Lone Wolf-

Prologue-of faulty footing

Remus Lupin, a boy of about seventeen years, was sitting in the library doing a very un-seventeen-year-old boy thing. Studying. It wasn't that Remus wanted to be studying, as much as he didn't really have anything else to do. The teachers at Hogwarts had been pumping extra large amounts of homework through the seventh years lately to help "prepare" them for the upcoming end-of-year exams. Remus, who had been forcing his best friends to finish it all with him, had finally given them all a break so they could have some free time before the full moon, which was coming up faster and faster-

"Remus," Madame Pince whispered from her desk at the front of the library, "the library is closing now, go and get some sleep why don't you?"

Remus knew Madame Pince was trying to be nice. They all did that. All the teachers, anyway. Pity, just what he needed more of. Between the looks James and Sirius gave him every time they abandoned him in the library to go on their elaborate dates- James with Lily, and Sirius with his girl of the week, Jennille Simmons of Ravenclaw- and every glance he got from the student body, he had had enough pity. Thankfully, there was only two months left and he would be out of Hogwarts and struggling in the real world. No more Slytherins sneering at his shabby robes, no more Peter asking when his next "time of the month" was coming, no more-

"Remus, we really do need to-"

"Yeah, I'm going," he said coldly to Madame Pince's prodding. He grabbed the book that had been lying open and unread in front of him, Everything You Needed To Know About Magical Scottish Sea Life by Sylvester Muddenpuk, and threw it onto on of the many magical shelves that returns books for you. He was angry and in a hurry, but he still couldn't take it out on a book. But he made sure he walked hurriedly past Madame Pince before he had to see the look he knew was on her face: pity.

With nowhere in mind to go, Remus headed off back up to Gryffindor Tower. It was sunset and walking by Hogwarts large windows threw the grounds into a new light for Remus. Pinks, purples, blues, yellows, and oranges all blended in the sky above the Quidditch pitch. There was a soft breeze blowing that he could feel every time he strolled past a window that happened to be open. It was headed towards the end of May and the air around the castle was just starting to fill with warmth. This was one of the times Remus longed that he could play Quidditch. He had no idea what position, but he had often wanted to feel what it was like to be up there - with the warm air, and all the colorful clouds and…

"Damn!"

He had let his mind wander again, and he had completely missed the trick step. He hadn't done that since first year, he was always the one who remembered to jump it. Sirius had fell prey to it many times, but never HIM.

To make matters worse, this time there was no one with him to pull him out by his armpits – like there always was when Sirius got himself stuck. He thought about yelling for help, but the nearest person was Madame Pince, or Filch, or maybe Peeves…he definitely didn't want Peeves to see him in this helpless state. Why had he let his friends leave tonight? Why did he have to fall through the trick stair tonight?

And why on earth was a gorgeous girl walking down the stairs at him tonight?

He had never seen the girl before. She definitely wasn't a Gryffindor, and he had never seen her tease him, so he doubted she was a Slytherin either. His best guess was a Hufflepuff because she didn't have the air of urgency and studiousness a Ravenclaw usually had. Either way, she was making Remus' brain halt to a slow crawl. All he could really see were her large blue eyes (nicely accentuated by the purple light pouring through the windows) and her shiny red-blonde hair. Everything about her seemed to revolve around her head, mainly her eyes, like that was the only thing that mattered, not really what was on the rest of her body. However, Remus' brain was working enough to notice that too. She was in Hogwarts robes, like all students wore, but they seemed more alive on her, more springy and more willing to make her look good then the rest of the robes which sat stiffly on their owners. When she had taken a few more steps, Remus noticed a very cute sprinkling of freckles scattered across her nose.

"Got yourself stuck, have you?" the girl asked, descending a few more steps.

"Er…well, uh, the library, and windows…and," he mumbled while silently wishing Please don't be a Slytherin, Please don't be a Slytherin…

"Its okay, I do it all the time. Except people are always around to help me out, you're lucky I was here. I'm Cecilia Bones, by the way."

"Remus, Remus Lupin."

"Oh, I know. You're one of the famous Marauders. Us Hufflepuffs know all about you. Do you really come up with all the pranks?"

"Me? The pranks? Oh no, that'd be James, or maybe Sirius, but not me, um, I just, er-"

Remus was getting more than a little annoyed that she still hadn't helped him out of the stair yet, and he was beginning to wonder if all Hufflepuffs take advantage of poor Gryffindors when they are stuck in magical stairs – when else does Hufflepuff ever overpower Gryffindor?

"That's what I thought," she giggled. He wished she wouldn't, she had a very attractive giggle. One of those really girly ones, without being fake sounding at all. Remus wished his laugh sounded as manly as her giggle sounded feminine.

"Um, thanks, but-"

"You're more of moral support, kind of caretaker, am I right?"

"I, uh, suppose…but, um-"

"Oh, God, you're still in the stair!"

"Er-yeah," he said, relieved she finally noticed.

"Well, I can fix that," Cecilia said, jumping the last few steps and landing behind the trick one, "Lets hope I don't fall in that one, or then where would we be?"

"Stuck?" Remus said, sounding completely confused and utterly stupid at the same time.

She giggled again. Remus' stomach did a strange dance he had never felt before.

"Hold on now," Cecilia said wrapping her arms around his stomach. The dance in his stomach intensified as her hands linked above his belly button. He was worried she would feel the tango going on inside his stomach if she held on to long. Then some of her long hair fell over his shoulder. Jesus, it smelled nice, like strawberries. Did all girls smell like strawberries? Did the Hufflepuff common room get strawberry air fresheners?

"On three, one, two, three," she heaved. She must have been much stronger than she looked because Remus' left leg popped right out of the trick stair. She held on to his stomach long enough to let him get his balance on both feet, and then took a step down the stair behind him.

"Thank you," Remus said managing a full statement for the first time. Maybe relief helped calm his dancing brain.

"Job well done," Cecilia said happily, she giggled, "Now be careful, or next time I won't be there to help you out."

"Um, er, yeah, and thanks," all coherent thought was gone again. He was sputtering hopelessly while she giggled. She looked up the stairs one more time, still giggling, and unexpectedly blushed. Remus looked out the window to break the contact, and she looked back down the staircase.

"Goodnight, Remus," she said to the floor, then turned and took a step, "Maybe I'll see you around?"

"Yeah, I believe I owe you one," Remus replied. He could talk now.

He had seen her blush. He had definitely seen her blush.