'Lupin.'
Remus was in the library studying for the transfiguration O.W.L tomorrow, origionally he'd come in with James and Peter but, as usual, James had decided that revision wasn't for him, and Peter had taken his departure as an opportunity to get out of working. He didn't mind that he had been left to study alone; it was much easier to concentrate without his friends incessant chatter. Remus was concentrating so hard, in fact, that it took a few moments for him to realise that someone had said his name. It was quite a shock to look up and find Severus Snape setting his books down on the table acress from him.
'Look, I know you don't like me. And trust me when I say that I wouldn't be talking to you if I hadn't tried everyone else first. But, well, the Slytherins were horrified that I was using a muggle textbook, the Hufflepuffs haven't a clue what I was talking about, and the Ravenclaws are insufferable know-it-alls that would rather show off than speak in plain English.' Severus was shuffling through his notes and books while he spoke, not looking up at Remus.
'What exactly is it that you want to talk to me about Severus?' Remus tried to sound friendly, but it came out a bit strained. He had the sinking feeling that this was going to be one of those conversations that took much more effort than it merited; Snape had never struck him as the type to have much practise in socialising, or even as someone that wanted to. Then again, it wasn't miscommunication or lack of social awareness that had thickened the air between them with tension. It was Remus's association with James and Sirius. Suddenly Remus felt guilty. 'Sorry, I'm just a bit shattered from studying all afternoon, and was hoping to get off to dinner pretty early.
Severus sat down and pushed an open textbook across the table, 'It's the First Law of Transfiguration, you came top of the class last assignment.'
'I'm failing to see what this biology textbook has to do with Transfiguration, you want to give me a hint?'
Severus muttered something that sounded vaugely insulting before he raised hs voice enough to be heard clearly again. 'The First Law: transfiguration always has a negative information gradient; I couldn't transfuigure a mouse into a Bible unless I already knew every word that was written in it, right? So how come I can transfigure a candlestick into a rat but not a teacup into a rat? I have only marginally more knowledge about whats going on inside a rat that I do about whats in the Bible.'
'You can transfigure a candlestick into a rat? That's... you mean a living rat?' Severus just smirked at his surprised expression, 'Okay, now I see the point in the textbook. I'd never have belived that was possible if you'd not brought it. But I suppose it makes sense. Even if you knew every word written in the Bible you wouldn't be able to transfigure a mouse into a copy of it. To do that a wizard would need to know everything about the book, the history, who wrote it, why they did. Much of that information, in the case of the Bible, is lost, so no wizard could ever do it. But thats not the First Law at all, you're restricted by your own knowledge before the information gradient even comes into play. What you're saying about the candlestick and the teacup though, that must be the information gradient, because if you can do it once you must have the knowledge to do it again. Maybe it has to do with the specific teacup you're using?'
'Why on Earth would that matter? a teacup is a teacup. You're almost as bad as the Ravenclaws, you know. Can't you just explain what your talking about instead of making me ask?' Severus flushed slightly and only then did Remus realise that he must not be used to asking for help, and especially wasn't liking having to ask for help from a boy that he associated with all the teasing and taunting that he endured.
'Sorry, I just meant that if you used a really old teacup, it would have more history to it. So if you had a teacup that had been around long enough, or had a lot of differnt owners, it might be more complex than a rat. And you could then transfigure it into a rat, because you would be losing information instead of trying to create it. When you did it with a candlestick, was it a particularly complex candlestick?'
Severus met Remus's eyes for the first time since sitting down, 'Yes, Lupin. It was a very complex candlestick.' His voice was totally flat, 'It's parents split up while it was young and it's girlfriend recently called off the relationship, I'm not sure anyone will ever understand it like she did.' He had snatched up his notes and bag before Remus had chance to properly register his sarcasm, and by the time that Remus's lips had turned up into a half smile he'd already walked off.
Remus Lupin then packed up his notes and transfiguration textbook, before taking the muggle biology book to the librarian, Adamina Hambeldon. Ms Hambeldon was a quiet, smiling old woman who took genuine joy in keeping the Hogwarts library in order.
'Excuse me, Ms Hambledon? Somebody left this book out on my desk and I'm afriad I have no idea which shelf it came from.' The little witch squinted slightly at the book in question before shaking her head.
'That's not from one of my shelves, do you know who it was that left it here?' When Remus nodded, she smiled warmly and continued, 'I suggest you return it to them. It's probably one of their personal collection.'