Under the Full Moony

Scroll 13: Runaways and Groovy Mornings

To Remus' dismay, James did not lead them to the kitchens for chocolate, as he had been secretly hoping, but walked straight into the corridor to the dungeons.

It was only when they stopped at Professor Slughorn's office, that Remus caught on.

"James, no!" he said reproachfully. "You KNOW how much Slughorn LOVES me ..."

Peter bit his lip, "Remus is right, James. Just because Remus is a Moony ... Slughorn basically ignores him."

James rolled his eyes, "Enter! Be brave!"

Sirius gripped Remus' hand tighter," He's REALLY scaring me ... and if Slughorn tries anything, he'll have to answer to me."

And they entered the dimly lit room and sat on the silver-lined, green couches, and waited for Slughorn to appear.

It was clear why James wanted to come, other than to convince Professor Slughorn to not give them detention. Lily Evans was sitting near their couch, deep in conversation with a Ravenclaw fourth year.

Severus Snape was also there, he nodded once to Remus, as was Regulus, who merely looked Remus up and down in his cold, calculating way, and smirked.

"So," the Ravenclaw boy was saying. "It'd all work like Muggle vaccines, right? Since their weakness is silver, to use silver as a remedy for the worst symptoms and allow them to ..."

His voice trailed off when he caught Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter staring at him, eyes wide.

"Hello ...?" he said quietly, waving half-heartedly.

"What were you saying!" demanded Sirius.

"That I was just researching! That silver can help! Even if it hurts them!" There was a wild glint in his eye, "I could come up with a potion! And they wouldn't be prejudices or labeled as monsters! They'd keep their minds on the full moons!"

"My dear boy, what are you talking about?" asked Slughorn, bringing out a tray of Chocoballs, chocolate-covered cherries, Darques Dark Chocolate, and in short, every type of chocolate the house elves at Hogwarts had.

"Werewolves," he said simply.

Slughorn frowned as he looked around, eyes coming to rest on Remus, who looked away immediately.

"Ah ... them ... "

Sirius pouted angrily, "Yeah, them! Why, have you got anything against them! Cause if you-"

"Sirius, m'boy! I never said I was prejudiced, no! Ah! I see I have the Black brothers today! Pity, pity, pity ... if only you could have both been in my house-"

"Over my dead body!" Sirius interrupted.

Remus put a hand on his leg, "Sirius ... "

"And who may this be!" Slughorn acted as if it was the first time he'd ever seen Remus.

"I am Remus Lupin."

"Oh, yes of course! One of the 'Marauders' are you! Professor Beckwoods says you are quite the expert in Defense Against Dark Arts."

Remus nodded.

"What she said about today's lesson intrigued me," Slughorn said, sitting down in the large green couch and offering Remus the tray of chocolate.

Remus bit his lip, butgave in to temptation andtook a piece of Darques chocolate, "What about ... today's lesson ..."

"When you were practicing non-verbal shield curses? She tells me you used the Patronus Shield Charm to protect your friend, Mr. Black here, when Mr. Snape tried one of his most unusual curses. Is it true?"

Remus glanced at Sirius before answering, "Yes ... but-"

"I don't believe it! Show me, show me! Go on! Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, stand up! Show me!"

Sirius looked at Slughorn blankly, "WHICH Mr. Black?"

Slughorn paused, "Well, seeing as how you two are such good friends ..." He looked around uncomfortably before speaking again, "Regulus ... go on up."

Regulus stood up and drew his wand, pointing it at Remus, who drew his wand reluctantly.

Remus glanced at Sirius, unsure of what to do. Sirius only rolled his eyes and mouthed, 'Kill him!'

Regulus raised his wand, "Serpentia Expellmius!"

But Remus waved his wand in a horizontal motion, brow furrowed with concentration. There was a bright flash of dark green light clashing with the blue of Remus' wolf Patronus. The spell, which looked like two snakes coiling their way to Remus, frantically, was reflected back to Regulus. It hit him in the stomach and he doubled over. Severus and Remus were at his side the next moment. Slughorn laughing, yet looking concerned for Regulus.

"That was SOME show! Perfect form! Corporeal Patronus to boot! Mr. Black, how are you feeling?"

But Regulus seemed unable to speak. He was holding his stomach, the quite suddenly, something long and green slithered out of his mouth.

Remus gasped, "Oh dear god!"

Even Sirius stood up and watched as Regulus choked on the long green snake that wound his way out of his stomach.

"Make it stop!" yelled Sirius, unexpectedly.

Remus pointed his wand, in his shaking hand, at Regulus' stomach, "Finite Expellmius! It's not working! Sirius!"

