A/N: I apologize for the delay. Life was crazier than I anticipated, and apparently I need sleep? Crazy, I know. SOOOO…. Here's the chapter! The song, BTW, isn't exactly descriptive of the chapter, but it felt like the perfect Remus/Ali Sirius/Cherry ship son, so THAT'S WHAT MADE MY CUT. Deal.

-J

"If feel so alive tonight. You've got me feeling sublime. I want to yell it from the rooftops down until it's over, and we're older… How do we pretend everything's all right? And how do we stay here? Do we erase all the fear inside?... So take me, but go slow. Let me hide somewhere I know and let this seed grow until we finally call this home… If I was to die tonight would it tear you apart?" - Seether, Tonight

I didn't feel that my talk with Cherry had much forward motion to it, but it did hold a fair amount of promise. After all, she had talked to me. We couldn't accomplish anything without talking.

How my life had become such a bundle of tasks I needed to accomplish, I didn't know, but I found myself needing to set up Sirius and Cherry, figure out how to proceed with Remus, and somehow pass my N.E.W.T.s. I wasn't Lily Evans. I wasn't Cherry Clark. I was just Ali Marren, so how was I supposed to do it all?

All I could do was my best. I decided to focus on one thing at a time. Cherry would be more likely to help me if she were happier, and she would be more likely to be happier if she and Sirius were together. So that was my first task, I decided.

But Remus, seemingly, had other ideas.

It was nearly curfew when I got his owl, begging me to meet him at the astronomy tower in thirty minutes. I frowned, checking the time. Even as prefects, it would be cutting it rather fine, but I wanted to see him so badly that I broke down and put on a cloak over my night clothes and made my way to the tower.

Remus was sitting on the ledge students put their school things on during class, playing with a little flame he'd made with his wand and watching it thoughtfully. He started a little when I slid in beside him. Then he smiled at me and I was glad I'd decided to meet him.

"Hey, Ali," he whispered, kissing my lips gently.

"Hey," I whispered back. "What's up? Shouldn't we be getting ready for bed?"

I could see, even in the moonlight, that he'd turned a bit pink. He brushed a bit of my hair behind my ear and kissed my cheek.

"In a couple of days, I've got to go away for a few days. I just needed to see you while I'm still myself, before I get moody and difficult to be around and–"

I cut off his words with a kiss. If he was leaving me soon, I wanted to spend as much time with him as possible, not listening to him blather on. I must have caught him by surprise, because at first he stiffened, but soon he was responding with fervor, pressing me against the stone wall, his tongue exploring my mouth.

With a surge of inspiration, I pressed my body against his, arching my back a little, attempting to get as much pressure between our torsos as possible. At first he tried to pull back a little bit, but as I would one hand up in his hair I took one of his hands in my other hand, moving it to my breast.

It didn't take too long for him to begin to relax and respond a bit to my physical pressure, his hands roaming my body, his mouth exploring my neck. Unlike with Sirius, it felt addictively good, and I found myself needing more, begging him not to stop.

My fingers had just begun to explore underneath his shirt when he pulled back firmly, visibly attempting to calm himself, attempting to restrain himself, which was exactly the opposite of what I wanted him to do.

"Ali," he whimpered, "I do want you. You have to know that. This is really hard for me, but it can't be like this, here and now. I'm too close to the full moon and I could so easily lose control and hurt you, and I'd never forgive myself, love. Besides, you deserve better than a stone ledge of the astronomy tower. I want it to be special, Ali. Promise me you'll let it go for now? We can revisit the idea when I get back, but until then it's just not going to be safe."

I didn't want to, but I agreed with his pleading because he just looked so pathetically adorable and desperate that I had to. Besides, his constant concern for my well-being was sweet, and while I tried to convince myself that it was unnecessary, my recent track record of taking care of myself was abysmal, to say the least. Would it be so bad to let him take care of me for a bit?

No, I decided. It wouldn't be bad at all. Especially since I clearly needed time to form a more solid plan.

