Tea and Chocolate

Sealed With A Kiss

Because he was perceived as a gentle, somewhat shy man, it was often assumed that Remus Lupin must be reticent as well in erotic matters. Thus it was rare for his acquaintances to tell lewd jokes in his presence, even people like Mundungus and Rosmerta, and he rarely received propositions. In truth, however, when it came to sexuality, Remus had always been rather precocious. As a result of the cycle that turned him into a wolf each full moon, he had been interested from a young age in the body and its changes and urges; as a result of having the accelerated metabolism of a werewolf, he had reached puberty before his peers, and learned to hide his longings and compulsions at a time when most children were innocent of them.

He had, for a brief, intense period in his late youth, been entirely fulfilled, in love and sharing his bed with his best friend, Sirius Black, whose recklessness in other aspects of life became uninhibited delight during lovemaking. But doubt came between them, then tragedy so enormous that it changed their world. By the time Remus knew the truth, twelve years had been lost, to him and particularly to Sirius who was never the same afterwards. Living in Azkaban, guarded by Dementors which stole away every happy thought, Sirius had twisted his memories, changing them into less joyful recollections so that he could prevent them from being taken from him. But he was never able to experience pure gratification again, and despite how overjoyed Remus had been to have him back, being close to Sirius was complicated, requiring pain and pleasure in equal measure or Sirius would begin to panic and shut down.

Remus had nearly shut down himself after Sirius passed through the veil, devastated that after giving up so many years to wrongful imprisonment and torture, he was fated to lose what years might have remained to him. For months he wandered the halls of Grimmauld Place in a kind of daze, doing what work was asked of him because it gave him a reason to get out of bed in the mornings and trying to put on a brave face for Sirius' godson, Harry Potter, and for the children of other members of the Order of the Phoenix who visited the house that had belonged to Sirius. If Severus Snape had not dutifully produced his Wolfsbane potion each month and made certain that someone checked to see that he had taken it before the full moon, he might have locked himself away and torn at his own skin until he'd bled away the buried pain.

But he did take the potion, and was kept busy trying to keep up with the Death-Eaters who had caused Sirius' death, until eventually he discovered that he was not the only or even the most unhappy wizard in the Order of the Phoenix. He was surprised at first to think that Snape cared enough about him to try to draw him out; it was astonishing, therefore, to realize that Snape offered chocolate and conversation not only for Remus' benefit but for his own. Beneath his bitter sarcasm, Remus suspected, Snape was profoundly lonely -- so much so that perhaps that, rather than ambition or greed, had driven him to join the Death-Eaters many years before. Yet Snape had walked away from them, and from his mentor, Lucius Malfoy, who might well have served the same role in Severus' life as Sirius had for Remus.

Severus did not like to talk about his past, but the two of them were spending a rare afternoon together away from Grimmauld Place. It was several days past the full moon so Remus would not be a threat to anyone even if they should be caught away from home for more than a day. Several Death-Eaters had been seen in the vicinity of an undistinguished museum of the occult, and Minerva McGonagall -- who was not at liberty to travel, as there were Transfiguration classes scheduled that day at Hogwarts -- had asked them to see if they could ascertain what in the little archive might be of such interest to their enemies. In the course of travel and planning and investigation, Remus had learned things about Severus that he had never known. He was intrigued, eager to learn more...perhaps more so than might have been prudent.

"Malfoy took you to America?" he asked enthusiastically.

"To New Orleans," Severus nodded. "The Dark Arts are practiced quite differently there. The wizards have studied magical techniques from Africa and from extinct American tribes, unknown anywhere else in the world." He stepped cautiously into one of the small galleries off the museum's main corridor, glancing at a large brass telescope carved with letters from a language Remus didn't recognize. "Among the few remarkable features of this museum are its Voudou and Santeria collections, which might have been of interest to Malfoy or his master."

"I've done quite a bit of reading, and met American wizards at the Ministry, but to have visited! How I envy you..." The look on Severus' face, a mixture of disgust and nostalgia, made him quickly add, "...the opportunity for such research."

"I had thought, mistakenly, that we were there for a holiday," Severus said shortly. "Lucius prefers to investigate by sampling local experiences firsthand, and he did not choose to have me accompany him on all his adventures. There was little actual research." It was one of the few times Remus had ever heard Severus refer to another wizard by his first name. He started to ask about the other famed pleasures of New Orleans -- the food, the jazz, his favorite form of Muggle entertainment -- but the bitter, unhappy expression on Severus' face made him silence himself.

