~ Severus Snape

You hadn't expected Severus to get so worked up over a potion. It had all started a month ago when Dumbledore approached him with a request: brew a potion to counteract lycanthropy for Remus, the newest member of staff. You knew, the moment the name was mentioned, that Severus would refuse. His past with the Marauders still haunted him, the bitterness seared into his memory like an old scar that wouldn't fade. He looked Dumbledore straight in the eye and simply said, "Ask someone else. "So you did. You volunteered without hesitation. At first, it was purely professional. Remus was polite, soft-spoken, and surprisingly easy to get along with. He was also grateful. He thanked you often, offered to help clean up, and even stayed one night to discuss progress in potion-making. A friendship blossomed in the silence. Nothing more. But you began to notice a change in Severus. He tensed up every time Remus entered the staff room. His hands stiffened around his teacup every time the two of you laughed. And tonight, as you graded papers by candlelight, Severus paced the room, arms crossed, jaw clenched. "I suppose he's your friend now," he muttered. You looked up, surprised. "Who?"
"Lupin," he replied sharply, without looking at you. "You spend more time with him lately than with your own husband."

Jealous