Happy birthday to meeeeeee . . . .
And in celebration of this, the entire bleedin' Author's Note's gonna be in heavily accented Aussie: ie, bogan-speak. I generally slip inta this when I'm either frustrated and/or angry, and the slang flies. I'm tellin' ya, if ya heard me actually speak, ya'd hardly believe that I type so damn formally. Well, sometimes I talk alright, but gen(e)rally . . . well, I'm a bogan. Can ya blame me?
Anyways, yeah, sorry if ya can'(t) actually read all o'(f) this, but ya know wha(t)? I'll stick stuff (i)'n brackets for ya. Make it easier, yeah? Besides, this is just a one-off. Not really gonna be happenin' again, unless there's a few mashed up words that just get tossed in. Just gimme some leeway, people. Marley talks the most like me, ya know that? I don'(t) use as much of the blended words, but ya know, the slack speak. So ta speak. I just channel all of my madness inta her. Hmph.
Right-o, so, chapter. Yeah. That's what'cha afta, yeah? Well, have it. Just have it.
53 – You're Strong
Lily
'What's up?'
'Nothing's up,' Severus replied immediately, making a show of riffling through his Potions notes, apparently in search of his instructions to brew a Rapid Hair-Growth potion.
Lily sighed and passed him her copy, not believing him in the slightest. 'Don't try to fool me, Sev. Now what's going on?'
'Nothing,' he said again.
Lily crossed her arms. He seemed quite high strung, but she didn't want to push it too far unless she incited his temper. Severus had been pretty grumpy lately. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Potter was still prancing around the school, telling all people, teachers, ghosts and inanimate objects that would listen that he and Lily were "engaged".
Severus got told this at least four times a day, followed by a hex that Potter was still trying to fine tune, intended to turn him into an armadillo. And, at least twice a day Severus had to go to the Hospital Wing with an armadillo for a head. Lily accompanied him every time – after hexing Potter in return herself, of course – and it was never pretty.
Well, how could it be? Like Marley had said at one point, it was a freaking armadillo.
'You've got to tell me some day,' she said. 'I'm not going to let up.'
Severus sighed a little. 'I know you won't.'
'Hmph.'
Remus
'You're a genius, Remus!' James cried, looking at the mirror. 'It's gotta work now!'
Remus folded his arms and grinned a little. 'Well, you know. I try.'
Sirius tapped the second mirror he was holding with a look of suspicion. 'Mmm, I dunno . . .'
'Shut it, Black,' James said. 'This is at least half a year's hard labour – just give it a try. I'm pretty sure mine works.'
'But really,' Sirius said, looking at Remus as though James hadn't even spoken. 'A Sensory Charm? What good will that do?'
Remus raised his eyebrows. 'What do you think, hmm? A Sensory Charm. I've modified it so it responds to voice, and will affect the other mirror.'
Sirius' mouth made a small o, but Remus could tell that it had flown over his head. So he just rolled his eyes and said, 'Believe in the magic, Sirius.'
'I believe in the magic,' Sirius repeated determinedly.
'I believe in the magic,' James echoed.
'Believe!'
'Believe in the magic!'
Remus rolled his eyes, and picked up Sirius' mirror. He turned it over in his hands, and said, 'James Potter.'
The mirror shimmered, and Remus found himself looking at James' face. James blinked, and looked into his own. 'There's a mini Moony in here!'
Sirius snapped to attention at that. 'Really? Gimme!' He snatched the mirror out of Remus' hands and started ogling it. 'It works!'
'Of course it works!' Remus exclaimed. 'Who do you take me for?'
'Hey, Prongs,' Sirius said, a grin spreading over this face. 'What would happen if I shove this up your -'
Remus pushed his chair back with a loud, scraping sound, and got to his feet. 'I'm going. Now. Goodbye. Don't try to find me for at least three hours.'
The two of them didn't even notice that he'd left.
Marlene
'The Hogwarts Rumour System functions as wonderfully as ever, and something has reached my ears that may explain why Snape is so brassed off.'
Lily looked up at Marley's entrance, marking her place in the book she was reading. 'Really? What?'
'Quidditch.'
The eyebrow that travelled up Lily's forehead served to prove that that single word had no impact on her whatsoever. 'Continue,' she said, after a pause.
