A Wizard's Debt

"You know, mates, I was trying to avoid magical creatures by not taking the class this year," Remus muttered when he awoke later in the Hospital Wing.

"I'm so sorry," Peter blubbered immediately. "It was my stupid snake."

"Don't worry about it," Remus replied. The pair was silenced by the unmistakable clicks of Madam Pomfrey's shoes on the floor.

"Awake then?" She bustled in and began to recite spells to check his vital signs as she jabbered at him. She nodded to herself and pulled a vial out of her robes. "Drink this and then you can head out. It'll finish counteracting the poison."

She stood expectantly as Remus uncorked the vial and took a whiff. He gagged.

"Never smell it first, mate," Sirius offered with a smirk. "How many times do we have to tell you?"

Remus shook his head in disgust and downed the vial in one gulp. "Sweet Merlin," he gasped as he handed the empty vial back to the nurse. "I can go now?"

Madam Pomfrey gave him a quick once over, tutted twice and then nodded.

Remus sat up, tossed his legs over the side of the bed and followed the other three Marauders out of the hospital wing.

"We've spent far too much time in there this year," he muttered, ignoring the throbbing in his foot.

"No kidding," James agreed, glancing at his watch. "Lovely, she let us out just in time for Herbology.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Peter said, leading the way through the corridors as the other three trailed behind.

"What if we skived off for the rest of the day?" Sirius interjected. "The four of us haven't ever gone into Hogsmeade together."

"For good reason," Remus said. "We're not supposed to be there. It'd be just wonderful to finally be allowed to go as a group and to have that privilege revoked because we got careless about that passageway."

"And I like Herbology," Peter added, continuing towards the main entrance to the castle.

Sirius let out a loud sigh of defeat, but followed the others towards the greenhouses, quickly forgetting about his previous idea and moving onto his latest one.

"Have I told you mates about my idea for Snape? It involves a large vat of mayonnaise…"

James turned towards his long haired friend with an expression of interest on his face as Remus stifled a groan and Peter hurried along towards the greenhouse.

"Peter Pettigrew? What are you doing out here?"

The boy whirled around and tried to shove the broomstick he was holding behind his back, an attempt he failed at miserably.

He let out a soft groan and looked to the tall, slender girl.

"I was going to fly… or try to that is…"

Rebecca Longbottom raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I thought you weren't very good at it. You should know better than to go flying alone."

"You're flying alone."

"I haven't nearly killed myself on numerous occasions on my broomstick."

Thinking back to several Quidditch games, Peter felt a look of defiance cross his face as she quickly added to her comment.

"When I'm just flying that is… Quidditch is another story."

Peter's countenance collapsed in defeat.

"Nevermind, I'll just head inside. I should finish my Astronomy homework, it's due tonight."

Rebecca shrugged and threw her leg over her broomstick. She hovered about three feet in the air next to him.

"Or we could fly together, if you'd like. I know what your problem is, you've just got no confidence in the air."

"Or on the ground," he muttered, glancing desperately at his broom. He continued in a low voice. "It's just that they're all so good at every bloody thing and I'm not even mediocre…" He shook the thoughts out of his head and glanced quickly at Rebecca, hoping she hadn't heard what he'd just said. Her face was unreadable.

"Well," she offered a moment later. "You know what to do. If I recall correctly, you did pass flying… somehow."

Peter let out a bitter chuckle. "Because I tried, she probably would've felt bad failing me."

"Still, you do know the basics. If you're coming… come on." She sailed up to hover around ten feet and looked down at him.

He took a deep breath and put the broom down next to him.

"Up."

The broom rolled feebly on the ground.

"It knows you don't want to get on it. For Merlin's sake, Peter, just take command of the situation."

Peter glared down at the broom and every angry feeling he'd ever had towards being 'little Peter Pettigrew, just why do those other three hang around with him' came soaring towards him and he let them out as he yelled.

"Up."

The broom flew into his hands. He glanced up at Rebecca who looked down at him with a clearly surprised expression on her face.

"If you keep that up, you'll be flying like a professional Quidditch player before you know it."

He nodded and turned his attention to mounting the broom. He tossed his leg over and, still concentrating on how superior the other three Marauders always seemed to him, he flew up next to Rebecca.

"Did you practice over the summer?" she asked, clearly surprised.

"No, there's nowhere to practice. I'm Muggleborn," he told her. The conversation broke his concentration. Suddenly he realized that his anger and jealousy of the other Marauders was what had gotten him into the air and he felt sick. The broom started to wobble, but he couldn't pay attention to it.

What was I thinking? It's not their fault they're good at everything any more than it's my fault I'm not. They don't care about that stuff at all. So what if Sirius can never crack open a book and still remain in the top half of our classes? So what if he and James can both do all that Animagi stuff on their own and I just about always need help, even with the simplest concept?. So what if Remus is a genius at Defense Against the Dark Arts?

"Peter!"

Rebecca's terrified shriek shocked him out of his reverie. When Peter tried to glance over to her, he realized she was no longer next to him. He had somehow shot straight up in the air and was now several hundred feet above Hogwarts.

