The Great Hall

"Oh no…"

Groggily, Kylee lifted her head off her arms, her drooping eyes focusing on Karina who sat across the table from her. "What's wrong?"

"I left my charms book up in our dorm!" Karina groaned, mentally slapping her forehead at her stupidity as she raised her head out of her bag.

"It's not like you haven't memorized it already," Kylee mumbled as she rested her head back in her arms. She was right. Karina had done more than memorize the entire charms book, but still… it was always good to have it.

"But with my luck, Flitwick will assign reading to do, and I'll be forced to share with that smelly Slytherin boy I hate," she wailed, trying to make her friends see her side of things. Instead, Kyle just glared at her.

"You're a witch, Karina! Reach into your bag, pick up your wand, and summon the stupid book," he explained, acting like she was a dense five-year-old. "Sometimes I wonder why you're in Ravenclaw…"

"Oh… shut up, Kyle," Karina said, reaching for her wand. She was unable to cast the spell, however, as Kat suddenly appeared at her shoulder, a wide smile on her face.

"Sirius Black!" she squeaked, pointing to the Great Hall doors where the incredibly gorgeous young man stood, his eyes examining every inch of the Ravenclaw table. Instantly, Kylee's head shot up, her tired attitude forgotten as she watched Sirius as well.

"He's so hott," she sighed, a dreamy smile on her face; and, if it weren't for the fact that Karina had her heart set on Remus Lupin, the more reserved of the four marauders, she would have agreed. Today, Sirius was just wearing his uniform, his black robes discarded somewhere along with his school bag. His hair was, of course, swooped perfectly to the side, a piece of hair falling into his eyes every once in a while. His heart winning smile was in place, though it seemed to disappear for a few minutes as he looked for the person he'd wanted to talk to apparently.

"Especially today," Kat agreed to Kylee's statement.

"You're drooling," Kyle said to Kylee, making her blush bright red and duck her head.

"Am not!"

"I wonder what he's doing by himself, though," Karina interrupted, realizing then that Remus wasn't there.

"He's probably here to ask a girl on a date," Kyle said like it didn't mean one way or another. "Hogsmeade weekend's coming up." Karina's heart sank. Hogsmeade weekend was during the full moon. She couldn't go… Ah well. No one would ever think to ask her on a date…

"Oh my Goodness-Gosh-Gracious! He's coming this way!" Kylee suddenly cried, spinning back around and fiddling with the ponytail she had her hair in. Looking up, Karina's eyes locked on Sirius Black's face. He was striding towards them confidently, his eyes on the back of Kylee's head. Karina grinned. She knew what was coming!

With a grace only Sirius Black could manage, he slid into the seat beside the blushing Kylee, smiling briefly at Kat and Karina before looking back at her. She always blushed when she was flustered or nervous or embarrassed or thrilled or… Kylee always blushed. "Hey, Kylee," he said, unconsciously throwing a bit of hair from his eyes.

"Sirius," she muttered, gaze at her hands as they twisted in her lap. She was suddenly very aware of her appearance. As she was not one to enjoy mornings, she had taken the opportunity of no class after breakfast to sleep in late and get ready later. So at this moment, she was in her pjs, a pair of baggy flannel pants, and a snug black tee with no make-up on and her hair only messily thrown up in a sloppy bun. For a moment, there was awkward silence as Sirius attempted to speak but failed miserably, and Kylee waited for him to get to the point, her smile fading as she realized that he might have just been coming over to talk to her about her older brother, Russell.

"Get on with it then," Kyle grumbled, his patience tried. He never had any patience in the mornings. Like Kylee, he was not a morning person, making him cranky and unpleasant to be around.

"Butt out, Ryker," Sirius snapped, throwing Kyle a quick glare before looking nervously once again at Kylee. "Alright… I guess… well… uh… Hogsmeade weekend is this weekend," he said meekly, again shaking the piece of hair out of his eyes.

