Year 1

Remus sat in the library, trying to work. With full moon coming up he needed to be on top of things. However, he'd quickly learnt in his first few weeks as a Hogwarts student that potions was not his forte. He glanced up from his parchment to see Lily Evans, a pretty redheaded Griffindor, arguing quietly with Severus Snape, a dour Slytherin. He could tell it wasn't the usual inter-house insults traded daily on the corridors, this looked much more personal. Shaking his head slightly, Remus reminded himself that it wasn't his place to get involved, in fact he should keep as invisible as possible. He sighed, and tried to continue with his potions essay.

Keeping his head down, concentrating, he did not see Lily storm away from her table with Snape towards his. He jumped as she slammed her bag down on his table.

'Mind if I sit here?' She asked, and took a seat without waiting for an answer from him. 'I'm Lily, Lily Evans. I'm in your house.' She smiled, and stuck her hand out for him to shake.

'Remus.' He replies, taking her hand in his own. 'Remus Lupin, at your service.' She giggled at him. 'Ah, right. Well, that was meant to come out charming and suave, but, well, it didn't. Too much Austen I expect.' He gave her a half grin, feeling the colour rising in his cheeks.

'Oh, I love Jane Austen; you did mean Jane Austen right? Are your parents' muggles too? Mine are.' She was taking parchment and quills out of her bag as she spoke, though Remus didn't think he had ever heard someone speak to fast before.

'Er, my Mum is a muggle. Dad's a wizard, but he doesn't use magic anymore, not since…well there was an, incident.' What was he playing at, his fist real conversation with someone since coming here and he had almost given away his secret. He would have to be more careful. 'And, yes, Jane Austen.'

'Oh, I couldn't imagine not using magic now I'm learning it.' She looked at Remus expectantly, but when he just shrugged at her she realised he wasn't going to reply. 'What are you working on then?' She leaned over him to check his parchment. 'Potions? We only just got that today, you must be like me, like to get things done straight away.'

'Well, I do prefer to have a fairly relaxed weekend. Are you doing it now too, because I could really do with some help.' Lily smiled, and nodded her consent. Remus smiled back and relaxed, thinking that perhaps he could do this friendship thing after all.

After their first meeting in the library, Remus and Lily started to spend more time together, though she split her time between him and Snape now that they had resolved their argument. He had survived his first full moon at Hogwarts, spending the night in an abandoned house on the outskirts of the local village. It had been a tough night for the young werewolf, who had bitten and scratched at himself in lieu of anything else, but Madame Pomfrey had patched him up and he had been back on his feet within a day.

Now they were sat near the lake, trying to skim stones across the water. They could see students whose parents were magical looking at them in confusion, but they didn't care. This was something they had both tried and failed to do as children and they were determined to do it now, without the help of magic.

'I'm never going to get the hang of this! It's just impossible!' Lily shouted to Remus, frustrated that all her stones plopped straight down into the water. Laughing, he replied that they just needed to perfect their technique. 'Stuff that, we've been doing this for ages. Lets take a break and have a sandwich.'

She wandered over to their bags, stowed safely by a nearby tree, and pulled out enough sandwiches to feed their year. Remus grinned and made his way over, wondering once again how she had managed to get such a large supply of food for them. He had a theory that she had stayed up late one night and caught a House Elf, and bribed the poor creature to keep her in constant supply.

'Come on Lily, I'm meant to be your friend. Sandwiches don't just appear, some one has to make them.' He nudged her with his shoulder. 'Look, if you have some House Elf under your thumb, tell me, I won't tattle on you.'

'I may know where the school kitchens are…' Lily smiled. 'I may be persuaded to show you how to get there.' She pretended to think as Remus raised an eyebrow at her. 'Help me with my defensive spells? Your really good at them.' She looked at him hopefully, she was pretty sure he would help her after all the help she had given him in potions. When he laughed and nodded at her she relaxed, and opened her mouth to speak when they were both drenched by a wave of water. She screamed and stood up, looking around to see what had happened. Then she saw Black and Potter, Remus's dorm mates laughing, wands in their hands.

'What the HELL, Potter?' She stormed over to the two boys, throwing her soggy sandwich at them. 'It's not bloody funny, it's 2 degree's out here, we could FREEZE!' Her shouting just made the boys laugh harder, but when she opened her mouth to continue a hand landed on her arm, quieting her.

'Leave it Lily.' Remus muttered quietly, having picked up their bags and made his way over. At this Sirius had stopped laughing, and stood frowning at Remus. 'It's not worth getting distressed over, lets just go get changed.'

'Does anything bother you Lupin?' Sirius cried in frustration. 'You're such a fucking girl, never wanting to get into an argument, never standing up for yourself. Merlin, maybe you should just move into the girl's dormitory, eh?' Remus pursed his lips, and tried to ignore the boy's taunts, he was used to them by now. Lily, however, wasn't.

'What is your problem?' Lily shoved against Sirius's chest, receiving no reaction from him but a small smirk. 'Jealous that Remus can actually hold an intelligent conversation? That doesn't make him a girl.'

'What makes him a girl is the fact that he folds his underwear.' James interrupted, looking amused when Remus's cheeks turned a bright pink. 'I've seen it in his trunk. He tells us off for leaving towels on the bathroom floor!' He laughed loudly. Remus just looked at the floor, feeling his cheeks get hotter and hotter. He tugged on Lily's arm, trying to tell her that he just wanted to leave. She sighs, and looks towards Remus's pleading eyes. She belatedly realises Remus has to sleep in the same room as these boys, and perhaps antagonising them isn't the best idea. Nodding at her friend, she turns and heads back towards the castle.

'Tossers.' She can't help but call over her shoulder back at the two boys, hoping that they don't decide to target Remus in his sleep, because that's the type of thing that they would do.