This story is based on Harry Potter written by J.K. Rowling

A/N: This is written for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition season 6

Round 2- Jurassic Fever

Beater 1- Mosasaur: Write a story set near the water (such as The Black Lake, the cave Riddle hid his Horcrux in, Shell Cottage, etc.)

Prompts- 3. (Dialogue) "Is he wearing a wig?"/ "I believe the correct term is 'toupe'."

6. (Word) Proof

13. (Setting) The Forbidden Forest

Remus kicks a pebble into the lake and listens to the sound as it plops into the water. He has been standing here for what seems like hours, waiting for the other person to arrive. He had sent them a note asking to meet him at the Black Lake at 6pm. Seeing as it's 7:30 pm and dangerously close to curfew, they probably won't bother showing up.

Remus sighs and passes his hand through his hair a few times, messing it up. He had even signed the note, but maybe the shortness of it made it too cryptic. Given the pranks that normally happen to them, it isn't surprising.

While he's ruminating and kicking more pebbles into the water, he doesn't notice the figure walking towards him.

Mid kick, Remus is startled by a hiss. "What in the bloody blazes did you call me out here for, Lupin?"

After successfully catching himself from faceplanting into the lake, Remus turns to see the very unamused visage of Severus Snape.

Remus just sighs. "Oh, good. I didn't think you would come."

Severus sneers at him. "Blame it on curiosity." He waves his hand in the air as a vague gesture. "Well? Get on with it."

"Right." Remus takes a breath and really looks at him. On the surface, Snape's the same as ever, but just below that, he's the most apprehensive he has ever looked. That knowledge is very unsettling for Remus. "How are you doing?"

Severus scoffs. "If you're just going to ask me stupid questions, there is no need for me to be here. This not worth the risk of getting caught after curfew."

Before he can storm off, Remus gestures for him to stop. "No, that's not the only thing." He stuffs his hands into his pockets and kicks another pebble nervously. "It's been a few weeks since Sirius pulled that stunt, and I wanted to see if you were okay."

Severus' face distorts with fury. "A stunt! That was not just some minor stunt he pulled, Lupin! I almost die-."

Remus swiftly interrupts him. "I know, I know, I do." He yanks at his hair absentmindedly. "It was extremely stupid, and I don't know what he was thinking. Our pranks don't go that far, you know they don't. Sure, they can be humiliating, irritating and mildly painful. But never life threatening." He lets go of his hair and looks Severus in the eye. "So, are you okay?"

He's stiff, and his expression is still on the angry side, but after a minute, Severus answers, "I'm just fine, Lupin. This was entirely unnecessary."

Remus heaves a great sigh and relaxes his shoulders before immediately tensing up again. "Do you have any questions? You deserve an explanation at the very least."

Severus' expression shifts into a grimace, and he looks like he wants to be anywhere else but here. His curiosity wins out, and Severus crosses his arms in front of his chest. "How long have you been a werewolf? How did you become one?"

Remus relaxes at the simple questions. "Since I was little, not sure what age exactly. My father offended the wrong person, and I payed for it." He ends up grimacing at the second part.

Surprisingly, all Severus does is nod his head in understanding. "We always suffer from our fathers' mistakes."

They stared at the lake in silence for the next few minutes, deep in thought.

Severus grabs Remus' attention while still facing toward the lake. "Did you know?" When Remus didn't immediately answer, he turned to face him. "Did you know about Black's plan?"

Remus just shakes his head sadly. "No, I had no idea. By the time Sirius told James about it, I was already inside the shack, and I hadn't seen him on the way there." He sighs deeply. "From what I have gathered from James and from Sirius himself, it was a very spur of the moment thing. An offhanded statement that didn't register as important to him right away."

Severus snorts and says bitterly, "Typical Black, typical Gryffindor, doing and saying things without thought to the consequences."

"Hey, don't bring Gryff-," Remus responded with a whine before cutting himself off to stare over Severus' shoulder. He points to a few figures and quickly whispers, "Look over there. Who're they?"

All it takes is a glance for Severus to recognize a few fellow Slytherins. Instead of getting their attention, he grabs ahold of Remus' arm and makes a break for the treeline of the Forbidden Forest.

They are able to hide behind the closest tree by the time the group of Slytherins gets much closer. As they walk towards the shore of the Black Lake, Remus is finally able to recognize Rosier, Avery, Mulciber, and Wilkes.

Those four Slytherins in particular are well known for pulling pranks of the cruel variety on other students. While no one outside of their house is safe, they tend to target Muggle-borns and Half-bloods specifically. But a key bit of information puzzled Remus.

He shifts his head closer to Severus and askes in a whisper, "Aren't they your friends?"

