Thank you so much for the reviews ya'll. Love to you (and cookies)
The clock was a quarter to ten. Remus was hurrying back to the Gryffindortower. The time had just flown away down in the dungeons. It turned out that just about everything Remus did when making potions was wrong. Even the way he stirred it. Severus had been nice and not insulted him as often as he usually takes pleasure in doing and actually shown him how it's supposed to be done.
He stopped before the portrait-hole to catch his breath. He stood there a minute or two, preparing himself. If he knew Sirius and James all right they would still be in the common room waiting for him. He took the deep breath before the plunge, said the password to the fat lady and stepped in through the hole.
Sirius was lying sprawled out in one of the sofas and James was sitting on the floor. The moment Remus entered the room Sirius flew up from the sofa. "Where have you been?"
"The library as I told you…"
"Really? Studying Arithmancy yes?"
"Yes…" Remus said avoiding Sirius eyes. He did notice that note of triumph Sirius had in his voice.
"Really? Then you maybe can explain to us why your Arithmancy book was lying in the dorms?" Sirius said and pulled forward what he had been hiding behind his back.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Remus thought. "How could I've forgotten to bring my book!"
Both James and Sirius were quiet, waiting for an explanation.
"I was in the dungeons…" Remus said at last.
"In the dungeons? For almost two hours?" James said from his place on the floor.
What was this? The Spanish Inquisition? Remus was sweating. There was nothing left to do but tell them the truth.
"AlrightIwasinthedungeonsstudiyngpotionswithSnape!" he said very fast.
"Could you repeat that? I heard something about Snivellus if I'm not mistaken." Sirius said looking not so friendly.
"He helped me with the studying…"
James and Sirius's jaws dropped to the floor. When the element of the surprise was gone they both started rambling on about things like:
"Fuck Remus, a Slytherin?"
"What were you thinking!"
"Why didn't you ask one of us?"
"And you just had to pick Snivellus!"
"Stop it!" Remus shouted. "What's the matter with you? I did not pick him, he came up to me after Diddle held me after class and offered his help. That's more than the two of you have ever done. And why the fuck are you blowing this whole thing up? It's not like I'm married to him! Geez, I'm going to bed if you're gonna continue with this nonsense!" He started to walk towards the stairs but James stopped him.
"I'm sorry Moony. But hanging out with Slytherins is not a good idea you know that. Especially with Snivellus… Tomorrow you're going to go to him and say something like 'thanks for helping me out last night but I don't need your help anymore'."
"James… you know I would not do that. He's not the nicest person in the world and I know that his kind is bad news but will you please let me make my own decisions. I'm going to bed now if you don't mind…" he said and disappeared up the stairs.
Sirius stood by the fire clenching his fists. "If Snivellus as much as touches Moony or looks at him in the wrong way I will shove his face into the wall and I will…"
"Sirius, there's nothing we can do about it. If Moony want's to make the mistake of trusting a slime-ball like him then let him! Geez Sirius it sounds like you're jealous or something." James said shaking his head. "I'm gonna go and get to bed too. You coming?"
Sirius shrugged his shoulders and followed in the wake of his friend. He absently removed his clothes and crawled into bed. Moony was sleeping breathing lightly from the bed to Sirius left. James had fallen to sleep the moment he'd climbed into bed. But Sirius couldn't sleep. He was staring into the ceiling. Occasionally he'd look over at Remus and then back to the ceiling again.
Remus had always been "Sirius's" Moony. Remus wasn't as best a friend with James or Peter as he was with Sirius. He always confided his secrets to Sirius first of all. He knew everything there was to know about him but lately Remus hadn't let him in on everything. He looks over at Remus again. The thin Remus was stirring in his sleep making small noises. Like a little baby he's sleeping.
James's words were still lingering in his thoughts. 'Geez Sirius it sounds like you're jealous or something'. "I'm not jealous" he said in a hush voice to himself. "I'm not. I just don't want to see him being hurt by that slimy pig Snivellus."
A little voice in his head said "You just want to have Remus for yourself don't you? Today your friend lied to you. Maybe he's been lying about other things to. Maybe he likes Snivellus. Maybe Snivellus will take him away from you?"
"Shut up" he said to his inner voice. "Shut up. Remus would never leave me!"
"You sound like a girl, nancyboy!" that inner voice said and laughed.
"Shut up!" he said again a little louder this time.
"Sirius?"
Bugger! He had woken Remus up. Remus was stirring in his bed reaching to turn on the lights.
"Um, don't turn on the lights I was just talking to myself…"
"To yourself? Sirius, if no one has ever told you before I'm gonna tell you know, you're weird. You know that?" Remus said before he turned on his side and fell into sleep again.
Talking to yourself is the first step on the path to insanity. Sirius sighed and rolled over on his side trying to get some sleep too. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the horrible images of Remus with Snivellus.
As usual: let me know what you think 'cause that's what's makes me keep on writing this :)
