James was refusing to even look at him or Sirius, something that was making potions rather difficult Remus thought. Why did Slughorn have to decide today was the day to mix up the pairings! Now he was stuck with a sulking idiot who wouldn't even acknowledge his presence and a potion there was no way he could make on his own.

This silence wasn't like James. After his reaction to Regulus' taunts they had expected him to be angry, maybe even cruel, when he found out. But not silent. James had never given anyone the silent treatment in his life; he liked the sound of his own voice too much! Even Sir Peter of Obliviousness had noticed something was wrong, although he had stopped asking what after being told less than politely that it was nothing and he should stop asking if he wanted to keep all of his extremities attached to his body.

"James" Remus tried cautiously, he really was stuck on the potion, it was a muddy brownish green colour rather than the clean 'forest green' the book had promised it should be at this point. James ignored him pointedly but glanced into the potion. He smirked when he saw just how far off it was what it was meant to be, grabbing the stirring stick without even acknowledging Remus' presence and setting to fixing the potion.

Well, thought Remus, settling down to another miserable hour in silence, at least he cares enough to stop me blowing the whole classroom up.

"POTTER!" Lilly Evans stormed into the Great Hall on Monday evening with a look on her face that James hadn't seen since 3rd year. And that time he had tried to fly into her dormitory window when he thought it was empty. She stormed towards him, other students scuttling out of her way in terror, as James desperately tried to think what he had done and quickly decided whatever it was, he would rather she yelled at him a little less public than the Great Hall. Getting to his feet just as she reached him he was about to say this when she grabbed him unceremoniously by his shirt collar and dragged him forcibly back outside and into a deserted corridor near the charms classrooms.

"You bastard!" she spat, fixing him with a look that could melt an hippogriff "you utter bastard! I can't believe you! You pretend to be so much better than everyone, but your no better than the death eaters!"

"WHAT!" James had no idea what she was on about but he was sure he had never in his life done anything awful enough to deserve that accusation. And had Lilly actually sworn! She never swore! Never!

"I've just spent the last hour with Remus trying, and failing, not the cry all over me because you are an ignorant little homophobe who has been treating him and Sirius like lepers!"

"What!" James repeated, still trying to take in what she had said. Remus had been crying. Because of him. Remus never cried, no matter what, Remus never cried. Sure he was mad, they lied to him about something huge. But if Remus was crying he had clearly gone too far. And what had she called him? "Wait!" suddenly the penny dropped "they think I'm mad because they're together!" Lilly just kept on glaring "I couldn't give a hippogriffs left arse cheek about that!"

"Oh really! Doesn't seem like that Potter. You walk in on them and suddenly you won't even look at them."

"It's not that" James' voice was almost pleading, he had to make Lilly understand "they lied. And not just about that. About… other… stuff. Big stuff!" He couldn't quite believe they thought he was this mad at them because they were together. Did they really think he was that stupid, that prejudiced?

"Oh like why Sirius had to leave home!" Lilly's still harsh voice cut into his thoughts. Wait, what would she know about that? Sure she and Remus were close, but nowhere near as close as he and Sirius. How the fuck did she know things he didn't. "Surprised I know?" she scoffed, clearly reading his expression correctly. "They told me because I cared enough to ask! I found them in much the same position you did a few weeks ago, but instead of acting like a petulant little child and running away I actually talked to them!"

James stiffened. Coming from Lilly his reaction did sound pretty stupid. He hadn't spoken to them, hadn't given them the opportunity to explain what had happened or why Sirius was covered in scars. He had never asked for the reason they hadn't told him, he just got mad. God he was an ass! He had to make this right.

"Sorry Lilly" James called, already dashing away from her down the corridor "you can yell at me all you want later but I have to find Remus and Sirius right now."

Lilly couldn't help a smile gracing her face as she watched him rush off, nearly falling up the stairs in his hurry. James could be a stupid, insensitive git sometimes, but deep down he was one of the good guys. He just sometimes needed a little shove to get him past that humongous ego of his.