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

Chapter Seven - Not Gonna Bite

Remus spent far too much time in the library, missing supper entirely and only leaving when the librarian came skulking by and told him that the first-year's curfew was in ten minutes. Remus threw everything into his bag, checked out the two books he had been using, and ran as fast as he could through the school. A Slytherin Prefect caught him and took points away for running in the hall and points away for being out of the common room after curfew.

"I have two minutes left!" Remus argued.

"And it takes at least four to get to the Gryffindor tower," the Prefect said. "Plus you probably don't even know where it is."

He couldn't exactly say he knew how to get there by scent, and didn't want to risk losing more points by arguing. Complaining under his breath, Remus walked off and as soon as he was out of sight he began running again. He made it to the portrait of the woman in the pink dress just as seven o'clock hit. "Helios's chariot," he panted and the portrait opened up. He climbed in (falling, like usual) and then went up to the dorm. His legs hurt a bit from running so much though soon the pain ebbed away, leaving only the exhaustion. He groaned as he hit his bed and then tore his robes off, tossing them on the floor.

"Stupid Prefect, I made it, I made it, just hated me cause I'm a Gryffindor, that's all it was," he muttered to himself. "Not my fault," he added despite it completely being his fault for running. "If Gryffindor hadn't decided to throw his students into the tower like some sort of fairy-tale...! Who in their right mind puts kids on the seventh floor of a castle?! Nutters, that's who."

"I agree."

Remus screamed and fell out of his bed. He landed on his face and sprang up into a crouched position that looked far too animalistic. He saw Black in the doorway, looking quite bemused. Slowly Remus got into a standing position and began blushing. "W--wasn't--wasn't t-t-talking to--to--"

"I know," Black said, coming into the room. He had a large bruise on one cheek that piqued Remus's curiosity, but the smaller boy remained silent. "Didn't mean to interrupt you. I agree, though. It's insane we're all the way up here." Remus just remained silent, watching Black as he got out a deck of cards from his desk. "James and I are gonna have a game of exploding snaps, want to join?" Remus just blinked. "You know, you can say something. I'm not going to bite."

Remus involuntarily flinched at those mocking words and a choking sort of sound emitted from his mouth. Black raised his eyebrows and took a step back due to the unusual reaction. Not going to bite. Not going to bite! Remus began laughing nervously. Why did he say that?! Black said something but the words didn't reach Remus's brain. Not going to bite! His chest seized up as he finally managed to stop the laughter and then he ran past Black (who was getting quite used to the sight after only two days) and into the bathroom, to hide out in one of the stalls, feeling pathetic and stupid.

*

Nightmares plagued Remus that night. He tossed and turned, hearing Black say those words over and over.

I'm not going to bite, Black said and then Remus began laughing wildly. No, Remus agreed, but I AM! He turned into a wolf and began chasing Black around the dorm room until he had him pinned up against the wall. Remus-wolf gave a vicious snarl and pounced forward--

And Remus woke up screaming. He flailed about, getting tangled up in the sheets, and then lights came on in the dorm, sleepy voices rising. Remus pushed the blankets off of him and sat up, gasping for air. Someone pushed his curtains aside and he flinched back at the sight of Black standing there, and Potter behind him, and then Pettigrew stumbled over and Spinnet and Struthers--all five of them just staring at him.