Chapter Three: A Turning Point:

It was a bright warm summer that summer of Harry's eighth year in life. He spent many of his days at the Burrow, he was friends with all the family, even Ginny who though annoying at times was nice enough as a girl. He knew not to rile her up too much as she had a temper to rival her mother's. He loved to fly as here at the Burrow he could, he was getting too big and too old to fly in the house and so the paddock the Weasleys owned was perfect to learn the basics of good flying. Moody spent much of his time out in the garden thinking about how to strengthen the wards on the burrow or watching Harry fly with his friends. It was after Harry's birthday and the time of the full moon that very evening. As such Severus Snape had come to the Burrow to give a certain werewolf his potion to make him a good little wolf.

Snape did not mind the burrow, the Weasleys were nice enough to him, still he had been worried when he had met the twins Fred and George the first time. They had sized him up, grinning identically and decided he was alright and did not prank him. Then again with their mother standing there watching them they would not dare as they valued their hides. Snape walked through the house and to the backyard and found Remus exactly where Mrs. Weasley said he would find the werewolf. Snape smiled a wicked smile as he saw the werewolf was fast asleep, this was going to be fun when he woke the wolf up. He stood over the wolf, drew the hood of his cloak over his head and looked down at the werewolf.

"Remus Lupin!" Snape said in his most terrifying voice. "Wake up werewolf!"

"What?" Remus came awake and jumped up wide-eyed. "Severus you startled me."

"That was the intention." Snape said shoving the goblet at Remus. "Drink it all you miserable wolf!"

"Of course." Remus said, "you did something to the last batch, I hardly felt the change."

"I doubt that your ward wished to hear you screaming." Snape said.

"His name is Harry." Remus said.

"I am aware of his name thank you wolf." Snape snapped. "I fear for Hogwarts when he comes of age."

"Oh he will be good or be in trouble, we try not to spoil him too much." Remus said.

"Hnn." Came Snape's response.

Remus began to drink down the horrible potion, he found just going for it and drinking it as fast as he could helped a lot. Remus was in a good mood, he had started a muggle medication that Nicolas Flamel had experimented with on a few werewolves and it was helping Remus. It was the last great thing the old alchemist ever would do (or so it was said). His collection of chocolate frog cards was complete and he had built a shrine that for a price (the monies went to the magical orphanage he had lobbied to get built) one could see the whole collection. There were rumors he would allow himself to die, but it was only rumors as it had been for two centuries now. Remus was feeling a bit mischievous and as he drained the goblet he summed from the house a small bottle. He handed the goblet back to Snape and held up the bottle trying to look innocent as he could.

"I got something for you Severus." Remus said handing the bottle to him. "It is muggle sun block."

"For what reason?" Severus said looking as sinister as he could as he stood in the deep shade of the tree.

"Um vampires like you do need it if you are going to even try to be in the sun for any time." Remus said.

"REMUS JOHN LUPIN YOU WILL NOT TEASE SEVERUS LIKE THAT!" Came the angry voice of Mrs. Weasley right behind him, she had been in the garden and had heard Remus tease Snape.

"But Molly really he looks so like a vampire!" Remus said trying for a winning grin.

Across the yard Fred, George, Ron and Harry looked up as they could hear exactly who Mrs. Weasley was going off on. They saw Moody limping as fast as he could from the angry witch and to a safer place away from her wrath. Harry shook his head, Remus clearly had not learned like he had how to head off the Weasley matriarch when she went on the warpath. You apologized at once, looked remorseful and hoped for the best. Remus had done none of those things and so he was getting chewed out royally.

"So why is she yelling at Remus?' Charlie asked.

"He called professor Snape a vampire." Ron said. "Mum did not find it funny."

"Don't see why she would defend that git." Charlie said.

"He is brilliant!" Fred said.

"Best potions master ever!" George added.

"He makes the Wolfsbane for Remus…"

"Even though there are others that could…"

"He likes our werewolf…"

"Yea he would not make it if he did not!" George finished.

"Yea but he hates Gryffindors." Charlie said.

"Maybe it's because Gryffindors hate Slytherin?" Fred said thoughtfully.

