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

Chapter Eighty-Eight - Peter's Discovery

Wednesday morning after Potions, Slughorn asked Remus to stay behind. He stayed in his seat as everyone else left, wondering if this was about the Slug Club again; Slughorn hadn't bothered him about it for a while, so he hoped it wasn't. He wasn't really surprised when it turned out to be an accusation, though. Avery told Slughorn that Remus had burned him with sparks.

"He was in the hospital wing last night," Slughorn said, giving Remus a stern look. "Did you do it?"

Remus kept his chin up. "In defense, sir."

"You don't have Defense Against the Dark Arts with Slytherins," Slughorn replied hotly.

"No, sir. In my defense. Avery threw me against the wall and was going to punch me. He called me half-blood."

Slughorn smoothed down his mustache, his brow wrinkled in thought. "Hmm. What happened before that?"

Remus didn't want to say too much; didn't want to admit Peter was with him. He'd rather take detention. "I didn't bother him. He saw me and began chasing me. I fell and he pushed me against the wall."

"And that's when he hit you?"

"He didn't hit me."

Slughorn narrowed his eyes. "I thought you said he hit you?"

"Oh." Remus ducked his head. "Um, n-no, I said I thought he was going to but—but he didn't. He did snap my wrist."

"You assumed he was going to punch you, and you shot sparks into his face?"

Remus swallowed. "In both our faces to be fair, his face was practically against mine."

He began fussing with his mustache again. "Well. I have his word against yours. Now, I know Mr. Avery dislikes you and your friends however... I only have evidence of you hurting him. As well as you admitting it. This puts me in a difficult situation." He began rocking back and forth, hands on his stomach. "I do believe your story, Mr. Lupin. But I do need to punish you for using magic in the corridors, and one to purposely injure another student. Fifteen points from Gryffindor."

Remus flooded with gratitude, as well as slight shock. Slughorn believed him over a Slytherin! It felt like a miracle. "Thank you, sir." He got up and quickly left before Slughorn could change his mind.

"Oh, and Mr. Lupin?"

He stopped in his tracks and turned, forcing a pleasant smile back on his face.

"Er, I also wanted to discuss another matter with you. It's about... what happened over the holidays. With your, er..." Slughorn fiddled with the cuffs of his robes, making a lot of harrumphing noises. "What you gave me."

"My leg," Remus said flatly.

Slughorn looked a little embarrassed. "Yes. I wanted to be clear with you that I took it because you seemed keen on getting rid of it. It isn't something I would have ever thought of myself."

"Yes, sir."

"Also... I gave it to a friend of mine. A colleague. A fellow expert in potions." Slughorn raised his eyebrows as all the color drained from Remus's face. "I didn't tell him how it came into my possession, let alone that it was from a student. But he has been doing research into potions to possibly cure werewolves, so I thought your—erm—that it might help him in some way."

Remus kept his hands against his sides, trying not to squirm. Nothing can cure us, he wanted to say, but kept his mouth shut.

"I only wanted you to know what happened to it," Slughorn said, nodding more to himself. "That it might do some good. Hmm. Yes, and if you ever wish to meet Mr. Belby, I'm certain he'd find you—"