there was a difference between what you said and what you did.

Avoiding Remus should be easy, right? Not as noticeable. Especially since they do not share any classes Friday. But why should she avoid him? It's not like he insulted her. Remus complimented her. Yet, every time she thinks of that moment in the hall or glance over at him at the table she blanks. Adhara attempted to rationalize it to her not accustomed to compliments. Yeah, Fabian called her 'fit' but that term of complimenting didn't fare well with her compared to being called bloody beautiful. That's the kind of compliments she read in her young romance novels—not in the real world.

It took her by surprise and seeing how embarrassed Remus became did not help simmer down her embarrassment. He quickly said to her don't read too much into it but how can she not. No bloke just says that to a person without meaning. But then again this is Remus. Maybe he tried to make her feel better. That's the job of a friend—then again, all Thomas does is tease her but Remus is different. Okay, it's decided. Remus was just trying to make her feel better.

Adhara was thankful that it was Friday. That means that she had a whole weekend to shake off whatever that she's feeling and prepare herself for meeting Remus again. She did not need to be daft with him and her brother.

Fortunately, she had no plans for Friday night. Usually she would sneak with Fabian but he cancelled on her. Adhara was not as irked as she usually would be since she does not know how she would feel snogging with Fabian right after what happened with Remus yesterday. So, the only thing Adhara could do was fly around the pitch to distract herself. There was nothing like the wind through her hair as she soared across the pitch. She's usually not a rule breaker but when it came to something as simple as flying around the pitch, Adhara will risk it.

"Where are you going?" the Hufflepuff freezes at the familiar voice behind her. She turns slowly to see Lily, Alice, Zuri, Mary, and Marlene. Adhara found out that Zuri befriended Marlene, her housemate/roommate, and she was glad to see that.

"To the pitch," Adhara said reluctantly. Lily may be her friend but she is also a stickler for the rules.

"But I thought you were not supposed to—

"—yeah, that's why she's sneaking, Alice," Zuri cuts her off as she rolled her eyes. "Can we watch? Some fresh air will do us some good." Lily looked ready to object but seeing how anxious Adhara is for a fly she sighed and gave her a pleading look.

"It's fine with me," Adhara said and continued her way with them following.

"So…" Lily began as Adhara made her way up the stairs to where the girls were sitting. Lily knew something was up as soon as she greeted Remus earlier this morning. His mind was elsewhere and as she watched him over breakfast, it was easy to decipher what could be wrong. The bloke kept glancing over at the Hufflepuff table and so was a certain Hufflepuff doing the same to the Gryffindor table. Both blushing when they did so. Since Remus had Muggle Studies on Fridays (why would Lily take a class that she's an expert in) she had Ancient Runes, the most boring subject after History of Magic with Binns. She did not have a chance to interrogate him. "Do you need to vent?"

Adhara hesitated. Sure, she's friends with Mary and Alice but not as much as she is with Lily.

"C'mon, we can keep a secret," Alice promised.

Adhara sighed. She did need to talk to this to someone. "Okay…" Adhara hesitated. Her thoughts raced as she tried to figure out a way to explain. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of the tall Gryffindor. Lily raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. Only one bloke can make this Hufflepuff blush at the very thought of him.

"Is this about…" she trailed off and gave Adhara a look indicating she meant a certain redhead. The rest of the girls besides Zuri gave questioning expression. It didn't take long for the American to read Adhara like a book. The girl wore her heart on her sleeve. It was too easy to figure her out.

"No…" Adhara objected. She took a seat in front of the girls. Her storm grey eyes now staring at her fidgeting fingers.

"Well? Go on," Zuri encouraged her. Her usual impatience showing. "We're bored with our lives and we need to live through your interesting life," she teased. It took a while for the other girls to get use to her personality and cynical attitude. Out of all the girls, Zuri was most like Marlene so it made sense that they became pretty close over the last couple of weeks.

"I'm not that interesting," Adhara said. Each of the girls gave her an 'oh really' look. "You're with bloody Thomas Higgs," Alice stated. "You're the only one who's been with someone. Besides Marlene, of course."

