Remus stood on the sidelines and watched as the boys who wanted a "bit of physical exercise" came into the great hall. He had decided that starting a Martial arts club would get them in good form for any magical dueling they might have to do later. Many witches and wizards who were powerful lost duels because they got too tired as they were not in good physical form. Remus wanted to combat that problem in the guise of a Martial Arts club. He had split the students up into two classes, boys and girls, it was the only way he could get past the strict moral codes of the Wizarding world, which he had no problem with himself as it was not wise to have hormonal teen witches and wizards exercise together. Charity Burbage would teach the girls along with madam Hooch and he would teach the boys along with one Severus Snape.
That was why most of the boys in the school stood in rows all clad in plain gray tee shirts with the Hogwarts crest on them and black shorts. They had folded their school robes and put them behind them and watched as Severus Snape strode up looking just as sinister in his black gi and black belt as in his formal robes. Remus had no idea that Severus was a black belt in Kung Fu but then he had not known that Severus was really on the side of good until he had been sent back. Like the students Severus was barefoot and he walked over the mats on the floor looking the students over. He looked at the Gryffindors, most particularly Harry who was flanked by two stocky twins, Fred and George.
"You may think that wand waving is all that is needed in a duel." Severus began silkily, "however both professor Lupin and I know that if you do not have the physical stamina you will lose in a duel. You must be faster, stronger and most important smarter than your foe. In a duel you do not stand and cast spells, you move and leap and even duck and you must out maneuver your opponent. Potter come here and you Malfoy!"
"Yes sir?" Harry asked walking up as did Draco and Severus looked down at the teen boys before him.
"Attempt to throw me, each of you!" Severus said his eyes glinting but when both boys just stared at him he barked out, "now you hesitate in battle and you would die! Now try to throw me!"
Draco walked up and tried to take down the taller stronger man but found himself thrown to the mat with ease. Harry watched Severus, wondering just what he could use to take down the formidable Severus Snape. When Severus turned to him Harry moved forward and ducked as Severus came to grab him, he then shoved Severus who went down surprised at what Harry had done. Harry walked up looking pale and reached down a hand to help up his professor. Severus took it and in one swift move had Harry's arm behind his back. It was not even painful for Harry who was used to his cousin nearly twisting his arm off, on the rare times he could catch him. Severus was making sure he could not get out of his grip but he was not hurting him at all.
Discover moreCookiesFan fiction communityBook Movie TicketsFiction genre guidesFan fiction books"Mr. Potter here has volunteered to show why it is not wise to let off ones guard!" Severus said. "now today you will learn how to throw each other after I demonstrate on professor Lupin."
"Very well Severus." Remus said walking up, he got in position and was thrown to the floor at once.
"Now your turn!" Severus said.
There was one thing that Remus liked about Severus and that was the fact he was actually a good teacher. Severus held all his students to a higher standard, he would give a few insults to his students but this was done to motivate not humiliate his students. He was not as moody or temperamental as most potions masters who taught were, in fact the world over he was thought of as the standard that many professors should aspire to. He had made a horrible mistake years before Remus knew but he had done it for the right reasons. He could not be as good a teacher as he was if he were purely evil.
Discover moreComicsMobile app marketingWatch Classic CartoonsFan community platformStory writing softwareSeverus walked to the sidelines and watched the werewolf work with the students. He saw Remus help a student correct his stance here and there and he did his best to not show fear. Damn Black for trying to feed him to this werewolf! Damn James for saving him from that! He wanted to hate Remus but the werewolf was nothing but nice and he had told the headmaster about the map had he not? Severus forced himself out of his thoughts and focused on Potter. The boy had managed to duck and doge him quite well and caught him off guard. His father could not do that but Harry could, were the rumors true that Harry was, no he would not think that, a Potter neglected or worse abused? Impossible!