I said goodnight to Remus not long after that because it was clear he was incredibly tired. When I snuck into my dormitory, Ashley was sitting on my bed, wide awake, eyebrows raised questioningly.

With a sigh, I pulled the curtains around us and she did a nonverbal charm so we didn't wake the other girls.

"Midnight trysts, Ali?" she said, clearly amused. "This isn't like you, you know."

"I realize," I responded dryly. "You know, Remus and I are prefects and thereby allowed to be out of bed after hours."

"Yeah, for patrolling, not for snogging and shagging in secluded broom cupboards," she laughed.

I guess I must have blushed, because she gasped loudly.

"You weren't–"

"No," I snapped. "We weren't in a broom cupboard and there has yet to be any shagging."

Ashley bit her lip thoughtfully and said, "Well, since you didn't say otherwise I'll assume that's a yes on the snogging… Do you want to shag him?"

But I didn't have to answer. My blush answered for me.

"Oh, Merlin, Ali!" she squealed. "You know, I've thought for a while that you two would be adorable together, and it turns out I was right!"

I had the strange sensation that I was a small kitten and a ribbon was being tied around my neck for Ashley's amusement. The thought was sickening and made me so angry that I had to remind myself that I wasn't actually upset with Ashley, who had done nothing wrong.

"So what's holding you back?" she asked.

I sighed, deciding to be honest.

"I need to discuss things with Cherry, but I can't until Cherry is happier. Cherry won't be happier until I fix her. I can't fix her until she and Sirius are together. And they can't be together until they actually speak to each other, but I have no idea how to get the ball rolling."

Ashley frowned.

"Hmm. That is a bit of a problem. Remember when your life was simple?"

We both laughed.

"Well," she sighed, "I guess you just have to force them to sit down and talk."

"Right," I said, rolling my eyes. "Because it's no problem at all, forcing two of the most stubborn, strong-willed people on the planet to do things they don't want to do. Brilliant plan."

Ashley snorted.

"I mean, you could always trap them in a room together."

"That–" I began harshly, but I cut off, a plan forming in my mind. "That actually might work. Ashley, you're a genius!"

She shrugged.

"I've been told. Now sleep!"

She left me alone, but I was far too excited to sleep. I had to make sure the whole thing was flawless, because if it wasn't, I would have two of the most strong-willed people in the world angry with me.

At least they might talk about their anger…

The following morning at breakfast, Remus and I sat down across from James and Lily, the latter beaming at us, the former grumbling a less-than-enthusiastic greeting. Marlene sat on James's other side and I decided the time was as good as any to strike.

"Is Sirius moping in bed again?" I asked sadly, and Remus nodded. "If only there were something we could do to cheer him up."

I went about buttering my toast thoughtfully, hoping my acting was better than I thought it was. When I could wait no longer, my countenance lit up and I dropped my toast dramatically.

"I think I've got something!" I cried, and the others blinked at me. Remus raised his eyebrows, clearly alarmed and suspicious, and James rolled his eyes, annoyed.

"Like you're the authority on cheering Sirius up," he grumbled. "It's all your fault, anyway."

Lily's fist came out of nowhere at about the same time Remus's did and James's face never really stood a chance.

"I was talking to myself!" he insisted in a while, clutching his bright red face, his glasses still miraculously intact, although a bit askew from the blows. "I've started doing that sometimes, there was really no need to assault me!"

We all rolled our eyes, knowing he was lying through his teeth.

"What's your plan?" Lily asked kindly, turning to me and ignoring her boyfriend's whimpers of pain.

"I was thinking we could lock him in a room with Cherry," I said, casually as I could muster.

Remus and Marlene exchanged uncertain looks. James began howling with uncontrollable laughter, and Lily's face contorted with a very purple sort of rage.

"Clark?" she hissed, clearly trying to keep herself funder some semblance of control. "Isn't that what started this whole mess in the first place?"

