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

Chapter Forty-Seven - A Choice

Author's note: CW for a sick pet in this chapter.

Also I decided to get a bonus chapter out today because today is my mother's birthday. I know she would have loved a bonus chapter as a gift, so... happy birthday, Mum. I love you, and miss you.

-x-

Of course Peter told them, and it was a big blow up that evening. James and Sirius had spent the entire afternoon with Hagrid and had supper with him, so they didn't show up again until a little after dark. The first couple of hours went by normally—playing card games in the common room—until Remus had to use the loo. He went upstairs to use the lavatory and when he returned, James and Sirius were both watching him with narrowed eyes and pursed lips while Peter was studiously avoiding his eyes.

Then, as if on a silent cue, James and Sirius jumped up and frogmarched Remus out of the common room with Peter trailing behind. Remus spluttered out protests, trying to wriggle free; they didn't release him until they were in a secret passage down the corridor. It was a hidden spiral staircase that went directly from the seventh floor to the fourth floor.

"Ow!" Remus complained when they finally let go. He stepped away, rubbing his arms. "You were holding on tightly. That hurt."

"Hurt as much as when Snape broke your hand?" Sirius demanded.

Remus looked at Peter who cleared his throat, staring at the wall. "What are you talking about?" Remus asked through gritted teeth, knowing he wasn't fooling anyone.

"Pete told us," James said, flexing his fingers as if wanting to attack Snape right there and then. "And what were you doing going off with him alone again anyway?"

"He... wanted to talk about Lily," Remus mumbled. "He put his wand away to show he wasn't going to hex me."

Sirius folded his arms. "Did he break your hand with a hex?"

Remus tugged hard at the hem of his jumper. "Erm. N... no..."

"So he did break your hand!" James cried out.

"Yes, all right? It was ages ago—"

"Why?" Sirius demanded, getting right in Remus's face. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I didn't want to start anything!" he hissed out, stumbling back. "I knew if I told you this sort of thing would happen. It's... in the past—"

"What happened?" Sirius asked.

Remus pressed his lips tightly together, remembering that awful moment in the storage room down in the dungeons where Snape attacked him because of the rumors that Lily and Remus had kissed. Except if he told them that, they most likely would start teasing Snape about fancying Lily. Of course, they all knew Snape obviously fancied Lily, but this would be more evidence. "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want Lily to find out..."

"She should know," Peter said. "Her friend's a twat, she should know he broke your hand!"

"That isn't an answer to my question either," Sirius pointed out.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, slumping back against the wall. "He was upset with me. He pushed me down and stepped on my hand. I don't know if he meant to seriously injure my hand or if it was an accident, but it happened." It had been on purpose, but he wasn't going to tell them that. "Then I healed. That's all there is. I don't want a big deal made of this, I don't want revenge against him. I just want to move on."

"That isn't the point," James said. "Us getting revenge isn't the point. The point is you never told us."

"He broke your hand, and you never told us until now," added Peter.