Severus gives a almost inaudible scoff. "Hardly, they're mere acquaintances. If they weren't such dunderheads, they might have been, but sadly, I am surrounded by idiots." He raises his brow and gives Remus a pointed look.

Remus furiously whispers, "It's just a question." He looks around the surrounding area to see if there are anymore students around this late at night, but there are none. Whatever this group is out here for, it can't be good. "What do you think they're doing?"

"I don't have a clue. Now pay attention, they're talking." Severus gestures towards the group.

They focus on the conversation to try and hear them. And while it's possible for both of them, Remus is having a much easier time of it, thanks to his furry problem.

They are standing in some sort of huddle and try to seem subtle. Which, given the location and time of night, was virtually impossible.

Rosier sneers and asks Avery, "Did you get the potion?"

Thin-lipped, Avery replies, "I had Black brew it for us. I told him to meet us here."

In a split second, Rosier exploded. "You idiot! This was supposed to stay between us, nobody was supposed to know! I wouldn't be surprised if you told Dumbledore himself!"

Severus rubs the bridge of his nose and breathes deeply. "Dunderhead is an extreme understatement. They wouldn't even have to tell him. Dumbledore probably already knows with how they're carrying on."

Remus just scratches his head and whispers, "He said Black, right? But not Sirius? I think he mentioned a little brother before. He doesn't really talk about him."

Severus sighs. "Figured that out, did you?" At Remus' side glare, he continues, "Besides them, the rest of the Blacks have already graduated. So yes, Regulus is the only other possibility."

"Regulus," Remus whispers, sounding out every syllable. "I'll have to ask Sirius to introduce us." He thinks for a second and asks, "Wait, are they on speaking terms? He hates his family, but he never says anything bad about Regulus specifically." His eyes light up, and he looks over at Severus. "But you could introduce me, right?"

Severus just glares at Remus and rubs his forehead in irritation. "This is not the time. Pay attention." He mumbles the rest absentmindedly. "It's obvious why I stay away from Gryffindors. Headache inducing, the lot of them."

Remus chooses to ignore the last bit with a smile on his face, focusing back on the awkward huddle going on nearby.

Rosier has turned to whisper furiously at the others in the group, making it hard for even Remus to understand him.

Remus leans over and whispers to Severus, "Sounds like they're supplying someone with a poison. I don't know who's involved, but from how they're talking about it, they are important people."

Severus' brow furrows as he thinks. After a few minutes, he whispers, "Of all the places to go to get a potion, why from Hogwarts students?" After another minute of ruminating, he continues, "Why these students were chosen is pretty obvious. They're some of the few who are dumb and cruel enough to agree. I suppose if an important person were suspected of spiking someone's drink with poison, Hogwarts wouldn't be on the list of places to procure it from. Nobody would suspect them to get it from some impressionable teenage wizards."

Remus' face scrunches up at the possible explanation. "Huh, that seems like a huge oversight. We have a potions class, we are taught how to make poisons and their antidotes. We should definitely be somewhere on that list, right?"

Severus scowls. "Yes, all of them are imbeciles. Poisons aren't even hard to make."

Remus glances over at Severus. "I feel like you're agreeing with me an awful lot."

At this, Severus sniffs and lifts his chin. "Don't get used to it."

A figure coming towards the lake catches their attention again.

Once Regulus has made it to the group, Rosier continues speaking louder than before, "Now that everyone has graced us with their presence, we have a client to meet."

Regulus simply crosses his arms. "And who would that be?"

Rosier snorts and starts walking towards the Forbidden Forest. "None of your business."

The rest of them, including Regulus, follow. The only problem with this is that they are now walking straight towards Severus and Remus.

Severus whips out his wand and casts a quick Disillusionment charm over the both of them. The group starts to pass their tree, and they keep as still as possible, even going as far as holding their breath. Regulus' eyes are the only ones that even twitch towards them, and even then, the two hiding can't be sure it wasn't a spasm.

A few minutes later, Severus deems them a safe distance away and lifts the charm.

Remus starts toward the retreating figures, but Severus grabs his arm. "Lupin, what in the world do you think you're doing?"

Remus shrugs out of his grip. "I'm just following them to try and figure out what's going on."

Severus scoffs. "What, we stumble upon a mystery, and all of a sudden we're detectives? Is that what you think?"

"Well, no, I wouldn't go that far-" Remus cuts himself off and stares at Severus excitedly. "Wait, that was a Muggle reference! You made a Muggle reference! I never noticed you make one before."

Severus just raises an eyebrow and says, "Honestly, Lupin, do try to keep up." He turns and starts walking in the other group's direction. "Well? Didn't you want to follow them?"

Remus hurries after him as quietly as possible. "This conversation is not over. You're just delaying the inevitable."

