Well here we are with part seven! I need to do a double chapter set to finish on time! You are so close to done Baby. You have been so amazing through such a hard, trying time, and being sick to boot. So just hold out a little longer.

Just a little longer my sweet Padfoot. And you will be with me.

Part Seven- Lycanthropy Romance

The thick frost of early February bit into James Potter's face as he hurried across the courtyard. The snow had only just started to dissipate, but in its wake there was a large amount of very dangerous ice and he almost slid to his sure death more than once. As soon as he hit the foyer of the castle he was sprinting, taking the stairs two at a time. The reason for the rush, you ask? A note that had been slipped into his hand while passing through classes exactly two hours, ten minutes, and thirty three seconds ago by one Lily Evans. All she had written on in, in her tidy cursive, was:

Meet me in the common room as soon as classes are over.

-Lily

This was more than enough to have James sprinting over the ice from the Herbology green houses. He had no idea what Lily would want to talk to him about. She had never once asked him to talk, never once passed him a note. Somehow, he had a feeling this wasn't going to be getting asked to go on a date. Love notes were usually hidden, and not written on torn scratch paper. This didn't stop him from nearly plowing into a group of Ravenclaws in his haste. Lily Evans asked him to meet her, he would be there. The Ravenclaws apparently didn't appreciate his dedicated enthusiasm, however. They muttered and fixed their ruffled robes as he tore by.

Upon bursting into the common room, hair ruffled, and robes completely tangled in every way possible, Lily jerked her head up from the book she had evidently been looking at. She stood quickly, snapping it closed, and came over as James tried to make himself a tad more presentable.

"-Sorry, I was in the greenhouses-" He sputtered quickly, hoping she hadn't been waiting long.

"No, its fine...I just..." She looked around and stepped a little closer. There wasn't anyone around to hear them talking really, just a few first year girls talking loudly across the room. He arched an eyebrow. "I...think I know who jinxed that bludger." She said very quietly, her eyes flicking down, face momentarily showing large sadness under all the freckles. James' fidgeting stopped instantly.

It had been proven rather quickly after Sirius' accident a few weeks back, that the bludger that had hit him has been tampered with. However, the Slytherin Quidditch team all had an alibi, they had been working with Snape on a set of plays, and Ravenclaw had used the pitch right before Gryffindor with the same set of balls, leaving no time for them to be tampered with by the team who had been inside all afternoon. This had left the question of who had done it in the air entirely.

"...Who?" James' voice became low and taught. He had been trying to figure out who had done it since Sirius had very nearly broken his neck.

"...You have to promise not to freak out, or go on a killing spree or something..." Lily said quickly, looking anxious. "But you have a right to know after what happened to Sirius."

"Why would I kill someone? I just want to get to the bottom of this, not go to Azkaban." James arched an eyebrow at her and pursed his lips.

"Just...promise me you won't go off...raging or anything, or I won't tell you." Lily said all of this very quickly, giving James a look he had never seen before. She was pleading with him. He exhaled slowly.

"I promise I won't explode or murder or maim anyone." He said, looking at her. She fidgeted a moment.

"I...have reason to believe that...that Severus might have been behind it-"

"-What!" James' face started to go red immediately.

"You promised you wouldn't freak out!" Lily grabbed his arm so that he wouldn't go storming off. "I can't prove it for sure, but I have reasons to think he might have and-James...I'm scared. He has never tried to hurt anyone before...Sirius could have...he..." Lily's green eyes went over-bright and James' building need to go find Snape and break his neck faltered. He froze, setting a hand on Lily's shoulder and nodded.

"Okay...how about we look into this." He said gently. Lily gave him a very grateful look.

Remus scowled at his book. He scowled at it and he was more than fairly sure that he was going to scare the letters right off the page, but his concentration was not exactly being considered at the moment. No, not in the least, and there was something more about his current situation that was grinding into his skin like a bad splinter.

"Poor thing-you're so brave!"

"I know, he is a real trooper!"

"Does it hurt, Sirius?"

Across the table from Remus, sat Sirius, his right arm in a sling, surrounded by a gaggle of girls that smelled like cheap candy perfume and preteen hormones. They were touching his shoulders and lingering on his every word like he was some sort of war hero. Remus could have put up with it for a day, even two, but this had been going on for weeks. No matter where they went, Sirius' fanclub followed without fail. It was beyond maddening. At this current point in time, Remus could feel his temples throbbing. He did not have the patience to deal with this right now. And they really didn't need to be practically lying on him!

"Oh...it hurts-but not badly. I can handle it." Sirius offered them a smooth, suave, painfully irritating look. Remus growled something.

"You're such a good guy, taking that hit for your best friend!" A blond with large breasts that were attempting to eat Sirius' good shoulder, cooed.

"Sirius, are you free Saturday?" a brunette leaned closer, giving him a coy smile.

"Nono, don't go with her, go with me!" Another tried to shove in.

Remus' eye was twitching, his fingers shaking on his quill. Something like a growl escaped him and Sirius looked up. He evidently noticed the odd shade of purple Remus was turning, because his suave, aloof smirk vanished and he suddenly looked nervous.

"I-I'm not free, actually. Remus and I have something planned." He said quickly. All the girls made moaning sounds of sadness. Remus gritted his teeth.

"Can't you two plan it for another day? Studying can wait!" The blond insisted.

"Its not studying-" Sirius cut in.

"Why would you turn up date?" The brunette countered.

