Life choices (Remus Lupin Marauders era)

Chapter 6

Lupin's POV

I sit on my bed in the dorm while the guys bitch about people around me, planning who to prank and what to do.

"Ok, we can't let the Prewetts get away with any of this." Sirius growls.

"Yeah, they think they can just go complain to Dumbledore as soon as we put one little finger on them."

Peter looks uneasy and frowns at the two of them.

"Are you sure that's wise? The twins are very protective of their sister. You don't want them to get even more mad at us."

"That's why it can look like an accident or something. And we've got to make sure we all have alibis." James smiles at the idea.

"I don't know." I mutter. "I think wormy's right. And what actually did she do to us?"

James rolls his eyes at me. "Just because you think she's hot moony doesn't mean she's nice and innocent. She's a freak."

"You're saying that just because she's mute and shy. I am a real freak and you don't call me that."

"That's different."

"How?"

"You can't help it. I'm pretty sure she can help being like that."

I frown at him and lie back on my bed, moping and staring at the patten on the fabric above my bed.

"Aw, come on remmy! Don't be like that." Sirius coos.

I don't reply and so he jumps on my stomach, knocking all the wind out of me. James joins him and they both lie over me.

"Get...off....me..." I huff breathlessly.

"Ha ha! You spoke!" James laughs at me. "We won't do something too bad then Remmy, but she can't get away with it. Her brother's however." He grins at Sirius who smirks back. "They deserve something much worse."

"What?" I ask tersely.

"Couple of love potions and some polyjuice." He rummages around in his chest. "And possibly some charms."

From the bottom he unearths his invisibility cloak and two glass bottles, one filled with a luminous pink liquid and the other with a sludgy green/brown mixture.

"And Imogen?"

"We need to learn a bit more about her. Wormy, you're going to have to follow her movements for a bit. Find out where she goes, what she likes."

He nods reluctantly and turns back to his homework on werewolf transformation for DADA, he occasionally asks me questions and I correct all his wrong statements. I swear he would be failing this class if us three weren't here to help him. I suddenly remember I have to return a book to the library and jump out of bed.

"Where you going moony?"

"Library."

"But you said you'd help with my essay!" Peter whines.

"I'll check it after, ask them if you need anything."

I grab my book and head down to the library. A few pupils mill around the corridor, most of them would be in their dorms of the common room by now. I drop the book in the returned tray and hunt around the shelves for anything else to read. I hear a strange noise, like jumping and the occasional huff of annoyance. I turn the corner and spot Immy, jumping up and trying to reach a book on the top shelf. I walk up to her and easily pull it off the shelf. Helps when you're 6'4 and not 5'3. She looks a little bit scared as I hand her the book, but she scribbles out a quick 'thank you' in her notebook.

"You know there is something called magic that can help get stuff down." I tease lightheartedly.

Left my wand in my dorm. She explains and smiles faintly.

"Oh, that makes sense now."

Thank you, again. She nods once in appreciation and walks off.

"You had to return a book huh?" Comes the smartass voice of Sirius.

"I did!" I argue. "I swear to Merlin that I did! She just happened to be here."

"Sure sure. Just don't get too mixed up with her, she may not be a freak but she certainly isn't stable." He advises. "And with you being you, I think you need some stability."

I nod sadly and head back up to the common room with him. My mind consumed with thoughts of her.