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The Intentions of Others	By : BunnyBopper Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Snape/Remus Views: 3142 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
The fumes had risen so quickly after he’d added the scurvy grass that Harry hadn’t had time to back away from his cauldron before breathing in a lungful of bright turquoise smoke. This resulted in an embarrassingly loud coughing fit that he was unable to suppress. Tears were blurring his vision by the time he’d got himself under control but he still heard Malfoy's nasty chortle coming from across the table. At his expense no doubt.
“Careful Potter, we really don’t need you becoming more confused than you are already. Weasley will have to start dressing you next.” As soon as he could see again, Harry was treated to the familiar sight of the cruel smirk on the boy's haughty, pale face.
“Shut up, Malfoy.” Harry croaked lamely. It was hard to think of a comeback when the bitter taste of the fumes was still overwhelming his senses.
“I’m just thinking of your reputation Potter,” Malfoy continued, sarcastically holding up his hands in mock innocence. “Merlin knows he’s never had the means to fully develop his own fashion sense, let alone be in charge of anyone else's.” He nodded his head towards the particularly shabby looking set of robes Ron had on today, causing him to flush beneath his freckles and laughter to break out among the nearby Slytherins.
Harry was just about to let loose a retort about how hard it must have been for Malfoy to learn to dress himself after losing his family’s house elf last year when Snape appeared behind them.
“Can we settle down over here please?” He said in a low, dangerous voice. The students resumed their work at Snape’s arrival, but a few Slytherins still felt confident enough to make obscene gestures at Harry and Ron behind his back. To Harry’s further annoyance Snape hung around to examine his potion and wasted no time in criticising it. “Potter, your confusing concoction is nowhere near thick enough at this stage. Don’t you remember me clearly saying to only grind the stems of the scurvy grass? The petals need to be added one by one separately...but thank-you for demonstrating to the rest of the class what will happen otherwise so they can avoid similar stupidity in future.”
Harry knew that had he made the same mistake this time last year Snape would have been far more vicious and would probably have docked at least ten points from Griffindor. Though he still made an exception for Harry, the potions master had certainly become less impatient and far less cruel during their lessons in recent months. The school was awash with rumour as to what could have sparked the change in him. Only Dean had gotten close to the truth when he jokingly suggested one night in the common room that maybe Snape had ‘finally gotten laid’ which was met roars of laughter from the other Griffindors.
Hermione had just smirked to herself while he and Ron exchanged pained looks. She had, of course, sworn the boys to secrecy and threatened to never help them with an essay again if they told anyone. That was fine with Harry as he had no desire to make the information public. He still hadn't quite accepted it and neither had Ron.
“I’ve got it! The greasy git slipped him a love potion.” The boy had said triumphantly to them after the rest of the students had gone to bed.
“Seriously, Ron?” Hermione responded in exasperation. Both he and Harry had been trying to come up with an explanation for what they had witnessed between their most loved and most hated teacher for some time now.
“Well, it would make sense Hermione…” Harry said tentatively, not wishing to anger her further. It made more sense than Professor Lupin seeing anything in Snape in his opinion anyway.
“Urgh, love potions don’t work like that!” She had snapped. “Someone under a love potion is completely overtaken with passion and they don’t care who knows it because they aren’t thinking clearly! Professor Lupin wouldn’t have been so restrained. Not to mention shy and awkward and…” She’d then trailed off into a happy squeal that made Ron roll his eyes.
As he watched Snape sweep away from their table with a disparaging ‘tsk’ Harry was suddenly furious about the whole situation. The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself.
“Sir, wouldn’t silver laced primroses work better in this potion than scurvy grass?”
Snape had stopped in his tracks. He hadn’t turned round to face him yet but Harry could see his whole body tense.
“Are they just not used because they are difficult to find?” Harry continued stressing the words, unsure where his boldness was coming from. Hermione was glaring at him from the other table but he could hear Ron quietly sniggering beside him. When Snape finally turned towards him his face was impassive as usual.
“No Potter. It’s because they have an unfortunate tendency to cause people to say things recklessly. Things they would otherwise…regret.” Harry swallowed dryly. He knew he’d gone too far. Snape stared directly into his eyes for a few moments too long. When he finally looked away Harry saw a brief flash of fear in the man’s own black ones.
The rest of the lesson proceeded as it normally would. Harry somehow managed to make a vaguely acceptable confusing concoction, bottled it and left it on Snape’s desk without making eye contact. Before he could finish cleaning up his work space and get out of there Snape stopped him.
“Potter, perhaps you could stay behind after class and we could discuss your question some more?” Snape was smiling an odd smile at him from behind his desk but his eyes were completely cold. Ron and Hermione flashed him worried looks which grew even more concerned after Snape said “Perhaps Granger and Weasley would have something to contribute to the conversation as well…”
The rest of the class filed out. A few of the Slytherins, Malfoy included, shot them bewildered looks as they left. As soon as they were alone Snape locked the door without rising from where he sat and performed a silencing charm. Probably so no one would be able to hear the screams of torture they were about to make…

