Audience (Dis)Approval

Audience (Dis)Approval

Remus was curled up in his favourite chair next to the fireplace in Gryffindor tower. His school books were piled up on the floor to his left, but he was currently more interested in the little book he had found at home when going through his father's things. He'd never realised that his father had actually liked to read until he discovered the boxes hidden in the attic.

He was lost in the tale, oblivious to his surroundings, until it became impossible to block out Sirius's voice - something he was usually quite good at; he'd never get anything done otherwise. Sirius just seemed to be unable to shut up: he loved to perform in front of the whole House in the evenings. Currently he was recounting a Snape incident, which was always good for a laugh, or so most Gryffindors thought.

"... and there she was, face twisted as if she'd just eaten five lemons, trying to catch up with the bastard. She should have been slipping on the grease trail he left behind!" Sirius paused to give his audience sufficient time to laugh. He turned to catch Remus's reaction. Remus merely rolled his eyes in annoyance. He felt sorry for Severus. He didn't like him much; it was hard to like him, but Remus still didn't think Severus deserved such mocking. Sirius was still staring at him, so Remus mouthed, "Don't ..." which was completely ignored by Sirius, whose attention had already shifted back to the eager audience who wanted to hear more about 'the greasy bastard'.

His novel forgotten on his lap, Remus stared at Sirius's back, barely registering the words spoken. He felt so torn when it came to Sirius.

"... muttering curses under his breath. I think he might have been practising a nose-shrinking spell ..."

One part of him wanted to shake him, tell him to wake up, wanted to make him understand just how hurtful his behaviour really was - even if it was just Snivellus.

"I bet his mum is sick of him! Can you imagine the greasy marks he must have left all over the house? I bet she was following behind with a bucket!" Another pause, more laughter, and Sirius turned around again, a radiant smile on his face.

The other part was unable to do just that when it mattered: when Remus noticed the quick flicker of hurt on Severus's face before it was replaced with hatred, when Sirius was getting carried away, spurred on by his audience's laughter . Remus wished he could make Sirius understand that he, Remus, had been in the exact same position as Severus before he had come to Hogwarts; before he met James, Peter and Sirius; before he had friends .

Remus tried to use his chance while Sirius was still facing him, to tell him to stop, but the words caught in his throat. Before he could make a second attempt, Sirius stumbled as if he'd been hit in the back, a surprised look on his face, then he was falling, collapsing in an ungraceful heap at Remus's feet.

Remus stared at Sirius, who was groaning and trying to sit back up with as much dignity as possible. When Remus got up to help him, a shrill voice interrupted him. "Don't you dare help him, Remus Lupin!"

Lily Evans stood in the middle of the common room, her face burning with anger and her wand still pointing at Sirius, who by now had managed to sit up.

"Eurgh! What have you done? Are you insane?" Sirius was staring at his hands, which were oozing grease. He wiped them on his trousers, leaving behind two big stains, but to no avail, they were still greasy and sticky.

"Serves you right! Stop making fun of Severus, Sirius, I am warning you!" Lily waved her wand threateningly in front of his face.

"Oh, come on, Lily, it was just a bit of fun!" Sirius replied, smiling apologetically in an attempt to pacify her.

"Just a bit of fun? Well, I really don't like your idea of fun, Sirius. Let's see if you still think it's funny now, greasy bastard." With that, she turned around and headed for the portrait hole.

"Hey! Wait! Lily, I'm sorry! I promise I won't do it again! Now can you please set me right again?" Sirius pleaded; Lily tended to be serious when it came to teaching someone a lesson.

"No." And she left.

"Lily!" Sirius called after her, looking around the common room that had been shocked into silence. "Well, what are you lot staring at? Somebody do something! Go fetch her and get her to fix this!" Peter got up off the floor and hurried out through the portrait hole.

"Alright, guys, show's over. Go to your rooms!" James moved to the centre of the room and began ushering the disappointed Gryffindors towards the stairs, while Remus knelt down at Sirius's side and tried to stop his hands from leaking their oily mess all over and around Sirius.

