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

Chapter Seventy-Two - The Marauders

"Errrrrmmm..." Remus squinted, pretending like he was trying to remember. "I'm not really sure."

Peter let out a sigh. "Yeah, that's about it. Oh right, Remus gave Mulciber a concussion. And then I got a splinter."

"Wait, what?!" James shrieked.

"I got a splinter," Peter replied with an innocent smile. James and Sirius looked gobsmacked. Remus tried so hard not to just laugh at their faces.

"Mulciber?" James asked.

"Concussion?" Sirius asked.

"Ooh, right, that happened too," Remus said, inspecting his fingernails, forcing back the laughter.

"W--wh--what happened?!" Sirius demanded.

Remus finally gave in to the giggles which sent Peter off too. They collapsed back, trying not to laugh too loudly for a moment before they were able to calm down enough to answer. "Mulciber and Avery attacked us, insulted our parents, and I used the knockback jinx on him."

"He sent him flying!" Peter flung his hand through the air to indicate. "Whooosh! He spun! In the air! Like, ten times--"

"Twice," Remus interjected quickly.

"--and he WHUUMPH!" Peter slammed his fist into his hand. "Right into the ground. Remus found out at study group that Mulciber got a concussion from it. Merlin, it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen! I wish I had gotten a picture of it."

Remus couldn't help but feel a rather delicious sort of victorious feeling as James and Sirius both looked jealous over missing such an event. The pleasure disappeared very quickly the next day, however, when at breakfast Professor McGonagall asked to see the four of them in her office. She looked as though she had a headache. If Mulciber and Avery snitched on them, he was prepared to tell McGonagall every single thing they said and did to them. Except once they all sat down it wasn't Remus she looked at, it was Sirius.

"Mr. Black, yesterday Mr. Mulciber of Slytherin ended up in the hospital wing with a rather nasty head wound." She linked her fingers, eyes glued on him. "He says you did it."

"Wh--what?" Sirius gaped at their teacher then glanced sideways towards Remus. "I didn't. I didn't even know anything about it--"

"Mr. Avery has confirmed Mr. Mulciber's testament," McGonagall continued, ignoring Sirius. "Now, they claim you and Mr. Potter ambushed them which I don't quite believe. I just need to get your side of the story."

"I--I don't have a side to the story." Sirius's voice faltered, his eyes huge. "I wasn't there."

"Neither was I!" James protested. "They're nothing but filthy liars!"

"P-P-Professor--"

"Mr. Lupin, please wait until I've asked you. If you weren't there then where were you?"

Sirius opened and shut his mouth, unable to tell her. He easily had an alibi. Multiple shopkeepers in Hogsmeade had seen him and James. He just couldn't give his alibi, because then they'd probably be in even worse trouble. "In--in my dorm. With James."

"P--Professor--"

"Mr. Lupin--"

Remus swallowed, hands shaking violently as he just went on. "He di--d-d-didn't do it, I--I did." He pulled at the hem of his jumper, sweat forming in his armpits. "I w-w-was with Pe--Pete and--and Mulciber and Avery th--they ambushed us. They--they made f-fun of us. Called us names b--because of our blood. We... dueled..." Remus lowered his head, hem twisting around his fingers. "I--I negated Avery b--but Mulciber got me down..." He took in a deep, gulping breath of air. "He insulted m--my mother. I g--got mad. I used the knockback j-jinx on him. Sirius wasn't th-there. Anywhere n-near us. N-neither was James I--... I don't know wh-why they're accusing them." Except he did. He may have been known as the smart one in the group however he was puny. It was probably embarrassing to Mulciber that someone as small as him got the upper hand. Of course they'd blame Sirius and James.