Elaida Malfoy smiled to herself as she saw the three boys coming toward her. James, Peter and Sirius didn't even look at her as they passed. She'd change that, soon enough. The Slytherin girl headed quickly for her next class. She'd get her chance after dinner.
"So anyway, Sirius here says 'Well, why don't we just use fennel root?'"
"And?" Lily prompted.
"And the whole thing turns bright green and blows up! Filch was so mad when he saw it, I thought we'd get detention for sure." James grinned. "Fortunately, Remus had snuck out and tied a Howler to Mrs. Norris' tail. She ran up and down the corridors with it yelling 'Filch is a rat! Filch is a rat!'"
"You know, the two of you get Remus and Peter into more trouble."
"Hey, how do you know that it's not them that cause all the mischief?" Sirius grinned down at her.
"You two are impossible! I have to go and finish that essay from History of Magic."
"See you later, Lily." The two boys watched her leave. "Look at the time, we'd better hurry. We don't want to leave Remus alone any longer than we must."
"I'm glad that it's almost over for another month," Sirius said. "I mean, I like our adventures, but poor Moony…"
"Yeah. I can't imagine what he'd do if anyone else found out." James looked sober. "Sometimes I wonder that the whole school doesn't know."
"They would if Dumbledore hadn't told Snape that he didn't dare tell anyone or he'd be expelled," Sirius grinned wickedly. "I do wish we could get him expelled, though."
"Anyway, if anyone else knew, everyone would know. Can you imagine keeping a secret like that?"
"We do."
"Padfoot, we're his friends. What do you think would have happened if we found out the first time we met him?" Sirius didn't answer. After a minute, the two boys got up and left the Hall.
They were halfway up the stairs when they heard a voice.
"Sirius, I want a word with you." The boys turned together to see a blonde haired Slytherin girl.
"Elaine?"
"Elaida. In here, please." The boys obeyed her. She fixed Sirius with a severe look. "Sirius, I wanted to ask if you'd have a drink with me in Hogsmeade this weekend."
"I'm afraid not, we have plans," Sirius said, and tried to leave.
"Change them."
"I can't, and I don't want to."
"Change them or I tell the whole school the secret that you four boys have been hiding," she said grimly. James and Sirius gasped together. How could she know? More to the point, how much did she know?
"Um, how about I tell you tomorrow whether-"
"It's your choice." She turned and walked out of the door. "But remember…" She left the boys staring at each other in horror.
It wasn't until she was almost back to the Slytherin dorms that she allowed herself to sag with relief. She hadn't been sure that would work. Oh, she was sure that those boys were hiding something, but she sure didn't know what. Oh well, if she didn't tell them….
It was all Sirius' fault, anyway. It really wasn't fair that anyone should be that good-looking. Half the girls in the school had a crush on him, including Elaida. And it was well know that Sirius would not go out with a Slytherin.
True, she'd have been much happier if he hadn't been a Gryffindor, but….
"This is awful!" Peter cried. The boys were alone in their room, and James and Sirius had just told him the news. "What if she knows about us? What are we going to do?"
"First of all, we need time," James said. "Sirius, when you see Elaida, you'll tell her yes."
"What!"
"We need time," James said again. "And if we need that much time, you'll even go out with her. But once we have time, we'll be able to find out how much Elaida knows, and how to solve this problem."
"How are we going to do that?"
"We're going to need help, Peter. And I think I know who. But we have to wait until Remus comes back. We've got to ask him before we do anything."
Lily was sitting alone in the common room when the four boys came in. She looked up, smiling, but her smile faded when she saw the serious expressions on their faces.
"What's wrong?" she asked. James looked at her as they all sat.
"Lily, we have a problem, and we need your help."
"What's the problem?" She noticed that Remus was getting quick looks from the other boys. His face was very white.
"Lily, I – I," he began, looking helpless. "I'm a werewolf." He seemed terrified and expectant and relived, all at the same time. Lily closed her book and looked right at him.
"I know," she said quietly.
"You know?" That came from Sirius.
"Yes. I've known for, oh, a couple of years at least." She spoke quietly, gently, and she kept a smile on her face.
