AN: Sorry this took so long. I've been really busy with work and school. Hopefully I can update this more frequently within the next few weeks. Thanks for the reviews!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 7: Frustrated Feelings
Remus watched Sirius absentmindedly as he listened to Professor McGonagall lecture about self-transfiguration. Sirius was sitting back in his chair, his dark hair hung elegantly in his eyes. Remus shook his head as he realized what he was doing.
"Mr. Lupin, kindly keep your wandering eyes to the front of the classroom. I thought I made it clear that it was very important to learn as much as you can about self-transfiguration. It's a very difficult process," Professor McGonagall said harshly, glaring at him.
Remus blushed. He hoped Sirius hadn't noticed him staring. It had been over a week since he had realized that his feelings for Sirius were more than just mere friendship. He had tried to suppress them and keep busy so he would not dwell on them, but it seemed that his thoughts always traveled back to his friend.
After class, James approached him. "What's up Moony? You seem kind of down."
"Nothing," Remus said a little too quickly. "I'm just tired."
James raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Sirius and Peter joined them a second later.
"Stop," Sirius growled a minute later as they were walking back to the Gryffindor Common Room. "Look, it's Snivellus."
James looked to his right and smiled. "We haven't seen Ol' Snivelly at all this term."
Remus sighed, but none of his friends noticed. James and Sirius often went after Severus Snape. Remus didn't' know why. Sirius and James had hated Snape since the first train ride to Hogwarts. Remus didn't even remember Snape doing anything to them. He had always been so quiet. But Sirius and James hated him because he was into the Dark Arts. Remus didn't like him much either, but still didn't see a reason to torture the boy.
"Hey! Hey Snivellus!" Sirius called out.
Snape swiveled around. His eyes widened when he saw James pointing his wand at him. Snape pulled his own wand out of his pocket, but it was too late.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" James called out. Snape dropped his wand as he flew into the air.
Remus bit his lip. Say something, he urged himself. But he couldn't do it. James and Sirius were his friends. He couldn't tell them to stop. Besides he wasn't responsible for their actions anyway.
And then something his father had always told him floated into his head; if you don't stop it, then you're a part of it. Remus shook his head. He couldn't say anything…they wouldn't listen to him anyway.
Remus glanced at Peter. He was snickering as he watched James begin to spin Snape around in the air.
Remus shut his eyes. He couldn't watch.
"James Potter! Sirius Black! What are you doing?" It was Professor Borgen, their Astronomy teacher.
Remus sighed with relief. She would stop it and he wouldn't have to say a word. James took his wand down and Snape fell down painfully.
"Detention, both of you! And we're going to see your Head of House!" She turned around and motioned them to follow her. Sirius and James grinned at each other. They never cared when they got in trouble. Remus wished it would have some effect on them.
Remus and Peter headed back to the Common Room. Remus was too busy thinking about how stupid James and Sirius could act to engage in much conversation.
James and Sirius returned to the Common Room fifteen minutes later, laughing, as usual. Only this time, Remus wasn't as pleased to see their laughter.
"What did you get?" Peter asked, grinning.
"Twenty points and two detentions each," Sirius said. He gave James a high-five. "And James got an extra lecture because he's Head Boy!" Sirius added.
"Shut up," James muttered and gave Sirius a playful shove.
Remus went back to his homework. He never understood it. They broke the rules more than anybody and they always got off with the easiest punishments.
You never mind when they break the rules for you, Remus thought. He shook his head. That was different.
"I'm starving. Do you want to go down to dinner?" Peter asked them all.
Everyone nodded and agreed that was a fine idea. They walked down to the Great Hall. Remus hadn't realized he was hungry until he was shoveling steak and potatoes in his mouth.
"We have to get Snivellus good this year," Sirius said with a smile.
Remus glanced at James and was pleased to see that he looked a bit apprehensive. He ran a hand through his already untidy hair and finally spoke. "I don't know, Sirius. I don't mind teaching him a bit of a lesson, but…"
He trailed off looking uncomfortable and Remus knew he was thinking of the prank. It had been James who had risked his own life to make up for Sirius's blunder. The incident seemed to have a sobering effect on James' attitude. He no longer hexed anyone who talked to him and he was a lot less…conceited. He still made time to torture Snape, of course.
Sirius shrugged and there was an awkward pause in the conversation. Remus's thoughts began to travel back to the night of the prank. He remembered it being cold, unusually cold. Remus shivered.
He shook his head. It would not do to dwell on echoes of the past. No, it was better to look to the future. Remus glanced at Sirius and gave a dejected sigh.
"What's up?" Sirius asked with a grin, eager to break the silence that had descended upon them.
Remus's eyes widened. Had he sighed that loud? "N-Nothing," he muttered.
Sirius gave him an odd look and went back to his food.
James stood up and stretched. "Well, first Quidditch practice of the season tonight. Oh, and by the way, I've been made captain." He gave them an arrogant grin and walked off to get his broomstick.
Okay so maybe he hasn't lost all of his pride, Remus thought to himself, but he has certainly improved.
Remus, Peter, and Sirius walked back to the dormitories in silence. Sirius seemed to be lost in thought. When they reached the Common Room, Sirius and Peter started playing a game of Chess while Remus watched.
Remus enjoyed watching them play. Peter had always been very good. While lacking the knowledge to excel in his classes, he was ruthless with his chess pieces. It was an odd side to the boy. Remus was always fascinated by how different his chess persona was.
Three games later, Sirius declared that he was tired of losing and was going to bed early. James had still not returned. Remus followed Sirius up the steps to the boys' dormitories. He wasn't sure why he was going to bed. He wasn't particularly tired. They had both gotten into their pajamas when Remus spoke.
"Why do you give Snape a hard time?" The words were out of Remus's mouth before he could stop them. Remus cursed himself in his head. He didn't like confrontations.
Sirius stared at him for a second before replying. "Do you know what it's like to see a person like Snivellus walking around here when you have a family like mine?" he asked, anger apparent in his voice.
Remus shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "I know it's hard…but is it worth getting in trouble for?" Remus hesitated before saying, "Is it worth damaging your character?"
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked sharply.
"It's just…well…you're a great person," Remus blushed. "And well…Snape isn't. Every time you do something to him, you're just sinking to his level."
Sirius stepped closer to Remus and his anger seemed to fade away. "Maybe so," he said softly. "But I can't watch that slimeball walk around, knowing he knows all those dark curses…he's everything I stand against. Do you realize that? He's what I would have become if I hadn't realized that things were….wrong." He was panting heavily, his emotions overwhelming him.
Remus was strongly reminded of the argument they had had not so long about Sirius opening up and talking about what was bothering him. It seemed like whenever they got into a disagreement, emotions were always running high. "But you did realize what's wrong!" Remus shouted. He stepped closer to Sirius and grabbed his friend by the shoulders. "Snape is what you would have become, not what you are. Let him walk down the wrong path. I care about you too much to watch you do stupid things for the sake of Snape."
Remus stared into Sirius' dark eyes and was surprised to see that he was staring back. Before he knew it their lips met in a soft kiss.
AN: Please review!