Remus had supposed from the head of Slytherin House's austere existence that he preferred to live quietly, spartan in his tastes and, if gossip could be trusted, very nearly celibate if not completely so these past several years. Yet when Severus spoke of Lucius Malfoy, Remus saw hints of another man entirely beneath the dour exterior -- certainly not romantic, but passionate, and bearing deep scars. For many years Remus had blamed mostly himself and Sirius and James for the darkness that Severus seemed to wear like his invariably black clothes. But as they moved through the silent museum, Remus found himself wondering about the aspects of the other wizard's past unknown to him...the pleasures and torments locked away inside him.

At present Severus appeared to be disconcerted by his mention of traveling with Malfoy, for he had buried himself in a cabinet filled with skulls and teeth from unusual animals, which he removed and inspected, one at a time. There appeared to be a set of werewolf fangs -- an unusual prize, for werewolves reverted to their human form once the full moon set even if they had been killed unless they were dismembered immediately. Remus was about to remark upon it when a faint noise in the corridor distracted him. The museum had been closed for more than an hour, and they should have been entirely alone.

He froze, instantly alert, looking behind him. "Did you hear that?"

With an irritated glance, Severus turned, head cocked. "No, nothing," he said suspiciously, as though he suspected that Lupin had said something merely to make conversation.

"Shh, listen--" Remus held up a hand, head cocked to the side. "That noise -- there -- from the hallway."

Severus moved so silently that Remus wondered whether he had cast a charm before stepping toward the curtain that separated the room from the corridor beyond. He craned his head forward, listening intently, but after a moment he shook his head.

"I'm certain I heard something. No one is supposed to be here. Except for us, of course..."

"Perhaps it was wood settling in one of the old..." Abruptly Severus broke off, jerking his head around. That time the fact of the sound had been inarguable, though it was still not clear what might have caused it. Remus leaned close to whisper:

"It has gotten progressively louder, Severus, and it sounds as though it is coming our way."

Severus stepped forward, grabbing Remus by the sleeve, and tugged him forward roughly so that Remus very nearly fell against him. For a single instant he thought wildly that Severus was about to kiss him. Then Severus hissed, against his face, "I suggest that we stop discussing it until we are able to ascertain what it might be." He nodded, and there was the noise again -- louder, clearer. Remus looked around again, then tugged Severus along behind him as he moved to duck behind a case mounted high on a wooden stand in a corner.

It was a tight fit, pressed up as they were against the two walls. Snape's sleeve caught on a jagged splinter protruding from the back of the case. His body jiggled against Remus as he tried to yank it free, sending a cloud of dust cascading onto them from above. Remus' eyes went quite wide and he let in a quick breath that he held -- dust had always bothered him, tickled his nose uncomfortably. Severus glanced over at him, raising a questioning eyebrow as he successfully tugged the sleeve loose with a soft but unmistakable tearing noise. Chest and shoulders heaving as he gasped again, Remus closed his eyes tightly shut. He wasn't entirely certain whether or not he could hold the sneeze in, and surely it would alert whoever was their to their presence. He felt his companion tense, then dig an elbow into him painfully as he reached for his wand.

"Immobilus!" breathed Severus, so silently that Remus could hardly hear the word. Everything stopped; the sneeze froze where it had started and Remus stared at Severus, having little choice in the matter, as they waited, the sound now quite certainly that of feet on the wooden floor. Severus opened his mouth as if he would apologize for putting Remus in such an uncomfortable position, but before he could shape a word with his lips, the feet stopped, and he turned, listening intently. Several tense moments passed. The museum fell into a deafening quiet. It seemed that whoever had entered the room was also listening quite intently, then the feet hurried off through the opposite door.

Remus would have breathed a sigh of relief had he been able to do so. Though Severus still had the wand raised in his hand, he did not immediately lift the spell, waiting until the footsteps could scarcely be heard. Then he coughed quietly as he spoke, clapping his free hand over his mouth the instant he had freed Remus from his unnatural stillness. Immediately Remus fumbled for his handkerchief, lifting it up and bending almost double as he sneezed into it. While he did so, Severus twisted his own arm to look at his torn sleeve, jabbing Remus sharply in the ribs. "Ow," he protested, softly.

"Terribly sorry," said Severus shortly before coughing again, trying to muffle the sound behind his hand.

"If they have gone, perhaps we should get out of this dusty corner."

