Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) Book Three (Marauders Era)

Chapter One Hundred-Twelve - Fathers

Remus was a mess as he worked. A lot of the ingredients stank, and he couldn't stop worrying about the letter. He regretted it completely, wishing he could take it back. So his mind was all over the place and the potion didn't go very well. He rolled his sleeves up, tugged at his hair, and stared miserably into the rather soupy grey liquid in the cauldron. It was supposed to be the consistency of a custard. What had gone wrong?

He checked the instructions, carefully comparing them to what he did. Shit. Which one messed it up? He hadn't really shredded the peppermint very well since the smell was making his nose itch and he wanted to be done. He also probably put too much salamander blood in since the smoke had been puffing out of the cauldron and making him cough. Why were potions so difficult for him to make? They should have been easy! Follow the instructions! But for some reason he simply couldn't.

"You all right?" Sirius asked as they left the classroom. "You uhhh, don't look too good."

Remus was wringing his hands. "No! I messed up. Big time. It looked like—like grey, goopy porridge."

"It's supposed to look like—"

"I know what it's supposed to look like, Peter," he muttered, digging his nails into his wrists and scratching.

James slapped his back. "We can fix it. Hey! I know! I'll make a new one during lunch, and tonight we'll sneak in and switch them out."

Remus stared at him in horror. "Absolutely not!" he hissed out. "For Merlin's sake, that's cheating! That's—that's big-time cheating! Are you insane?"

"Yeah, he is," Sirius said and James rolled his eyes.

"Just thought I'd offer since it's only the winter exams and not that important."

Remus shook his head. "All exams are important."

At least the other two exams they had that day—or rather, he had that day—were easier. Kettleburn had them write an essay during their afternoon lesson, and in Ancient Runes he was given some pages to translate. He didn't need to write runes! Though his rune drawing was getting better. He had been practicing, like Aegis suggested, and his lines were getting straighter. But with as stressed as he was, he glad he didn't have to worry about that for these exams.

The evening was spent in the empty classroom, practicing for their prank. No Quidditch practice that week, and Remus didn't need to meet with Jean-Marie since he said he wanted to study for his own exams with some of his friends. Remus rather wished his friends would want to study for exams. Instead they were making brassieres and wellingtons dance.

It wasn't just the dancing, though. They needed to make sure they could get the clothes to come into the Great Hall on their own from another room. So the other three were doing the dancing spells, and Remus was doing both the spell to make the clothes come alive at a certain time, as well as make their way through some doors without issue. The latter was very difficult and he only just discovered the best way a couple days prior. He needed to essentially 'paint' a magic line with his wand for the clothes to follow. In a year or so he'd probably not need to do any such thing but for now that was the easiest without overdoing it.

Sirius drew out a map of the Great Hall and the surrounding rooms, and he and Remus poured over it to figure out the best plan. The best choice was to put everything in the room where the first years went before the Sorting. However on occasion a teacher did take a student in there to talk, which meant a slight risk of the clothes being found. The likelihood was slim. But still present. Present enough that Remus refused.

Actually all the rooms near the Great Hall gave some risk. Even the secret passages, since most of them were known. Sirius made the map bigger and Remus kept crossing rooms off. Finally they settled on one secret corridor that they never saw anyone in. It was still a possible risk, but the safest one.