InsaneJournal

[Fantasy Fest Fic: Playing with Fire (G so far)]
*sheepish* School evidently got the better of me for the past month or so (and still technically does). Many apologies to ollopa for the tardiness and the un-beta'd-ness!

Title: Playing with Fire
Author: firefly_quill
Rating: G
Word count: 1495
Pairing: SS/RL
Challenge: Based on ollopa's prompt: AU - triwizard tournament during MWPP era, either S or R is picked by goblet to everyone's shock; one of the tasks involves S or R rescuing the other (like Harry's 2nd task but not the same, plz) to everyone's shock (again). post SB's prank!
Summary: Task the first.
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns. I simply play.
Warnings: I think I'm bordering on "Gary-Stu"-Snape, which should be an interesting read in following chapters. Hopefully I can change this before it gets too far O_o I get the distinct feeling that this is going to be a strange fic, and I can't quite figure why.
Notes: 1/? (3 is what I have planned)



Remus awoke that morning aching and too aware of several voices whispering loudly beside him.

"You're telling him."

"No way mate, who's idea was it?"

"Didn't see you stopping me."

"Tell me what?" Remus asked warily. The day after transformations had a habit of bringing bad news.

At the sound of his voice, three very guilty looking boys turned abruptly to face him.

"Morning Moony! Fancy a bite to eat?" Sirius asked a bit too brightly.

"Tell me. What."

James had shifted his focus and was glaring at Sirius. Sirius gulped.

"I know we said we'd leave Snape well alone after the last incident, but we didn't actually think that this one would amount to anything."

Remus groaned.

"Padfoot put Snivellus' name into the Goblet of Fire." James said bluntly.

"Did it in front of the whole school in fact, that day you were in the library. He," Peter flushed pink and paused after a withering glare from Sirius. "We thought it would give us bragging rights after Padfoot's name was chosen instead. Or maybe yours, James." Peter added hastily, seeing the other boy furrow his brow even more.

"And?" Remus asked, dreading the answer he already knew.

Peter suddenly found a crack in the ceiling absolutely mesmerizing. Sirius, reddening in embarrassment, opened his mouth and closed it again, unable to speak the words. James sighed and rolled his eyes.

Remus turned face down into his pillow. Some days he wondered why he even bothered waking up at all after the full moon.

---

Remus spent the next day attempting to talk with the Slytherin. He had spent most of the previous year attempting to befriend the boy, and thought that he had been getting close before his mates went and very promptly ruined the whole thing. Remus never quite had time to wonder why he persisted. The task alone was gargantuan as it was, and that wasn't even taking into account the meddling of Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs, which could always be counted upon.

Remus finally caught sight of Snape after his last class.

"Severus!"

The black haired boy paused for a moment after hearing the voice, but then proceeded to walk twice as fast. Remus clenched his teeth and chased after him, calling him again. Without warning, Snape suddenly stopped and spun around. Remus nearly crashed into him.

"Well?" Severus snapped.

Remus steadied himself. "I wanted to ap--"

"Apologize for what your friends did? Make it clear that you had no part in it? Insist that they truly have no designs on my life? Is there anything you would like to say that had not already been said the last time your friends put my life in peril?"

Severus was right, of course. For some reason, however, he also seemed to be waiting for an answer.

"I want to apologize for being unable to stop them," Remus finally said.

"Is that all?" Severus sneered.

"No. I also wanted to tell you that I will be cheering for you."

Remus blushed as Severus regarded him closely. After what seemed like hours, Severus simply frowned and swept away without another word. As he disappeared down the hall, Remus wondered why he couldn't quite bring himself to look away until the black robes finally turned the corner and slipped out of sight.

---

"Welcome to the first task of this year's Triwizard Tournament!" Dumbledore announced cheerfully while holding his wand to his throat to amplify his voice. "Before I begin, allow me to formally introduce you to your three champions."

All eyes turned expectantly towards a purple tent.

"First, from the resplendent Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, Achille Baret."

A hand dismissively threw back the tent flaps and a haughty boy with reddish-brown hair strode through the crowd towards the centre podium. He didn't meet the eyes of any in the audience, but a subtle smirk suggested that he saw them and appreciated the cheers. A gaggle of Gryffindor girls giggled next to Remus. James nudged him in the ribs and made a gagging motion.

