Severus sat in the Ravenclaw common room, Lupin on his left, Boot on his right. Professor Flitwick had come in to tell the others what had happened barely minutes before Severus himself arrived. Severus knew, from Remus' Gryffindor nature, that Remus was worried for him and had enlisted the other boys to help him guard Severus. What were they afraid he would do? He had only 'wandered' off. Unless, Severus' eyes narrowed, Lupin had told the others about his illnesses...
Remus recognised the look on Severus' face. He'd once seen it on Professor Hawthorne's face when he discovered that one of the Hufflepuff's had forgotten their DADA homework. It was the look of someone about to commit murder. Severus stood up abruptly and grabbed Lupin by the wrist, before pulling him in the direction of the dormitories. The Prefect Clearwater, assigned to looking out for Severus like the rest of them, glanced up and met Remus' eyes.
"What are you doing?" She snapped, rising from her armchair where she'd been reading.
Severus merely hurled a hex at her which she barely dodged and then pushed Remus into the dormitory, locking it behind himself.
"Snape!" He heard the furious growl from behind the door and smirked evilly. Remus hadn't even realised the other boy had his wand on him, and edged back very slightly when Severus turned to him.
"Did you tell them?" Severus demanded, pushing Remus into the wall. The werewolf winced.
"Tell them what?" Remus answered, his voice rather high-pitched in his fear. Severus' obsidian eyes burning with fury were enough to inspire terror in anyone.
"About... my... problems," Severus answered at last, his breath coming out in harsh gasps.
"No, of course not!" Remus shouted. "How much of an idiot do you think I am?" Severus loosened his grip on Remus very slightly and the boy ripped himself away from Severus. "You kept my secret so I'm damn well going to keep yours. When I decide I trust someone, my loyalty to them is immense. While you may not have gained my respect, Severus Snape, instantly jumping to conclusions, you have my grudging trust. You made me the Wolfsbane. I appreciate that. I do not appreciate you hustling me away and slamming me against walls!"
Severus sat down heavily on his bed. "I said I wouldn't be like him," he whispered, covering his face with his hands. "I promised. I promised, all those years ago."
"What did you promise?" Remus asked, anger forgotten, sitting on his own bed opposite Severus. "Who to?"
"None of your bloody business," Severus muttered. "I'm going to bed." And he yanked the hangings shut.
Remus stared at the blue curtains for a bit. "Call me if you need anything," he said eventually. "Whatever you're beating yourself up about, don't. I forgive you."
And Remus left to return to his much saner friends. Clearwater glared at him and made to stand.
"Don't," Remus advised. "He's gone to bed and he's in a rubbish mood." That was an understatement, but she didn't need to know that.
"Fine," she huffed. "But I'm reporting him in the morning."
"Sure," Remus replied. Severus wouldn't care. He likely wouldn't notice if he was assigned a detention. He would be too caught up about whatever was tormenting him. And Remus resolved to work out what that was.
*
Severus carelessly noted that Clearwater had told on him; he received a detention with Apollyon Pringle scheduled for Saturday night and he dreaded what the caretaker might do. Severus hadn't received any detentions with Pringle last time; he'd been lucky enough to have served detentions for Hagrid, Flitwick and McGonagall (Slughorn couldn't bother with detention), but he'd heard people complaining about the caretaker's medieval approach to discipline many times and had hoped to bypass him this time too. And here he was – detention in his third week. Brilliant.
Remus was tailing him more doggedly than before and he often recruited Boot, Goldstein and Corner to assist him. Severus noticed that, while Remus spent most of his evenings with Severus (presumably to copy his homework), he sat with the other boys more now and even left Severus to relax by himself, something the spy found very enjoyable. He wanted his time to be his own; also, he did not want the Ravenclaws around while he studied Dark Magic, especially Horcruxes. Who knows what ideas they could come up with?
He had resolved to investigate this year and either send an anonymous letter to Dumbledore or interfere himself and stop any loss of life he had prior knowledge of. However, he didn't particularly want the old codger treating him like his prized possession and using him for his own gain. Severus was doing this all for Lily, and didn't want her dragged into this. He wouldn't risk losing her again. He wanted her to be his. Always.