TITLE: 'Grace Notes'
AUTHOR: Elizabeth
EMAIL: nutshell11@hotmail.com
DISCLAIMER: The characters are not mine, they belong to J.K. Rowling and a host of merchandising companies. I'm different to the companies, honest, because I use for fun, not for profit. Entirely by unselfish choice, of course.
RATING: PG-13.
WARNING: Slashy. If it's not your thing, I get to point to this warning and act all self-righteous
SUMMARY: Three short stories about Remus and Sirius set before, during and after 'The Voldemort Thing'. Told from Remus' POV, the changes in the relationship ...or lack of changes, should Liz turn out to be inadequate-writing girl.
FEEDBACK: Would be much appreciated. Fairly new to writing, so any comments or criticisms are really welcome.
***************************
"C'mon, Remus - you have to." Sirius sounded impatient.
"No," Remus said, looking down at his breakfast. His toast was getting cold. He grimaced: he wasn't hungry anymore anyway. He pushed his plate to the side, where it was intercepted by Lily, who had no objections to cold, chewy toast.
"C'mon! Everybody's gonna be there - you have to! Even _Peter _ agreed. C'mon."
"I don't know..." Peter interrupted, staring at the table.
"Oh for...See what you've done?" Sirius demanded, gesturing at Peter, who flushed miserably.
"I'm still not doing it," Remus said stubbornly.
"I don't" -
"You have to admit, the Slytherins have been unbearable lately," Lily pointed out, reaching for the jam.
"Plus - our last year. We'll never have another chance again," James cut in.
"And you can't say it isn't fair. Gryffindor against Slytherin - may the best house win," Sirius spread his arms wide.
"I have work to do. I'm studying with Athena."
"You can call it off - just this once. It's not like _you _ have anything to worry about, exam-wise," James smiled, pushing his glasses up his nose.
Remus simply pressed his lips together.
"You _can't _ say they don't deserve it," Sirius burst out. "Acting like they own the place, pulling all those sneaky tricks...remember what Malfoy did to Peter?"
The small boy's hands flew to his stomach instinctively.
"And with Dumbledore gone, it's up to us to" -
"To what? Make things worse?" Remus asked. "I don't see why we have to _do _ anything. Can't we, for _once _, just drop it?"
"And back down?" Sirius asked, eyes narrowing.
"Forget it. Forget I said anything. Just...forget it"
"So you'll do it?" he pressed.
"I've said no. Repeatedly. What do you _not understand _?" Remus demanded. The din of breakfast-time pressed in on him and he could almost feel every single knife-clank clatter down on his head. He stood up; the mingling smells of food, combined with the sight of Lily's jam-heaped toast made his stomach flip-flop in protest.
"I think it's a stupid idea," he continued. "It's so stupid, I have trouble believing you came up with it, and that's saying something. It's not only stupid - it'll get everyone into trouble. And - as if it matters - it's damn dangerous."
Sirius stared back from the completely quiet table. Lily bit her lip worriedly, while James looked up from under raised eyebrows.
Sirius opened his mouth, but Remus made a small disgusted noise and grabbed his bookbag.
"...let him go..."
"...know how he gets..."
Were all he heard as he strode out of the Hall. Apart from the cat-calls of the Slytherin table. The sick feeling in his stomach intensified.
*************************************
"...induces the victim to reveal his or her most secret desires to the spellcaster - Remus?"
"Hmmm?" he asked guiltily.
"You're not listening. This is the third time I've found you staring at the clock."
"Sorry," he apologized, scrambling for his notes. *Quarter past - they're mounting their brooms *
Another half hour and he had given it up as useless. *Everyone's well into it by now*
"'Thena? Would you mind if we finished up some other time?"
Her lips tightened. "You're not going to the Slytherin-Gryffindor scrap, are you?"
He didn't answer: busied himself shoving books into his bag.
"Oh, Remus! They're going to get everyone into trouble. Just because Professor Dumbledore's away doesn't mean the teachers don't _notice _ things - and they'd have to be blind to miss a fight on the Quidditch pitch."
He remained silent.
"Honestly! I thought _you'd _ have more sense. You're all going to lose points."
"All the more left for Ravenclaw, then," Remus snapped.
Athena straightened. "You're right. It'll be nice to see the cup won by good sense and judgement for _ once _."
He felt something heavy press down on him, sharpening his words, egging him on. *No, no, stop. Not _here _ *
"The cup" - he began, then snapped his mouth shut, forced the words down.
"I thought at least _you _ had enough brains to realise...oh! I don't know why I even bother."
She jerked angrily to her feet and swept her books off the table. She shook her head as if to clear it.
"See you next week," she said resignedly. Remus felt something ease inside of him, and it was easier to breathe.
She still didn't look at him as she left.
"Okay - next week," he called uncertainly after her.
*****************************
The stars were shining brightly in the moonless sky as Remus made his way down to the pitch. He thrust his hands into his pockets and searched about for a familiar face. Hufflepuffs and the occasional Ravenclaw littered the ground, while Gryffindor and Slytherin brooms crowded the skies.
