Looking For a Friend✨ wolfstar slowburn

Chapter 4: First Year: Pranks and ties

Summary:

Here's chapter four!

Our boys are pulling their first pranks and tie up the ties :) Enjoy!

Tuesday, 12th October 1971

Loads of homework and Remus' detention forced the boys to keep changing the date of their plan to get rid of Octavius and a revenge-prank on Severus. Remus was also determined to do his best at school since he had such an opportunity and didn't want to lose it. He was doing all his homework the same day it was set and studying extra time at the library since he forgot about the Ghost essay after the full moon. Professor Knotley wasn't too patient with him but told Remus to write an essay for next class, twice as long as the previous one for a punishment.
Remus found himself keen on studying, firstly wanting to impress his parents and then doing it only for himself. James, Sirius, and Peter were focusing on their schoolwork as well but not as much as Lupin did. James wouldn't stop blabbing about Quidditch try-outs, encouraging Sirius to go there with him. Peter was a regular Peter – following James and Sirius anywhere he could and when he got bored, he tried to study with Remus.
The competition between Potter and Black could be noticed by anyone since they wouldn't stop joshing each other about their grades. They both especially loved Defence Against the Dark Arts and tried excelling each other in it. They also enjoyed Transfiguration although nobody could beat Lily Evans. Professor McGonagall lavished praise on her, announcing that Lily was the best first-year student she's ever had.
While three of the boys sincerely hated Astronomy, Remus was quite fond of it. Such subject might seem to be boring for most, but Remus quickly concluded that it was quite relaxing, although unnecessary. All they had to do for then was studying the sky with telescopes and describing stars alignment that formulated diverse constellations. Remus liked them – during late summer he always lay in the garden with Hope, and they would search for constellations together. He realised that he didn't really have to study for that subject at the beginning as he already knew a couple things.
It didn't stop a gut feeling growing in him as soon as he realised that the moon was probably going to be a part of Astronomy material as well. He didn't know when, but he knew that someday they might talk about it a lot and it might cause him some enormous problems.

Meanwhile, Octavius never stopped snoring and Severus Snape never stopped talking about Remus behind his back, or even in his presence during classes. He especially did it during Potions since Professor Horace Slughorn paired them together for the first semester, believing in a cooperation between the feuding houses. Remus hated every second of it and tried his best not to react to Severus' comments including the nickname "Loony Lupin". Snape was doing it openly now, not realising that the boys were planning a prank against him. Remus knew that Snape wanted to provoke him so that he would get another detention, so he tried his best to ignore his words – unlike James, Sirius, and Peter. All of them turned out to be incredibly supportive and protective friends who would always reply to Severus, insulting him in any possible way and getting detentions.

When Remus was reading Potions textbook for the first time, he thought that it was going to be the easiest subject of all. He quickly realised he underestimated it, thinking that adding ingredients and brewing potions would be easy. It turned out to be way harder, especially in the presence of Snape who always put Remus off his stroke. Severus "accidentally" bumped at him or poked him in the arm when Remus was adding ingredients into their cauldron. He even told Remus a couple times to back away and let him do the potion on his own since Remus was an "insufferable twit". Lupin would always clench his jaw and try to pave Snape's words over, even though he promised himself to find numerous amounts of hexes to try on the Slytherin boy.
It's been a week since Remus experienced another full moon at Hogwarts. It was quite better than the first time although the wolf in him was still desperate enough to bang himself against the walls of a shack. The wolf bit himself in his right thigh which made Remus limp. Madam Pomfrey fixed him almost perfectly and was kind enough to ask him once more to visit the hospital wing whenever he had a chance and whenever anything pained him.
It wasn't without the boys making sure if he was okay and asking him what happened. Remus made up a brilliant excuse – he convinced his friends that he stepped on a vanishing step while coming back from the hospital wing. James and Peter patted him on the back and started asking Remus to do or fetch anything for him – on a daily basis. Lupin felt embarrassed for himself as he never wanted to be perceived as weak and always rejected their help although the boys insisted to assist him. The only one who remained silent was Sirius – he never offered his help or told him that his leg was going to be okay. He just sat there and watched Remus, doing it more often than before. Even though Sirius' gaze was subtle and not forced or constant, Remus could feel somebody's gaze on him and when he lifted his eyes, he sometimes caught Black staring. Sirius always played it cool and smiled at him slightly, continuing what he was doing. Lupin felt quite uncomfortable and even annoyed – he hated when people stared at him, and it always made him feel as if somebody would find out about his secret just by looking at him.