ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

-CHAPTER TEN-

BETA: Tammy

INFO: www. users/ draycious

"Harry... May I come in?" Raven looked up at the sound of the voice. He frowned when he saw who it was. Ron was standing in the door, looking nervous.

"Hello Weasley. Yes you may," he said with a slight chill in his voice.

For the moment, he added silently. He was alone with Ron in the room. Remus was away, fetching some orange juice for him. He knew that he had two order members guarding his room night and day in invincibility cloaks and two official ministry workers from the auror department, but those guards stood outside the room.

"Sit down," he said to Ron and pointed to a chair. Ron sat down gingerly and an awkward silence broke out. Raven didn't say anything because he knew that Ron liked to just blurt out whatever it was on his mind when the silence became too tense.

"I'm sorry!" Ron blurted after a while.

And one point to Raven-Blood-Snape-Potter... AH! WHATEVER MY FUCKING NAME IS! He thought.

"For what?" he asked sweetly.

"For believing you were a Death Eater and shouting at you...and what Malfoy said is not true!" he finished defiantly.

"Alright."

"Why were you hanging out with Malfoy in the first place?" Ron asked suspiciously and his ears began to redden.

"I met him on the train, you know."

"Why did you talk to him? He is your enemy, our enemy!" Ron was getting worked up but Raven didn't care about that. Raven had done some serious thinking over the summer and realized that Ron and he were no longer on the same level. They were two very different people, and when it came down to it they didn't have very much in common. Ron failed to understand that Raven had to grow up and spend time with schoolwork and lessons instead of fooling around.

"Don't get yourself worked up. I'm not exactly friends with him. We just talked," he said lightly and it was the truth. He hosted no warmer feelings for Malfoy, but he realized that maybe he was wrong in the assumption that Draco was just like Lucius.

"About what?" Ron demanded to know.

"Not because it's any of your business Ron but we talked about his father," he said annoyed. He couldn't believe Ron thought he had the right to know everything about him. He looked at his old gangly friend and saw a child, a teenager not ready to either take responsibility for his actions or listen to reason. Therefore Raven wouldn't bother trying to make Ron face the reality.

"What did he say?" Ron asked him interested and leaned forward. Raven shrugged and drew circles with his fingers on the top of his covers.

"Nothing much. Let's just say I did most of the talking and he confirmed."

"Oh...alright." It seemed like Ron understood he would say no more about it, his tone had been final and matter-of-factly. "Where were you this summer?"

"Sorry, can't tell you."

"Why not? We're best friends!"

"I just can't alright? Listen, I'm tired and I'm going to get some sleep. We'll talk later." He knew that was weak of him to take the easiest way out, but he wasn't healthy enough to deal with Ron right now. Nor was he up for explaining to Ron that he thought they would both be much better off as acquaintances, and not best friends.

"Alright, later," said Ron and left.

"I saw Ron storm out. Is anything the matter?" Remus asked when he entered only seconds after Ron left.

"Hi Remus. No, nothing's wrong. Ron was just a bit upset over the fact I talked to Malfoy."

"I see. He's got quite a temper, that one," said Remus with humor. Raven didn't think it was just as funny, but he gave Remus a weak smile anyway. Remus wore dark brown robes today. They made his eyes stand out more than usual. Remus had amber colored friendly eyes. They were lovely. He had never thought about it before.

"You're quite handsome you know. How come you ain't got a girl?" Raven asked with his head tilted on the side. Remus frowned when he thought of how to answer.

"In school I had one girlfriend here, another one there. You know how it is in that age, nothing is every serious, you just think it is. When I was older, during the time your mother and fa-James married I had a more serious relationship. But when Lily and James were murdered, and as I thought at the time, Peter, by my other best friend I just fell apart. All my walls crumpled. I began to drink and I didn't care of anything," Remus said in a pained voice. It was clear to Raven that Remus hadn't talked about this in a long time. He appreciated Remus' honesty with him. He could have just avoided the question, but he didn't. Perhaps Remus had in mind what he had said about not knowing him. Remus continued and Raven listened with rapt attention. "I scared away my girlfriend because I let my werewolf temper flare up too often. Since then the years passed and it came out that I was a werewolf and no one dared to be involved with me. So I just get some one night stands because I can't get anything more when they find out..." Remus said sadly. Raven was watching him thoughtfully.

"What about men Remus?" he asked carefully. He wasn't sure what Remus thought about homosexuality.

"Men... I've been with them too. I'm bisexual, thanks to my wolf friend. He likes males. It sort of rubs on to me," Remus said with an embarrassed grin.

"What about Malfoy, do you think he's hot?"

"Malfoy? He's in your grade!" Remus cried out in shock at the unexpected question.

"I meant the older Malfoy, Lucius, of course," he grinned.

"Ha! As if that's any better! He's evil!" Remus replied dryly.

"Let's overlook his personality for a while. How do you like his looks?"

"Well... I suppose it's OK. Very much OK actually. But he'd look better in short hair."

"Alright. Let's pretend he is nothing like we thought him to be. Let's say that he is funny, kind, generous, well mannered and gentle?"

"Sounds too good to be true, which it is by the way. This is all very far fetched, don't you think?" Remus asked with a small laugh.

"Maybe," said Raven with a secret little smile. He knew something Remus didn't…