The dark loomed around the tiny figures. Remus squinted upwards - and bumped into Peter.
"Hey! You came!" he said, happily surprised. He was clutching his right elbow with his left hand.
"Yes. Most people seemed to be...drawn here," Remus said, glancing around at the anxious looking Hufflepuffs and the silent Ravenclaws.
"It's incredible, isn't it? And every...almost everyone in Gryffindor and Slytherin showed up to fight."
Remus frowned. "Are you not...?" he gestured skyward, awkwardly.
Peter flushed. "I was, but I fell off my broom."
"Are you all right?" Remus asked, in concern.
"I'm fine!" Peter assured him earnestly. "I was only a foot off the ground at the time."
He smothered a smile, and concentrated on the tiny figures above him.
***********************************
The more Remus watched, the more worried he became. The fight had been going on for an hour - no teacher had interrupted. This in itself was strange.
The shouting, name-calling and insults that accompanied any Gryffindor-Slytherin competition had died down, and now the only noises were Lily's occasional whoops, and the sounds of spell casting.
Students from the two different houses fought: charm clashing against charm until finally one party was defeated, and limped away. The ranks of both sides diminished, and still those remaining fought on, strangely intense.
Remus shivered. Spell-bursts silvered the rain, while high above, purplish mist spread over the sky. He could make out the small gleam of light on James' glasses as he headed straight for Lucius Malfoy.
"Ohhhh, I can't look," Peter moaned, ducking his head.
Remus breathed in too-thin air as sharp yellow light surged from Malfoy's wand. James pulled hard on his broom and swerved to the right, missing the spell.
"He made it!" he told Peter, who dared look up again. James dove under Malfoy's broom, and then shot upwards and around, a faint line glowing from his wand. Peter grinned as James rocketed off, leaving Malfoy bound by dim enchanted chains.
"GO James!" he shouted, pumping both arms in the air. He froze at Remus' stare, and abruptly lowered his hands, blushing.
"I didn't...it was just..."
"It's all right. I won't say anything," Remus promised kindly.
"Thanks," Peter mumbled.
Remus looked up again, watching as Lily unseated both Bertha and Reiver Goyle - using a gravity spell and a well-timed kick to the head...
And Remus couldn't shake the feeling that - that this was wrong. It wasn't like Lily and James to let the Slytherins provoke them to violence. Barring small tricks and mischief, the headboy and girl did try and set an example.
It wasn't even Sirius' style to organise a - a war against the Slytherins. Marauders aside, Sirius wasn't the sort to drop people in trouble. And no matter how deep the feud between Gryffindors and Slytherins ran - it wasn't _like _ them to engage in a grim, fierce spell battle.
Remus shook himself, but the uneasy feeling remained. It was like...it was as if something *or someONE * were lurking in the dark, approving James' skilled spell-casting...and at the same time, admiring the way Lucius Malfoy struck when James' back was turned. Appreciating Lily's inventiveness, but still enjoying the way Bertha and Reiver ganged up on her...
It was silly, Remus told himself. Ridiculous. With Dumbledore gone and the terrible stories leaking into the school daily...people were a bit tense and snappish: that was all. There was no need to conjure up a mysterious Presence to explain it. Still, his stomach churned uncomfortably.
He caught sight of Sirius circling Snape and tensed.
"Don't be an idiot, Sirius," he whispered, staring up into the dark sky.
"What? What's he doing?" he heard Peter ask faintly. "What can you see? I don't see him. Where is he?"
Remus didn't answer, too taken up with the sight above.
Their brooms travelled in larger and larger loops, each rider keeping sight of the other. Snape pointed his wand, which spat out a green wavering light. Remus clenched his fingers tight, as Sirius raised his wand and shouted something. Red sparks met with the green light and Remus sighed in relief as they neutralised each other.
"Wow. I've got him now. Gosh - he's using Hesketh's spell...that's pretty advanced, isn't it? I can never get the hang of it..."
Peter's voice sounded very far away as the brooms continued in their wide ring. His words faded altogether as Sirius thumped his heels together, put his head down...and charged. Remus' heart hammered as they rushed towards each other.
"Nononono!" he repeated numbly. "Sirius, you stupid..."
He flinched at the loud crack and splinter of broomsticks, and his stomach heaved as Snape fell like a tattered black bird, to the ground...followed by Sirius.
He ran, struggling through suddenly syrupy air on unsteady legs - but Sirius was already getting to his feet as Remus reached him.
"You came!" he said, "Knew you wouldn't stay away". He smiled widely; split lip dribbling blood.
Remus gulped in much needed air. "Been here a while. Long enough to see you dive-bomb out of the sky. Always knew you had a hard head. Could bounce the world on top, and it wouldn't crack." He gasped in too quickly, and the last part came out like a sob.
"Take a lot more than one little crash to kill me off," Sirius claimed.
"I know it," that came out shakily too.
"I'm okay," he said seriously, looking intently at Remus.
"No, you're not," he snapped. "You're bleeding, and look at your fingers - they've been bent backwards. Probably broken a few. You're just lucky you weren't..." He looked away, trying to steady his heart, calm down. His eyes stopped at a nearby black bundle.
