Over the Edge [ Lupin x Evans ]

Chapter 2: One word too many

"I'm bored," Sirius sighed in an exaggeratedly tragic tone. He'd come to this conclusion after barely half an hour of lounging on the grounds, which made Lupin chuckle quietly.

"Wish it was full moon." he muttered.

"You might," replied Lupin without looking up from his book.

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," Potter suddenly chimed in, a spark of mischief in his eye. "Look who it is..."

Sirius immediately propped himself up on his elbows and followed James's gaze. Not too far off, in the shade of some bushes, sat Severus Snape, the perennial nemesis of both James and Sirius. As the black-haired Slytherin began gathering his things to leave the grounds, Potter and Black sprang to their feet, like two roosters ready for a joint attack.

Remus and Peter, meanwhile, stayed where they were. Wormtail usually kept out of these encounters, too timid to risk anything, while Remus tried to stay above it all. But though he still held the novel before him. His eyes were no longer moving over the lines, and a cautious furrow had appeared in the middle of his brow as he listened.

"All right, Snivellus?" Potter called out tauntingly. Snape froze at the sound of the nickname, nearly tripping over the grass in his haste to grab the bag that had slipped from his hand. What happened next would be seared into the memories of all who witnessed it.

"Expelliarmus! Impedimenta!"

Spells shot from James's wand in quick succession, striking the now thoroughly humiliated Severus. Sirius, gleeful, cheered him on, joined by a few others who had caught wind of the free entertainment. Laughter and jeers from the two Marauders echoed across the grounds, their taunts ringing out loudly. No one, however, could hear the fury simmering in Snape's veins. Though he was immobilised, he was already formulating a murderous plan in his mind — a plan that could put an end to those idiots once and for all.

When the Slytherin hit the ground once more, gasping and coughing violently, the crowd erupted with laughter. Emboldened by the sight, Peter got to his feet and shuffled past Lupin, watching the scene with strange fascination.

Remus, however, felt a pang of uncertainty. He glanced down at his Prefect badge, usually a source of pride, and a wave of guilt surged over him. Wasn't he meant to step in during situations like this? Wasn't it his role to intervene, to protect those who couldn't protect themselves? But a sliver of fear held him back. What if, by speaking up, he lost the trust of his friends and ended up completely alone?

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" Potter sniggered.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," Sirius replied, grinning lazily. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word," he added. Remus watched everything with a careful eye, calculating his options and whether, or even when, he should speak up.

Snape spat out a few words in defiance, clearly directed at the Marauders, and suddenly James yelled out:

"Scourgify!"

At once, water burst from Snape's mouth, followed by thick, frothy pink bubbles. Coughing and gagging, he struggled against the spell, helpless to break free from its effects. For a moment, it looked as though he might choke, and Remus shot to his feet, his resolve hardening. This had gone too far. Before he could say anything, however, Lily Evans pushed past him, rushing to stand in front of Potter and Black, her face blazing with anger.

"Leave him ALONE!" she shouted furiously, nearly launching herself at the two Gryffindors.

Remus took a few steps closer, positioning himself just behind her, though he kept a respectful distance. He realised that in her state, Lily was not above throwing a punch, and he had no intention of being in the line of fire. He watched her with growing admiration and a hint of shyness, fiddling nervously with his shirt cuffs. Where he had hesitated, unable to act right away, this slight, unassuming girl had nearly flung herself at Potter in Snape's defence.