Detentions and Dented Noses
The day Remus and Sirius have detention is the day before a full moon. So Remus has had an excess amount of energy all day. More like the whole week, but Sirius doesn't mention that because Remus is also quite irritable, which isn’t exactly an ideal time to tell him to stop bobbing his leg under the table. It’s really bloody distracting, actually. Sirius isn’t able to focus on his book, which Remus forced him to read because apparently he was being ‘increasingly obnoxious and incredibly too loud’. Remus’ words, not Sirius’.
“Moony~” Sirius whines, drawing out the vowels, “I’m bored.”
“Read your book.” Remus responds, not looking up from his book and already sounding fed up with him.
“But I can't concentrate with your leg jiggling.” Sirius complains.
“Sorry to be such an inconvenience.” Remus snips. Sirius recoils. Okay, so Remus is not in a good mood. Noted.
“So…” Regulus says slowly, looking between them. “Anyone going to tell me what his mood is about?”
“Shh.” James hisses. “We do not mention the moods.” Regulus hums.
“Noted.” He murmurs, going back to his homework. Remus huffs, closing his book with a bit too much force than is necessary. It makes a loud bang that reverberates around the room. He stands up and storms up to the dorm. Everyone flinches as they hear the door slam.
James sighs, slapping his hand on his knees and standing up. “I better go see if he’s okay.” He says.
“No, leave him be. He’s just in a mood, he’ll calm down in a bit.” Sirius responds. James audibly breathes out of his nose and sits down again. Peter comes down the stairs from the dormitory, looking skittish, to say the least.
“What’s wrong with Moony?” Peter squeaks.
“He’s in a mood.” Sirius says, waving a dismissive hand. “He’ll be fine.”
Remus is, in fact, not fine. That night when Sirius and Remus have detention he is still in his mood. They walk the trophy room together, the stroll definingly silent. When they get to their destination, Filch is waiting for them, a horrible smile on his face.
“ ‘Ello, lads.” He says in a low, gritty voice. “You both are to clean every trophy in this room. I expect them all done tonight.” Filch smiles at them, showing his alarmingly yellowed teeth. “Oh, and I’m going to be needing your wands.” Filch holds out his wrinkly hand. He has dirt caked under his nails, Sirius makes a slight face and puts his wand in his hand and Remus follows suit.
They walk into the room. It’s full of trophies and awards and plaques. The curtains are closed, leaving the room in eerie near pitch-darkness. The room is bathed in a bluish glow from the near-full moon light peaking through the thin curtains. It would be a beautiful place under different circumstances. Like maybe if they were charming the trophies to yell at anyone when they walked by, that’s a spiffing idea, Sirius thinks, he’ll have to tell James that one. Or when Remus wasn’t in such an irritable mood.
“You start there,” Sirius suggests, pointing to the right side of the room, “I’ll start on this side,” Sirius points to the left side, “and we’ll work our way to the middle?” Remus grunts in the affirmative and heads over to his side of the room with his rag and polish. Sirius mutters a ‘tough crowd’ under his breath, grabs his rag and polish and heads to his own side of the room.
During the first twenty minutes of their task Sirius tries making conversation without success. Remus is usually not very talkative before the full, which is understandable. But Sirius is really bloody bored and would like to have something entertaining while he polishes these trophies.
“Moony~” Sirius croons, drawing out the nickname. “Can you talk to me?” Remus hums, like he’s debating it.
“I feel like being productive, Sirius.” He says.
“But I’m bored.” Sirius groans, because he is.
“Fine.” Remus sighs. “What do you want to talk about?” He asks as he puts down one plaque and moving on to the next one.
“What about the next quidditch match coming up?” Sirius asks excitedly, vigorously polishing his metal. “We’re playing-”
“Nope.” Remus interrupts. “We are not talking about quidditch.” Remus glares at him, Sirius huffs.
“Alright,” he sighs, “what about… the books you’re reading?”
“How about we don’t talk?” Remus suggests stiffly.
“Fine.” Sirius groans. He keeps polishing his trophy.
That night is probably the longest detention he’s ever had, it felt longer than it actually was. They were probably in there for about three hours, but to Sirius it felt like an eternity. He was scrutinizing his and Remus’ conversations, all their interactions, trying to see what he did wrong, he couldn’t think of anything. Not one thing. He doesn’t know what he did.
What was Remus so mad at him about?
~*~
Remus Lupin is not mad at Sirius Black. Remus Lupin has recently come to the conclusion that he is utterly insane.
For one thing he has been thinking about… certain things far too much, more than he should be thinking about them, more than would be considered normal.
For a second thing, he is really bloody annoyed at the fact that he had to do that detention. He has an essay due this week and now he would have to do it in the hospital wing, which is annoying because he wouldn’t be able to get as much done as he would like to, seeing as Madam Pomfery is far too fussy for her own good.
For a third thing, he’s just really irritated today. There’s no particular reason. He just doesn’t want to have to deal with anything. Today he just wants to read, maybe take a nap if is stupid brain would let him, but it probably won’t
But no. He can’t do that because he just had to lose his temper on bloody Snape and get himself a detention the day before the full moon. Remus isn’t sure if Slughorn doesn’t know about his furry little problem, or if he scheduled it just to spite him. Remus is leaning towards the latter.
And just when he didn’t think his day could get any worse, while walking back to Gryffindor tower, Remus and Sirius run into Snape. Oh joy.
“Loony Lupin.” Snape sneers.
“Oh, bugger off, Snivillus.” Sirius scoffs.
“And what are you doing out on this fine night, Loopy?” Severus continues as if Sirius hadn’t spoken. Like Sirius wasn’t there at all.
Remus glares at him. He is already at his wits end with today, one more thing and he might just snap.
“The detention that should have been yours.” He responds.
“Oh, and how’s mummy and daddy, Black?” Severus turns to Sirius. And, oh, no. Sirius’ expression turns stony. Nope, Remus is done.
“Hey, Snivilly,” Remus says breezily, “catch this.”
“Catch wha-“ Snape starts but doesn’t have time to finish before his greasy nose is punched in. There’s a sickening crunch that Remus takes sickening pleasure in hearing.
“That.” He says before pushing past him, making sure to brush past his shoulder roughly. Snape makes an affronted noise, clutching his nose. Sirius follows Remus, his eyes the size of the plates in the great hall.
“Again?” Sirius asks, he looks positively giddy. Remus just nods. He really needs to find another way of taking out his anger, other than hitting Snivillus.