See first chapter for notes and warnings.
Additional note: This chapter's punctuation got a bit mangled in the upload. I think I fixed it all, but I appologise for any errors you might find.
Remus was in his office, having tea with Harry, when Snape brought him his first dose of the Wolfsbane Potion. Snape was his usual glowering self, tossing about scowls and sneers, and exuding a general aura of "I am not a nice man." He had seemed rather annoyed to find that Remus was not alone, and left quickly. Remus wondered if it was Harry in particular that annoyed him, or simply the fact that they couldn't snark at each other in front of the students.
Remus had to admit that he was growing somewhat fond of trading veiled insults with Snape. He found his acerbic wit to be rather refreshing, to tell the truth. That was obviously a view that Harry did not share. It was quite apparent that he did not trust his potions professor, and he had even gone so far as to suggest that the potion Snape had brought him might have been poisoned.
Once Harry had left, Remus idly pushed the empty goblet around on his desk. He rather regretted the fact that he hadn't had a chance to speak with Snape when he had delivered the potion. They had been avoiding each other for the past few days; a result of the boggart incident, no doubt. Snape had made no more attempts at conversation, and Remus had not sought him out. Perhaps he should return the goblet and try to have a little chat.
Yes, he decided, they were long overdue for another session of scowling at each other. He set out for the dungeons. When he reached Snape's office, the door was open, and inside he could see him scowling darkly at the scroll he was marking. He muttered, "Idiots, the lot," and scrawled an obviously scathing comment across the bottom of the scroll. Remus couldn't contain a light laugh, and Snape glared up at him in annoyance.
"You again," he snapped. "How long have you been lurking in the shadows and spying on me this time?"
"Twenty years or so," Remus said. He walked into the office, and shut the door behind him, without waiting for an invitation.
"I am not amused," Snape said, rolling up the scroll and pushing it aside.
"I assure you, Severus, I have no intention of amusing you," he said with a smile. "At least not unless you ask me very nicely."
That earned him a particularly nasty sneer. "Are you simply here to torment me, or does this visit actually have a purpose?" he asked disdainfully.
"To torment you, of course," Remus said, glancing around the office. "Rather morbid décor you have here." He motioned to the glass jars filled with various creatures floating in preservation liquid. "Do they actually have a purpose, or do you simply keep them around to frighten the students? Ah well, no matter," he said with a shrug before Snape could reply. "I just wanted to thank you for the potion, and return your goblet."
"Very well then," Snape said shortly. "You've thanked me. Now you may leave the goblet and depart."
"Fine then, here," Remus broke off and frowned. It seemed that he had left the goblet sitting on his desk. "Oh. I seem to have forgotten it."
Snape sighed, a long suffering sigh at that, and stared at Remus with exasperation. "You didn't bring it. Then why on earth did you come here?"
"I suppose that the thought of seeing you again," he said, "just had me so giddy that I forgot it. I'm certain that I will find time to return it to you later."
"I will be waiting here, breathless with anticipation, no doubt."
"Sarcasm doesn't suit you," Remus lied with a smile. Sarcasm actually suited him quite well, but what fun would it be if he knew that? Remus sat down on the edge of the desk, earning him another scowl from Snape. Did the man truly only have four expressions? Scowl, sneer, smirk, glare. He really did need to work on that. He wouldn't want people thinking that he's nothing but a grumpy git.
Though he wasn't entirely sure why, Remus found himself searching for a reason to extend his visit. Well, Snape was the potions master, after all. "I need to get a potion from you," Remus said.
"I've already given you your potion," Snape said, his lips twitching in what, with a bit more effort, would have been a smile. "A memory enhancement potion might not be remiss."
"No, not that potion," Remus grumbled. "A sleeping potion. Dreamless Sleep." That really wasn't much of an excuse, as he did need the potion. The Muggle sleeping pills he had been taking were all but gone, and he needed to be able to sleep. If the potion would also help to keep away his dreams, well, that would simply be an added benefit.
"Dreamless Sleep is a very powerful potion," Snape said, narrowing his eyes, "usually I don't just hand it out. It can be...addictive."
"I'm not the kind of person to become easily addicted," Remus lied. "Dumbledore suggested that I ask you for something."
"Very well then." Snape stood and brushed past him, walking to a small cabinet on the other side of the room. With a flick of his wand, he released the wards protecting it. He quickly found the small vial he was looking for in the well organised cabinet, but hesitated before handing it over. "A simple sleeping draught might be better."
"No, I need sleep without dreams," Remus said with a slight shudder. The nightmares he had long since become accustomed to had only grown worse since his return to Hogwarts. A normal sleeping potion would be all too likely to knock him out, leaving him unable to wake from the dreams that would inevitably come.
For a moment it looked as though he wanted to say something, but instead, he simply pressed his lips into a thin line and grudgingly handed over the vial. "This is a highly concentrated version of Dreamless Sleep, and it is much more powerful than what you would typically find. Take it with caution. Three drops, no more."
"Of course," Remus said. "Thank you." He slipped the vial into his pocket and watched as Snape returned to his desk.
"Will that be all?" Snape asked, obviously impatient to return to his work.
"I'm in no hurry," Remus said with a shrug. "Perhaps we should try that 'conversing' thing that you suggested."
"That I suggested? You are the one who seems so interested in mindless gossip," he said. "Very well then, speak. I'm listening."
"You really know how to get a conversation going, don't you Severus?" Remus growled. "Perhaps I was stupid to think that we could discuss this like civilised adults."
Snape smirked, seemingly pleased at having successfully annoyed him. "What exactly is it that you wanted to discuss?"
"You," Remus said. "It's been damned distracting having you on my mind all the time."
"Excuse me?" Snape said, obviously taken aback.
"I can't stop thinking about you...and what happened when we were in school. I think we should talk about it."
"We did," Snape said coldly. "I don't see how any further discussion would be of any use."
"I was going to tell you," Remus blurted, before he could think better of it.
"Tell me what?" he asked suspiciously.
"The truth," Remus said. "That I'm a werewolf. I planned to tell you the next time we met, only I never had the chance. Sirius saw to that."
He actually looked stunned at that. Add one more expression to the incredibly short list. Snape looked at him closely, as though trying to gauge the truthfulness of his admission. Finally he frowned and shook his head slightly. "Well you didn't, so it changes nothing."
"I am sorry," Remus said. "I can't help but wonder if things would have been different if I had found a chance to tell you. You might still hate me, but perhaps it would be for a better reason. One I could accept."
"I don't hate you." He said it so quietly that Remus was not entirely sure he had heard him correctly.
"You don't?" he asked in surprise.
"No, not anymore," Snape said with a glare. The glare seemed to be lacking some of its typical malice. "That does not mean that I enjoy your company, however, or that I want you taking up space on my desk."
"Of course, of course." Remus laughed and vacated his desk. "You like no one. But I am glad that we had this little chat." He headed towards the door.
"You're leaving?" Snape asked.
Remus gave him an innocent look. "Certainly I've taken up enough of the potions master's valuable time today."
"Indeed you have," Snape said. "Goodbye."
Remus kindly waited until he was out of sight before allowing his grin to surface in full force. Severus didn't hate him. For some reason, that seemed to be the best news he had heard in years.