Written for QLFC.
Chaser 2.
Ballycastle Bats.
Prompts: 1)(word) forgive. 2)(colour) aquamarine. 6)(word) belittle.
"Hey, you okay?" asked Lily quietly.
Remus tiredly looked around from the Gryffindor common room fire to look at his friend. It was midway through the full moon cycle, and Remus was exhausted. It wasn't long before he'd have to go to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey would have to take him down to the shrieking shack, and he would have yet another painful transformation.
The aquamarine dressing gown Lily wore made her look fresh and alive; her bright, green eyes, they look greener than usual. Remus could see why James was so in love with her. Her eyes were so expressive, and every emotion could be easily read; when she was angry, a green fire burned, and when she was happy, they seem to sparkle like emeralds in the sun. For a moment, Remus was envious. He'd give anything to have someone like Lily; he couldn't risk it, he'd have to tell too many lies. Remus also ran the risk of having an infecting child.
"I'm fine, just tired," said Remus with a yawn. "I'm just hoping no one else finds out about 'my furry little secret'."
Lily grimaced. She wished there was something more she could do to help her friend. Lily being Lily, had figured out that Remus was a werewolf in their third year, not that she'd told anyone. But she had taken Remus to one side and explained to him that she'd figured it out, but he wasn't to worry because she wasn't going to tell anyone. Lily had ensured him that despite the fact he was a werewolf, she would always be there for him. True to her word, she always was. Lily had tried to concoct numerous potions to try and help Remus, maybe one day the transformations wouldn't be so painful; but unfortunately, she'd been unsuccessful. Now, here in their seventh year, only a handful of people knew about Remus' condition, mostly staff. There were at least five students who knew: James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, Lily Evans, and Severus Snape.
It was because of Sirius Black that Snape knew Remus' biggest secret…
Severus Snape, Slytherin, and fellow seventh year had been sniffing around trying to catch the Marauders out. He had a rather unhealthy obsession with trying to get one up on James Potter - especially after their fifth year Defence OWL; in a fit of anger, caused by said Marauders, he'd called his best friend a 'Mudblood.' If it hadn't been for Potter and his pals doing what they did, he'd still have Lily in his life.
During the start of term, Snape had been determined to try and catch Potter and his pals doing something they weren't supposed to be doing. But, as Potter reminded him, Snape was merely a lowly prefect whereas James was Head Boy - much to Snape's disgust. James had reminded Snape that if he said anything, James could retort that the other boy was merely lying through his teeth 'because he seems to have a vendetta against me.'
Then during a full moon, when Snape was on patrol, for he'd caught Sirius trying to sneak out. He had been delighted he had caught Black, and taken him to Professor McGonagall where he received a detention and a loss of ten house points.
Then just before Christmas, Snape had been patrolling on the third-floor corridor when Potter, Black, and Pettigrew suddenly had appeared.
"Has Remus gone yet?" Potter had asked.
"Not yet, but he'll be leaving soon," Sirius had replied.
Snape knew that at least once a month, Remus 'seemingly' went home, the party line was that his mother was sick. He wasn't sure he believed that was the case at all. Snape had his suspicions about Remus, doubts that he wasn't what he said he was.
"What are you three doing out at this time of night?" Snape had asked with a sneer.
"Nothing that concerns you, Snivellus," Sirius had fired back.
James had laid a warning hand on Sirius' arm, an attempt at quietening him. "If you must know, we've just been to see McGonagall about something."
Snape, irritated, had looked like a fish out of water.
"Now, if you'll excuse us, we'd like to get back to our dormitory," said James in a tone that had brooked no nonsense. He was desperately tired and wanted nothing more than to get some homework done, before getting some desperately needed sleep.
On the way up to Gryffindor tower, Sirius had made the excuse that he needed to use the bathroom. When Sirius returned to the common room, he looked extremely pleased with himself.
"Okay, who is she?" Peter had laughed, Sirius had sat down in the empty armchair.
"Oh, it wasn't a she, Wormy, it was Snivvy," Sirius had said jovially.
This response had caused Peter to drop the book he'd been holding, and the resounding crash had made James jump.
"Not like that, you prat," Sirius said, realising how it must have sounded.
"What did you do this time?" James had asked with a smirk.
"Yes, what?" a voice had asked from behind Sirius.
"Oh, hey Evans," Sirius had grinned mischievously.
"So, what was it this time? You didn't petrify him again did you?" Lily had asked severely.
"Nope, better! I told him exactly how to get past the Whomping Willow," Sirius had said in triumph.
"YOU DID WHAT?" James and Lily had yelled simultaneously.
"Merlin's beard, you bloody idiot," Lily had said as she'd clouted Sirius to the back of the head.
