Peter wound up hanging out with Remus in the library after Defense Against the Dark Arts, since James and Sirius went off to Hogsmeade. Which would have been fine except he mostly doodled, daydreamed, and complained about being bored. So after just about fifteen minutes they left to find something else to do. Remus wanted to study however because Peter did not he figured they might as well go do something they'd both enjoy. They went outside, since the sun was shining warmly. There was quite a cold chill in the air but they just bundled up a little extra then ran off onto the grounds, down to the lake where they skipped stones and told jokes. Peter also brought his camera, taking several pictures.
"These are really good," Remus said as he sat on his cloak, going through an album Pete had put together. Some were just generic photos of the four boys however most were very artsy sort of photographs. The sun shining through some branches, a colorful sunset reflecting off the lake, an owl mid-flight into the night sky... There was a really good one of Sirius looking out the dorm window with the full moon behind him, though it also made Remus shudder a little bit, as if a picture of the full moon could seep out and pull the wolf to the surface.
"They're okay," Peter mumbled, sitting next to him.
"No, honest, they're terrific." A bright pink flower they had harvested in Herbology in January. Peter had set his against the snow to take a picture of it. "You've got a great eye."
Peter blushed brilliantly red. "Th--thank you. It's silly--"
"No! It's awesome. I could never do this."
"It's easy..." But Peter looked even more pleased, going even redder somehow.
"Pete, my pictures would probably all turn out as blurry closeups of my thumb or something," Remus said causing Peter to laugh. Remus turned the page to see a really good photo of him, Sirius, and James. It was the day they skipped class. "Please tell me you've got James falling."
"I did that one the magical way." Peter turned the page and they both bust up laughing watching as James flourished his arms then fell out of the tree. "I can make copies if you like."
"Please!" Remus wheezed out. "Oh Merlin's beard, yes." That's when he realized most the other pictures had been done the Muggle way. "How come they're not all moving?"
Peter shrugged. "I dunno. I like the Muggle way more, really. Like... I don't have to worry about the before or the after, it's just that one second. Like this one..." He pointed at one of Remus walking along the corridors with his nose in a book, a picture Remus had no memory of ever being taken. "You tripped a few seconds after I took the picture. I like it like this. Not you tripping."
Remus felt quite warm. "Well, thank y--"
"But here...!" He flipped through. "This one's funny." Another one of Remus walking with his nose in a book except this one he ran straight into a wall. The picture-Remus flailed a moment, nearly falling, somehow managing not to.
"Thanks," Remus said, this time flatly. Though it was kinda funny. Sorta. Maybe.
"Sirius wanted a copy of that one."
"Wh--what?!" Remus looked up in horror. "You didn't." Peter averted his gaze, chewing at his bottom lip. "Fine then, give me a copy of whatever--whatever embarrassing thing you've got Sirius doing."
"I--don't really have any," Peter admitted. "He rarely falls over or runs into things or anything like that. The only embarrassing things he ever seems to do are things he does on purpose soooo it's not really embarrassing-embarrassing."
Remus reluctantly had to agree with him on that. While he, Pete, and James all had their clumsy moments (him a lot more so than the others) Sirius just seemed graceful which was another super unfair thing about him in addition to his perfect hair. That's probably why he and James got away with so much. They pulled pranks, but they were both so good-looking and charming that nobody seemed to really care that much. At least, he figured James was good-looking. Was he? He knew Sirius was, he could tell that easily. He supposed James was too. He hadn't really thought of that before.
"What d'you think they're doing right now?" Pete asked, bringing Remus out of his daydream.
"Probably trying to talk their way out of a shopkeeper wanting to turn them into McGonagall."
"Yeah... that'd be awful... being transfigured into your Transfiguration teacher..."
Remus frowned. "No I meant--" Then he stopped seeing Peter's lips twitching, and the two collapsed back with laughter. "That was a good one!" Peter put up his hand. It took Remus a second then he obligingly gave Pete a high five.
The wind picked up a few minutes, the chill starting to get through their clothes, so the two of them got up to head back into the castle. They walked in, talking to each other, not really paying attention. Then Peter tripped, landing flat on his face. Laughter. Remus helped Peter back up, glowering at Mulciber and Avery who were nearby. Avery had stuck his leg out.
"Where's the other two idiots?" Mulciber asked while Avery twirled his wand. "Or are poor widdle Pokey and Loopy alone?"
Before they could react Avery shot off a spell. Remus's legs locked together and he began wheeling his arms to stop himself from falling down. Peter grabbed at him to keep him upright but Avery hit him with the jelly-arms curse and it became very difficult. Remus lost balance, crashing back onto his butt painfully, head jerking back a bit.
