Disclaimer: Severus, Remus and Sirius are not mine. I'm making no money off of this whatsoever. The song lyrics belong to Andrew Lloyd Weber. I think. I'm pretty sure. He did Jesus Christ Superstar, didn't he? Well, regardless, they don't belong to me and that's all that matters.

Warning: This is a slash fic. This is also chapter 13 or so, so I hope you've figured that out by now. But just to be sure I keep up the warnings. I've gotten a couple flames from people who obviously ignored them. They're here for a reason, people!

Dedication: For Lelio. Yes, yes....you've found if you push for more you get more. :-) I am weak....

Author's Note: Silly Sirius. He does try, as we saw in the last chapter. What a situation, eh? However will it be resolved....?

It's amazing where I find the lyrics for these things. They just leap out at me, all of a sudden, when I'm listening to music. The next chapter might in fact be the last. It depends. I'm not sure. Most likely it will be, but I can't give you a definite. Sorry! Actually, on second thought, I don't think it will. There's a few more chapters yet, don't worry!

Someday Out of the Blue

Chapter 13

//I've been living to see you,//

//Dying to see you but it shouldn't be like this.//

//This was unexpected.//

//What do I do now?//

//Could we start again please?//

Remus hadn't spoken to Severus since that day. And all in all, the Potions Master was getting a bit worried. //I didn't really mean to drive him away...// But it seemed that was exactly what he had done. His confession of being a Death Eater had worked better then he'd expected. The amiable looks and gentle touches on his arm that he had resented from the other man were now missed.

//Damn him to a million fiery hells!// Severus thought to himself, hands gripping a handful of essays tightly. He was in his office, attempting to get work done. It seemed that was all he ever did. *Attempt* to work. Lupin kept insinuating himself into his thoughts. And not in the way he used to. Oh, Snape was still angry at the man, but now he was angry that he was ignoring him.

//It's for your own good.// He told himself. //You're too cold, too bitter. You've done too much he can never accept.// But that was all just speculation. //Simply because you couldn't accept him...//

He quashed that line of thought as soon as it made itself known. He would blame himself for many things, but turning away from Lupin on discovery of his lycanthropy was not one of them. Any sane man would have done the same. It may have been different, had the blasted man just told him up front. And the reasonings behind that were purely maudlin.

But those were not the directions Snape's mind was want to wander in of late. He thought more of recent events, most especially that damn kiss. It had affected him far more then he wanted to admit. And not only because it was the first intimate contact he had had in years. He did still feel for Lupin. He couldn't deny it any longer. But now, once he had finally admitted it, Lupin was ignoring him. How was he supposed to proceed? Damn that Black...stupid man was always trying to ruin his life....

//If it is bothering you so much, talk to the damn man!// But Snape couldn't. It was Lupin who had started it, it was Lupin who must finish it. Snape's pride wouldn't allow him to be the first to bend. //And if Lupin does not bend?// Then the answer was clear. The relationship simply didn't mean all that much to Lupin after all, and there was no point bemoaning it. It was as simple as that. But Snape was finding it harder and harder to be cold about the situation.

//This is not good.// He decided that was an understatement. Even his thoughts were losing their sharp edge, and that did not please him in the least. All because of one man. Well, if he were honest with himself, it was two. Black was as much to blame as Lupin. He couldn't seem to keep his nose out of other people's business. Then and now, it was Black's doing. //No. He will not drive us apart this time. If I have to Snape his neck with my bare hands, Black will not have his way in this!//

Violent thoughts. Those were far more familiar and comforting. He indulged in a brief fantasy of choking the life out of the muscle bound Gryffindor, feeling the tendons stretch and pop beneath his fingers, feel the sinews tighten and twist in his grasp...it did wonders to calm him down. Idle fancy, but pleasant nonetheless.

//In truth, you know it is no ones fault but your own.// But truth was not something Snape dealt in. He was a spy. He was as good at deceiving himself as he was at deceiving others. He had lied to himself most of his life. On the streets, telling himself there was no shame in what he was doing. Turning to Voldemort, telling himself there was no other course, the Dark Lord was a true and just master. And then, when he turned back, telling himself it was for more then to save his own skin...

//it's in the past. It's all in the past and buried.// Snape needed to keep the past where it belonged. But he did miss Lupin. No matter how he lied to himself, he had missed the man. How could he not? He had loved him. No matter the betrayal, no matter the cooling of a youths passion, he missed him. He had done what he could to forget, but that longing was still there. And stronger now then it had ever been. All because of a kiss. A chaste, hesitant, sweet kisss...

He was shaken out of his reverie by a loud, almost reluctant knock on his door. His head jerked in the direction of the sound, and he stood, one hand reaching up to smooth back his hair the other straitening his robes. It wasn't the knock of a student. It could, very well, be Remus. Come to speak with him at last. The thought delighted and terrified Snape at once. He crossed swiftly to the door, and flung it open with little ceremony.

