September 5, 1997
"What are you gawking at?" Lily asked as she sat down across from Remus in the dining hall.
Remus turned and looked at her.
"Hmm?" he asked.
"Who're you gawking at?" Lily asked, then turned and looked behind her.
"No one," Remus lied.
Lily turned back and said, with a confused look on her face, "James Potter?"
Lily had nearly hit the mark, but it wasn't James Potter that Remus had his eyes on at that moment. It was the tall, pale skinned boy with medium-length, well-groomed dark hair seated next to him. He was laughing at something. Something that James had said, probably. He was a funny sort of bloke.
"James is straight, Remus. Be a mistake fancying him," Lily said then laughed.
"I know that. I don't fancy him. And he fancies you, anyway," Remus said and shot Lily a look.
Lily's green eyes went wide and she slowly turned back to look at James before turning back to Remus.
"I don't know. He's cute but sort of immature, you know?" Lily said.
"I like James. He's fun," Remus said, feeling pleased that he had successfully distracted her for the moment.
Remus picked up his fork and prodded at his peas, a most disadvantageous strategy, he realised. Lily kept glancing back at James, seeming anxious. Then finally she held her gaze behind her and said, "Ohhh! Now I see!"
Lily turned back to Remus with a wicked grin.
"There's a new boy! You think he's hot!" Lily said.
Remus dropped his fork, then covered his face with embarrassment. Dammit, he thought.
"Yeah, all right. You've got me," Remus admitted, then removed his hands.
Lily looked very pleased with herself, her elbow propping up her chin and grinning wildly. Remus sighed and shook his head.
"It doesn't matter, Lils. There's not another bloke at this school who's queer. What're the odds he will be?" Remus said.
Lily frowned and sat back up.
"That's not even true. Just because you don't know they're gay doesn't mean they aren't. It's not like everyone knows that you are," Lily said.
"Yeah, but everyone thinks it because of Snape," Remus said.
Lily looked sad and nodded. For a time, she and Severus Snape had been best friends. Their friendship had ended when she decided that she couldn't tolerate the way he bullied Remus.
"Let's say the new boy is gay. What does it matter? He'll take one look at me and…" Remus started but shook his head and went back to his food.
Remus was painfully aware of the scars on his body, especially the one that went across his face. Lily had told him it was fine, but she was his friend, after all. Of course, she'd say that.
"That's rubbish and you know it, Remus. Trust me. I know some girls who'd leap at a chance with you, if you were interested," Lily said.
"Girls, yeah. But he's not a girl, is he?" Remus said, as he continued to stir his peas, aimlessly.
"So? What does that even mean?" Lily said.
"I don't know. But look at him. He's gorgeous," Remus said.
Lily looked back and shrugged.
"He's cute, sure," Lily replied, then quickly turned back with a look of panic.
"What?" Remus said.
"James saw me looking back there. I think he thought I was looking at him!" Lily said, her words coming out rapidly
Remus looked behind her and saw that James and the new boy were now headed over to them. The new boy was very tall indeed, standing a little bit taller than James who was fairly tall himself.
"Hello there," James said, standing at the side of their table.
James was a dark skinned boy, with perpetually unkempt black hair. He wore black glasses with rather large rims. On anyone else they might make them look smarter but on James they just made him look cool.
"Hi," Lily said with a smile, then went back to her food.
Had telling Lily that James fancied her forced her into a sudden onset of shyness? Remus certainly hoped not.
"This is my new friend, Sirius Black," James said, and elbowed the handsome lad next to him, who let out a chuckle.
"I can introduce myself, thank you," Sirius said and Remus thought his voice was like heaven.
He had a posh, London accent but not in an annoying self-important sort of way. His voice was rich and pleasing, deep but not too deep.
"I'm Remus," Remus said and gave him a wave.
Sirius flashed him a warm smile, nodded then said, "Pleased to meet you, Remus."
Remus suddenly felt light-headed. He had said his name and he was certain no one had ever said his name better than that.
"I'm Lily," Lily said then reached over and shook Sirius's hand.
Remus was immediately filled with jealous. She touched him! How could she just go and bloody do that?
"I was just talking about taking Sirius to Florean Fortescue's after school? You chaps, game? It's all on me," James said, then smiled and bobbed his head from side to side, playfully.
"Yes," Remus said without hesitation.
Lily looked over at Remus startled, as if his quick answer was some sort of betrayal. She then looked at James and pursed her lips.
"Umm," Lily said, then swallowed and looked at Remus again.
Remus mouthed "Please!" at her and she finally turned to James and said, "Sure. Why not?"
"Excellent. Cheers!" James said and started to walk back to their table.
"Nice meeting you," Sirius said and gestured between Remus and Lily.
For just a moment, Remus swore that Sirius's grey eyes had lingered on him and that their eyes had met in some sort of magical moment where time had froze and only the two of them existed, sending each other a silent message.
"Why'd you have to go and say yes so fast for?" Lily said, but didn't really sound that displeased.
"Sorry. Couldn't help it," Remus apologised.
"It's all right. I just wasn't prepared. Are you excited?" Lily asked.
"I suppose," Remus said, refusing to admit that inside he was jumping for joy.
"James is cute, I suppose," Lily said, looking down at her plate with great consideration.
Remus said nothing and instead decided to finish his food. It was almost time to get back to class.