whitestar (whitestar) wrote in lupin_snape, @ 2009-09-14 01:22:00 |
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Current location: | Hogwarts |
Current mood: | tired |
Entry tags: | fic: pg |
Fic: Green and Silver Lining - Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape, PG
Title: Green and Silver Lining
Author: whitestar_alpha, whitestar on Insane Journal
Characters: Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape
Rating: PG
Word count: 2940
Warnings: AU
Summary: Sirius and Severus have another run-in, and as usual, Remus is there and gets caught in the middle.
Notes: Marauder Era. Thanks to my betas kibatsu on LJ or starcrossdkayla on IJ, brighty18, et_tu_lj and geek6 all on LJ for their corrections, feedback and terrific help!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters sadly, I just like to play with them...lots.
"Don’t lie, Padfoot. You know you’d try to shag Lily if James wasn’t so interested in her." Remus didn't bother to lift his head from the notes he was taking from the potions books scattered around him on the library table.
"No, I wouldn’t." The sound of fidgeting, flipping pages, and tossed books followed Sirius's answer.
"Yes, you would." Remus sighed, glancing across the wooden table at Sirius, who should have been working on his own Potions essay but as usual, was annoying him just enough to make it difficult to get his own work done. "Remember, my nose gets more sensitive around the full moon, and I can smell how you lust after her when she’s around." He may as well give his friend his full attention. Sirius would continue to bother him until he did.
“Well, I suppose." Sirius gave a crooked smile. He ran his hands through his thick black hair and leaned back in the chair, his arms behind his head. "But, I wouldn’t chase Lily because James is my mate and I'd never try to steal my best mate's girl no matter how much I wanted to bonk her. On the other hand...” Sirius rocked forward, grabbing the potions book out from under Remus’s hand, snapping it shut. “There's nothing that says us mates couldn't shag. It would certainly relieve tension."
Remus scowled and made a swipe for his book but Sirius pulled it out of reach. “Keep your voice down or Madam Pince will hear you!” Looking around to see if anyone was listening, Remus leaned far across the table and whispered, “Where do you get your mad ideas? You’re not the slightest bit interested in blokes, so why offer to have sex?"
“Like I said, Moony, it’ll relieve tension, and I’m all for trying something new. Who knows? I might even like it.” Sirius gave Remus a huge grin.
“Forget it. I have no intention of becoming one of your novelties. I know how you work. When I take up with a bloke, he’s not going to be straight. If you want to experiment, go bother James or Peter.” Remus held out his hand. “Now give me back my book. I need it to complete my homework.”
Sirius eyed Remus shrewdly before commenting, “You have your eye on someone, don’t you? Who is it?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Padfoot.” Remus rolled his eyes and stretched out his hand further. ”Give me the book.”
“Nuh-uh.” Sirius once again leaned back in his chair and swung his arm back just as someone rounded the corner of the bookshelves.
“Bloody idiot!" Severus snarled, rubbing his forearm where the corner of the book had smacked him. "What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Sirius slammed his chair back to the floor with a loud clunk and swiveled around in his seat. “Well, well, look who it is. Poor Snivellus," he mocked. "Snivelling over a little bump from a book. You are a cry-baby aren’t you?"
“Be quiet, Sirius! You’re going to get us kicked out of the library and I need the books for my essay.” Remus glared at Sirius, trying to catch his eye and get him to shut his trap. But when it came to Severus, Sirius was like a cat stalking a mouse. (If only he was that focused on his studies.) Maybe things could be smoothed over before Sirius made this whole incident worse. Half rising from his chair, Remus said, "Severus, it was an accident. Let me take a look at your arm and I can heal it for you."
His offer was met with a deep frown and hard dark eyes. "I don't need your help."
"Please, let me take a look at it for you. I’ve been studying up on my Healing Charms and -"
“I repeat, I don’t need your help. I’m quite capable of healing my own injuries.”
“Yeah, you would be." Sirius laughed. "I'm sure you got a lot of practice having the kind of father you did.”
Uh-oh. That was one of the worst possible things to say to Severus, besides calling him a coward. Why did Sirius constantly have to provoke him? It always led to more trouble. And why in Merlin's name did he have to bring up family? He had just handed Severus the perfect opening. Remus sat back down and held his breath.
“At least I have a home to return to, Black.” Severus said, his mouth contorted in an ugly sneer. “Your family disowned you for being a disgrace to their name. No one wants to see your face again. You're unwanted, and I can’t blame them. Blood-traitor.”
"Why, you greasy bastard!" Sirius jumped to his feet, sending the chair crashing to the floor as he reached into his sleeve. Before the echoes faded, he held his wand steady. "Who're you calling a 'disgrace'?"
