Disclaimers and Such: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, the books, and all that good stuff. I'm just using them for a little while.
Remus is the quiet one and is growing tired of people's preconceived notions about him-so, he forms a plan.
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It's always the quiet ones that are never suspected. For years, he and his friends had been terrorizing their fellow classmates and Professors with everything from hexes to spiked candy. He often heard Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore speak about how he was a good boy but was heavily influenced by his three friends. He had waited a long time to make sure that the perfect prank was committed but with one thing different-he would do this one unaided.
The young man woke up and stretched as the sunlight hit his eyes. He was weeks away from a transformation and he felt very energetic and extremely mischievous today. He would play his usual part and smile meekly to his friends in his trademark shy manner. He had no intention of revealing his secret plan.
He pulled himself up from bed and went to the lavatory to brush his teeth, dress in his Gryffindor attire, and tied his shoes. He smiled up at his friends.
"I don't want to go to Transfiguration this morning," whined Peter.
"You've already missed enough as it is, might as well go or McGonagall will come get you herself, mate," Prongs told him.
Remus smirked, "You might as well go."
"Yeah, yeah. I'm going."
Padfoot came sauntering into the room and slapped Peter on the back, "Good morning!"
"You're chipper this morning."
"Aren't I always? Come on, let's get some breakfast."
The four rose and made their way down the corridor to the Great Hall. Remus piled the food onto his plate and ate slowly, listening to his friends talking. He wanted to finish his food and hurry to Transfiguration before anyone else-he would succeed.
"Mooney," James started, "Why are you so quiet this morning?"
Remus looked up and shook his head, "No reason. I'll see you all in Transfiguration." Remus stood up and was making his way through the Great Hall with a devilish smirk on his face.
"Wonder what's going on with him?" Prongs wondered.
"Who knows? He keeps to himself mostly," Padfoot said while Wormtail concentrated on is eggs.
Remus entered the classroom before any of the students or Professor McGonagall arrived and breathed in. He pulled out the clear potion he bought from the shop in Hogsmeade and went to her desk chair. He poured the liquid on the seat and opened her draw, taking out her chalk. He put a charm on it that whenever she touched it, it would immediately explode.
He smiled to himself and left the room, waiting to catch up with his friends to enter the room together. He thought if he would have stayed, the suspicion would have easily been cast his direction-maybe. He saw them swaggering down the walk way and went up to join them.
"Hey, thought I'd just wait to walk with you guys. Needed some fresh air," Remus smiled at them.
"You alright, mate?" Padfoot asked.
"Yes, it's such a pretty day-I need the air."
They nodded and walked to class.
As they all took their seats, Remus sat beside Sirius and they took out their books and quills. He was getting his parchment ready when McGonagall walked into the room. He smiled meekly, keeping his persona completely intact.
"Good morning class. Today, we are going to learn more on proper spell enunciation and the wave of the wand. Please, turn in your books to page 125 and read over the page while I write notes on the black board," she instructed as she went to pick up the chalk from the desk. POP! The chalk exploded in her hand and getting dust all over her black robes. She arched a brow at the giggling students and picked up another one POP! The class roared with laughter as the same result happened again. Remus put his hand up to his mouth and hid his smirk as best he could.
McGonagall cast a stern glance at the room and went to her chair, taking out a piece of parchment and her quill, she sat down to write, "Potter. Black. Pettigrew. Lupin. There should be no question as to why I believe you four are involved."
Prongs spoke up, "Professor, I promise, we had nothing to do with this."
"Yeah, we didn't do this, " Padfoot said while Wormtail had a confused look on his face.
As she wrote her note to Dumbledore she said in a low tone, "There is no reason to lie-" she tried to stand up. Her bottom was stuck to the chair and her eyes grew big.
"Boys! What did you put on this chair?"
"Nothing!" The three exclaimed while Lupin remained silent.
She held her quill up and pointed it towards the boys. Remus had been practicing his Transfiguration and had gotten quite good at it, he whispered softly a spell and turned the quill into confetti. The class room filled with laughter as it exploded all over the desk and their Professor. McGonagall started getting very displeased.
"You will stop this right now James Potter!"
"I swear," he said as he giggled, "it wasn't me. I wish it were."
"Who is doing this?"