*No. Oh no. Pleasepleaseplease don't let Sirius have...he'll never forgive... *
Remus' horror lifted as Snape slowly braced his arms under him, and pushed upwards.
"Want a hand?" Sirius called out mockingly.
"The day I need help from you, is the day I cease to be." Snape pulled himself hurriedly to his feet. Too hurriedly - as one foot caught on the edge of his cloak and almost sent him toppling again.
"Are you all right?" Remus asked, reluctantly, as the other swayed unsteadily on his feet, greasy hair over one eye, blood dripping from above the other. "You look" -
"You may spare your concern," he hissed cuttingly. "I doubt that oaf would be able to harm me given a full set of instructions and a collection of sharp objects."
Sirius' face tightened. "Come on. Admit it Snape - I beat you. With all your mean little tricks and underhand spells...the better wizard still won."
"Oh, I doubt that. I very much doubt that."
"_I _ don't."
Snape straightened, and swept the hair out of his face. He stared at Sirius challengingly.
"Have a good look then. Remember this _victory _ - because I can guarantee, it'll be the last one you ever have." He brought his chin up. "Things are changing - and I won't forget you...or what you've done."
"I'm terrified," Sirius deadpanned, as Remus said, "Please - I have a medi-wizard kit...I really think you should" -
Snape turned slowly...and spat a bloody mouthful at Sirius' feet.
"Enjoy it while it lasts, Black. But you and your _puppy _ will soon find out...things are changing."
"Very cryptic. I like my threats to have a bit more...substance to them," Sirius remarked. Remus said nothing, but watching Snape stride off, saw him limp slightly as he got further away.
They turned back to the others. A flushed Lily was trying to explain something to Peter, while James hovered nearby on his broomstick.
"Victory lap of the school!" he proclaimed suddenly. "Peter, hop up!"
A smile transfigured the other boy's face.
"Oh - if your arm is up to it, I mean," James amended hastily.
"No - it's fine! It - it hardly hurts at all now," he said, with a sideways glance at Remus.
"Upwards and Onwards then!" Lily cried, grabbing her own broom. When Sirius made to follow them, Remus grabbed his wrist.
"You're coming with me. You need the services of a medi-wizard kit, and it just so happens that I know a student who has one."
"And he'll let me use it? Sounds generous," Sirius teased.
"Oh, I never said he wouldn't charge a price."
********************
"OW! That bloody _hurts _!" Sirius scowled belligerently as Remus concentrated a thin beam of blue light onto his cut lip, the edges of which slowly came together.
"Keep still. Maybe if you hadn't come crashing onto the Quidditch pitch at speed it wouldn't hurt as much. Or _ at all_," Remus couldn't resist saying. However, he did resist the urge to ruffle Sirius' hair. He decided that counted as a victory.
"I'm okay, Moony. Really," Sirius chose this moment to become serious, and Remus turned away quickly.
"I _know _. I know," despite his best attempts, his voice caught on the words.
"Anyway, it was worth it," Sirius insisted. "You should see the other sod," laughter bubbled up in his voice.
"I already did," Remus said tightly, turning away to dip some bandages in witch-hazel.
"Yeah - and what was _that _ all about? 'Come with me - I've got a medi-kit; I'll fix you up', huh? Whose side are you on?"
As quickly as that, all the ease and comfort seeped out of the room, while something hard and strange and unyielding oozed back in.
"He was hurt," Remus said calmly. *Not here too * "Maybe you didn't see but he was limping when he walked away. You knocked him off his broom tonight. You could have killed him, Padfoot," he said gently.
Sirius' face went blank for a moment before congealing into hard lines. "No great loss," he said carelessly.
"You don't mean that, Sirius."
"What - like you'd mope for a month if dear Severus croaked?"
"That's not the point," Remus said steadily, swallowing down the small part of him hat whispered *Right, right, he's right. When the dark swallows them up, you won't be alone. Run wild - like you want to... * He shook his head.
"And since when have you _ever _ cared about _Snape's _ wellbeing?"
"I _don't _!" Remus said, slamming the lid of the kit down. "I care about _yours _"
Sirius' narrowed his eyes challengingly. "I could beat Snape with my wand-hand tied behind my back."
"Well, maybe you shouldn't!" Remus stopped, forced himself to breathe. Let that dark swirl of tension and half-formed fear dissipate. *Okay, it's okay, he's okay. Just stress. We're all stressed right now. That's all this is *
"Don't expect me to believe...!" Sirius exploded. "I _know _ you better than that, Remus - and you can't tell me you're afraid of that, that greasy sneak!"
"What about what he could _do _? Or what Malfoy, or - or Reiver Goyle, or Archpane Coyle could do? Now isn't the best time for grudges, Sirius. Hands please."
Sirius obediently proffered his hands, which Remus took in his own.
"Well I don't see how else to deal with lunkheads like Malfoy and Snape," he grumbled.
