18 June 1976

"Not once," said Professor McGonagall, her green eyes glinting dangerously behind her square spectacles, "in my nearly twenty years as a Hogwarts professor, have I been so utterly disappointed in a group of my students."

Remus flinched, closing his eyes. Peter, who was standing to Remus's left, shrank back under McGonagall's beady gaze, looking cowed. But Sirius and James, who stood to Remus's right, didn't bat an eyelid. And Snape—who was next to James—simply looked mutinous. A little dribble of pink foam was still clinging to the corner of his mouth, from the incident by the Black Lake an hour earlier.

"Potter and Black, one week's detention and fifty points from Gryffindor—each," Professor McGonagall continued, glaring at James and Sirius. Sirius made an incredulous noise in the back of his throat, and Professor McGonagall snapped her gaze onto him. "Is there a problem, Mr. Black?"

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but James elbowed him in the ribs, his expression stony. Sirius closed his mouth. "No, Professor," he said stiffly.

"A wise assessment," Professor McGonagall told Sirius coldly. "Now, I believe the four of you owe Mr. Snape an apology."

Remus glanced sideways at his friends before muttering, "Sorry, Severus." Peter followed suit, bowing his head in shame. Sirius rolled his eyes hugely, but grumbled a halfhearted apology nonetheless. Professor McGonagall turned expectantly to James. Remus glanced at him, too—and his heart stuttered to a stop. James was looking at Snape with a mixture of revulsion and anger that looked strikingly out-of-place and, quite frankly, rather terrifying on his normally easygoing features.

"Mr. Potter. Apologize, please."

Remus glanced up. It wasn't Professor McGonagall who had spoken, but Professor Dumbledore, who was standing a few feet behind Professor McGonagall's desk. Although he had been present for the entirety of the meeting, this was the first time he had spoken.

James looked around and caught Professor Dumbledore's gaze, swallowing. Then, jaw clenched, James gave Snape a curt nod. "Sorry," he said harshly, without looking at him.

Professor McGonagall leaned back in her chair. "The four of you are dismissed," she snapped, waving her hand in the Marauders' general direction. "Mr. Snape, you stay."

Remus carefully avoided looking at both Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore as he shuffled to the door after his friends. But then—

"Mr. Lupin, would you mind staying behind as well? Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Pettigrew, you may continue on your way."

Remus froze in his tracks, turning around. Professor Dumbledore was looking at him with an unreadable expression. Remus blinked. Then, nodding numbly, Remus walked back over to Professor McGonagall's desk. The deputy headmistress looked just as puzzled as Remus felt by Professor Dumbledore's request, but she nodded.

"You heard the headmaster—move it along, you three," Professor McGonagall said sharply to James, Sirius, and Peter. Remus looked over his shoulder to see his friends lingering by the office door.

Swallowing his own fears, Remus nodded at them. "I'll see you later," he said quietly.

James and Sirius exchanged a look, before they finally filed out of the office, Peter in tow. The door swung shut behind them with a soft click.

Professor McGonagall turned to Snape, her expression cold again. "Miss Macdonald, Miss Griffiths, Miss Deverill, and Miss Wickersham all came by my office together to tell me that they heard you call Miss Evans by an incredibly rude name this afternoon. Is this true, Mr. Snape?"

Remus looked at Snape and saw the Slytherin's face flush red. "They heard wrong," Snape spat.

Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes at Snape, but Professor Dumbledore spoke first, his voice uncharacteristically chilly.

"As it so happens, we have another witness present," Professor Dumbledore said, his piercing blue eyes boring into Snape's; Remus saw Snape twitch. Professor Dumbledore looked at Remus. "Mr. Lupin, you were at the lake this afternoon. Did you hear Mr. Snape call Miss Evans by a vulgar slur that I do not wish to repeat?"

Remus glanced sideways at Snape—the Slytherin's normally pale face was practically maroon with anger and indignation. Feeling a surge of hatred toward Snape, Remus nodded at Professor Dumbledore.