"And…?" Kylee prodded, waving her hands before her.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go with me… like a date… you know…" Sirius stopped, blushing under mine and Kat's scrutiny. He really was nervous. That was a surprise.

"Of course, I would!" Kylee cried, her grin instantly returning and a blush glowing on her cheeks. Sirius' grin widened as well, his smooth manner instantly back.

"Great! I'll meet you in the Gryffindor common room around eight-thirty. That alright?" Shyly, she nodded, and Sirius stood, sauntering off happily to Gryffindor table. For a moment, she watched him go, her eyes dreamy. And then, quiet suddenly, she turned around and threw her arms around Kyle's neck, the closest person to her.

"Ahh! Geroff me!" he cried, struggling to get away as she practically choked him.

"I'm going to Hogsmeade with Sirius Black!" Kylee practically screamed for the world, receiving a few odd looks from the people surrounding them. But she wasn't paying any attention. "Sirius Black! The one and only Sirius Black. The one I've had a crush on for the past six years. The one- Oh, wait!" she stopped, looking straight at Kat with suddenly very sad eyes.

"What's wrong?" Kat asked, bewildered.

"I can't go out with him! You are in love with him," Kylee said, her eyes deadly serious. Kyle suppressed a laugh, the motion only noticed by Karina.

"You're in love with him, too. If you don't go with him, I'll jinx you. Trust me, Ky." Satisfied, Kylee looked at Kyle, her eyes shining with excitement. Seeing the look, he put his arms up, shielding himself with them.

"Kylee Rowwen! Don't you dare!" he warned, but she ignored it. Instead, she pushed his arms away and threw her arms around his waist this time, squeezing the life out of him.

"I'm so happy! Oh so happy!"

Shaking her head, Karina began sliding away from the conversation, her thoughts back on the book she needed to summon. Raising her wand, she muttered, "Accio charms book," and then focused her attention on the Great Hall doors, waiting for the book.

Suddenly, the doors burst open to reveal a very angry Lily Evans, followed close behind by James Potter. He must have asked her out once again. Some boys were so stupid sometimes. Even when they were Head Boy!

Peter soon followed, his attention drawn to a sheet of parchment. He looked much thinner than he had at the beginning of the school year, something Karina had noticed along with, it seemed, the rest of the marauders as she often heard them speaking of it when Peter wasn't around. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he laughed out loud, before looking around for James and Sirius.

Finally, Remus walked in, his attention drawn to a piece of parchment as well, his appearance much sicker than before. Karina had always noticed the way he grew sicker and sicker along with herself and then, after the full moon, looked much better. Though she had her suspicions, she didn't say anything. She was never around to know if he left during the full moon, or if he was just naturally sick.

Yet, even with the ill nature about him, Remus was extremely hot. Light brown hair was cut just right so it covered his ears but stopped at his collar. Light brown, almost gold eyes were rimmed with long eyelashes. His personality was somewhat reserved and much quieter than James and Sirius, but still as goofy as a marauder should be. Shadows under his eyes and the few gray streaks in his soft-looking hair was intriguing to many girls at Hogwarts.

Funnily enough, Karina looked exactly the same. Shadows underneath her brown eyes. A streak of gray hair weaved through the bangs that hung in her face, hiding herself from the people around her. She usually had the same look of sickness and mysterious-ness as Remus. So why was Remus so popular and out of her reach?

With a jerk, Karina pulled herself from her thoughts to watch him stop, a frown on his face. For a moment, he watched the parchment, entranced by what was on it, as Karina watched him, entranced by his features. Neither of them saw the book fly through the Great Hall doors, heading straight for the back of Remus' head. Not until- WHUMP!

With a shout of surprise, Remus fell forward, hitting the ground with a hard thud, his books and other items spilling from his bag. As soon as she caught the book sailing towards her, Karina was up and by Remus' side, apologizing profusely.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!" she cried, her humiliation making her clumsy and she dropped her book as she bent to help him.

