Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter

"It's sad, isn't it? Pathetic really."

"What is, Severus?" Remus asks, trying to ignore the boy leaning against a bookshelf in the library as he returns the books he had been using to study to the shelves.

"The way you follow them around, stooping to their level when you could be so much more. All for the protection of people who have proven how quickly they'll turn their backs on you." Remus glares at the boy.

"I don't stoop to their level, I don't need their protection, and Sirius made a mistake one time. Don't speak of which you know nothing about."

"I looked into it, you know. I know why you were bitten and by whom." Remus freezes in his bid to stalk away from his fellow student, "'Werewolves are soulless and evil, deserving of nothing but death.' Isn't that what your dear old Dad said?"

"H-He didn't know any better."

"And he does now? Just like they all do? Tell me, do you think your friends would have reacted the same way if it weren't you they found out? If someone other than their friend were a Werewolf, do you think they would have looked past it then?" Remus bites his lip as he looks back at his peer, his nemesis, quite obviously the bane of his existence. And currently, making a scary amount of sense.

"Of course they would."

"Your Dad didn't. And isn't it true that he ran off for six months after you were bitten, only to come back because he missed his wife?" Remus flinches. It is true, and he does his best to never think of it, "Where do you fit in there, Lupin?"

"I-I…"

"You don't. You don't fit in anywhere. Except when you're being the other actual Marauders' pet." Remus turns away again, tears in his eyes, "Well, run along home then Puppy, I'm sure your owners are waiting to see how they can use your intellect for the next childish prank that you don't want to take part in but will anyway because you know that if you aren't useful, if you don't go along with it, they'll leave you. Just like your Dad."

Remus hurries out of the library, wiping tears from his eyes.

When Remus reaches the tower, he enters the common room, speed walking towards the dorm, wanting nothing more than to shut himself into his four-poster and pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist for a while.

"You all right, Moony?" James calls worriedly from the couch in the common room.

"I don't need your help, Potter!" Remus snaps before storming up to his room.

"Call me crazy, but I don't think studying went well," Sirius comments, James rolls his eyes at him.

"Should we go check on him?" Peter asks.

"Yes, Wormtail, obviously we're going to go check on him," James says, "Honestly," He adds before muttering dire things all the way up the stairs.

"Apparently everyone's in a mood today," Sirius states.

"Just because other people actually have feelings –"

"What did you just say to me?" Peter glares at him and, unexpectedly, does not back down.

"You are selfish and a dick with no concept of sympathy or empathy and only ever care about yourself. You make other people miserable to cover your own misery and take your own frustrations out on other people because you learnt emotional control from your arsehole Father and crazy bitch of a Mother. Or at least, that's what I meant to say." The whole common room is frozen for a moment before Sirius turns and storms out of the portrait hole. Peter glares at the ground as he goes up to his dormitory.

As the door opens they hear "I AM NOT YOUR DAMNED PET JAMES POTTER!" Frank Longbottom lets out a low whistle.

"Well, that escalated quickly."

The next morning is an awkward affair to say the least. The Marauders are at odds again, only this is far far different. Last time, it was clear that Black had crossed a line, but it was just as clear that eventually Lupin would forgive him and all would be well.

Here though, the school watched as the four sat together like usual. They do not joke around like usual, nor do they ignore each other as they normally did when having a tiff.

"Morning lads," Sirius says as he takes a seat.

"Where the hell were you last night?" James asks, looking annoyed, "Could have used your help," He adds under his breath.

"Oh, I'm so sorry I'm such a nightmare to deal with," Remus snarls, Sirius' eyes widen.

"Still in a mood then." Remus glares at him, "Yes, you'll have to excuse my lack of empathy, see, apparently I don't have feelings of any kind except those revolving around my own vanity," Sirius tells him, Peter huffs.

"All right, that might have been a tad harsh."

"You called my mother a crazy bitch," Sirius bites.

"What the hell happened between you two?" James asks, completely lost.

"Peter was a major twat for no reason."

"Living with you for six years seems like a damned good reason to me."

"What the hell is going on with you?"

"Oh, so you lot can say whatever the hell you like about me, treat me like crap, like I'm your little errand boy, but when I get sick of it I'm the bad guy?" Remus snickers darkly.

"Yes, because your life is so damned hard."

"Well yours would be a lot easier if you stopped feeling sorry for yourself!" James snaps at Remus. Peter, Sirius, and Remus look at him in shock, "Oh don't look at me like that, I'm not here to calm you all down whenever one of you is having a temper tantrum."

"As opposed to us putting up with your hissy fits every time Evans rejects you?" Sirius asks cruelly.

"Or yours whenever you're reminded of the family that doesn't want you?" Remus asks Sirius who glares icily.

"Well you'd know all about family not wanting you, wouldn't you?" The four glare at each other before they all get up, walk out of the Hall, and go off in separate directions without another word.

Everyone looks around, unsure what to do. No one notices Severus Snape's accomplished look. No one, that is, but Lily.