Remus Lupin was sitting under the oak tree next to the lake at Hogwarts. He was 17 and in his final year there. He was reading Quidditch through the Ages, when James, Sirius, and Peter came over and sat down next to him.

"It's almost time, Moony." Said James.

"I know." Replied Lupin, not looking up.

"We're coming with you."

"I know."

"The sky is red." Said Sirius going into fits of silent laughter.

"I know."

"When are we going to leave?" asked James.

"I know." Said Lupin, clearly not paying attention. At these words Sirius was bent double laughing.

"Ha Ha, come on Moony, pay att-" James hand shot straight to his hair as Lily Evans walked by.

Lupin looked up from his book, and spotting her, stared too. She smiled and waved at Remus, then noticing James gave him a disgusted look. Remus smiled back, and watched her leave. He turned back to his friends and found them staring at him, he quickly turned his attention back to his book. Secretly he really liked Lily, but he knew that James liked her too, and he wouldn't do that to his best friend, or at least when he was looking. He sneaked a glance over his shoulder and what he saw made his heart drop, she was talking to Snape!

"What's wrong with her?" Asked James.

"No idea!" Replied Sirius.

She waved good-bye to him then sat down by another tree.

"I'm going over there!" declared James, getting up. Just then some of her friends went over to her and sat down. "No I'm not." He said sitting back down. A few minutes later her friends left and she was all alone again.

"Now's your chance!" Whispered Sirius.

James got up and went over to where she was sitting. She was so absorbed into her book by this time that she didn't notice him sit down next to her, until he closed her book on her, and put his arm around her shoulder. Remus looked over at Sirius, he was grinning. When he looked back he heard Lily yelling at James.

"You arrogant JERK!" She yelled as she gathered all of her belongings and stormed off. Remus got up and headed her off.

As she stormed pass him he grabbed her arm.

"Lily?"

"What?" she snapped. "Oh, Remus, sorry." She added.

"Hey, are you OK?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm alri-" She suddenly stopped, James had come up behind her and put his arm around her, yet again. She spun around out of his grip and reach. "You don't quit, do you?" She yelled as she threw her books at him, and once again stormed off. James shrugged at Remus then headed back to Sirius. Remus picked up her books and set off to find her. She was sitting on a bench on the other side of the grounds. He sat down next to her.

"How can you stand him?" She asked not looking up.

"Easy, I'm not a girl!" He joked, he looked at her, she had tears in her eyes.

"I'm serious, he's so....selfish, and....and conceded, and so....so-"

He leaned in and kissed her.

"Here." He said handing her her books. "See you later." And with that he got up and walked away. She sat there clutching her books, thinking about what had just happened. She threw her books aside and ran after him. She ran past James, Sirius, and Peter to catch up to him. They looked up at her, James watching her every move.

"Remus!" she yelled, he stopped and once she caught up to him, she looked back at James, and grinning, she pulled Remus into a deep affectionate kiss. James jumped up, but Sirius and Peter caught him and pulled him back down. After the kiss, she smiled at him, and then swept past James, as she left to go fetch her belongings.

Remus smiled as he headed back up to the castle. He knew what he did was wrong, but he didn't care. He had kissed Lily Evans! What would this do to his friendship with James?

Sirius jumped up and headed over to Remus. "What was that all about?" he asked. "James is fuming!"

Remus didn't know what to say. "I dunno, I was just trying to be nice, James was practically mauling her." He said.

"We all saw you watching her......You like her don't you?"

"I dunno." He repeated.

"Remus! Come on! It's true, isn't it?"

"I guess." He sighed. "What am I going to do? James likes her, I like her, she likes me, and not James, and I don't want James to hate me for it....Is he real mad?"

"Ugh, heh, yes." Sirius answered.

"Great! Just what I need."

"Well, maybe if you find someone else, other than Lily, he won't be mad." Sirius suggested.

"Yeah! Who though?"

"I'll help you! We'll go scouting! OK?"

"OK." With that Sirius left and went back to James and Peter, and Remus headed off for the library. When he was on his way he saw James fly past him, and run up the stairs. When he got to the library, the first person he saw was Lily, he made to head over to her but saw James peaking out from behind a bookshelf. James grabbed the first book he saw, which was How to Cook Macaroni, in 15 Easy Steps, then headed over for her table. Remus shrugged, disappointed, found the book he was looking for, and left.