"What do you mean by 'of course'?" Marlene asked with a glint in her eyes.

"Because it's common knowledge about you and Sirius," Mary replied. It was true. Even though for the past few weeks, Sirius has been vying for Zuri's attention didn't mean she steered him away from doing the same with other females. Girls was blossoming and Sirius was going to do something about his increasing interest in the female species. It was no secret that Marlene is a cute one but after hitting puberty over the summer, males was noticing certain aspects on the Ravenclaw. Sirius noticed how she filled out her uniform. She may not be as womanly as a seventh year but compared to other fourth years at least she had something to grasp.

The pair ended up snogging in the broom cupboard on the third day of school. Filch caught the pair and the rumors spread like wildfire.

"I'm sure Addie has more experience than I since she's dating an older man," Marlene diverted the attention back to the Hufflepuff.

"Only by a year," Lily noted.

"So back to what's really important," Mary said. "What's got you in a huff?"

Adhara nodded. She tried to school her impression but that only made her flush even more. "How would you react when someone calls you beautiful?"

Adhara was answered with silence.

Zuri was the first to break it. "Oh, what a drag it must be to be called beautiful," she deadpanned.

"Yeah, how bloody dreadful," Marlene added.

"Must be tiresome to hear your handsome betrothed call you beautiful all the time," Alice added. Lily patted her with a sympathetic expression. Alice has been a bit miffed ever since started. She confided in the redhead how everyone 'blossomed' (James mentioned it to her as soon as they boarded the train) yet Alice stayed the same. She was flat as a board with no curves. She would have been content with it if it was not for her vying for a certain fifth year's attention.

"…well, Thomas didn't say it," she mumbled. The Slytherin never calls her beautiful or fit. He merely calls her adorable as he pinches her freckled cheeks. All the girls' eyes widened. It makes sense now why Adhara has been out of sorts all day. No bloke calls her a girl beautiful without some feelings for the girl.

"Someone fancies~ Adhara," Mary sings playfully.

"Who told you this?" Lily tried not to sound too hopeful. Maybe it wasn't Remus. She couldn't see Remus doing that since he can be shy at times but then again, he is the 'courageous' Gryffindor.

"Um…Remus," she finally said.

"What? Sweet quiet ole' Remus?" Mary frowned with an envious expression. "I didn't think he noticed girls yet like Sirius."

Crap, Lily thought. She was so focused on Remus fancying Adhara that she forgotten the fact that Mary find of fancies Remus. Mary was just too shy to do something about it since she thought he was just as 'unapproachable' and popular as Sirius and James.

"Yeah, last night," Adhara admitted. She forced out a laugh. "I'm thinking too much about it. He was obviously trying to make me feel better—

"—or maybe Remus has a thing for his best mate's sister," Marlene cuts her off with a smirk on her lips.

"That's rubbish," Adhara scoffed. Remus? Remus liking her as more than a friend? She couldn't see it.

"No bloke calls a friend beautiful without having feelings for her," Mary explained. All the girls nodded except Zuri.

"Unless he was stating the obvious," Zuri said with furrowed eyebrows. Marlene sighed at her naïve friend (when it comes to certain social cues, she's not the brightest at this).

"Not everyone is like you, Darling," Marlene said. Zuri had the habit of just 'stating the obvious' just because it's the 'truth'.

"But back to the topic," Lily spoke up. She needed an inkling that her plan (not Potter's plan since his are completely rubbish) to help encourage Remus. "How did you feel when he called you that?"

"Um," Adhara couldn't fathom a response without giving too much away. It was not just his words that affected the Hufflepuff but also how he looked at her when he said along with how he said it and his reaction afterward.

"Self-conscious."

"Why?"

"I don't know," Adhara groaned. "It's not I get called that all the time."

"But what about—

"—he calls me fit," Adhara said about Fabian. The other girls besides Lily and Zuri seemed shocked over the information.

"Higgs don't seem like the type," Marlene noted.

"He seems like the type to call you gorgeous or something," Alice commented.

