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A Question of Tea
by MusIgneus
There was a minor commotion at the staff room door as Professor Sprout tried to enter
carrying an oversized pot containing her new fanged geranium-flutterby bush hybrid; Professor Sinistra dodged the brilliant red bloom that was trying to sink its teeth into her hat, and Professor Dimwiddie stepped hastily backward to get out of her way and collided with Severus Snape.
Severus pushed the offender off with a snarl, and the young man in question winced visibly.
"Excuse me, sir. I didn't see you there. That is, I wasn't looking. At you, I mean, I was looking at Professor Sprout's plant, which is really quite..."
He trailed off in the face of Severus's sneer. "Er, right." Offering a final "I, er, sorry!", he ducked out the door and retreated down the corridor.
Severus watched his departure with narrowed eyes until a question called his attention to the woman at his side.
"Tea, Severus?"
"Yes. Thank you, Minerva."
Her eyes moved to the corridor. "He's not so bad, you know. We were really quite fortunate to find someone to occupy the Defense post on such short notice, after that incident with- " Minerva set her cup firmly in its saucer. "Well. At any rate, even a convalescing junior Auror is a step above Dolores Umbridge. And the students like him."
"They liked Lockhart, too," Severus said pointedly, draining his cup of black tea in a swift gulp. "For much the same reasons."
Minerva hid a smile behind her teacup as Vector joined in. "Mmm, yes, he is rather attractive." Her teasing smile survived the withering glare Severus threw her.
"If your taste runs to insipid, muscle-bound farm boys, then perhaps he is, Vector," Severus snapped. "His appearance, however, has no bearing on his qualifications - he has no teaching experience whatsoever, and he is careless."
Minerva arched an eyebrow. "Come now, Severus," she reproved. "He can hardly be called careless. He appears to be doing his best to ensure that he covers the appropriate material. Why, he's even been spending almost every evening with Remus Lupin, discussing his lesson plans."
"Yes, I know," Severus muttered darkly. More loudly, he said, "I was speaking of his lack of attention to his personal defenses, not his...enthusiasm for preparation."
With a terse nod of farewell, he strode out of the staff room.
Minerva and Vector shrugged and moved on to more interesting topics of discussion than Severus Snape's well-known dislike of the latest Defense professor.
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A few days later, a young man hesitated in front of the door to the library of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Glancing down, he tugged his robes neatly into place, then ran a hand through his thick blond hair. No one passing in the corridor would have been surprised to see him there; he had been a frequent visitor since he joined the Order in the summer, particularly after he accepted the Defense position a day before the fall term began at Hogwarts.
Putting his shoulders back, he raised a hand and rapped sharply on the door. Hearing a muffled "Come in," he opened the door and saw Remus Lupin sitting by an empty hearth, a book on his knee and a tea tray nearby.
"Dalton? I wasn't expecting you to come by this evening," Remus said with a very slight frown. He closed the book, marking his place with a finger. "Did you need to discuss the seventh years' syllabus again?"
"Seventh- er, no. Thank you. I had the evening free and thought I'd stop in, that's all," the younger man said with a rather weak smile. "Er - do you mind?"
A faint line remained between Remus's eyebrows, but he laid his book aside and said, "No, of course not. Sit down. I was just about to have some tea."
He began to rise, but the younger man stepped forward hurriedly and said, "No, that's all right, I'll do it."
Remus relaxed back into his chair. The tiny frown reappeared as he watched the other man manipulate the tea things. He strained and poured deftly, handing Remus one cup - milk, one sugar - and lifting a second cup halfway to his mouth before setting it down again.
Remus's eyes were fixed on the other man's hands while he added first one lump of sugar, then another. At the third lump, Remus's eyes flicked up to find the other man looking at him.
Remus smiled slightly, but the line between his eyebrows remained while his companion exchanged the sugar tongs for a spoon and stirred his tea briskly. "Not thirsty?" he asked when the other man set his cup down after a single sip.
"Er, not very."
The silence extended rather uncomfortably until Remus finished his tea. He put his cup on the tray and said, "So, Dalton, was there...something in particular you wanted to talk to me about?"
The younger man shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "No, not really. Well, that is, I was wondering..."
Standing, he bent and brushed an awkward kiss across Remus's cheek.
Remus leaned away, eyes wide. "Oh!" He blinked. "I'm not- I mean, I'm flattered by your...interest, Dalton, but I am...involved with someone. I'm sorry, I hadn't realized..."
