Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) - Book One (Marauder Era)

Chapter Ninety-Two - Hoovering

Fawley hadn't been informed any of what happened so the next day before they began Remus told her everything, then showed her the memory of Dedenne completely snapping. Fawley's jaw clenched, the muscles flexing a little as fury radiated from her body.

"I am so sorry, Remus," she said, struggling to keep her voice under control. "You didn't deserve that. I know perfectly well you feel like you did, however you didn't." She stroked his hair gently. "You're not a danger to anyone. You're a good werewolf. Understand?"

He shrugged. "I... guess..." He wasn't, but whatever.

"I am so sorry I didn't realize how she was sooner..." Fawley pressed her fingertips against her eyes. "I knew she wasn't fond of you but I didn't know the extent of things, you never... shared this with me, and I never saw much in your memories to raise any warning flags. I should have seen this. I am sorry."

He promised her it was fine because really it wasn't her fault at all. He didn't understand why she was apologizing.

Of course the rumors were still flying that Remus had been involved in Dedenne's termination. He calmly denied this, then started saying that if he could get a teacher to leave it would have been Binns. Taking the mick worked wonders, and the rumors began dying down. After a few days everyone moved on to something else. Except for Remus who carried everything in his head like a weight, guilt and nausea constantly eating away at his insides.

Study group kept trying to get him to tell what happened. Why he had gone missing. He just said he hadn't been feeling great that day, that he had gotten a letter from home saying his mother was ill again, just... as many lies as he could. That didn't really satisfy Craft so Remus avoided the library for a while, figuring he might as well spend more time with the Marauders while he could.

They were still gearing up for Operation BounceIt. Remus had found a spiderweb spell so he and Sirius were practicing it one evening while the other two were in detention, shooting rather feeble webbing all over the dorm until Sirius started shooting it at Remus. Remus yelped and shot the webbing back but Sirius had gotten the upper hand; soon Remus was covered in the sticky stuff, hardly able to move, feeling a bit sorry for insects who got caught in proper spider webs.

"Thanks, Shelob," Remus said when Sirius freed him.

"Shelob?"

"Never mind."

"Sorry," he laughed. "I couldn't resist. This would be fun to duel with. Next year when we break into the Slytherin dorm we should fill Snape's room with the stuff."

"Break in...?" Remus peeled bits of web off his face before moving on to his arms. "You've got a plan, then?"

"Yeah. Once James--" He stopped himself, biting his bottom lip. "Well, we have a plan."

"When James what?"

Sirius glanced at the door then back at Remus. "I shouldn't say. I'm sure you'll find out soon enough. He doesn't want to jinx himself, you know? If he talks about it, maybe his father won't give it to him."

"Give what to him?"

"Nothing." Sirius got some webbing out of Remus's hair which sent a strange shiver down Remus's spine, probably just because of the close proximity. "All right, I probably did too much. Webs, I mean."

Remus just grunted as he started picking stuff off his midriff. "You definitely made a mess. We have to clean the floors, too." His eyes swept around the room, taking in all the white. "Um. The whole dorm, really."