Nodding, Severus moved to the side to give Remus room to step out. "I don't believe it was a 'them,'" he noted. "I heard only one set of footsteps."

Remus dusted off his robes. "Only one? For a moment it sounded as though he -- or she, I suppose -- was not alone. I must admit, however, that my mind was a little occupied."

Severus frowned slightly. "You did hear whoever it was coming before I did. Perhaps your hearing is more acute." He did not say the word "werewolf," though Remus was uncertain whether this was out of respect for his feelings or a refusal on Severus' part to remind himself of everything he distrusted in Lupin. "I could not think quickly how else to prevent you from sneezing," he added by way of apology for the uncomfortable immobilizing spell, an unusual concession from one who often dismissed the discomfort of himself and others as irrelevant.

Remus waved it off. "It's quite all right, Severus, it was a necessary action. It may have saved us both." He turned and peered into the case they had been hiding behind, staring into the lifeless eyes of an odd-looking little doll. Severus, meanwhile, was pointing his wand at the tear in his clothing and muttering a charm to repair it. Readjusting his wrist, he stepped past Remus to glance into the corridor while Remus followed him with his gaze. "Can you see anyone?"

The other wizard shook his head, but he was watching something intently far down the hallway, and a moment later Remus caught the flicker of movement low to the floor, making them both withdraw immediately. "An animagus perhaps," Severus whispered. "If he can turn into a dog or the like, he may have caught our scent."

"But he won't be able to identify us unless it's someone we already know." Severus' mouth was drawn into a grimace that made his lips nearly vanish as Remus urged him toward the back wall, away from the corridor. "Do you think we should Apparate? If whoever that was should return..."

But the other wizard's eyes had already been drawn away, to a cabinet in the far corner of the room. "There was no record of these being at this museum," he said, pointing. Remus could see a collection of wands in the case -- some broken, some made from wood that clearly came from outside Europe, a few ornamented in a manner he had never seen before. "Whose do you suppose they were? That one, with the long spiral end, was almost certainly carved in Asia, and -- why, Remus, I'm surprised at your inattentiveness. I believe that that one, third from the right, is from the wood of the cocoa tree."

Remus drew his eyes away from the wand that he he was studying, designed with a sharp point at the end, as if meant to be used as a dagger if its magic failed. He had never seen one like it before. "Mmm?" His gaze moved to the final wand in the row, and he fancied for a moment that he could smell it. "Oh -- I believe you're right."

"How odd that they should not have been catalogued among the museum's holdings," mused Severus. "If these are here, displayed in a case where it hardly seems as if anyone has gone to any trouble to disguise their presence, then in those cabinets..." Severus pursed his lips as he looked up at a pair of highly decorated upright dressers, which might have been preserved at the museum purely for their ornamentation. The doors had small keyholes, and did not respond to "alohamora" or any noninvasive unlocking charm that Severus tried. "Shall we investigate further?" he asked. "Or would it perhaps be prudent to wait until another occasion?"

With a speculative glance at the beautiful furniture, Remus noted, "If someone suspects that anyone has broken into the museum, they may not be here at another occasion."

A short, decisive nod, and Severus strode over to the cabinets. "Well, someone would appear not to want anyone inside you without permission," he said to the doors, amusing Remus as he ran a hand down over the wood. "There must be some way inside." Yet they didn't dare risk blasting them open, nor using magic to create any sort of aperture to look inside, and transparency spells proved ineffective. "Perhaps there's a password to open the lock." Snape began to run through some of the more common phrases used by various wizarding societies, from the comical "Abracadabra" to the onetime Order of Merlin code "He rides at Midsummer." He looked perfectly stunned when the cabinets suddenly sprang open at "Sealed with a kiss."

Remus smiled a little. "What an absolutely remarkable thing," he murmured. Severus, however, looked flustered and refused to return his glance, tugging out a thick scroll of parchment and beginning to untie the silk ribbon that held it.

"Didn't you ever give anyone a gift 'sealed with a kiss,' Lupin? When a package has been closed with that charm, one has to kiss the giver before it can be opened."

"As a matter of fact, I have received a few such gifts in my time," Remus replied as he reached past Severus for a small wooden box.

The parchment, which seemed to be endless, also did not seem to contain anything of interest to Severus; he was scrolling down and down, eyes moving, lips pursed and frowning slightly. "Then you know what must be done to reseal the packages if the recipients wish to keep them secret from prying eyes," he noted.