"Next, from the mysterious and unfathomable Durmstrang Institute, allow me to introduce, Bellatrix Black."

Black?

"Sirius, is she..."

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"And finally, from Hogwarts, our very own Severus Snape."

As Severus stepped into view, a murmur of shock echoed through the cluster of Hogwarts students. Remus gawked. Severus had not only somehow charmed his hair to waist-length, he had washed it. It somehow billowed as impressively as the black cloak that Severus had purchased on the last Hogsmeade weekend. Not that Remus has been keeping track. As he walked past, Remus also noted that the boy smelled slightly different. Once again, not that Remus had been keeping track, but he could have sworn that Severus never smelled faintly floral. The Gryffindor girls had begun their giggling again. Remus shot them a scathing glare.

"Right then," Dumbledore continued brightly. He motioned for a small, brown box to be brought forward. "The first task will test your agility. You will be vying for this--"

The headmaster reached into the box and deftly held out a golden snitch. The bauble buzzed restlessly in his hand.

"--which will be released there." He gestured towards the Forbidden Forest. "The first to capture the snitch will be awarded 100 points." With that, the Headmaster released the snitch, which took off quickly towards the trees.

None of the champions had looked the least bit surprised at this announcement. Whatever was required of the first task was strictly to be kept secret, and like most good secrets, half the school had already known of it for the better part of the week.

Remus swallowed and looked to Snape anxiously. The Slytherin wasn't spectacular on the Quidditch pitch. Remus silently wished him better luck here.

"I must warn you, however," Dumbledore continued. "Beware the creatures of the forest. They are, for the most part, hostile, merciless, mean-spirited creatures that will not fail to tear you limb from limb, at best. Although there are always the exceptions." The Headmaster's eyes met Remus' kindly, noticing his discomfort.

"You may proceed at the sound of the canon. Champions, I wish you--"

The rest of his words were drowned out by the sound of the canon and the uproarious cheers that followed. Dumbledore frowned. With a wave of his wand, three translucent images, one following the moves of each champion, appeared high in the air. The wavering screens showed each student making a mad dash for the forest's edge and pausing to exchange brief glances in apprehension.

Bellatrix was the first to act. She pointed her wand at a nearby bush and uttered a few words that were lost amidst the shouts from the crowd. The shrub glowed for a moment, before transfiguring into a Twigger 75. Throwing a smirk over her shoulder, she leapt on the broom and disappeared in a blur of movement.

Achille pointed his wand towards his feet and muttered his own spell. Immediately his feet began to glow a bright orange. He raced into the trees, feet spinning so fast that he ground a path beneath his feet. It reminded Remus of the "Road Runner" cartoons he watched every summer at home.

Severus had meanwhile taken this time to leisurely stroll into the forest. He carefully and quietly made his way to a clearing, and kneeled down, sitting back on his legs.

It was at about this time when Bellatrix slammed into the first tree.

Another screech of pain drew the audience's attention to Achille's progress as he too sped into a huge oak.

"I don’t know what Snivellus is pulling," James muttered.

"He's not hitting any trees though, is he?" Remus countered.

"Bloody hell." Sirius suddenly whispered. A glowing mass of light was slowly advancing on the side of the screen that was focused on Severus.

Remus squinted. "I thought unicorns preferred women."

"That's it!" Realization dawned upon Peter's face. "Snape's a bird!"

Sirius smacked his forehead with his hand.

"He's serious, isn't he?" James whispered badly to Sirius.

Bellatrix and Achille, in the meantime, were both still impressively smashing into trees at break-neck speed. Severus, evidently hearing the crashes and agonized screams, was smirking in amusement. He extended his hand towards the unicorn slowly. The creature sniffed tentatively for a bit, then moved forward slowly to nuzzle the hand. Severus carefully stood.

"He's not going to..."

"It wouldn't possibly let him..."

Neither Sirius nor James could finish their sentences. They watched in shock as Severus gently petted the long white mane before cautiously hoisting himself onto the unicorn's back. He whispered something into the creature's ear, and in a flash, both unicorn and rider were off. The roving screen could barely keep up.

Several minutes and many more pained screams later, the white blur on Severus' screen stopped. The boy jumped to the ground, petting the unicorn once more before walking towards the edge of the forest, golden snitch in hand.