Quidditch League
Falmouth Falcons
Position: Beater 2
Round: 5
Prompt: Unfairness (specifically, for those who don't know anything about the QL, write about a character who doesn't show unfairness in canon.
Optional Prompts: Pocket watch (object) No female characters (restriction) Fleeting (word)
Words: 2169
A/N: written in British English and beta'd by the marvellous CatherineMorgenstern. (Very) minor warnings for bullying and self-hatred.
Remus heard Harry and Malfoy arguing before he saw them. His sense of smell - heightened due to the approaching full moon - caused him to scent their animosity perfuming the air even from a distance. He quickly switched to breathing through his mouth before it could entice Moony to the surface.
"Shut up, Potter."
"Make me, Malfoy."
"That would require touching you," Draco drawled in that insolent tone so reminiscent of his father.
There was a shuffling noise and Remus could well imagine Harry rushing forward to thrust his face closer to Malfoy's. He could visualise the way his features, so similar to James', would be twisted into a snarl, his eyes narrowed into thin slits. Sensing an escalation, Remus increased his pace.
"What now, Potter?"
A thump sounded, followed by a scuffle. "Let's see your father get you out of this one."
"At least I have a father," Draco wheezed.
The words cut through Remus like a knife and he stumbled, hurt on Harry's behalf.
"I might not have one, Malfoy, but at least he loved me. Yours only sees you as a disappointment. He loves Voldemort more than he loves you!"
Remus rushed down the corridor and finally made it to the two boys. Both had their wands drawn and pointed at each other.
They yelled in surprise when Remus grabbed them by the wrists and pushed down until their wands faced the ground. "That's enough," he said.
"He started it!" Harry yelled.
"And I'm finishing it," Remus interjected before Draco could reply. "On your way and don't let me catch the two of you fighting again. I'll have no compunction about punishing the pair of you should you choose to continue with this silliness. Understood?"
A stiff nod from Malfoy and a scowl from Harry answered his question. He watched them leave with a frown, knowing they'd be at each other's throats again within hours. But in the end, it was Remus who couldn't get their argument out of his head.
At least I have a father.
Malfoy's words circled his head endlessly. Children were cruel, he knew that from his own experiences. They threw hurtful words around like they weren't capable of leaving cuts that scarred for life. The longer he dwelled on it, the more angry he became. Harry had been through enough already and, if Dumbledore was right, he'd go through much more in the future, he didn't need reminders of his dead father thrown in his face on top of it all.
By the time his Defence Against the Dark Arts class started, his temper was fraying at the edges and he'd checked the time on his pocket watch several times. He'd been doing that more often lately, aware that he'd soon shift into his wolf form, terrified that this would be the moment that he slipped free of the prison he would place himself inside and hurt someone. Brushing the thoughts aside, he asked the students to read before sitting at his desk to try and shift his mood. It didn't help that both Harry and Malfoy were in his class, glaring and making digs at each other whenever his attention was elsewhere.
A muttered word followed by a titter caused Remus to glance up. Malfoy was smirking at a red-faced Harry. Something in him snapped and he found himself marching across the room to loom over Draco.
"I did warn you earlier, did I not, Mr Malfoy?" Remus said softly.
Tension spread throughout the classroom.
"I think a couple of hours after class cleaning my floor will teach you the error of your ways, wouldn't you agree?"
Several students snickered and Remus had to keep his amusement in check as Malfoy flushed in embarrassment. Perhaps a little humiliation would teach the brat a lesson.
"But I didn't do anything!"
"Come now, we both know that isn't true," Remus murmured in that same gentle voice that was so unnerving.
The rest of the lesson passed in relative silence, since nobody dared to draw Remus' attention. When at last the class was over, the students dashed from the room, whispering to each other while looking back at Draco.
"You can start there," Remus said, pointing to the furthest corner. Draco grumbled as Remus transfigured a handkerchief into a large rag and handed it to him. "When you're ready."
"This is ridiculous," Malfoy muttered, making his way to the area Remus had indicated.
Remus walked to his desk and pulled out his pocket watch, placing it on the cluttered surface where he could watch the minutes tick by, willing them to speed up and then changing his mind and wishing them to slow down, indecision making him feel antsy. His skin felt itchy and he needed to fist his hands to stop himself from scratching. The students couldn't know what he was; nobody could.
Pulling in a steadying breath, Remus tugged a stack of essays towards himself, intending to mark them while Malfoy cleaned, but he couldn't get beyond the first paragraph. His eyes traced over the looping script as Malfoy's words once again replayed in his head.
"At least I have a father."
Six simple words that had the ability to tear at his heart. The grief of losing James still hurt just as much as it had all those years ago. Seeing Harry everyday prodded at that pain until it became an ache that wouldn't shift. They were so much alike, not only in appearance, but also in their personalities. Sometimes it was as if James was here again and he could pretend that he'd never died, merely aged backwards. That was why he was so determined to look after Harry, just like he should've looked after James.
Draco's muttering increased in volume to the point where Remus felt annoyance rise inside him. "Less noise, Mr Malfoy."
The boy huffed, but complied with his order, albeit with a scowl etched into his features. Malfoy had an oily scent to him that grew stronger as the boy's anger increased. Remus almost scoffed, but managed to hold it back before it could escape his throat. It wouldn't be professional of him to make his dislike of certain students known, after all.
He flicked his gaze towards Draco. "Clean under the chairs as well, Mr Malfoy, if you wouldn't mind, that is."