But Snape pinned Regulus down onto the floor and did a quick sort of prodding move with his wand, and then the snake was gone and Regulus was sitting up with Snape's help, coughing up a lot of ash.

Sirius glared at Snape, "And ... so ... THAT was what you were planning to do to Remus! You arsehole! You deserved it! Both of you will burn in hell."

Professor Slughorn cleared his throat, "Now, now, sit, sit. That was brilliant! All of you! Have a chocolate!"

Everybody was quite shaken by the incident, and Regulus kept spitting out ashes. Finally he said, "So what were you saying Damocles? About werewolves?"

Damocles Belby beamed, "If there was only a potion that would allow a werewolf to keep his or her mind-?"

"How do you know they don't keep their minds when they transform!" demanded Sirius angrily.

"And how do you know that a monster like that can be affected at all by a mere potion?" mused Regulus.

"Shut up, you!"

"You shut up, Sirius!"

"No one asked your stupid opinion-"

"AND what would be the ingredients necessary for the composition of said potion?" said Slughorn, restoring order.

"Well, Wolfsbane, of course, and maybe moonstone-?"

"Wouldn't Wolfsbane kill?"

Damocles turned to Remus who had at last spoken, "Yes, but countered with Moonstone ... and perhaps Flobberworm slime ..."

Remus smiled, "That would do much ... Wolfsbane is much too powerful ..."

Damocles paused, then spoke, "Then ... "

"Then if you added sedatives and only used a minimum amount of Wolfsbane ..." Snape said.

Remus smiled at Snape, who just looked at him for a moment, before looking away.

And much to Sirius' and Peter's dismay, the whole 'Slug Club' meeting was focused on potions and their effects.

"One has to wonder, though, how Fenrir Greyback always strikes the very person he aims for ... he always ... hunts that person down ... " Remus paused, looking around, then continued, "Makes you wonder if ... he keeps his mind ... and why ..."

Sirius nudged James, "Well, let's get your stupid plan in motion!"

James blinked for what seemed the first time in over an hour, "Huh? Plan ...? Oh! Oh yeah ..."

He cleared his throat, "Professor Slughorn? A private word with me and Remus?"

Slughorn happily walked out to the stairs with the two boys.

"What is it boys?"

"Well ... Professor Slughorn ... would you not say that Mr. Damocles Belby of Ravenclaw House is a good contact?"

Slughorn smiled, "Yes indeed, a wonder how you found him-"

"And that you enjoy Lily Evans' company immensely?"

"Well, yes, yes, quite, of course. One cannot deny she is most-"

"And ... would you not agree that Mr. Remus Lupin is an interesting young man with valuable knowledge that he acquires from the countless books he reads?"

Remus turned a bit red at James' words.

"Oho! Yes, yes! One would have never though ... not to be prejudiced of course, but-"

"And do you not agree that fine young men like Mr. Remus Lupin and his Marauder friends should have time to acquire such valuable knowledge and present to people of knowledge ... such as yourself, Professor Slughorn!"

"Yes, yes, I do think-"

"And would not detention get in the way of all these things ... not to mention important Slug Club meetings!"

"Well, all depending on-"

"So it's settled! We are free from the terrible punishment of detention! I thank you Professor Slughorn!"

"Now, now, wait just one moment! I never said-"

"As a token of my gratitude, I will personally make sure that Mr. Belby, Mr. Lupin, and the very charming ... very beautiful ... ahem, Ms. Lily Evans is present at the Slug Club meetings as much as possible!"

Professor Slughorn stopped arguing at that. He winked at them, "I see. Well, m'boy, you've got yourself a deal!"

Remus couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed. One: it was the best bit of trickery he'd ever seen James manage (and he'd seen quite a lot); Two: Professor Slughorn had just accepted a bribe ...

Remus shook his head and resumed his seat next to Sirius, on the dark green couch in front of Severus and Regulus. The three were glaring daggers at each other, but Remus merely looked away.

'This is going to be a long night ...'

But as it turns out, it wasn't. Nothing much happened, except when Severus motioned for Remus to follow him, away from he dungeons, away from everybody, and to the library.

Hours later, in the dead of night, when most people are in the deepest sleep, Remus lay awake, sitting near the dormitory window, thinking ... just thinking ... just reminiscing:

:Flashback:

Remus leaned against the bookshelf watching Severus measure potion ingredients and dump them into their small cauldron.

"Severus? I've never seen you get any mail ... don't your-"

"No. They don't," said Snape shortly.

Remus bit his lip, "Oh ... Severus ... what's it like ... to-?"

