Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter franchise. Any recognizable characters/locations/magic-thingies from the series belong to JK Rowling. Author's Note: I know it's taken a long time for me to update this but University exams kind of got in the way. I want to thank my beta, Nooka, and everyone who continues to read/review/follow this story. The next couple chapters aren't all that eventful but they are building to something interesting, I promise!

The four boys sat in the Great Hall studying or at least they should have been. Remus was patiently explaining the difference between a Devil's Snare and a Flitterbottom plant to a rather anxious Peter. James and Sirius paid no attention to the books lying open in front of them, instead the two of them sat talking and people watching.

"The one on the left, Prongs."

"I see her, Padfoot, but I don't think she's much of a looker."

Sirius rolled his eyes in exasperation. While James had dated other girls before, his heart still belonged to Lily. To him, all other's paled in comparison.

"You're blind, mate! She's a stunner."

"Well, your tastes lately have been rather lacking."

Sirius turned in his seat to face James, giving him an annoyed look. "I'm not shagging Evie, for Merlin's sake!"

"So you say," James muttered.

"She wouldn't melt butter," Sirius insisted. James just shrugged and looked down to his books.

Ever since Sirius and Evelyn had begun socializing in a civilized manner, James was convinced that Sirius was trying to seduce her. She was a challenge and Sirius never backed down from a challenge. However, that was not Sirius' intention at all. He refused to admit his attraction to her by acting on it. Besides, Evelyn wouldn't be fool enough to fall for his usual tricks. They were just friends—well, almost friends. He'd just grown tired of being her enemy. He'd explained all this to James, but he was still unconvinced.

James refused to acknowledge Evelyn as anything but bad news. She'd managed to win over his girl and his best mates. He, on the other hand, would not be swayed by her wit. Admittedly she had a good deal of it, but that did not mean she was to be trusted. Lily just wanted to see the good in people so badly. Remus and Sirius were just trying to pump her. Pigs.

"I wish she'd come down," James said, after a while. Instantly his friends knew who he was referring to.

"She'll come down for dinner," Peter assured him.

"Leave her alone, Prongs," Remus warned. "Exams are coming up and you know how she gets."

"Well if her chaperone would just give her a moment's peace, she wouldn't have shut herself up in the bloody library for days." James crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.

Remus groaned in frustration. "She's not got her chained to the stacks, James. They're studying."

"Well, the exams are still over a month away. Lily never used to study this much."

The boys looked at him incredulously.

"Will you listen to yourself? That's all Evans has ever done," Sirius said, flipping through the pages of his Herbology text book randomly.

James ducked his head. He sounded ridiculous and he knew it, but Lily Evans just brought it out in him. "I know. I'm just being daft. But I still think they're spending too much time together."

"You don't think..."

"What is it, Padfoot?" Remus asked.

"Well, they have been spending an awful lot of time together. They have common interests, they're really protective of each other, and neither one has a man."

"What are you getting at?" James asked, confused.

"You don't think they're shagging, do you?"

James leapt out of his seat, ready to give him a bloody nose. The wink he saw Sirius send to Remus and Peter, stopped him though. He was just joking.

James smacked him upside the back of his head. Hard. "Bastard."

"So, she's not any better?"

Evelyn shook her head in response to Alice's question. "A little, I suppose. Her cough has gone away, but her allergies have been wreaking havoc upon her. She's promised to go see Madame Pomfrey for a remedy this afternoon."

Maureen had left the hospital wing shortly after being admitted. Her cough had dissipated thanks to Madame Pomfrey's cough draught, but the spring weather was taking its toll. She could not sleep through the night without her sinuses bothering her. Evelyn had supplied her with all of the spare hankies she had, but unfortunately there was not much she could do for Maureen outside of that.

"I hope she feels better," Alice said, tickling under her chin with the end of her quill.

"Thank you. I will extend to her your best wishes."

Lily, who sat beside Alice—whatever quarrel the two had had, seemed to have been resolved—looked up from her books, frowning.

"Will you two shut it?" she scolded. "We're supposed to be studying!"

Evelyn had found herself rather surprised by how serious Lily had become in the last week. Exams were approaching and she'd begun to study nonstop. She looked like a mad woman sitting there at her study table surrounded by books, with quills sticking out of her uncombed hair and bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep. It was worrying to see her friend make herself so miserable over a handful of tests.

"Lily, do not make yourself uneasy," she said, reaching across the table and taking the quill Lily was writing with out of her hand. Evelyn let it rest in the inkwell and then placed her hand over Lily's, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Please, calm down."

"She's right," Alice chimed in. "You're going off your nut over these exams."

"I'm not off me nut!" Lily defended. "I have to study! So do you! Evie, how can you just sit there?"

"I will study, Lily. It would be foolish not to, but I refuse to make myself miserable over these exams. I've been studying the material all year long, after all. Though, admittedly, I am slightly anxious about my Charms exam."

Lily shook her head. "You'll be fine, Evie." She fixed her hair tie to keep her dark red hair out of her face. She supposed that Evie had a point. She leaned back in her seat, closing her text book for the time being. "You're right. I'm absolutely knackered. Let's take a break."

"Thank you."

Alice also closed her book, not that it had done her much good opened. She was too distracted and ended up doodling in the margins of her notes instead of actually studying. They were mostly scribblings of little hearts with Frankie's name in them.

