Author's note: Oh my gods! It's been 5 months since I've updated! YEOWZAHS! Well, I promise to do better this time! Wanna know the reason I came back? Hee--I watched Priz of Azkaban and just couldn't resist. So here, in full fledged glory is the 17th chapter of "That's Simply Impossible"! ENJOY!

Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Remus, Sirius, James, or Severus. Tough world, huh? None of them are mine...except in dreams. : P (Peter I can do without...)

THE FOLLOWING IS IN SEVERUS SNAPE'S Poi O Vie!

I felt extremely guilty and lucky, which are two emotions that usually you do not want to go hand in hand. I was just so fortunate that my wants were usually not met when it came to emotions---but given that I had an ounce of forgiveness from Lupin gave me a boost of joy that I assumed would not come forever.

As he walked away from me I could not help but feel sorry for myself. It was clear that for all this time that I was hopeless that my one moment of confidence was meant to be wasted. And I being so full of my self-hatred somehow decided it was not my own fault but that it was just some odd form of destiny that dispised me. Sooner or later I gave up that mindset however and went back to my studies with an open mind about the lessons that would follow in only an hour and a half.

" So, what's the first lesson?" Lupin asked estatically as he sat down to the right of the cauldron, setting his books on the table gracefully.

"A simple enegry serum, nothing too difficult. Even the most moronic canine might be able to learn it." I stopped myself suddenly, remembering that I was not to snap at him, lest he just leave. "Do you know which ones we'll be studying?" I queried politely. I already knew the answer and said it along with him in my mind.

"Er---no?"

"Mm hm, right. Well, it's completely up to you, but the term consists of the happiness draught, which we already did so hopefully you got that one right, then the energy serum. Pity Sugar Syrup which basically causes anyone who uses it to become compassionate and empathetic to your situation. Then a gold tincture, which is just basic alchemy that you need for the rest of the potions. The Superb Flyer potion, the name says it all. The Friend-foe finder which brings out honesty and true feelings from whoever you use it on, and then..... the Eros Arrow," I ended hesitantly. I turned my eyes from him and focused on the cauldron. "It's up to you if you want to do the last one, you need to be really careful who's around the person you test it on."

"Who would we test it on?"

"You."

"...I'll do it. But you have to promise to help me with these until I learn all of them, okay?" He smiled warmly as if he didn't even understand the implications of having me around when he'd be tested on. Secretly I loved that he was naive about it; he made things much easier for me. But as these vicious throughts went through my head I tried to push them out. In such a delicate situation it seemed....inappropriate to plot such things.

"....Promise. So I have the ingredients here.....As I said, very simple."

Or at least it should have been simple.

--------

"Fuck! Oh god, I'm really sorry. Oh shit..."

"Don't worry about it, just---just set it down, don't touch anything else," I sighed.

"Shit, the professor is going to kill us if he finds this..." Lupin remarked shakily

"He doesn't have to know. It's barely noticeable," I replied.

"Severus, I burned ahole through the table a foot wide!"

I looked at the enormous hole and smirked, trying not to laugh. He really was hopeless at potions. Usually an energy serum of mere sugar, griffin bone, and hinkypunk lantern oil usually didn't become acidic unless something went horribly wrong. Trust it to Lupin to find new ways to mess something up every day.

"Oh gods...I'm so embarassed....is there anything we can do?" he muttered quietly, looking around for something to cover it up.

"Yeah, hold on." I got out my wand and pointed it lamely at the table, meanwhile reading for reversals in the potion, then mumbled," silvestri repairo"

Naturally and in no time at all, the hole was repaired.

"Oh..." Suddenly I felt arms around me from behind giving a short squeeze-hug. "Thanks!"

I resisted the urge to just turn around and pounce, and so instead decided to lecture once more.

"Alright, so the serum has become very acidic, so to reverse it back to it's original state we must use arrowroot and poppy seeds to make it more basic..." I began. I looked up at him for a moment and he caught my eyes, so I tried to make it seem as if I were waiting for him. "Are you going to get the additives?"

"Oh, yes, sorry. Are they in your bag?"

"Mm hm."

He leaned against me and reached over instead of simply walking around the table as I thought he would. I stood frozen in my spot and waited as patiently as I could as he pulled out various insturments and finally, after much waiting, the god damn arrowroot.

I won't go into my thoughts as he pressed against me, however innocent or full of debauchery they might have been. Either way, in the end, the potion was alright and we both learned a lesson. His was how to make (and fix) a reasonable Energy Serum which I gave him a flask of to keep when he needs it. Mine was....

"Alright, thank you very much, Severus! Same time...when? Should these be weekly or daily---what would you perfer?"

"How about every other day? I need....rest, I think, from potions every once in a while," I replied off-handedly, packing my belongings.

"Heh, time off from me, you mean."

"Either one."

"Alright, well, thanks a ton, I'll keep studying! See you at dinner or tomorrow!" he replied, walking out the door.

"Wait--R--Lupin?" I called.

"Hm?''

"....When you said that...that you would have liked very much to have been with me..."

"I meant it, yes. And I apologize for saying something like that and then saying we should only be friends....I'll be frank in saying that I'm not wholly over everything between you and me.And I don't mean the argument either, I mean....feeling. But I'm trying my best to just be Remus. I want you to do the same. I'm not going to give up on trying to be closer to you, Severus."

"....Alright."

"Alright, bye!"

"............................................................fuck."