Remus sighed. "Dumbledore's been gone most of this year. Whatever...or _Whoever _ he's dealing with, can't be simple," Remus chose his words carefully. "We should all be sticking together. Even - even wolves run with the pack."
He averted his eyes, and mumbled a healing charm. His teeth began to buzz and his tongue tingled as the words thrummed out. Sirius' swollen fingers straightened.
"I don't think Snape and Malfoy, or their goonies, would run with any pack that included mudbloods. Or wizards without their own account in Gringotts," Sirius pointed out matter-of-factly.
"Maybe not. But we don't have to draw them on us," Remus argued. "Where do you think You-Know-Who is going to find more recruits for his army? And they're not exactly the type to forget about being knocked off broomsticks, or being beaten in Quidditch."
Sirius looked quelled for a few moments, before saying, "You worry too much, Moony. This'll all be over by the summer - I bet you," he continued cockily. But he didn't meet Remus' eyes.
"And where did you receive this highly confidential information, might I ask?"
"Educated guess. But if Dumbledore can handle _me _, You-Know-Who should be a snap," Sirius grinned, shaking his hair out of his eyes. "I bet this'll all have blown over by the time we finish. Then James and Lily will get married in peace, and drive us all bats with their marital bliss, settle down and start churning out kids, which I think they've been practicing for quite some time," he winked and leered at Remus, then continued. "Peter...Peter will disappear into the muggle world, and set up a pet shop...but only deal in small animals, like hamsters and rabbits."
"You wish," Remus smiled.
"You bet I do."
"And what about me?" he asked curiously. "Where am I going to end
up?"
"Oh, you're going to become a medi-wizard, of course," Sirius said airily, waving his left arm around. Remus realised suddenly that Sirius' right hand was still curled around his own palm. With a hum of awareness he realised how close their heads lay.
"You'll be a world renowned medi-wizard, and people'll line up for an appointment with you," Sirius continued, enchanted by his own idea, grinning unabashedly at Remus
"Yes, I can see people lining up to get close to a werewolf, paying money to have a incurably diseased human treat _their _ diseases. When pigs sprout wings and fly, of course," Remus smiled dryly.
"Next Monday, in Transfiguration," Sirius shot back. "Seriously, Moony - anything you want, you can do it."
"'Somewhere ooover the rainbow
Skies are bluuuue
Aaaahand the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true," Remus sang jokingly. "You're awfully optimistic tonight, Padfoot. You must have hit your head harder than I thought."
"No, I didn't mean it like..." Sirius said, exasperated. "I meant - I meant...if it's what you want, _you _ can do it." He squeezed Remus' hand, and Remus was glad for the dim light of the wand-lit bedroom, as a wave of warmth rippled from his fingers to his cheeks. Remus was almost certain that the rest of the room had disappeared, leaving only the circle of faint wand light illuminating himself and Sirius.
"You can't let other people tell you what you can and can't do," Sirius continued, then shrugged off his serious manner, grinning, "Just tell them to sod off, like I plan to."
"And what are you going to be?" Remus asked, eyes tracking Sirius' well-known face, as if he hadn't already committed it to memory.
Sirius gifted him wit a lazy smile. "Brilliant, of course."
"Of course," Remus said mock-gravely.
"I'll do something...something completely unexpected. Surprise everyone. I'm tired of them thinking they know me. I'll show them - surprise them all."
"Not me," Remus shook his head slightly.
"No?"
"Nothing you do could ever surprise me," Remus said quietly. "I know you."
"Nothing?" Sirius questioned. As if in a dream, Remus felt Sirius' free hand slide past his coat, burrow past his jumper, and come to press against his right side. He took a sharp breath in; felt sure Sirius could count his ribs. Sirius' other hand took a firmer grasp of Remus'.
"Nothing?" he asked again.
*Is this how it's going to happen? *
Remus forced his eyes to meet the challenge in Sirius'.
*_ Is_ it going to happen now? *
"Nothing," he said steadily.
Sirius kept his eyes on Remus as he slowly moved his hand upwards, then back, awkwardly stroking.
It felt, to Remus, as if his heart were slowly and painfully unfurling.
*Keep me with you, Sirius. I like who I am when I'm with you. I trust myself when you're near. You're brave, and bright, and you don't _know _ the dark you keep me from. Touch me again...please...let me feel like part of you*
Sirius leaned nearer, "Re" -
Only to jerk backwards as James and Peter burst in.
"...Should have brought my invisibility cloak," James said ruefully, shaking his wet hair. "We had to go the long way around and duck into the bathrooms for a half-hour. McGonagall almost caught Lily."
"We'll all be in trouble tomorrow," Peter said morosely. "We heard Them talking."
James yanked his jumper and pants off and clambered into bed without further ado.
"Could have been worse," he yawned.
"Mmmm," Peter said dubiously, puttering about, folding his clothes neatly at the foot of his bed.
Sirius slipped off Remus' bed without looking at him. "Night," he called casually over his shoulder.
"Night," James called back, drowning out Remus' response.
**********************************
*Everything will be back to normal tomorrow * Remus comforted himself hollowly. He stared up into the darkness.
