A/N: In case you've wondered where I am, I discovered Pottermore and disappeared off the face of the planet. But I thought I'd throw out another chapter tonight for those of you who were forced off their horses by the bad weather. Or was that just me?

In Which Witches Watch Bugs

The next Monday, the NEWT level Care of Magical Creatures class met by the lake to study water bugs.

Remus was looking irritated, but he looked like that a lot lately.

Sirius was munching on an apple moodily.

Peter was writing a letter.

Emily was looking nervously at Peter, because the letter had little hearts on it and she was wondering who it was for, although she had a fairly reasonable guess.

James was staring serenely across the glassy smooth lake with his arm around Lily, who was feverishly taking notes.

Remus shook himself out of his dazed stupor and realized that Lily was taking notes because the professor had just announced that skitterbugs would be on the test. He grudgingly took out roll of parchment and a quill and started to write.

Indeed, it was such a lovely spring day, and water bugs are so boring (even the magical sort), that most of the students had forgotten they were in class entirely and had begun their own, much more exciting business. Professor Kettleburn had not yet realized that no one was listening and continued to drone about skitterbugs.

"Skitters are tricky little devils and like to hide in long grasses by water. They can morph into anything they want when threatened, but of course, the new form will be no larger than the original skitterbug's body. Perhaps if I scared one, it would turn into a two centimeter version of myself!" The professor chuckled at his own joke. "But they really are very useful. They are the marine relative of lacewing flies, which as some of you may know, are used to make morphing potions such as polyjuice."

In Sirius's moodiness, he was chewing his apple quite noisily. Remus was having difficulty concentrating on the lesson over the sound.

"Sirius, would you shut up? Your chewing sounds like a car ran into the Whomping Willow."

Professor Kettleburn looked up. "Mr. Lupin, would you please keep it down? You're frightening the bugs!" He held up a squirming skitterbug, which had turned disconcertingly into a tiny Remus Lupin

"Sorry, professor."

Lily raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "What's your problem, Remus?"

"Nothing. Sirius is just being obnoxious."

"I'm just chewing an apple!"

Lily widened her eyes in disbelief. "This isn't like you at all. What's really-"

"Miss Evans! Mr. Lupin! Two of my best students... I do not expect interruptions from you! Ten points from Gryffindor!"

Sirius frowned. "What about me, professor?"

Professor Kettleburn turned back to his bugs. "I've already given up on you."

After class, Sirius ran ahead to the castle, leaving the rest to discuss the events of the class period.

James walked beside Remus. "Moony, are you sure you're ok? You're—a bit off."

Remus sighed. "I'm fine, I'm just tired... haven't been sleeping well. And when I'm sleepy, I get annoyed really easily. Sirius was being huffy and chewing loudly and it just pushed me over the line, that's all."

Emily joined at Remus's other side. "I noticed that too... anyone know what was wrong with Sirius?"

Lily grabbed James's hand. "Melody wasn't in class, I'm sure he was just worried. That's why he rushed off, I imagine."

James frowned. "Oh... duh. Yeah, where was she?"

Lily shook her head. "Not sure, but she might just not be feeling well. We should go up to the dorm and see."

"I'll go with you guys. I haven't crashed your common room in a while." Emily looked deep in thought. "I've been a bit distracted lately."

Remus gave her a sympathetic look. "Speaking of... I mean... has anyone even seen Peter since class?"

"Just be happy he's not here." James laughed. "He ran up to the owlry to send something."

Emily looked up, slightly pink. "Who was it for?"

"I suppose you'll know soon enough."

Sure enough, an owl (but not just any owl) swooped down and dropped a sheet of parchment at Emily's feet.

James nodded in confirmation. "Yup, that's Peter's owl. Hiya, Tanger." He stooped down and let the owl hop onto his arm, stroking its feathers.

Lily sighed. "Aren't owls lovely? I've always wanted one, but my mum and dad figured that it was too expensive to get one with the books for all the advanced classes I'm taking."

Meanwhile, Emily read the note.

Remus cleared his throat. "So... what's it say?"