"Rosodorus!" Remus had gotten his wand out, arm blurring a bit as he flourished it, hitting Avery with what had become one of his personal favorites. Avery began sneezing the rose petals as Mulciber put the jelly-legs curse on Peter, making him staggering everywhere. Remus shot the spell at Mulciber who easily danced away, laughing.
"Roserus!" Mulciber tried to copy, failing completely. "Roseradus!"
"Locomotor wibbly!" Peter tried but with his arms and legs going everywhere the spell just shot way over Mulciber's head.
Avery tried using a spell but kept sneezing, cutting him off. Remus put up a shield as Mulciber gave up on the sneezing one and instead went for something Remus had never heard of, except part of it sounded like 'sang' which could easily refer to sanguis. Blood. Though he doubted Mulciber could pull it off. Both Slytherins seemed to have a penchant for using spells they couldn't do.
"You're such a baby, Loopy!" Mulciber decided to taunt since his spells weren't hitting Remus anymore. "You two do know Barmy and Pratty don't even like you, right? They just keep you two around to make themselves look better. Who could like a waddling pathetic lump of stupidity like you?" He went over and gave Peter a great big shove, sending him back into the wall. "Or a little sick crybaby lunatic like you?" He kicked at Remus quite hard. Remus tried rolling away but that just meant Mulciber's foot hit his back which hurt bad. Remus cried out in pain, continuing his roll so his back was away from Mulciber. He gripped at his wand, waiting for Mulciber to be distracted so he could remove the leg locker curse from himself. "Plus you're both halfies." Mulciber spit on Remus. "Muggle cow for a mother!" He then spit on Peter. "Muggle slime for a father!"
"D-d-d-don't you say anything about my--my father!" Peter cried out, jerking forward. His wobbly legs couldn't handle it, sending him down on his face. Mulciber and Avery both laughed, Avery still sneezing.
"Are your magical parents so pathetic they couldn't convince a proper witch or wizard to marry them?" Mulciber continued. "Or are they into animals, wanting to mate with a Muggle beast?"
"SHUT--UP!" Peter screamed causing Mulciber to laugh harder.
Remus's legs sprang apart as he managed to get the curse off. The wolf was raging inside, especially at the beast comment. He wanted to physically attack Mulciber, sink fangs and claws into his flesh tearing him to pieces. He had to concentrate, push himself out of that darkness. It raged inside, digging in as he fought back until he felt something snap inside and a coldness went through him, the wolf shrinking back. Now he focused as hard as he could, never having done this spell on anything so heavy.
"FLIPENDO!"
Mulciber went flying. He was flung back through the air--several feet off the ground!--spinning twice, then crashed hard into the far wall with a loud thudding sound. Avery stared in disbelief while Peter's jaw dropped. Mulciber, just a heap on the floor now, moaned in pain then went still. Remus jerked his wand towards Avery who just took off running, leaving a trail of rose petals behind him.
Remus grabbed Peter, pulling him through the school, constantly hauling him back up from his jelly-legs curse. It reminded him a little bit of the movie version of a book he loved, The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy kept having to pull the Scarecrow back up as they went down the yellow brick road.
"Holy hippogriffs, Remy!" Peter gasped out as they went up a flight of steps, heading towards the hospital wing. "How did--you just--whoa! That was incredible! That was--your nose!"
Remus knew his nose started bleeding. He could feel it dripping down his lips, taste it, smell it. "C-c-com-c-co--come--co--c..." He stopped, swaying a bit as if he were the one jellified. His vision got swimmy. It felt a little like when he used the activation spell on the doorway for the Bat-Bogey Hex only not quite as bad. "I don't--feel... goo... good..." He sank down to the floor, too weak to move. Blood drops fell on his trousers. Without Remus to help him stay up Peter fell to the ground as well. "You g--get to Pomfrey but--but don't t-tell her about me. I'll be okay. I d--don't want her knowing I overexerted myself with magic."
"But what if it, um, makes you go into a relapse?" Peter asked, forehead wrinkled.
Remus managed a small smile. "It won't. I'll be all right." He finally lifted his arm, wiping the blood from his face. "You go get those curses taken off. I'll wait here."
Peter wobbled off leaving Remus by himself. Once Peter disappeared, Remus began wiping at his nose wondering why it had started bleeding. It seemed strange to get random nosebleeds... It wasn't from using such a strong spell because he was sure the nosebleed started before, besides he hadn't gotten one after the activation on the door thing. The other nosebleed was ages ago in Potions class, he remembered James noticing and getting worried. He looked at the blood smeared on his robes. The bleeding had stopped by this point... but what caused it?
