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Was it any surprise Potter had difficulties trusting others? The first time someone told him they loved him, in his memory, was last week.



His lips twitched as he created lesson plans later that evening. Potter demanding an apology on Severus’ behalf was very like his mother. If Potter hadn’t confessed to setting a caged creature on fire immediately after that, Severus could almost trick himself into believing the child ever stood a chance at resembling Lily Evans for more than her eyes.

Lily was a rare soul. Kind to a fault, loyal to those she considered her friends, and more joy in her heart than anyone Severus had ever met. She had her morals and values and held others to her exacting standards. Severus knew when he insulted her that it could never be forgiven, regardless of the circumstances.

Potter also held others to his standards, but as the child had such a relaxed idea of right and wrong, it was a much lower bar. Keep his secrets, don’t touch him, fight on his side when fights arose, and Potter was as loyal as they came.

In the deepest part of his heart, Severus preferred the company to Potter than that of Lily’s.



Before he fell asleep that evening he suddenly remembered what Potter admitted to him.

‘Susan said she loves me. Never heard that before, have I?’

“20 points to Hufflepuff,” he murmured as he extinguished his lights.

***

Over the next few weeks Severus had yet to decide which was more annoying during this time; Remus Lupin or Harry Potter.

Potter had developed a new habit of popping up at the least likely times with the most horrifying ideas for a patronus memory.



Immediately after dinner;

“What about when I started my gang?”

“No.”



Whispered as he turned in his potions during class;

“When I broke Parkinson’s wand?”

“No.”



Potter even had the audacity to send him a note during breakfast one morning;

When I sued Dumbledore?

Severus sought his eyes out at the Slytherin table and shook his head slightly.

He was incredibly fond of the child, but damn if he wasn’t exhausting.



Remus Lupin began his own annoying approach towards making Severus wish for an early retirement.

“Thank you so much Severus,” he said when he brought him the Wolfsbane Potion one evening. “I really can’t explain to you how much this means to me.”

Severus curled his lip up and made to leave the office quickly when Lupin called him back.

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” he said.

God damn you Potter.

Severus had no interest in hearing a meaningless apology from Lupin for actions he took fifteen years ago.

“What?” he asked sharply, turning back around.

Lupin pulled himself up straight and looked Severus square in the eyes.

“I wanted to apologize,” he said. “I know that my friends and I were gits to you in school. And I want to believe that if James and Peter were here they would apologize as well.” Severus rolled his eyes as Lupin swallowed (sentimental fool) before continuing. “But they aren’t, so I’ll say it on behalf of all three of us; we were immature, unreasonable, and hurtful and I am sorry for that.”

Severus would one day find a way to make Potter as terribly uncomfortable as he now was.

“Contrary to what Potter may have insinuated, I do not require an apology Lupin. We can continue on as we have until now- by pretending the other does not exist.”

He turned on his heel and strode quickly out of the office before Lupin said something else insufferable.

Unfortunately, it seemed as if Lupin took Potter’s chastisement to heart. Severus found himself being chatted up by the wolf multiple times a week.

Finally, one evening during dinner, when Lupin was blathering on about a potion he read about that he thought Severus might find interesting, he snapped.

“We are not friends,” he interrupted Lupin with a hiss. “I have no idea what is going through your mind but you and I are not friends.”

Lupin looked surprised for a second before giving Severus his typical cheerful smile.

“We could be,” he offered. “Maybe we should have been friends this whole time.”

Severus had a fleeting reminder of his burning envy at the close knit group of self proclaimed marauders in his school days. Twelve year old Severus would have done anything to be friends with Remus Lupin. Thirty-three year old Severus was not quite so desperate.

“I have no interest in friendship Lupin,” he sneered. “Especially not yours.”

“Why?”

Severus slammed his fork down and gave Lupin a look of incredulity.

