Candeh – I realize I'm updating really fast and I know that's not a bad thing. I love the outline of this story and it's fun for me to write, but my stories are really long – around twenty chapters each and I'm getting new ideas for new stories that I want to start. I will keep going with this one – like I will with 'Once In A Blue Moon', so don't worry. There are also new stories to be coming soon; I just can't handle more than two at a time.
RESPONDING-2-REVIEWS
Compleaty Random Dissorder – Talk about completely random ;p
Cheese and Crackers – No Dementor. I would have described it differently if it was. There will actually be some Dementors in this – and then you'll know it's not the same because of that said description. You all have fantastic guesses though.
Strange Magic – I know. I hate therapists. Not…that I've ever been to therapy.
Crescent-Moon-Love – Thank you for reading and reviewing! I always enjoy getting your reviews.
Aqua-Faerie – Snape is a character in which if he does something completely mean, it shouldn't surprise anyone; he is also a character in which if he does something completely out of character (such as in the seventh book), it would just make a lot of sense. In that way, I like writing his dialogue because if I ever think, 'Would Snape do that?' I just have to say, 'Yea, he probably could do that. Anyway, he was a little extra mean in the last chapter, but it's completely in character, don't you agree?
Yugoicharmer – Thanks for the feedback. I always like it when people quote what they liked, because it keeps me with that frame, ya know? Thanks again. ;)
Chapter Ten –
Blowing It – As In Their Cover
Sirius Black made his way down the Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was panting heavily, remembering all the Dementors he had just fought off, then made his way towards the huge Gryffindor portrait, taking out the list of passwords he had found lying on the ground in bad scribbled writing.
He squinted, "Um, Snake's fin?" he asked the portrait.
"Wrong password," replied the Fat Lady.
Sirius scoffed. He knew Peter was in there somewhere and he had to kill him. Peter had betrayed Lily and James; he had left Harry without parents and he had betrayed his Remus and himself. His fists clenched on the paper and he read the next password on the list, "Flitterbloom?"
"No," The Fat Lady said, shaking her head.
Sirius felt the anger rise. If he could just find Remus around here somewhere, he was sure to help him. Of course, Remus thought he murdered James and Lily. He'd probably turn him in again. If only he could explain things to him they could be friends again. His thoughts turned to Peter and he looked back down at the list.
"Gilly wart," he said.
"Wrong password," The Fat Lady said, getting utterly annoyed. She then looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. "Who are you anyway? You're too tall to be a student…too dirty to be a teacher – however Remus is a teacher here so – "
"Don't you ever talk about Remus like that," Sirius found himself saying. He then stopped, cleared his throat and read the next name on the list, "Cake horn?"
The Fat Lady sighed. "No, are you going to give up now? You know, you look strangely familiar."
"That's great," Sirius snorted. "Fortuna Major?"
The Fat Lady eyed him, looking him up and down, but then grudgingly let herself open the door. She watched as he entered the Gryffindor dormitory, his eyes flashing with rage and she immediantly regretting letting him in.
"Come out, come out wherever you are, Peter," Sirius found himself whispering. He knew the rat must be in here somewhere. He looked around the room. There were boys sleeping in beds, their minds without worry. He tried to spot Harry, but before he could, his eyes fell upon a red-haired boy. And he was holding a rat.
Sirius' smile went wicked. He crept forward, his footsteps overpowered by the snores that were around him. He reached the bed of the boy, then dove for the rat, but missed by a long shot. The boy shot up in bed, rubbing his eyes to see who woke him up.
It was only a few seconds when the two of them locked eyes. Sirius remained still, his wand and the knife raised over his head – for Peter of course – and Ron stumbled for words.
"You-'re you're – you're," he said, his eyes going wide.
"Shhh, kid," Sirius pleaded. "Shut up."
"Sirius Black," Ron finished. Before Sirius could cover the kid's mouth, Ron let out a loud scream. "Help! Help!" Sirius looked around. The kids were starting to wake up. He looked frantically for Peter, but he was nowhere to be seen and he cursed him and then ran as fast as he could out the portrait door.
"Sirius Black?" he heard the portrait say. "I knew it! Help! Help! Sirius Black is in the Hogwarts castle! Help!" Sirius turned around sharply, then took out his knife, slashing the portrait three times across the picture.
"Shut up, you stupid painting!" he said.
"Help!" the Fat Lady said. "Help! Help!"
Sirius could hear footsteps. He could see the lanterns that were coming towards him. They would find him surely and put him back in Azkaban for the crime he did not commit. He cursed the portrait one last time, thought of Peter and cursed once more, then fled down the hallway and out of Hogwarts castle, undetected.
- - - - - -
"Today, we are going to do something a little different." Professor Plax pulled out two boxes setting them on the desk out in front of him. One was labeled: 'To Severus Snape' and the other: 'To Remus Lupin'. The two men eyed the boxes cautiously, then Remus finally reached out for his. "No, Remus, not yet," Professor Plax said, slapping his hand. "Let me explain first."
Remus pulled away, rubbing his hand.
"Oh, are you alright, Remus?" Snape said, covering his mouth. It pained him to do this – to be acting to civilized to such a disgusting creature, but if it got them out of therapy faster, then what the hell.
Remus turned to him, smiling. He knew it was a game – they had both agreed to it and for the most part, he liked seeing Snape share a joke with him. "Why, thank you, Severus for your concern. I'm feeling well, and yourself?"
Professor Plax eyed them suspiciously. "Fake friendship isn't going to work."
