AN/ Hey guys, I'm back from holiday! Here's the next chapter but I'm not sure how frequent the updates are going to be because I'm starting school again tomorrow, but I will try and update once a week. Thank you for reading this story and please review if you have time. :)

Helping out

Over the next few days Lily and James got used to living in their new house and Remus got used to a house without Lily and James. A week after Lily and James had moved to Godric's Hollow the full moon came but on the very day that Remus was supposed to change, James and Sirius got a call from The Order.

"Oh crap." James groaned and threw himself down on the sofa.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked looking up from the book she was reading.

"Dumbledore wants me and Padfoot to go out tonight."

"Well what's- oh it's the full moon!" Lily gasped.

"Exactly, which means we can't take Moony out."

"What will Remus do?"

James shrugged, "Probably what he did in the holidays when he was at home."

"Which was what?"

"Lock himself in a cage in the cellar of his parent's house."

"Oh Merlin, that is horrible," Lily stared at James in shock. "Is that what he's going to do today?

"I guess he might, but he doesn't have a cage in the flat. Well as far as I know, but I'm still worried."

Lily laid her book down and went to James, "If you're that worried about him, I could go round and check on him. I still have a key."

James took Lily's hands, "He wouldn't want anyone to spy on him, Lils. You know what he's like."

"Of course I do, James, but we're his friends and it's the first time in ages that he's been alone during a change." Lily pointed out sitting next to James on the sofa.

"Good point," James sighed. "Okay go round once Padfoot and I go out."

"Right. If I'm not home when you get back I'll either be at Marigold's or Remus'."

"Good. What's the time?"

"Ten to seven."

"I have to go," James stood up. "Are you going to come with me now or go later?"

"Bit later," Lily got to her feet and followed her husband to the door. "Just be careful."

"You say that to me every time I go out." James smiled.

"But if I don't say it, you won't be careful."

"And I love you for it, Lils," James swept Lily up into his arms and gave her kiss. "You know what? I think we should get that cat you wanted."

"Really?" Lily asked excited.

"Yeah. It can keep you company when I'm out."

"Ha ha," Lily laughed. "Can we go to Diagon Alley after work tomorrow?"

"We'll go when we have time. I love you." James gave Lily another kiss and then left the house pulling his coat on. Lily watched him go then quickly changed her clothes and grabbed her coat and bag. As she left the village she saw Bathilda Bagshot. Lily waved at the old woman as she approached her.

"Lily! How are you and James doing? I saw him leave a few moments ago."

"Oh yes we're fine thanks, Bathilda. James is doing a late shift at work and I'm just going to see one of our friends. He's not feeling to well."

"Aww that is a shame. I hope he gets better dear. You and James should come round at some time."

"Oh we'd love too," Lily smiled, genuinely hoping that she and James would be able to visit. "We're quite busy at the moment."
"Oh don't worry. Just send me a message whenever you have a few hours or something. I'm always at home or around the village."

"Sounds good. We'll do that. See you later, Bathilda."

"Goodbye, Lily and be careful."

Lily nodded and left the old woman standing in the street. She walked out of the village and then Disapparated to an alley down the side of the Marauder's old road. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was twenty passed seven. The sun wouldn't be setting for a while but she supposed that Remus could use some company. Lily climbed the stairs to her old flat and rang the bell. It took a few minutes for Remus to answer the bell and when he did answer the door Lily was sorry that she hadn't used her key. Remus was paler than she had ever seen him and the rings under his eyes were darker than ever.

"Shoot, Remus, are you okay?"

Remus grinned, "Hey, Lily. Not too good but then again it is the full moon."

"True," Lily smiled. "Stupid question really wasn't it?"
"A bit. Do you need something?"

"Actually I came round to see how you were doing without the boys."

Remus grimaced, "Okay at the moment but it's later that the worst happens."

"Suppose that's true. Do you mind if I come in?"

Remus frowned slightly then nodded and stepped away from the door, "Sure, but Lily please make sure you leave before the moon rises, okay?"

Lily nodded and stepped into the flat. Everything looked the same as it had when she and James had lived there; apart from the fact that none of their stuff was there. Lily sat down on the sofa and looked at Remus as he followed her in.

"Where are you going to go to change?"

Remus looked uncomfortable, "Oh I thought I might go to the woods or something like that. Look, Lily, you honestly do not need to worry about me, I'll be fine."

Lily smiled, "But I will worry about you, Remus. I'll worry about you because you're my friend and friends look out for each other."

"Thanks. Shall I get you a drink or something?"

"No, sit down, Remus. I'll get a drink, I know where everything is after all."
"But you're a guest." Remus protested as Lily skipped into the kitchen.

"Yeah right, Remus. I used to live here so I am not a guest."

"Fine," Remus sighed and sat down on the sofa, waiting for Lily to come back. "What did James and Sirius need to do for Dumbledore?"

"No idea," Lily came back in and handed Remus a glass of orange juice. "James told me about it today. It could be anything. He didn't tell me and I didn't ask."

"Thanks," Remus took the glass from Lily. "Do you think Marigold will know?"

"No. If James didn't tell me, Sirius wouldn't have told Marigold. Seen Peter lately?"

