Sanctuary

Chapter 46

Friday, 15th September 1972

Time seemed to slow as Remus stared in horror at the lights of his spells shooting across the small amount of empty space between him and Professor Tenebris.

Her wand flashed through the air as she deflected the attacks harmlessly into the floor, before smirking at him.

'Attacking a teacher, Mister Lupin?'

'I'm sorry. It was instinct. I didn't know who it was.'

'Detention, I think.' She raised an eyebrow at him. 'Tonight, six pm, my office.'

Remus nodded, knowing there was no point arguing. But not relishing the idea of being alone with her.

She walked away and Peter leant in close to whisper to him. 'She was pointing her wand at you before you even turned around.'

'Is that what scared you?' Remus asked. 'I knew there was something behind me because I saw you react to it.'

Peter nodded. 'I thought she was going to cast something at your back.'

'Maybe that's why she's mad,' Remus said, narrowing his eyes as he watched her speaking with her another pair of students. 'She's upset that I caught her before she got the chance.'

Sirius and James were quick to join them when the lesson finally ended, and they left the classroom together.

'Mate, I cannot believe you attacked a teacher,' James said, laughing. 'I knew she was annoying you, but that was just...'

'Extreme,' Sirius finished for him when he failed to find a word. 'Legendary. Epic!'

'I didn't mean to,' Remus said. 'I thought there was someone attacking me.'

'There was,' Peter insisted. 'I'm telling you,' he turned to James and Sirius, 'she was pointing her wand at his back.'

James frowned. 'Are you sure?'

Sirius turned around and started marching back to the classroom, his face contorted into an angry scowl. 'I'll kill her.'

Remus ran after him and dragged him back by the collar of his robes. 'Don't be ridiculous. You can't keep threatening to kill people who upset me.'

Sirius pouted. 'Why not?'

'Because it's... James, help me out here.'

'Because it's an overreaction,' James said. 'Besides, we have better ways of getting revenge.'

'We are not taking revenge on a teacher.' Were his friends all insane?

'Why not?' James asked. Now he was the one pouting.

Remus prayed to Merlin to give him the strength to deal with hotheaded, pre-teen boys. 'Because... Pete, help me out here.'

'Because she would assume it was Remus and he would get into even more trouble,' Peter said. He narrowed his eyes in thought. 'Unless we do it during your detention.'

'Peter!'

Peter shrugged. 'I am a marauder, Remus. What d'you expect?'

James grabbed Peter's head and planted a wet kiss on his cheek. 'Good man!'

'I really wish you'd find a new way to express your approval.' Peter wiped the dampness from his cheek and scowled at James.

'For the last time, we are not taking revenge on Professor Tenebris,' Remus said. 'I will do my detention and we'll forget this ever happened.'