Luckily for Laura over the Christmas holidays, it was quite easy for her to avoid Sirius. She and Lily would get up early-ish and head off to the library to keep warm and do revision, or sit in the common and talk whilst, whilst Sirius and James mucked about outside or in the corridors. Remus still wasn't talking to Sirius properly; he'd said as long as Sirius couldn't find fault with his actions he wouldn't speak to him, and spent more time with Lily and Laura, as long as Severus wasn't around.

It was a Monday; Lily, Laura and Remus were sat in the library doing Potions revision and talking about James and Sirius' latest idea to shake off Raven before Friday.

"They're really getting nowhere...They were planning on annoying Snape so he'd hex them, or, drinking Polyjuice Potion..."

"If he hadn't been such a git I doubt this would have happened" Lily said shaking her head.

"I'm not a big believer in karma, but, I sort of agree. It's no coincidence he was a dick and now he has to be manacled to Raven for a day"

"You know, I think I even feel sorry for the boy"

Remus laughed and quickly hushed down in case Ms Pince was lurking round the corner. The school bell then rang twice, denoting it was two o'clock.

"What time was Severus supposed to get here?" Laura asked. Lily shrugged, looking disappointed.

"He said two, at latest...And he's usually here on the time he says he will be...Which was half one..."

"Maybe he lost track of time?" Remus suggested. Lily scowled.

"Yeah, with his new Slytherin friends...He's not the same around them"

"You mean..."

"Yeah...It's like he's turning into one of them...A pureblood crazy bunch of evil boys, and he wants to be one, but he still wants me to be his best friend! You can't be anti-muggleborns yet want to have one as your best friend"

Remus and Laura exchanged glances, not knowing what to say.

"I'm sure it'll be fine...And if not, you've always got us" Remus smiled. Laura forced a smile, knowing what would inevitably happen. They got back to their revision, not saying anything. After a while there was a bit of a commotion outside the library.

"Come on Snape! Don't hang out with that mudblood!"

"Don't call her that! And I promised her I would"

"You want to be one of us? You can't keep hanging out with it!"

"I'll see you later Avery!"

Laura and Remus looked at Lily, she was fuming.

"Lily-"

Severus came round the corner smiling weakly, looking like he'd nearly ran up to the library.

"Hi, sorry I'm late, lost track of time"

He sat down and got a book out, all the while glaring at Remus.

"Oh no, it's fine" Lily replied contemptuously, not even looking at him.

"So...Got a lot of work done?"

"Just a bit"

Laura and Remus looked at each, feeling extremely awkward, hoping the other would find an excuse for the both of them to leave Lily and Snape alone.

"Oh good, I've just been down by the lake, practising a few spells I've been working on...Quite good fun actually"

"Oh, well, don't let me keep you, you go back and have your fun"

"...What?"

"Well, clearly you were having more fun with those evil people, don't let a filthy mudblood like me drag you down"

"Uh, come on Laura" Remus said grabbing Laura's wrist and hoisting her out of her seat and round the corner.

"What are you talking about?"

"You really think I didn't hear? Don't hang around that mudblood! You can't keep being around IT! Call yourself a friend?"

"Look, that's them, not me-"

"-But you want to be one of them! I'm supposed to be your best friend and you're making friends with people who hate me just because I'm muggle-born!"

"I don't hang around them just because they're proud of being pureblood! It's because we're in the same house! And I need to make connections other than just you!"

"Well you can have all the connections you want, just don't count me as one of them"

Remus and Laura grimaced. Lily messily shoved all her things into her bag and stormed off out of the library, just before Ms Pince came over and threw them out. Laura and Remus went back round to get their things and go after Lily. Snape was sat looking annoyed, and looked even more so when he saw the two of them appear.

"Get a nice nosey did you? Eavesdropping on a private conversation!"

"You were shouting, it was hardly private" Remus replied.

"Get out of my face half-breed!"

Laura looked at Remus, worried about how he'd react. His eyes narrowed and his lips pursed, he looked ready to rip Snape's intestines out.

"You're really great at making friends Snivellus! Have fun being alone forever!" he said venomously. He too grabbed his things and stormed off. Laura grabbed hers too and ran after him.

