Harry Potter One Shots

Perhaps (Remus Lupin)

"Potter, what's wrong with Remus?"

My potions partner simply shrugged, peering cautiously into our cauldron as the bubbling liquid inside turned a most unpleasant shade of green. I groaned, shooing him away. "It's three turns clockwise, Potter!" I chastised him, trying desperately to salvage our concoction which has begun to spark quite dangerously. "Merlin, Potter, duck!"

We both dove out of the way, our assignment exploding spectacularly—oozing off the walls, down the sides of the workbench, and onto the floor. "Not again," James moaned, brushing off his robes. "It's Gryffindor versus Slytherin tonight. I can't be making up Potions."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have been staring at Evans so much, " I quipped back, allowing him to help me to my feet. He blushed, stammering nonsensically.

Turning to the table across from ours, Potter beckoned the Lupin boy away from Lily. Eyes downcast and looking rather tired, Remus walked warily towards the pair of us. "Moony, please," James begged. "Just this once?"

"Alright." Lupin's voice sounded quite defeated, as though he had expected this to happened. Not wrongly—it was perhaps the sixth time. "You've got to find yourself a better potions partner, (Y/L/N)," he teased quietly, the corner of his mouth pulling up into the smallest of crooked grins.

I laughed, shaking my head in Potter's direction, who was now being reprimanded by a rather exasperated looking Evans. "You know there's no getting rid of him, Remus."

"One can only hope," he murmured jokingly, cleaning the cauldron as we began the assignment anew.

• • •

Later

"It's like this, see? Piece of cake."

I watched in dismay as Sirius flipped his hair back from his eyes, earning quite a few swoons from the Ravenclaw girls nearby. He winked. I groaned, rolling my eyes in exasperation as Peter, a small, fat, bumbling boy, attempted to mirror him.

"You have got to have something better to do with your time, Black," I sighed, leaning back onto the grass. "You'll lose your head if you keep moving it that much. It'll roll right off your shoulders." Pettigrew stopped immediately, cupping the sides of his face in fear. Sirius merely snickered.

It was a brilliant day to be by the lake. We didn't venture too near the water's edge, a few meters back was enough to deter the giant squid. My robes lay discarded to my left, my tie loosened and the top button of my uniform undone. Immodest, I suppose some would say, though I'm sure they'd balk at Lestrange who had her dress shirt tied up to better sun her stomach. The whiteness of her skin made me squint my eyes. Looking around, I frowned. "Where's Lupin?"

James shrugged. "He had a rough night."

"Is he alright?" I demanded, getting to my feet.

"Don't worry," Sirius drawled. "He's in the hospital wing." Lily shot him an exasperated glare.

"You've done it now," I heard her murmur. But I was already gone, trudging up towards the castle gates.

• • •

The hospital wing was quiet, the smell of summer air seeping in through the open windows. Nearly deserted, Remus was the only one inside—save for Madam Pomfrey, who rarely left. He was curled in on his side, fast asleep, one arm stretched over the side of the cot. Drawing up a chair, I sat down quietly, taking his hand in both of my own. He stirred slightly, eyes cracking open.