A Year in the Life of a Wizarding Werewolf

A Year in the Life of a Wizarding Werewolf

- The Year Wraps Up

Peter's slight perturbation at James and Sirius dissipated soon afterwards. He didn't bring up the subject again, and the others didn't press him about it, but they did regard him with a certain amount of increased respect.

Remus, for his part, was studying more diligently than ever following his careers session with Professor McGonagall, striving to get into the multitude of NEWT classes the professor had advised him to aim for.

Towards the end of term however, at the beginning of June, the school's focus temporarily transferred from study halls to the Quidditch pitch as the day of the Quidditch Cup final drew near. Gryffindor was to, once again, play against their long-time sparring rivals, the Slytherins. It seemed to Remus that the two houses always inevitably wound up battling it out for the ultimate prize on the Hogwarts sporting calendar.

The morning of the match dawned bright and clear. Remus could glimpse a faint glimmer of morning sunlight leaking in through the gap in the curtains where he had haphazardly pulled them shut the previous night, casting its radiance across his quilt.

He threw back his covers, and pushed himself up on the bed, reaching his arm out to drag the curtains back. Sunlight was streaming in through the window. There wasn't a cloud to be seen in the sky. It would likely be scorching by the time the match commenced. And there, sitting on the window sill, still clad in his rumpled pyjamas which were decorated with broomsticks, Quaffles, Bludgers and Snitches (the Quidditch theme being one of Remus's most prized handiwork), was James, his hair more tousled than ever, gazing out the window towards the Quidditch pitch.

"Nervous?" asked Remus quietly, as James turned his head slightly to nod 'good morning'.

James shook his head. "You know I never am," he stated calmly, turning back towards the pitch.

That was true. Except...

"Unless it is Lily?" Remus suggested slyly.

Yes, he could be an old fox sometimes. James swivelled around a little too quickly to feign being blasé.

"She is going to be there, you know," continued Remus benignly, much enjoying James's uncharacteristic flip at the mention of Miss Evans. "She follows the Quidditch as avidly as any one of us."

James nodded. You would never have guessed Lily Evans was Muggle-born, the way she whole-heartedly immersed herself into the wizarding world the moment she entered Hogwarts at age eleven. The only occasions that gave her heritage away were the odd slips where she would lapse into using Muggle references. Such as that Titanic quip a few weeks back.

"You are not in the least bit anxious, then?" Remus prodded as he got out of bed to join James by the window.

"I believe I can concentrate on the Quaffle instead of a female for several hours, yes," James replied coolly, regaining his slickness.

Breakfast that morning in the Great Hall was a rowdy affair. Three of the four long, mahogany tables which ran the length of the Great Hall were filled up with students decked out in scarlet and gold. Only a lone table down one side of the Hall was wreathed in emerald and silver banners. Over the din of clinking cutlery, sloshing of pumpkin juice and the occasional crash of a plate to the floor, there were hollers of "Gryffindor rules!" or "Lions for the Cup!" ringing through the Hall. The Slytherins, their faces a combination of superior sneers, sullen stares and malicious scowls, sat in mute silence at their table, distancing themselves disdainfully from the hedonistic behaviour surrounding them. Up at the teacher's table, Professor McGonagall and Professor Noirforre were cogently civil at best, with an animated Professor Flitwick and a cheerful Professor Dumbledore stationed between them keeping up a lively conversation in hopes of dissuading the frosty atmosphere between the two Heads of House.

After a rushed breakfast, the Gryffindor team rose to leave for the locker rooms down by the Quidditch pitch, while several people from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff went up to them to wish them luck, much to Professor Noirforre's displeasure. James gave Sirius, Remus and Peter a departing wink and left with the rest of the team.

The rest of the students filed out of the Entrance Hall towards the Quidditch pitch half an hour later, placing various bets on matters concerning the number of goals by each team, the person who scores them, who'd get walloped by a Bludger, who'd catch the Snitch, and of course, the all consuming question surrounding which team would be crowned the champions.

As the crowds pored into the bleachers by the pitch, Remus, Sirius and Peter slipped into the benches along the front row down by the entrance where the athletes marched onto the pitch from the locker rooms. Sirius was to be the commentator for the match this day, as Michael Swiggler, the resident announcer had mysteriously come down with a highly unusual form of laryngitis following an encounter with a knot of Slytherins along the third floor corridor. The bunch, which consisted of Severus Snape, Frederick Goyle, Theodore Nott, Artemis Slickwit and Darwig Crabbe, had claimed that they had been on the receiving end of unprovoked taunts against Team Serpent from the Hufflepuff, and consequentially they had merely acted in self-defence ('for our hearing and sanity and most importantly, the honour of our House, sir!'). Remus, however, wondered if hexing Michael Swiggler only to be replaced by Sirius Black was such a good notion for the Slytherins after all.

The clang of the bell sounded, and to tumultuous cheers and applause, the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams marched out onto the pitch, their faces set, determination lining their mouths. There was no love lost between the two houses, and they were probably going to be in for a blood-lusting fight, no holds barred.

Madam Hooch was hovering between the two opposing teams on her broomstick, studying her Time-Stopper.

"Perry, Rosier. Shake hands."

Edgar Rosier glowered threateningly as he crushed Derek Perry's hand.

"On your brooms - three, two, one-- "

"And they're OFF!" hollered Sirius, his voice filling the entire stadium with ease, courtesy of the Sonorus charm he had performed on himself.

"Gryffindor team members: Perry, O'Connor, Potter, Talbert, Dobbyn, Jenkins and Orr, versus the Slytherins: Rosier, Avery, Staunton, Lestrange, Bulstrode, Parkinson, aaaaaand Wilkins!"

The pace of the match picked up at an alarming rate, with the Quaffle exchanging hands between the two teams constantly. Remus, squinting against the sunlight as he tried to follow the progression of the match was thankful he could keep track of the situation through Sirius's exuberant commentary.

"First goal of the match!" roared Sirius, leaping up and down the bench he was standing on. "It's Talbert, Jean Talbert of Gryffindor who scores! Ten-nil to Gryffindor!"

A humungous cheer rose up from the three sections along the stadium where red and gold banners were waving and where the crowds were decked out in Gryffindor rosettes.

"And the Quaffle is back in possession again. Avery of Slytherin is zooming down the pitch, he passes it on to Staunton. Wait, no. Potter of Gryffindor intercepts it. Potter heading down to the Slytherin goalposts... He shoots... Argh! Close! But saved by Rosier. Score still Ten-nil to Gryffindor."