"It's fine, really," Remus was saying as he slipped his books into his bag. Blushing furiously, Karina reached for her book, her hand colliding with his own. At the touch, Remus looked up, surprised by how sickly the girl looked. She looks a lot like… me at the full moons… whoa… Her dark brown eyes looked at anything but him as she snatched up her book, avoiding contact with him at all costs. When she finally did look up at him, her blush deepened further and she whispered, "Sorry," before jumping up and running as hard and as fast she could away from there.

Stunned, Remus watched her go, his hand hovering over the last book. That girl… it was almost as if she was… connected to him somehow… As stupid and cliché as that may sound. And she had been pretty, too…

"Oi, mate! You okay?" The sudden shout startled him from his thoughts and he turned around to see his friends approaching him.

"Yeah… Do you know who that girl is?" Remus asked, standing and making his way to the center of the Gryffindor table, the marauder's favorite seat.

"Um… I think I've seen her before, but I don't know her name," Sirius said, piling his plate high with food. "So, guess who said yes to a date this fine Hogsmeade weekend?" Knowing full well who, Remus rolled his eyes and then pretended to think really think hard about the question.

"Uh… let me think…"

"Lindsey?" James asked, getting in on the joke.

"Hannah?" Remus asked, scrunching up his face further when Sirius frowned and shook his head to both suggestions.

"Eleanor?"

"Kitty?"

"Joan?"

"Penelope?"

"Priscilla?"

"Peeves?"

"Jo- What the heck?" Remus asked, looking at James as if he were crazy. Sheepishly, James shrugged.

"I thought we were sticking with P names…"

"Peeves, though?"

"You're the one that jokes and says that Peeves would go out with me to Hogsmeade before Lily ever did!"

"Yeah, cuz that actually makes sense." Shaking his head, Remus looked at Sirius again who was staring across the hall at Kylee Rowwan who, in turn, was hugging Kyle Ryker to death. "Well, seeing as you're staring at her right now, and that the two most argumentative people in the whole school are hugging in a way, I'm guessing Kylee Rowwan said yes to the question."

"Yep… Ryker must be mad," James said, laughing at the thought.

"Looks like it," Remus said, pulling some food onto his plate. Suddenly, she threw Kyle away from her, her hair bouncing wildly as she looked around the room for something. Unable to find it, she spoke quickly to the girl sitting across from her and then they both jumped up, leaving a grumbling Kyle Ryker to walk to another group of friends he sat with when the girls were acting really weird or annoying.

"Wonder what's wrong?" Sirius asked, watching the girls slip out of the Great Hall.

"Don't know…"

some random hall in the castle

"Why am I such a loser?" Karina grumbled to herself, her face still like a tomato as she dwelled on the experience in the Great Hall. She'd made such a fool of herself. Why did she ever listen to Kyle? Why'd Remus have to be standing there? Why was she such a loser!?!

She'd been wandering the castle since she'd left the Great Hall, staying far out of people's way as she roamed the deserted corridors. She wanted to dig a whole and hide for the rest of her life. She wanted to never see Remus Lupin's face again!

"Why? Why me? Why am I such a spazy loser?" A spider scuttled across her path, soon becoming the recipient of her wrath. "I hate myself!"

"You don't hate yourself! That's emu!" a voice suddenly interrupted Karina's mind rant and she had to laugh. (a/n: yes, me and my friend have had a conversation like this and I'd told her not to be stupid and so emu… she still hasn't let me live it down…) Karina turned to look at her friend, forgetting her anger for a moment.

"Yes, so you like to tell me."

Laughing, Kylee walked to Karina's side, hugging her tightly, making Karina feel a bit awkward for a few seconds. "You don't hate yourself," she said with such surety that Karina had to shake her head.

"Yes, I do!"

"No, you don't!"

"Yes-huh!"

"We aren't having this conversation. We're gonna be late for class if we don't leave now." So, without further ado, Kylee linked her arm with Karina's and they both set off for Divination.