*I'm sure everything will sort itself out soon. *
******************************
AUTHOR: Elizabeth
EMAIL: nutshell11@hotmail.com
DISCLAIMER: The characters are not mine, they belong to J.K. Rowling and a host of merchandising companies. I'm different to the companies, honest, because I use for fun, not for profit. Entirely by unselfish choice, of course.
RATING: PG-13.
WARNING: Slashy. If it's not your thing, I get to point to this warning and act all self-righteous
SUMMARY: Three short stories about Remus and Sirius set before, during and after 'The Voldemort Thing'. Told from Remus' POV, the changes in the relationship ...or lack of changes, should Liz turn out to be inadequate-writing girl.
FEEDBACK: Would be much appreciated. Fairly new to writing, so any comments or criticisms are really welcome.
***************************
"C'mon, Remus - you have to." Sirius sounded impatient.
"No," Remus said, looking down at his breakfast. His toast was getting cold. He grimaced: he wasn't hungry anymore anyway. He pushed his plate to the side, where it was intercepted by Lily, who had no objections to cold, chewy toast.
"C'mon! Everybody's gonna be there - you have to! Even _Peter _ agreed. C'mon."
"I don't know..." Peter interrupted, staring at the table.
"Oh for...See what you've done?" Sirius demanded, gesturing at Peter, who flushed miserably.
"I'm still not doing it," Remus said stubbornly.
"I don't" -
"You have to admit, the Slytherins have been unbearable lately," Lily pointed out, reaching for the jam.
"Plus - our last year. We'll never have another chance again," James cut in.
"And you can't say it isn't fair. Gryffindor against Slytherin - may the best house win," Sirius spread his arms wide.
"I have work to do. I'm studying with Athena."
"You can call it off - just this once. It's not like _you _ have anything to worry about, exam-wise," James smiled, pushing his glasses up his nose.
Remus simply pressed his lips together.
"You _can't _ say they don't deserve it," Sirius burst out. "Acting like they own the place, pulling all those sneaky tricks...remember what Malfoy did to Peter?"
The small boy's hands flew to his stomach instinctively.
"And with Dumbledore gone, it's up to us to" -
"To what? Make things worse?" Remus asked. "I don't see why we have to _do _ anything. Can't we, for _once _, just drop it?"
"And back down?" Sirius asked, eyes narrowing.
"Forget it. Forget I said anything. Just...forget it"
"So you'll do it?" he pressed.
"I've said no. Repeatedly. What do you _not understand _?" Remus demanded. The din of breakfast-time pressed in on him and he could almost feel every single knife-clank clatter down on his head. He stood up; the mingling smells of food, combined with the sight of Lily's jam-heaped toast made his stomach flip-flop in protest.
"I think it's a stupid idea," he continued. "It's so stupid, I have trouble believing you came up with it, and that's saying something. It's not only stupid - it'll get everyone into trouble. And - as if it matters - it's damn dangerous."
Sirius stared back from the completely quiet table. Lily bit her lip worriedly, while James looked up from under raised eyebrows.
Sirius opened his mouth, but Remus made a small disgusted noise and grabbed his bookbag.
"...let him go..."
"...know how he gets..."
Were all he heard as he strode out of the Hall. Apart from the cat-calls of the Slytherin table. The sick feeling in his stomach intensified.
*************************************
"...induces the victim to reveal his or her most secret desires to the spellcaster - Remus?"
"Hmmm?" he asked guiltily.
"You're not listening. This is the third time I've found you staring at the clock."
"Sorry," he apologized, scrambling for his notes. *Quarter past - they're mounting their brooms *
Another half hour and he had given it up as useless. *Everyone's well into it by now*
"'Thena? Would you mind if we finished up some other time?"
Her lips tightened. "You're not going to the Slytherin-Gryffindor scrap, are you?"
He didn't answer: busied himself shoving books into his bag.
"Oh, Remus! They're going to get everyone into trouble. Just because Professor Dumbledore's away doesn't mean the teachers don't _notice _ things - and they'd have to be blind to miss a fight on the Quidditch pitch."
He remained silent.
"Honestly! I thought _you'd _ have more sense. You're all going to lose points."
"All the more left for Ravenclaw, then," Remus snapped.
Athena straightened. "You're right. It'll be nice to see the cup won by good sense and judgement for _ once _."
He felt something heavy press down on him, sharpening his words, egging him on. *No, no, stop. Not _here _ *
"The cup" - he began, then snapped his mouth shut, forced the words down.
"I thought at least _you _ had enough brains to realise...oh! I don't know why I even bother."
She jerked angrily to her feet and swept her books off the table. She shook her head as if to clear it.
"See you next week," she said resignedly. Remus felt something ease inside of him, and it was easier to breathe.
She still didn't look at him as she left.
"Okay - next week," he called uncertainly after her.
*****************************
The stars were shining brightly in the moonless sky as Remus made his way down to the pitch. He thrust his hands into his pockets and searched about for a familiar face. Hufflepuffs and the occasional Ravenclaw littered the ground, while Gryffindor and Slytherin brooms crowded the skies.
