Disclaimer: See first chapter

A/N: Yes, I am bombarding you with uploads. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me? Pretty please. It's just that I have no life.

November 15th 1976. Directly Outside Hufflepuff Common Room. 08:15.

"Hello."

Michael Harrington dropped his eyes to the floor and hurried past, clutching his books to his chest like a shield.

"Harrington?" Lupin's eyes flashed topaz. "I said 'hello'."

Harrington frowned. "What do you want to talk to me for?"

Lupin winced. "I think you mean 'Why do you want to talk to me?' If that's the case, then I am perfectly entitled to enquire after you, am I not? I don't believe that your personal space has yet been declared a small independent nation."

Harrington shrugged. "Hello then."

"Good morning. How are you?"

Harrington was now twitchy and expecting a terrible prank any moment. This fear must have been evident in his eyes, as Lupin laughed and said;

"It's all right. The fact that you're alone does indeed make you helpless, but it also detracts from the appeal for James and Sirius. They love an audience. In fact, I believe they have one in the Great Hall. They're giving Severus a bottle of shampoo this morning."

Harrington bit his lip. "Why aren't you with them then?"

Lupin smirked. "I don't approve of humiliating the undeserving."

"And the deserving?"

"The deserving, Michael, usually get two wads of chewing gum up their nostrils."

Harrington gulped. "Good morning then. I have to get to breakfast."

"Don't you want a stick of gum?" Lupin's eyes twinkled though he did not smile as he offered the packet to Harrington.

"Do you expect me to be scared?"

Lupin laughed. "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die."

Harrington recoiled. "What the fuck?"

"Ten points from Hufflepuff. Obscene language is not recommended in front of a Prefect."

"Why do you hate me?" snapped Harrington. "All right, so maybe Peter has reason-"

"Maybe?" hissed Lupin. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Ten points from Gryffindor," said Harrington, his eyebrow raised a fraction. "Obscene language is not recommended in front of a Prefect." He pointed at the badge gleaming in the middle of his tie and Lupin wanted to kick himself for failing to recall that particular tidbit of information.

"Don't try and beat me at my own game, Harrington," Lupin warned. "You'll lose and while I don't approve of public humiliation, please don't think I am making an idle threat when I tell you that in your case, I believe I will make an exception."

Harrington pulled out his wand. "I'd like to see you try anything."

Lupin shook his head. "No. You don't want to pick a fight with me. I don't want to pick a fight with you, Harrington. I want to offer an olive branch."

Harrington froze. "What? You hate me."

"No, Mike. I don't hate anyone. I have eaten a family sized bar of Honeydukes Gold. I'm on such a sugar high that even Voldemort deserves a hug. No, not only do I sympathise with you, but I'm finding that that cold eyed stare is starting to really get me going. I've wanted to say it for a while, Mike. I'm glad you packed Peter because now you're free. You have no idea what you do to me."

"You're gay too?"

Lupin quirked an eyebrow. "So now you're ready to admit it?"

"You know I'm gay, Lupin."

Harrington stared in wide-eyed horror as Lupin smirked. "Good morning, girls."

Sirius' former stalker waved at him and giggled as Harrington blushed magenta - a shade that clashed horrifically with his canary yellow and black tie.

"Fuck you, Lupin."

Lupin smirked. "I never thought I'd hear those words from your mouth. Unless they were succeeding 'I want to'." He laughed mirthlessly. "I crack myself up."

"Dickhead."

Lupin nodded. "Most people don't know it, but yes, I am a dickhead and as a rule, people tend not to piss me off more than once for that reason. Listen, Harrington, you fuck with Peter and you fuck with all of us. If you think you've had it bad now, keep out of James' way because the things he wants to do to you would have him arrested and not, I hasten to add, for any reason that might make your trousers tight."

Harrington averted his eyes.

"Oh and er…before I forget, Michael. Waddiwasi." Lupin winced as Harrington cried out. "Ouch. You might want to get that looked at."