He heard some students walking towards him so he got a book out of his bag, pretending to read. They didn't give him a second glance as they passed. Once they were gone he put the book back, looking down towards where Peter had gone. It took him quite a lot of time to come back and once he did Remus was feeling better. Peter apologized as Remus got up, stating it had taken him time since it had been difficult walking to the hospital wing. Remus promised he felt better which sent a look of relief across Pete's face.
"You were brilliant though," Pete started again as they headed to the Great Hall. It was nearly suppertime. "You sent him absolutely flying. I didn't know you could do that!"
"I didn't either, to be honest." Remus glanced down at the blood all over him then just took off his robes which had the most red. He had some on his trousers but it wasn't too noticeable. "I just thought I might be able to push him over or something at most."
Peter's eyes sparkled with adoration. "No, you were amazing. You could become a duelist!" They took some seats at the Gryffindor table, voices dropping a bit since there were several students peppered around the room studying. "Honest, if Dedenne wasn't such an absolute bent broomstick you'd be top in Defense."
"M... maybe..."
"You think we'll have a new teacher next year? For Defense? I bet if we do you'll get to the top. Blimey, I can't wait to tell James and Sirius about this, they're gonna go wild that they missed it. Shame they weren't there."
"If they had been there, it wouldn't have happened," Remus pointed out.
Pete's face fell a little. "Ah, true. Still. I could never do that." He began scratching the tabletop with one fingernail while Remus pulled out books, stacking them in front of him. "You think it matters?"
"What?" Remus asked, quite confused. "That you can't do that? No, you're talented in other ways. Like photography, and Potions--"
Peter shook his head. "N-no. Not that. I mean--" He began digging his nail in harder then flinched, bringing his finger to his mouth to suck. "I think I got a splinter." Remus held out his hand. Peter blinked then put his hand in Remus's, who hadn't even thought about this contact until it happened. He felt a little twist inside of him, but nothing more.
He inspected Peter's finger, seeing the little bit of wood sticking out. "Let me try this." He got his wand out, aiming carefully. "Locomotor splinter." He wasn't sure if it would work or if he'd make it worse, but the splinter twitched a bit (causing Pete to whimper), sticking out a little bit more. "Ermm..." He glanced around now, seeing a couple of older girls nearby. "Um, exc--excuse me. D--do either of you--could either of you--um--my f-friend's g--got a splinter..."
The two girls looked at him and Remus realized the blonde was the one he had run into a while ago after talking to McGonagall, the one who had called him adorable. The black girl took Peter's hand, looking closely. "I can get it." She had long nails that easily pinched the end of the splinter, pulling it out.
"Kiss it, make it better," teased the blonde making Peter go brilliantly red.
The other girl snorted. "You kiss it, if you're so keen."
"Um--" Peter began then suddenly the blonde took his hand and placed a kiss on his finger. Pete made a choking sound.
"There, all healed up," she giggled, letting go.
Peter kept making choking sounds, looking like he might pass out. The two girls just giggled more. Remus swept his books back into his bag, grabbing Peter's arm, pulling him off the bench. "Th-tha-th--thanks."
The blonde winked at him. "Anytime."
Remus hauled Peter out of the Great Hall, pulling him down a side corridor where Peter leaned back against the wall. His face (which had gone an even deeper red) was focused on his finger. He still made those choking sounds.
"Um, are you okay?" Remus asked, afraid his friend had gone into some sort of shock.
"I... am never... washing this finger again..."
Remus made a face. "That's disgusting." He halfway wanted to take Peter to the bathroom and make him wash his hand right then and there. Actually, it was very tempting. Peter just kept staring at his finger like it was made of gold or something. "Hello?" Remus waved his hand in front of his face.
Peter blinked a few times. "Ooh. S--sorry. Just... I can't believe she just... just... kissed my finger like that. Who is she?"
"I don't know," he replied a tad grouchily. What was so great about someone's spit on your finger? Just seemed gross. "So, um, what were you saying? Earlier? About it mattering?"
His hand dropped down. "I guess not mattering wasn't the right way of saying it. Only... what Mulciber said... sometimes... I kinda feel that way." He tilted his head back against the wall, his mousy brown hair sticking up in the back. "About James and Sirius. Wanting me around just because it makes them look better..."
Remus sucked in some air, doubting just saying 'you're wrong' would work. He had to find the right words. "I don't believe that's true." Even that wasn't enough, clearly. Suspicion filled Peter's face. "Sometimes I feel the same way you do."
That seemed to work. Peter's head jerked down, eyes huge. "You're so smart though."