"Because I already have plans!" Sirius laughed, but Remus was able to detect the uncomfortable note, that slight anxiety from the pressure, and angry heat flared in his chest. He grit is teeth and stood up, golden eyes flicking up and fixing on the blond.

"If you wouldn't mind too terribly," he said in a forced polite tone, "We are trying to study."

The blond looked up at Remus, then ignored him entirely. Remus' face went very red. She looked right at him, and then looked away.

"Remus, cool down, we have time to study." Sirius drawled. However, the look in his eyes clearly showed that he regretted the words as soon as they left his lips. Which probably had to do with Remus' face going scarlet.

"Oh-we can do it later?" Remus voice rose rater uncharacteristically. "Says the man with his writing hand in a sling to the one who has offered to help write his two rolls of parchment on ancient magical theory that is due in two days because he cannot hold a quill?"

"Remus-" Sirius winced.

"Yes! Because I don't have my own work to be doing! Which I do by the way! But I was worried about you so I put it off to help you! But no-Your bleeding fanclub obviously takes precedence! Well my deepest apologies-" He shoved his things into his bag and stood. "Perhaps you can get one of them to write your essay since the 'brave hero' has so many dates to plan!" He snapped, flinging the parchment at Sirius' stunned face, where it made a rather satisfying noise as it hit him, and then he stormed out, leaving the gaggle of girls staring at him as he went.

"Remus..." Sirius pulled the parchment off his face. "...Fuck."

No...that wasn't the most mature thing he could have done in that situation, but it had certainly felt good, and honestly, he had been holding his tongue for weeks, and if Sirius was going to take his help for-granted, he wasn't going to give it to him. Its not like he had nearly died of worry the entire time Sirius was hospitalized, or offered his help whenever needed to help the other boy get from class to class, or taken notes. And he certainly wasn't jealous that these girls were hanging all over Sirius. That had absolutely nothing to do with anything at all. Even if he wanted to knock all their fluffy, candy smelling, pasty-filled heads together. Repeatedly.

James and Peter were sitting in the common room, talking lowly, when the door burst open and Remus stomped in, throwing his bag and books carelessly on the bed. He didn't even care about the slack-jawed looks he was getting from the other two. He could honestly care less about everything by this point.

"...Moony?" Peter asked quietly.

"Shut up Peter." Remus hissed.

Peter and James exchanged looks. Remus tossed a glare over his shoulder.

"What."

"Well...you don't...don't do angry. So I am mildly curious about what the hell got your knickers in a twist." James was the one bold enough to speak this time, looking up at Moony.

"He is tall, wears combat boots, and has a bunch of fleas disguised as pre-teen females." Remus growled through bared teeth. Peter scooted back, eying Remus cautiously.

"Oh, is he still flirting with all those girls?" James raised an eyebrow. Remus gave James a look that could melt metal. James snapped his jaw shut.

"Can we talk about what you two have been doing all day?" Remus snapped accusingly, sitting on his bed and crossing his legs. He hoped he didn't look as prissy as he felt.

"Lily thinks she knows who jinxed that bludger!" Peter blurted, evidently he did not have the nerves to stand up against Remus' withering look.

Remus felt his heart jump in a rather unpleasant way. Every reminder that Sirius had almost been killed because someone on the grounds rigged a bludger, made him feel tense. Whoever had done it wasn't afraid of getting someone killed. Of being charged with murder. This was more than a silly prank. It was really dangerous. "Who does she think...?"

"Snivellus." James said shortly. Remus' gaze snapped back around.

"...Snape." He said slowly.

"Yeah. Apparently he has been acting really strange. He won't talk to her about anything, and that bludger was meant for me. The same day, before practice, I found them talking in the corridor. He was keeping her from getting to class, and I probably peeved him pretty bloody badly." James ran a hand into his hair. He was not a fool, and when the gravity of the situation came down, he could be more mature than Remus.

"That...that isn't good at all." Remus murmured. If Snape really had rigged that bludger, he could try to do something again. Something more dangerous. "We need to talk to someone. McGonagall. She would know what to do."

"We can't." James said softly.

"...Why not?" Remus and Peter said together.

"Because I promised Lily I wouldn't say anything until we knew for sure." James said softly. Remus felt his jaw go slack. This was James Potter. James Potter who absolutely hated Severus Snape with every fiber of his being and had been trying to get him expelled since first year, and here he was, saying they could not give him up as a suspect to something that was actually a serious issue.

"James...I think you might have your priorities mixed up." Peter said quietly.

"Sometimes there are more important things than getting back at someone, Pete." James snapped irritably.

"This isn't really just getting back at someone, James. Someone else could get hurt." Remus was on Peter's side this time.

"Look, you guys don't understand-" James gave them and angry look.

"-Oh. We understand. You getting a bloody date is more important to you than your mates!" Peter stood up, balling his fists. Even when angry his voice didn't get very loud.

"-What?" James choked.

"-Peter-" Remus frowned, they were both out of line.

"Shut up Remus! You are only being so touchy because you have a big stupid crush on Sirius!" Peter shouted.

The room went very quiet, and Peter's words seemed to resound through the small space. James watched Remus, and Remus felt like something, some horrible, nasty, unfortunate part of his brain clicked into place. He swallowed, his throat suddenly very dry, then turned slowly and walked right back out of the common room, leaving the now white faced Peter, and very confused James in his wake.

He did not have a crush on Sirius Black.

That was absolutely ridiculous.