Marley waved her hands wildly in a what-the-hell-it-makes-sense gesture, but kept talking.
'He tried out for the Slytherin Quidditch team,' she said slowly, like she was talking to a foreigner. 'And didn't get on. In fact,' she added cheerily, now returning to her usual speed, 'they rathered that they had Crabbe on their team – and he's a troll!'
She stopped and tried to read the impassive expression on Lily's face. Then, after a long moment:
'Quidditch,' Lily said disgustedly. 'All this bloody fuss is about Quidditch! I think he almost took my head off the other day, he was that grumpy, and it was over QUIDDITCH!'
Marley instinctively ducked for cover.
Lily slumped back into her seat, and rubbed a tired hand over her eyes. 'Oh my God . . .'
Marley sniggered a bit, quite enjoying all of the expressions that were crossing Lily's face in the space of four seconds.
'I'm going to have to talk to him, now . . .' the redhead mumbled. 'Ergh . . . How can I be sympathetic over something like this?'
'You don't,' Marley replied simply. 'You toss him over and run away cackling.'
Lily gave her a scolding look.
Marley grinned.
James
'We shall no longer face the struggle accompanied with being in separate detentions,' James declared, stuffing his hands in his pockets as both he and Sirius walked down the crowded corridor. 'It's marvellous, wouldn't you say, old chap?'
'Certainly, m'boy,' Sirius said, bobbing his head in agreement. He slapped a hand over his heart to make his point. 'Absolutely splendiferous.'
'And I say, Moony is a wonderful man, taking his time to aid us in our cause.'
'What shall we ever do to repay him?'
The two of them trailed off into silence as they contemplated this, and snippets of conversation around them could be heard better.
'- that last match, though -'
'- did you finish your Potions homework?-'
'- they're mad. Really, they are -'
'- so I said to her: "Sister, if you're gonna mess with me –"'
'- seen Lupin's scars lately? -'
Both James and Sirius stiffened at those four words, and looked around for the source of them. A group of Hufflepuffs were meandering their way down the hall.
'Yeah,' said a black haired boy who looked about fifteen. 'They're hideous, aren't they?'
'I wonder what he does to himself,' a blonde girl pitched in, hefting her satchel further up her shoulder as she walked. 'I mean, they're really obvious. Maybe he -'
'Maybe he has this ritualistic tradition. I bet he has an odd family tree, and he goes off once a month to the Forest to get savaged by something in there,' a brown haired boy added. James couldn't see his face, but his fingers were already twitching with the desire to wrap themselves around that boy's neck. Beside him, Sirius was just as livid. But, they kept listening.
'His dad is nuts, from what I've heard,' the girl added.
'They're all mad,' the second boy said, and by the sound of his voice, he was grinning.
'I don't see why the teachers like him so much,' she continued. 'He's clearly . . . different.'
'It's because he's touched to the head,' the brown haired boy said, and at that moment, he turned a little, making his face visible.
Amos Diggory.
And just like that, James' fuse blew. Sirius' willpower clearly gave out at exactly the same time, and letting out yells of fury, the two of them whipped out their wands, pointing them sharply into his back.
The girl screamed, and the black haired boy's eyebrows shot a mile up his forehead.
'You take that back right now, Diggory,' James ground out. 'Now.'
Diggory let out a bark of laughter at the sound of his voice. 'Nice to see you too, Potter.'
Sirius jabbed his wand into his neck, leaving a red mark. 'I will hex you into oblivion,' he warned, his voice low.
'Yes, because you're such a teacher's pet. Well, Lupin is, anyway.'
'Stupify!'
Apparently Diggory was quicker than they thought, because he dodged the spell just in time. Drawing his own wand, he retaliated.
'Rictusempera!'
And just like that, war broke out.
'Expelliarmus!'
'Stupify!'
Hexes flew back and forth, but the four of them, once the other boy had joined the fray, were equally skilled in duelling. The girl had long since run off.
In the end, James shoved his wand back in his pocket and lunged at Diggory, tackling him to the ground, and landing punches wherever he could. The Hufflepuff fought back, and damaged noses quickly became the reason for blood being smeared all over the floor.
'POTTER! DIGGORY!'
McGonagall's voice cracked through the corridor like a whip, and Professor Sprout's exclamation of surprise towards Sirius and the other boy quickly followed.