"Yea, besides he needs cheering up!" George said grinning.

"No, you do that and mum will kill you before you ever set foot in Hogwarts!" Charlie warned them.

Harry knew that was true, Mrs. Weasley would side with the potions master every time. He wondered if Hogwarts would still be standing when he went to school. Oh he knew the antics of his father from Remus but he had a feeling that Fred and George would wreck havoc in the school. Harry was looking forward to the day he started Hogwarts. It was less than three years time and he would get to learn all about magic. He had already shown strong magical abilities and so it was very clear he was going to Hogwarts.

Mrs. Weasley finished her tirade on Remus and Snape walked by where the children were an almost smug look on his face. Harry grinned, and Snape looked down at the small boy and raised an eyebrow. He left in a billow of black robes and Harry was not expecting to see him for another month. Therefore he was surprised when Snape was back at the burrow with madam Pomfrey who had her large medical bag with her two days later. Mrs. Weasley called all the children together into the house and Harry understandably was nervous, why where Snape and Aunt Poppy here?

"As you know there is no cure for the werewolf bite." Snape began, "however the Americans have come up with a vaccine that works very well. Once you have received the vaccine a werewolf could bite you but not turn you."

"Splendid!" Remus said walking in smiling. "Makes me less of a danger, I am still a monster though, but this will make my heart lighter. All children getting it then?"

"Yes, and any adult who wishes it as well." Poppy said.

"How is that given then?" Ron asked having an idea what was coming. "Not shots then?"

"Yes Ron shots." Poppy said.

"No! Not shots!" Ron nearly shouted.

"For a boy you are a wimp." Ginny said walking up rolling up her sleeve getting Snape to raise an eyebrow. "I will go first, show these boys that girls are braver than boys."

Ginny was scared though she refused to show it and did not even cry when the shot was given. Ron was volunteered next by his very helpful brothers and he was pale and shaking but he dared not cry either. Then it was Harry's turn, then the twins, then Percy and Charlie and finally Bill. When it was done the children's arms ached at the injection site but now they were protected from the bite of the werewolf. Poppy handed out chocolate bars to the children and to Remus a large chunk of chocolate which he was grateful for. Severus watched him wolf it down and with a cold smile took out a bag of muggle dog chews. He was trying for an insult in front of all here. Remus sniffed and turned and his eyes lit up as he looked at the bag hopefully.

"Severus you didn't need to, I mean you make the Wolfsbane for me." Remus said.

"Here, take them." Severus said, "a wolf like you no doubt needs to chew."

"Yea, he does, but he doesn't ever chew the furniture." Harry said looking at the bag Snape shoved at Remus. "Where ever did you find those sir?"

"Muggle pet store." Severus said watching the werewolf smile as he opened the bag and inhaled the scent of the rawhide chews.

"They are perfect Severus, you really are a thoughtful caring wizard." Remus said smiling at him.

"That was very nice of you Severus." Mrs. Weasley said.

"See we told you he was nice!" Fred said glaring at Charlie.

"Yea, he did something nice for Remus!" George said and added at a glare from Snape bowed. "Do not worry noble sir your secret is safe with us!"

Snape realized that his intended insult had turned out to be something nice. Wonderful, now the werewolf liked him that much more. Snape did not want the werewolf to like him, he did not want anything to do with him. No, that was not true, he could not lie even to himself. He liked helping Remus, ever since the shack incident and the day after, the utter horror in Remus' eyes when he found out, how Remus had cried and howled and begged on his knees for Snape to kill him as he had the right, he had seen how the werewolf hated what he was. He never wanted to see Remus like that again and so he helped him but damned if he was going to let the wolf know he cared! He left the house in a billow of black robes and headed back to his cool dark dungeons to quietly brew up potions…

So another chapter and it looks like Snape has a bit of a sense of humor. Still not sure where I am going with this, and hopefully my muse will help me out on this. Anyway thank you to all who have reviewed so far! Tumshie, The Geeky Quill, graypheonix, Lady Clark-Weasley of Books, JWOHPfan, AllMightyPen, DeliaDee, thank you guys, you are so very kind in your reviews!