Remus shook his head, "Not since the dinner. I think his mother is ill again. Why did you want to know?"

"James hasn't mentioned him and I was wondering whether you lot had an argument."

Remus smiled, "Lily Potter, the Marauders never have arguments, we have shouting matches. And no, nothing as far as I know has happened between them."

"Oh right. Well maybe I'll get James to invite him round."

"Humm. When's Alice and Frank's wedding?"

"Not for a few months. I'm not too sure when exactly. They need to talk about it with Frank's mum."

"Didn't Alice say she was really scary?"
Lily nodded, "Yeah, but I've never seen her. When are you doing another mission for The Order?"

"Well I won't be doing anything for the next few days. Dumbledore might want me to do something once the full moon has gone. What about you, why aren't you with James and Sirius?"

"I was out late yesterday, but tomorrow night I'm going out again with Emmeline and Gideon."

"Forgive me for saying this, Lily, but you're lucky."

"What do you mean by that?"

Remus sighed and stood up, turning away from her, "What I mean is that I am going to be stuck in this flat for a few days and I can't help fight against him. I want to fight but I'm stuck here until I get better."

Lily was silent for a second, her eyes on Remus' back, "We all feel like that, Remus, and we can't always go out. James and I missed helping out when we were away on our honeymoon."

"That is not the same. You chose to go away, Lily. You and James wanted to go away. I don't have a choice." Remus turned and glared at Lily.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Remus," Lily stood up. "I'll go now okay? You need some rest before sunset."

Remus nodded and watched as Lily left the flat. Once she had gone, he snatched up a book and threw it angrily across the room. He was about to pick up another book when his watched beeped, telling him that it was almost sunset and almost time for the change.

Lily sat in a café a few streets away from her old flat. Her eyes were on the setting sun, waiting till it had completely disappeared before she stood up. She paid for her drink and then set off back to the flat. If James knew what she was about to do, he would try and stop her and Lily knew that she was risking everything. The Marauders could stay with Remus as animals while he was a werewolf because if he bit them they wouldn't change. Humans however were another matter. If Remus managed to escape from the cage he was in, Lily wouldn't stand a chance of stopping him from biting her. She paused at the door of the flat as she fumbled for her key. As she had been walking the full moon had risen and Lily knew that wherever he was Remus would have changed. The front door swung open and Lily walked slowly into the flat. She headed straight for the bedrooms thinking that Remus would be in one of them. She looked in Remus' room first, but found it empty, then she checked Sirius' and Peter's old room but still had no luck. The last room left to try was her and James'. Hands shacking slightly she turned the handle, but nothing happened.

"Alohamora!" Lily whispered and she heard the lock click. A moan came out of the room and Lily froze. "Come on, Lily," she muttered, "Its only Remus, only Remus he will not hurt you."

Repeating this over and over in her head, Lily pushed the door open. What she saw almost made her scream. There in the place where she and James had had their bed was a large metal cage. Curled up in the corner of the cage was Remus, but not as a human. The werewolf Remus looked exactly like the pictures Lily had seen in books and she had prepared herself for this sight, but it was still a shock to see Remus looking like them.

"Remus?" Lily took a tentative step forwards. "Remus, can you hear me?"

The wolf's head lifted and a moan escaped from its lips. Lily took another more confidant step towards the cage. "Remus, it's me, Lily," another moan. "I've come to help."

This time Remus let out a small howl and Lily looked round nervously. She saw a chair standing by the wall and hurried over to get it. She dragged it closer to the cage and sat down.

"Remus? I know you can't answer me but -" Remus howled louder than before and Lily started to worry about the neighbours. The walls of the flat were not very thick and if Remus howled any louder he would be heard. "Muffilito!" Lily pointed her wand at the door. Another howl shook the room and Lily looked back at the cage. Remus had moved. He was now as close to Lily as the cage would allow. Lily gasped then recovered herself. She had to do something. She had already noticed the cuts and scratches on his body. She took a breath.

"Remus, did I tell you that James and I want to get a cat?"

Almost two hours later Lily stopped talking. Her voice was sore but Remus hadn't tried to hurt himself the entire time she had been talking, but now she had run out of things to say. She had told him about the cat she and James wanted, reminded him of the wedding and of all the things they had done at Hogwarts, going over every single detail that she could remember. She looked round the room willing herself to find something to occupy his mind. Her eyes landed on a book. She got up and looked at it. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Lily glanced back at Remus. It was worth a try, he might like to listen to the story. But before she read it to him she would get a drink and Summon the rest of the series from Godric's Hollow. She'd start from the beginning. Ten minutes later she sat down in the comfy beanbag she'd changed the chair into, opened the first book in the series, The Magician's Nephew, and began.

"This is a story about something that happened long ago when your grandfather was a child. It is a very important story because it shows how all the comings and goings between our own world and the land of Narnia first began," Lily paused to see whether Remus was listening. The werewolf was curled up tightly in the corner so Lily continued, "In those days Mr Sherlock Holmes was still living in Baker Street..."