"And you didn't tell anyone?" Remus seemed amazed.
"Remus, it really wasn't any of my business what you are. I know that you're a wonderful person. And you boys," she looked at the others, "You are wonderful friends. And I didn't tell anyone because it's none of my business. Obviously, Dumbledore must know," she smiled. "I think he knows everything that goes on. Well, almost everything," she said as she grinned at the boys. "I don't think that even he would stand for having you three running around all night the way you have been. Yes, I know about the Animagus thing too." Now it was the other three boys who were staring at her. "I think I should be insulted. I do have a brain."
"You mean we've been that obvious?" Peter looked as though he were about to faint from fear. Lily laughed.
"No, I don't think that anyone else knows. I wouldn't except for an accident.
"I'd been up late studying, and just as I was on the stair to my dorm, I heard someone moving in the common room. I peeked back, but didn't see anyone. Then the portrait hole opened and closed, still with no one in sight.
"Well, I was puzzled. I knew that it couldn't have been any of the girls, because they'd have had to go past me. So," she said, blushing, "I snuck up to your dorm – because I had a suspicion that it might be you guys. And you weren't there. So I started puzzling things out.
"I already knew about Remus, so I was sure it had something to do with him. Then there were some clues – your nicknames, for one. That was enough to convince me that something was going on. I was sure that there was an Invisibility Cloak in the plot somewhere – as I know that genuine invisibility spells are not easy to learn. But I guess that wouldn't have stopped you guys, would it?
"Anyway, I followed you one night." James looked shocked.
"Lily!"
"What, you didn't think such a thing of me? Well, I did – and nearly got caught. But I didn't, and I found out about you boys."
"How long ago was that?" Peter asked. He seemed to have gotten over his fears.
"Oh, months back." All four boys looked relieved. "I promise, I haven't said a word to anyone."
"Lily, we need your help," James said. "Someone else knows something. I don't know what she knows, but she knows some or all of the truth." Lily gasped.
"Who is it?"
"Elaida Malfoy."
"Her? That's awful! She may just tell to spite you, to get you expelled!"
"Lily, we need you to find out how much she knows. Please?" James seemed a bit desperate. A few thoughts crossed Lily's mind – What if she tells? Might I get expelled too? They really shouldn't have done that… But she'd already made up her mind.
"All right, what do you want me to do?"
Elaida sat in Potions the next day, staring at the door as other students came in. Remus, James, Peter and Sirius came in together and pointedly ignored her. She knew that Sirius hadn't liked agreeing to going with her, but he didn't have a choice. She smiled archly in their direction. Then Lily walked in the door, her head held high. Without a look at the boys, she walked straight up to Elaida.
"Do you mind if I work with you today?" she asked.
"Sure! Sit down!" Elaida was thrilled. Lily was the most popular girl in their year, and she got all A's. This potion was difficult, but with the help of Lily, she'd be sure to get it right. Still, she was curious.
"Don't you usually work with James Potter?"
"Yes," Lily said sourly. She grimaced. "We had a fight yesterday. He was such a moron! So I'm not speaking to him unless he apologizes – on hands and knees!" Elaida laughed as she pictured the Gryffindor Seeker in such a position before an imperious Lily.
"I really am glad you're helping me," Elaida said.
"Yeah, but you could have asked Snape."
"Severus? Ha! He always has his friends with him. Doesn't speak to those of us who can't make a Shrinking potion standing on our heads."
"Really? I thought that it was just to Gryffindors that he doesn't speak."
"That's only when other people are around. Really, he isn't very nice."
"By the way, what would your brother say if he knew you were talking to a Gryffindor?"
"Lucius? I won't tell him. I really don't know what he's doing now. Mother says he's thinking about getting married." The girls fell silent as they worked. The potion was a success, of course, and as they were washing up, Lily said,
"Would you like to study for the History of Magic test with me?"
"Really?"
"Sure! I was going to study with those boys, but not after yesterday!"
"That's great! I'll meet you in the library at two, all right?"
"I'll be there."
"Lily, I am so glad you have such good notes."