Adhara berated herself inwardly. She's been too busy thinking about what happened last night that she compared it to how Fabian compliments her. "I mean, he mostly calls me 'cute' and 'adorable'."

"He must still see you as a friend," Lily noted but she knew that it was lie. She only met the boy once and saw right through his overly friendly mask. He was just too good at playing the part of her fiancé. Remus did not need another bloke to compete with for Addie's attention.

"Merlin, what I'll do if someone like Thomas Higgs call me gorgeous," Mary sighed.

"But he's a Slytherin," Alice reminded the muggleborn. She didn't need Mary getting her hopes up in having a crush one a Pureblood Slytherin.

"Doesn't stop him from being handsome."

"It's not all about their looks," Lily scolded them. It was more than that what makes a guy attractive. Not like she would admit it to anyone but that's why she wouldn't see Potter as more than an annoying git. He's pretty cute but once he opens his mouth or start picking on Sev, that goes out the window. "But even so, Remus is a cutie."

"Do you like Remus?" Marlene asked.

"No, he's my friend and I don't want him to be looked over as a potential boyfriend because he's not 'handsome' like Higgs," she frowned.

"I agree. Everyone has their own kind of attractiveness," Alice said.

"Well, I want a rugged and sexy guy," Marlene said, her signature smirk on her face. "Of course, he can't be dumb as a door knob."

"So that's why you went for Sirius," Mary said.

"One, he's too…immature," Marlene said. "Good snogger but he's hung up on Miss Zuri over here."

"He just doesn't like to be rejected."

"But you seriously can't deny that he's fit, right?" Alice asked the American

"Well I do like how his hair is a bit long," Zuri said. "And his smug smirk can be attractive at times."

"That's Zuri admitting it," Adhara explained to the group. "Don't worry I won't tell him. He doesn't need his ego any bigger."

"So, what about you, Ads?" Mary asked, curious to see who the shy Hufflpuff would be attracted to.

"What about me?"

"You certainly don't see Higgs as nothing more than a friend," Mary explained. The other nodded, agreeing with her.

"Which brings us back to the main point," Marlene said. "Remus and Ads would make an adorable couple."

"What?" Both Adhara and Mary screeched. While Adhara looked as if her head was going to explode from all the blood rushing there, Mary was ready to cry her eyes out.

"Yeah, you both seem like each other's type," Alice added "Both quiet, studious, and while you are a worry-wart, Remus seems like the type to calm you down."

Lily agreed. Adhara glared at the redhead. Did she forget that about a certain fifth year redhead or chose to ignore the fact that she has a secret boyfriend.

"You shouldn't avoid him over this," Lily advised her. "Your brother will surely notice and make a big deal out of it." She was right. But Adhara was not ready to talk to him.

"It's not like you're confronting him," Zuri told her. "Just act like nothing happened. If you don't make it weird then he won't."

Remus knew something was up when Lily and her friends walked in through the portrait hole. He expected Lily to give him a knowing look but not from all of them. Marlene wore her signature smirk as if she knows your secret and Alice was beaming and jumping on the balls of her feet, trying not to giggle.

"Why are you staring at Remus?" James asked, suspicious to what they are up to. He was ready to protect his friend from anything necessary, even if they are a gaggle of girls.

"Oh, nothing," Alice hummed.

"He just looked so beautiful in this lighting, dontcha think girls?" Marlene asked.

"Oh, yes, quite beautiful," Alice agreed with a grin.

"Oi, what about me," Sirius jutted out his lower lip, pouting.

"Yes, darling, you're the fairest of them all," Marlene pinched his cheek before returning her attention back to Remus.

Remus was not daft. He knew what this had to be about. With the attention of all four of the girls and their knowledge of what happened with Adhara, Remus became flustered at the sudden attention.

"Aw, he's blushing," Marlene teased.

"What's going on?" James demanded.

"Just like Ads," Remus hears Alice whisper. Luckily Sirius didn't hear it but James certainly did.

"They would make an adorable couple," Mary said, as if she was admitting defeat.

"With Remus?" Sirius didn't bother hiding his surprise.