Lily sighed and stopped reading for a second to take a drink of water. As she did she glanced at her watch and saw that it was almost half passed four in the morning. The moon should be setting soon, she thought happily before turning back to the book. She was now on the last book in the series (fittingly called The Last Battle) and had nearly finished it.

"If one could run without getting tired, I don't think one would often want to do anything else. But there might be special reasons for stopping, and it was a special reason which made Eustace presently shout: 'I say! Steady! Look what we're coming to!' And h-"

"Lily?"

Lily stopped reading and looked over the book at the cage, "Remus! Has the moon set? I didn't think that-"

"How long have you been here?" Remus asked pulling a blanket around himself.

"All night," Lily answered getting up. "Shall I get you something to drink?"

"All night? In this room?" Remus stared at her.

"I'll go make some coffee." Lily disappeared from the room and once Remus had managed to pull his clothes from the previous day on he stumbled into the kitchen.

"What in the name of Merlin do you mean you stayed here all night? What is James going to say when he finds out?"

"He won't find out," Lily handed Remus a mug. "Anyway if he does ask I'll say I spent the night at Marigold's."

"That's not going to work." Remus told her.

Lily shrugged, "Oh well. You're okay and that's the main thing."

"Mumm," Remus murmured into his mug as he drank. "Well," he said as he put the mug back down. "doesn't feel like I've done much damage."

"You wouldn't have done," Lily spoke where she was now making some toast. "You enjoyed the stories. I think I'll leave the last one here for you to finish reading."

"What!" Remus almost shouted. "You were in the room the entire night?"

"Oh yes," Lily smiled at him. "Where did you think I was?"
"Sleeping in another room with the door locked, not sleeping in the same room as a werewolf."

"Ah correction, I wasn't sleeping. I stayed up the whole night and read Muggle stories to you."

"What the-"

"MOONY! MOONY! Open the door! Moony! Remus!" someone hammered at the front door and both Lily and Remus were able to determine that it was James almost breaking down the door.

"I'll go," Lily sighed. "I'm the one he'll be angry at."

"MOONY, OPEN THE DOOR!" James bellowed, banging his palm repeatedly on the door. "I DON'T CARE-"

"Hey Jami. How was the mission?" James stopped in mid-sentence as Lily opened to door. He stared at her then pulled her to him in a bone crushing hug.

"Oh Merlin, Lily, I thought something had happened to you."

"I'm – fine – James. Just- let – me – go." Lily managed to choke out.

"Sorry. Have you been here all night?" James asked releasing Lily.

"Um yeah."

"Where did you sleep, and why aren't wearing your pyjamas?"

"Because I didn't sleep here. I was up all night." Lily turned away from James and walked back to the kitchen.

James followed her after closing the door, "What do you mean you didn't sleep? What were you doing?"

"Morning Prongs," Remus muttered. "I think I'll go clean up my-"

"Moony, what was Lily doing last night?"

"Hmm? Oh I didn't know she was-"

"Do not lie to me, Moony."

"I'm not," Remus sighed. "I didn't know she was here until this morning."

James turned to Lily, "Are you going to tell me?"

"Fine," Lily sat down. "I was up all night."

"Doing what?"

Lily took a breath preparing herself for what would come next, "Sitting with Remus and trying to stop him self-harming."

"You were in the same room as Remus when he was a werewolf?"

"Yes, I was. So what?"

"So what? Lily, I'm sorry but it is dangerous. If Remus had managed to escape he could have bitten you."

"Would you have stayed with me?" Lily asked suddenly. "If Remus had bitten me, would you still want to be married to me?"

"Of course I would, Lily. I promised when I married you to love you no matter what, for better or for worse and I mean that."

"Then what is your problem?" Lily asked.

"It's that. Agghh." James pushed a hand through his hair.

"James, listen. This is exactly the same problem that I had with you and the other two running around with Remus at Hogwarts. Do you understand what I was talking about now?" Lily asked.

James nodded slowly, "Yeah, I do. I'm sorry, Lils, but I still have to say that it is more dangerous for you than me to be round Remus when he's a werewolf."

"I know," Lily spoke quietly. "But, Jami, you didn't see him last night. He looked awful and a little bit scared. I had to do something; I couldn't let him stay here alone."

James sighed and then took Lily gently into his arms, "I would have done the same, Lils. I'm sorry."

He kissed her head and then Lily pulled away from him, "Are you okay after last night?"

James nodded, "Yes. Nothing much happened."

"Good," Lily glanced towards the bedrooms. "Shall we go home? I need some sleep before work."

James smiled, "Don't we all, Lils? Come on. Moony!"

"Yes?" Remus appeared, his hair wet from a shower.

"We're going to head off. So we'll see you later?"

"Sure. Thanks for what you did, Lily."

Lily smiled at him, "Your welcome, Remus and I would gladly do it again. Just give me a call."

Remus nodded, "I'll remember that. I'll see you later in the week."

"Bye!" James called and he and Lily left. They got back to their house a few minutes passed five and went straight to their bedroom where they slept until seven thirty.

AN/ I just quickly wanted to say that the idea for this chapter came from the third film not the book. Remus tells Harry that Lily was there for him when no one else was and I thought I'd mix that into this story. Just in case you were wondering. R &R :)