"Speaking of romance..." Alice began.

"We weren't," Evelyn interjected.

"Do I deconstruct your segues?"

"What is it, Alice?" Lily asked.

"Is Remus going to be joining us? You promised us both a peek at your Potions notes."

"How, may I ask, is Remus correlated with romance?" Evelyn asked.

"Well, he's friends with James, who's in love with Lily—" Alice was interrupted by Lily's loud groan of irritation. "And Sirius who fancies you."

Evelyn's face remained expressionless. She'd already explained to Lily and Alice what had transpired between her and Sirius. Alice was just trying to get a rise out of her. She was a rather nosey girl, determined to make it her business whether she and Sirius were courting.

"No, he doesn't."

"Sure he does!" Alice insisted that she and a number of other people, though she never revealed who, could see the chemistry between them. "Lily?"

"Hmm?" She was busy sneaking peeks at her notes again.

"Don't you think Sirius fancies Evie?"

"Will you stop with that rubbish!" She looked to Evelyn desperately then. "Not that he couldn't fancy you, Evie. You're lovely! But you and that tosser going together is ridiculous. You deserve someone better. What about Remus?"

Evelyn looked away. "I've already made it plain to you both that my association with Sirius is not of that particular nature. Neither is my relationship with Remus."

Alice shook her head disbelievingly. Sirius and Evie were either at each other's throats or were being overly pleasant to each other. There was something there between them and Alice was sure she was not the only one to think so. Remus looked as if he had the same idea. She'd wanted to ask him about it, but doubted he'd give her a straight answer. He had the knack of dancing around a question so that he'd answered enough to satisfy without actually betraying any secrets.

"Anyway, is he coming or not?" she asked.

"Yes, Remus is coming." Lily answered, opening her book up again. "I just hope he leaves those two bastards behind."

"Do you have to be so harsh?" Alice asked, humoured by Lily's blatant contempt for Potter and Black. "They're a laugh."

"Indeed."

The girls turned and were greeted with Remus. He looked much better than the morning that Evelyn had spotted him on his way into the hospital wing. He wasn't limping anymore and the scratches that were visible to her had healed. He was tired looking like he normally was, but not exhausted like he had been that morning. She was glad to see him improved. It cannot be easy to contend with his circumstance.

He sat down beside her and she gifted him with a small smile which he instantly returned. They started studying together, quietly and contently. That is until the rest of the Marauders joined them.

They were all startled when suddenly three more chairs were pulled up to the table. The boys plunked themselves down, James sitting as close to Lily as he could have managed without actually touching her.

"Hello ladies, you're all looking particularly nice today," Sirius said with that smirk of his. The arrogant look that he wore didn't annoy Evelyn as much as it once had. She was starting to emphasize how different he was from his family rather than focus on the similarities between them. He might be cocky and obnoxious at times, but he was certainly not cruel.

"I thought I made it clear to you that you weren't welcome to join us," Remus said, pinching the bridge of his nose impatiently.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sirius said. "I didn't care."

Evelyn tried not to smile with great difficulty. She did not understand why his rudeness and lack of consideration were suddenly endearing. She scolded herself silently.

"So Evans, what is that you're—"

"Fuck off, Potter."

Alice was trying desperately to make small talk with Peter, but the boy was painfully shy. He relied far too much on his friends' charms. Evelyn couldn't help but find it amusing how a girl, roughly his own height, with such an innocent smile could intimidate him so.

"Sirius, we're trying to study. We need to concentrate," Remus said. He was signalling Sirius with his eyes to separate James from Lily immediately, more out of concern for his safety than for her benefit.

Lily was finding it harder and harder to ignore the distractions about her. Potter was making it particularly difficult, trying to start up a conversation. He was failing miserably, though. All he did was give her false compliments and make jokes of how hard she studied. When he leaned a tiny bit closer towards her, she stood abruptly, gaining everyone's attention.

"I'm off," Lily declared packing up her stuff. James made the mistake of reaching out to stop her. She pulled back as if he'd burned her. "Stay away from me, Potter. I don't have time for your nonsense now."

Alice and Evelyn stood up, gathering their things, and went to follow after her. Evelyn halted though, unbeknownst to Lily and Alice who kept moving, never looking back.

Evelyn turned and made her way to stand next to James.

"It is very plain that you admire Lily and would like the opportunity to romance her. However, I must inform you that you are going about it the wrong way. Lily does not care for inconsideration or for bullies."

"Oh, is this you setting me straight? Looking out for her?" The dark haired boy asked, his voice was drenched with disdain. "Drop it. You don't fool me, Evie!"

"Despite what you may think, Lily is my friend and I really do have her best interest at heart. I am merely suggesting to you, that if you care for her as you claim to, then you too should be invested in what's best for her rather than what suits you. Selfishness and disrespect won't endear her to you."

Sirius opened his mouth, ready to jump in and defend his friend, but Evelyn walked away before he got the chance. He wanted to call her names but refrained. He had been the one to call for the truce. So instead he stood up and shouted sarcastically across the room. "Thanks for that!"

Madame Pince came over in a huff and ordered them out, proclaiming that she wasn't going to put up with anymore of their misbehaviour.

"Well done," Remus giving them a dirty look, as he shoved his things into his bag.

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