A loud groan sounded when Rosier managed the save, mingled with the cheers elicited from the Slytherins in the crowd.

"Lestrange of Slytherin has the Quaffle now. He passes it on to Avery. Avery is heading towards the Gryffindor goalpost. Ahhh! Nice Bludger work from Perry! Quaffle is now in Gryffindor possession. Dobbyn streaking down the pitch. She is being closely marked by Staunton and Lestrange. She dodges the Bludger.... Nice pass. Potter has the Quaffle now. He shoots..... YES! Potter scores for Gryffindor! Twenty-nil!"

The roar from the crowd was deafening, and Remus could feel the heat of the excitement welling up all around him. Beside him, Peter was dancing about and bellowing, "Nice one, James!"

The match continued on heatedly. The two teams were well-matched. An hour into the match, both Jenkins and Rosier had defended six goals each, and the score was eighty-seventy to Gryffindor. The tension in the stadium was at boiling point, neither team appeared to be letting up. Then Remus saw James hurtling across the pitch once more, carrying the Quaffle. The entire Slytherin team was rocketing up to block him. Padraig O'Connor swung a well-aimed Bludger at the crowd and the knot of flyers scarpered in all directions, allowing James to get a clear shot at the hoops. WHAM! James hurled the Quaffle with such force it nearly threw Rosier off the broom as he attempted to save it, and the red ball went sailing neatly through the centre hoop.

"FANTASTIC shot from Potter of Gryffindor!" shouted Sirius. "Gryffindor still leading. Ninety-seventy!"

Meanwhile, the two Seekers. Caitlin Orr and Timothy Wilkins were circling around the pitch, each keeping their eyes peeled for the Snitch. Whoever caught it first now would clinch a sure victory for their team. Remus was keeping an eye out for any sudden dash of movement from them when there was yet another roar. This time of indignation, from everyone in the stadium. Madam Hooch's whistle blew.

"Foul! Foul!" she screeched in fury. "Penalty to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on the Gryffindor Keeper. Penalty to Slytherin for man-wrestling their Beater!"

Apparently, Martin Bulstrode, Beater on the Slytherin team had inexcusably rammed a Bludger right into Robert Jenkins's back, winding him completely and almost causing him to fall off his broom. James and Padraig had then retaliated by grabbing a hold of Bulstrode while Padraig tried to punch him in the face.

"Violent game, this Quidditch is," Remus muttered to Sirius as they watched in bated breath while Karla Dobbyn took the penalty for Gryffindor. She eyed the hoops with fierce determination, and aimed with clear precision.

"Dobbyn scores! Gryffindor, one hundred; Slytherin, seventy!"

Avery dashed up to take the Slytherin penalty. WHACK! The Quaffle headed straight at the hoop on the right-hand side. Robert Jenkins leapt to catch it -

"Saved! An absolutely marvellous save by Jenkins! Score still a hundred-seventy to Gryffindor!"

The Slytherins in the stands were getting restless, and decided to revert to other tactics in hopes of distracting the Gryffindor team.

"Hey Potty, did you forget to brush your hair today? It's a fright!"

"Dumbo Dobbyn, has Jerky Jenkins asked you out yet? Or maybe the jerk thinks you are too dumb for his liking."

"Orr is an ogre, and smells like one too! A stench of unicorn pee, and yucky dragon's poo!"

Meanwhile, Sirius roared even louder, in an attempt to drown out the taunts.

"Slytherin in possession now! Avery has the Quaffle, he passes it on to Staunton. Staunton heads for the goalposts. Perry sends a Bludger. Staunton dodges. He drops the Quaffle. It is picked up by... TALBERT. Talbert heads for towards the Slytherin posts now. She shoots..... NO! Lestrange intercepts it. He hurtles back up the pitch. Another Bludger! O'Connor and Perry are really doing a great job with those Bludgers. The Quaffle is picked up by... by Talbert yet again. That girl is fast, she flies back down the pitch, the path is clear, she gets ready to shoot..... THAT WAS UNCALLED FOR!"

Sirius was quite beside himself, shaking an angry fist at Teresa Parkinson, who had abandoned the Bludger work and tried to stop Jean by yanking at the end of her broom and then trying to knock her off it. Jean managed to fight and stay on, but she had dropped the Quaffle, which was picked up by Lestrange.

Madam Hooch's whistle sounded again.

"You do NOT pull back another player's broom and you certainly do not deliberately try to throw them off it!" she shrieked, quite beside herself in anger. "Penalty to Gryffindor!"

James took the penalty and scored. The score was now a hundred and fifty versus a hundred and ten. Gryffindor was leading, but not by that much.

The Quaffle was on the move again. Remus could see Karla Dobbyn in possession of it, she tossed it to Jean, who caught it just before a Bludger came hurtling her way. She ducked, Quaffle still clutched tightly to her chest. Bulstrode and Parkinson were gaining menacingly upon her, aiming another Bludger in her direction. She threw the Quaffle at James, but Avery zoomed out of nowhere and flew off with it down towards the Gryffindor goalposts.

"Avery has the Quaffle, he is up the pitch. He aims, aaaand yet ANOTHER FABULOUS save by Jenkins. Score still the same, a hundred and fifty versus a hundred and ten."

The match continued on, and the desperation for victory from both teams became more and more apparent. On top of Gryffindor scoring six more goals and Slytherin three, they also shared another seven penalty shots between them.

Still the Snitch had not yet been sighted. Remus noticed Peter chewing his nails anxiously beside him, Sirius gazing intently up in the sky. There was a frenzied exchange of the Quaffle and in the middle of Sirius's lively commentary, a silence came over the crowd. Remus strained up, and saw Caitlyn Orr, the Gryffindor Seeker diving. Down below, a few feet above the grass, was a small glimmer of gold. The Slytherins were chanting now, loudly, hoping to put he off her track as the Slytherin Seeker Wilkins dashed after her.

"Orr is an ogre, she smells like one too. A stench of unicorn pee, and yucky dragon's poo! Orr is an ogre, she smells like one too. A stench of unicorn pee, and yucky dragon's poo! Orr is an ogre, she smells like one too. A stench... "

But it was no use. With a final stretch of her arm, Caitlyn closed her hand round the fluttering Snitch. Madam Hooch's whistle blew, and the crowd erupted into thunderous applause and victorious roars which reverberated through the entire stadium. Only the Slytherins' expressions remained sour.

