Chasing Lily Evans

Secret Little Friendship

The moon shone bright and clear on the lake as the giant squid floated blissfully, relaxing in the cool air that was nowhere to be found in the sweltering afternoons. The bright night revealed two shadows on the grounds as they meandered slowly with no particular destination in mind.

"Lily,you really shouldn't have been mean to James," Remus said lightly, "I told you he's changed." Lily ran her hands through her hair , "I'm sorry, Remus, I know, but I kept thinking about how he was before and what Sirius said..."

"A word of advice: never listen to Sirius Black. I can speak from experience when I say it will get you in trouble, nine times out of ten."

"But, still. Severus used to tell me the same thing."

"And where is dear Severus now?" Caramel eyes bore in Lily's green ones as she sighed. "I should give him the benefit of the doubt, shouldn't I?"

"I'm not saying you should do anything, but I'd like it if I wouldn't have to sneak around every time I want to talk to you..." Remus bit his tongue but the damage had been done as Lily's eyes went as wide as saucers. "Why do you have to 'sneak around' every time you want to talk to me?" She demanded.

"Well, I, er," Remus sputtered as Lily folded her arms, "Um, I can't, er, tell you."

"You can't tell me?" Lily repeated, raising an eyebrow. "All right, I understand. I better go to sleep, then."

"No, Lily, please..."

"It's fine, Remus," Lily shrugged off his hand, "You don't have to worry about sneaking around anymore."

"It's not my secret to tell," he said finally, as Lily walked away, stopping her in her tracks. She turned around, eyes softer, "Merlin's pants, do you honestly have tears in your eyes?" Remus chuckled, "Must be my allergies again." Lily sighed and hugged him, "You're my best friend, Remus. Don't you start keeping secrets you can't tell me."

****

"That was a close call," Peter whispered, sliding down next to James. "We have to start being more careful, you know." Sirius nodded, "I'm all for adventures,  but did you see how he got when he was near that child? You know he would get very upset if we told him...." James sighed, "The Greyback incident. But I think we went around the village twice yesterday!"

"Oh, did Peter tell you about this secret passage we found out of the school? Leads straight to Honeydukes..."

"No way! Oh, we should make a list. I found one last week, too. The walls are a bit weak, though, seems like it might cave in...."

"Shhh!l Peter shushed hurriedly as Remus plopped down beside Sirius, his head in his hands.

"How are you, mate?" Sirius asked sympathetically. "Terrible," he groaned in a muffled voice, "Madam Pomfrey didn't want to let me go but that stupid Lestrange walked in with some nosebleed— I know it was you, Sirius— and I had to leave before he saw me."

"Yes, that Lestrange is a git," James agreed, "Wish I could hex him and his little friends..." he glanced longingly at a certain greasy-haired boy with a funny nose. "So why don't you? I heard you renounced Evans and you're a free bird now." James sighed, oblivious surprised look sent by Remus, "I swore off hexing people, unless it's in class, thanks. Mum wants me to be a Head Boy. She was livid when she found out I wasn't Prefect, and that trigged a series of long lectures about 'a million complaints from school' and 'bad marks' and 'fights' and how 'that Lupin boy is better than all of you put together.'" Sirius rolled his eyes and chuckled, "We already knew that, eh, Moony?"

"I know."

"Well, I better get to McGonagall," James swung his long legs off the bench, "I have to discuss the Quidditch Tryouts." Sirius wiggled his eyebrows, "Well, look who's becoming more responsible. Our little Prongsie is all grown up."

After James left (with much head shaking at his friend's antics), Sirius leaned in towards Remus, "So, how're things going with Evans?"

Remus sat up immediately, eyes wide. "What?" He asked suspiciously. "I saw you two on the grounds last night," Sirius smirked, "Hugging and whatnot, my little lovesick bunny-catcher." Remus refrained from rolling his eyes at that ridiculous statement and answered instead, "Nothing like that. She's my friend, that's all."

"Have you told James about your little friendship yet?" Sirius nodded knowingly as Remus' eyes dropped, "You know he liked her a lot, and I know he still does. It's terrible that you would do that to him. I think he loved her, even." Remus sighed, "All right, I'll tell him." "Wouldn't it be better if you simply broke off your friendship with Evans?" Remus shook his head, "You don't know her, Sirius. You'd like her, I know you would." Sirius smirked, "I would know her if you wouldn't defend her like a rabid wolf every time I tried."

"That was much too awful, even for you."

"It was, wasn't it? I wonder where the line between good puns and plain idiocy is..."

"It's much too far behind you now to go back."