If you're surprised to learn about the existence of Snupin as a ship, you're going to be shocked when I tell you it's actually the 4th most popular Snape ship in the fandom.
It's a strange world we live in.
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SO WHERE DID SNUPIN COME FROM?
I have to admit, when I first heard of this ship, I thought it was just another one of those oddball pairings that the HP fandom spits out like losing lottery tickets. However, when you look into it, there is some canon basis there.
Here's a list of major interactions between or about Snape and Lupin:
1. We know Snape works really hard to find out Lupin's secret while they're at Hogwarts together, and eventually is almost killed by him in werewolf form.
2. In Snape's flashback, we see Lupin not participating in James and Sirius' bullying of Snape (but not stopping it, either).
3. Snape makes Lupin Wolfsbane potions every month while he's a teacher at Hogwarts (which is maybe the only selfless thing he ever did in the series?)
4. Snape has a confrontation with Lupin at the Shrieking Shack where he hexes him and plans to take him to the Dementors; later he outs Lupin as a werewolf, causing him to lose his job.
5. In HBP, Lupin comments to Harry that he "neither likes nor dislikes Severus," and never hated him the way James and Sirius did.
6. Snape tries to hex a Death Eater who was aiming at Lupin during the chase in DH, but takes George's ear off instead.
And that's pretty much it. So there's your background for Snupin: it's a bit weird, but it's not totally out of nowhere. (Wait until we cover Snuna, Snonks, and Sningsley for that.)
OKAY, I GUESS IT COULD BE WORSE
No, really, it could be. Out of all the Snape/Marauder ships, I'd take Snupin any day. Snirius and Snames are going to get their own chapters later, and as for Snettigrew, let's not even go there.
Still though, not exactly OTP material, are they?
Except for the Wolfsbane, I can't think of ANY positive interaction between Snape and Lupin throughout the series. Even if they didn't hate each other, they were ready to start at any moment—Snape immediately believes Lupin has been sneaking Sirius into Hogwarts in PoA, and Lupin automatically assumes the worst of Snape in HBP when he kills Dumbledore.
Plus, I think Snape's outing of Lupin as a werewolf shows that he doesn't respect Lupin, or even consider him an equal. Not fodder for a great relationship there.
Honestly, I don't see why people think Snape and Lupin's personalities would match in the first place. Lupin is shown as a kind, understanding, fun teacher. Snape was a cold, unforgiving, bullying one. This alone is enough of a core difference that I think they'd never work together. Someone like Lupin, who is compassionate toward children, is never going to love someone like Snape, who bullies them.
In short: maybe Snupin is better than Snirius and Snames, but that's proving to be a pretty low bar.
OBLIGATORY 'SNAPE SUCKS'
This man fought for the Death Eaters, exhibited prejudice toward Lupin's people (werewolves), hated and tried to kill Lupin's best friends—please feel free to add on, or read our other books for more reasons why not to ship Snape with people.
IN CONCLUSION
If you're gonna ship a Snape/Marauders ship then it might as well be this one, but if you're looking for an enemies-to-lovers Lupin fic, maybe go for Lupin/Regulus instead?