The other man backed away. He was blushing faintly, but there was an almost imperceptible lift to one corner of his mouth. "No, of course not. My apologies. We won't- That is, can we not mention this again?"
The line on Remus's forehead was back. He nodded slowly.
"I'll just go-"
"Wait," Remus said. Reaching past the teapot, he plucked a chess piece from the set waiting between the two chairs and tossed it to the other man, who caught it reflexively, then looked at him with a puzzled frown.
"This seems like an awkward way to end our...conversation," Remus said. "Why don't you stay for a game?"
His guest turned the piece in his hand once, then aligned it precisely in its square on the board. Remus's eyes followed the motion.
"Thank you, but I really should go. Perhaps another time."
Remus waited until the other man was almost to the door before saying, "Why, did you not think to bring another dose of Polyjuice with you, Severus?"
The other man froze, one hand outstretched to the door handle. He turned slowly to face Remus. "What? I don't-"
"Know what I'm talking about?" Remus interrupted. "Of course not. And you can prove it by sitting down with me for, oh, about half an hour."
"No, I-"
"Half an hour," Remus said firmly. "Which is how long it will take for the charm I just used to secure the door to wear off, anyway."
"Charm? You... Bloody hell."
Remus smiled. "I'm quite certain Dalton has never said 'bloody hell' in his life, Severus. Now you might as well sit down."
Severus slumped into the chair Remus indicated. "It was the damned tea, wasn't it," he said bitterly. "I knew not even that vapid lout could possibly imbibe so much sugar, but you just kept watching..."
"Actually, I have no idea how Dalton takes his tea, Severus," Remus replied.
"No?"
Remus shook his head. "No. But I know how you handle the tongs, and I know how you sniff your cup before you drink."
Severus scowled. "I don't..."
Remus looked amused. "You do. I know the way you move. You are graceful, even wearing someone else's body." He gestured at the chess set. "And then there's the way you positioned the knight, right in the center of-"
He broke off as the door flew open.
"Hey, Remus! Do you-" Tonks said cheerfully, sticking her head into the room. "Oh, hi, Dalton. Sorry, didn't realize you were here. I'll just catch you later, Remus."
The door slammed shut, and Severus glared at Remus. "Lupin, you said you charmed the door."
Remus shrugged. "I lied."
Severus's lips thinned, lending Dalton Dimwiddie's pleasant, open face a most uncharacteristic look of resentment.
"It doesn't matter," Remus said dismissively. "I already knew it was you, Severus. What I don't know," he said, sitting up straighter and losing all trace of his smile, "is how angry I should be that you don't trust me. That you thought I could do...whatever you thought I would do with Dalton."
Severus studied his feet. Remus waited, one finger tapping against the arm of his chair, until Severus finally said, "I believe it is more relevant to know how angry you are."
"Very angry, actually," Remus said levelly.
Severus nodded slowly. "Very well. But you should know...it wasn't distrust." He glanced up, briefly, at Remus's face. "You never said..."
Remus's expression softened. "I see. I never made you any promises, is that it?"
At Severus's reluctant nod, Remus continued, "I didn't think you wanted any, not from me. But...I am not interested in any...additional pursuits, while we are...doing whatever it is that we are doing."
Severus's head came up. "No?"
"No," Remus replied firmly.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Severus's nose began to slowly lengthen. He grew slightly taller and much thinner, and his hair darkened; he flexed his fingers, now long and sallow instead of broad and tanned.
Remus smiled. "Preferable. Now, would you care for that game after all?" he said, pulling the small table bearing the chest set forward.
"Certainly, Lupin."
Remus advanced a white pawn. At length, he asked, "So, was the question proved to your satisfaction, Severus?"
Severus began to speak, then hesitated.
Remus frowned. "What?"
"You...you suspected it was me, so it didn't really prove anything," Severus said slowly.
Remus sighed. He picked up the neglected teapot and poured a fresh cup, offering it to Severus. "Fine. What do you want from me, Severus?" he said, weariness and anger both audible in his tone.
Severus stared down at the cup. "You know how I take my tea."
"Of course I do," Remus said impatiently.
Severus took the cup. "Indeed."
He looked at the rippling surface of the dark liquid a moment longer, then studied Remus's face before settling himself comfortably in his chair, a small satisfied smile playing on his lips.
"I believe it is your move, Lupin."
A small snort of laughter escaped Remus.
"So it is, Severus. So it is."
If you enjoyed this, please return to the SEARCH RESULTS page and leave a comment, or send an e-mail to MusIgneus.
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