The dark loomed around the tiny figures. Remus squinted upwards - and bumped into Peter.
"Hey! You came!" he said, happily surprised. He was clutching his right elbow with his left hand.
"Yes. Most people seemed to be...drawn here," Remus said, glancing around at the anxious looking Hufflepuffs and the silent Ravenclaws.
"It's incredible, isn't it? And every...almost everyone in Gryffindor and Slytherin showed up to fight."
Remus frowned. "Are you not...?" he gestured skyward, awkwardly.
Peter flushed. "I was, but I fell off my broom."
"Are you all right?" Remus asked, in concern.
"I'm fine!" Peter assured him earnestly. "I was only a foot off the ground at the time."
He smothered a smile, and concentrated on the tiny figures above him.
***********************************
The more Remus watched, the more worried he became. The fight had been going on for an hour - no teacher had interrupted. This in itself was strange.
The shouting, name-calling and insults that accompanied any Gryffindor-Slytherin competition had died down, and now the only noises were Lily's occasional whoops, and the sounds of spell casting.
Students from the two different houses fought: charm clashing against charm until finally one party was defeated, and limped away. The ranks of both sides diminished, and still those remaining fought on, strangely intense.
Remus shivered. Spell-bursts silvered the rain, while high above, purplish mist spread over the sky. He could make out the small gleam of light on James' glasses as he headed straight for Lucius Malfoy.
"Ohhhh, I can't look," Peter moaned, ducking his head.
Remus breathed in too-thin air as sharp yellow light surged from Malfoy's wand. James pulled hard on his broom and swerved to the right, missing the spell.
"He made it!" he told Peter, who dared look up again. James dove under Malfoy's broom, and then shot upwards and around, a faint line glowing from his wand. Peter grinned as James rocketed off, leaving Malfoy bound by dim enchanted chains.
"GO James!" he shouted, pumping both arms in the air. He froze at Remus' stare, and abruptly lowered his hands, blushing.
"I didn't...it was just..."
"It's all right. I won't say anything," Remus promised kindly.
"Thanks," Peter mumbled.
Remus looked up again, watching as Lily unseated both Bertha and Reiver Goyle - using a gravity spell and a well-timed kick to the head...
And Remus couldn't shake the feeling that - that this was wrong. It wasn't like Lily and James to let the Slytherins provoke them to violence. Barring small tricks and mischief, the headboy and girl did try and set an example.
It wasn't even Sirius' style to organise a - a war against the Slytherins. Marauders aside, Sirius wasn't the sort to drop people in trouble. And no matter how deep the feud between Gryffindors and Slytherins ran - it wasn't _like _ them to engage in a grim, fierce spell battle.
Remus shook himself, but the uneasy feeling remained. It was like...it was as if something *or someONE * were lurking in the dark, approving James' skilled spell-casting...and at the same time, admiring the way Lucius Malfoy struck when James' back was turned. Appreciating Lily's inventiveness, but still enjoying the way Bertha and Reiver ganged up on her...
It was silly, Remus told himself. Ridiculous. With Dumbledore gone and the terrible stories leaking into the school daily...people were a bit tense and snappish: that was all. There was no need to conjure up a mysterious Presence to explain it. Still, his stomach churned uncomfortably.
He caught sight of Sirius circling Snape and tensed.
"Don't be an idiot, Sirius," he whispered, staring up into the dark sky.
"What? What's he doing?" he heard Peter ask faintly. "What can you see? I don't see him. Where is he?"
Remus didn't answer, too taken up with the sight above.
Their brooms travelled in larger and larger loops, each rider keeping sight of the other. Snape pointed his wand, which spat out a green wavering light. Remus clenched his fingers tight, as Sirius raised his wand and shouted something. Red sparks met with the green light and Remus sighed in relief as they neutralised each other.
"Wow. I've got him now. Gosh - he's using Hesketh's spell...that's pretty advanced, isn't it? I can never get the hang of it..."
Peter's voice sounded very far away as the brooms continued in their wide ring. His words faded altogether as Sirius thumped his heels together, put his head down...and charged. Remus' heart hammered as they rushed towards each other.
"Nononono!" he repeated numbly. "Sirius, you stupid..."
He flinched at the loud crack and splinter of broomsticks, and his stomach heaved as Snape fell like a tattered black bird, to the ground...followed by Sirius.
He ran, struggling through suddenly syrupy air on unsteady legs - but Sirius was already getting to his feet as Remus reached him.
"You came!" he said, "Knew you wouldn't stay away". He smiled widely; split lip dribbling blood.
Remus gulped in much needed air. "Been here a while. Long enough to see you dive-bomb out of the sky. Always knew you had a hard head. Could bounce the world on top, and it wouldn't crack." He gasped in too quickly, and the last part came out like a sob.
"Take a lot more than one little crash to kill me off," Sirius claimed.
"I know it," that came out shakily too.
"I'm okay," he said seriously, looking intently at Remus.
"No, you're not," he snapped. "You're bleeding, and look at your fingers - they've been bent backwards. Probably broken a few. You're just lucky you weren't..." He looked away, trying to steady his heart, calm down. His eyes stopped at a nearby black bundle.
