My Brother is a Teenage Werewolf

Remus Lupin Comes Home Pt. 2

I totally forgot to post this months ago, and actually forgot I'd written it until about 5 minutes ago lol. Anyway, it's super short, but it's Remus and Severus's first real conversation after Remus came back to Hogwarts at the beginning of As Potter is to Snape.

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Severus heard a knock on the door and sighed. He seriously considered ignoring it and just hoping whoever it was would go away, but in the end, he sat down his glass of Firewhiskey and stood up, resigning himself to dealing with company when he would rather be getting ready for bed. He opened the front door and nearly shut it back in the man's face.

"I don't have time for this, Remus," Severus said curtly.

"Severus, I just want to talk."

Severus considered him for a moment before finally, with another sigh, he stepped out of the way so that Remus could come inside.

"How is he?" Remus asked, tentatively moving towards the couch as if afraid that Severus would kick him out before he had a chance to sit down.

"He was attacked by Dementors, Remus, how do you think he is?"

Remus looked like he wanted to say something to that, but instead, he busied himself by looking around the parlor. Severus reclaimed his chair and picked up his glass, swallowing a mouthful of his drink as he eyed his brother.

"Listen, Severus, I know you don't want me back here-" Severus huffed but didn't comment so Remus continued, "but I'm glad to be here, all the same. I-I've missed you."

"Did you now? You missed me so much that I haven't heard a word from you in three years." Severus's words were biting but he didn't care. "And to what do we owe the pleasure of your company now, Remus? What, pray tell, changed your mind and brought you back here after all this time? Did you get tired of scrounging around for scraps with that miserable pack you got in with?"

Remus's eyes flashed as he glared back at Severus. "How did you know-"

"You're still not as good at hiding your tracks as you think you are. You stayed with them in Bristol for weeks before leaving again, chasing Fenrir Greyback all over the country. Tell me, brother, just what would you have done if you'd actually gotten close to him?"

Remus didn't answer, instead, he said, "If you knew where I was, why didn't you say something? You didn't tell Mum or Dad. If you had, he would have come looking for me sooner."

Severus raised his glass, this time draining the last of the amber-colored liquid before he spoke again. "As far as I'm concerned, if you had wanted to see or hear from us, you knew where we were. I didn't say anything, because I knew you didn't want to be found."

Some small part of Remus's composure faltered and he sighed, "I didn't. I'm sorry, Severus. I truly am, but I didn't come back here to fight with you."

"Then why are you here? Because you certainly didn't think you'd come back and we'd have tea and forget this whole thing ever happened."

"Oh, of course not." Remus said sarcastically, "Why would I ever think you could be forgiving of anyone."

They sat quietly for a long moment before Remus glanced down the hallway towards Harry's bedroom where with any luck, Harry was sleeping soundly. "Dad said his aunt and uncle were abusing him?"

"That would be putting it mildly," murmured Severus.

"How long do you think you'll have custody of him?"

"Until he finds someone else more permanent, I suppose."

"What's he like?" Remus asked.

"You'll be happy to know that he's just like his father in nearly every way."

"Merlin," Remus ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "I hope not."

Severus smirked and accioed a second glass from the kitchen before pouring a generous helping of Firewhiskey into it and handing it to Remus. "Here," he said, "it's not tea and I'm not feeling very forgiving tonight, but I suppose I am glad that you came back when you did. For Potter's sake."

Remus smiled, "I'll take what I can get."

End