Monday, May 2nd

- Lily -

Lily woke up gritting her teeth. It took her about ten seconds to remember why she was so angry. Then she tore open her hangings, wrenched on some clothes, and stormed out of the dorm. Lily was done avoiding James Potter, and she was done justifying her feelings to her friends.

Lily was unsurprised to see Potter in the common room, but not unprepared. Her wand was in her hand before he opened his mouth.

"Get out of my way, Potter, or I'll hex you," Lily told him, her voice a steely promise.

"I just wanted to apologise," Potter began, speaking quickly.

"I don't want your apology, Potter. I don't want you to speak to me ever again."

Lily stepped around him, heading for the portrait hole.

"Wait, Evans," Potter said, ducking back into her way.

"Silencio," Lily said matter of factly, pointing her wand in Potter's face. Like yesterday, Potter was muted. Lily stepped out of the portrait hole and headed down to breakfast alone.

.

.

Lily was early for Transfiguration. She was done putting up with Potter insinuating his way into her life. Professor McGonagall was also early. She looked up from marking essays when Lily knocked on the door.

"Excuse me, Professor," Lily said, her voice polite but firm.

"Yes, Miss Evans," Professor McGonagall said, gesturing for Lily to enter.

"I'd like you to move James Potter away from me. He's distracting me from my learning."

Professor McGonagall peered closely at Lily for a moment. Lily met her stern eye.

"Very well," Professor McGonagall said. "I will move him at the start of the lesson."

Lily hesitated. Was it really that easy?

"Is there anything else, Evans?"

"Er, no. Thank you."

Lily left the room to line up. Soon the rest of the class joined her. Lily pretended to be finishing her Transfiguration homework to avoid her Alice's eye. Professor McGonagall invited them in and Lily took her usual seat. Potter, a bit late, headed for the desk next to hers.

"Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall said sharply. Potter paused and turned to her. "You are late and your desk has moved. Kindly take the seat beside Mr Belby."

Potter looked stunned for a moment, glancing at the desk beside Lily.

"But I wanted to sit at the front to concentrate better," Potter began, but Professor McGonagall cut him off.

"It seems you are unable to concentrate no matter where you sit, Potter, and the seat beside Mr Belby is only in the second row. I trust you don't need a map to find it?"

Potter hesitated, then took the assigned seat. The Slytherins chuckled darkly. Damocles Belby shot Potter a disapproving glance, as though Potter had slighted him.

"Very well, now that we are all seated," Professor McGonagall said, "we can begin. This week we begin transfiguring parts of the body with more complex moving parts. We leave the face to begin working on fingers, and we will return to the lips and tongue later in the term. Please turn to the diagram on page three hundred and twenty."

There was a rustle of paper as the class did so. Lily could feel Potter's eyes on the back of her head but she didn't turn around. She was done wasting brain space on James Potter.

.

.

Greta's questions were much harder to avoid than Alice's eye. Lily and Alice had arrived first for lunch. A few minutes later Greta sat down on Lily's other side, turning to face Lily instead of helping herself to chipolatas.

"Lily," Greta said firmly, as though Lily had already tried to avoid the topic, "how are you?"

"Fine," Lily said simply, eating another forkful of mashed potatoes.

"I mean about Potter," Greta prompted.

"Potter who?" Lily said, cutting up her second chipolata into precise quarters.

Greta frowned.

"Come on, Lily, I heard about the fight. You threatened to leave school."

"I was upset," Lily said, drowning her sausages in gravy. "Now I'm not. Next."

"So you're not leaving school?"

"No. Of course not."

"And you still hate James Potter?"

"Potter who?"

"Lily!" Greta said in exasperation.

"What?" Lily said, finally turning to face Greta. "I want a life where Potter doesn't control how good or bad my day is. So I'm not going to let him. Do you have a problem with that?"

Greta sat back in her seat, eying Lily with a new appreciation.

"No. That sounds good."

"It sound great, Lily," Alice said, smiling encouragingly.

"Don't be too happy yet, Alice," Lily said firmly. "It may involve a lot more hexing than you are comfortable with."

Alice looked conflicted and Lily returned to her lunch.

"So…" Greta began again.

"Eat your lunch, Greta," Lily said.

Greta opened her mouth, thought about it, closed it again, and grabbed five little sausages of her own.

.

.

In Potions, Lily filed in first and took Alice's usual seat. Alice hesitated, then took Lily's seat, which placed her closest to Remus at the next workstation over. Remus looked surprised at first, then a little disappointed, as he took his own seat.

"Hello, Alice, Lily," he said tentatively.