***

“How many people have you told?” Severus saw no need to keep up any pretence now. He’d seen it all in Harry’s mind. Seen how they has entered his classroom and spied on them that day (why hadn’t he listened to his instincts?!). Not that he’d really needed to look into the boy's mind as he seemed desperate to rub the knowledge in his face. All Severus could do now was damage control. He remains seated so they can't see him shaking. He's unsure if it's from anger, fear or humiliation.
“No one sir, we swear!” Granger was saying. She sounded as unsteady as he was feeling.
“Do you honestly expect me to believe-” Severus stopped. He'd searched each of their faces in turn and saw no signs of deceit. He was certainly capable of detecting this in people far more capable of duplicity than any of these three.
Did he honestly think he was going to be able to keep this secret? No he didn't, not really, but did it have to be Potter and his gang that found out first? Severus lets out a short laugh at his own expense then. This seemed to strike more fear into the children than any other reaction he could have given.
“Why?” He asked coldly. None of them responded. He merely stared them out, tapping a finger on his desk.
“Because w-we…we respect your privacy sir. As well as Professor Lupin’s.” Granger continued to stammer.
“Is. That. So?” He stood up to tower over them. “And where was the respect for our privacy when you were huddled under your cloak spying on us?!” His voice had risen along with his anger. It would overtake him if he wasn't careful. Severus expects the three of them to remain dumbstruck but Potter speaks.
“It was my idea sir. I thought you were doing something to the potion you make for Professor Lupin. You seemed to hate him so much...” His voice sounds oddly calm considering his situation. That familiar arrogance, along with the injustice of being assumed guilty of some hideous crime, yet again, sends Severus into a rage.
“OF COURSE IT WAS YOU, POTTER!” The three of them jump simultaneously. Severus felt his lip curl involuntarily as he snarled at them. He forced himself to try and regain some control, but it was getting harder and harder to close off his emotions these days. “You have no regard for common decency let alone rules! I suppose you're going to use this to – what – blackmail me?”
“No sir, I-”
“Then what was that little performance in aid of just now?” Severus spat. The boy seemed to be wrestling with what he wanted to say. Finally he looked up into Severus’ face and spoke.
‘I…was angry. I shouldn’t have-but I’m just sick of the way you treat me all the time!’ Severus feels his eyes widen in surprise as Potter continues his tirade. ‘It isn’t fair! I’ve never done anything to you! Just because you didn’t get on with my dad doesn’t mean-’
He only stops when Weasley puts a hand on his shoulder and whispers ‘Mate, leave it’ under his breath.
Severus is quiet for some time. Potter is right of course. Ever since he arrived looking so much like his father the well-used part of Severus' brain that detected threat went into overdrive. He’d reacted instinctively and attacked first as usual. Part of him knew the hatred he felt towards a child was irrational but he just couldn’t seem to help himself. Not to mention the torture of him having Lily’s eyes was almost too much to bear sometimes.
But the feelings weren’t as strong as they used to be. He still disliked the boy (he hadn’t had a complete personality change!) but the rage he felt whenever he saw him had lessened. Severus wasn’t sure whether this was due to Remus’ calming influence or the amount of soul-searching he had been doing lately.
Did it really matter so much if everyone knew anyway? Teachers had openly been in relationships before. There would be a few complaints of course but he was fairly certain the rest of the faculty would stand by them, for Remus’ sake if not for his.