"Don't make it sound as if I had no chance," Remus kicked him in the shin.

"Well, we thought you were scared of girls—

"—not scared of them like Peter, here, but not interested," James covered for Sirius.

"Someone fancies our Remus?" Sirius asked.

"Well…" Marlene shrugs. "We just heard what Mr. Lupin did to a certain friend of ours last night and how you got her all flustered."

"Marlene," Lily warned the Ravenclaw.

"She told you?" Remus asked. He instantly brightens at the information of hearing that Adhara is flustered over what he said to her. She could be simply embarrassed but then again why would she tell her friends over a simple compliment if it didn't mean anything.

"We are her friends."

"Who are you talking about?" Sirius asked. "What did he do—what did you do Remus?"

"Sorry, we promised not to tell," and with that they walked up the stairs leaving the boys confused.

"What just happened?" Peter asked finally after the girls was out of earshot.

"Someone fancies Remus, that's what happened," Sirius cried out. He wrapped arm around the werewolf and pulling him in. "He's finally growing up and seeing the wonders of women."

"We're fourteen. They're still girls," Peter said.

"Certainly not Marlene or Zuri," Sirius said with a grin. He snapped out of it and turned back to the flustered Remus. "Now, why was those lovely birds teasing our 'beautiful' Remus?"

"Um…I can't say."

"Can't say or don't want to?" Sirius crossed his arms. Hearing about Remus of all people getting a bird flustered was too good to pass up. His curiosity was showing and he would not stop bugging his mate until he figures this out. "Come on, Remus, we're your mates. Why didn't you tell us you fancy someone?"

"Because, um, it's one-sided," he said. At this very moment, he really dislikes Marlene. With her teasing smirk, and the way she looked at people as if she could see right through you. No wonder Sirius snogged her. They are exactly the same.

Remus was answered with silence which is never a good thing when it came to Sirius Black. Remus finally stared back at the boy to see him watching him with a skeptical look. As if he was trying to figure something out.

"Sirius?" Peter called out to him but was ignored.

"You were with us all night so you were not with some bird," Sirius finally spoke. He was right. After finding Adhara ran off with Rigel, they ended up going to the kitchens, ran into some Slytherins and they couldn't just let them roam the halls without fear.

"You were with Adhara," Peter noted. Remus really hated how Peter chose now to say something of importance. "Remember, we gave Adhara her cat when we found them together in the hall."

Remus didn't miss the glare that James sent Peter to shut him up.

"Remus, please tell me you do not fancy my little sister."

"She's hardly your 'little' sister," James scoffed, ready to defend Remus when it comes to it. "She's only a few minutes younger than you."

"But that doesn't excuse anything," he cried out. Remus thanked Merlin that no one else was in the common room to witness. He was still stunned that Sirius didn't figure this out sooner since he can be pretty aware when it came to his friends and family. "There's rules about this."

"Rules?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, you don't go dating your mate's sibling and vice versa," Sirius explained. "It's a code among mates. I wouldn't date your sister if you had one," he pointed at James

"Yeah, because you're a git," James said. "They are not even dating yet," he referred to Adhara and Remus.

"Yet," Sirius repeated. His eyes narrowed at James. "Did you know about his crush?" James didn't bother to look sorry about it. "You did. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I asked him not to," Remus confessed. "I didn't tell him voluntarily. It was Lily—

"—Evans knows?" Sirius cried out. "Does everyone know but me? How long have you fancied Addie?"

"About a year," Remus lied. Adding another year would not help his case with Sirius. "Look, it just happened. I had no control over it and chose not to do anything about it—

"—which was barmy," James cuts in. "How'd he expects to win over Addie by sitting there doing nothing?"

"What if she never does," Sirius asked. "You see who she fancied in the past. Prewitt is completely different than you. And I don't think she's over him."

"Oh, she's not," Remus agreed. "She told me that she's still with Fabian and Higgs is okay with it." Sirius groaned dramatically as he yanked at his hair.

"Why wasn't I told this?" James asked more to himself than his group of friends. "We could of went another director with our plan."

