Chapter Nine;
"…Let's begin"
[Remus' PoV (Marauder-Era Flashback)]
Remus walked out of the infirmary after visiting for a quick Pepperup dose to cure him of this cold that was threatening his health. As he walked down the corridor, he halted and heard a whimpering noise coming from the prefects' bathroom. Of course, being a prefect himself, he found it as his duty to help a fellow prefect out, even if that prefect was one of the Slytherins.
He walked up to the door and whispered the password, pushing it open as quietly as he could and walking inside. He listened for a moment, 'Yup. Someone is definitely crying,' he thought to himself as he heard sniffles. "Uh, sorry to intrude, are you alright?" he called out, and as soon as he did the whimpering and sniffling stopped. "I didn't mean to scare you. I heard you crying and was wondering if I would be any help?" he asked as he leaned against the sinks with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Go… away…" came a weak baritone voice that Remus recognized immediately.
"Severus?" he asked aloud, frowning.
"I am Snape to you! Don't you /dare/ use my first name!" Severus hissed as he stepped out of the stall, wiping at his puffy red eyes, one which was black.
Remus' frown deepened when he saw the state Severus was in, his eyes red and puffy, his cheeks wet from tears, and sporting a black eye. "What happened?" he asked, biting his bottom lip gently.
"What happened? Oh, I'm sure /you/ don't know! You know well what happened! Your bully friends!" Severus shrieked.
Remus gave a sigh, "No. I don't know, I prefer not to be in on their plans when they involve you. I take it they… beat you up the muggle-way?"
"… Yes," he hissed at Remus, crossing his arms.
Remus stood straight from leaning on the sink, "Why? Did you three get in a fight? Or four, was Peter involved in this?"
"No… it was just Potter and Black!" he spat, Severus looked angry, then he seemed to go into thought, probably wondering why he was telling Remus all this.
"I see… how did it start?" Remus asked.
"I…" Severus paused, staring at the ground, "They walked in…"
Remus raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean? I'm confused."
Severus mumbled something quiet and fast, which caused Remus to roll his eyes. He gestured Severus to continue and was awarded with a glare, "They kind of walked in on me and Rosier kissing…" he spoke a little louder and slower.
[Readers' PoV (Present time)]
"Wait, wait, and wait! I don't remember that!" Sirius said as he poured himself a third glass of Firewhiskey.
Remus groaned, "Sirius, let me finish…"
"Fine… I'm just saying, I don't remember it," Sirius pouted.
"Of course you don't, and if you'd stop interrupting me you'll find out why!" Remus said impatiently. When Sirius waved his hands in surrender, the story continued.
[Remus' PoV (Marauder-Era Flashback)]
"Kind of?" Remus asked, slightly confused.
"We… we didn't actually kiss /yet/ we were leaning in and well... I was nervous so I stopped, and then your friends barged in through the classroom door!" Severus claimed.
[Readers' PoV (Present time)]
"Wait, so they almost kissed? But didn't?" Sirius asked, going into thought, "Ohh! Yeah! I remember! James had forgotten his book with our homework in it in one of the classrooms. So we went searching, and the last classroom we checked had Rosier and Severus in it. Wait, they were going to kiss? We thought they were just plotting or something…" Sirius explained, frowning when he saw Remus giving him a glare, "Right, no interrupting. Sorry."
With that, Remus continued once again…
[Remus' PoV (Marauder-Era Flashback)]
"I see, so they ruined your first kiss with a guy?" Remus asked.
"They ruined my first kiss… /ever/," Severus corrected.
"Ah, I see… and with that, they beat you up?" Remus asked, frowning.
"Yes! I told them to get out and leave us alone, and then Rosier - the git - ran off and left me alone with them. Then bam, I get punched when I reach for my wand by Black," Severus explained.
"I'm sorry… truthfully. They are bullies, though I think you shouldn't egg them on at times, all three or four of you need to grow up, quite honestly, all this childhood hate. We're Sixteen for Merlins' sake…" Remus ranted.
"I don't hate them," Severus said.
Remus looked up in confusion, "You don't?" When Severus shook his head, Remus tilted his head, "Explain."
"No."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I'm curious."
"That doesn't mean I should explain it."
"It does."
The argument went back and forth for about 3 minutes which ended when Remus won by saying "I'm sure it would help to talk to someone who isn't a Slytherin and hates Gryffindor, and who isn't someone who hates you."
"I like… uh…" Severus confessed, looking down turning a tint of pink.
"Hmmm?" Remus hummed.
"IlikeSirius," he said in a rush.
Remus widened his eyes. He always knew there had to be a reason why Severus always followed them around and was always at Sirius' throat more than James. He bloody fancied him. "I see."
"If you tell him, I'll kill you," Severus said, turning and walking out.
"Oi, Severus," Remus called out.
Severus stopped in his tracks, tapping his foot, "Yes?"
"If you… ever need to talk, I'm here," Remus offered.
With a curt nod, Severus was gone.