"Is there anything else you have to do?" Remus asked, after a while. Shaking his head, Severus said, "Nothing an, Ex-Teacher and also Gryffindor, can help with." Severus grinned mockingly at Remus, who remained serious and said, "Well, if you need help, come and find me, or just send an owl. Anything." Severus, now just with his usual small smile, said, "Do you really mean that?" Remus nodded, sliding his hand from Severus' arm, to his hand again, "I will be there for you, Severus. I swear," he said as he looked up at his friend. The two of them fixed on looking deeply into each other's eyes. "How touching," a cold voice came from the door. Turning, the two men saw - "Bella?"
Severus' voice now laced with the menace he had not used with Remus as he glared at Bellatrix in the doorway. "What are you doing here?" He asked, his hand still in Remus', his wand now drawn, in the other. "What have we here?" Bellatrix said as she walked through the door, walking as though she may have been drunk as she looked over at the two men in disgust. "A half-breed and a traitor." She answered her own question, sounding as though Christmas had come early. "He isn't a traitor," Remus said quietly. Everyone turned to look at him. Severus was ultimately surprised, Remus had never stood up for him before. At Bella's questioning look, Remus said, "He was never on your side to begin with," he now sounded stronger as he voiced his opinion. The cold glare that Bella gave them, would have, once upon a time, had him cowering away, but if there was ever a time to not look weak, it was now. Severus hand in Remus' strained slightly, as he tried to pull Remus behind him, out of the way. "No one asked your opinion," she said, not wanting to believe his words. As Severus opened his mouth to talk, she said, "Or yours." He fell silent, watching her, with a strangely amused look on his face, "I've been looking for a toy to play with," She said as she rolled up her sleeve. "And boy are we going to have some fun being able to torture you two," she said with a glee look, adding; "I've always wanted to curse you, but as the Dark Lord's favourite, it was nearly impossible." Severus chuckled, "Empty threats, Bella. Empty threats. He can't penetrate the school's walls." She shrugged, and then Remus and Severus could only watch on in horror, as she pressed her finger to the Mark.