"Remus," Lily said curtly, with a nod, clearly not inviting further conversation.

"Hi Remus," Alice said, giving him an apologetic smile. Lily faced straight ahead.

Professor Slughorn entered and began explaining the next potion they would begin work on while their Polyjuice Potion simmered – a Hiccoughing Solution.

.

.

Lily made it to the end of the day and sat down to dinner, pleased it was something comforting like pasta. She tuned out her friends' discussion of the ball in three weeks, and stood up before any of them, for a stroll in the grounds before dark. The dusky clouds were good company, and she felt herself relaxing for the first time since yesterday. So far her plan had worked fine. Potter had left her alone after she'd been firm with him this morning. Not that she expected her good luck to last. But Lily was determined to win this battle with Potter. She wasn't letting anyone have that much power over her happiness ever again.

As curfew neared, Lily made her way back to Gryffindor Tower. She crossed the common room, ignoring Potter's hasty attempts to speak to her, and sought the safety of her own bed. She shut her hangings for solitude and took out her Charms homework – something calming. Tiger sprung up beside her and lay down on her bookbag to keep it company – or claim it as his own. It was hard to tell with cats.

.

.

- Andy -

Andromeda Black was sprawled on the sloping lawns of the grounds with the rest of her Care of Magical Creatures class, more focused on sunning herself than listening to old Kettleburn explain correct care and feeding of snifflers. A couple of the muggleborns were listening intently, but anyone else poor enough to want to keep a sniffler had probably already researched it on their own time. Term three Care of Magical Creatures was turning out to be exactly what Sirius had promised – a bludge.

"Working on your tan, Black?" Christina Fletchley of Hufflepuff hissed at her. Ah the Hufflepuffs, the only bad thing about Care of Magical Creatures. Andy cracked one eye open to smirk at her.

"Why, Fletchley? Want some tips?" Fletchley's pale skin went red and Andy's smirk deepened.

"It's not like you could give her any," Jasmine Applebee shot back. "Black describes your soul, not your skin."

Andy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like I haven't heard that one before."

"Hey, shut it," growled Amos Diggory from his seat in front of them. Andy sighed inwardly and allowed herself to fully stretch out on the grass, giving up any premise of listening to the Professor. Unfortunately, it seemed he was, for once, paying more attention to the students than his creatures.

"Black!" he snapped. "Sit up and pay attention."

"How much does it cost, Sir?" Andy drawled back. When Kettleburn didn't answer, Andy knew she'd gone a step too far. She levered herself slowly up onto to her elbows. Yep, he was glowering deeply at her.

"Five points from Slytherin, and keep your cheek in check or I'll send you to Professor Slughorn."

Andy worked hard to stop herself rolling her eyes. The head of Slytherin, Professor Slughorn, was so enamoured with the Black family he'd probably spend the time asking after Andy's parents.

Andy spent the rest of the lesson sketching in her notepad. She was spending the time doing something useful – trying to perfect her ability to draw eyes. She found narrowed, angry eyes easier to draw than round happy ones. Andy was just shading in a particularly good pair of hopeful honest eyes, ensuring her book was angled so no one could see it, when her quill froze in horror.

Andy had just drawn Ted Tonks' eyes. Not intentionally, of course. She'd just been practicing. Andy didn't even do portraits. It was like they'd just appeared on her page. In her panic, Andy had to squash the desire to burn her entire sketch pad to ash. Taking a deep breath, Andy took her wand and erased the eyes.

Letting out the breath, Andy shoved the sketch pad back in her bag and leaned back to watch the clouds instead. Class was nearly over anyway. Monday down, only five days until the weekend. Andy wondered if she'd see-

She stopped that thought before it could reach completion. Andy had no intention of seeing a certain blonde muggleborn, ever again. It turned out he had not, in fact, poisoned her with his strange array of muggle foods. Yesterday had been… an experience, but not one she needed to repeat.

Overall, Andy was pleased with her small act of rebellion. It seemed her dalliance had gone unnoticed, which was the safest course. Still, if pressed, Andy could throw her date in Bella's dictatorial face – failing to mention just who the offending muggleborn boy was, of course. Which would only infuriate Bella further.

Andy watched a line of seventh years trek back from the greenhouses. She froze for a moment, thinking she'd seen Ted Tonks, but it was only the blonde Head Boy. Andy let out a frustrated breath. She was seeing Tonks everywhere today. If she wasn't careful, her little act of rebellion would grow into something that was more trouble than it was worth.

.

.

- Remus -

Remus returned from the library to find Sirius and Peter alone in their usual couches by the fire. In fact the entire common room was quieter and more sombre than usual.

