"Ancient Runes" a Severus Snape ff - Snape x OC

Chapter 40

NOTE: I want to take this brief moment of your time to thank you all for your patience. I know the last update had been ages ago and I really hope that a few of you at least will come back to this story to read it. 

My writing style and abilities have been shaped and changed significantly in the last two years. This story here is one of my first ever writing projects and even though I literally cringe at my own writing, I don't want to spare you with it. 

I know it's not perfect! The story isn't, the characters aren't, the tension building (there isn't much of that..), it's realls an early work and should be seen as such as well. 

I don't have the time and muse to rewrite all 72 existing chapters of this (yes.. there are far more to come..), so please bear with me. 

I'm also aware that not everything I mention in the story is canonocally correct. I hadn't been aware of a couple of things when I started writing it, so I hope this can be excused. I am, however, still planning to persue this story, maybe not in its initial German version, but in English. So lucky for you guys.. :) 

Now.. enough of those unnecesary words, I'll leave you to read at peace now. 

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Severus entered the Great Hall through the rear entrance. A loud murmur of various conversations and laughing students filled the hall. The students, except for the newcomers, had already gathered in the hall and seemed to be telling each other about their holidays. In retrospect, he didn't really have much to report about his holidays, other than that he had spent days staring at the walls and thinking about the woman he loved and who he had believed until yesterday he would never see again. Her letter was on his mind, and since he had read it, he had actually had hope again that he might see her again soon. He was aware that this reunion would probably be very painful, after all, he still wouldn't have her with him afterwards, but he simply had to see her. There was no other way, Severus couldn't bear it any other way.

There were still a few free places left at the teachers' table when Severus sat down to the left of Albus. The headmaster greeted him with a friendly grin, which Severus returned with only a curt nod, and then thankfully turned his attention back to the conversation with Filius, who was sitting to Albus's right. Minerva's place was empty between the two, as usual she was looking after the first-years. Severus did not envy her about this task at all. The mere thought of having to look after a whole horde of excited and ill-mannered first-years put him in a bad mood. Teaching was enough for him.
"Hello, Severus," the voice, which he knew only too well, pulled him from his reverie. Severus had almost forgotten that Albus had wrung this "task" from him after he had once again refused to give him the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.
"Lupin," he critically examined the newcomer, who was clearly intending to sit right next to him.
"May I?" the werewolf asked, seemingly disconcerted by Severus's gaze, and pointed to the empty seat.

"I suppose there's no avoiding it, is there? Sit down and be quiet. If you think I've forgotten anything, you're very much mistaken. I know your little secret, Remus," Severus hissed disdainfully. Lupin only owed his presence here to the headmaster's great generosity. If it had been up to Severus, a werewolf would have no place in this school. Especially not now, when, quite coincidentally, Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban and Harry Potter, the famous son of their oh-so-wonderful friend James Potter, was being taught at this school. Sirius Black was, after all, Potter's godfather and apparently even the Ministry had realised that this could still become a problem, because the castle was extensively guarded by a whole host of Dementors. The circumstances seemed more than suspicious to Severus, he had resolved to keep an eye on Lupin. The thought that Black might actually be stupid enough to come here and then be discovered by the Dementors, however, gave him a strange satisfaction. If he couldn't take revenge himself, that would be a quite appropriate alternative.
"Alright. Um, yes. Thank you," Lupin stammered uncertainly as he sat down. In his human form, Lupin was nothing more than a pathetic little man, no one would suspect what a beast lurked within him, waiting to be let out.