Old enemies

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A/N: Transfer from AO3 in slightly changed way (on the AO3 story is under revising at the moment).

Not beta-read so mistakes are there.

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Snape darted out of professors lounge and he followed closely. Booming behind their backs, Dumbledore's angry voice echoed through corridors crowded with students.

"I do not care how! I do not care where! Settle this, once and for all! You will work on that collaboration project and that is my final word! Do not dare follow them, Minerva!"

"But Albus! They going to kill each other!" They could hear Minerva's worried voice, a bit too high pitched for the liking. The student must have had a field day.

"They won't! And even if they do – then so be it! I won't tolerate such childish behaviour! Not from my staff!"

It was truly unusual to see Albus in this state of anger, usually calm and mild man, never to his knowledge lost his temper before. In retrospect, his and Severus' constant snapping at each other could enrange even a stone, given enough time. Their never-ending bickering culminated as an open argument and rebellion when Albus pared them as a team - setting them to work on a rather stupid project, in his humble opinion. 

Trailing behind Snape's flattering robes, he could feel curious looks of students and hear soft whispers and giggles. This was a truly humiliating experience. And if he had such dreadful time - for Snape was even worse. Snape sharply turned, entering the first empty classroom and he followed at heel.

"Severus, I'm not thrilled with the idea myself. But, maybe, this is chance for us..." He stopped talking mid-sentence.

Normally pale face of Severus Snape was almost drained of colour. How can one visibly lose more colour in this state? Severus' gaze was fixed behind his back. Pointy jaw almost squared, and one cheek muscle visibly danced.

Intrigued he turned to see what caused such reaction. The classroom door was ajar and students swarmed up in front of them. Grinning faces and curious eyes directed at them. The most braves, or craziest ones, even giggled.

With a low hiss, Snape waved his wand and students scampered, escaping fast and a rather violent bang of the door. Severus silently started to cast wards and he joined him, turning to windows. They worked in silence for few long moments.

Silence fell between them, as they measured each other, wands at ready. Snape's eyes were burning with the glare of disdain, humiliation and anger. This was a rare and truly unusual sight.

"Can we talk now? I am willing to resolve this problem peacefully."

"Why Dumbledore did not listen to me? I warned him about you! The miasma of humiliation follows you around." Hissed Snape "I do not want to talk to you, I do not want to look at you! You have no place in this school."

"Dumbledore does not think so." He replied, insulted if only a little bit. In all honesty, he wasn't expecting any other reaction from Severus, but it still hurt.

"Dumbledore does not think when his precious Marauders are concerned. He favoured you then and he does now." Severus sneered at him, anger distorting his features.

"Oh, can you put that at rest Snape? I cannot apologize any more than I already did for that, it was 14 years ago."

"I do not need, nor wish your worthless apologies." Spit Snape venomously. "Do not tempt me Lupin. I just might slip some of the Unforgivable curses at you. No one would question it; I am, after all, who I am."

"You really think that I am that incapable of defending myself. Don't you think that I might do you some harm, as well?" His voice now low and dangerous growl.

"Do you really believe that you could do something, humiliate me more than you and your band didn't before?" he smirked "No, I do not think that you could defend yourself against me. Not if I really want to end you." hissed Snape ominously, letting the implication of what he was thinking hang in the air between them "Do you really believe that you could do something... Humiliate me more than you and your lot didn't before?"

His blood boiled, he was tired of this man's insults, tired of apologies that landed on deaf ears.

Before Snape could react, he silently cast a spell, several of them actually. Snape's wand clanged at the floor and rolled, as he dropped it. Snape was, entangled in binding spell, and muffed. Lupin's eyes narrowed in a thin line.

"I am not harmless or helpless, Severus." He whispered in dangerous low voice.

However, even if he held his demeanour, Lupin was wondering, what to do next?

He did not have the desire to harm Snape, or publicly humiliate him, for that matter, but he had to do something.

Looking at struggling Snape, who was probably trying to free himself or curse him, his throat became dry. Closing, just inches from Snape's face, he smiled.

"Oh, I believe that I can do to you something. Something, I bet no person ever done to you before. Well, at least not since you've grown up to be what you are now." Snape's eyes opened wide, as he charmed one piece of clothes at the time, from him. Deep, crimson blush, coloured Snape's face as he removed the last piece of clothing, leaving him in his underwear. "If you did not like this in your school days... I wonder, how much would you hate it now? In front of your students?"

Now let's see, how can I get out from this mess? I can threaten him, but ... Thinking fast he continued to talk.

"However, I'm not about to that to you...for now. But, try to mess with me and know what's waiting for you around the corner. I do not need my friends around me, I am more than capable to deal with you on my own. Now, I'm not happy with the prospect of working with you, no more than you are to work with me, but Albus put us together, and I won't cross him. Did we understood each other?"

It took, what looked like an eternity to him before Snape slowly nodded his head, eyes burning with hatred.

How much more can he truly hate me?

Lupin relaxed and charmed Snape's clothes back on. Snape has clenched his eyes tightly shut. Levitating Snape on one of the chairs, Remus placed fallen wand on Severus's lap and slowly walked to the door.

It took time to remove the wards they placed on the door. When he finished with the wards, Remus released the binds that held Snape and rushed out of the classroom.

Brave Remus. . . thought as he paced down the corridor.

Only two dozen steps later, he stopped near the window, gasping for air.

With the corner of his eye, he saw Minerva entering the classroom and he gasped again. She did not stay long in there, and now, she was marching towards him. He closed his eyes.

"I am glad that Severus' not harmed at all; he is not willing to talk though. Let's see if you are." She took his hand and pulled him to one of the benches in the corridor. "Good, you appear to be unharmed as well. Equally chatty too. Go on; go to your room now." Minerva sent him off like he was one of the students.

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