V. PERSONAL VENDETTAS
"Mimblewhimble," Sirius said to the Fat Lady.
"What are you two doing out so late?" she questioned, yawning.
Sirius grinned. "Research."
"It's a good night to see the moon," Remus told her.
"Very well," she said in a mock patronizing tone. She swung open.
James was reading in the common room. "What are you doing up?" Lupin asked.
"Homework," James said. "I'm trying to pass Transfiguration."
"You need any help?" Sirius asked.
"Like you could give me any. Your grades are worse than mine."
"True."
Lupin smiled. "At least you aren't taking Muggle Studies."
"I wish I was," Sirius said, "'cause it's an easy class."
"No it isn't," Lupin retorted. "I had to write a four-foot parchment on electricity."
"What?" James asked.
"Never mind," said Lupin
***
Snape had Muggle Studies with Remus; his mother, a muggle-born, insisted that he know how to function in the Muggle world.
Today, they were studying road signs. The professor, a tiny female Snape did not respect, droned on about Muggles' laws and regulations. Snape didn't care anything about Muggles.
Snape glared at Lupin. He was asking questions such as "Why is a stop sign red?". Snape smirked. Lupin was such a pretty boy. Remus scribbled down notes with fervor. He clutched the arm of his robe nervously, gathering it and wrinkling it in his hand.
Snape lazily raised his hand. "Do homosexual Muggles follow the same rules of society as regular Muggles?" he asked.
"Beg your pardon?" The professor choked, her train of thought derailed.
Severus stared at Lupin, whose face was grey. "You know...males who," he paused, giving a short derisive laugh, "who mate with other guys."
"Yes, of course," the teacher said, "Why wouldn't they?"
"Well, it isn't very well accepted among most wizarding communities," Snape said.
The teacher sighed. "Mr. Snape, would you please keep your personal vendettas out of my classroom?"
Snape watched Lupin. The boy had lost what little color he had. Lupin seemed to be shivering. "Yes ma'am," Severus droned.
***
"Snape bothered me in Muggle Studies today," Lupin said to James.
Peter wiggled into the conversation. "What are you talking about? Why was he bothering you?"
"Don't worry about it," James said shortly.
"Fine," Peter said. He glared at the back of Lupin's ankles. "You're gay, aren't you?"
Peter asked Remus.
"What?" Lupin asked.
"You..." Peter accused, "You and James!"
James burst with laughter. "Me...and that moon-faced boy?" Lupin grinned shamefacedly. James gasped and whooped as Lily brushed past. James immediately stopped.
Maybe James guessed it, but he thought he saw her smile.
***
Peter sulked. James, Lupin, Sirius, and he all sat in a circle in their dormitory. "I just don't get it," Peter said to Remus. "How could you love HIM?"
"Hey!" Sirius declared. "I think I'm very handsome!"
"That's your problem half the time," James said.
Lupin glanced out the window. The moon had almost finished waxing.
"Hey, Lupe," Peter said. "You awake?"
"Huh?"
"When did all of the start?" Peter asked.
"About two months ago," Sirius said.
"Wow. You kept it a secret that long?" Peter quipped oily.
"From you, yes," replied Sirius.
"Does anyone else know?" James asked.
"Don't think so," Sirius said, leaning back and gazing out the window as well.
Lupin thought about what Severus had said today in Muggle Studies. It was odd, but he decided not to dwell on it.
"Mimblewhimble," Sirius said to the Fat Lady.
"What are you two doing out so late?" she questioned, yawning.
Sirius grinned. "Research."
"It's a good night to see the moon," Remus told her.
"Very well," she said in a mock patronizing tone. She swung open.
James was reading in the common room. "What are you doing up?" Lupin asked.
"Homework," James said. "I'm trying to pass Transfiguration."
"You need any help?" Sirius asked.
"Like you could give me any. Your grades are worse than mine."
"True."
Lupin smiled. "At least you aren't taking Muggle Studies."
"I wish I was," Sirius said, "'cause it's an easy class."
"No it isn't," Lupin retorted. "I had to write a four-foot parchment on electricity."
"What?" James asked.
"Never mind," said Lupin
***
Snape had Muggle Studies with Remus; his mother, a muggle-born, insisted that he know how to function in the Muggle world.
Today, they were studying road signs. The professor, a tiny female Snape did not respect, droned on about Muggles' laws and regulations. Snape didn't care anything about Muggles.
Snape glared at Lupin. He was asking questions such as "Why is a stop sign red?". Snape smirked. Lupin was such a pretty boy. Remus scribbled down notes with fervor. He clutched the arm of his robe nervously, gathering it and wrinkling it in his hand.
Snape lazily raised his hand. "Do homosexual Muggles follow the same rules of society as regular Muggles?" he asked.
"Beg your pardon?" The professor choked, her train of thought derailed.
Severus stared at Lupin, whose face was grey. "You know...males who," he paused, giving a short derisive laugh, "who mate with other guys."
"Yes, of course," the teacher said, "Why wouldn't they?"
"Well, it isn't very well accepted among most wizarding communities," Snape said.
The teacher sighed. "Mr. Snape, would you please keep your personal vendettas out of my classroom?"
Snape watched Lupin. The boy had lost what little color he had. Lupin seemed to be shivering. "Yes ma'am," Severus droned.
***
"Snape bothered me in Muggle Studies today," Lupin said to James.
Peter wiggled into the conversation. "What are you talking about? Why was he bothering you?"
"Don't worry about it," James said shortly.
"Fine," Peter said. He glared at the back of Lupin's ankles. "You're gay, aren't you?"
Peter asked Remus.
"What?" Lupin asked.
"You..." Peter accused, "You and James!"
James burst with laughter. "Me...and that moon-faced boy?" Lupin grinned shamefacedly. James gasped and whooped as Lily brushed past. James immediately stopped.
Maybe James guessed it, but he thought he saw her smile.
***
Peter sulked. James, Lupin, Sirius, and he all sat in a circle in their dormitory. "I just don't get it," Peter said to Remus. "How could you love HIM?"
"Hey!" Sirius declared. "I think I'm very handsome!"
"That's your problem half the time," James said.
Lupin glanced out the window. The moon had almost finished waxing.
"Hey, Lupe," Peter said. "You awake?"
"Huh?"
"When did all of the start?" Peter asked.
"About two months ago," Sirius said.
"Wow. You kept it a secret that long?" Peter quipped oily.
"From you, yes," replied Sirius.
"Does anyone else know?" James asked.
"Don't think so," Sirius said, leaning back and gazing out the window as well.
Lupin thought about what Severus had said today in Muggle Studies. It was odd, but he decided not to dwell on it.