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

Chapter Forty-Six - That's Disgusting! How Do You Do It?

Remus approached Potions with trepidation. He hoped that Slughorn wouldn't pair him up with Snape again (or any other Slytherin). Lily was sitting with Snape when Remus arrived, looking a little embarrassed while Snape glowered at him. When Slughorn mentioned they were once again working on a difficult potion Remus's heart sank, but then their teacher allowed them to choose their own partners so Remus ended up with Sirius, who didn't seem too keen on properly making the potion. Instead he spent the time flicking things at other students and making jokes. They didn't receive a very good grade but Sirius didn't care and Remus was used to it.

After Slughorn dismissed them, they left the classroom and were halfway down the dungeon corridor when James and Sirius realized their robes had turned green with silver trim. Sirius actually screamed out while James whirled around, eyes meeting Snape's eyes. He was a little ways back, wand in his hand, a sneer on his face.

"I know it was you lot yesterday."

"Change it back!" Sirius snarled.

Snape's lip curled. "Weren't you supposed to be in Slytherin anyway, Black?" Sirius stood stock still for a second then lunged forward. James and Peter grabbed him, yanking him back while Snape laughed. "Temper." He put his wand away and walked past them, purposely bumping his shoulder against James as he went. At that he slowed his steps, turning back to face them. "If any of you ever attack Lily again, you'll regret it." His eyes locked onto Remus's for a brief second before he stomped off.

"GREASY HAIRED GIT!" James yelled after him as the few students who had stayed behind hoping for a fight scattered.

Sirius was pulling off his robes, throwing them to the ground. "Change them back, someone change them back now!" He looked at Remus expectantly.

"I--er, I c-can try..." He pointed his wand at Sirius's abandoned robes. "Finite incantatum!" Just as he figured the robes stayed green and silver. "I'll have to do some research, it's not just a basic charm. I think he properly dyed them."

"Hurry up and find it then," Sirius growled, still eyeing the robes on the ground. "I'd rather die than wear Slytherin colors."

Remus picked the robes up, folding them over his arms. James shucked his robes off and tossed them at him. I'm not your servant! he thought rather bitterly. "You're so dramatic," he grumbled back. "Why don't you ask Flitwick, or McGonagall? They could probably do it better anyhow."

But Sirius was walking off already with James, both of them discussing the best way to get revenge. Remus just stood there, fury quivering through his body. He was half tempted to just throw their robes on the floor but then someone took them from him. He blinked, looking at Peter who have a tentative smile. "You know them, once they got revenge on the mind nothing'll sway them."

Remus pushed his hair back then took one of the sets of robes. "Yeah..." He folded and refolded the one in his arms, almost absentmindedly. It was Sirius's, he knew by the smell.

"How come Snape didn't change our robes?" Pete wondered as they followed their friends.

Remus just shrugged however he suspected he knew exactly why. Even though Snape had verbally attacked Remus the week before, it was Sirius and James who were the ones he seemed to hate more. The show offs, the popular ones, the pranksters. Remus thought that he and Peter were probably more like footnotes for the rest of the students at the school. And after the way Sirius and James just seemed to dismiss them, Remus wondered if they were footnotes to them too...

Then Remus poked at the robes, mumbling a spell, putting all his concentration into them. Peter gasped as both robes turned black though there was a hint of silver trim in the light. "How'd you do that? You said you couldn't."