Remus followed Severus all the way back to their dormitory, and leant against the doorway as the other chucked himself on his bed.
"You can sit down as well, you know," Severus snapped. "These are your quarters, too."
"I know that, Severus," Remus said calmly, crossing his arms. "I just feared that this conversation might not be one to sit down for."
The older boy sighed.
"You don't need to stand up for this, Rem. I'm not angry." He paused, and reconsidered his sentence. "Well, not as angry as I appear to be."
Remus went to sit on his own bed opposite Severus, confused by, but liking, the nickname.
"What happened last year with Professor Dumbledore?" Remus asked, sensing that it was his turn first.
Severus sighed again.
"Do you remember when I fainted at dinner on Christmas Eve?"
The boy nodded.
"Madam Pomfrey examined me thoroughly then, whilst I was out for the count. She told Dumbledore about all my... problems."
Remus sat pensively.
"Maybe he is just trying to keep a look out for everyone?" He said timidly. Severus glared at him.
"Dumbledore has his own agenda. He keeps an eye on people when he feels like it, if he thinks that person is worth his attention." Severus sounded increasingly bitter.
Remus stared at him.
"How do you know so much?" He questioned, curious.
Severus laughed suddenly; a mad laugh but full of humour, and strangely unlike him.
"Oh, you'll find out at some point," he said cheerfully. "I'm not going to keep it a secret forever."
"Keep what a secret forever?" Remus' forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"It's a secret!" Severus cackled again.
Shortly thereafter, Remus left the other boy to get some rest and sleep off the hysteria.
*
November arrived along with the Quidditch. The first match was, as tradition went, Slytherin versus Gryffindor. Remus and Severus joined Lily, Mary and Alice at the Gryffindor table for breakfast to boost her confidence.
"It'll be fine," Alice reassured, bending over Lily like a protective parent to spread butter all over the latter's toast.
"If Potter doesn't cock it up," Mary sniggered. Alice muttered something and the girl changed tack. "I mean, you're brilliant. You were the best, by far, at the try-outs."
"Mary's right, Lily," Remus stated. "You were the best."
Severus said nothing; he didn't have to; he simply squeezed Lily's hand in companionship, watching hawk-eyed as James Idiot Potter made his way over to them.
"You aren't meant to be sitting here, you know," Potter spoke, annoyed, as he stood before them all.
Remus stood also.
"We know – Hogwarts isn't completely empty of genii," he retaliated.
Severus looked up at the boy, and read his mind with ease.
"Potter, that word was simply the plural of 'genius'," he explained. "Perhaps you'd better study English instead of Quidditch, hmm?"
"Or instead go away," Lily spoke now, knuckles clenched on the table top as she stood next to Remus. "While you may have confidence from being a right old braggart, I don't, so clear off!"
Looking shocked at the attack on his ego, Potter went back to his seat, and scowled when he saw Peter had eaten all of his bacon.
"I thought you weren't coming back," the boy shrugged.
Severus, watching the interaction, smirked, and turned back to Lily.
"You'll be great, Lils," he whispered into her ear. "I know it."
*
Severus hadn't missed the deafening roar of supporters from his past life. He certainly hadn't missed the hard benches, either, or the disappointment of being the spectator, not the player. He would only watch Lily's matches, he told himself. No need to go all out for the others. He hadn't watched many last year, after all, no matter how much Lily had pouted at him.
"Did you bet this time?" He asked Remus as they took their seats next to Natalie and Maisie in the Ravenclaw stands.
Remus turned to him.
"Edgar wants me to," he said lowly. "What will happen, Master Seer?"
Severus smiled slightly.
"Slytherin will win," he said seriously. "But only because their Seeker will get the Snitch. Gryffindor will be ahead in points."
Remus just gave him a look, and approached Edgar eagerly. Severus shook his head, and looked up to watch the match.
*
It had been tight, they could say that much, Severus thought as he walked onto the pitch with Remus. He knew how hard it was to lose your first ever game – he'd seen Draco sink under these kind of scores after his first match.
"You did brilliantly, Lily," he congratulated, drawing her close.
"I wouldn't want to be your Seeker," Remus said quietly, watching as both the Gryffindor captain, and Potter had a go at the unfortunate boy. Severus was pleased to see that Remus wasn't flashing his newly-won stack of Sickles in front of the Gryffindor team - they'd be attacked.
Lily pulled away from Severus' chest to watch them, too.
"It wasn't his fault," she shook her head. "He's a great Seeker; Slytherin's is simply better."
"Anyway, Lily, didn't you see all those points you racked up?" Severus asked, smiling. "I certainly did!"
Lily laughed, and threw her arms around both of them.
"You two are too good to me," she beamed at them.
"No, we're not," disagreed Severus. "But they are," he nodded ahead, and he and Remus dispersed as all seven of Lily's girlfriends converged on her with squeals and cheers.
Mission accomplished: keeping Lily from becoming a sore loser like Potter.
*****
A.N. I sense Christmas incoming! (in a few chapters) Severus is going home with Lily for Christmas, for all those who have forgotten. :)
Thank you for reading and PLEASE COMMENT!!!