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

Chapter Forty-Seven - The Four Bs of Hogwarts

Remus found out that night who had done the igloo thing. Lily told him after study group that Snape had thought it up then got the help of Mulciber and Avery. He hadn't told her exactly what they had done, only that he had 'gotten back at those Gryffindors' with an exploding igloo. She wanted to make sure it hadn't been anything dangerous that hurt Remus, and when he told her what happened she bubbled over with laughter. She apologized sort of, saying she knew he was friends with them but she really didn't like James or Sirius at all. Remus shrugged, not caring. After all, he didn't like Snape so it'd be hypocritical to get annoyed at her.

Course now he was in a position he hated to be in: tell the others and betray Lily? Or keep the secret? As he trudged up the boys' staircase he knew perfectly well the other three would tell if they had found out. I don't want to hurt her though, he decided.

As it turned out, he didn't need to. The next day Mulciber and Avery gave it all away, laughing at James and Sirius after breakfast, holding their noses as if they still stank. James and Sirius both got their wands out which made Remus upset. They were on the first floor, a little ways from the main staircase, however someone could come by at any minute. Then Avery said something about how Snape had been the brains behind the operation.

"Snape? Brains?" Sirius asked with a bark of laughter. "You lot haven't got a single cell of grey matter between the three of you."

"Like any of you got any," Avery retorted, getting his own wand out. Mulciber followed suit, and so did Peter though his hand was shaking. Avery focused on him. "Except maybe Pettigrew. After all, he latched himself onto you two for protection since he can't do anything on his own so there's some thinking there."

"Talking big for someone who's got four to the two of ya," James sneered.

"Only three, really, and one of them's Pettigrew so really just two on two," Mulciber said.

James glanced over in horror. "Remus! Get your wand out!" he hissed out while the Slytherins snickered.

However Remus wasn't listening to him, he was listening to the footsteps coming up the staircase. Suddenly he whipped his hand out, grabbing wands from his friends quicker than anyone there expected Remus to be able to move, and he tucked him them into his sweater just as McGonagall came down the hall.

"What's going on?" she demanded, seeing Mulciber and Avery pointing their wands at four unarmed Gryffindors. "What do you two think you're doing? Five points each from Slytherin!"

Mulciber and Avery glared at Remus as they put their own wands away. "They were threatening us, Professor," Mulciber tried but McGonagall just shook her head.

"No dueling allowed, and no magic in the corridor!"

Mulciber and Avery left, complaining to themselves about stupid Gryffindors and 'that dumb McGonagall' which sent a flare of rage in Remus. He was tempted, in fierce loyalty to his favorite teacher, to just hex the two of them for saying something like that about Professor McGonagall; actually, he would have if she wasn't there.

"Anyone care to tell me what happened?" McGonagall's eyes swept over the four of them. James quickly jumped in, explaining that they had been walking innocently down the hall when the Slytherins came out of no where and started waving their wands, joking that they were gonna hex the Gryffindors. McGonagall eyed him, obviously not completely believing him ("I very much doubt anything you do is innocent, Mr. Potter"), however she let it slide this time.

Once she was gone, the other three rounded on Remus who pulled their wands out of his shirt to give back to them. "How did you do that?!" James demanded, sounding completely awestruck.