"Hey Lily, what do you do when you like someone who doesn't like you back?" Remus Lupin's quiet voice cut through the air to the ears of his study companion. Lily Evans looked up from her Care of Magical Creatures essay and studied the sandy-haired boy in front of her.
"Well, one would assume you're sure that this other person doesn't like you in that way" her soft voice carried easily to his ears, but managed to be quiet enough so they didn't get caught by Madame Pince.
"Well, I'm 90% sure he- they don't like me" Remus finished to quickly, trying to hide the fact that he told one of his most important secrets to his friend.
"Remus, I don't care if you're gay. It really doesn't bother me. Just go up to this fellow and tell him the way you feel. If he doesn't reciprocate, you'll be rejected and then you move on. It's better getting hurt now by knowing the truth than waiting with the knowledge of a 'maybe he would have said yes'." Once again, the magical Lily Evans had managed to put a solution to Remus's problems and he calmed down.
"But there is just one slight problem" he rebutted. "It's a Slytherin."
"Ooh ayche" she winced in sympathy. "It's not Malfoy is it?" A small frown creased her forehead, so Remus hurried to reassure her no it want Malfoy, it was someone else.
They left the library early to make to the Great Hall in time for dinner with a pit stop at the dorms to drop their bags. Chatting along the way about various topics, Remus asked the age old question: "How is it going with James?" He regretted the question as soon as he asked, as a look of fury came about on Lily's face.
"He's a bloody nightmare, that's what he is. He hangs around like he's the bubonic plague and I'm a village. He's annoying, arrogant, stuck up, mean..." The list went on and on, with the fiery red head ranting all the way to the dorms and back. Remus smiled weakly as she continued her verbal barrage about his best friend and silently wished they would arrive at the Great Hall soon.
His wish was granted half a minute later as the pair walked into the hall and sat with their fellow house mates. Lily noticed, however, that Remus sat so her could see the Slytherin table clearly and she chuckled "Going to oogle your crush, lover boy?"
He scoffed and took a seat next to Sirius, with Lily sitting on his other side. When James walked in, he made a beeline for the seat next to Lily, but missed out as one of the first years sat in the spot instead.
Umm, Lily?" The you girl tugged her sleeve and smiled nervously.
"Yes? What can I do for you?" She smiled warmly at the girl and kicked James in the shin, who took a seat directly opposite her.
"Well, I'm struggling in Transfiguration and I talked to Professor McGonagall and she said to talk to you because you're one of her best students" the girl finished, taking a breath.
"I'll be glad to help... Carrie, isn't it"
The girl blushed as her name was mentioned. "Yes, Carrie Fletcher."
"Well, Carrie Fletcher, meet me in the Transfiguration classrooms during lunch tomorrow."
The conversation broke off as the feast appeared, and the chatter died down to be replaced by the noise of people enjoying the excellent food.
Lily leaned over to Remus, who was poking around at his food, not eating much. "Remus, a little love sick are we?" She chuckled, biting into a potato. "So, who's the lucky lad?" She followed his gaze to a group of students who sat apart from the main body of Slytherins. In said group was Lucius Malfoy; Bellatrix Black; her sister Narcissa; and Severus Snape. "Oh my, you're in love with Sev" she exclaimed softly, earning a pained took from Remus as he raised a finger to his lips.
"No need to announce it to everyone" he whispered. "I don't know what would happen if those three find out" he indicated with his head to the rest of his group; James, Sirius and Peter. She smiled back and nods understandingly, pointing at the food on his plate. "Eat Remus, you need to put more meat on those spindly arms of yours." She joked, knowing that Remus needed no such thing. While yes he was skinny, the weight he did carry was in the form of well-defined muscle, a trait he gets from his werewolf days. He was tall, lean, sandy-haired and single.
Unbeknownst to him, he was a major topic of discussion among the single ladies of Hogwarts. While everyone loved James Potter for his muscular frame, excellent physical condition, and quidditch playing skills, Sirius Black for his cracking sense of humour, boyish good looks, and dazzling smile, they loved Remus Lupin because he was bookish, immensely loyal, and handsome. So it was a surprise to everyone that he hasn't been in a steady relationship with anyone yet. But Lily knew why and kept to the task of keeping girls vying for his attention off his trail, sending them on wild goose chases to find him while they slip off to the quiet of the library to escape the lovesick girls and James Potter... So essentially the lovesick girls.
"Sev, mate. You need to eat something" Malfoy nudged his friend out of his daydream and pointed to the plate still full of food. Severus took a mouthful and chewed mechanically, not really wanting to be eating right at this moment. Well, not eating lemon chicken. He would rather be eating Lupin's dick but that's a whole other story.
"I'm not that hungry" he replied, pushing the plate away and rested his chin on his hands.
"Oh he's hungry... He just wants to eat Lupin instead of this" Bellatrix cackled, making Narcissa and Malfoy join her.
"Cheer up mate" Malfoy grinned, pounding his friend on the back. "Just go ask him now"
"Are you out of your mind Malfoy?! There is no way he'll want me" Sev exclaimed, shooting daggers at the second years who were listening in.
"You'll never know until you try Sev" Narcissa said in a calm voice.
"And I never plan on trying. I'm skipping desert, I'll see you in the common room" Sev said, standing up and making his way out of the hall, his clocks billowing out like bat's wings.
"Does his always do that with his cloak?" Bella asked, idly munching on a drumstick.
"Yes, but he should stop. It'll become a bad habit" Malfoy sneered playfully, sneaking a piece of pumpkin of his girlfriend's plate.
Little did the Slytherins know, they weren't the only ones watching Sev leave. No one seemed to notice the amber eyes that followed the boy out to room, the one's that reflected love and bitter sadness.