"Score three hundred and sixty to a hundred and forty. Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup!"

Remus, Sirius and Peter leapt over the banister and tumbled onto the pitch. They raced up to James and gave him a huge bear-like hug each.

"Well done, Prongs!" cried Sirius, whacking his friend on the back. "We beat those slimeballs hollow!"

* * *

The euphoria over the Gryffindor Quidditch Cup victory would probably have lasted for weeks had it not been for the arrival of the OWLs two weeks later, successfully squelching the high spirits.

The time table set out for the exams appeared on the notice-boards throughout the school the Monday following Slytherin's spectacular Quidditch defeat in. The bulletin featured a startlingly crammed schedule, with the exams beginning on Monday, finishing on Friday, encompassing up to three, even four, papers per day.

"How are we supposed to sit so many things in one day?" Remus heard Kelsey Andrews wail as she stared at one of many notices along the corridors. "And," she pointed a trembling finger at the section labelled 'Tuesday afternoon'. "How am I supposed to be doing both Arithmancy and Muggle Studies at the same time?"

"You don't do Muggle Studies, Kelsey," her fellow Ravenclaw friend reminded her soothingly. "Will you just relax. The time table is no more intense than what we are used to."

She was right. It just looked more official, with the emblem of the Ministry of Magic atop each notice, and the large, elaborate signature of the Minister of Education at the bottom.

There was a distinct air of sombre-ness in the week leading up to the dreaded Monday. Troops of fifth and seventh years amassed at the library in search for some peace and quiet in order to cram the final dregs of information into their brains. Madam Pince paced up and down the aisles upon where students have spread out their numerous books and papers, her high heels drumming a rhythmic beat in the calm of the library, her sharp eyes scrutinising for any signs of mischief, but there were none.

When Monday came, the fifth-years entered the Great Hall with a sense of foreboding while the seventh-years arrived looking pale and strained. Remus had never sat such an official exam before. Well, there was nothing more he could learn for his Charms paper that morning, so he simply prayed for the best and hoped his mind wouldn't go blank at the crucial moments.

To accommodate the students partaking their OWLs and NEWTs, the Great Hall was converted into a large classroom fitted with over a hundred small tables and chairs following breakfast, neatly arranged in rows. A large teacher's desk was positioned at the front of the Hall, behind which Professor Quirrell, the supervisor for the exams that morning, was pacing.

"Please take your assigned seats," he told the fifth and seventh years as the rest of the students departed for their usual lessons. As the students sorted themselves out, he gave his wand a flick, and a test paper, facing down, along with a sheaf of parchment appeared on each desk just as Remus reached his.

"Taking place this morning is the Charms examination for the OWLs and Potions for the NEWT level. Please be sure you are indeed sitting the correct exam."

This comment elicited several sniggers from some people who deemed the notion ridiculous.

"Believe me, students have attended the incorrect examinations in the past," said Professor Quirrell dryly in reply to the snickering.

"You have surely been warned before, but I think it bears repeating, that the most stringent anti-cheating charms are placed on these examination papers. Absolutely no Auto-Answering Quills, Remembralls, Self-Correcting Ink, Detachable Cribbing Cuffs or Peeking Spectacles are allowed. Let's make this year the first for not harbouring any cheats, shall we? Right, it is half-past nine. Begin!"

To his immense relief, Remus found he could answer all the questions in that paper with ease. Hard slog does pay off, I guess, he mused as he scribbled down the theory underlining the dynamics of the Stunning charm.

Although the word pleasant could never be used to describe the exams, Remus was a little surprised (and very thankful) that the week did not drag along as much as he had feared it would. In fact, after the Charms paper, the ensuing exams came and went almost before he could put away the stacks of books and notes he had regarding the previous subject. Also, to his personal satisfaction, he found he could haul up all the facts and figures embedded within the folds of his brain when he required them. The sole paper which gave him cause for worry was Ancient Runes, where he later realised he had mistakenly translated the symbol of 'prophecy' for that of 'piracy'. And he had wondered why the sentence hadn't made sense...

Nonetheless, Remus was relieved by the time Wednesday slipped away and with it, their History of Magic exam (a paper almost as boring to answer as it was to endure Professor Binn's two-hour lectures) and their Potions practical, where Remus, for once, was certain he got his Draught of the Living Dead prepared to nigh on perfection. Careful not to give himself too much false hope, he nonetheless wondered if it would have been enough to reserve himself a place in Professor Sharkhorn's NEWT class.

The only two exams remaining were Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. He wasn't about to let himself lapse of course, but he couldn't help relaxing slightly as they were two of his better subjects. Two more days to freedom!

The following morning, he and all the other fifth and seventh-years, once more, waited out in the Entrance Hall following breakfast as Professor Flitwick Magicked the four house tables to the edges of the Great Hall and replaced them with rows upon rows of smaller tables. A sheet of official-looking parchment was once again placed face down on each desk, and set beside it the stack of unused parchment. Professor Flitwick returned to seat himself down atop a high chair at the front of the Great Hall as the students entered once more. He looked at the clock hitting half past nine before he called out "Begin!"

Remus turned over the test paper sitting on his desk and gave the questions a quick skim through, his heart pounding, hoping he wouldn't encounter one asking to detail Diricawls, as he hadn't had time to look through them the previous night. He breathed an audible sigh of relief when he couldn't see the word anywhere on the test paper. A brief scroll through the test told him he could easily answer all the questions posed, and question ten in particular, brought a wry smirk to his face.

Remus settled in quickly, and began scribbling answers down fast. His near-miss with running out of time during his History of Magic paper had given him a sharp lesson on not to dilly-dally around with too much pondering. He shifted a bit in his seat and rubbed his temples as he made his way through the questions. He was feeling a bit peaky, though the full moon wasn't until another two weeks. He supposed it was the strain of the exams that was making him feel rather drawn. He wasn't the only one. Anthony Rookwood, normally so slick and cool, had thrown a hysterical fit in the Slytherin common room the night before, claiming he had failed all his exams and he might as well stop before he made it a clean streak. It took a double dose of Madam Pomfrey's strongest Soporific Linctus before he was calm enough to be herded up to the dormitory.

Remus finished the exams with time to spare. He gave a quick glance round the Hall and saw Peter ahead of him, scuffing the ground with his toes; Sirius across from him sprawled languidly in his chair; James, four seats in front of Sirius ruffling his own hair; and Snape, with his curtain of lank, greasy hair shrouding his face from view, bent so far forward over his parchment, he was almost smelling it.

