Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) - Book One (Marauder Era)

Chapter Forty-Four - Disease-Ridden

Slughorn explained the potion would be very difficult, and he'd be pairing everyone up himself. Remus gulped, hoping he'd be with Lily. They worked well together. As Slughorn read out the pairs Remus realized he was pairing good students with bad ones. Peter's the one that got partnered with Lily. If he was doing this that meant he'd probably pair his worst student with the best student in class which meant...

Merlin, please, no!

"Mr. Lupin, with Mr. Snape."

Remus took in a quick breath as he got up to go over to Lily's friend. He had every intention of playing nice however Snape definitely wasn't. He raised his hand. Slughorn kept reading out the final pairings and Snape kept his hand up, paying no heed to Remus as he approached. "Sir," Snape said when Slughorn finished. "Sir, I object to my partnering." Everyone stared as Remus stood awkwardly next to Snape's desk with the Slytherin pointedly ignoring him, his other hand on the bench next to him to prevent Remus from even sitting down.

Slugorhn gave a great sigh, his mustache fluttering. "Mr. Snape, I've put these pairs together for a reason--"

"Yes, I know," Snape said, leaning forward. "However I request you switch me with someone else."

"Request denied," Slughorn said, frowning at his favorite student.

"My apologies, Professor, however--after he missed returning with all the other students on the train, it's become clear Lupin's sick with something. I don't wish to risk my own health."

Remus burned now. Sirius jumped to his feet, fingers twitching towards where he kept his wand in his robe. "What did you say?!"

"Mr. Black," Slughorn warned, holding up a hand. "Mr. Snape, we all come down with illnesses now and again--"

"He's missed classes before, hasn't he?" Snape asked, keeping his chin up. "It must be something recurring. I don't want to catch--"

"We're with him all the time, and we're fine!" James snarled as several students began whispering to one another, the word 'sick' cropping up.

Lily was covering her mouth, watching her friends in horror. "Severus, please," she whispered.

But Snape was now glaring at James. "Doesn't change the fact he's absolutely disease-ridden and--"

Sirius exploded. He whipped his wand out trying to shoot a spell, but Slughorn was faster and disarmed Sirius, sending Sirius's spell flying to the ceiling. "MR. BLACK!" Slughorn roared.

Snape just kept going. "He's crazy, too. Everyone know that. He probably shouldn't even be at Hogwarts, he should be at Saint Mung--"

He couldn't even finish the sentence; since Sirius didn't have his wand anymore he just charged forward, tackling Snape to the ground. All the students jumped up, crowding around the boys fighting like Muggles except for Remus who backed away, hardly able to breathe. He felt sick and disgusted, feeling more hatred for himself than usual. He looked over at Lily who was watching in absolute horror.

"Severus, stop it! Right now!" she cried out.

Slughorn pushed his way through the students, knocking a few over as he went. He pointed his wand sending Sirius and Snape rocketing up into the air, stopping just before the ceiling, suspended horizontally. Sirius had a black eye and his fists were still flailing to try to hit Snape who just hung there, blood dripping from his nose down to the ground below.

"Never--in all my--how you even thought--" Slughorn spluttered then motioned for everyone to back off so he could lower the boys to the ground. "Black, twenty points from Gryffindor, Snape ten from Slytherin, detention for both of you! I am ashamed!"