At first, he thought that his earlier fancies were evolving into full scale delusions. That was the only reason he could think that Sirius Black would be standing outside his office, looking as though he were being dragged to the executioners block. But the sullen face, large Gryffindor was very much solid. Snape sneered, eyebrow raising.

"What do *you* want?" He snapped.

"Let me in." Was Sirius' gruff reply.

"Give me one reason why I should?"

"Because!" Sirius gritted his teeth, jaw muscle clenching conspicuously. "I want to talk to you." He growled.

"There is absolutely nothing you could say to me that I wish to hear." Snape made to close the door, but Sirius stuck his foot in it, catching it strongly.

"About Remus."

Snape's eyes flashed, narrowing to glittering black slits. If Black thought that *that* would entice Snape to let him in, he was sadly mistaken. In fact, it only served to anger Snape more.

"You prove my point yourself." Snape said, trying to force the door. But Sirius had added his weight to the door, effectively keeping it open. "You have nothing to say that I wish to hear."

"Just shut up and listen to me, Snape." Sirius said, pushing the door open and shoving Snape briskly out of the way, entering the office uninvited.

"Get out of my office!"

"No. I came all the way down here, to talk to *you*, so you're going to listen. And you're not going to tell a soul I was here."

"Oh...threatening me, are you?" This was familiar territory. Snape could deal with threats and blackmail and the like. He composed himself, folding his arms over his sender form.

"I wish." Sirius dropped down into Snape's chair, propping his feet up on the desk. "Look...I know everything."

"Excuse me?" Snape had no idea what Sirius was getting at. But he wanted him gone. He seemed to be going out of his way to irritate the Potions Master. And it was working. Snape's lips were set in a thin line, and he glared at the other man.

"About you and Remmie." Sirius cleared up. "I know it all."

"And this affects me how?"

"Because..." And her Sirius trailed off. he shrugged off-handedly, and Snape sighed.

"Unless you actually plan to talk, I suggest you do so before I remove you from my office bodily."

"I'd like to see you try." Sirius stretched his arms, his muscles easily visible even through his robe as the flexed. Snape clipped his teeth together in a sing of annoyance.

"Those will do you little good against this." Snape slid his wand out of his pocket, head cocked. "Now talk."

"This isn't easy for me, you know." Sirius snapped. "I hate you."

"and I assure you the feelings are mutual."

"Bu he doesn't."

"What?" Snape tapped his wand against his palm, black eyes locked on Sirius. The man's foot was on a paper. Hopefully it was one of the Gryffindor's.

"Remmie. He loves you, powers know why."

//So that's what this is all about. Black trying to play match maker.// Snape snorted.

"Is that all?" Snape remained unmoved. He wasn't going to let Black know anything. Especially concerning himself and Remus.

"You really are a cold hearted bastard." Sirius swung his feet off he desk. "You don't even care, do you?"

"Whether I care or not is none of your concern." Icy indifference, tinged with haughtiness.

"Fine. I'm just....trying to clean up the mess I made, that's all. I've done my good deed for the day..." He leapt to his feet, a look of disgust on his face. "But I meant what I said...he loves you. And it's killing him. And I don't like seeing my friends hurt."

"Touching." Snape drawled. //Why is he doing this?// The potions master had no reason to trust Black. In fact, every instinct in his body told him *not* to trust the man.

"You could show something!" Sirius yelled. "Instead of just standing there....For god's sake, say something. I bothered to come here..."

"I've nothing to say to you." Snape cut him off quickly.

"No. You don't, do you. Well, it's not me you should be talking to."

"Get out." Snape said, glaring. He crossed his arms, lips set in a thin line. He was unwilling to discuss his personal life with anyone, least of all a man he hated with a passion.

"Fine. Prick." Sirius muttered, brushing by Snape, his look of disgust never fading. He shot a look over his shoulder, as though he couldn't believe that anyone could be so heartless, before leaving, still muttering under his breath.

//What in *hell* was that all about?// Snape busied himself straitening out the papers that Sirius had disrupted. It gave him a sick thrill of pleasure that there was now a solid footprint on Hermione Granger's paper. //So...if he is to believed, Lupin is bothered by this whole situation. But he should come to me himself, not send emissaries to trouble me.// The thought that Black had come on his own never once entered Snape's mind. He simply didn't think the man capable of something like that. But his words had had an affect.

//This is...puzzling.// Snape sat down, templing his fingers. //But the situation cannot be denied. It will not simply go away, if ignored. Something must be done.// But who would be the one who made the first move? It was a delicate game at this point. And Snape knew he didn't have an ace.

//I will give him one more day.// Snape decided. He wasn't sure what he would do after that day, but he knew he couldn't leave things as they were. Perhaps there was a chance to right old wrongs. The past was the past. But the future... //Yes. One more day. Then...then we'll see.//

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