"Indeed I do," Remus replied, trying not to sound too terribly amused as he opened a compartment in the box, only to find that it was empty, though it did reveal another compartment -- and another, and another, almost endlessly.

"You do realize, Lupin, that these cabinets may not lock again unless..." Exasperated with the parchment, Severus put it down and picked up a tarnished silver pensieve. "Empty. I wonder why it's locked away, that being the case." There were also empty picture frames, a book whose entire text appeared to consist of verb conjugations in dozens of languages, and a long string of amber beads. "Any ideas why this is here?"

"A keepsake, perhaps..." Remus was quite focused on the little puzzle-box in his hands.

"But whose? And why keep them locked up, in a public museum, without any record?" The book was very old -- certainly centuries older than Voldemort, perhaps containing a code within its pages, but it would take time to break -- while the amber might have been millennia older, perhaps containing embedded insects or plant material from the ancient world.

"Of course it's possible that whatever was of interest to the Death-Eaters isn't in this locked cabinet at all, but on public display, which would make it harder to remove without notice...ah! Aha!" The box finally opened into a middle chamber, and Remus looked inside to see a very nondescript silver ring.

"It looks to me as if this might have been the private collection of a pathetic, secretive romantic," said Severus. "Invisible or missing pictures, jewelry, an endless scroll of very poor poetry. Though I don't understand the connection to the verb conjugations."

Remus examined the ring for a moment, then replaced it and closed up the box, thinking of the arithmancy textbook he had saved as a memento of the last class he took with both James and Sirius. "I'm not sure. An old memento from school, perhaps?"

"Did you save any of your textbooks for nostalgic purposes?" At Remus' silence, Severus made a soft noise of amusement and glanced at the top shelf, which appeared to contain unmarked -- and unremarkable -- glassware. None of the revealing spells turned up any hidden compartments within the cabinets, and the random collection of empty bottles, candy boxes and jewelry cases seemed to hold no greater secret than the onetime owner's identity...and that of the person or persons the items had been saved to commemorate. The back corners of the cabinet contained only cobwebs.

"This all seems to be entirely unremarkable." With a sigh, Severus stepped back from the cabinets and closed them, looking hopeful when they did not immediately open again. He uttered a locking spell and tugged; the doors parted at once. Remus looked at him for a moment, then down at the floor, then up at Severus again, but the dour-faced wizard was still avoiding his gaze; he stepped back from the cabinets, giving them his most furious glare, as if he expected to be obeyed out of fear.

Remus reached out and touched his shoulder, tentatively. "Severus." Snape's shoulders slumped in defeat; he turned, his expression little kinder to Remus than it had been to the cabinet. Then, abruptly, he grasped the collar of Remus' coat and tugged him forward, slamming their mouths together as if he feared catching an illness -- lycanthropy, perhaps.

Remus gave a startled little noise, reaching up to grasp both of Severus' arms, wanting to kiss him back but feeling very uncomfortable. Severus was staring at him, breathing more quickly than normal; after a moment his tongue crept out to lick his dry lips. "I thought you'd taste like chocolate," he said, and flushed, the most color Remus had ever seen in his face.

"What do I taste like?" Severus dropped his eyes, and Remus thought for a moment that he would scoff at the question, but he did not pull away from his hands. Feeling quite bold, Remus leaned towards him and kissed him again. "Does that help?" Unfortunately Severus appeared to have forgotten the question. He gazed at Lupin out of narrowed eyes, and only the odd twitch of his lower lip betrayed his confusion. Remus felt his cheeks grow warm and he stepped away to test the cabinet doors, which did not open as he tugged on them. "Well..."

The hand that siezed his shoulder gripped him so hard as it spun him back around that Remus might have protested, had Severus given him a single moment before pushing him back against the cabinet and pressing their mouths together once more, inelegantly and with surprising force. Another soft sound of surprise came up in his throat, but he held on to Severus' arms and returned the kiss, trying to make it more gentle, less demanding. Once Severus realized that Remus was not resisting, he stopped crushing him, loosening the powerful grip of his fingers. A moment later his lips parted and pursed, then broke away. "Perhaps you do taste like chocolate," he admitted reluctantly.

Remus smiled. "I certainly eat enough of it," he said softly. As if that settled the matter, Severus stepped back, glancing at the cabinet doors which now appeared to be firmly locked. He was still flushed, which on his pale skin made him appear almost feverish. Remus resisted an urge to touch Severus' face, glancing away for a moment. "Perhaps we had best go now, since it seems that our information about the museum might have been...incomplete."