"Remus wait up!"

He slowed down and let her catch up.

"Look, Laura, what Snape said, don't-"

"-I know what you are...I heard you and James talking about it a week or so back...I never said anything because I didn't know how you'd react to me knowing..."

"...So...You've known and...You still hung out with me?"

"Of course! I'm not a Slytherin, I don't hate people just because they're not pureblood, or all human...You're part animal and yet so much sweeter than any of those jerks! So once a month you undergo a change you can't control, I don't care"

Remus' mouth broke into the biggest grin she'd ever seen.

"People like you are rare, everyone's afraid of things like me...Uh, lets get off the corridor..."

They went up to the common room to drop off their bags and pull on more clothing, preparing for a walk in the snow.

"So...You really don't care?"

"No, not at all...I knew you before I knew what you were, and it really doesn't affect you that much personality-wise, and I know Dumbledore would hardly let you roam around the school as a werewolf, so, really, to me, you're just a normal human being"

Remus smiled; "Thank you...You're now on my list of nicest people I've ever met"

Laura laughed sweetly; "is it a particularly long list?"

"You, Lily and Dumbledore"

She laughed again; "wow...Is this, everyone you know if evil or you have high standards?"

He smirked; "a bit of both really..."

He suddenly grabbed her arm to stop her walking and pointed to something in the distance. Sirius and James were over by Hagrids hut building a pumpkin snowman. Not far away Raven was walking towards them, and as usual, wearing a sort skirt, vest top and high-heels.

"How is she not freezing?" Remus asked.

"She has no feelings..." Laura said nonchalantly. Remus laughed.

"I like that...Anyway, let's get in for a closer look"

They scurried over to the trees near Hagrids hut to watch the scene unfold. Raven sauntered over, somehow manoeuvring the snow in her stilettos, and shuffled up to Sirius.

"Hey guys, I like the snowman"

Sirius smiled as genuinely as he could; "thanks, want to help?"

"Oh, no, I'd only muck it up, you have fun"

"Oh alright"

"I'll just sit and watch"

Before going to sit on a rock she pinched Sirius in the backside and winked. Sirius looked at James, his eyes widened in fear and shock. James laughed to himself and flattened some snow onto the side of the snowman.

"So you know Friday...Is there anything in particular you want to do?" Raven asked. Sirius shrugged.

"Not really, just a bit of last-minute Christmas shopping...What about you?"

"Same..."

"So Sirius, looking forward to this date?" James asked, grinning cheekily. Sirius gave him a look which could kill.

"Yeah, should be fun" he said replied through gritted teeth.

"Oh hey Raven, we're having a little Christmas party in our common room on Christmas Eve, fancy joining us?"

Sirius' glare got even worse and mimed; "I will kill you"

Raven's eyes lit up; "really? I'd love to, that is, if you want me to come Sirius"

Sirius turned round to her and smiled as big as he could; "yeah, it'd be great to have you there"

"Well, I will be"

"Great"

"I'll sort out the mistletoe! Don't worry about it Sirius, you'll get your kiss" James laughed. Sirius laughed worriedly.

"Don't be telling her things like that James!"

Raven giggled and winked again; "don't worry Sirius, if you play your cards right on Friday you might get it before the party"

"Uh..."

She stared biting her lip-ring seductively and twisted a strap on her top round her finger, hoping to lure Sirius to look down.

In the trees Laura and Remus were giggling to themselves.

"I think I really do feel sorry for him now" Laura said. Remus shook his head.

"I don't think he's suffered enough, only when she's snogged his face will I think he's endured enough"

Laura laughed and pushed him playfully; "you're not very nice Mr Lupin"

"Well Miss King, that git deserves it!"

"Really? Raven Steele? He deserves that?"

"I know it's harsh, but he should see what it feels like to be truly miserable"

"I suppose, but, really? Raven?"

Remus laughed; "you're not going to change my mind! He 100% deserves everything he gets!"

"Ok..."

That evening Laura was sat alone in the common room reading her Transfiguration text book when someone poked her sharply in the back. She looked round, Sirius was stood smiling meekly.