Severus ignores him and focuses on the people they're following instead. It won't do to get caught from the start.

After about 15 minutes, the others finally stop at a small clearing. With the Forbidden Forest being a place full of creatures of all kinds, the current silence is very suspicious.

They realize why when they see who the Slytherins came to meet.

With the recent rise of Voldemort and his followers, people have decided to elect a new Minister for Magic. The most recent Minister, Eugenia Jenkins, is considered incapable of dealing with Voldemort.

And right now, standing in the clearing, is one of the front runners in the current election, Harold Minchum. His face is well known with it being plastered all over the paper. This answers as many questions as it creates.

Those involved are indeed very powerful. Anyone else, other than students, might have turned him in. None of the dangerous creatures that lurk in the Forbidden Forest are in sight, and it is eerily quiet. Which brings Severus and Remus to conclude that a ward is probably being used to repel the creatures. And the potion, Regulus is still holding, could be used for anything, really, but the most likely thing is eliminating the competition.

Severus and Remus' minds are spinning with the newest revelations and questions.

What are his exact motivations? What is the reason he picked these students specifically? Are they connected? Why hasn't Dumbledore done anything about it?

Remus looks over at Severus and whispers incredulously, "There's no way Dumbledore is unaware of this. Even if Regulus found a way to secretly brew the potion, he would have been alerted to this trespassing, right?"

Severus' mouth forms into a thin line, and he nods. "He knows. That old coot is a lot of things, but an idiot he is not." He leans further into the tree they're hiding behind. "Therefore, he is smart enough to know that when accusing someone like this," his forehead scrunches up in irritation or concern, but Remus can't be sure which one, "you better be absolutely sure, and without solid proof, you're wasting your time."

Remus goes silent for a few moments, lost in thought, before he starts speaking, "Dumbledore needs proof, right? Then let's give him some." At Severus' glare, he continues. "We get detention a lot, right? Well, everytime we go to Dumbledore's office, there's a pensive in the corner. Memories should be enough, right?"

Severus' expression turns contemplative, and he sighs. "If that's the best idea you've got, then you better focus. Commit everything to memory."

Remus narrows his gaze. "What? You've got a better idea?"

Severus makes a tisk sound. "I'm not the one who wanted to follow them."

Remus rolls his eyes and looks back towards the clearing as he says, "You didn't have to come."

He ignores Severus' answering scoff as he looks at the man running for Minister. As Remus looks at him, a decent breeze flows in and ruffles his hair. Or what looks like hair.

Remus squints his eyes to try and get a better look. "Is he wearing a wig?" He asked, revulsion heavy in his tone.

"I believe the correct term is 'toupee'." Severus wrinkles his nose. "Well, no one can accuse him of having taste, at the very least."

Remus holds in his surprised snort as much as possible and turns back to the clearing to see Minchum hold out his hand towards Regulus.

Getting impatient, he waves his hand. "Well, hand over the potion."

Regulus refuses to budge. "You still haven't told me why you need it."

Minchum's face contorts. "I don't have time for this." He takes a step forward and Regulus takes a step back.

Regulus, looking nervous now, says, "Not until you say why."

Losing whatever patience he has, he growls, "My Lord is not kind to those that fail him, now hand it over." Bending his knees as if preparing to lung for the vial.

Remus glances at Severus and nods. He pulls out his wand and sees Severus doing the same. "Ready to run in 3… 2… 1… now!"

Remus flicks his wand, and it releases an extremely loud bang.

Regulus, who was getting ready to flee at the drop of a hat, sprints in the direction of the castle, taking advantage of everyone else's confusion. Remus and Severus run back towards the Black Lake at almost the exact same time.

Minchum, not wanting to take any chances, flees the area immediately. The remaining students scatter in every direction, not knowing where to run, thus allowing Remus and Severus to escape virtually undetected.

As soon as they reach the Black Lake, Severus and Remus try to catch their breath, Severus have a worse time of it.

Once recovered, he glares over at Remus and grumbles, "I suppose a detective wasn't far from the truth."

Remus chuckles. "Yeah, you're a regular Sherlock Holmes." His words dripping with sarcasm.

Severus rolls his eyes. "If I'm Sherlock Holmes, you're Watson."

Remus, now pulled from his thoughts, says in an semi-offended tone, "Watson? Why do I have to be Watson? Why not Moriarty?"

A smirk is the only answer given before Severus turns back towards the castle and starts walking.

"Oh no you don't, Severus Snape! You are not walking away again. This conversation is not over!" Remus yells as he jogs to catch up with Severus.

Later, Dumbledore asks about what they were doing at the lake, before the group of Slytherins show up, since they had not included it in the memories.

Remus and Severus refuse to say anything about it. That was private after all.