Severus started to reply, but had to clear his throat before he could speak. "I do not doubt the information, only that we have learned enough to draw any conclusions," he said in something approximating his usual aggrieved tone. "Perhaps we need to go over the catalogue of holdings again. Or...it is possible that the most important artifacts have already been taken."

Remus nodded. "Yes, of course. Shall we...ah..." The thought was never completed, for Severus pulled out his wand and strode toward the exit. He paused to look up and down the corridor before stepping into it, giving Remus a moment to catch up. Pulling out his own wand, Remus asked a little hesitantly, "Will you be returning to headquarters or Hogwarts?"

Severus paused, looking sideways at him, and Remus had the impression that he was carefully choosing his words. He was prepared for even greater coldness than usual, and it came as something of a surprise when his dour-faced companion replied finally, "I suppose that if we're to produce a report together, it would be better if I accompanied you to Grimmauld Place."

"Very true," Remus agreed with another nod, trying not to display too much enthusiasm at the unexpected affability. "Well, then, I shall see you at the way-station." He glanced at Snape again, then took a careful listen -- to reassure himself that they were alone -- before apparating to the nearby inn where the Order kept a room from which to operate in the north.

Snape popped in beside him, glanced around the small, dingy room with its worn sofa and oversized bed, then stiffened and straightened his clothing. "Perhaps we might have something to eat before using the floo network to return to London," he said somewhat crossly and strode to the door, walking briskly down the stairs, striding through the parlor without so much as a glance around and sweeping out the front door with a pause just long enough to be certain that Remus was following. ""We are surrounded by the usual assortment of pubs, inns and overpriced restaurants. And there is a tea room with passable coffee and chocolate."

"Coffee and chocolate sound lovely, but I would not at all object to a proper meal -- I'm famished."

Severus appeared to be weighing his desire for a proper meal against the probable crowds and possible spies in a pub, but in the end, hunger won out: he led them to a dimly lit place at the end of the street, requesting a table far from the noise and smoke near the kitchen. Remus sat and looked around, noting that no one seemed to really be paying them much attention at all. Still, Severus told him in a murmur, "Speak of nothing of importance; I have met wizards from both sides in this place." In a somewhat louder voice, he said, "Do you really find Muggle clothing better-made than anything you could purchase in Diagon Alley?"

Remus shrugged a little, then reached out for the cup of coffee that arrived at the table and landed in front of him. "It depends entirely on where either kind of clothing is bought."

"Those cardigans of yours, for instance." Severus was speaking to Remus but his concentration was entirely focused upon a man two tables away, studying them as he adjusted his chair -- possibly to make room for his girth, but possibly to eavesdrop upon their conversation. "Are they particularly comfortable?"

"Oh, yes, very comfortable." Remus adjusted his own chair a little, taking another glance around the pub. "I'm very fond of them."

"So I've noticed." Severus' gaze returned to Remus, apparently satisfied that they were not being overheard, before he glanced away again as if embarrassed to have been caught paying attention to Remus' attire. Fortunately a large plate of bread and cheese arrived just at that moment, and he turned his full attention to eating. Remus watched as he bit into a slice of bread, trying to think of something neutral to say. They ate in silence for several minutes, and when the soup arrived they spoke only of the quality of the vegetables.

It was an awkward meal, with something of the quality of a first date, though Remus was quite certain Severus would have been taken aback at that notion. When the meal was finished, Remus glanced at dessert menu which appeared on the wall above them and said, a little shyly, "I see that they have chocolate pudding. Would you mind terribly if we lingered a little while longer?"

Snape glanced at the clock beside the menu, but only nodded as if he had expected this. "When we get back, we shall have to work late," he noted "Ah. Lupin. On the report...I don't believe that it is necessary to mention the particular type of locking charm used on the cabinets."

"No, I don't see any reason why it would be necessary." The relief on the other wizard's face was so pronounced that Remus had to swallow a smile, though privately he thought that Minerva would think nothing of it, while Dumbledore would have appreciated the humor of the situation. Nevertheless, Severus became much more pleasant thereafter and ate quite a bit of chocolate pudding himself.

Furtively they walked back to the inn, carefully chosen by the Order -- because of the place's less than respectable reputation, it was assumed that visitors might be of the sort who would need to apparate quickly or use the floo network, so all fees were paid in advance. They would return to Grimmauld Place via different stops along the network. "I will see you shortly, I trust," said Snape before tossing powder into the fireplace and vanishing. Remus took up his own handful of powder and, in a short while, stepped from a large fireplace into more familiar surroundings, dusting off his clothing. He found Snape in the study already looking over parchments. "Is anything popping out at you this time around?" he asked, stepping up to the table.