"Life's a bitch, Remus. I've gotten pretty used to it. Only, I feel sorry for mum. But that's all."

Remus looked at the floor, "I'm sorry ... I didn't mean to-"

"What it like, Remus? To be ... what you are?"

"It's ... I remember ... it was hard ... at first. My parents ... my mum never really accepted it. My father, to this day, feels guilty ... They tried everything. But ... in the end ..."

"There's no cure."

"Right." Remus looked at the floor, debating whether it was a good time to talk about what he was planning to talk about next.

But it was Severus who brought up the subject, "It meant nothing. It can't mean anything."

Remus pursed his lips, "Severus ... I doubt all you wanted me for was to show me the correct composition of the Polyjuice potion."

"Correct. We're done."

Severus looked up at him, cold black eyes glittering, "If things were different ... if ... you weren't ... and if I wasn't ..."

"What?"

"I want you to know, after this evening, everything will be like it was before ... You're not my friend and I'm not yours."

With that Snape stood up, as did Remus.

"That doesn't mean ... we're enemies ... "

Severus leaned close to Remus, but pulled back when Remus backed away.

"I don't know what it means."

Snape turned to leave, but Remus caught hold of his sleeve, "Just because you're in Slytherin, and I'm in Gryffindor, and we happen to respectively like a pair of brothers who hate each other's guts ... that doesn't mean-"

Remus was cut off by Snape leaning in again, this time pulling Remus forcefully against him.

It was a short kiss ... a warning kiss ... rough and demanding on Severus' part.

"It doesn't mean anything ... nothing ever does. No one ever does. Good-bye, Lupin."

:End:

Remus sighed and pressed his forehead against the cold glass of the window.

'It doesn't mean anything ... nothing ever does. No one ever does.'

'That's what frightened me the most ... the meaning behind it all ... what's going on ...! And his eyes ... they'd seemed so empty ... so cold ... so full of nothing ...

It's true ... he doesn't know ... what the meaning of loving, trusting, caring ... he just doesn't know!'

"What are you doing?" came a sleepy voice from the four-poster next to him.

Remus stood up from the chair near the window and walked over to Sirius' bed, "Thinking ... that's all."

"About what?" Sirius raises an eyebrow, now fully awake.

"Things ..." said Remus simply, sitting at the foot of Sirius' bed.

"Like things that you and Snivellus do in the library?"

Remus sighed, "I don't know what you're talking about ..."

Remus looked away for a second, and suddenly he was pinned onto Sirius' bed by a big black dog. The dog sniffed his collar, his clothes, his hair ... finally licking his face.

Remus giggled a bit, "Padfoot ... stop ... Padfoot-"

"You have his scent on you," said Sirius, suddenly returned to human form.

"Huh?" Remus looked at the ceiling, "Yeah so?"

Sirius got off him and merely stood in front of him, arms crossed and pouting angrily.

"Why do you have his scent on you!"

"How do YOU know his scent?" asked Remus.

"Stop changing the subject! Did you kiss again!" Sirius's eyes were narrowed dangerously.

Remus looked out the window, "Wow ... it's almost full moon again ..."

"You did, didn't you! Remus ... what the heck-"

"SHUT UP!" came James' sleepy voice from behind his four-poster.

Sirius glared at the curtains and pushed Remus farther onto the bed, while getting on and pulling his own curtains closed.

"Muffliato," he muttered and threw his wand back on his bed-side table.

Remus just stared at him, eyes wide, face blanched, shirt pulled off one shoulder, "What are you ... what are you going to do to me?"

Sirius just sat there, cross-legged and frowning at him.

Remus looked over at him, concerned, "Sirius ... I don't know ... what it is ... you-"

"What are you playing at!"

Remus fell silent at Sirius' outburst.

"I mean, I thought we ... then you go around kissing Snivellus! What the hell is wrong with you!"

When Remus didn't say anything, Sirius, cheeks flushed, continued, "You better make up your mind, man! What's it going to be, me or Snivelly!"

Remus gaped at him. Suddenly he started laughing, "You're SUCH a child Sirius!"

Sirius glared at Remus, "Give me a straight answer!"

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

Sirius' eyes traveled over the folds of the blankets curled under Remus, "I want to know ... if we're going to get serious or what ... if you want me to get on one knee and ask you ... I will ... I just want to know ... you know ..."

Remus stopped smiling and crawled over to Sirius, "You're not making any sense ..."

"Maybe ... you don't want me to make sense ... maybe you want to avoid it all?"

Sirius looked up, into Remus' eyes. Remus held his gaze for a few seconds before looking down at his hands.

Sirius slowly reached over and took hold of Remus' hand with both of his.