Professor Flitwick's voice suddenly sounded through the air, jolting him out of his trance.

"Five more minutes!"

Remus gathered himself together and hurriedly re-read his answers, frowning slightly as he pondered whether he could better phrase certain answers, and wondering if there were any more details pertaining to Grindylows other than their powerful grip, which was easy to break, and the merpeople's tendency to domesticate them. Scratching his chin thoughtfully, he hurriedly scrawled an extra line about their abundance in lakes within Britain and Ireland.

Not a moment too soon as Professor Flitwick chose that moment to squeak out,

"Quills down please! That means you too, Stebbins! Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! Accio!"

The hundred plus rolls of parchment flew across the Hall and straight into Professor Flitwick's outstretched arms. The force of the action caused him to tumble backwards as several students laughed. Richard Nolan and Rosalind Drake sitting in the front row got out of their seats to pull him back up onto his feet.

"Thank you ... thank you," the teacher panted. "Very well, everybody, you're free to go."

The sound of scrapping chairs and tables echoed though the Great Hall as the students all shoved their quills and inkbottles into their bags and got up at the same time. Remus weaved his way through the jumble of tables and chairs to meet up with James and Sirius, Peter joining them a few moments later.

"Did you like question ten, Moony?" asked Sirius, winking knowingly, as they poured out into the Entrance Hall.

"Loved it," Remus said coolly. "Give five signs that identify the werewolf. Excellent question."

"D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" asked James, feigning concern as Sirius continued to grin wickedly behind him.

Remus adopted a serious expression and nodded as they caught up with the crowd of students pushing and shoving out the front door of the castle, in their eagerness to bask in the sunshine before heading back to the library or common rooms to swot for their final exams the following day.

"I think I did," he replied solemnly. "One: he's sitting on my chair. Two: he's wearing my clothes. Three: his name's Remus Lupin."

James and Sirius burst out laughing, while Remus chuckled in amusement himself.

"I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes and the tufted tail," Peter said anxiously, not joining in their laughter. "But I couldn't think of what else-- "

"How thick are you, Wormtail?" James said impatiently. "You run round with a werewolf once a month-- "

Remus looked round where they were standing fearfully. "Keep your voice down," he begged, hoping the crowd of Hufflepuff girls standing nearby hadn't heard the remark. He also spotted Snape a little further behind them, his long, hooked nose buried in the test paper they had just finished, studying it intensely. Probably wondering if he could have written more. Remus didn't think he could have. He had noticed that the Slytherin seemed to have written up to twice as much as some others during that exam.

The four of them ambled down the lawns towards the lake. Out of the corner of his eyes, Remus was aware of the lone figure of Snape venturing out of the castle as well, though still paying no heed to the balmy weather, nor the bright sunshine outdoors.

"Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake," Sirius said casually. "I'll be surprised if I don't get 'Outstanding' on it at least."

"Me, too," said James. His hand dived into a pocket within his robes and he pulled out a Golden Snitch.

"Where'd you get that?" asked Remus, looking at the struggling walnut-sized ball, fluttering desperately in James's grip.

"Nicked it," answered James nonchalantly. He began messing around with the Snitch. Releasing it and allowing it to zoom up to a foot away from him before snatching it within his firm grasp again. Remus couldn't help admiring once again, how swift his reflexes were. Beside him, Peter was squealing with delight, his eyes betraying the veneration he had for James as he watched the demonstration.

The four of them made shelter in the shade of a beech tree by the edge of the lake, while to Remus's mild disquiet, Snape, still heavily embedded in the test paper, settled himself in the shadows of a clump of bushes. He wasn't doing them any harm (yet), but Remus had a bad hunch about the close proximity of the lanky, pallid teen and his friends.

He tried to shrug off the ominous feeling he was sensing and, choosing to ignore the dappled sunlight reflecting in the lake and the laughter of a group of girls nearby, he pulled out a Transfiguration textbook and began revising the chapter on Inanimate Transformations.

Sirius was observing the surroundings in a rather haughty manner while James carried on playing with the Snitch, gradually building up to some rather complicated and impressive captures, always successful. Remus found the shrill cries of adoration and enthrallment emitting from Peter very distracting, but decided not to say anything. Transfiguration of inanimate objects is always simpler than those involving living specimens. This is due to the complex biological systems animate subjects possess.....

Peter's excited squeals and gasps must have gone on for at least five minutes when Sirius snapped rather irritably at James. "Put that away, will you? Before Wormtail wets himself with excitement."

Remus looked up in time to see a pink tinge spreading across Peter's face.

"If it bothers you, " James grinned, stuffing the Snitch back into his pocket.

"I'm bored," Sirius grumbled. "Wish it was full moon." He paced about the grass restlessly.

"You might," Remus cut in forbiddingly, his head still buried in his book. "We've still got Transfiguration. If you're bored you could test me. Here-- " He thrust the book at Sirius as he walked past, still pacing.

Sirius snorted in response. "I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all."

Remus sighed inwardly. Of course he did. If he ever saw Sirius worried about schoolwork, well, he'd eat his broomstick.

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," James said softly. "Look who it is-- "

Sirius's head turned in the direction James was looking at. "Excellent," he replied in a low tone. "Snivellus."

Remus froze and his stomach plummeted right down through the patch of grass he was sitting on. He hoped Padfoot and Prongs would not do anything stupid. He hoped that for once, just once, they would stay away from any bait in the form of a Slytherin. He hoped--

"All right, Snivellus?" James shouted, as Snape got to his feet and set off across the lawn.

Remus's heart sank down to meet his stomach.

In the meantime, Snape jerked to life so rapidly, it appeared his engrossment in the test paper the whole time was just a façade and he had been expecting a duel at any point in time. His hand dived into his robes for his wand, but James was too quick for him.

"Expelliarmus!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Remus saw Snape's twelve-inch rosewood wand zoom through the air and land on the grass behind him. The frown that had materialised on Remus's face at the start of the "tiffle" deepened further. The words in the book swam before his eyes as he stared blankly at a point in the middle of the page.

"Impedimenta!"

Sirius had halted Snape in mid-action as the Slytherin made a dive for his wand, knocking him off his feet. A crowd was gathering round the three of them now, enjoying the show.