***

Harry’s was trembling. He couldn’t believe he’d actually said all those things to Snape! Once he’d started he found he couldn’t stop until Ron had thankfully snapped him out of it. Snape was definitely going to make things even worse for him now, either that or finally follow through with his threat of getting them all expelled.
But, to Harry’s immense surprise, Snape didn’t seem so angry any more. In fact he actually seemed to be seriously thinking about what he’d just said. It felt like an agonising amount of time had passed before he addressed them again.
“I can’t control what you do.” Snape was speaking to the three of them but his eyes remained mostly on Harry. “People will find out eventually anyway. Thank-you for your discretion up to now, I can’t honestly say I would have done the same had our situations been reversed.”
Snape waved the charms away as he sat back down behind his desk and the door opened. The three of them still watched him warily while he busied himself with some papers. After several moments Snape looked up at them in exasperation.
“You may go.” He said, rolling his eyes and indicating the way out with his hand. They didn’t need to be told twice. The three of them collected their books and scurried out as quickly as possible.
“OK. That did not go how I expected it to.” Ron was saying once they were safely out of the dungeons. “Blimey Harry I think you might actually have gotten through to him!”
Harry was too stunned to respond. The idea of Snape actually changing his behaviour towards him was difficult to imagine but this didn't stop him from hoping it could be possible. Hermione seemed to be in a state of deep contemplation.
“You know…it seemed like he actually wants us to tell people…” She said slowly.
“Why in the name of Merlin’s left tit would he want us to do that?!” Ron asked apparently flabbergasted. Harry couldn’t understand it either but he would have used less crude language, in front of Hermione anyway, who was now scowling.
“Because, you nitwit, it would probably be easier for them if things were out in the open!”
Harry wasn’t sure if that was true or not but he could see her point.

***

Remus' heart is thudding in his ears as he arrives at Severus' office. What he's just heard has sent adrenaline coursing through him causing him to move so fast he collides with a startled looking first year Slytherin, who was just about to exit, as he bursts into the room. He awkwardly apologises as he helps the red faced boy gather the pieces of parchment that were his essay from the floor. For some reason the Slytherin appears more apologetic as he hurriedly leaves, closing the door behind him.
“Care to tell me what's so urgent you almost knock one of my students unconscious?” Severus is looking at him through narrowed eyes, his expression says he's unimpressed. He's standing in front of him with his arms folded. All of a sudden Remus has the urge to study one of the many jars of repulsive substances lined up behind Severus' desk.
Remus knows he has to tell Severus but he's scared. Scared of how he's going to react. Scared of loosing him. Scared of rejection as usual.
But he's also scared of that look he's giving him. The one that says he'd like nothing better than to create a new curse just for him. So he spits it out.
“I...I've just finished a class with my third years. As they were packing up I heard a couple of Griffindors – Thomas and Finnigan I think – talking about...talking about us.”
“Talking about us how?” Severus asks, though he sounds like he already knows.
“They just...spoke about us being together and expressed surprise.”
“What did they say exactly?” Severus was doing his whole 'unreadable' thing now. Remus feels his anxiety peak.
“Well, um. They were talking about how much they like me as a teacher-”
“Well naturally.” The sarcasm is oozing from Severus more than whatever is oozing in the jar behind his head.
“And that...uh...how they couldn't believe I would 'go out' with someone like you.” Remus is wincing by the end of the sentence.
“Someone like me?”
“I think the phrase 'nasty piece of work' was used.”
“Charming.”
There is silence for several moments as Remus tries to work out what to say to fix this. Nothing is coming. Then, to his shock, he sees that Severus is trying to suppress a smile.
“Will you relax?” He continues, “I've also heard similar things from my students.”
“You have?”
“I think the phrase 'shabby, spineless sycophant' was used once.”
He just stares at Severus blankly for a time.
“I have found the Slytherins to be more well spoken.” Remus responds after he's processed the information. “You don't seem nearly as disturbed by this as I thought you'd be.”
“Really?” Severus is slowly moving towards him, a wicked smile on his face, much like that day in his classroom. The day that started all this. “I'm a fallen deatheater with a less than conventionally attractive appearance and a rather unpleasant demeanour-” Remus starts to protest but Severus keeps talking over him, becoming ever closer. “-Do you really think I'm not used to gossip? It's you I'm more worried about.” He stops when their faces are inches apart.
“Me?” Remus asks astounded. “I'm a werewolf who has barely held down a job in his life and has enough scars to frighten small children. I'm not exactly a stranger to talk either.”
Severus' cool mouth is on his. Those surprisingly soft hands are cupping his face. Though Severus had the same intensely intimidating presence as all those months ago, the kiss they share is worlds apart from that first one. It's firm but slow and a thousand unspoken feelings are poured into it.
“Things are probably going to get difficult for a while.” Remus says when it finally ends. He knows this from experience. Severus keeps his forehead pressed against his as he says:
‘It’ll be worth it.’
- 7
- 8
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The Intentions of Others