Harry Potter the Power Unknown By Priya Ashok

Chapter 5

After Snape had written down the note, he closed the book and removed the first diary and started reading. He read late into the night, fascinated by the thinking and intelligence and the effort of Lily Evans Potter.

The next morning, he strode briskly to the Great Hall, scowling at every one and managing to take away fifteen points from Griffindor, before he reached his place at the breakfast table.

He sat down, satisfied at the piece of good work he had done in the morning and had his breakfast completely at peace with himself and went to his classes, intending to terrorize the students and try and take away more points from Griffindor if he could.

He also decided to watch the other Professors and try to find out their opinions and the extent to which they were loyal to Dumbledore. He also wanted to know if they would be swayed to Harry's side. For that was what it was going to come down to. The three players in whose hands the Wizarding world was going to be tossed about.

The rest of the week passed in blessed monotony. Snape prepared the wolfbane and added minor changes he knew would not render much effect but would not harm the drinker either.

Armed with the wolfsbane in his hand and with hope burning in his heart and prepared to bury forever the enmity and dislike for the sake of a larger vision, Snape walked briskly walked to the Three Broomsticks, to find Remus Lupin sitting there, sipping a glass of water.

He looked about fifty, tired and shabby. Snape against his will felt something, that was close to feeling compassion, for a man who was treated like a beast, an outcast because of an incident he was not able to control, rise in his chest. His robes were patched up in so many places it was pathetic. And he was sipping water not being able to afford anything else. He was thin to the point of emancipation.

Snape walked up to him and sat down opposite him, placing a vial of the wolfsbane potion in front of him. Remus looked up and seeing Snape, smiled at him, seemingly glad to see an old classmate, even though they had not been friends.

Close up Snape was internally horrified at what Remus had become, though on his face he kept the patented sneer on.

"Hello, Severus, how are you keeping? It has been a long time, hasn't it? I was very pleased to receive a letter from you and thank you for wanting to try to improve the wolfsbane." He said softly.

Polite as ever. It would probably kill him, Snape decided if the poverty did not do him in before.

He could not sneer at Lupin at that moment to save his life. He had thought life had been cruel to him. Life had already destroyed Lupin. Well if Lupin was on the side of the right, then, just as for him, life was giving him another chance, knocking on his door for a golden opportunity to do something truly worth your while and to live, truly live at the same time.

"I am fine, though it looks like I cannot say the same about you." He answered softly. Remus flushed slightly.

"Well things are a bit tough now. You see, I am in between jobs." He smiled.

Snape came to a decision. He asked Lupin to follow him and took him outside and walked out of the small village into the wilderness that lay beyond. He chose a place that was sheltered, but at the same time was placed in a way he could watch all around and check on any one who would approach them, from a far, while they were sufficiently hidden.