Remus caught sight of James and Sirius rounding in on Snape, but he himself remained rooted to the ground. Even Peter had gotten to his feet and was edging towards the fray, watching with a certain lust in his eyes. Remus swallowed hard as he tried to block the sound of bated breath radiating from the crowd a few feet away from him. He felt that he should do something, but he remained frozen in his spot.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" James's taunting voice floated through the still air.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius maliciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."

This spiteful remark was greeted by several gales of laughter. Remus swallowed hard, trying to steady both his trembling hands and the pounding in his ears. The words before his eyes blurred and faded away. He wanted to stop Sirius and James. He should be stopping them. But he hesitated. Didn't he try to last time? It didn't exactly work. Remus wasn't keen to be on the receiving end of Sirius's cutting remarks yet again....

"You- wait, you- wait," Snape's rasping voice came drifting through Remus's thoughts, laden with hatred.

"Wait for what?" came Sirius's cool reply. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

A string of swear words and hexes ensued but nothing happened.

"Wash out your mouth," Remus heard James's icy tone carry across the lawn. "Scourgify!"

Remus glanced up briefly and saw pink soap bubbles foaming in Snape's mouth, covering his lips, choking him. Remus was about to force himself to snap out of his stupor when a clear, very angry, voice rang out.

"Leave him ALONE!"

It came from Lily Evans, who had gotten up from her place by the lakeside and was making her way to where the crowd had gathered watching the display.

"All right, Evans?" James's voice changed its tone immediately, and Remus could see he was running his hand through his shock of black hair.

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated, her tone as frost-like as ever, eyeing James with utter dislike. "What's he done to you?"

"Well," began James. Remus hoped and prayed for a non-provocative answer and sighed as he heard James say, "It's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean."

Laughter again. This time, from Peter as well. Remus, still staring at his book, remained silent, as did Lily, who was clearly not amused by the smart aleck quip.

"You think you're funny," her tone hostile. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," James said quickly. Even in his muted horror, Remus couldn't help feeling astounded at James's gall. "Go on... go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squib," retorted Lily wrathfully.

"Bad luck, Prongs," Remus could almost hear Sirius's smirk as he said this. "OI!"

Remus couldn't help jerking his eyes away from the book at Sirius's cry. Snape, apparently, had managed to grab a hold of his wand and had given James a gash across one side of his face. James swerved around and a second later, Snape was hanging upside-down in the air, his robes falling over his head; a pair of skinny, white legs and a pair of greying underpants for all to see.

Whistles and roars of laughter ripped through the air. Remus was torn between the urge to smile at the spectacle, and the heavier conscience badgering him that this was wrong. That he should be doing something to stop this. And that he should have done something much earlier on. A cold sentiment of loathing seeped through him as he realised what his friends were doing was just as bad as the taunts, catcalls and bullying he himself had endured during his earlier years when the village people had found out he was a werewolf. His family had been forced to shunt from town to town to avoid the social stigma that came with his curse.

"Let him down!" said Lily evenly.

"Certainly," replied James, almost courteously, and with a jerk of his wand, Snape landed in a heap onto the lawn. He scrambled up immediately, clutching his wand, but Sirius was too quick for him.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Remus heard a heavy thud as Snape fell rigidly to the ground.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily yelled, incandescent with rage. Remus noticed she had now whipped out her own wand and was looking menacingly at James and Sirius, who were eyeing her warily. They all knew that Lily was particularly adept at Charms. And hexes.

"Ah, Evans," said James keenly. "Don't make me hex you."

"Take the curse off him, then!"

James sighed heavily as he muttered a counter-curse to return Snape to normal. "There you go," he said contemptuously as Snape pushed himself up from the ground. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-- "

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" came Snape's unappreciative malevolent reply.

Any sympathy Remus had built up for the Slytherin vanished in an instant. Mudblood? Remus was not surprised James had tried to Scourgify Snape's mouth earlier on.

Across from Snape, Lily was silent for a second before replying coolly. "Fine, I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."

James, however, had pounced in front of Snape and was roaring loudly, pointing his wand menacingly at him. "Apologise to Evans!"

"I don't want you to make him apologise," Lily cried, glaring at James. "You're as bad as he is."

James stared at her in stunned astonishment. "What?" he yelped, running his hand absently through his hair. "I'd NEVER call you a - you-know-what!"

Lily shot him a belligerent glare. "Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can - I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."

With that, Remus caught sight of her billowing robes as she flounced away from the scene.

James yelled after her. "Evans! Hey, EVANS!" But Lily ignored him.

"What is it with her?" Remus heard James ask Sirius. As nonchalant as James tried to make this question sound, Remus could detect a tang of crushed defeat mingled in with the attempted cavalier tone.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," answered Sirius.

"Right," said James angrily, "right-- "

Again, Remus caught sight of a flash of light, and Snape, once more, was left dangling upside down over the grass. Remus fought to open his mouth to protest, knowing Lily wouldn't be around to control James this time.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

Several cries from the entertained were all James needed to hone in on Snape like a predator tormenting its prey. He raised his wand once more as Snape struggled desperately to escape, but in vain. His normally pallid face flushing red, humiliation burning in his eyes.

The conscience that had been simmering at the back of his mind during the past ten minutes bubbled over with a resounding "STOP!"

There was a stark silence. James's leering voice halted dead, as did the cheers and hoots of laughter from the crowd. Remus saw them all looking towards him and realised he had spoken without realising it. A swarm of thoughts trounced round his head, some cajoling, some leering, some reproachful and a lot panicking. He tried to shut them out as he looked at the pairs of eyes bearing down upon him. Licking his parched lips and swallowing hard in an attempt to quell his hastened breathing, he forced himself to blurt out a few coherent words while mitigating the tremor in his voice.

"Please, just- just let him go, James," he gulped. "Lily's right, just leave him alone."

"Are you nuts?" growled James. "Didn't you hear this filthy piece of scum call Evans a you-know-what?"

"Yes," said Remus, as calmly as he could while having his heart hammering fitfully inside him. He sincerely hoped James, or Sirius, wouldn't blow up at him again like that time before Christmas. "But hanging Snape upside down isn't going to erase the fact that he said it."

"But it sure teaches him!" said a Hufflepuff whose name Remus couldn't quite place at that moment. He was studying Snape, in particular those greying underpants, with an odd look of suppressed satisfaction.

Remus hesitated. It would show him, but would humiliation be the way to do it? Remus had to confess to himself that the sight of Snape being dangled upside down was callously entertaining, but he would be morbidly mortified if the situation was reversed. He was also fairly convinced that had James not hexed Snape again, someone else would have in retribution for the Mudblood comment. But Remus then had to admit that this all had begun even before that nasty remark had been made.