James reluctantly to his feet, not bothering to staunch the flow running down his face. Diggory followed.
'Potter, Black, with me,' McGonagall said in a steely voice. 'I'll leave the other two with you, Pomona.' She turned on her heel and walked off down the corridor. James and Sirius followed.
Several flights of stairs and lots of walking later, the three of them were seated inside Professor McGonagall's office.
'Take a biscuit, boys,' she said, as they fidgeted anxiously. James and Sirius blinked at each other, before reluctantly taking one from the jar on her desk.
'What. Was. That?' she asked in a voice quivering ever so slightly with anger. 'Fighting in the corridors? Never have I been so appalled by a student's behaviour before! What happened?'
'They were insulting Remus, Professor,' James muttered, wringing his hands. 'They said he had mental problems.'
If possible, the stern lines on her face softened ever so slightly.
'Diggory's a ponce,' Sirius grumbled. 'If he even knew half -'
'Which he doesn't,' McGonagall cut in firmly. 'And he never should know. You are both aware of this, and I'm sure, that out of respect for Mr Lupin's wishes, you would not go around informing people of what is really happening.'
'But if those arses think they can just go around and -'
'I think,' McGonagall said, 'what we need to be discussing here is your punishment. I will not simply let this slide. Fighting in the corridors is not acceptable under any circumstances, even when one is provoked. Potter, you shall spend a week cleaning the Trophy Room – I'm sure Mr Filch will appreciate that -, and Black, you will be helping Professor Slughorn sort his potion ingredients, also for a week. Now, both of you go to the Hospital Wing, and have Madam Pomfrey check you for concussion.'
James let out a noise of protest. 'But, Professor -'
'Now.'
The two of them reluctantly got to their feet and made their way to the door. Just before they left, however, McGonagall added, 'And check up on Mr Lupin, please. I'm afraid he's been looking a bit peaky lately.'
Kayla
Kayla pushed open the door to the boys' dormitory, and not even caring if anyone else was in there, walked in. The curtains were drawn around Remus' bed. She crossed over to it, pulled them apart slightly, and climbed in.
'Come here.'
Remus was sitting on his pillow, head bowed into his hands. 'What good'll that do?' he mumbled quietly, his voice cracking a bit.
'Come here,' Kayla repeated. She tugged on the corner of his shirt insistently until he shuffled over a little. She wrapped her arms around him and let him bury his face in her shoulder.
'Now tell me who I need to punch.'
Remus didn't answer. There was a long period of silence, before Kayla sighed quietly. This small noise evidently triggered him to finally start talking.
'I guess the scars are becoming more prominent, huh?'
'Remus . . .'
'No, I mean it. I've noticed myself, you can see the ones on my face as clear as day. At least I can wear long sleeves on my arms . . .'
'Remus,' Kayla said firmly. 'Who's been talking about it?'
He shrugged a little, still not moving his head from its position just above her collarbone. 'I dunno. Sirius and James heard . . .'
'They heard someone,' she finished.
'Yeah.'
'Rem,' she said, patting him on the top of the head a little. 'Look at me. Please.'
There was another pause, then Remus sat up, looking right at her. Kayla hesitantly reached out, and started tracing the most distinctly noticeable marks ever so lightly with the tip of her finger. One stretched from the corner of his cheek, just below the eye, right down to the middle of his jawbone. Another ran along the bridge of his nose, stopping beneath the other eye. A third began on his bottom lip, running down past his chin, all the way to the top of his throat. There were several other fainter ones, but these were the most prominent.
She finally spoke. 'They don't matter. They haven't got half a clue about what you go through, and since they don't know, they don't have a single right to judge you. You're a braver person than all of the boys in our grade put together, because you hardly breathe a word about any of it. And that's what counts for me. That you're strong.'
Remus gave a weak smile, and bowed his head again.
'Now,' Kayla said, letting out a heavy exhale, 'I'm going to go and find those idiots, and -'
'Don't worry about it,' Remus said, immediately looking back up at her. 'James and Sirius already dealt with them.'
'Did they? Well, them. I'm going to go and get them a pie.' She swung her legs off the edge of the mattress, and grinned back at him. 'I'll leave you alone now, but think about what I said. And you better damn well appreciate your friends, Lupin.'
He bobbed his head in response. 'I already do. More than you would believe.'
