The next morning, Remus joined the group for Potions, just before lunch. Without a word to the others, he sat beside Lily and started cutting up Gurdle root, avoiding all of his partner's questions, under Professor Slughorn's uneasy glare. James and Sirius, trying to get his attention, had started throwing ingredients at hi from across the room when Slughorn wasn't watching. Unfortunately, one of these missiles hit Lily on the back of the head, and they were forced to stop when she sent them a murderous glare.

At the end of the lesson, Remus left quickly without waiting for anyone, and the boys had to catch up with him once thye arrived at the Great Hall.

"What's up with you?" Asked Sirius, rather aggressively.

"Nothing, why?"

"You joking? Why've you been avoiding us?"

"I haven't!"

"Really? You wouldn't talk to us in Potions and you didn't wait for us after, either."

"Well I - I ... " Remus scrambled before exclaiming " You could have gotten yourselves into loads of trouble last night! Pomfrey sad I was fine!"

"No she said you were asleep and that you'd be fine today. She didn't mention how you were at the time though."

"Alright Sirius, lay off him." James intervened "We were just worried, Remus. You would have done the same if it was one of us. And anyway, I had my cloak, we were perfectly safe, not that we're scared of a few detentions, but Lily felt differently and I don't really feel like cleaning Filch's office again. What I'm more interested in is what you said happened."

"What about it?" Remus aid, his face almost buried in his bowl of soup.

"I don't believe it."

Remus almost choked on the spoonful of soup he was trying to swallow, under the surprised and worried eyes of half of Griffindor House.

"What d'you mean? Why?"

"Your story and Pomfrey's didn't add up."

"Well I explained that - "

"Yes but I don't believe it."

"And why would I lie?"

"That's what I'd like to know. You have no better friends than us, you know you can tell us anything. Was it because Lily was there? You didn't want her to know?"

Sirius and Peter's eyes flicked between the bickering friends. Then Remus stood up suddenly.

"I didn't lie! If you think I did then it's you who doesn't trust me, and if that's the case, then I've spent three years with the wrong person. I told you what happened and that's that. I'm going to the library." Then he left. The two spectators didn't dare say anything, and just continued slurping their soup loudly while James stared atat the doors his friend had just walked through, eyes full of sorrow.

That night in the Griffindor commonroom, James was sitting alone in front of the fire. In fact, everyone else was up in their dorms, asleep, but James couldn't. The sound of footsteps approaching, however, tore his eyes from the flickering flames. Lily was walking barefoot, in her nightgown, towards him. James noticed that she looked incredibly splendid, with her messy hair and sleepy eyes, and a familiar sting was felt in his chest. She sat in front of James and looked hesitantly at him.

"You OK?"

"Yeah... I had a fight with Remus. We'll get over it."

"Yeah I heard. Why did you say you didn't believe him? He thinks you don't trust him."

"I know. But what else was I supposed to say? I tell my friends the truth, whatever it is. Always."

"Well that's great but what if it's something he's ashamed of? He loves you, everyone knows that, and you have to trust that if he is lying, one day he'll tell you, but for now it's too hard... he might not even be lying!"

"Yeah... thanks Lily... I'm going to go up now." And at that they both said goodnight and went their separate ways. As James approached his bed, he turned suddenly. "Remus? You awake?"

"What?"

"I - I wanted to apologise." Remus slowly sat up in his bed and faced James, who continued "I - I'm still not sure I believe you, but I do trust you. And I trust that if you lied, then you have a good reason to. I just hope one day you'll confide in us, instead of facing it alone. There. Goodnight." James got into bed and faced the wall, sorrow and hope emanating from him.

"Thank you for understanding." He heard, and a broad smile appeared on his face.