Disclaimer: All characters belong solely to JK Rowling. If you recognize a scene or a name, it is hers.

Chapter Four: The Plan

Christmas holidays were approaching, and Remus had signed up to stay at Hogwarts this year. He knew Sirius would do the same, as he always did so, but when James signed up, the werewolf was stunned. Surely this couldn't still be his way of reconciling with him?

After seeing that Remus had signed up to stay again this year, James sought his friend out. He immediately asked for help in transfiguration, as school was likely the only topic which would get Remus not to immediately walk away. He received a look of surprise, but Moony pulled his book from his bag and walked over to his usual place near the fireplace. It took the majority of the afternoon to get James to finally be able to turn the rat into a teacup and back, but eventually, he understood. And by the end, Remus left his friend to go out to look for Peter. A whisper in the back of his mind made him realize it was not only Pettigrew who he was seeking out, but he blocked the thought and left through the portrait hole.

Remus found Peter quite easily. He had gone outside, as that was the most likely place that he would be, and immediately saw him and Sirius surrounded by a crowd. The two were taking turns pointing their wands at something… wait, no, someone.

Remus' gut told him exactly what was going on. James suddenly needing help in transfiguration had been a distraction for Sirius and Peter to go attack Snape again. It all made sense now.

Remus pushed through the crowd, pulling his wand out as he went. The crowd moved easily out of his way. They were expecting him to join the fray, as he was also a Marauder. And he knew easily more spells than the other three combined, as he actually paid attention in class. And, as most of the school knew, he could invent spells just as easily as learn them.

"Sirius, what's going on?" Remus had finally gotten through the crowd and approached his friend. A glance in the direction Peter's wand was pointing gave him his answer: Severus Snape hung limply by his left ankle, his hair had been changed from black to pink and green, and his robes were now a strange bluish grey.

A wand-wave later, and Snape was on the ground again, but Sirius was not going to go down that easily. He flicked his wand, muttering a spell under his breath. Pink bubbles were now spurting from the Slytherin's mouth. The bubbles continued, filling his mouth, spilling down his robes. Snape collapsed, unable to breathe. Remus ran to the boy, cursing Sirius. This was the one spell that had no counterspell, and Padfoot knew it. Peter and Sirius roared with laughter, along with the crowd. Remus helped the boy to his feet, and motioned for Peter to help him. Peter, who really had nothing against the Slytherin apart from allegiance to Sirius and James, helped Remus usher Severus to the hospital wing. They both knew that Sirius, who always loved to be the center of attention, would ignore the fact that Remus had helped his victim escape and keep the crowd for as long as possible.

Just before the trio got to the castle, it was evident that Snape could breathe on his own again. The spell had worn off, leaving him simply angry to be with the werewolf and his friend. Still trying to catch his breath, the Slytherin muttered a quiet thanks to Remus, fixing Peter with a glare. He turned to leave, but Remus was too quick for him, grabbing his arm before he could escape. Snape snatched away, but Remus had succeeded in stopping him.

"Hey, just wait a second. I can counter his spells."

The Slytherin plastered a sneer on his face. "Oh, and you expect me to believe that, do you? Apart from what you and your Marauder friends think, I'm not an idiot, Lupin. I only kept silent so as to stay on Dumbledore's good side. Do not think it was for any other reason." Remus took out his wand and pointed it at Snape, who backed away slightly. All three of them had seen the werewolf's mastery at spells, as he was easily the best in their year in charms.

"Finite Incantatum," Remus said simply. Severus' hair returned to its normal black, as did his robes. Snape gaped in astonishment, and Peter gave Remus a look of astonishment. "I'm sorry about… about what they keep doing. I owe you, I told you that. And if it takes every effort I've got, I'll get them to stop this idiocy."

And with that, the two Gryffindors turned to the staircase and left without a second glance. Had they turned back, they would have seen the Slytherin staring after them in blatant shock.

"Pete, why do you follow them so blindly? Think about it. If it wasn't for Snape, Padfoot would have been expelled, as would I have been. Just… try to back me up with this, would you? It may get ugly, you know how they get. Please, Peter."

They had made it almost back to Gryffindor Tower when Remus had pulled Peter into an unused classroom. Peter had been slightly apprehensive about the sudden change of destination, but went along with it; after five years of his friends changing plans at the last second, he had gotten used to it.

"Uh, Remi, they're not going to take this well. You know they hate Snape."

"Yeah, but why? What's he done to them?"

"Since when did that matter, Moony?"

Remus fixed a determined glare on his face. "You've got a point with that one. But that just means we've got to try even harder. Come on, Pete. We've got to plan this out. Start it out tomorrow, unless something else comes up before then.

The next morning, as usual, Remus and Peter were up and ready to go to breakfast long before their roommates had even awakened. As it was Saturday, the two friends went down together, knowing that the others would be up soon enough anyway.

The whole time waiting for the other two was spent planning on how to get Sirius and James to see the error of their ways, but they both knew it would be an extremely difficult endeavor. And it would begin that morning, as soon as the idiots got out of bed and down to breakfast.

But neither James nor Sirius joined the two at breakfast, so instead of going out into the grounds as the four would normally have done together, Remus and Peter returned to Gryffindor Tower. Peter was the first to enter the four boys' dormitory, and stopped immediately inside, causing Remus to walk right into the smaller boy.

The sight which caught their eyes was disturbing to say the least. James and Sirius were together on James' bed, their lips pressed together, arms about one another. Remus' wolf senses could feel the passion between the two friends, but before he had the chance to decide whether he should say something or just leave, Peter ran from the room. The sound of the door broke the two lovers apart, and they looked up just in time to see Remus turn from them and take off after Wormtail.

Kelsey: Happy now? Finally an update. xD Luvs you!

What's next? Any ideas, please send. And review, please!