“Were you not just weeks ago in my office accusing me of behaving abusively towards my ward?” he hissed quietly. “You broke Potter’s trust, you disregarded his mental health in allowing him to vanish after a traumatic event, I do not like you, and I have no want to be your ‘friend’.”

Lupin blinked at him in surprise.

“You and Harry are a package deal, aren’t you?” he mused. “Harry doesn’t like me because I was cruel to you in school. Now you say you don’t like me because I handled the boggart situation with Harry very poorly.”

“Potter is my student and my ward,” Severus said stiffly. “I do not make his decision for him. And I dislike you for a great number of reasons. Few of which have anything to do with Potter.”

Lupin gave him a crooked smile.

“I doubt anyone makes decisions for that kid,” he chuckled. “But you influence him quite a bit, don’t you? Harry would never befriend someone who he thought you didn’t like.”

Severus was sure he was right, but decided he’d said quite enough for the evening.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have better places to be.”

“I’ll see you at the feast tomorrow?” Lupin asked as Severus quickly made for the exit.

Severus ignored him. Perhaps if the man spent more than half a minute near Hermione Granger he would know that feast days have mandatory attendance, thus making Severus’ appearance a foregone conclusion.

***

The next evening, as Severus made his way to the Great Hall, he was once again waylaid by Potter.

“Sir! I thought of one!”

Severus sighed at the sight of Potter’s bright eyes. That likely meant another terrifying memory that child has classified as happy.

“Let’s hear it,” he said.

Potter was practically beaming now.

“Remember the day you gave me my letter? That one! What’d’ya think?”

That... that actually may work.

“That is an excellent idea,” he said. He saw the corridors were mostly empty as most students were already at the feast. “Would you like to try now?”

Potter nodded eagerly before inhaling deeply and clearing his mind.

“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” he shouted.

Potter opened his eyes eagerly and his face filled with disappointment at the sight of the rather large, and unformed, patronus cloud.

“Son of a bitch!” he swore. “Why won’t this damn spell work?!”

Severus’ lips twitched the very slightest amount at Potter adopting his own swears.

“Language,” he murmured. “I suppose it wasn’t a happy enough memory.” He tried to consider the encounter through Potter’s point of view.

“Were you not initially under the mistaken belief that I was attempting to kidnap you for some nefarious purpose?”

“Yep,” Potter admitted shamelessly. “Thought you were a creep, didn’t I? Shouldn’t’a wore your robes. But I wasn’t thinking of that, I was thinking about being special and going somewhere with beds for 10 months a year.”

Well, that explained it.

“Your memories all seem to have multiple layers of emotion attached to them,” Severus explained delicately. “I believe even the happy ones you are choosing must have a layer of anxiety or other negative emotion that is impacting the charms ability to work.”

Potter hissed loudly and rolled his eyes.

“Whatever,” he muttered. “I’ll get it eventually.”

“You will,” Severus assured him as he guided the child towards the Great Hall. “Have you made any progress on the second assignment I gave you?”

Potter hummed evasively.

“Haven’t made up my mind, have I?” he eventually said. “I’ll let you know though.”

Severus held the door open for Potter as he sighed again.

One secret. He is asking Potter to tell one friend one secret without the use of an Unbreakable Vow.

“Very well,” Severus said. “Enjoy your evening and you will find me in the Astronomy Tower tonight if you require anything.”

Potter gave him a curt nod as he made his way to the Slytherin table.



Severus suffered through the Halloween feast with its usual fanfare- made worse only by the moping presence of Lupin beside him.

Apparently on the anniversary of the Potters’ death Lupin wasn’t up for chatting. Thank Merlin.

He watched curiously as his snakes stopped by Potter’s seat and offered handshakes (which Potter rejected) and condolences (which Potter scoffed at). According to his current seventh year prefect, the rumor that Potter was the Heir of Slytherin was still rampant in his house. Clearly the accolades that came along with it earned Potter some form of respect to be shown on this night.