Disclaimer on first page (first chapter).
Oh Dreaded Night!
Chapter Three
After he sent his owl off, with wishes that the letter would reach his parents quickly, he joined his friends at the breakfast table; they all looked well rested and happy, something that he couldn't relate to but tried his hardest to fake. He noticed James looking over to the Slytherin table, trying to locate Snape, but he was nowhere to be found. "Probably spent his night in the infirmary." James said, stuffing his mouth with bacon.
"Spent it crying for his mum!" Sirius gleefully expressed, bumping his shoulder into James' arm. If it hurt, James didn't express anything. "You should have seen the look on his face when you expelled the wand from his hand, Lupin, you'd have really enjoyed it."
Somehow, Lupin doubted that. In addition to fatigue from the little sleep that he got last night, pangs of guilt started in his stomach and worked it's way up to his throat, which made him feel as if he'd be sick. He needed more than ever for that letter to reach his parents soon. They were his only hope out of this school. He stuffed a roll down his throat, though, as he needed some sort of sugar to get on with the day. He had the feeling he'd be attacking his stash of chocolate later, as well. "I bet!" He mumbled.
Peter pointed to Lupin's plate. "You gonna eat that bacon?"
"No, you can have it. I'm tired of bacon." He lied.
"Tired of bacon? I think I could have it every day for the rest of my life and still love it!" Peter expressed, with a laugh. "Thank you." At least he was polite about it. Lupin pushed his entire plate over to Peter, which made Peter happy, but concerned. "You're not going to eat breakfast?"
"I had a roll. I'll probably have another, but that's about it."
"You sound surprised, Pettigrew. Lupin hardly ever touches his food." Sirius commented.
"He does, so! Well, he likes his chocolate, at any rate. He's gained a few pounds since he's started school here. It's not good to be so thin." Peter said, eating the bacon quickly as if it might escape his plate.
"It's not good being a lard ass, either." Sirius sneered, at no one in particular. "Send off your letter, Lupin? Nice to see someone has decent parents that they could write to for no particular reason."
"Yep." Lupin answered, curious why Sirius was concerned about his letter. Maybe he was just trying to make conversation.
"I haven't written to my parents since the first week of school…" James frowned. "I really ought to, but I don't know what to say, really. Dear mum and pop… School is really great… Hope you're well… Love, James."
"I'm sure they'd like to hear from you." Peter added. "Even if you just say hello. Parents, especially mothers love that kind of stuff."
"I know, I'll write a letter home!" Sirius mimed writing, "Dear Mum, I just wanted to write to thank you for sending me off to Hogwarts so that I don't have to be in your foul presence every day of the year. Be sure to give Pops and my dearest brother hugs and kisses for me. Love you to pieces, Sirius."
Lupin noticed that every time Sirius mentioned home his tone would turn sarcastic. He didn't know whether to be upset that Sirius should regard his family in such a matter or to feel sorry for him. James and Peter seldom spoke of their home life and… for obvious reasons, Lupin kept any personal matter well… personal. Whatever troubles happened at home seemed to happen because of his condition. His parents wouldn't admit it, but he knew it was true. He could tell by the tone of their voices and how they sometimes addressed his condition very cautiously, talking as if he were a baby and wouldn't understand what they meant. He obviously couldn't understand since he was a werewolf and didn't know how to respond to normal people matters, ha! He dreaded the full moon at home even more, since it took away time from his parents. Here, he could just go to the Shack and be on his own and do his own thing, but with his parents it was a different story. When they locked him up, he could read the expression on their weary faces: their son was a burden. He imagined that life was much easier for them now that he was going to school away from home. He knew the lengths they went through to cooperate with Dumbledore to get him in here. To them, it probably didn't matter where he went, as long as it was away and as long as there was a way to deal with the… you know.
"Ah! Look, there's Snape!" James nearly shouted. They all turned to the main entrance and watched as the boy with the scowl on his face made his way to the Slytherin table. "He looks meaner and paler than usual. Ha!" James was not exaggerating. When Snape sat down, he looked over to the four of them with a look of disgust over his face. James and Sirius waved at him, Peter continued eating his breakfast, and Lupin sat there feeling rather sorry for both himself and Snape.
"I wonder if he wrote a letter home as well." Sirius joked. "Dear Mums and Daddums. Last night I had the unfortunate accident of running into some mean Gryffindor boys. They knocked me out and took away my wand. I was crying about it all last night and I think I shall cry about for the next week or so. Please send me back home so that I don't have to face them again, I beg you!" He said in his best Snape impression. "Love, your honey pie, Severus." The honey pie expression nearly sent James into hysterics and Peter spat his bacon out nearly across the table.
