completely sincere.
Lupin flashed him a smile, (a real one this time) and said "No need to worry about it Severus all is forgiven. Now I suggest we get going. The Headmaster will want to speak with you and I have a certain shaggy dog that shall remain nameless who undoubtedly wants to have a chat with me."
Then he glanced around and rubbed his hands together looking very much like a little boy in a candy store. "Now then Severus since I know you don't want to go all the way to the headmaster's tower through the halls I think you should show me where your secret passage is….And don't look at me like that I know you have one"
Seeing that his what the hell are you talking about look wasn't working Snape led Lupin over to his bookcase and pulled out one of the dustier volumes. The bookcase let out a groan and swung inwards. Noticing Lupin's incredulous look Snape said
"What? I'm a sucker for the classics." as he followed Lupin into the tunnel.