Discover moreCookiesFiction writing toolsCartoonsApp store optimizationFiction genre guidesNow Severus Snape was a master Legilimens and he could have used his powers to look into Harry's mind. However that was wrong, he knew that as it was a violation of the highest degree of any child. Might as well call him a child molester if he ever did something like that to an innocent child's mind without the child's permission and enter their thoughts. Still there was one side effect of being a master Legilimens, he could tell right away if someone was lying to him, that is anyone not trained in the art of Occulumency. So Severus did not know that Potter did not have a good home life because if he knew what Petunia did to Harry he would teach her a new meaning of pain himself. He came back to the class and saw Remus had been thrown by one of the Weasley twins who had snuck up on the werewolf, Remus just took down the other twin, and got up smiling.
Discover moreAuthor resourcesAnimeFan fiction writingBooksWriting workshops"Mr. Weasleys is it?" Remus said smiling at the two boys, "you can help me then!"
"Ah how sir?" Fred (yes Severus could tell them apart just as their mother could).
"What can we do?" George added.
"Come with me gentlemen." Remus said.
Severus was surprised that the twins obeyed Remus without hesitation, there were only two people in the castle that could get them to obey at once, McGonagall (most of the time if she was around them) and himself. Though he allowed one solitary prank once each year (though he mused he had no choice as it as April Fool's day and their birthday) in that he allowed them to change his robes to green. They had tried one annoying prank their first year and had learned quickly not to do that again. The two howlers from Molly Weasley in stereo were well worth the peace he now enjoyed. He continued to watch the twins as they helped Remus and did as he asked. Maybe there was a slight chance of hope for the flea-bitten wolf after all.
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Later that week after the martial arts club had started and on a fine September evening the dueling club began again. Severus could barely hold back his glee as he was going to duel Remus Lupin. Remus was calm and smiled when Flitwick (who was running the club as he should) suggested it. The rest of the staff apart from Severus and Remus were not happy about this. They glared at Severus and even Remus who seemed to enjoy tormenting Severus all the day before the duel. Severus just took it and the staff knew when Severus did not use his scathing tongue right away someone would end up in a sorry state. That was why McGonagall came up to her former cub and sat by Remus in the staffroom as he was enjoying a large mug of cocoa.
"Remus he is going to do something to you, we don't need to replace the defense professor this early!" McGonagall said.
"Ah Minerva he has been waiting to hex me badly in front of the whole school, I will not deny him the pleasure." Remus said, "besides if he sees he is more powerful than me maybe he will not fear me anymore."
"Remus is going to the hospital wing worth that?" McGonagall asked.
"Yes, yes it is, I nearly ate him Minerva, how do you think I feel about nearly killing him?" Remus replied sadly, "I had no idea what Black had planned, I would never have agreed to such a horrible thing! Severus has a right to hold more than silver over my head. I am a monster once a month, you know this."
"And it's not your fault." McGonagall replied.
"Besides he may teach me a lesson but he will not kill our harm me too badly in front of the school, he will however not hold back either, except on the dark stuff."
With that Remus gave her a reassuring smile and headed to the great hall where students, this time both boys and girls had signed up for the dueling club and were here waiting for whatever happened. They were delighted to see both Severus Snape and Remus Lupin there. The students started a quiet trade in bets on how long Lupin would last against Snape. They knew he would be better than Lockhart but the Slytherins said that Snape would take down Lupin in ten seconds. The Gryffindors stated Snape was going to need the hospital wing. Flitwick stepped up clad in bright purple robes with orange trim and green hat with his white hair barely contained under it.
"Today we will have a treat for you students." Flitwick said, "Severus Snape and Remus Lupin have agreed to duel today. Don't worry however I am sure madam Pomfrey can patch up what is left of our dear professor Lupin after."
"She can, she's brilliant that way." Remus said grinning, "however I must say I am very skilled and I might just beat dear professor Snape here."
"As if." Severus said his black eyes glinting.
"Gentlemen remember the rules, no dark spells, nothing that can kill but everything else is far game." Flitwick said, "you may began."
The two professors bowed deeply to each other and began the duel. Harry had not seen much word-less spelling and he watched in awe as this was how these two cast spells at each other. They were indeed very powerful wizards and they knew exactly what they were doing. Snape looked very pleased as he dueled Remus and Remus was enjoying the duel as well. It was clear neither man was holding back at all as they dueled on. They even used some wand-less magic in the form of small shields and fire orbs, wand-less magic was as everyone knew crude and weak at best and that wands helped channel a magical human's weak magic. In fact if not for wands humans would not be considered magical at all as there was very little they could do without wands or staffs. Flitwick was beaming as he watched two of his one-time star pupils duel it out.