"Very well," Professor Dumbledore said, and although his voice was quiet, it seemed to fill the entire room, sweeping over Remus like a cold gust of wind—Remus didn't blame Snape for trembling slightly. "Mr. Snape, you will serve one week's detention, as well."

Snape gasped, looking at Professor Dumbledore in horror. "Professor, that—that isn't fair—"

"Believe me, Mr. Snape, it is completely fair—and I am sure Professor Slughorn would agree," Professor McGonagall interrupted severely. "Slurs of any kind are not tolerated at this school. And I would think that given the degree of friendship I've witnessed between you and Miss Evans all these years, you would exhibit a little more remorse."

For the first time, Remus saw some of Snape's anger melt away—he looked worried.

"You may leave, now, Mr. Snape," Professor McGonagall said irately. "I will have Professor Slughorn provide you the details of your detention tomorrow."

Snape sniffed furiously, snatching his schoolbag up from the floor and slouching out of the office.

Professor McGonagall put her elbows on her desk and cradled her head in her hands, releasing a slow breath through her teeth. "I've had it with his attitude," she muttered crossly. "If it were up to me, Albus—"

"Mr. Snape has yet to receive the worst of his punishment," Professor Dumbledore said solemnly. "Miss Evans is sure to provide him with perspective beyond the scope of anything a few house points or detentions could."

Remus shifted his feet uncomfortably, feeling as though he were intruding on a private moment. Professor McGonagall started, looking at him as though she'd just remembered he was there.

"Oh—Mr. Lupin—"

"Ah, yes," Professor Dumbledore said seriously, turning to Remus. "Professor McGonagall, would you mind giving Mr. Lupin and myself a moment alone to chat? We won't be long."

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows at Professor Dumbledore, looking taken aback. Nonetheless, she nodded slowly, climbing to her feet and sweeping out of her office.

Remus watched her leave. Then, swallowing heavily, he looked at Professor Dumbledore.

"You are not in any trouble, Mr. Lupin," Professor Dumbledore told him gently. "Do not worry."

Remus watched, heart racing, as Professor Dumbledore walked slowly across Professor McGonagall's office and came to a stop by the large portrait of Godric Gryffindor that spanned the room's left wall.

"I'm going to ask you a question, Mr. Lupin," Professor Dumbledore said softly, turning to face Remus, "and I hope that you will answer honestly."

Remus's heart was pounding against his ribcage, now.

"As a prefect," Professor Dumbledore said quietly, "did you feel there was nothing more you could have done to dissuade your friends from the behavior they engaged in today?"

Remus's heart plummeted to his feet like a stone. Averting his gaze from the headmaster's and staring down at his knees instead, Remus whispered, "No, Professor. I…I could have done more."

Professor Dumbledore nodded slowly, his expression grave.

"I see," he said, considering Remus closely over his half-moon spectacles. "Remus, I hope you don't think I underestimate the difficulty of being both a good friend and a good prefect. It is an enormous responsibility, and one I entrusted to you because I believe you capable."

Remus swallowed heavily. "Yes, sir."

"In asking you to stand up to your friends, I am asking you to do something that…many wizards older and more accomplished than you would be incapable of," Professor Dumbledore said softly. "But I have faith in your judgment, Mr. Lupin. If they really are your friends—which I've no doubt they are—then they will respect your perspective."


It was nearly dinnertime when Remus left Professor McGonagall's office, feeling thoroughly disappointed in himself. Professor Dumbledore's words rung dizzyingly in Remus's ears as he dragged his feet down the seventh floor corridor, in the direction of the Gryffindor common room.

He was just around the corner when he heard familiar voices.

"She doesn't want to talk to you!"

"I don't care! I'm not leaving until I see her—!"

"You'll be waiting forever, Snape!"

"Well, I've got all night, haven't I? I'll—I'll sleep out here if I have to!"

Remus turned the corner, toward the portrait hole. Then, he stopped in his tracks.