The arguments ricocheted throughout his head. Finally, upon seeing James's mutinous, petulant look; Sirius's bored, impatient one; and the hungry expressions of gleeful vengeance on those gathered round the disconcerting spectacle, Remus painfully made up his mind. Biting his lip until it almost went white, and with his brow so deeply furrowed it set in a straight line, he attempted a half-hearted shrug before turning away and following the path back up to the castle, his head down, his pace brisk.

Back in the relative peace and quiet of the Gryffindor common room, Remus tried to whittle down and ensconce himself in his Transfiguration studies once more. It was then he realised he had left his book by the lakeside when he had initially gotten up to protest against Snape's treatment. Remus certainly did not fancy returning to that spot by the lake and jokingly wondered if he could use the Summoning charm from the Gryffindor Tower window.

"Accio Transfiguration book!"

To his immense disbelief, he caught sight of his book soaring across the grounds, and gazed in astonishment as it sailed right in through the window and landed neatly in his empty hands.

Hmm, he thought in amusement. Neat.

Remus sank down into the nearest armchair and continued his study of the sample answer to the question "Transfiguration of animate and inanimate objects: Compare and Contrast". The common room was strangely devoid of other students. He had learnt off the answer to his satisfaction by the time he heard the portrait door swing open and the chatter of fellow students drifting through it. Looking up, he saw James, as cocky as ever, Sirius and Peter alongside him, with Lily Evans stalking away from them, looking supremely disdainful.

"Moony!" called James, swaggering up to Remus, trying (unsuccessfully, mind) to ignore Lily's cold, reproving gaze. "You missed lunch."

Ah, so that was what the rumbling inside him had been.

"We nicked you these," Sirius came up behind James and dumped a couple of ham and cheese rolls, a fruit scone, a banana and a large, albeit slightly squished, hunk of chocolate fudge cake onto Remus's lap. "We would have brought you the lasagna, but it was too messy to stash away in the napkins."

"It's okay, thanks," acknowledged Remus, starting on the cake first. Dessert before the main course - his mother would surely disapprove. He was curious as to what his friends did with Snape eventually, but no one brought up the subject. As Remus was frankly relieved that James and Sirius were acting their usual, cheerful selves around him, he refrained from pursuing the outcome. Given a choice between ignorance surrounding Snape's demise and another confrontation with James and Sirius similar to that before Christmas, Remus knew which one he would clearly prefer.

That evening, after cramming all he humanly could on the subject of Transfiguration, Remus opened his diary on a table in the corner of the common room, dipped a quill into his inkpot and began to write.

HoHYW

19^th June

Hello, stranger! Long time no write!

Yes, sorry. We have been having those dreadful OWLs this week, so I've been a bit busy and tired.

Sure, sure, I can understand. So, how are they going?

Not too bad, I guess. Not as bad as I feared anyway. We just have Transfiguration left. It's tomorrow morning.

And the rest? Do you think you could take the NEWT classes Professor McGonagall suggested to you?

I hope so. I mean, I don't want to get my hopes all up for nothing, in case I am wrong, but I think I did okay in most of the exams so far.

Only okay, Remus? I know from experience that your okay generally is of a higher standard than most people's.

Fine, then. I guess I did well. Quite well. Er, okay well.

Lets leave it at the well, shall we?

Whatever. I mucked up Ancient Runes though. Mistranslated the symbol "prophecy" for "piracy". I only realised after I handed in the paper. I could have kicked myself.

Interesting mistake.

Stupid mistake.

Oh, relax Remus! People do funny things in exams. Their brains don't always function as properly as they normally would.

I don't think it can get worse than "The ancient Greeks placed great belief in piracies."

Well... I've seen worse.

You are laughing. I can tell. Your handwriting's all wobbly.

My dear, you can't expect me to go without a sense of humour. But honestly, that is one of the milder mistakes I've seen. I have a friend who once had a diarian who worked for the Muggle education board and honestly, the answers they got for some of their exams!

Such as?

Lets see if I can remember. Yes, there was one question: What is a rhubarb? A celery gone bloodshot.

You are making that up!

No, not at all. I couldn't even if I tired. And then another one was a French aural exam. The person was asked what the soldiers ate when they were at war in Bosnia. The boy replied that they ate the bark off the trees.

Did they?

Of course not! They ate bread. Not a tree in hearing during that exam, and yet that answer was given. So your faux-pas was relatively mild.

I guess.

The other exams went fine, I presume? If this minor error is the only thing you are worried about?

Yeah. It was kind of funny today though. We had Defence Against the Dark Arts, and they had a question about werewolves.

That indeed is quite coincidental. Are you sure you got the answer to that?

Honestly! You are just as bad as James. That was his exact comment to me afterwards too.

Sorry, couldn't resist. Great minds think alike, right?

Remus?

Er, yes. Of course.

Are you alright? You paused quite a bit there. Maybe you are tired? I suggest you probably should go to bed for tonight and then we can continue tomorrow, when you are free from exams?

No, I'm not tired. Or yes, I am, but that wasn't why I... Or maybe I am. I--

It's okay Remus. You don't have to be polite and stay around to chat. Get your rest and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Yes, okay. I think you are right. Good night, Mavis.

Good night, Remus.

* * *

HoHYW

You are back again? What happened to resting?

It's still early. No one's gone to bed yet.

What time is it?

Half past nine.

Is there something you want to say? It seems as if you do.

How can you tell? You can't see me, right?

After nearly five years, you still wonder?

After nearly five years, you are still surprised I do?

Touché. No, I can't see you. But I can tell due to the simple fact that you came back just ten minutes after you left.

Oh, sorry. Wait, you weren't going to bed yourself yet, were you? I didn't want to wake you up.

No, no. I was just flicking back through some of the older entries. I do that sometimes, just to recollect past memories. They can be very interesting. You learn a lot from them, and keep learning.

Did I disturb you then? You can keep on reading. I can go off and work a bit more if you want.

Don't be silly. I feel you are working too hard as it is. So, what is it you wished to tell me?

You won't tell, right? Not that it matters. Half the year already knows anyway.

Remus, you know well that anything you say here is strictly confidential. Have I ever breeched that on you?

No. Sorry, I am just a bit anxious. I hope you won't think too badly of me either...

Think badly of you? That is indeed a novel conception.

Please. Don't. It's bad enough as it is. I am disgusted with myself a bit. Actually, a lot.

