Potions and Plunder
"Jas."
"Severus."
"What can I do for you?" Severus Snape opened his door for the other man. "Tea?"
"Thank you." As Severus charmed the water to boil and added the leaves, his companion walked about his chambers, perusing the Potions Master's bookcases. Picking up a small book bound in scarlet leather, he cast an eye towards his acquaintance.
"May I borrow this?" he asked. Severus looked up from the tea things.
"You've already read it," he pointed out.
"I know. It's just so hard to find a good book these days." Severus snorted, but waved his hand.
"Keep it, it's trite. Perhaps you should plunder more libraries?"
"It's so hard to find good libraries," he said almost without a hint of jest.
"Would you like a map?" Severus asked dryly.
"Aye." He settled himself at the table, and Severus began to pour.
"Whatever possessed you to take that awful job in the first place?" Severus asked. Jas shrugged fluidly, flicking inky-black ringlets over his shoulders.
"I could ask you the same thing," he countered.
"Point," Severus admitted.
"Truly? Like yourself, I knew that somebody had to do it. And who could do it better, I ask?"
"You flatter yourself. My job requires skill, knowledge. Patience." He looked indignant as the taller man snorted.
"Patience?"
"I haven't killed any students this year."
"Nor staff? How did you manage that Defence professor last year?"
"He did a good job of killing himself." Severus assumed a lofty expression as the other man raised his eyebrows. "If you kept decent company, you would have seen the article in the Prophet. As for this year's professor. None other than that filthy cur, Lupin."
"Potter, Black and Lupin, Lupin?"
"The very same."
"He was cute."
"Cute?" Snape was more disbelieving than outraged. "You call yourself a Slytherin! He's a werewolf!"
"And I haunt children's dreams for a living, Severus." The pirate lifted the teacup to his lips. "Is he available?"
"Of course he's available. He's a werewolf." Jas smirked.
"You're no longer interested, I trust?"
"I was never—"
"Do not lie to me, Professor Snape. I know your secrets."
"And I know yours, Captain. Tell me, is it truly so hard to find women in your line of work?"
"There was one, once. Awfully tempting, for a chit of a thing. Or for a woman."
"You've switched, then?"
"Perhaps." The pirate smirked, setting down his teacup and reaching across the table to caress his old friend's hand in a faux-provocative manner. Snape brushed it away.
"Do not mock me."
"I do not mock, dear Severus." He raised his eyebrows. "When do I get to meet this—werewolf—of yours?" He laughed when the professor flinched. "He really is yours, isn't he?"
"He most certainly is not."
"I beg to differ. May I watch, at the very least?" Any further argument from the Potions Master was curtailed by a sudden knock on the door. The pirate raised his eyebrows.
"He comes for his Wolfsbane Potion," Severus explained hastily. Jas smirked, and Severus opened the door. Remus entered, looking surprised to see the pirate in the professor's rooms. Jas stood politely.
"Professor Lupin," he smiled, extending his hand. Remus took it with a matching, predatory grin. "Captain Hook. At your service."
"Jas."
"Severus."
"What can I do for you?" Severus Snape opened his door for the other man. "Tea?"
"Thank you." As Severus charmed the water to boil and added the leaves, his companion walked about his chambers, perusing the Potions Master's bookcases. Picking up a small book bound in scarlet leather, he cast an eye towards his acquaintance.
"May I borrow this?" he asked. Severus looked up from the tea things.
"You've already read it," he pointed out.
"I know. It's just so hard to find a good book these days." Severus snorted, but waved his hand.
"Keep it, it's trite. Perhaps you should plunder more libraries?"
"It's so hard to find good libraries," he said almost without a hint of jest.
"Would you like a map?" Severus asked dryly.
"Aye." He settled himself at the table, and Severus began to pour.
"Whatever possessed you to take that awful job in the first place?" Severus asked. Jas shrugged fluidly, flicking inky-black ringlets over his shoulders.
"I could ask you the same thing," he countered.
"Point," Severus admitted.
"Truly? Like yourself, I knew that somebody had to do it. And who could do it better, I ask?"
"You flatter yourself. My job requires skill, knowledge. Patience." He looked indignant as the taller man snorted.
"Patience?"
"I haven't killed any students this year."
"Nor staff? How did you manage that Defence professor last year?"
"He did a good job of killing himself." Severus assumed a lofty expression as the other man raised his eyebrows. "If you kept decent company, you would have seen the article in the Prophet. As for this year's professor. None other than that filthy cur, Lupin."
"Potter, Black and Lupin, Lupin?"
"The very same."
"He was cute."
"Cute?" Snape was more disbelieving than outraged. "You call yourself a Slytherin! He's a werewolf!"
"And I haunt children's dreams for a living, Severus." The pirate lifted the teacup to his lips. "Is he available?"
"Of course he's available. He's a werewolf." Jas smirked.
"You're no longer interested, I trust?"
"I was never—"
"Do not lie to me, Professor Snape. I know your secrets."
"And I know yours, Captain. Tell me, is it truly so hard to find women in your line of work?"
"There was one, once. Awfully tempting, for a chit of a thing. Or for a woman."
"You've switched, then?"
"Perhaps." The pirate smirked, setting down his teacup and reaching across the table to caress his old friend's hand in a faux-provocative manner. Snape brushed it away.
"Do not mock me."
"I do not mock, dear Severus." He raised his eyebrows. "When do I get to meet this—werewolf—of yours?" He laughed when the professor flinched. "He really is yours, isn't he?"
"He most certainly is not."
"I beg to differ. May I watch, at the very least?" Any further argument from the Potions Master was curtailed by a sudden knock on the door. The pirate raised his eyebrows.
"He comes for his Wolfsbane Potion," Severus explained hastily. Jas smirked, and Severus opened the door. Remus entered, looking surprised to see the pirate in the professor's rooms. Jas stood politely.
"Professor Lupin," he smiled, extending his hand. Remus took it with a matching, predatory grin. "Captain Hook. At your service."