"Peter, come down! You're too high."

She sounded flat out panic stricken and Peter could see why. The panic quickly overtook him too and the broom stopped responding to him altogether. A moment later, the broom shook him off entirely and he was plummeting head first towards the grounds. He heard Rebecca's terrified scream.

I'm going to die. I'm going to die because I wanted to learn how to ride a broom as well as James. Because I was sick of Sirius finishing the Animagi primer spells before I did. Because Remus passed the last Defense test and I didn't. I'm going to crash headfirst into the grounds and I'll be dead before Madam Pomfrey can even get to me.

He closed his eyes and tried to prepare for the impact. At least it'll be quick. Once again he was shocked out of his reverie by a jarring sensation.

"Peter! Peter! Are you alright? Oh, sweet, sweet Merlin, I can't believe I caught you. Are you alright? Talk, Peter! Talk!"

Peter looked dazedly at her. He could feel her broom across his back and her body behind him and a piercing pain in his left arm.

"I'm so sorry I hurt your arm, but I had to grab you."

The girl was shaking.

"I'm alive?" he whispered.

She burst into tears.

He looked down. The ground was less than ten feet away. Then he passed out.

"Peter?"

The world was swimming back into focus. I'm going to be in the hospital wing. James, Sirius and Remus will be here too… and they're going to make fun of me for even trying to ride a broom.

"Peter?"

Maybe I can just keep my eyes closed forever. That's it. I'll just stay here until June with my eyes closed.

"Peter?"

That's a girl's voice. Who is that?

"Peter? Come on, you prat. I can tell you're awake."

Becca.

"What?"

Peter opened one eye and squinted at her. He was surprised to see that while they were indeed in the hospital wing, the Marauders were nowhere nearby. He was also surprised to see her face all splotchy as though she'd been crying and her eyes red.

"Are you crying?"

She straightened up and drew her arm angrily across her eyes and nose. "No, I'm not."

Suddenly the earlier event came back in full force, assaulting his senses. "Sweet Merlin, you saved my life."

She shook her head. "Not really, I mean… I was just lucky. That last gust of wind caught you too… if it hadn't, I wouldn't've… in time…"

"But you did." He sat up, taking note that his arm had been mended while he was unconscious. "I owe you a Wizard's Debt."

"Peter, don't worry about it." Rebecca scooted farther away from him in her seat. "It was just luck."

"No," he insisted. "Remus, James, Sirius, they've all told me about Wizard's Debts… and I agree with them. I owe you my life Becca."

She sat silently for a moment. "Alright Peter. But don't expect me to be asking any huge favors anytime soon."

He grinned slightly at her.

She matched his grin. "Although, there is that horrid Herbology assignment due next week that I haven't even begun yet."

The two burst into mutual laughter as Peter tossed his pillow at her head.

Madam Pomfrey quickly walked up to the bed and proclaimed Peter fit to leave the hospital wing.

The two Gryffindors walked out of the infirmary and towards the Tower.

"Why didn't you get the Marauders?" Peter asked quietly.

"I'm sorry," Rebecca looked surprised. "I didn't really think you'd want me to. I thought of trying to fetch just Remus… but I didn't know how to get him away from the others." She shrugged. "I'm not sure I'd want you to fetch Frank if I fell off my broom."

Peter relaxed. "Thanks Becca… Are you going to tell them?"

"No."

"Thanks."

The two walked along in silence until finally Peter broke it.

"So what did you tell Madam Pomfrey?"

"Are you familiar with Hagrid's new pet muklucks?"

"Oh Merlin…"

"Hey Sirius."

The lanky boy turned and offered the girl a dazzling grin. "Cortessa Maris, lovely to see you darling. What brings you this way?"

"Not a what, a who. Who else? Mel shoved a bloody dungbomb in my bag this morning. It went off during bloody Latin Studies. The professor gave me detention. You?"

"I er… accidentally freed the jarveys in Care of Magical Creatures, would you believe Kettleburn didn't think it was an accident!"

"With your sparkling reputation, how could he not?" Tessa placed a hand over her heart in mock indignation. "Where was your partner in crime?"

"Potter? That sod went off and worked with Becca this morning. Daft lad thinks I'm a distraction."

"Whoever would've thought?" She smiled at him, he smiled back.

"Ah and here we are, the lovely abode of Mister Argus Filch," Sirius continued cheerily, rapping on the door.

Filch opened the door quickly and glared down at them. "Off to the hospital wing, both of you. You're to help Madam Pomfrey clean out her supply cabinets." He then grinned wickedly and held out both of his hands. As Cortessa and Sirius were familiar with this particular gesture, they both winced when they placed their wands in his outstretched hands. Filch then slammed the door on them.

"I bloody hate cleaning out the hospital wing without my wand," Sirius groaned. The two turned and looked towards said area of the castle.

"Actually, I got to keep my wand once… that was so much worse." Tessa closed her eyes and shook her head at the memory. "At least it's not the bed pans again."

Sirius let out a resigned sigh and then straightened up, offering Tessa his arm. "Shall we then?"

