A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters. All challengers are listed at the bottom of the story.
Severus watched as Lupin slid into a seat at the head table. He wondered how long this would last. Of course, Dumbledore had assured him this was the best idea. Severus disagreed. Having a werewolf teach defense, when he was obviously the perfect person, only made him dislike the man more.
"Severus," Lupin started. Severus held up a hand.
"Save it. I'll brew your potion, on Dumbledore's orders. You are to report every month before the full moon. Other than that, I am not interested in anything you have to say, and if it's an apology, I am beyond not interested. Do I make myself clear?" Lupin nodded and turned his attention back his dinner.
Severus didn't give Lupin another thought as he made his way to his chambers. There were enough other things to keep his mind occupied. This included the escape of Black.
"Dumbledore's a moron," he muttered sitting down and picking up a book. "First Black and now Lupin, what's next?" he wondered. It was bad enough they'd tormented him in school, now, now they were back. It didn't comfort him any that Black couldn't enter the castle, Severus knew he'd find a way.
"Him and those idiots knew every inch of the castle, does Dumbledore not realize that?" he asked the empty room. One of the portraits blinked at him, but didn't speak. Severus had tried many times to have all the portraits from his chamber removed, but Dumbledore wouldn't hear of it. He never seemed to understand Severus' need for solitude.
Unable to focus on his book, Severus slipped into his private lab, the one no one knew about, not even Dumbledore. Severus often wondered how he'd come to have such a space, but the usual answer was Hogwarts wanted it.
He pulled down a dusty tome and flipped it open. While the wolfsbane potion was a recent discovery, Severus had found something similar in an obscure volume. He wanted a chance to compare the two before the full moon.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Remus Lupin was sitting outside, looking at up the sky. The moon was half full, and he reveled at how much light it reflected even now. It bothered him how Severus had spoken to him, but he knew part of him deserved it. He'd been a horrible person in school. He'd allowed his friends to do horrible things. A sound caught his attention.
"I know you're there, Padfoot." He heard more branches crunch and instead of seeing a shaggy black dog, Severus was standing there.
"I am not your dunderhead friend. I was however looking for you, Lupin."
"Why?" Remus' eyes narrowed slightly, his mind still on the lashing Snape had given him at the opening feast.
"I found something. It might be something important and I need a guinea pig," Severus stated giving the werewolf a rare smile. It scared Remus more than his usual scowl.
"What?"
"If I am correct, a cure. We'll test it this full moon, be in my office three hours before moonrise," he ordered sweeping off in a billow of black leaving Remus standing there opened mouthed and in shock.
HSWW Insane Prompt Challenge
3. Word: Aloof - not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant. / conspicuously uninvolved.
Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum
Are you crazy enough to do it Challenge
3. (Book title) The Unsung Hero
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3. Moonstruck
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pinch salt: Write about Severus Snape
word count: 552