Severus already held his own wand pointed at Sirius's chest. Both wizards stood, knuckles white from the tight grips, stances rigid, ready to attack at the slightest movement. Remus inhaled sharply. Sirius wouldn't be so stupid as to duel in the library, would he? Nearly rising out of his chair to settle Sirius down, Remus changed his mind. Anything he tried to do to stop the two would probably be useless. Both wizards looked ready to cast the Killing Curse.
But, before a single hex was fired, "Accio Wands!" split the air and both wands disappeared from their masters' hands and into the hands of one highly vexed Madam Pince.
“Now look what you’ve done, Snivellus!” Sirius said, darting a glance at Madam Pince and then back at Severus.
“Me?” Severus raised his eyebrow. “You seem to have a very short memory, Black. You’re the one who -”
"Enough!" snapped Madam Pince, looking like an enraged Hippogryff. "There will be no dueling, hexes, or loud talking in my library. I'll be speaking to your heads of House, and rest assured, you'll both be serving detention." She continued to glare at the three of them before shoving the wands back at Severus and Sirius. "Now, you will leave the library this instant and not return for a week. That includes you, Mr. Lupin."
"But, I...!" Remus sputtered. How was this any of his fault? And how was he going to finish his essay now?
Madam Pince narrowed her eyes. "Unless you'd also like to serve detention?"
"No, ma'am, I'll leave," Remus answered softly. He looked for Severus and saw that he was almost out the library door.
"Come on, Moony. Let's get out of here."
If he could have burned Sirius to the ground with a look, Remus would have done it. His heart raced and he ground his teeth so hard his jaw ached. Sirius was the most infuriating and selfish person he knew. He made a game out of everything, never for a moment considering the consequences, or how his actions might affect other people. Remus pushed his chair back and stood. Grabbing his bag, he shoved his lone potions book inside, along with the few notes he'd copied from the other books. He stormed out the library and down the corridor, halting only when a hand firmly gripped his shoulder.
"Awww Moony," said Sirius, "don't be like that. You don't need the books to write your homework. We can figure out a way to get around handing in the essays. In fact, if it means that much to you, Prongs and I can sneak back in and get the books you need. I can't wait to see Pince pitch a fit when the books go missing." Sirius chuckled.
Remus, unable to keep a handle on his anger any longer, spun around and snapped, "You don't get it, do you? You're so hung up on getting your jabs in at Severus, you don't care what happens to anyone else as long as you have your fun and 'win'. I'm sick of it! I don't like getting caught in the middle of you and James and your stupid battles with Severus. Now leave me alone!"
A deep frown replaced the smile on Sirius's face. "Damn it, Moony, you know it isn't like that. Snivellus is just as bad when it comes to causing trouble. You can't blame it all on us." Sirius waved his hands in exasperation. "He was acting like a cry-baby. I hardly touched him."
Remus couldn't believe his ears. Everything that happened this afternoon happened because Sirius had to provoke Severus. All he needed to do was apologise and things would've been fine. "I don't believe it. I can't believe you think you had nothing to do with it!" He stared hard at Sirius for a few more moments before saying, "Go away, Padfoot. I don’t want to talk to you right now. Just go away!"
Remus raced away, hoping to find Severus and apologise. Sirius called plaintively after him, but Remus ignored him.
He turned a corner and screeched to a halt, bumping into Severus, who was waving his wand over the large bruise left by the book.
“Watch where you’re going, Lupin!" Severus glared at him. "You’re as bad as Black. You and your fellow lunatics should be declared hazards to the school.”
“I’m sorry," Remus gasped out between breaths. "I didn’t mean to run into you. I came looking for you."
“Well, you found me. What do you want?” Severus scowled down his large hooked nose at Remus, his dark eyes hooded. He returned his wand to his robe sleeve and crossed his arms.
Remus swallowed to calm himself and gain further time to catch his breath. "I… I wanted to apologise for Sirius’s behavior. It was completely uncalled for. It was his fault and he shouldn’t have behaved that way toward you. I’m sorry you have to serve detention. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’m more than willing. I’m very good at researching and organizing things," Remus said with a small smile. "If you don't want my help I can always do you a favour, I feel very badly about what happened." As he waited for an answer, Remus's palms started to sweat and his heart pounded so loudly he wondered if Severus could hear it. Surely, it was only fair that he offer to help, after what Sirius had done. He was just trying to be helpful, that was all. It wasn't because he often thought of studying with Severus, or if asked, he would have accepted the chance to study with Severus in a second. Severus was intelligent and loved to learn like he did - it gave them something in common. But now, he just wanted to be helpful. It was perfectly all right to be helpful.
Severus narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Why would you want to help me? Black will be serving detention, why not help him?”
“I’m not happy with him at the moment." Remus shook his head. "I was writing my potions essay and now I’m banned from the library. I have no idea how I’m going to complete it in time. As to why I’m offering to help you, it is partly my fault, it was my book that Sirius used to hit you.”