Tessa shook her head at the display before her, but grinned and looped her arm through his. "Let's."

"This is bloody insane, mate." James whispered to Sirius as they crossed the threshold of the library. "I always knew Kettleburn was mad, but this…"

"…takes the cake," Sirius finished for him.

The second week of October was upon the castle and the majority of the Care of Magical Creatures class was sitting at tables in the library, hard at work beginning their midterm projects.

James elbowed Sirius in the ribs and pointed over towards two tables in the corner. Rebecca Longbottom was sitting across from Alfred Crabbe and it appeared as though she was using all of her restraint to keep from knocking herself out on the wooden table. Mary Ollivander was sitting next to her wearing a similar expression as she leaned forward to converse with her partner David Goyle. At the table next to them, Cynthia Kaite and Gallus Malfoy were glaring at one another.

"I think I got off easy on this one, Potter." James turned to see Sirius glancing over distastefully at the table containing a rather large third year by the name of Dolores Umbridge.

"I don't even want to know who you're working with if he considers Umbridge getting off easy, James."

The two boys turned to see Peter and Remus standing in the doorway, Remus grinning at them.

"Bugger off, Lupin." James glared at his two friends. Both of them had probably come down to work on their Ancient Runes project they had paired up for.

Peter shrugged as Remus chuckled at James. "Well, who is your partner?"

"I am." The oily voice came up from behind them. "Shall we commence this torture now, Potter? I'd rather like to finish quickly, before I lose my lunch."

"My sentiments exactly," James retorted. Severus Snape started off towards a nearby empty table as James gave one last look to the Marauders over his shoulder and then followed Snape to the table.

Sirius let out a loud theatrical sigh, glanced at the remaining two Marauders and walked across the room to sit down next to Dolores.

"You're late."

"You said meet in the library at one. I was in the library at one," he countered, offering her a big grin.

She scowled at him. "Don't try that on me, Black." She grabbed for her textbook. "I was thinking we could do a study of jarveys. It might help you get back on Professor Kettleburn's good side after that stupid incident in September."

"I'm not looking to get on anyone's good side." Sirius pulled out his own textbook, a piece of parchment and a quill. "But if you want to study jarveys, that's fine." He glanced up, surprised to see her gaping at him. Which makes her look even more like a toad falling off a broom, he thought. "What?"

She shook her head. "I just don't understand how you don't want to be on a teacher's good side."

He shrugged. "They seem to like me enough as it is. And I don't get on their good sides by sucking up." He glanced down to his textbook. "There's really not too much in here about jarveys. We should go collect some books."

She nodded. "Alright, I'll go get-"

She was cut off by an angry yell from near the front of the library and a mad cackle that Sirius recognized as James. He quickly rose from the table and rushed over towards his friend.

As he came upon the table where Snape and James had sat down, he stopped, puzzled for a moment. James was laughing maniacally, as were several other members of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw that were situated near them. Snape, however, appeared to be doing something straight from the dance section of his Muggle Studies textbook, the mashed potato and the twist all rolled into one.

Momentarily taken aback, Sirius stopped short and stared at the scene. He was quickly jostled as a large solid thing ran into him. Turning, he saw Peter and Remus trying to regain their balance right behind him.

"What the-" Peter began.

"No idea," Sirius replied, grinning. "But Snape certainly doesn't seem to be enjoying it."

"What is going on over here!"

The entire group jumped and began to disperse as Madam Pince shot across the library towards the noise. To make matters worse, Snape began to 'ribbit', thus causing James to begin laughing again, so hard actually, that he began to cry.

"Mr. Potter, kindly explain to me what this young man is doing," Madam Pince asked the messy haired boy through gritted teeth.

"R-r-r-ribbitting, Madam Pince," James wheezed.

"Ribbitting?" The librarian stood still for a moment, until she began to shriek. "All of you, get out of my library. OUT! This instant." She turned to Dolores Umbridge, who had been lurking in the corner, watching the events unfold. "You there, girl, help your classmate to the hospital wing."

Dolores quickly scuttled forward and put a hand on Snape's arm to lead him towards the doorway. He narrowed his eyes angrily and snatched it away quickly, still gyrating madly, he grabbed his satchel and made his way towards the library door, Dolores still trailing behind him.

The four Marauders quickly made their way out into the corridor as Madam Pince glared at them.

"What was that, James?" Sirius asked.

"Frog feet hex mixed with a croaking charm." James blew against his knuckles and then rubbed them on his robe. "Pretty good mix, if I don't say so myself."

"Frog feet hex?" Peter looked at his friend.

Remus sighed and answered for James. "It makes you feel like a thousand frog feet are jumping all over you. Rather unpleasant sounding from my readings of it."

"Nothing's too unpleasant for Snape," Sirius crowed. "What'd he do to you to make you do that?"

"Breath too loudly? Smell bad?" James offered. "Since when do I need a reason to torture Snape?"

"Bloody brilliant, mate." Sirius replied proudly.

"Mr. Potter," a familiar voice called from behind the boys. "My office, this instant."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall," James replied, tossing the three remaining Marauders a wink before turning to follow her.