Just Like You [New Severus :3]

[severus snape]

Severus watched the other boy carefully waiting for the inevitable guffaw at his interest that went beyond the syllabus but it never came. Which was...oddly nice, he supposed.

No. He shouldn't let himself be lured into this false sense of security. Lupin's friends were probably just waiting for him to relax so they could poke fun at him or shove his head in a cauldron for a famous 'Hogwarts Cauldron swirly' they always had new humiliating reasons for it. They thought it would help his complexion they htought it was conditioner for his hair. They thought it was holy water to exorcise his demons or because he was a vampire.

And yes maybe he hid how much it upset him, but who could blame him with the name he had burdened with since first year. It wasn't like the teachers did anything to help.

With a glare at Slughorn's back and Remus Lupin in tunr, he sighed, waiting for the right time to add the essence of plimpy. Handing Lupin the dropper he turned his face away lsightly and said casually, "three drops." There was always a nasty smell when you opened the Essence of plimpy bottles,just wrong and fishy, well, more like dead fish.

"Then take it off the heat and let it cool down." Then it would be done and he could leave Lupin to his ineptitude. Lily's protege had finished, and he waved at the red head with a small smile. He'd catch up with her afterwards.

[Remus John Lupin]

Of course Remus was that kind of student who was interested in subjects beyond the syllabus, but, to be honest, potions wasn't quite his favourite. Especially not if it was Severus Snape paired up with him, no, he knew for sure now: should this ever happen again, he'd speak as little as possible. Trying to be polite didn't work (and he could imagine why).

In stead, he glanced at the potion, watching its every move, as though staring at it would help him understand it and, with it, the subject. It said nothing to him, Remus could see nothing in the liquid that could make him understand.
He could see Snape move in the corner of his eye. "Three drops." He nodded, half glad that this was the level of conversation they'd been reduced to. According to the book, the potion was nearly finished and for that he was glad. On the other hand.. Snape didn't work according to the book, so who knew what might be in store for him.

Remus prepared himself for not gagging before he opened the bottle, taking a deep breath. It was bad enough as a human, but Remus could feel his nose tingle even though he was holding his breath throughout the operation. He quickly screwed the lid back on the bottle, handing it back to Snape, and taking the cauldron off the heat almost without effort, as it wasn't heavy, not to him, and Remus was not in the mood to pretend.

[severus snape]

That was a small surprise...Lupin was at least familiar enough with potions to know the stench that awaited them as they opened the bottle. That or he'd noticed the slytherin who'd dropped hers gagging at the smell.

He was on his way back from the store cupboard when he saw the gryffindor prefect reach for the cauldron. And when Lupin lifted the cauldron off the heat with nairy a strain, Severus, who had been moving over to help him, narrowed his eyes slightly. Either Lupin was a hell of a lot stronger than he looked, or the cauldron was getting thin and wasn't full...but he could see that the latter option was not the case.

He continued to look at Lupin oddly, packing away his things as the cauldron began to cool down, steam rising upwards a few feeet in a mushroom cloud reminiscent of nuclear bomb blasts.

[Remus John Lupin]

Remus could feel Snape looking at him and it set his hair on end. Damn. He'd thought the Slytherin would be so through with being around him, he'd not cast him a second glance. Guessed wrong, obviously. He cast his eyes down, quickly cleaning the instruments he'd used for the lesson (not touching Sev's knife, naturally - it was silver and besides, just because the Slytherin had helped him, didn't mean Remus would have to wash his things).
When Severus came back to their spot to pack his things, he sent the Slytherin a half-smile. "Thanks for your help, even if it wasn't voluntarily." Remus nodded at Snape slightly, though he doubted that the other boy would believe him. He'd probably think it was a trick. Or a lie.

Glancing over his shoulder, Remus spotted his friends without any effort at all. He almost always knew where they were and found them easily. Hurriedly, he started packing his things as well.