"Yeah, because that's what's really important," Sirius muttered. His grey eyes went back to Remus.

"Is this about Remus' furry little problem?" James snarled. His hand fisted ready to punch the Pureblood if he answers incorrectly.

Sirius shoved James. "What? No, you prat. I mean, now that I think about it," he paused. His expression calmed. He turned from James and to Remus. His eyes didn't hold anger anymore—well, not as much, but pity. "Look, Remus. I'm cool with your monthly howling into the moonlight but that does not mean Addie will be. She won't shun you but…she'll be your friend but that doesn't mean she'll be more than that so—

"—bloody hell, Sirius, we're talking about holding hands and going on a date," James shoved Sirius back. "Not getting married and having kids. We're fourteen. This is nothing serious."

"Oh? So you don't want nothing Sirius with Addie. Want to have some fun like—

"Stop being a git. You know what I meant," James said.

"Ugh—I can't even…I need to think on this." All three of the boys watched Sirius storm up the stairs to their shared bedroom.

"Well…that went well."

"More like I lost my friend over this," Remus sulked. Sirius reacted just the way Remus predicted him to. If anything, he was tamer then he expected Sirius to be. Remus was ready for the dramatics of an overprotective brother along with yelling and maybe a small hex to finish it off.

"D-do you think Sirius is right?" Peter asked. "Do you think Adhara would…not fancy you because of your…condition?"

Remus shrugged. He never put much thought into it. And now that it's there, he doesn't like the answer that he came up with. Merlin, what was I thinking, he thought.

"Shut it, Pete. That's another reason why Addie's a perfect choice," James explained as he sat next to the overthinking Remus. He pulled the werewolf out of his thoughts as he wrapped an arm around him. "She's a bloody Hufflepuff. She might get scared but after thinking about it she'll know that's he's just a puppy majority of the times—

"—and a dangerous monster the other times," Remus muttered.

"Only once a month," Peter said.

"Yeah, aren't birds the same?" James joked. "They're all cute and giggly for about a couple of weeks and then for about one week they turn into harpies."

"Don't let Lily hear that."

Sirius avoided them for the rest of the weekend. Well, as much as one could when there is nowhere else to go. Sometimes the bloke would just sit with them but not say anything. He would just wear a pensive expression. He couldn't skive off quidditch practice. If he was not snogging a girl in the broom cupboard, he would be with Adhara and sulk.

"He's being a prat," James said. "He'll come around."

"I was fine before you and Lily came along and ruined it," Remus said. "I would have been content with being in the friend zone."

Adhara watched her brother again, not bothering to hide that she's staring at him. It was quite obvious that he had a row with his mates. She looked at Sirius as he scratched Rigel's ears.

"So…what happened?" she finally asked him.

"Nothing happened," he mumbled.

"Then why are you avoiding them and hanging out with me?" she bumped him on the shoulder so that he can look up at her. He continued to lock eyes with Rigel.

"I can't hang out with my sister, just because?" Sirius finally looked at her. Instead of his usual playful smile, he wore a brooding expression.

"What?"

"So…I heard you're still with Prewitt."

"Remus told you, huh?" she chuckled. "So whatcha' gonna' do? Yell?"

Sirius shrugged. He knew yelling and being angry wouldn't do much with Adhara. She's not as affected by his anger as most. If anything, she fires back just as much as he does. While Sirius could be angered by almost anything since he inherited his mother's temper, Addie got hers from their father's (though she's easier to break then him since she's still young and emotional).

"I'll save that for later."

"Thanks for the consideration."

"You're a being a git about this," Lily told him. Sirius did not have the patience to deal with this. He leaned back in his chair as he crossed his arms. He came to the library for some peace and quiet to think. Much to his surprise, it was not just Lily there but also Zuri who watched him with amusement. At least she was giving something other than nonchalance.

"Did you come to yell at me, too, love?" he asked the American. She didn't seem like the type. If anything, Zuri seems more like the bird to use cutting words in a calm voice but still make someone cry for their mum.

"Oh, no. That's why Lily is here for," she replied as she points at the furious redhead.