Okay, that's nothing new.

What do you mean by that?

Exactly what I meant the last fifty-four times you went down along this path.

You keep count?

Even better, I file them away and colour code them. Joking aside Remus, you need to give yourself some slack. Nothing wrong about loving yourself a bit more.

But that's so conceited!

Remus J Lupin, conceited? I assure you that you still have some way to go before you even reach the halfway stage.

I don't know. I could have been a little less selfish today, not been so chicken.

Ah, you shirked some sort of duty.

How-- forget that. You are far too shrewd for my discretion, Mavis.

Centuries of practice do tend to hone one's skills.

So, do you want me to spill?

By all means do, if it helps matters.

I don't know if it can help matters. It's too late now. But at least I can get it off my chest.

Sure. What's that word you use nowadays? Ah, yes. Shoot.

It's something to do with Snape.

Again? It is amusing how many run-ins you have with him considering how much you hate him.

Hate is too strong a word, don't you think? I just- dislike. Intensely. Sirius and James likely do hate him though.

Mavis?

Yes, I'm here. I enjoy learning about the fine distinctions you draw between certain things.

Why, thank you. But we are veering off topic and I want to get this out before I get cold feet and change my mind.

Go on then. I'm all eyes.

Well, it was after our DADA exam this morning. The sun was out, so we went down by the lakeside.

Sensible thing to do.

We sat down on the grass. Well, I did. James was playing with this Snitch he had nicked - I don't know from where; Peter was, I hate to say it, but he was fawning over him a lot and Sirius was standing around, being really bored. He actually said he wanted it to be the full moon.

That was rather callous of him.

I don't think he meant it that way. It was more for the fact we could have an adventure to look forward to. I mean, I don't dread nor hate it as much now as I did before.

You don't have to justify his actions to me. I do understand. It still seems a tad flippant to me though.

You know Sirius. He is like that. Anyway, I said to him that if he was indeed so bored, he could test me in Transfiguration, but he refused.

At least we know that he wasn't bored to the point of seeing revision as a distraction.

Yes. Thing is, he and James found something else instead. They found Snape.

Oh.

I know. I- I have to confess Snape wasn't doing anything. James started it first. It- it sounds, I mean it reads, awful, doesn't it?

Mavis?

Go on.

Okay. James rounded up on Snape and started taunting him. Sirius joined in, and they had a dig about his, er, grease.

That was crude. Though you have said before that Snape's hygiene practices are not the most impeccable.

No, far from it, but they didn't have to have a go at him like that. Like that horrible fight before Christmas. Snape hadn't been doing anything then either. You are right. It was crude. I wish they would ignore the guy, like I do.

You still worry about that fight?

Yeah. Though everyone else seems to have forgotten about it.

Then you probably should too. As for the others ignoring Snape, I somehow deduce from what you tell me about them, they aren't ones who would find that easy. If I recall correctly, Snape's werewolf comment back then wasn't angelic either.

He was stating a fact.

That wasn't his intention. I wasn't surprised that your friends got angry on your behalf.

That's because they just don't like Snape. Defending me is, well, if it is a reason, I'm flattered. But... me? Why?

You can be so obtuse sometimes. They see you as their friend. A very good friend. Friends stick up for each other. Granted, I am not overtly supportive of their methods in addressing this, but it is what I assume to be the answer.

They don't have to.

My dear mulish diarian, if Snape were to call Peter a brainless Squib with no talent and a shame to the Pettigrew family, would you step aside?

Of course not!

There you go, and that was a mild comparison.

But that's different!

May I ask how?

I- I wouldn't go Scourgifying Snape for one thing!

I would agree you would have different retaliation tactics... Wait, did you say Scourgifying?

I did. After James disarmed him, Snape let off a ream of, um, lets just say colourful, insults. James then washed his mouth out with soap. Literally.

That's- that's-- . Well, did you do anything?

No.

The boy could have choked on the foam that would have built up inside his mouth!

I know. I wanted to, but-- Lily stopped it before Snape could choke.

At least someone is level-headed enough. So James stopped?

No. I mean, yes. He and Lily started arguing. Or rather, Lily was doing the most part of it, while James asked her out.

He does have some nerve, doesn't he?

Yeah. I was surprised at the impudence. But Lily hates him.

Are you sure you don't mean "dislikes intensely"?

You are taking the mickey now, aren't you? I would think hate is in order here. She told him that she wouldn't pick him even in a choice between him and the giant squid in the lake. And then later on, she went into this whole disgusted barrage of how his arrogance made her sick.

A lady who knows her own mind. I approve.

I- I guess she was right. I mean, I-- know. I mean...

You can admit to James's faults while remaining a loyal friend, you know. Everyone has faults, and a good friend means pointing those out as well as being supportive.

You are right. As usual.

I am flattered.

But it isn't easy, you know. Going up to James and Sirius and telling them off. Especially when Snape is dislikeable and in their minds, they were just having some fun.

You above all people should know that life doesn't usually have a lot of easy ways out. Plus, the "fun" sounds more like bullying to me. I think you got the right idea at Christmas.

No way! I can't possibly.

Why? You got Michael Swiggler's laryngitis?

No! Though it felt like it. But it was awful that time. I don't think I could take another bout of Sirius's wrath. Him, and James and Peter, have gone through so much for me, especially this year. I can't "betray" them like that. What if Sirius did decide that becoming Animagi wasn't worth it for me after all? What if they dumped me for being such a spoilsport? After so many years of being shunned and rejected, to find them. I don't think I could cope if they ditched me.

First, I maintain you did the right thing at Christmas. Second, if Sirius, or indeed the other two, ditched you for reprimanding them, then they are, in my opinion, arrogant and shallow, and you are better off without them. Thirdly, I believe you are seriously underestimating your friends' loyalty and liking for you. I highly doubt if a (very deserved) rebuke would shatter five years of close friendship.

You do realise that it sounds a lot more straightforward when you write it out like that.

I do indeed.

And that it is more complicated in real life.

It may require some tact in your disciplinary actions, and you may have to weather some tempestuous complaints, but on the whole, I don't see any long-lasting complexities.

I don't want any complexities!

If you are looking to earn the liking of everyone, I can tell you right here and now that it is nigh impossible. Even a great figure such as Dumbledore has his staunch opponents.

But he seems to be able to ignore them.

Then so can you. Well, at least Miss Evans showed up in time to prevent things from getting worse this time.

Right. Er, but Mavis?

Yes?