I gave myself a few moments to collect myself, get it under control, and I finally took a deep breath and said, "Look, they're miserable, the pair of them. I know they'd both be a lot happier if they just talked to each other, but I've got to get them together to pull that off."

Lily snorted.

"I don't know what Clark's got to be depressed about. She's the home wrecker in this equation."

Furious, I stuck my butter knife in the table and said, "Lily, her best friend just died, so stop being such an insensitive bitch!" Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, but I wasn't finished. "Try imagining for a split second that you were sure James hated you and then Marlene died! That's what Cherry is going through right now, so excuse me if I don't find your petty rivalry to be of the utmost importance at the moment!"

I got the sense that a lot of people were staring at me, shocked. Briefly, I wondered if this was how it had been when I was under the influence of the numb, but I didn't really have time to dwell on that. I stood up, still feeling a bit dramatic, and glared down at all of them.

"Fine," I snapped. "If you won't help me trap them, I'll do it by myself! I don't need any help from you unsentimental jerks!"

As I stormed off I heard James say, "Told you she was barmy."

There was a sound of smacking and another yelp of pain and I retreated to the Charms courtyard to plan my solitary attack. What was the one thing Sirius and Cherry both enjoyed immensely?

Skipping class. That was easy.

Now how to convince them to skip class at the same time in the same place?

I wandered down the nearest corridor, found an empty classroom and made note of where it was. Then I settled down at one of the empty desks, pulled out a piece of parchment, a quill, and ink, and bit my cheek thoughtfully.

Cherry,

I need your help, right away. I'm sorry, you'll have to miss class, but I have a serious problem no one else can help me with. Meet me in the third classroom on the right down the Charms corridor going away from the courtyard as soon as you can.

-Ali

I read it over about three times, decided it would get her there, and made another copy with Sirius's name at the top. I ran down to the Owlery as fast as my feet would carry me and sent them off, rushing back to the classroom I had specified. Frantically, I hid behind the door, listening carefully for the approach of footsteps.

It took about ten minutes for the first pair. I saw a flash of blonde and Cherry barged through the open door, panting, looking around in a frenzy. When she didn't see me, she pulled out the note, reading it over to be sure she was in the right place. That left just enough time for…

"Sirius," she said slowly and suspiciously as he rushed in. "Lemme guess, you got an urgent letter from Marren too?"

"Yeah," he gasped. "Where is she?"

"Not here," Cherry snarled. "But I think I can guess what this is about."

Their eyes met and I could see the stubbornness on their faces. I would need to make my move quickly.

"What's to keep us from just walking right back out of that door?" she pointed out.

I flung the door shut, revealing my hiding place and facing their angry expressions.

"Me," I said, matter-of-fact. "This is how this is going to work. You two are going to sit in this room and work things out. You two are going not going to leave this room until you have come to being friends at the very least."

"What makes you think we'll stay?" Cherry snapped.

"I charmed the door," I lied. "Only I can open and close it until you have come to a genuine mutual understanding of friendship at the very least. I'd suggest working it out fast, because I'm not giving you toilet breaks or bringing you food."

I cast a shield charm to keep Cherry from trying to charge me as I opened the door to leave them alone, then closed the door on their furious faces with a grin, locked it magically, and settled down across the hall.

"This isn't funny, Marren!" Cherry shrieked. "It's not even legal!"

"Oh, like you care about the law," I retorted.

"You could probably get expelled for this! It's kidnapping!"

"And you think anyone would believe you, either one of you, against me?"

That was one thing being friends with Ashley had taught me. Having a clean record made it easier to keep clean even after breaking the rules.

"Anyway, you'll thank me one day!" I called, silently praying that the day in question would come sooner rather than later, for the sake of my love life and everyone's happiness and sanity.

And then I counted stones in the wall, waiting.

A/N: It's a bit short, I know, but I had to turn it over to Evan. It just needed to end there. Will the work it out? Wait and see. ;)

-J