"I must say professor Snape you are very talented." Remus said.
"I can take on four at once and still win you know." Severus replied.
"Yes you can, I have the proof." Remus said casting several more spells.
"You do and now you will suffer." Severus said casting some spells that Harry was sure had to be dark (they weren't but were very gray). "I am far better than you at anything Lupin."
"Anything?" Remus said, ducking than casting a spell back at Severus. "there are things I can do better than you!"
"Oh and what could that be?" Severus snarled casting more spells at Remus. "Scratching for fleas?"
"I make the best hot cocoa aside from the house elves, I can sing opera and I play the organ."
"You do? I did not know you could pay the organ." Severus said still casting spells, "tell me do you need the bellows or run the organ with your own hot air?"
Harry did his best not to laugh but it was clear that Snape was an artist with comebacks. The dueling heated up and Remus looked at Severus wide-eyed. He was sweating but still fighting hard but it was not enough. In the end he flew across the hall, hit the wall hard and slumped to the floor. The hall went quiet and Flitwick actually counted to ten and declared Severus the winner by knockout. There was a groan and a battered Remus got up and looked up at Severus and bowed to him. He was clearly in pain but refused to show it as he limped up to where Severus stood and shook his hand.
"You are quite a bit better than me." Remus said, "what was that last spell?"
"Several blasting hexes." Severus said coolly.
"Brilliant, you took out my shields with them." Remus said grinning weakly, "oh dear you really got me."
"Oh?" Severus said raising an eyebrow at the very pale werewolf.
"Oh dear."
With that Remus fell to the floor out cold and Severus called over several strong seventh years. Remus ended up being carried off to the hospital wing and the students backed in terror from Severus. Harry was impressed, he wanted to learn how to fight like that. He felt something stir within him and he looked up at Severus who looked back at him and saw a light in the boy's eyes unlike any he had ever seen before. So there was power in the boy after all. Severus felt very good at knocking out Remus and he realized he was more powerful than the werewolf. He walked out of the hall in a billow of black robes to see to the bloody werewolf. After all he had knocked him out so he had to see if he was alright, he entered the hospital wing and saw McGonagall at once.
"Did you have to knock him out?" McGonagall asked him.
"He will be just fine, his furry little issue will have him up in a hour or so." Severus replied. "He is quite powerful but I am more so."
"Feel better Severus?" Remus asked waking up on the bed as Poppy took care of him.
"No you are still here." Severus said.
"Severus that is enough he is not at fault for his problem and you know it!" Poppy snapped at him.
"Well if I had not tried to eat him in wolf form he would not hate and fear me now." Remus said, "I am sorry for that and I swear on my magic I did not know what Black would do."
"I still see you as a monster." Severus snarled.
"So do I when I look in a mirror, reason I don't keep one in my rooms." Remus said, "but let's not talk about me, your duel was brilliant! The students got quite the show and a few of your house will make a far bit of money today."
"If I find out they bet on that I will make them so sorry." Severus said then looking at Remus, "only reason I can duel so well is because of you bloody lions."
"Yes we were not nice, this generation is much better." Remus said.
"I keep a closer eye on them that is why." McGonagall said, "they no longer can get away with what they could have in the past, that is why I take points like I do even from my own house unlike someone else here I could mention!"
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Severus said silkily.
Remus lay back in bed and realized that maybe, just maybe this time he could become friends with Severus. He liked Severus's wit and knowledge and he had seen the truth behind Severus. That Severus was a good wizard and man and truly on the side of light, he would be honored to have Severus as a friend. He would have to convince Severus to be his friend, he respected the man and knew there was a kind heart deep under the hard cold shell and layer of steel under that.
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So there you have it, two new clubs in the school for a good reason. Remus did use all his strength against Severus here and he still lost. However in the long run he did win as Severus now knows he is more powerful than Remus and it will help him get over his fear. Yes with Severus stronger than Remus and able to show it like he did would make him happy too. Though he would not want to admit that of course.
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