Mischief Managed Year One: Mayhem of the Moon

Chapter Twenty-One- Bubbling Burning Boils

He convinced himself he wasn't jealous. So what if Remus avoided being alone with him. So what if he caught him and Lily laughing at the library table over something in a book, while he was "checking up on Remus." Sirius wasn't jealous, not even the slightest bit.

He had to get up and shake Remus, at least move him away from the boiling potions oozing onto his hands. Slughorn hadn't seemed to notice, too preoccupied with Severus and Lily's "perfect potion." But finally, Remus seemed to realize where he was and stood up, backing away from the potion.

Sirius gripped his quill so tightly it threatened to break.

Unlike Peter, who was cradling his hands rocking back and forth in clear pain, Remus didn't seem phased.

Was his pain tolerance that high?

Sirius tried to calm down. Maybe Peter was just a big baby? Yeah, he liked that idea a lot more than Remus being abused so badly he hardly felt a normal level of pain anymore. James seemed startled and Lily had finally gotten Slughorn to recognize the accident in his classroom.

"Oh goodness. Quite the spill here."

Slughorn waved his wand with the resignation of a professor who expected mishaps from particularly dumb students, which wasn't fair! Because if he bothered not to be a kiss ass for ten minutes he might realize something was wrong with Remus. Something in this classroom was bothering him, that had to be it! But why wasn't he saying anything?

Why the bloody hell couldn't he just say something!

"Mate..." Sirius jumped as James placed a hand on his clenched one, sounding concerned. He looked down and realized his quill had broken and ink was all over his fist.

"Bollocks," he muttered, quickly letting go of the quill. His hand hurt from how hard he had gripped it. James laughed but Sirius could tell he was worried about Remus. Weren't they all!

"Well Pettigrew, Lupin can escort you to the hospital wing. Go on. Why are you looking so stunned, Pettigrew? No reason? Very well go on then."

Professor Slughorn was clearly as exasperated as Sirius was, but for different reasons.

Remus left, helping Peter in that kind quiet manner of his. Anyone watching them probably thought, like Slughorn had, that only Peter had gotten burned. Remus' long sleeves successfully were covering his burns with the skill of one used to hiding injuries. Sirius felt sick watching them go and was glad it was a Friday because he didn't think he could focus on any more classes.

Sure enough, about five minutes later, Sirius was still struggling to think about anything besides Remus. Really, Slughorn should have dismissed them after the accident, but instead used the remaining time and went into another lecture on the importance of proper procedure.

"Professor, shouldn't you tell us this when Peter and Remus are back?" Lily dared to ask, and Sirius felt a stab of reluctant appreciation.

"What? Ah yes very well. Class dismissed."

Lily had done something Sirius never would have thought possible: she successfully got class to end early. Sirius didn't need to guess why. He watched her say something to Severus, whose face darkened with jealousy and his general evilness. James knew what she was up to as well because Sirius didn't need to suggest they go after her. They almost had to run to catch up to the girl's long strides though.

"Lily!" James finally called.

Sirius didn't understand why they had to walk "with" her, he would have been fine with trailing behind her. It's not like it was a race to get to the medical ward.