"Done," Remus dropped his quill onto the table and rolled up his essay.

"What's the rush?" I frowned at his hurried movements, his eagerness to leave. I groaned. "Don't tell me you have to do that thing again."

"It's the last night, I promise." He tucked the essay into his bag, his eyes not meeting mine.

"Will you tell me what it is you're doing?"

He looked at me then, his haste abated, and shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry."

"Then I'll follow you and find out myself." I collapsed back into the sofa, my eyes drifting over to the fire.

He fell next to me on the sofa. "Promise me you won't."

I turned to look at him: His eyes were so full of fear. "What are you hiding?"

"Don't come after me."

"Why not? It kills me when you disappear to God knows where, how else am I supposed to find out?"

"It's killing me too, but I can't bring myself to tell you."

I took a deep, laboured breath. "Do you know how hard it's getting for me to trust you?"

"I know, I'm sorry, it's not my fault. I have to go. Promise me you'll stay here?"

"I'm not promising anything." I wanted to hate him. He looked at me, his lips parted.

The portrait hole opened behind us, and Sirius ran over, closing his hand around Remus' wrist and dragging him to his feet.

"What the hell are you doing, Moony? There's no time left."

"She said she'd follow us." Remus whispered; Sirius looked at me, his stance intimidating, and then shouted for Wormtail.

"What is it?" Peter clambered through the hole and limped over to us.

"Stay here with Naomi."

"Why?" Peter frowned, looking quickly at me then back to Sirius.

"She's threatening to follow us."

"Fine. You guys had better hurry." He nodded towards the window and the other two ran out of the room. Peter sat down next to me, wincing as he put his left foot up on the coffee table.

"What's up with your foot?"

"Lost my footing on the way up here and fell down half a stair case."

"You should go to the hospital wing."

He shook his head, trying his hand at a tough-guy persona. "Nah, it's nothing really. I've probably only twisted it."
"Can I have a look at it?"

"What?" He turned to face me, frowning.

"I'm pretty good with feet." I leant forward, reaching out for his foot.

He moved his leg to the side. "Um... I'm not sure if that's a good idea."

"What? Why not?" I faked hurt. "I'm just trying to help you out."

He frowned to himself, thinking it over, and then groaned. "Alright then." He turned his body to face me and moved his left leg from the table to the sofa. I gently pulled his shoe off and placed it on the ground.

"What are you gunna do when school's finished?" I asked; it probably wouldn't work unless I kept him talking. I moved my finger tips over the arc of his foot, lightly tracing figure 8's.

He sat for a few seconds with a thoughtful frown creasing his forehead. "Probably go and stay with my mum for a bit, apply for a job at the ministry, and after a couple months get a place of my own." He exhaled deeply. "It's gunna be really weird to not see everyone all the time."

"You'll still see them," I nodded slightly. "You may think that you'll never see them again, that you'll drift apart after a few half-assed phone calls, but I know how tight you guys are. I don't think something as trivial as leaving school could drive a wedge between you."

He smiled. "You think so?"

"I'm pretty damn sure so." I told him.

"Hey, I can barely feel my foot anymore." He flashed me a grin. "What about you? What are you gunna do?"

I shrugged, smiling to myself. "I'm not sure yet. Probably rent a flat and get the first job I find." I laughed gently. "I'm not a particularly ambitious person."

"Oh. You know, I was thinking you'd shack up with Remus somewhere. How long have you been together now?"

"Two and half months. Not really long enough to 'shack up'. And speaking of Remus..." I eased up a bit more on the pressure I was putting on his foot, not that there was much of it to begin with. "Are you gunna tell me what he's doing in that forest or do I have to find out myself?" My voice adopted a threatening undertone and I fixed him with a dark stare.

"No, I'm not gunna let you leave."

"What are you gunna do, hobble after me? It's not like you could run." I jumped up and ran to the portrait hole.

"Hey!" He pulled his wand out of his pocket. I mirrored his movement and cast expelliarmus before he could act. He started after me, realising for the first time the abundance of pins and needles I'd given him. "What the-" His leg gave out underneath him and he tumbled onto the floor.

"Sorry, Peter, it's nothing personal." I ran through the first couple of corridors, taking all the shortcuts I knew, and then, when I was adamant Peter was too far behind to catch up, slowed to a walk. Guilt crept up on me. Whatever Remus was hiding from me was between me and him. I hoped Peter wasn't hurt.