Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Remus Lupin/Lily Evans
Warnings: alternate universe; het; and mentions off-screen massacre
Prompts: (Pairing) Remus/Lily; and (Length) 420 words to 440 words

We Found Love
133. The Chain

It was late when Lily Evans entered the common room. She was having trouble sleeping. After tossing and turning for a few hours, she decided to get up and work on some reading in the common room.

Upon entering the common room, she was surprised to find another occupant. It was Monday night, the last week of the term before the Winter Holidays. Most students would be sleeping – unless they were Ravenclaws.

"Good morning, Lupin," she greeted with a polite smile. Out of Potter's group of friends, Remus Lupin was her favorite. He was nice, and he tried to keep Potter and Black in line while Pettigrew would just stand there and watch.

"Evans," he responded with a small smile.

"Rough night?" she asked, trying to maintain an innocent facade. Lily was one of the smartest witches in her year – her generation, if the professors' whispers and gossip were to be believed – and she had figured out Lupin was a werewolf in their third year. The full moon was in three days.

"Just a lot on my mind," Lupin replied, glancing at his own untouched textbook.

Stealing a glance at the cover, Lily saw it was History of Magic. "I'm planning to write an essay," she told him.

Lupin made an odd noise, looking at her with wide eyes. "Lily Evans hasn't even started her History project, yet? The one due in two days?" he asked, disbelief coloring his tone.

"I haven't," she answered, caution in her word choices. "I've been distracted." That was to say the least. Lily had received an owl from her parents last week. They were going on holiday with Petunia and her new normal boyfriend over the holidays. Lily wasn't invited.

He nodded, sympathy on his face. "I saw you the other day," he whispered, picking up his textbook.

A wave of fury washed over Lily. After reading the letter, she sprinted from the table to her bed, trying to holdback her tears until she was alone. She had made it as far as the empty common room before bursting into tears. "It wasn't a good day," she admitted, her tone a little short.

"Want to do work on the essay together?" Lupin asked, changing the subject. "Binns said we could do group projects."

Lily nodded. "As long as I don't have to work with Potter or Black," she said.

"James and Sirius are doing a battle reenactment," Lupin told her, waving off her concerns.

"I was thinking about doing something on the defaeco," Lily said, taking Lupin's textbook. She flipped to a selection. "The fourteenth century purge of blood."

Lupin raised an eyebrow at her choice. The fourteenth century defaeco was a muggle-born led rebellion that targeted pure-blood and old blood families – such as the Peverells, the Founders, the Graves, and dozens of others. Some families were whipped out and others fled the country while the remaining families – the Sacred Twenty-Eight – banded together to stop the purge.

"I think there is something to be learned from history," Lily explained.

Words: 440

This was written for

200 Different Pairings Challenge
135: Remus/Lily

The Album Drabble Challenge
Song: "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac (4:30) from Rumours – Write a drabble between 420 words and 440 words.