"Popping out?" Severus asked him blankly, turning over the parchment as if he expected the literal emergence of an artifact. "No, I'm afraid I have had no brilliant insights in your absence, Lupin." Remus pulled a parchment closer as he sat down, looking over it and hoping that one of them would have some sort of epiphany as he noted that Severus already had set a quill recording their findings in the most bland, straightforward language imaginable. "I suppose we may be sent back. I am noticing many things we saw on display that are not, in fact, on this list. Do you remember a table with small figurines, African in origin perhaps, that..." He broke off as the door opened and Molly Weasley stepped partway into the room, saw the two of them, smiled brightly at them and withdrew just as quickly.

Remus rubbed at his eyes. "Molly seems rather...pleased with herself."

Severus scowled after her. "I'm surprised she didn't ask if we wanted tea."

"She obviously didn't want to interrupt. Now...I do remember the figurines. What else do you remember that isn't on this list?"

Frowning again, Severus recalled, "Some skulls and animal bones -- I believe that there was a set of jaws belonging to a werewolf." He glanced almost apologetically at Lupin. "Then the wands, of course, and the entire contents of *those* cabinets." The quill had stopped writing, and he picked up the completed report to skim. "We shall have to speak to the others. Perhaps one of them will have an idea why such a small museum would leave any of these items off its list of inventory."

Remus nodded. "Yes. Fresh perspective would undoubtedly be very useful." His own perspective seemed to him anything but fresh, as he had grown quite tired, yet he was reluctant to suggest that they conclude their work and call it a night. This was the friendliest he and Severus had ever been, though he had braced himself for chilliness or even the contempt he had grown used to over the course of many months.

"Then are we finished here?" Snape looked uncomfortable again. "Lupin -- if there is any awkwardness about that charm..."

"I don't feel awkward about it, Severus."

"Very good, then." His tone belied his words, and under the short statement hovered a question as put down the parchment, but did not rise. "Is there anything we've overlooked?" Remus shook his head in reply, focused on Severus' face, wishing that he would meet his eyes, but Severus looked as uncomfortable as Remus had seen him since back in their school days, adding, "I will see you at breakfast. If we think of anything we have forgotten, we can add it then. Until then."

Slowly, Severus gathered the parchments and rose. Remus got to his feet as well. "Sleep well." There was a long moment of hesitation during which both of them faced the door yet neither moved. "Severus --"

He turned back so quickly that the papers in his arms blew free, falling to the floor, and they both knelt at once to retrieve them. "Yes?" he asked.

Remus felt his face grow warm, as he really didn't have anything in particular that he wanted to say. "Ah..." Their hands collided as both reached for the same scroll, and Severus' fingers closed around Remus' wrist. His pupils dilated, and for a moment it was impossible to tell whether he was furious or moved. Then his head bent fractionally in an awkward nod, palm sliding forward until they were clasping hands.

Remus leaned forward and kissed him, softly, finding it returned with the same caution, though after a moment Severus tilted his head and Remus could feel his lips moving curiously over his own. He had to hold himself back from the urge to pull Severus closer, to deepen the kiss; he did not want to frighten the other man, but the sudden heat in his body made him undeniably aware of how much he had wanted this. After a moment, torn between joy and safety, he withdrew.

Severus let him, but his lips remained parted, and after a moment they curved slightly. "You still taste like chocolate, Lupin," he said in a tone Remus had believed at one time to be purely condescending, but the hint of a smile belied the disdain.

Taking up the argument, Remus lifted his chin. "Surely that's not possible, so long after the pudding."

"Perhaps I have come to associate it so strongly with you that I cannot tell the difference." Wrapping the parchments under his arm, Severus rose to his feet, drawing Remus up alongside him by the hand that still clasped his own. He released it as soon as they were standing, offering a formal goodnight, yet Remus found himself smiling as he crept upstairs past sleeping paintings to fall into an exhausted slumber.

He and Severus barely had time to exchange greetings in the morning before the professor had to return to Hogwarts, leaving Remus with the parchments and a number of questions about the museum from Minerva. That evening, however, he found a box of chocolates waiting for him in his room. His pleasure was tempered momentarily by the discovery that the box would not open; it had been charmed. Then his smile returned, and he went in search of Severus to break the seal.