He kissed it lightly, "Remus ... this is so stupid ... will you be ... this is the only word I can think of ... my boyfriend ...?"

Remus' eyes widened, "Sirius? Are you feeling okay? Maybe we should go to the Infirmary-"

"Answer me! Is this serious or not! Are we going anywhere with this ... or was it just a crush ... something you get over after one kiss?"

Remus reached over to Sirius and brushed the hair out of his eyes, "No, it was not. Yes I will be, on one condition."

Sirius' eyes narrowed, "What!"

"Never, ever, ever, EVER again ... call me your boyfriend! It's just ... not you ... okay?"

Sirius let out his trademark 'bark-laugh', "Point taken!"

Remus grinned and let himself be taken into Sirius' arms and pinned down, and kissed.

"Sirius ...?"

"Mmm?"

"Stop licking me!"

Sirius stopped licking Remus' neck, and blinked, "Oops ... sorry. It's a habit. But, come off it! Don't pretend you didn't like it!"

Remus squirmed under Sirius who was licking his neck, his collarbone, dipping lower-

"What the bloody hell-!" yelled James, rubbing his eyes.

He pulled the curtains open and froze when he saw Sirius on top of Remus whose legs were at either side of Sirius' body ... a very embarrassing position to be in.

Peter tried to peek in as well, but James covered his eyes and led him away, "Trust me ... you don't want to see that!"

:Flashback:

A small gray-eyed boy walked over to a dark-haired woman, who was sitting on a silver chair, beaconing to him. Two tall girls stood silently at either side of her. One was fair and delicate, the other dark and heavy browed.

"Regulus! My one true son!" she said, taking his into her arms.

Near the dirty window, sitting in front of the fireplace, which had no fire in it, sat an older gray-eyed boy, reading, but his eyes unmoving.

"None of those filthy blood-traitors, and half-bloods, and mud-bloods, and creatures for you! No, no ... you have respectable friends! Rosier! Aubrey! And that nice boy who knew Malfoy, Snape is his name?"

"Yes. Snape. Severus Snape."

"Yes, of course. I am so proud you were sorted into Slytherin. Imagine the shame if another one of our- but no matter of that dreadful Sirius boy! Regulus ... Bellatrix and Narcissa are here to talk to you about a very serious matter."

"It is about the Dark Lord?" Regulus asked, and the other, older, boy put his book down and turned to look at him.

"I have already decided, Bella."

Bellatrix frowned, "Regulus, I don't think-"

"I have already decided! You can't make me change my mind!"

Sirius grinned, satisfied.

'Good of him, finally learning to take change. Bella can't control him like a pawn anymore!'

Bella sighed and turned away, "Then be it on your own head."

"Yes. It probably will." Regulus turned to face Sirius, face blank, "I will join the Death Eaters upon exiting Hogwarts."

Sirius was speechless, "WHAT! You idiot!"

Regulus strode away, up the stairs to his room, Sirius at his heels, "You're going to get killed Regulus!"

Regulus whirled around to face him, "Why! Because you think of me as a coward! Because you-"

"NO! You're going to get killed because you CAN'T kill! You're not Death Eater material!"

"Oh! And you are-"

"How DARE you! And no! Regulus ... you're too ... easily influenced!"

"Meaning I've no will of my own! Listen Sirius, I'm not like you! I'm going to do what is right!"

"You're doing what mum wants you to!"

"I'm DOING what YOU should have done! You betrayed us ... you betrayed us all ... the Black name ... pure-blood wizards everywhere ... our family ..."

Sirius' eyes narrowed, "At least I didn't betray MYSELF!"

With that, Sirius ran to his room, leaving Regulus leaning against a wall, looking at the floor.

Sirius left his home for James' a few minutes later.

:End:

"Sirius?"

Sirius jumped and looked down at Remus, lying peacefully on his chest, "Yeah?"

"What are you worried about?"

"Nothing ... something stupid."

"It's about Regulus isn't it? And about Severus ..."

"Yeah ... it's about Regulus AND Severus ..."

Remus propped himself up on his elbows, "Oh. I see ..."

Remus sighed and rubbed his eyes, "I told you ... Regulus ... we should have gotten to know him ... gotten closer ... from what you've told me, he's-"

"Easily influenced. And Severus is not a nice enemy to have. I know ... I know ... but what could I have done!"

Remus smiled sympathetically, "I don't know ... "

He sat up and pulled the curtains apart to find James and peter dressing.

James grinned, "Groovy morning, isn't it!"

The other three stared at him, poker-faced.

Finally Sirius spoke, "James just said, 'Groovy.' Yup, it's a sure sign of the apocalypse!"