"And this is about…"

"Don't play daft," Lily demanded. "We know that you know about Remus."

"And how he betrayed me," Sirius clarified.

Zuri scoffed. "Oh, please. How did Lupin betray you? Some people cannot control who they fancy. So really you should blame the uncontrollable."

"So you wouldn't mind your best mate dating your sibling—do you even have one? Could you possibly understand?" Sirius asked her. Zuri didn't answer immediately. She took her time as she made her way to the chair beside him.

"An older brother," she finally revealed. "And it depends since our siblings and best mates are different."

"Do tell," he requested.

"Well, you have to think would they be a good match for each other," Zuri said.

"Which they are," Lily added. "They would complement each other. At least it's not Potter who fancies her. How would you react then?"

The thought of James having a thing for his sister made Sirius ball up his fist involuntarily. Sirius loves James like a brother because they think alike. Their personalities bounced off each other's and made something beautiful. And how he hates to admit it, James is similar to Prewitt. If it wasn't for Addie fancying the redhead and vice versa, he could see themselves being mates. But why think about what could or would have been?

"So what's wrong with Remus liking Adhara?" Zuri asked. "Out of all your friends, he's the best choice, huh?"

Sirius looked up from his balled-up fists and to Zuri's peculiar eyes. He rubbed the short whiskers on his chin. His eyes diverted to Lily's. "What did Marlene mean when she referred to how Addie reacted?"

"Well, she was flustered," Zuri chuckled. "He called her beautiful."

"She's…confused," Lily explained. "She may not know it yet but she's starting to realize that Prewitt is not all what she thought he would be."

Sirius nodded.

"You're not mad that he fancies her," Lily guessed. "You're just mad that he kept it from you."

Sirius shrugged "More or less." Because when it comes down to it, there is no one Sirius trusts with his sister other than Remus. Mischievous yet friendly and understanding. He's witty and yet he keeps to himself. Being a werewolf could do that to a person. So, if Remus fancies someone and wants to do something about it (with the persuasion of James and Lily) then he must see this more than just a snog and holding hands. He likes her. He sees the risk and is willing to take it.

And thinking about bloody Prewitt and finding out that he's still with his sister, that didn't sit well with Sirius. The guy's been flirting around and Sirius knows that it isn't just an act. He even heard a rumor how he snuck Amora Flaxley to his room. What will happen once she finds out?

Higgs.

He may be a better choice than Prewitt but he's a Slytherin for a reason and that swarmy smirk always pissed him off. Adhara will be forced to marry the bloke and be stuck with him and living the life Walbruga wants her to live. If anyone can help guide her in the right direction and stop her from being cautious about everything it would be Remus. Good ole' patient Remus.

It was another day of Sirius ignoring them. James just had about enough of his immatureness. The boy was ready to call him a drama-queen when he saw Sirius finish his dinner and getting ready to leave. Sirius paused at their table. An expressionless face on as he locked eyes with Remus and then James.

"Emergency meeting after dinner in our room," he said before walking off.

"Can he be any more dramatic?" James muttered as he stood up to follow him.

All three boys entered their room to see Sirius waiting. He stood with his hands behind his back with a stern look.

"Are you done being a prat?" James asked.

Sirius overlooked him and turned to Remus. "I-I'm sorry. I can stop—

"—no need, my friend," he sighed. "I understand. It's a curse."

"Curse?" Peter asked.

"Yes. The Black genetics are strong. Even I cannot control who wants to shag me in the nearest—

"—you git," Sirius was tackled on the floor by James. "You ignored us for days and then start joking with us? You had us worried. You owe Remus an apology."

"Me? What about you—never mind that," Sirius shoved James away. "After much deliberation, I accept Remus as my sister's suitor."

A/N: Hope y'all like it. Sorry there was no interaction among the Addie and Remus. Please tell me your thoughts. I promise next chapter they will talk.

Next Chapter:

Sirius helps with Operation: Get Remus and Adhara Together aka GRAT.

Adhara realizes she sees Remus in a different light than Peter and James

A Book Club is made.