Finally, Remus stood up and smiled charmingly. She looked at the boy surprised.
"Remus Lupin. Did you do this?"
He nodded and raised his wand to counter the potion's affects, releasing his Professor from the chair.
"Did they put you up to this?"
"No, Professor. It was I and I alone."
Remus' friends looked up at him amazed, they never expected he would handle this feat without help and were impressed. Professor McGonagall was growing tired of the entire matter and stood up from her desk, walking to the front of the class and announced, "Class is dismissed early. I suggest you take the time to study-"
As she spoke, the four boys picked up their books and tried to make a hasty exit.
"-everyone but you four. Stay behind and to the front of the class. Now."
The four boys breathed in heavily and stood before their Professor. Remus bowed his head and waited for her to speak. She looked down at all of them disappointed.
"I am having a difficult time in believing that Remus did this alone."
Remus shot his eyes up towards her and whispered, "Why?"
"Excuse me, Mr. Lupin?"
He cleared his throat and rose his chin to look her squarely in the eye, "Why do you have a hard time believing it? It's true."
She looked astonished, "If they persuaded you to admit to this-"
James, Sirius, and Peter shook their head, "We would never do-"
Remus lifted his hand and took a deep breath, "Professor. I assure you, I acted alone."
"If you are certain-"
"I am, Ma'am."
"All right, then. Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Pettigrew. You are free to leave. Mr. Lupin, please stay behind."
They looked on their friend and patted his back before they left the classroom. Padfoot whispered, "That was an amazing prank-"
"Mr. Black. Please, before I change my mind."
Black scurried out of the room behind the others with their books in hand.
McGonagall waited until they left and stepped forward, right in front of Remus. He casted his eyes downwards as he felt her shaking her head.
"Remus. I am very disappointed in you. Why on earth would you do this? It isn't like you."
Remus clenched his jaw, "I know. No one expects me to be able to do any naughtiness alone."
"What do you mean, Remus?"
"I have heard you and Dumbledore talk about me for awhile now. Neither of you believing that I am as much to blame for the pranks as my friends."
"Remus-"
"Professor. I choose to do those things with them. Sometimes, I don't approve, true. But, I never want to see anyone in real harm. I am always let off easy-"
"You get the same amount as detention as the rest of them. Why does this bother you so much?"
"Because, I am seen as the quiet one, the meek one. I want to be their equal."
"Remus. You are equal but different at the same time. You are very creative, intelligent, and have grown into a gentleman."
"I just thought-"
"I know growing up is hard to do and especially within the eyes of your peers-"
"The eyes of my peers. Did you look at how amazed as you were that I did this? They couldn't even believe it."
McGonagall looked at him softly and sighed, "Remus. You are your own person. You have to make the choices of what kind of man you grow to be and I know you will be a fine member of the Wizarding World. Never change who you are to please or impress others."
"But I have just as much of a mischievous bone as they do."
"I know and knew that even before today. You are, in fact, a bit more cunning."
"I don't like people doubting me-"
"Doubt? Mr. Lupin. I do not doubt you or your abilities in the least and I wouldn't change the student or person you are. I understand that you will get into trouble and I will be there to be the guiding hand to correct you. The spell you cast on my quill was very well done. I can't approve of the reason behind it, but it was well executed."
He lowered his head and nodded, "I am sorry if I embarrassed you."
"I am mostly disappointed in you. If you ever need to talk about what's bothering you, Dumbledore or me will always listen to you. You have no one to prove yourself to, Remus. You have done that over the years."
Remus smiled honestly at her, "Thank you."
She smiled at the cheeky boy in front of her and shook her head, "Don't think that I am letting you off without some sort of punishment."
Remus clenched his jaw and nodded, "I sort of figured that. How much detention am I in for?"
"I believe the next three nights helping me clean my classroom will be sufficient."
Remus nodded and smiled, "Yes, Professor."
"You may go now and I will see you tonight after dinner."
He turned around and collected his books, "Thank you."
As he left the room, McGonagall watched him and sat on her desk shaking her head. She tried to raise her hand from the wood but it was stuck. She muttered, "Remus John Lupin..."
The End
A/N: I've never written a McGonagall/Lupin type story before so I hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks so much for reading. Feedback is welcomed :-)