*No. Oh no. Pleasepleaseplease don't let Sirius have...he'll never forgive... *
Remus' horror lifted as Snape slowly braced his arms under him, and pushed upwards.
"Want a hand?" Sirius called out mockingly.
"The day I need help from you, is the day I cease to be." Snape pulled himself hurriedly to his feet. Too hurriedly - as one foot caught on the edge of his cloak and almost sent him toppling again.
"Are you all right?" Remus asked, reluctantly, as the other swayed unsteadily on his feet, greasy hair over one eye, blood dripping from above the other. "You look" -
"You may spare your concern," he hissed cuttingly. "I doubt that oaf would be able to harm me given a full set of instructions and a collection of sharp objects."
Sirius' face tightened. "Come on. Admit it Snape - I beat you. With all your mean little tricks and underhand spells...the better wizard still won."
"Oh, I doubt that. I very much doubt that."
"_I _ don't."
Snape straightened, and swept the hair out of his face. He stared at Sirius challengingly.
"Have a good look then. Remember this _victory _ - because I can guarantee, it'll be the last one you ever have." He brought his chin up. "Things are changing - and I won't forget you...or what you've done."
"I'm terrified," Sirius deadpanned, as Remus said, "Please - I have a medi-wizard kit...I really think you should" -
Snape turned slowly...and spat a bloody mouthful at Sirius' feet.
"Enjoy it while it lasts, Black. But you and your _puppy _ will soon find out...things are changing."
"Very cryptic. I like my threats to have a bit more...substance to them," Sirius remarked. Remus said nothing, but watching Snape stride off, saw him limp slightly as he got further away.
They turned back to the others. A flushed Lily was trying to explain something to Peter, while James hovered nearby on his broomstick.
"Victory lap of the school!" he proclaimed suddenly. "Peter, hop up!"
A smile transfigured the other boy's face.
"Oh - if your arm is up to it, I mean," James amended hastily.
"No - it's fine! It - it hardly hurts at all now," he said, with a sideways glance at Remus.
"Upwards and Onwards then!" Lily cried, grabbing her own broom. When Sirius made to follow them, Remus grabbed his wrist.
"You're coming with me. You need the services of a medi-wizard kit, and it just so happens that I know a student who has one."
"And he'll let me use it? Sounds generous," Sirius teased.
"Oh, I never said he wouldn't charge a price."
********************
"OW! That bloody _hurts _!" Sirius scowled belligerently as Remus concentrated a thin beam of blue light onto his cut lip, the edges of which slowly came together.
"Keep still. Maybe if you hadn't come crashing onto the Quidditch pitch at speed it wouldn't hurt as much. Or _ at all_," Remus couldn't resist saying. However, he did resist the urge to ruffle Sirius' hair. He decided that counted as a victory.
"I'm okay, Moony. Really," Sirius chose this moment to become serious, and Remus turned away quickly.
"I _know _. I know," despite his best attempts, his voice caught on the words.
"Anyway, it was worth it," Sirius insisted. "You should see the other sod," laughter bubbled up in his voice.
"I already did," Remus said tightly, turning away to dip some bandages in witch-hazel.
"Yeah - and what was _that _ all about? 'Come with me - I've got a medi-kit; I'll fix you up', huh? Whose side are you on?"
As quickly as that, all the ease and comfort seeped out of the room, while something hard and strange and unyielding oozed back in.
"He was hurt," Remus said calmly. *Not here too * "Maybe you didn't see but he was limping when he walked away. You knocked him off his broom tonight. You could have killed him, Padfoot," he said gently.
Sirius' face went blank for a moment before congealing into hard lines. "No great loss," he said carelessly.
"You don't mean that, Sirius."
"What - like you'd mope for a month if dear Severus croaked?"
"That's not the point," Remus said steadily, swallowing down the small part of him hat whispered *Right, right, he's right. When the dark swallows them up, you won't be alone. Run wild - like you want to... * He shook his head.
"And since when have you _ever _ cared about _Snape's _ wellbeing?"
"I _don't _!" Remus said, slamming the lid of the kit down. "I care about _yours _"
Sirius' narrowed his eyes challengingly. "I could beat Snape with my wand-hand tied behind my back."
"Well, maybe you shouldn't!" Remus stopped, forced himself to breathe. Let that dark swirl of tension and half-formed fear dissipate. *Okay, it's okay, he's okay. Just stress. We're all stressed right now. That's all this is *
"Don't expect me to believe...!" Sirius exploded. "I _know _ you better than that, Remus - and you can't tell me you're afraid of that, that greasy sneak!"
"What about what he could _do _? Or what Malfoy, or - or Reiver Goyle, or Archpane Coyle could do? Now isn't the best time for grudges, Sirius. Hands please."
Sirius obediently proffered his hands, which Remus took in his own.
"Well I don't see how else to deal with lunkheads like Malfoy and Snape," he grumbled.
Remus sighed. "Dumbledore's been gone most of this year. Whatever...or _Whoever _ he's dealing with, can't be simple," Remus chose his words carefully. "We should all be sticking together. Even - even wolves run with the pack."
