Wolfbite (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter 6: Called It

Chapter 6: Called It

First Hogsmeade visit is coming up. My mates and I are planning on going to Zonko's and Honeydukes before heading off to the Shrieking Shack and then rounding it all off with a trip to the Three Broomsticks. Seems like just the quiet, uneventful day I need.

**

By the time Monday rolled around, Leo was practically ripping the bandages from his arms and tossing them into the nearest fire. He was relieved to have his arms unbound and displayed the scars on them with a faint note of pride. There were three long, thin, pink lines going diagonally across the tops of each of his forearms. Pomfrey informed him that they would eventually fade somewhat and become far less noticeable. He was mildly disappointed to hear that.

He felt that scars should be worn – displayed, even – with pride. They showed the trials and suffering someone had gone through. They told stories, either of brave heroics or cowardice. He didn't believe scars made you weak or that you should be ashamed of them – like Remus was of his – he was of the firm mind that they made you stronger than most, a lesson he tried and failed many a time to impart on his godfather.

Neville had gone deathly pale at seeing his arms and had blubbered profusely about how sorry he was and that he was a coward and all the other nonsense Leo eventually tuned out. He finally told Neville that if it was anyone's fault, it was Linguini's. Linguini had been the one to fire off the spell, knowing that Fluxwing would attack and that Leo – brave, reckless, and fiercely protective as he was – would most assuredly jump in front of Neville to protect him.

Fred and George, who were eavesdropping on this particular conversation, took that moment to grab Leo by the arms and haul him bodily from the room down to the hidden passage on the fourth floor. Leo stood there, bewildered as the two left, returning minutes later with Draco. The four sat down in a circle, plotting their revenge on Zabini that would have to be humiliating and hilarious in order to be satisfying.

After an hour of discussion, they managed to come up with something that fit both those criteria: singing the truth. They were still very much in love with the idea of having Zabini sing every time he tried to talk – but how could they make it better? The answer had been simple: use a truth-telling potion.

Draco informed them that Snape kept spare Veritaserum in his potions cupboard that would be easy enough to grab. All he needed was a distraction. Leo grinned evilly at this before whispering to the twins exactly what he would need.

The very next day found Leo standing in the middle of the dungeons, wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and swinging a huge crimson handbag. He put on his most Snape-ish, drawling voice as he scolded the Weasley twins for everything from being Gryffindors to having freckles – pretty much anything Snape would have yelled at them for. While everyone was gathering around them, laughing uproariously, Snape strode toward him, looking more infuriated than Leo had ever seen him. This was a bonus, considering Snape had docked him points just for showing up injured. As Snape was busy docking more points and assigning detention, Draco snuck into his office unseen and came back with a small vial of Veritaserum.

At breakfast the next morning, Leo had Draco distract Zabini whilst he – hidden under Harry's Invisibility Cloak – poured both the Veritaserum and the Singing Concoction into his morning pumpkin juice. He dove out of the Great Hall, removing the cloak and striding back in nonchalantly just in time to hear Zabini belting out a few lines about how his favorite color was actually red and he had a secret crush on Celestina Warbeck. Leo was barely able to high-five the twins under the table as he and everyone else were laughing too hard.