Glass Houses

Chapter thirteen

"What're you gonna do?" he laughed, "Chuck a knife at us?"

"Yeah well at least I could," he said, looking pointedly on their knifes on the floor.

"You shut your mouth," Snape said, "Before I-"

"Is there an issue?" Fenrir said, appearing between them.

"No!" Zacharias assured, "No issue."

"Good," Fenrir said, "So then why aren't there any fucking knifes being thrown?"

Half an hour later, and Sirius didn't think Peter had hit the target once. James and Sirius had both stopped to help him, but he just wasn't getting it.

"C'mon Pete," James encouraged, "This time."

Peter scrunched his face up and threw the knife, groaning when it bounced off the target and fell to the floor. Sirius winced, looking at the growing pile of knifes under his target.

"It's hopeless," Peter moaned, "I don't get what I'm doing wrong!"

Like magic, Fenrir was there again, placing a hand on Peter's shoulder. Sirius watched as the boy flinched.

"Why don't you go on and collect your knifes," Fenrir said softly, "And we can do a little one on one lesson yeah?"

Peter looked at him, confused, before looking around at the people still throwing.

"But- But everyone's throwing their knifes," he said hesitantly.

Fenrir frowned, "I don't see a problem."

By now, people had realised that something was happening, and the sound of knifes hitting their targets died out slowly.

Fenrir looked around the room, "Did I tell you to stop throwing?" he demanded, glaring until knives begun sailing through the air. "Like I said," he continued, looking at Peter, "Go get your knifes. Now."

Peter looked like he was about to pass out, "I can't!" he said, his hands trembling.

"Go and get them," Fenrir said again, slowly.

Peter huffed out a breath and crossed his arms, "No."

Sirius almost facepalmed as Fenrir smiled at Peter. It wasn't a pleasant smile, and it didn't reach his eyes.

Fenrir leant down close to Peter's face, "Are you scared?"

Peter hesitated, glancing at James, "Yes!" he exclaimed finally, "I don't want to get stabbed!"

"Everybody stop," Fenrir said coolly, and although his voice wasn't loud, everyone had been listening to the conversation enough to know what he had said.

Sirius' stomach twisted in knots. They'd all seen Fenrir angry before, but this was different. Instead of shouting and storming around, there was a sort of unguarded excitement in his eyes, almost rabid. It reminded him of when his Mother had been angry with him in public, looking at him with an expression that said 'just you wait until we get home'.

"Go stand in front of the target there," Fenrir said casually.

Peter didn't argue, didn't talk back, he just walked slowly to stand in front of his target. Sirius looked behind him to see that the class had gathered at the target, standing on tiptoes, eager to see what was unfolding.

"Hey Moony," Fenrir called, "Mind giving me a hand here?"

From the knife table, Moony grabbed a few knifes, twirling one effortlessly in his hands as he walked to Fenrir slowly, the picture of nonchalance.