"Hey"

She looked back at him sceptically; "hi?"

He jumped down on the sofa next to her; "can I talk to you?"

"What about?"

"Well, Remus has fallen out with me and he says it's because of the same reason you're avoiding me...And I just wanted to ask you if he's telling the truth"

"...I'm not sure what you're talking about"

"Please just be straight with me, if I did anything to-"

"-I can't believe you actually have the gaul to ask me to tell you everything's okay and you've done nothing wrong! You know what you did, and you're clearly not remorseful, so, don't expect me to play happy families-"

"-Look, I am, really sorry! Like, I don't know why I said what I did, and I've been thinking and Remus was right. What I said WAS evil, if I could take it back I would; I just want you and Remus to be my friends again"

"It's too late Sirius! You boys don't care a single bit how we feel! As long as you're having fun!"

Laura and Sirius turned round, Lily was stood behind the sofa looking furious.

"Lily, I-"

"-Lily are you okay? Remus and I went to find you but you'd gone!" Laura said jumping over the sofa to Lily. She shrugged.

"I'm fine, really, I just needed to be alone for a bit"

"You'd better be ok"

Lily smiled and let Laura pulled her into a hug.

"Anyway, Sirius, you're wasting your time, neither Remus or Laura want anything to do with you" Lily said venomously before dragging Laura up to the girls dorm.

"Are you ok Lily? Really?"

"Please tell me you weren't thinking of forgiving him!"

"Well...Not any time soon"

"Just, don't fall for him! There are better guys in the world!"

"Like Remus you mean?"

"Well yes, but, I just mean, pretty much anyone who's not Black or Potter"

"...Are you really all right about Snape? You don't need to take a few minutes...?"

Lily sighed loudly and flopped onto her bed; "I just can't believe he did nothing, and then acted as if nothing had happened! I mean...Imagine you were me, and I just called you a filthy mudblood, would be all, oh it's fine! No worries, let's go to Hogsmeade! ...Or would you just want to-"

"-I would want to punch you in the face..."

"Exactly...But what about long term? That would make me feel better for a few moments...Then I'm stuck with it still"

Laura nodded and sat next to Lily on the bed.

"This isn't going to be an easy year"

Lily sat up, sniffed and shook her head; "this is why I hate men"

Laura pulled her into a hug; "it'll be ok, we don't need these boys"

"I know"

Lily let out the occasional tear but tried to keep herself calm. Eventually, both were calm enough to go back down to the common room. James and Sirius were sat in a corner talking quietly, Peter was wandering around the girls, creeping them out in the only way he could, and Remus was sat by the fire reading. Lily gave Laura a little nudge. Laura laughed and shook her head.

"I've spent nearly all day with him! I don't him to think I'm desperate for male attention!"

"But you are! Go!"

Lily pushed Laura a bit more forcefully so she stumbled over to Remus. Remus looked up and smiled.

"Are you ok?"

"Um, yeah, just tripped on the uh, rug"

She looked round, pretending to look at the rug, but instead looked at Lily who was stood at the bottom of the stairs giggling.

"Oh did you find Lily? Is she ok?"

Laura nodded and sat next to Remus; "she's as well as she will be for a while, she's really upset"

"Understandably...How are you? Sirius said he'd tried talking to you"

"I'm fine, he just thinks a mediocre apology is going to make me like him again"

Remus sighed and shook his head; "I told him that...Can I ask, do you still, 'like' him?"

"Umm..."

Laura looked over at James and Sirius. They were talking quite vivaciously; with lots of big gesticulations.

"...I don't know...As a person, definitely not! But, it's a stupid girl, I still find him attractive"

Remus smiled meekly; "I suppose I'll never understand"

"Well...Do you not fancy someone?"

"Well...Um, yes and no"

"Yes AND no? How does that work exactly?"

"I like her, but, I don't want to go forward with it, you know...Just sit back and be her friend instead of ruining it"

"Ok..."

Laura looked at him sceptically, hoping it was another girl he was talking about, but still knowing secretly it was her.

"Anyway...What are you doing?"