"Where's Prongs?" Remus asked, taking a seat on the empty couch he usually shared with James.

"In the dorm," Sirius said, not looking up from his muggle magazine.

"Shouldn't we be cheering him up? Talking to him?" Remus said.

"He's not in the mood to talk," Sirius said.

"Have you even tried?" Remus asked, frowning. Peter ducked his head and wouldn't meet Remus' gaze.

"No point," Sirius said, "he's not in the mood."

"How do you know if you haven't tried?" Remus said, standing up.

"Trust me, I know."

Remus rolled his eyes and headed for the boy's staircase.

"Your funeral," Sirius called after him.

Remus reached the top of the stairs and knocked. There was no answer. Remus opened the door. James' hangings were shut.

"James?" There was no answer. "I know you're in there," Remus said sternly, crossing to his bed.

"What do you want?" James said without opening the hangings. Remus sighed and sat on his own bed next door. He took a deep but quiet breath.

"We haven't really talked about the fight you had with Evans," Remus ventured.

No reply.

"We haven't really seen you since," Remus continued. "You've been avoiding us."

"I'm not avoiding you," James growled. "I'm right here."

"And is there a reason you're in bed instead of down in the common room with us?"

"I have a headache," James said, sounding like he was gritting his teeth.

Remus sighed.

"Prongs, I know you're upset about the fight-"

"I'm not upset," James snarled. "It was a fight. Evans and I fight. It's all we ever do. I'm used to it."

"Right," Remus said. "This was more than your usual fights."

"Whatever."

"James, she's so mad at you, she won't even talk to me."

This was the wrong thing to say. James tore open his hangings, kneeling up glaring out at Remus.

"Oh is that what this is all about, Moony?" James snapped. "You're little prefect buddy won't talk to you. Well boo hoo!"

"James," Remus said sternly, giving him a flat stare, "Acting like a five year old won't help."

"Didn't you hear Evans?" James growled, clenching his fists. "I'm a pathetic immature twat who's never heard 'no' in his life."

Remus sighed.

"Well this moping about won't prove her wrong."

"Oh really?" James said sarcastically. "So what should I do, oh wise one? Since I've tried everything else."

"You could try apologising," Remus suggested.

"How exactly?" James growled. "Since she won't let me talk to her at all. Or even look at me."

"Well, you could try writing her a letter."

James paused, currently unable to find a scathing response.

"Still, I'd give her a bit of space first," Remus added, taking advantage of the silence.

"Space!" James erupted. "That's all she wants from me – ever!"

James flopped back against his pillows and turned mournful eyes on Remus.

"I'm in love with her, Moony, and her perfect world is one where I don't exist."

Remus struggled to find something supportive to say, but he was a bit thrown seeing his usually buoyant grinning friend which such a doleful expression.

"Whatever," James said abruptly. "I have a headache. See you in the morning."

Knowing it would do no good to try to make further conversation, Remus said simply,

"Good night, Prongs." He wasn't sure James even heard him, as he wrenched the hangings shut abruptly.

Remus returned to his friends in the common room. Sirius caught sight of his face.

"What'd I tell you?" he said, raising his eyebrows.

Remus shrugged. "At least I tried."

"Prongs doesn't want to feel better," Sirius said. "He's had his heartbroken. Wallowing is the first stage in getting over her."

"A real expert on getting your heart broken, are you?" Remus said drily. Sirius shrugged.

"It's more a theoretical science."

"Well, good luck to you," Remus said. "Next time you can be the one to get your head bitten off."

Sirius shrugged.

"I'll go up later, we still need to plan our full moon adventure. Its tomorrow."

"Don't remind me," Remus groaned. He'd been feeling steadily more exhausted all weekend. And his thoughts had been drifting to the Room of Requirement more often than usual, which hadn't helped his concentration.

Reluctantly, Remus took out an essay for Defence Against the Dark Arts, stared at it for five minutes, then shoved it back into his bag and stood up.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sirius said. "We'll need you later."

"You guys plan this one," Remus said, picking up his bag. "It's not like I really get to notice the details on the night, anyway."

Sirius frowned in sympathy.

"Wormtail, have you got the cloak?" Remus said. Peter dug around in his own bag and produced it.

"See you later," Remus said, heading for the portrait hole.

.

.

When Remus opened the door to the Room of Requirement, he was surprised to find not one occupant, but two. Beside Vance's chair was a house elf. And elf in a lavender pillowcase, rather than the stamped tea towel of the Hogwarts servants.

Vance and the elf both turned to Remus in surprise. The elf drew back behind Vance's chair. Remus' heart went out the shy creature.