Snape and Mary were standing a few feet apart in front of the Fat Lady, hands curled into fists and expressions equally mutinous as they glowered at one another. They both swiveled around when they caught sight of Remus. Snape's expression turned nasty. But Mary's eyes filled with tears.

Swiping at her eyes with her sleeves, Mary turned and ducked back into the portrait hole, which swung shut behind her. Now feeling worse than ever, Remus walked up to the portrait hole himself. "Wiggentree," he told the Fat Lady, and she swung open again, revealing the Gryffindor common room. He was just about to step inside, when—

"What?" Snape spat from behind Remus. "Aren't you going to have a go at me, Lupin? Lecture me for my foul mouth, like your hypocrite friends?"

Remus stiffened. Then, eyes flashing, he turned and faced Snape.

"I prefer to save my lectures for people I actually give a damn about," he said through clenched teeth.

And without waiting for a response, Remus stepped into the Gryffindor common room, letting the door slam shut behind him.

"I'm sorry, Evans—!"

"I don't want to hear it, Potter!"

Remus came to a standstill by his and his friends' customary cluster of armchairs by the common room fireplace, where Sirius and Peter were already seated, watching the spectacle by the girls' dormitory staircase: Lily was standing several steps up, arms crossed as she glared down at James, who stood at the foot of the stairwell.

"You know, Evans, you're lucky I'm actually apologizing instead of just saying 'I told you so!'"

The entire common room went silent. Lily's expression turned to ice. Remus gaped at James in disbelief.

"What did you just say?" Lily asked in a dangerous voice.

James was seemingly undeterred by Lily's tone. "Everyone saw this coming," he said harshly. "In fact, I'll bet that deep down, you did, too. This can't have been a surprise, really."

Lily was shaking with anger. In a flash, she flew down the stairs and seized the collar of James's robes, her expression positively livid.

"You are an arrogant, immature pig, James Potter," she spat. "And if you so much as look in my direction ever again, I swear I will hex you to another universe."

Releasing James, Lily turned and stormed up the girls' dormitory staircase. James watched her disappear, slightly openmouthed. Then, slowly, he turned around and walked over to where his friends were sitting by the fireplace. Gradually, the buzz of conversation in the common room flickered to life once again.

"That was rough, mate," Sirius said quietly, as James sank into the armchair next to his.

James shrugged unconcernedly, though Remus didn't miss the glimmer of annoyance in his eyes. "I can't force her to see the truth," James said coolly. "It's not like I forced Snivellus to say what he did."

Remus frowned at James, opening his mouth to say something—but then, he closed it.

"Maybe you're better off with someone else," Sirius said, glancing in the direction of the girls' dormitories. "This thing with Evans…it seems like a lot more trouble than it's worth."

James didn't respond. Remus stared at his friend, his heart hammering.

"If they really are your friends—which I've no doubt they are—then they will respect your perspective."

"Prongs—Padfoot," Remus said abruptly. "I think…what you did today—it was stupid."

Sirius looked up at him in genuine disbelief. "You're not seriously angry with us, too? It might have gotten a bit out of hand, but that twat deserved it—you heard what he—"

"But did it occur to either of you that publicly provoking the boy who knows my deepest secret—the boy who you know would like nothing better than to share that secret with the entire school and get me expelled—was maybe a dangerous idea?"

There was a fraught silence; James and Sirius both stared at him, and Remus could see his words begin to permeate the haze of arrogance, the carelessness.

Sirius swore.


Author's Note:

"Did I ever tell you to lay off Snape? Did I ever have the guts to tell you I thought you were out of order?"
"Yeah, well, you made us feel ashamed of ourselves sometimes…that was something…"
-Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, circa OotP

Standing up to his friends was always an ordeal for Remus, simply because of how afraid he was of losing them, but I think it was often necessary. Particularly after this episode, when James needed some sense knocked into him.

I think you'll all appreciate the next chapter! ;)

Hugs,
Ari