"Faking?" Severus said. "We're not faking anything, Professor Plax. Are we faking anything, Remus?"
Remus shook his head. "Not at all."
Professor Plax glared. He was not stupid and he would not fall for their tricks, but he could only argue with them for so long. He sighed, then opened the box labeled 'To Remus Lupin' and pulled out what looked like a hand-crafted knitted doll.
It was about ten inches long – with black button eyes and a big black 'X' for a mouth. It had little sharpie penciled in eyebrows that made the doll look angry, and black yard covered the top of the dolls head with slicked back black hair. The doll was dressed in a long black robe, and had on little shiny black shoes. Snape groaned.
"Bloody hell, it's me," he said, his voice flat and unamused.
Professor Plax smiled, "Yes, Severus, it's you." He made the doll dance around on the table, enjoying Snape's dissatisfied face. He handed the doll to Remus, who took it, looking at it curiously.
"You want me to have a doll of Severus?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, no, no," Professor Plax explained, reaching for the second box labeled, 'To Severus Snape'. "Ever heard of voodoo?" he said. "These are one hundred percent voodoo dolls. Whatever you want to happen to that person will happen. Watch. Remus, pick up an end of Severus the Doll's hair."
Remus looked at Snape, bit his lip and then gently lifted up a strand of yarn. Instantly, Severus' hair stood up as if someone invisible was holding it. Remus put the yarn hair down and Severus' hair fell back into place.
"Here you go, Severus," Professor Plax said, handing Snape his own doll.
The Remus Lupin Doll was also ten inched long. It had two yellow buttons for eyes and a big black 'X' for a mouth, and its head was covered in a mass of messy brown hair. It had on a long grey overcoat, a big blue scarf, ripped jeans, scruffy shoes and even little fingerless gloves, even though neither of the dolls had fingers. Remus recoiled and Snape took the doll.
"I look like a hobo," Remus muttered.
"Well, that's is what you look like," Professor Plax said, mockingly. Remus turned back to Severus Doll. "Anyway, I'll be collecting the dolls after the assignment so you two won't kill each other."
"We would never!" Snape said, acting as if Professor Plax had just accused him of doing something completely unimaginable.
"Of course not," Professor Plax said sarcastically. He turned to Remus. "Remus, why don't you give Severus Doll a go, eh?"
"I could never harm Severus, Professor Plax," Remus said.
"Why thank you, Remus," he heard Snape said.
"You're ever so welcome, Sever – "
"Enough games," Professor Plax said, pounding his fists on the table. "If you want to pass this class in the one week and two days you have left – keeping in mind that it is now one week and one day until your transformation, Mr. Lupin, then you will take this class seriously."
Snape snorted. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
Professor Plax eyed them. "If you don't do what I say, I'll do the voodoo for you." Remus and Snape looked at each other, sighed, still staying completely in their act and shrugged as if they had to do what they had to do.
Snape played with Remus Doll's arm and Remus felt his arm lift in the air, wag around and then fall back down. He picked up Severus Doll's leg, shook it and saw Severus' leg do the same. Snape made Remus Doll get up and do a tap dance, and Remus let his body lift in command, smiling as if he were enjoying it all the way. Sitting back down he made Severus Doll do two back flips, then a triple cartwheel and then land harmlessly into the splits. He saw Snape glare at him, but his body went full motion into the actions he gave the doll.
Snape tried hard not to think of something to spit out at Remus, who was smiling down at him widely. Stay positive…stay positive. No, no! Do not say that the werewolf needs to keep his paws off you! Stay positive! "I never knew my body could bend that way. Wow!"
Professor Plax growled from his chair. "I did not give you this assignment so that you two could make each other into gymnasts." He grabbed the Remus Doll from Snape would have just got up off the floor. He took out a fork from him drawer and passed it effortlessly over Remus Doll's cheek. Remus instantly put his hand to his cheek, screaming out in pain, falling to the floor, covering his face.
"Please - stop," Remus choked out. The fork left the dolls face and Professor Plax grabbed the doll form Remus out of his loose hand. He gave the Severus Doll a flick in the stomach, and instantly, Snape felt as though he had been punched hard. He gripped the table firmly, not being braced at all for the pain and then looked at him, glaring.
"You want us to hurt each other?" he said through gritted teeth. He would stay in character as long as it took to get out of this ridiculous class, however, he could not prefect the right facial expressions and he always ended up saying something polite, but his face contradicted his body language.
"No," Professor Plax said. "I want you to resist the urge to hurt each other, but you can't do that if you're faking the whole thing through."
"For the last time, we are not faking," Snape hissed.
Professor Plax sighed. He put the dolls back in their boxes and then sighed again out of pure aggravation and irritation. He leaned his head in one of his hands and looked at them, mulling them over.
"Do not make me inform Dumbledore of your progress," he said warningly. "Faking won't get you anywhere. I am not stupid – "
"Your assignments are pointless," Snape said. "They don't do anything and most of all," he turned to Remus, "You're hurting my friend."
"Bloody hell!" Professor Plax said, rising. "You two are to come to class tomorrow – PREPARED and not lying. If you do not do this, failing to do what I ask of you, then I will make sure that it is know to Professor Dumbledore. I can assure you that you will never get your precious DADA position, Severus, and you will never get another 'lucky break' at any job, Remus." He stopped, panting. "Is that clear?"
Snape and Remus looked at each other, then both nodded. Professor Plax smiled.
"Good," he said, sitting back down, relaxed. "Now get out."
- - - - - -
"You took it too far with the whole 'friend' thing. That was an obvious lie."
"Shut up."