"She's right, you know," he said quietly. He waved his wand in a flowing motion over Sirius's palm, to no avail. "I know you don't like Severus -"

"Snape! Since when are you so familiar with him that you call him by his first name?" Sirius interrupted him accusingly. He was getting frustrated as none of Remus's spells had any effect whatsoever.

"Alright, Snape. I know you don't like him, but can't you just leave him alone? It's not fun to be constantly mocked."

"As if he cares. He hates me; us. Plus, he couldn't even hear me now!"

"Ah, it's no use!" Remus poked Sirius's hand in one last desperate attempt, a little harder than necessary.

"Ouch! Careful there, Moony. What did that crazy woman do? Trust her to find a spell that no one else knows!"

"We better get you to the hospital wing, mate." James had come over, after successfully managing to send the rest of the house off to their dormitories.

"I guess. Give us a hand up, won't you?"

James obliged, but before Sirius was on his feet, his hand slipped out of James's grasp and he landed painfully on his backside.

"Talk about adding insult to injury." James grinned.

By the time they they arrived at the hospital wing, Sirius had come up with a wild story about an ambush by some fellow students, no doubt Slytherins. No matter what, he would never peach against a fellow Gryffindor. Madam Pomfrey asked all sorts of questions while running diagnostic spells over his hands. No, he hadn't seen them. No, he didn't know what spell they had used. No, he hadn't heard any incantation. No, it didn't hurt (but it was bloody inconvenient!).

"Well," she finally announced, "I believe we will be able to fix you again, Mister Black. You will stay here tonight. Your friends can come back tomorrow morning and escort you to breakfast."

James and Remus knew they had been dismissed; there was no arguing with the matron. "See you tomorrow, my greasy friend!" was James's cheery farewell. Remus stayed behind for a second. He made to squeeze Sirius's hand in a comforting gesture but thought better of it and patted his shoulder a bit awkwardly. "See you tomorrow." He checked that neither Madam Pomfrey nor James were looking and dropped a quick kiss on top of Sirius's head, then quickly caught up with James. Sirius stared after him, absent-mindedly touching his hair. He settled down on the bed more comfortably; it was going to be a long night.

The next morning, James, Peter and Remus stormed the hospital wing as early as they dared. Sirius was eager to leave, trying not to think about the questions that would no doubt arise when people saw his heavily bandaged hands.

"Now, Mister Black, you are to leave the bandages on until tonight. Come and see me after dinner," Madam Pomfrey lectured.

"And how exactly am I going to eat my dinner, or my lunch, or breakfast?" Sirius questioned incredulously, holding his hands up in front of him.

"I am sure your friends will be able to help you. Now off you go!" Madam Pomfrey had her own ways to punish people, whether she was aware that she was doing it or not.

"What? Feed me?" Sirius couldn't believe it, but James was already dragging him towards the doors. "See you tonight, Madam Pomfrey," he said with a pleasant smile on his face.

Once they were outside, he sent Remus and Sirius outside to the lake, where they were to wait while he and Peter went to fetch some food from the Great Hall.

Remus and Sirius walked in silence. Whoever crossed their path stared at Sirius's hands, to which Sirius had a typical Black reaction: he waved enthusiastically, like it was the most normal thing in the world, walking around with two thickly bandaged hands.

The two boys settled down on the grass in a secluded area down by the lake that they had come to call 'Marauder Spot'. Remus was going over the situation in his head, trying to find the right words; none were forthcoming. Sirius sighed and lay down on his back, waiting for the rest of the group to arrive.

After a fun breakfast during which James, Peter and Remus had taken turns at levitating food into Sirius's mouth, the Marauders remained in their spot and enjoyed the warm morning. Sirius was already starting to laugh about the whole situation, no matter how angry he had been with Lily at first.

It had been a learning experience, for all of them.

James had learned to respect Lily Evans more than he already did. She really knew her way with a spell!

Remus was actively working on telling Sirius what he thought of his behaviour. So far he was doing well, but, then again, Sirius simply hadn't had the time yet to misbehave again.

Even Sirius had learned his lesson. He would have to be careful around Evans from now on. And he would have to make sure she wasn't within hexing distance during his next Snivellus performance.