James had given Lily a questioning look, and she'd merely nodded in answer, indicating that she knew the secret. James, having zoned out for a moment, had come too and shook himself.
"Lily, take this bloody idiot to Dumbledore right now, I'm going to the shrieking shack before Snape winds up dead," James had rushed to his feet and pelted out of the common room.
Lily meanwhile, had got hold of Sirius by the ear and dragged him down to the Headmaster's tower. Once Dumbledore had been informed by a very irate Lily of the situation, the Headmaster left the room at once, and at top speed too.
Once James had reached the Whomping Willow, he'd enchanted a branch to press the knot that froze the willow, preventing him from getting a walloping. He crawled as fast he possibly could down the earthy tunnel, and once he got to the other end he was sweating - it was more out of fear of what he was going to find than anything else. When James had crested the tunnel, he found Snape stood quietly, and his wand held out before him.
"Snape, get in here now!" James had said urgently.
"Potter, what are you doing here?" Snape had asked as he whipped around, his wand now pointing at James.
"Lower your wand you moron, and get back in the tunnel now, it's not safe here," James had almost pleaded.
"Why should I?" Snape had argued.
"Because we could both end up dead!" James had almost yelled in frustration.
"You're not the boss of me, Potter," Snape had snapped.
It was then that they heard it; a low, menacing growl was coming from above them. James had finished pulling himself out of the tunnel, he quickly grabbed Snape by the scruff of his neck, and dragged him back towards the tunnel. Snape had turned his head, that's when he found the source of the growl. On the stairs stood a fully grown werewolf. Snape had pedalled backwards a few steps causing James to let go of Snape before he'd strangled him. James had then grabbed his arm, pulling him back inside the tunnel, and then pulled the door down with a loud thump. Above them a loud snarling sound could be heard, then came the sound of claws scratching at the floor, trying to seek its prey.
"Move. Go in front of me. Now!" James had commanded.
Snape lowered himself, then started to move with James following behind. At the end of the tunnel was a worried looking Dumbledore.
"Thank Merlin you're both alright, come to my office now if you please," Dumbledore had asked calmly.
Once they were all situated in Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore had summoned Professor McGonagall. After being told what the foolish boy had done, she had immediately torn a strip off Sirius. He had been given him a month's worth of detentions and had been stripped of one hundred house points. Dumbledore had then spoken to Snape about what he'd seen, and he had been made to promise never to tell another living soul about Remus or his condition. Snape had very grudgingly conceded. Dumbledore had then spoken to Lily about how she knew, and she had to confess to having figured it out during her third year, and how she'd scoured the restricted section of the library to find a way of making a cure for Remus. Dumbledore had assured her that at this present time there was no known cure for a Lycanthrope and that she must cease her actions.
The next day when Remus had been bought back from the shrieking shack, Madam Pomfrey had patched him up and let him sleep a while. Remus was later summoned to Professor McGonagall's office where he'd found James, Sirius, and Lily. Professor McGonagall had explained the entire situation of what had happened the night before to Remus. Remus, of course, had gone mad at Sirius.
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF HOLY MORGANA WERE YOU THINKING SIRIUS? I COULD HAVE KILLED SNAPE!"
"I'm sorry Moony, I was an idiot, please forgive me?" Sirius had pleaded.
"How in Merlin's beard do you expect me just to forgive you? You've broken my trust! You're no friend of mine," Remus had replied coldly, harshly even. "Professor, may I go?"
McGonagall dismissed Remus, and Lily went with him. James silently grabbed Sirius by the arm, and he dragged him out of McGonagall's office and up to Gryffindor tower. Part of Sirius' punishment was to be escorted everywhere by either James or Lily as they were Head Boy and Head Girl.
Sirius' pleading for forgiveness continued, until one day, Remus had snapped.
"Sirius, do not belittle my feelings over this! As I have told you countless times, you have broken my trust! Right now, I hate you so much! I have nothing more I want to say to you, James, or Peter, except leave me alone!"
Remus knew he was being harsh, but right now, he didn't care. He was so outraged with his friends. He'd trusted them to keep his secret, and now the one person Remus hated most in their year, the one person he definitely couldn't trust, knew who and what he was. As far as Remus was concerned, the only person he could count on right now was Lily.
Remus came out of his reverie. He knew he had to leave. It was time to go to the hospital wing.
"Thank you, Lily, for always being there, for being someone I can trust and truly rely on," said Remus with a small smile. He'd been touched to the quick when she'd explained to him after the incident that she'd been trying to find, and make a cure for him. They'd both cried and hugged each other fiercely.
Lily looked up at Remus and smiled. "Always."