"Doesn't change the fact I feel like that. Maybe I am smart but--I've got a lot of flaws." His heart went a little faster. More flaws than you'll ever know. "I guess it's just easier for people like us to see our own flaws more than our--our qualities. Or for them to be... overblown in our own minds. Like, I don't think of you as stupid or anything. You're nice, you're funny, you're a great person. You're very artistic, apparently." Remus ran his fingers through his hair rather anxiously. "You're--you're my friend. And... I think... James is really the sort of person to make it obvious whether he likes or dislikes someone. I don't think he'd fake a friendship just to make himself look better."
Peter now rubbed his arm, giving little huffy sounds as if debating whether or not to believe Remus. "I guess you're right. He is pretty... ummmm... loud about the people he doesn't like. What about Sirius?"
"I... don't know. He's more of an enigma."
"An en-whata? Remy, you might not think I'm stupid but that doesn't mean I know weird words like that."
"A mystery. He's a mystery. But I don't think he'd fake a friendship either." He thought back to Sirius insulting Peter behind his back, only that had been ages ago and Sirius hadn't really done anything like that recently as far as Remus knew.
"Can you keep a secret?"
Now Remus smiled. "I can definitely keep a secret." It took a lot of effort not to just laugh.
"I feel better about myself when I'm with you guys," Peter whispered. "Does that sound dumb?"
"No," Remus replied without hesitation. "I understand that feeling completely. I think I'm the same way." He hadn't thought too deeply on that sort of idea however it seemed right. He had changed a lot since becoming their friend. He felt more... human... with them. "I... really don't know what I'd do without the three of you." He felt a sharp stabbing pain in his stomach knowing that one day he would have to find out. When they got too close, when their questions couldn't be fobbed off, when they pushed, pushed, pushed him to the edge.
"I dunno what I woulda done either. Erm, just--don't tell either of them any of this..."
Remus promised he wouldn't as they headed back to the Great Hall. He peered in, seeing the two girls still sitting there. So when they went in, they sat at the end of the table near the doors. Peter wanted to go back to where they had been but Remus didn't really want to sit near them. Soon supper began appearing across the tables though James and Sirius remained missing. Remus and Peter ate, cheerfully talking about various things. Peter started trying to tell jokes whenever Remus took a drink to see if he could get him to spit his water out. The only thing he managed to make Remus do was snort a little, getting water up his nose.
Even though they finished eating fairly early, Remus stayed till near 6 then, as he slid his robes back on, asked Pete if he'd like to come to the library since their friends still weren't back. Peter mulled this over then decided against it.
"I--don't know if I really belong in that study group," he admitted. "But thanks."
Remus gave Pete a pat on the back before heading off to the library having completely forgotten the nosebleed earlier. Mr. Farrow stared at him when he went in. Remus frowned, feeling uncomfortable at the stare. He kept going, reaching the usual study table. Silverlocke--the only one there so far--now stared at him.
"Is th--there food on m-my face?" Remus asked as he slid into his usual seat.
"No," Silverlocke replied a little uneasily, "however there is blood on your clothes. Are you all right?"
Oops, that's right, that's why I had them off. "Er, ah, y--yeah..." Remus quickly pulled his robes off once more, bunching them up next to him. "Nosebleed earlier, th--that's all."
"Nothing at all to do with Avery storming around the common room, ranting about how some Gryffindors needed to get their own?" Silverlocke asked with a smirk.
Remus ducked his head down. "You know him, he-he hates us."
"True." Silverlocke toyed with the end of his pale blonde ponytail, his pale blue eyes full of amusement. "It seems Mulciber got a concussion. I... cannot say he doesn't deserve it, he probably brought it on himself with how he acts."
"R--right. Did Avery say anything a-about that?"
Silverlocke merely shrugged. "No, just complained about Gryffindors is all."
Then others started showing up. Bones (letting them know Pierce wouldn't be joining them that night), Buckling and Craft, then finally Lily and Twycross. As everyone got settled--opening their books, smoothing parchment out--Remus glanced around the table. He had just realized he still had a stutter with this group. The only ones he could talk to without issue where James, Sirius, Peter, and Lily. Sometimes Professor McGonagall (did she count? as a teacher?). He wished he could stop, could control his voice. He knew this group. He'd been studying with them for even longer than he'd been friends with the others! So why did he have this trouble? All right so he didn't know them as well as he did his four friends, but still.
When Buckling asked him a question he was slow to respond, trying to form the words without stuttering only it didn't work so instead of not stuttering he was stuttering while talking slowly. Craft rolled his eyes which made it even worse, and Remus gave up trying.