"Hello there," he said, walking slowly over to the fireside. "What's your name?"

"This is Chinky," Vance said. "Chinky, this is Remus Lupin."

Chinky the elf curtseyed. Her huge eyes turned to Vance.

"Will there be anything else, Mistress?"

"No, I think that's all for tonight," Vance said. "Thank you, Chinky."

The elf bowed to Vance and with a crack like a whip, disappeared.

Remus sat in his chair, noticing a spread of hot buttered crumpets and hot chocolate on the table before the fire.

"Help yourself," Vance said, gesturing to the food. Remus filled a mug with hot chocolate from the pot, cupping it in both hands.

"Go on, ask," Vance said impatiently.

"Er," said Remus. "So, Chinky isn't a Hogwarts elf?"

"No," Vance said, helping herself to a crumpet. "She's a Vance family elf."

"I see. And how did you get permission to have her at Hogwarts?" Remus asked, trying to sound offhand.

"I'll tell you that, if you tell me why you keep coming back here," Vance said, surveying Remus over the top of her mug.

Remus was surprised.

"Er, I come for the quiet, I suppose."

"But you have a dorm, usually empty at this time, I would imagine?" Vance pressed.

"Look, I can go, if you want-" Remus said, not sure where this was going.

Vance waved his words aside.

"I'm not trying to get rid of you, Lupin. I'm just curious. You used to come here for solitude, but this is no longer a place you're guaranteed to be alone."

Remus hesitated. He wasn't sure why he was drawn to the Room now that it wasn't solitude anymore.

"Unless you came for help with another illegal protect or homework dilemma?" Vance added with a quirk of her lips.

Remus sighed. "Not a dilemma, just homework."

Vance looked at him more closely.

"Are you well, Lupin?" she asked, her eyes scanning his pale face and purple-shadowed eyes.

"Fine, fine," Remus said vaguely. "Just a bit tired."

Vance gave him a knowing look, but let it go. There was silence for a moment as she took a crumpet, still surveying him, and bit into it.

"The problem tonight," Remus said, to fill the silence, glad to have an excuse for why he kept coming back, "is that James is holed up in our dorm. I don't know if you heard but I'm sure it will make the rounds of the gossip mill soon. He had a huge fight with-"

"Lily Evans," Vance finished for him. "Yes, I heard. Potter doesn't seem like the type to mope over a girl though?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Even James has his limit, I think," Remus said, taking a sip of hot chocolate.

"Yes," Vance said thoughtfully. "And Evans isn't interested in him at all?"

"Not that I've seen."

"So why doesn't he just move on? It seems he has plenty of other options."

Remus looked into the fire, thinking.

"A few reasons, perhaps." Remus said. "He thinks its deeper than a teenage crush."

"So do all pining teenage boys," Vance said drily.

Remus rolled his eyes. "Indeed. But Lily's right. James has never heard 'no' in his life, not from a girl he's asked out, at least. He doesn't know how to win over a girl. They've all just fallen at his feet." Remus looked into the fire as he put his thoughts together. "Most girls enjoy the publicness of his reputation, are grateful for his cheesy lines or gifts, for any time he deigns to throw their way." Remus rubbed his temples. "So I do think some of his persistence here is just stubbornness. He really believes he'll win Lily over. He just has no clue how to do it."

"But that's not all there is to it?" Vance said.

Remus hesitated.

"I think there is something a bit special about Lily Evans," Remus said, not meeting Vance's eye. "She's almost as stubborn as James, just as brave, but she cares about people. Well, maybe not about James, so much."

Vance was giving Remus her cheeky half-smile.

"It sounds like Potter isn't the only one with a crush."

Remus blushed and took a crumpet to try to hide it. "Maybe once," he admitted. "A couple of years ago."

"Mmm," Vance said, enigmatically.

"So," Remus said, keen to change the subject. "You were going to tell me about Chinky?"

Vance sighed deeply and set down her hot chocolate.

"I don't think you fully answered my question, Lupin, but I'll let slide for today." Vance steepled her fingers and gazed into the fire.

"Like all house elves, Chinky was attached to our manor house. And when it was… made uninhabitable, Chinky was as homeless as the rest of us. So she came to Hogwarts. Technically she's part of the Hogwarts staff, but she still checks in with us from time to time – we're her last connection to home, I suppose. It makes her feel less homesick to see us, serve us."

"You and your sister?" Remus said.

"Mmm," Vance said, not meeting his eye. Another mystery between the siblings, Remus noted, remembering that Vance also came to the Room to hide from her sister.

"So where are you living now?" Remus asked, concerned but not wanting to pry too deep. What had happened to her home to make it uninhabitable?