"I can't wait to see how the boys do without me helping them," Lily said with a satisfied smile on her face. "Oh, how I would love to make James sweat!"
"To see him dance like a puppet on your string?"
"I'd do anything to get him to do that."
"He must really have hurt you."
"I don't want to –actually, I do want to talk about it! He called me a Mudblood! I didn't even know that he felt that way. I mean, he's sure done a good job of hiding it for the past five years. So I told him we were through."
"How long do you think it will be until he comes crawling back?"
"That's what I'm afraid of. I saw him flirting with Naomi Redack this morning."
"That's awful!"
"Maybe I'll take up with someone else to show him."
"Who?"
"I was thinking Sirius. At least he's fairly good-looking."
"No, I'm going out with him."
"You are?"
"Yes, tomorrow when we go to Hogsmeade."
"How did you get him to do that?"
"I – don't think I'll tell you just now."
"All right." Lily looked back down at the book.
"Well…"
"I'd do anything!"
"Would you work Potions with me for the rest of the year?"
"Yes – as long as it works on James."
"Oh, it will." Elaida leaned closer to Lily. "The four of them," she said in a conspiratorial whisper. "Are up to something."
"Yes?" asked Lily, looking thrilled.
"Well, I don't know what. But it must be something bad, because I was able to get Sirius to go out with me!"
"Hmmm. I just might be able to do something with that. Are you sure you don't know anything else?"
"Positive."
"Well, thanks."
"She really doesn't know anything." Lily said in a hushed whisper to James as they sat in the common room. "She's just bluffing."
"You're positive?"
"Absolutely. I fed her the whole of the line we cooked up; that we quarreled, that I was mad, that you were flirting with Naomi…"
"That I what!"
"Well, all right, I improvised there."
"Naomi, the Hufflepuff girl with the horse face?"
"That's right."
"Maybe I should flirt with another girl, just to serve you right."
"Oh, yes, I'm so scared."
"Anyway, thanks for doing that for us. We owe you."
"Do you ever! But you have to come up with some sort of plan, I'm not going to be her partner for the next six months."
"Indeed not!"
"So, the two of you have made up?" They looked up to see Will Bones, the Head Boy, looking at them.
"Uh, yes, we have."
"Good. Did Sirius manage to talk some sense into your head, James?"
"Sirius, talk sense into anyone? He can't, he hasn't got any himself."
"Well, I told him to tell you that you were being very stupid to ruin your chances with Lily here."
"Thanks for that."
"You're welcome." When he had gone, Lily looked at James expectantly. He had a mischievous grin on his face.
"I've got a great plan! It'll get you off the hook and convince Elaida that she knows what we're up to!"
"What is it?"
"Well, it involves giving you your birthday present a bit early…"
"Hello, Lily," Elaida smiled as the redhead passed her in the hall. "Did it work?" She was surprised when Lily grabbed her by the shoulder and dragged her into an empty room.
"No, it didn't. Do you know what the whole big secret was about? They had gotten me a present and thought you were planning to tell me what it was! And James was upset about something, that's why he blew up at me! Your lousy secret wasn't anything at all!"
"So, what did they get you?" Elaida did her best to wiggle out of Lily's grasp but couldn't.
"A Cleansweep Three. They knew how much I hated flying that school broom, so they went in together on a new model." Lily's eyes were misting with tears. "And as for being your partner, the deal's off!" She turned and stomped out. Elaida stared after her. That was it? That was the whole secret? Those boys were truly pathetic. Here she thought that they were planning to blow up the kitchens or go to work for You-Know-Who or something! If that was Sirius' idea of a big secret, she was probably better off without him!
The next weekend, Lily, James, Remus, Sirius and Peter sat together at the Three Broomsticks, drinking butterbeer and reveling in their triumph.
"You should have seen the look on her face when I told her about the broom!" Lily laughed.
"Anyway, happy sixteenth birthday, Lily!"
"Thank you, all of you."
"Hey, what are friends for?"
So, what do you think? This seemed like just a fun little story to me. I may make this part of a series; depends on the reaction to this one.
Review, please, or send me email at kate@harrypotterrealm.zzn.com as I love getting email from fellow Potterfans.