"Watch it, Pettigrew!" James huffed, clearing bits of bacon from his plate.
"Sorry! It's just that when Sirius said 'honey pie' I nearly choked!" Lupin couldn't pass laughing at that along with the others. The use of honey pie was brilliant.
They weren't able to see Snape again until Transfiguration class. By that time, Lupin was trying to imagine where his owl could be flying over at this point. (It was really the only thought on his mind until James brought up the fact that Snape had his wand back.) He liked to think that since his owl was fairly young that he could make it to his home in a short amount of time, but one never knew. If it wasn't enough that he had to wait for his owl to reach them, he had to wait for them to respond and then for the owl to make the journey back to Hogwarts.
They watched him as much as they possibly could without causing a disturbance in class, hoping that Professor McGonagall would call on Snape to demonstrate, but she never did. In fact, she taught the class today more from the book than the usual hands-on treatment. You could just about see the anxiety building each of them. Sirius, who was usually the most relaxed, took to sitting closer to the edge of this seat than Lupin had ever seen before. James was testing the professor's patience… she glanced over at him quite a few times when she noticed him eyeing Snape.
"Potter! Is there something so interesting about Severus that you continually turn around to look at him?" She finally snapped. The class giggled at her remark while James turned red in the face.
James opened his mouth, and just when it seemed that he would snap back, he shook his head and mumbled, "Not really." Every one turned their attention to Snape, who in turn became even more embarrassed than James had.
"Can I ask that you pay more attention to the lesson than to Severus, then? Or shall I have to place you in a seat next to him?"
"No! That's okay, Professor McGonagall!" Snape spoke up before James even had the chance. "It's okay, it's not bothering me."
"I didn't ask you Severus. But since you felt the need to comment, I feel that perhaps you two do belong in seats next to each other. Come now, James, gather your things. There's an empty seat right next to your friend." At the mention of 'friend', James turned red in anger, this time, instead of embarrassment. He opened his mouth again, to speak, possibly to express his discontent, but the professor spoke first, "Ten points from Gryffindor AND five from Slytherin for disrupting class. Hurry it up, Potter, you're holding up my class."
James made his way over to Severus' once lonely desk. Once he had settled, Professor McGonagall went on with the lecture.
"How's it feel to sit next to Snape? You didn't catch any of his fleas, did you, Potter?" Sirius barked.
"No! I didn't, thank Merlin!" James scowled. "I can't believe she did that!"
"You were looking at him an awful amount," Lupin added.
"Was I? Aw, it doesn't matter, because now I have to spend the rest of the year near that foul beast." James pouted.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't necessarily view it as a completely bad thing!" Sirius said. "Just think, before you had to torment him from afar. Now, you can torment the hell out of him and not even leave your seat!"
"I suppose you're right," James sighed. "But now we can't scheme his tormenting together. There's a big difference!"
"Eh. We'll just have to come up with things before class, that's all."
"Yeah," James agreed.
"If that wasn't bad enough, she gave us an unusual amount of homework… even for her!" Peter piped in.
"Don't complain now, Peter, complain when you're doing James' and my homework at the end of Quidditch season." So, they hadn't forgotten.
Peter grumbled.
"Next game's on the 21st. I can't wait! Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor!" Sirius jumped, happily.
"In the case of Hufflepuff versus us… it's obvious that we're going to win!" Peter exclaimed. "That's a given."
"Obviously." James remarked.
Lupin's heart sank, though. He couldn't think of remarking on a game he wouldn't be able to see. For the first time, he actually wanted to see a match, and wouldn't even be able to attend! He growled. He wasn't sure if it was loud enough for the others to hear it, but he growled just the same.
"What is it, Lupin?" Sirius asked, looking concerned, if not surprised to hear that low growl come from his friend.
"Nothing. I'm in a foul mood today, that's all."
"Yeah, tell me about it!" James sulked, but wrapped his arm lightly around Lupin's neck in a display of affection. "This is a horrible day and I wish it would be done with!" He remained locked with Lupin until they entered their next class.
In the far corner of the library Lupin sat. He was alone until noticed Snape approach him. He froze as the boy came closer. He didn't know how he was going to look him in the face after last night's incident. What was he going to say other than the obvious? He was just protecting his friends.
Snape didn't bother to ask to sit down, but just took the seat directly across from Lupin. "I know you tried to do something with my wand." Lupin opened his mouth, but the boy continued. "I know you tried, but I'll have you know that you were unsuccessful. I'm only telling you this because you're the only decent one out of that lot AND should you try to do something to my wand it will be AGAIN without result."
He looked down at the table. He had never felt so ashamed.