"I do mind," Draco whispered beneath his breath.
"What was that?"
Malfoy looked at him with a sneer. "My father will have your job when he hears about this."
"And when he hears about your behaviour?" Remus stood, plucked the watch from his desk and began to walk towards him. "What then?"
"I already told you Potter started it, but of course you take his side as you always do," Draco said.
"That's absurd."
"Is it? He started the fight and he assaulted me. Then-"
"You said mean things about his father," Remus murmured as he wandered nearer, hands casually placed in his pockets, the watch cupped in his palm. "That wasn't nice."
"And I suppose you conveniently didn't hear the things he said about my father?"
Remus raised his eyebrows. "They were said in retaliation for the words you uttered, Mr Malfoy."
"Which were said in retaliation to him hitting me."
Draco's reply caused a sense of unease to grow in Remus. He prided himself on having an unbiased opinion in all matters. He'd been a victim of prejudice for most of his life and had promised himself to always be fair. He had little problem keeping that promise with the other Slytherins under his care, but there was something about Malfoy that prodded at his usually calm temperament.
"That's enough." Remus returned to his desk. "I don't want to hear another word from you."
And he didn't, not until Draco's punishment was over and the boy was leaving.
"My father will most definitely hear about this, Professor," Malfoy muttered with a sneer as he closed the door behind him.
Two days later, Remus found himself sitting next to Lucius Malfoy in Dumbledore's office. It was awful timing, Moony had begun to push at his skin and the discomfort of keeping him in check was taking its toll on his temper. He tightened his grip on his watch until the smooth metal pressed into his palm; a reminder that time didn't stand still and his discomfort would soon pass.
"I can't possibly allow this discrimination to stand." Lucius tapped his cane against his boot. "My son has been humiliated in front of his classmates and for what? A muttered word? It hardly warrants punishment as I'm sure you'll agree. No, what this is really about is his blatant favouritism towards the Potter boy."
"Come now, Lucius, you're mistaken," Albus murmured.
Lucius' lips turned down at the corners. "Mistaken? I think not. Draco informed me of the incident that occurred prior to his detention and it's clear to me that my boy was singled out for a few hasty words spoken in retaliation for the Potter boy's attack." He shook his head, causing his blond hair to slide over his shoulders. "How disappointing to learn that the saviour of the Wizarding World isn't quite the paragon we all believed him to be."
"There was no attack," Remus scoffed.
"Are you sure?"
Remus bared his teeth in a smile and nodded. "Yes."
But he wasn't, not really. He'd stumbled upon the boys after their argument had begun and he couldn't be sure who had started it. Remus could admit that Harry had inherited his temper from James, but that didn't mean he'd started the altercation. And regardless of whether he had or not, it didn't excuse Draco's cruel words.
But it didn't excuse Harry's either.
Remus frowned, aware that he'd lost track of the conversation between Albus and Malfoy. Had he been unfair? He'd promised himself to treat all of his students equally, no matter their background or parents. He hadn't been afforded the same courtesy and he'd sworn to never do that to others. And yet, Harry didn't have a father to protect or stand up for him like Draco did. But he did have Remus. And if that meant turning a blind eye to certain actions, then so be it, he would gladly do that and more to keep the Slytherins in check. In hindsight, he had been doing it unconsciously for a while, penalising the elite because of the way they had treated him as a boy. He shrugged the fleeting moment of unease away and glanced at Lucius.
"If you have a problem with my teaching style, then you can lodge a complaint with the Ministry," Remus said.
Lucius puffed up his chest. "Oh, I intend to do just that."
"Then-"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Albus interrupted. "I think it's time to adjourn this meeting?" He stood up and rounded his desk. " Lucius, I assure you that no favouritism was shown in this matter. Now, if you'll excuse us?"
Lucius' lips thinned. "You haven't heard the last of this," he warned before marching out of the office without a backward glance.
Albus watched him leave with amusement. "Well." He turned to Remus and winked. "A little more prudence next time, hmmm?"
Remus' eyebrows raised before his face morphed into a tentative smile. "Of course."
He left Dumbledore's office feeling a little lighter than he had when he'd entered. It lasted until he spied Lucius waiting for him down the hall.
"A moment?" Lucius drawled.
Remus placed his hands behind his back, tapping his thumb in time with the pocket watch's second hand. Time will pass, he recited silently to himself. "Of course."
"We both know you have a particular problem with the more affluent students at this school, specifically my son, do you deny it?"
"I do," Remus said.
"Come now, there's no need to lie to me. Your bias in this incident is-"
"I'm not lying," Remus snapped, muscles tensing, Moony straining to be released.
Lucius raised a single eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over Remus' stiff posture before lifting to meet his hostile stare. "That's quite the temper you have, Lupin. Some would even say it's almost… animalistic," he drawled. "It would be a pity if it turned out that one of Dumbledore's highly praised teachers was not only incapable of being unbiased in his classroom but also a danger to the very students he signed up to protect."
Remus felt his heart thud painfully. Had Moony slipped free? Were his eyes amber instead of their usual soft green? He quickly dropped his gaze and shoved past Lucius.
Moony pushed to the surface and Remus quickly rushed away before his control could completely snap. His feet moved of their own accord, everything around him a blur until he reached the safety of the Shrieking Shack. Locking the door, he wheezed and sagged to his knees. His eyes moved to his hand, where his pocket watch lay, shattered into a dozen pieces, the hands bent.
Perhaps time would stand still now, after all.
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