“Do you apologise for everything, Lupin?”
“Oh, sorry, no I don’t.”
Severus raised an eyebrow and Remus noticed his mistake.
“Well, yes, I suppose it is a habit.” Remus felt heat creep up his neck and burn into his face, and he looked down at his shoes in embarrassment.
“No wonder your friends walk all over you." Severus's tone had changed to one of curiosity. "Why don’t you stand up to them?"
Remus jerked his head back up. “I do stand up to them, when I need to.” Like telling Sirius to leave him alone so he could find Severus and apologise. But why were they talking about his friends? He didn't want to talk about them, he wanted to make sure Severus knew he was sincere. Shifting from foot to foot nervously, Remus gathered the courage to throw out his offer one more time and then let it drop. He didn't want Severus to feel like he was being pushed. "Well anyway, like I said, I can help you with whatever extra work you get in detention, although I'm pretty sure you don't need it. You've always been fantastic about getting your homework done before any of us, and you're brilliant in potions. I envy you in how it all comes so easily. When it comes to learning magic, you're way ahead of all of us." Remus noticed he was rambling and felt himself blush again. No one could make him blush as easily as Severus could. It was rather disconcerting.
Severus’s rigid posture had slackened a bit during Remus's speech but his eyes continued to bore into Remus’s own and he was now saying something. Remus sensed he was being spoken to but no sounds made it to his brain. Instead, he was held captive by a pair of deep, brown eyes. He'd seen those dark eyes before as they would glance his way in passing and how they would burn into other students when angered, but he had never stood so close and for so long in the focus of those eyes. Now, he was caught in molten pools of the richest chocolate. Those eyes, oh those eyes, the most delicious, darkest chocolate that Remus felt himself starting to melt away. He was caught in that voice, a voice as dark as the deepest night, so smooth that not even the stars peeked into that moonless night.
“...Lupin… Lupin!”
"Hmmm? Sorry, were you saying something?” Remus shook himself back to the present and was met with a roll of Severus’s eyes.
“Yes, I was. Now, if you could pay attention long enough, I said I will loan you some of my potions books so you can complete your essay. The ones in the library aren’t near as good as those in my collection.”
"How do you know?”
Severus scowled as if Remus were an idiot and should have already known the answer to the question. “Because I’ve already finished the essay, and I used my books instead of the drivel that Pince calls potions books." Severus leaned forward and stared at Remus intently as he emphasized his next statements. "Don’t think, for one second, I’m letting you use my books without repayment or allowing you to take them back to your dorm. You will only use them in my presence. I have no intention of Black using them to finish his essay, if he's even started on it yet. You will also assist with whatever detention I serve, and I will call in the favour when needed. As you admitted, this was partly your fault." Severus straightened back up, waiting for Remus to acknowledge what he had said.
Remus's stomach flipped at Severus's response and he was pretty sure his face had a look of surprise plastered over it. It was unheard of for Severus to offer help to anyone outside his own house, except to Lily, who every boy wanted to help.
“Thank you, Severus, and of course, I’d be happy to help," Remus replied with a huge grin, overtaken with the sudden urge to bounce up and down on his feet like a child unable to control his excitement. "I’m sure we could get the work done quickly if - ”
“We won’t get the work done quickly if you keep blathering on like that, Lupin,” interrupted Severus.
“Oh yes, right. Sorry,” Remus said, and was met with a groan and another roll of those dark eyes. There was no way he was going to jeopardize this new arrangement. If Severus wanted him to talk less and stop apologising, he'd do it. He put up with outlandish behaviour from James and Sirius; going along with what Severus wanted would be easy. Hopefully, they would talk more often when they got to know each other better.
“I’ll contact you when I find out what the detention entails."
Remus nodded. “Right, sounds good. I look forward to it.” Remus felt his face flush again.
Severus gave him a quizzical expression and then drew himself up taller. He turned and swept away without a word. Remus's eyes followed his billowing robes and the march of his long steps with keen interest.
Somehow, this experience had turned out differently than he expected. He recalled a quote he learned in Muggle Studies class, “Every cloud has a silver lining.” In this case, this cloud had a green and silver one. Remus's smile stretched across his face. He couldn’t stay angry with Sirius any longer, not when the argument had such a positive outcome. He headed back to look for Sirius, sure that his friend was already up to his ears in trouble with James. He'd have to remember to buy Padfoot a butterbeer next time they went to Hogsmeade, although he'd have to make up a reason why.
Remus whistled as he walked away. Who would have guessed he'd actually look forward to detention? He'd have to rethink his ideas about punishment. Detention could turn out to be quite a pleasurable experience, especially if it involved Severus. Yes, he definitely owed Sirius a butterbeer.
This story can also can be found at my writing community whitestar_fics. GREEN AND SILVER LINING