Emily turned a little pink. "He's invited me... to Hogsmeade with you guys on the next visit."

"I thought you were already coming with us."

"W...well he wants me to go... with him, with you guys... like a date."

"Oh, I figured as much."

James tilted his head in confusion. "Why didn't he just ask you in person?"

Emily shrugged and toyed with a strand of her black hair. "He was probably nervous."

Lily giggled. "That's cute, Em. D'you suppose you'll go with him?"

Emily stared at the note for a long minute, then, suddenly looked up with a smile. "Sure, why not?"

They looked at her for a brief minute, baffled by her willingness to go with him. Then, as one group, they turned and walked back to the castle in silence.

When they got back to the common room, they found Sirius sitting on the couch by himself.

Emily was confused. "Hey, where's Melody?"

Sirius looked up, concern etched on his face. "Up in the dorm, I think. I can't get up there, seeing as how I'm not a girl, so do you think you could check on her? I don't know why she wasn't in class, and-"

Emily nodded. "No problem, I'm getting worried too." She turned and ran up the stairs.

Lily smirked. "I'm not surprised Emily was in such a hurry to get into the dorm... she probably didn't want to run into Peter."

Sirius laughed, although his concern was still evident. "So the poor bloke finally asked her to Hogsmeade? Bet he'll mope for a week."

Lily and James exchanged glances. "Actually," said James, "She said yes."

"No!"

"We couldn't believe it either!"

Lily tried to be understanding. "Well, Peter's not so bad. He's sweet, and I suppose everyone has different opinions on what is attractive-"

Remus blanched. "She thinks he's attractive?!"

"I didn't say that, I just said-"

James stopped her. "Lily, it's Peter."

Lily glared for a moment and gave up. "You're right. I just don't understand."

At that moment, Emily and Melody came down the stairs. Emily clutched distractedly at the Daily Prophet in her hands and Melody was as white as a sheet.

Melody looked up, saw Sirius, and ran into his arms. He looked at her questioningly. Everyone stared.

Emily cleared her throat. "Uh, Mel? Want me to tell them?"

Melody nodded, hiding her face in Sirius's chest.

"Well... Melody was reading that Daily Prophet at breakfast, and you guys wouldn't have noticed it, it was so tiny, but there was an article, and I guess Volde...V... well, you-know-who I mean... a couple of his supporters were released from Azkaban. They were two of the ones who... well... the ones who killed Mel's parents."

Everyone stared in shock.

It was Lily who finally said something. "Umm... well I'm sure they wouldn't let them out unless they had changed... I'm sure..."

Emily studied the Daily Prophet in her hands. "It says here that shortly after release, they were supposed to attend a probationary hearing with the Wizengamot, which they never came to. So they're wanted again for questioning. They were spotted in Hogsmeade last week."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "I'll bet that's why Dumbledore canceled the Hogsmeade trip that day."

Melody looked up and nodded slowly.

Sirius broke the silence. "I'll stay here with Melody. You guys can go to lunch if you want."

The others looked at each other and nodded. Remus patted Melody on the back. "Sorry Melody."

Then they all filtered downstairs, leaving Melody and Sirius alone.

On the way down the stairs, they ran into Peter, who squeaked and froze.

After another awkward pause and a bit of quiet snickering, Emily spoke.

"So Peter, I got your note, and I'd be glad to go to Hogsmeade with you Saturday."

"Re(squeak) I mean really? That's cool. Great, I mean. Ok."

They all stood there again before James took pity on Emily and Peter and suggested continue on to lunch.

Peter was walking beside Remus, trying to stay as far away from Emily as he could to avoid embarrassment. "So Moony..." he whispered. "Emily's pretty hot. I guess I did good, huh? Dang. I mean I figured, I am a marauder after all. We'd go great together. Don't you think that's great? Moony?"

After a little pause, Remus whispered back. "Wormtail, the next time there is a full moon, I am going to eat you."

A/N: Perhaps we have an inkling why Remus has been so moody now :) Somebody review and that boy will get chocolate. Or, perhaps, a muggle duel- it's really up to you guys.