"Don't play shy with me." Snape hissed. "You certainly didn't when you knocked the wand from my hands. My only form of protection against those bullies you call your friends! Why do you… even associate with them? I know you're not on their level. Well, you weren't, but it seems you want to sink down. You don't have to do that, to get friends, you know. I'm sure that there are others here that would associate with you if you ever gave anyone the chance to get to know you."
"Speak for yourself." Lupin spat. "I don't see you with any friends, either."
"I'm extremely picky with whom I associate." Snape stared at him, making him quite uncomfortable. "Not a lot of people would be able to handle me as a friend. If you haven't noticed, I'm quite disagreeable… and not one to follow the herd with trends and the like."
"Add unsightly appearance…" He scoffed.
"Yeah, well, a person can't blame themselves for their looks." Snape looked Lupin over disapprovingly, "It's all up to genetics."
When he thought about it, Snape really wasn't that hideous looking. He looked… sickly more than anything. He was sure that if Snape had more of an agreeable personality that having friends wouldn't really be a problem. Anyone could have friends, he thought, even a werewolf seems to be getting used to the idea of friends. He warmed up at the thought of James' friendly expression before, on the way to class. He nearly smiled.
"It is. But, what is your point of being here, anyway? You were going on before about how your wand was tampered with…"
"Yes. I might explain to you that Finite Incantatum only stops magicks that are in effect. NOT a potential spell…"
"How did you…"
"I have my wand enchanted even further. No one who touches my wand can use it. In addition, I have a way of keeping track of each spell that comes from it or comes at it."
"You don't!" He didn't believe Snape.
"Oh, I do! I knew as soon as I wiped your fingerprints from all over my wand. You must have had a good grip on the thing, it nearly indented with your grip. Were you the one who returned it to the hall? You must have been. The others, no matter how brave and careless they might seem wouldn't have the guts to."
"So, what happened last night, anyway?" He said, ignoring on purpose everything Snape had previously said.
"You expelled the wand from my hand!"
"No, no… before Peter and I arrived."
"Pettigrew was there?!" Snape exclaimed in embarrassment. "Anyone else there for the show?"
"No. But tell me what happened. What made you point your wand at them like that?"
"Don't your friends share in their troublemaking? I thought you were so close. You might want to ask them about it, they might tell you the truth."
"Just tell me what happened!" Lupin was desperate to know.
"I've got to go." Snape rose. "Consider what I said." And now, for the first time, he didn't want Snape to leave. He rose with him, but Snape was quick to leave the library.
"Damn it!"
He didn't have the heart to tell his friends about Snape's wand (or the surprisingly revealing conversation that they shared). He figured that he would keep quiet about it until they discovered that their attempt didn't work… which would most likely be tomorrow. That way, he would be able to blow it off as some interference by Dumbledore or some other professor, not the truth. But what he really wanted to ask was what happened last night that Snape freaked out like he did. But most importantly, why was Snape so ready to give information about his wand out? Was it as a warning not to try anything else on his wand? Did Lupin really effect his wand, but Snape didn't want to seem effected by the spell OR the confrontation with James and Sirius?
He could make himself dizzy with all he had to think about. He felt as if he was going to be sick again. Blame it on nerves. Blame it on the moon. Whatever it was, it seemed to be more than Lupin could handle. He gathered his books and ran as fast as he could get away with back to his room. And if no one was there right now, he just might let out a scream. He just might let out a good cry as well, before anyone was there to see him.
Unfortunate for him, when he got back, all of his roommates were there to greet him. They were all sitting on the floor and all faced him at the same time. He cut through their group to get to his bed. He threw his books down on the floor and hopped into his bed.
"Not gonna join us, Lupin?" Sirius inquired.
"Quiet, Sirius… he doesn't look to be in a good mood." James suggested, with a punch at Sirius' shoulder."
"You still feeling foul? Might do you good to laugh instead of pouting up there in bed all by your self." Sirius prodded. "Whaddaya say?"
"I'm not in the mood, Black." Sirius looked surprised. Lupin had never addressed Sirius in such a way. But it didn't matter; he was allowed to stink up the room with his foulness. It didn't matter anyway, if his parents would just respond to him quickly, he could find out what was going on and where he would be heading onto after this. Wherever he went, he would be sure to keep to himself, as originally planned, and not dabble into the affairs of others. No one was worth this confusion.
The room went quiet after his remark, and the group broke up momentarily to stand up. "If you want us, we'll be in the common room, Remus." Sirius led the other two out of the door, closing it quickly behind them.
Finally he had the room to himself.
Reviewers: AffectedMangoO thank you so much for reading and commenting! I know this is off to a slow start… I just hope that it's not too slow. Things are building up a bit, I think.