Drabble 3: Chocolate

Timeline : Year 1, January

Professor Flitwick put away the last of the feathers in the box, and dismissed the class with a vague shooing gesture. As Remus stood and packed his small school-bag, he tried and failed to hide a big smile – he had been the only one in the class to get his feather flap hard enough so it could put off the candle flame. A little surprised that Sirius and James had not beaten him to it – they were top of class in almost all subjects - he turned back surreptitiously to look at them. They seemed to be deep in discussion about something – probably the easiest way to cause an explosion in the Great Hall - two dark heads huddled together. Remus shrugged, telling himself sternly not to expect them to walk with him after every class.

Thumbs hooked under the straps of his bag, he walked out of the classroom and turned the first left, looking at the magical paintings on the walls of the corridor with lively interest. Oh look - here was Lady Caroline waiting anxiously for her husband to return from battle , gnawing on a delicate fingernail – she had such a sad look in her blue eyes...And here was Brigham the Animal Lover surrounded by unicorns, ugh – did he just pick his nose? – and why are those two unicorn butting each other over and over and -

"Well well well, if it isn't the Charms prodigy" said a nasty voice.

Remus stopped short, and gulped.

Up ahead, were three boys wearing Slytherin robes, and hostile expressions. Two of them were in his class, the one who had spoken was Chatwick Morgan – with the constantly moving black eyes, which were lit with unholy glee right now. There was Severus Snape looking extremely uncomfortable, and finally a burly older Slytherin whom Remus didn't recognise.

Morgan stepped forward, and raised his hand while jumping up and down. "Ooooh Professor Flitwick, look Professor Flitwick my feather is flapping soo harrddd."

Remus couldn't stand it. Hands over ears, he made to turn and run off, but a hand caught him roughly on the arm.

" I'm not done with you, wimp".

"Let me go!" Remus tried to dislodge the hand, but the other bigger boy just clung on with bruising force.

"Morgan, is this really necess – "

"Shut up, Snape! It's bad manners to turn your back on someone when they are talking to you. But I wouldn't expect a sissy Mudblood like Lupin to know that."

Remus blinked back his traitorous tears. He didn't know what a Mudblood meant, but it was said with so much contempt that he became rigid with terror.

"I'm not a Mudblood" he managed.

"Are you sure you're not? " called the older Slytherin boy who was standing with Snape. Remus's eyes jumped to him, hoping that he could inject some sense into the situation. "Because your cowardly expression screams Mudblood to me! "

"Are both your parents wizards?" barked Morgan

"My father is" said Remus miserably. "How is that relevant?"

There was a short pause.

"That is relevant, you chee –"

"What's going on here?" barked a voice loudly.

Everyone looked up. Sirius Black was standing in the front of the corridor, a fierce expression on his face and wand drawn out.

The older Slytherin guffawed. "Looky here, the disgraced Black heir supporting the little weakling."

Remus whimpered.

"Take your hand off him" Sirius snarled "or else – "

"Or else what?" Morgan laughed –

- and went down like a stone statue, his mouth still open in silent laughter.

Remus stumbled forward, and then ran as quickly as he could towards Sirius, who was yelling something, ears red as a tomato. Then he bit off a curse that sent a fuzzy blue wave of sparks forward, and when Remus reached Sirius and turned around, the others had seemed to be rendered dumb. Snape's eyes were alive with anger, and the older Slytherin made some ineffectual hand gestures, before kicking the wall.

Sirius laughed. "Too stupid to perform non-verbal spells, Rosier? I'm not surprised, I suppose you spend all your time bullying smaller kids"

Remus flinched at the look of intense hatred Rosier sent Sirius, but the latter stood tall, haughtiness not abating a smidgen.

With one last look at Sirius and then Remus, Rosier swung around and marched off, Snape following close behind.

"Not taking care of your pal, Morgan eh? What a bunch of snakes! Ha! " Sirius yelled after them.

"Are you all right, Remus?" asked Sirius. His narrowed eyes were still on the receding forms of the older Slytherin and Snape, though. "Did he hurt you, that bastard?"

"No he didn't" panted Remus

Sirius looked at him, eyes softening a little "Next time stick around with me and James, yeah? We'll protect you"

Remus flushed and looked down. "Thanks" he mumbled. Then feeling this was inadequate, he reached down into his trouser's pocket to retrieve a bar of his favourite dark chocolate and handed it over to Sirius shyly "It's very tasty."

Sirius snatched the bar from him and grinned widely.

I love reviews, like Remus loves chocolate!