It did, kind of, get worse.

It did? I am almost afraid to ask.

Well, Snape got his wand back while James and Lily were having their... discussion. He Flayed James across the cheek with it. James lashed back out at him of course.

How?

He- he- gosh, I don't know how to say this, but he suspended Snape in the air, upside down.

Oh Merlin!

It- he was in such a compromising position, we kind of learnt the fact that Snape's, erm, undergarments shall we say, need bleaching.

Merlin, King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table! You still didn't stop him?

I--

You didn't.

No. I did want to, but--

You were too "loyal" to James.

I really didn't want him to be mad at me. He is one of the very few who actually accept me for who I am, I wasn't about to get his back up. I know what you said above is true, but I really just want to avoid any confrontations.

You can't keep avoiding them all your life, you know.

Well, whenever I can then.

And this was one time I really do think you shouldn't have. You can't ignore doing something right just for the sake of incurring their wrath! Professor Dumbledore assigned you as a prefect. You would have betrayed the trust he put on you by letting the bullying go on.

I know. I am not saying I felt great not interfering either. I don't know what to do. Or rather, I do know what I should do, but it is awfully hard come the moment. Either way, I am not happy with the outcome.

Continuing with the incident for now, did Lily do anything about this public humiliation?

Yes. Of course she did. I wish I had her spunk. She fought for Snape to be let down, threatening to hex James if he didn't.

He let her go then?

Yes, Lily is known for her proficiency in Charms, you wouldn't want to be messing with her when she is in a hexing mood. But thing is, after James dropped Snape to the ground, the ungrateful scum had the insolence to turn around and throw it back in her face. He said he didn't need any help from a Mudblood.

Snape said that?

Yes. Well, obviously Lily got offended and stalked off, though not before launching this tirade of her disgust at James. James got incensed, I gather from both her rebuffing his charms and with Snape's insult, and well, he hung Snape upside-down in the air again.

And?

He asked if anyone would like to see him remove Snape's pants.

You saw that happen?

No. I left.

You left?

Not without trying to say something first! I did, honestly. But--

But?

I couldn't get the words out. Not more than a feeble plea for them to stop anyway.

Right. I have to say both James and Snape were deplorable. I would have preferred hearing you try harder to put a stop on it though. After Sirius and Lily, you would be the next person James would bother listening to.

I do feel terrible about it. I know I should have said something more, before even the Scourgifying. But it just seemed like such an ungrateful payback for what they have done for me this year. I don't know what is worse: the hurt over Sirius's outburst at Christmas, or the guilt over doing nothing here.

Don't think I do not understand your dilemma, but as your private mentor about personal matters, you really should not be determining your actions based purely on your assumption what others' opinions of you might be. Especially when your conscience tells you that you are doing the right thing.

I know. I'm sorry.

Sorry here as well. I didn't mean to come across as preachy. I just feel that this may be only the start of your battle between your conscience and your fear of rejection. Everyone goes through similar. Everyone wants to be liked. It's a very human quality. Well, lets move back to less introspective matters for now. Did James accomplish removing the underpants?

Thankfully no, as I found out during dinner. I don't think it would have been a pretty sight, if Snape's hair and skin were any indication of his hygiene standards.

Remus Lupin! I am shocked at your candour!

Well, it's true! Snivelly was saved from further humiliation, and the others from an eyesore when the bell rang for lunch. It was lasagna and chocolate fudge cake day, so no one wanted to miss that.

The stomach always wins out in the end with men.

Mavis? You know just now when you wrote that everyone wants to be liked, and it is only normal?

Yes.

How come I feel it is only just me who seems to place such a priority on it? I don't hear, nor sense, others having the fears I harbour.

Well, it isn't exactly a conversation opener, is it? It isn't something people tend to talk about. Sure, you yourself don't announce it to everyone.

No, I guess not.

Just because you don't hear about it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. You might feel more uptight about it simply because of what you had to deal with in the past. But everyone wants to be popular. Even James and Sirius.

They are already well liked!

Not to Lily, it wouldn't seem. I have a feeling their acts of bravado is their method of dealing with it. The way you choose to remain silent.

I occasionally might get an inkling of that, though it is very fleeting. I wish I had their confidence.

You are your own person, Remus. I agree you need a good boost of self-esteem, but don't wish to change too radically. I like you just the way you are.

Why, thank you Mavis. I am blushing now! Well, thinking through it, I can see your view. At least I know I am not the only one who worries about this. Though I have to say Snape does his best in succeeding with the opposite.

Actually, I would cogitate that Snape, above all, craves popularity and acceptance.

Now you are really pulling my leg, right?

No. I am being very serious. I would gather from how Snape behaves, and his lack of stellar friendships with others, is a reflection of his fear of being rejected.

That's an odd reaction then. But he does have some friends. There is Rosier, Avery, Rookwood, Nott...

But I doubt if they are as close as yourself, James, Sirius and Peter? I wouldn't have thought so. I would say that Snape fastidiously avoids intimate relationships so he wouldn't have to go through what you are going through now. Given that he doesn't amass trusted companions, he wouldn't be opening himself up to potential refutations. He is simply boarding himself up, and rejecting others before others have a chance to reject him.

I never thought of it that way before. But that would be such a lonely existence! My life would be so wretched without James, Sirius and Peter.

Well, from what you tell me, Snape isn't exactly a merry, frolicking bunny, is he?

No. You actually seem sympathetic towards him.

Maybe. From an objective viewpoint, the boy seems miserable. And he just takes it out on you, simply because you lot have a tendency to open yourself up to his attacks, purely by starting them up for him.

I wonder has he got anyone he does trust. I don't expect that he gets much support from a father who is unhinged and a mother who supports Voldemort.

Probably not. Lets hope for the sake of his emotional well-being, he does have someone.

You know, the more I think about it now, the more I am very thankful that my mother loves me even though I am werewolf. As did my father before he was killed in that accident at work.

I am sure he still loves you, wherever he is now. Nice to see you gaining an understanding behind Snape's demeanour.

Yes, but don't expect that I would go and become best pals with him. I can't see it being possible, what with his unpleasant sneers at my werewolf status.

Of course not. In fact, I count on you to stand up for yourself if he starts in on one of those derisions. Well, what time is it now? Nearly bedtime?

Yes, it's half past ten. I should be heading up to bed. Thanks for listening, Mavis. I really appreciate it.

Good night, Remus. And good luck for Transfiguration tomorrow.

Thanks. Good night.