"With my aunt," Vance said. Vance attempted her usual half-smile, but it was a bit watery.

"And is that… going well?"

"Well enough," Vance said. "We only moved in with her over the holidays."

Vance finished her crumpet and picked up her hot chocolate, holding it in both hands as though savouring its warmth.

Remus leaned back in his chair and sipped his own drink. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he could see Vance was done with answering them. For tonight at least. And whatever might be going on for her family outside Hogwarts, Vance and her sister were safe at school – physically at least. Surely the damage to her home had to do with the vicious rumours Vance came here to escape?

"I like you Remus Lupin," Vance said, looking straight into his eyes. Remus, surprised, blushed.

"You don't ask too many questions," Vance continued, ignoring his flushed cheeks.

"Oh. Of course," Remus said, shifting in his seat. "No, well, I can see you're not comfortable discussing all the details."

"Sometimes," Vance said, staring into the fire, "it can be helpful. Telling a relative stranger part of the truth. Just enough to share some of the burden. Thank you, Lupin."

She gave him a sad but sincere smile.

"Call me Remus," he said, before he could think better of it.

Vance's smile widened just a bit.

"Remus," she said. "Very well. Call me Emma."

"Emma," Remus repeated. "I like that."

Then he blushed again. What did Emmeline Vance care if Remus liked her nickname?

"Well, I brought homework to get through," Remus said, turning to his bag to hide his cheeks.

"Yes, the never ending saga," Vance agreed. Even without looking Remus could hear the half-smile in her voice. Remus avoided her eye as he pulled out his essay and his textbook. By the time he was settled into his chair with his homework splayed across his lap and the armrests, Vance was already buried in her own school work.

Remus risked a glance at her. Vance's, no Emma's, hair was a bit less unruly tonight, though it still screened part of her face as she bent down to make a note from her book. The firelight lit some of the dark strands red and gold, and gave her pale face a bit of colour. She chewed her bottom lip as she concentrated, then flicked to the next page, blue eyes scanning the text purposefully.

Remus wrenched his gaze back to his own essay. It would not do to be caught staring at Vance. Emma. She came here for the quiet and the solitude. The last thing she was looking for, even without the mysterious tragedy in her recent past, was an unrequited suitor. Not that Remus liked Emma. He just enjoyed the companionable silence they shared.

They passed a couple of quiet hours in this way, pausing to refill their hot chocolates every now and then. As midnight ticked nearer, Remus' eyes, already tired when he'd begun, were refusing to focus on the page.

"I should head off," he said, packing away his books. Vance glanced up.

"I suppose I'll see you tomorrow night," she mused, "assuming Potter is still moping in your dorm?"

Remus hesitated, frozen for a moment. If Vance knew what he was really up to tomorrow night, she would never allow him to share the Room with her again. He needed to invent an excuse, give her a reason he wouldn't be here tomorrow night.

"Er," Remus said. You'd think he'd be better at this by now. He just hated lying to people. And he was becoming paranoid that fate would smite his own nonna if he kept having 'grandmothers' die.

"Sorry, Remus, I wasn't making fun of your friend," Vance said, frowning, confused by his reaction.

"No, no that's okay. I prefer to work here, anyway."

Remus had wanted to make sure Emma didn't think he was rejecting her presence, but realised he'd said far more than he intended.

Vance gave her half smile.

"Well, perhaps I'll see you tomorrow night, then."

"Perhaps," Remus said, despising his secret and the way it made him lie to people he cared about.

"And perhaps you'll tell me why you're friends with people you're so different from?" Vance asked softly. Remus froze. This was – how did Vance put it – a different calibre of secret to their usual fare.

"What do you mean?" Remus hedged.

"The arrogant 'Princes of Hogwarts'," she said, making air quotes. "Pranksters, womanisers, rebels?"

"Are you saying I'm not a womaniser?" Remus said, light-hearted in a way he didn't feel.

Vance laughed, a real laugh. "Remus Lupin, you are far too compassionate to be called a womaniser. And I'm afraid the list of your most recent girlfriends failed to make to the Hogwarts gossip mill."

Because their hadn't been any.

"Alright," Remus said, coming to a decision. "I might answer your question," (if he could find an answer that didn't reveal just how loyal his friends were, and just how grateful he was) "if you tell me why you're hiding from your sister."

Emma bit her bottom lip.

"I might tell you that," she conceded. "If you tell me yours."

Remus gave a grim smile. "Sounds like a stalemate."

"Sounds like a problem for another night."

Remus nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Well, good night, Emma."

"Good night, Remus." Emma gave him one of her rare warm smiles.