Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) Book Three (Marauders Era)

Chapter Fifteen - A Long Morning

Chapter Fifteen – A Long Morning

Author's Note: I've gotten a few inquiries about when I will return to twice a week. I promise I will eventually soon. Right now I am still healing over the trauma over the hate, my mother, and my dog. Due to all of that, I'm unfortunately not getting much written a week. But I promise that soonish I will return two twice a week, I miss being able to post that much! I am sorry about the one a week right now, and hopefully soon it'll be back to two. Also I don't feel pressured or anything by these questions. On the contrary, it makes me VERY happy to know how excited y'all are for more chapters!

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Remus woke up on the first morning of school—or rather, the first morning with classes—feeling somewhat all right. He hadn't had very many nightmares and the ones he did have weren't too intrusive. And despite waking up an hour earlier than he used to for classes, he felt decent.

"Can we sign a petition complaining about having a lesson so early?" Peter grumbled as they trudged through the common room.

Remus glanced at the table where the Marauders had left the maps, along with a sign saying they were for the first years. None of them were gone yet, though since the first years wouldn't need to be up for another hour that didn't surprise him. He hoped they liked the maps. He hoped they were helpful.

"Can we sign a petition complaining about having to deal with Slytherins so early?" Sirius joked. "Or at all?"

"What all do we have today?" James asked, the only one of them actually fully awake.

Remus yawned as he recited the timetable for the day which, for him, included Study of Ancient Runes. It was going to be weird having a class without the other Marauders, though at least Lily would be there. Divination was going to be the biggest test for him. None of his friends were taking that.

It was strange being in the Great Hall in the early morning with so many older students and most of the teachers. The Marauders plopped down in an empty spot and began eating breakfast, with James being the only one talking. He didn't seem to care that he was more or less talking to himself, though the others occasionally gave vaguely responsive noises. Soon the owl post arrived, letters arriving for all four Marauders. Remus was very surprised when a letter landed in front of him, since he hadn't expected anything from his parents, then when he picked the envelope up he realized it was in Miss Fawley's writing.

Dear Remus,

I was hoping to meet with you in our usual room at our old time on Tuesday? Only for a quick meeting to figure out a good time.

Good luck with your lessons!

M. Fawley

Remus glowed a bit with pleasure, feeling good at seeing Fawley's little note, at her wishing him good luck.

But before any of them knew it, it was nearly eight and they had to go down to the dungeon. The third year Gryffindors and Slytherins made their way down, most of them too tired to do much more than give each other dirty looks. When Remus shuffled into the classroom he expected to be overwhelmed with stinkiness and when he wasn't, he was very confused. It wasn't until the Marauders sat down that he realized: this was the first lesson of the entire year. The classroom hadn't been used all summer. Of course it wouldn't have much stink yet.

Then he glanced up to see Professor Slughorn standing by his desk, hands against his stomach as he rocked back and forth, waiting for all the students to file in. Remus gave a slight shudder and ducked his head. His relationship with Slughorn was very... confusing. Slughorn was his teacher and a good teacher, yet there was something about him that made Remus uncomfortable. Plus the fact Slughorn seemed adamant about Remus joining his weird club... then the whole 'cheating' thing...