He averted his eyes, and mumbled a healing charm. His teeth began to buzz and his tongue tingled as the words thrummed out. Sirius' swollen fingers straightened.
"I don't think Snape and Malfoy, or their goonies, would run with any pack that included mudbloods. Or wizards without their own account in Gringotts," Sirius pointed out matter-of-factly.
"Maybe not. But we don't have to draw them on us," Remus argued. "Where do you think You-Know-Who is going to find more recruits for his army? And they're not exactly the type to forget about being knocked off broomsticks, or being beaten in Quidditch."
Sirius looked quelled for a few moments, before saying, "You worry too much, Moony. This'll all be over by the summer - I bet you," he continued cockily. But he didn't meet Remus' eyes.
"And where did you receive this highly confidential information, might I ask?"
"Educated guess. But if Dumbledore can handle _me _, You-Know-Who should be a snap," Sirius grinned, shaking his hair out of his eyes. "I bet this'll all have blown over by the time we finish. Then James and Lily will get married in peace, and drive us all bats with their marital bliss, settle down and start churning out kids, which I think they've been practicing for quite some time," he winked and leered at Remus, then continued. "Peter...Peter will disappear into the muggle world, and set up a pet shop...but only deal in small animals, like hamsters and rabbits."
"You wish," Remus smiled.
"You bet I do."
"And what about me?" he asked curiously. "Where am I going to end
up?"
"Oh, you're going to become a medi-wizard, of course," Sirius said airily, waving his left arm around. Remus realised suddenly that Sirius' right hand was still curled around his own palm. With a hum of awareness he realised how close their heads lay.
"You'll be a world renowned medi-wizard, and people'll line up for an appointment with you," Sirius continued, enchanted by his own idea, grinning unabashedly at Remus
"Yes, I can see people lining up to get close to a werewolf, paying money to have a incurably diseased human treat _their _ diseases. When pigs sprout wings and fly, of course," Remus smiled dryly.
"Next Monday, in Transfiguration," Sirius shot back. "Seriously, Moony - anything you want, you can do it."
"'Somewhere ooover the rainbow
Skies are bluuuue
Aaaahand the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true," Remus sang jokingly. "You're awfully optimistic tonight, Padfoot. You must have hit your head harder than I thought."
"No, I didn't mean it like..." Sirius said, exasperated. "I meant - I meant...if it's what you want, _you _ can do it." He squeezed Remus' hand, and Remus was glad for the dim light of the wand-lit bedroom, as a wave of warmth rippled from his fingers to his cheeks. Remus was almost certain that the rest of the room had disappeared, leaving only the circle of faint wand light illuminating himself and Sirius.
"You can't let other people tell you what you can and can't do," Sirius continued, then shrugged off his serious manner, grinning, "Just tell them to sod off, like I plan to."
"And what are you going to be?" Remus asked, eyes tracking Sirius' well-known face, as if he hadn't already committed it to memory.
Sirius gifted him wit a lazy smile. "Brilliant, of course."
"Of course," Remus said mock-gravely.
"I'll do something...something completely unexpected. Surprise everyone. I'm tired of them thinking they know me. I'll show them - surprise them all."
"Not me," Remus shook his head slightly.
"No?"
"Nothing you do could ever surprise me," Remus said quietly. "I know you."
"Nothing?" Sirius questioned. As if in a dream, Remus felt Sirius' free hand slide past his coat, burrow past his jumper, and come to press against his right side. He took a sharp breath in; felt sure Sirius could count his ribs. Sirius' other hand took a firmer grasp of Remus'.
"Nothing?" he asked again.
*Is this how it's going to happen? *
Remus forced his eyes to meet the challenge in Sirius'.
*_ Is_ it going to happen now? *
"Nothing," he said steadily.
Sirius kept his eyes on Remus as he slowly moved his hand upwards, then back, awkwardly stroking.
It felt, to Remus, as if his heart were slowly and painfully unfurling.
*Keep me with you, Sirius. I like who I am when I'm with you. I trust myself when you're near. You're brave, and bright, and you don't _know _ the dark you keep me from. Touch me again...please...let me feel like part of you*
Sirius leaned nearer, "Re" -
Only to jerk backwards as James and Peter burst in.
"...Should have brought my invisibility cloak," James said ruefully, shaking his wet hair. "We had to go the long way around and duck into the bathrooms for a half-hour. McGonagall almost caught Lily."
"We'll all be in trouble tomorrow," Peter said morosely. "We heard Them talking."
James yanked his jumper and pants off and clambered into bed without further ado.
"Could have been worse," he yawned.
"Mmmm," Peter said dubiously, puttering about, folding his clothes neatly at the foot of his bed.
Sirius slipped off Remus' bed without looking at him. "Night," he called casually over his shoulder.
"Night," James called back, drowning out Remus' response.
**********************************
*Everything will be back to normal tomorrow * Remus comforted himself hollowly. He stared up into the darkness.
*I'm sure everything will sort itself out soon. *
******************************
