A/N: Okay, I took way too long with those last two chapters (and they weren't even that long!), so I wrote this just after I uploaded those. I'm putting At Last on hold until this story catches up (Honestly, Sirius has been hounding me, saying that these are "historical documents", so they're more important). If you think I should just do both at once (which really won't be too hard) just e-mail me. Or if you actually know me (as in you've seen me before, you're my friend, stuff like that) you can always call me. I'm sorry, but I've been in a bad mood the past couple of days (it's that time of the month), so this might still take a while.

Girls

By Wolf Speaker

Chapter 4:
Tears Under the Full Moon

"Sirius?"

Charlotte came running up to Sirius, and they headed off to the common room together.

"Are you alright? You seem kind of quiet," said Charlotte, seeming concerned.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I've just been thinking," Sirius lied. He was really preoccupied with how he was going to get the guys to let him tell Charlotte about Remus. Everybody knew she wouldn't go running off and tell the whole school, but they also didn't know her very well.

"Are you sure?" she urged. She really looked upset, and that just made Sirius feel worse.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about how Lilly and James have been doing," he said. At least that wasn't a lie. Lilly and James had been somewhat distant from each other for a while, and Sirius didn't know what to make of it.

"I know. Even when I got here, they were a lot closer," Charlotte said.

"And they were a lot closer before you were even here. Man, did that annoy me, Remus, and Peter," Sirius smiled a bit at the memory. "Once we saw them walking outside at night, so we threw a dungball at them."

"Wow, you guys were evil!" laughed Charlotte.

"Were? How do you know we're not still evil?" said Sirius with a sly smile.

"Because I'd notice if you threw a dungball at me," joked Charlotte.


*

"So what do you guys think about Sirius?" said Remus to James and Peter.

"I don't know if it's such a good idea," muttered Peter.

"I agree. I mean, we barely know Charlotte," said James. "I mean, we don't even know if she and Sirius will say together. People that get together that fast usually don't."

"Exactly what I was thinking," said Peter.

"Me too. The problem is, Sirius is completely obsessed with her-"

"You mean like you are with Molly?" joked Peter.

"-And we can't get him to change his mind," continued Remus, pretending he didn't hear.

"So what are we supposed to do?" said James.

"Well, we could always just try and see if we can trust her. You know, make something up and see if she can keep a secret," said Remus.

"Are you feeling okay?" asked Peter.

"Yeah, you're actually having good ideas today!" laughed James.

*

Charlotte was walking back to the common room after Potions, when she heard someone call her name. Thinking it was Sirius or Lily, she turned around. It sure wasn't one of her friends.

"Charlotte, can I speak with you?" said Severus Snape.

"What do you want?" growled Charlotte. She had never really liked Snape, and she didn't think she was ever going to change her mind.

"Look, I just want you to know, if you ever need help in Potions, I can help, alright?" he said rather quickly.

"That's alright. I'll be fine without your help," Charlotte said coldly. She wasn't in the mood to put up with Snape right now.


"I just wanted you to know that," Snape repeated, his pale face going pink, and he ran back to the dungeons.

*

"Lily, can I talk to you?" asked Charlotte.

"Sure!" said Lily in her normally perky voice, but her face was showing something rather close to sadness.

"Are you alright? You seem really tense," said Charlotte.

"Yeah, of course, I'm fine," she answered too quickly.

"Really? Because I'm getting the impression you and James aren't getting along all that well," said Charlotte cautiously, as if Lily would run away if she said it too quickly.

"What makes you think that?" squeaked Lily.

"For one, the way you said that. Also, you two just seem distant recently. What's wrong? C'mon, I'm your friend, you can tell me," said Charlotte soothingly.

"Well…" started Lily, her voice shaking, "I'm just hanging out with you more, because I never really had friends other than the guys, and James doesn't really like it."

Lily started to cry, and hard. They were lucky they were in their dormitory, because it was pretty loud, and would attract stares in the common room.

"Lily, you can hang out with him more if you want. I have Sirius, and the other guys. You know I can do fine on my own," smiled Charlotte.

Lily laughed, wetly.

"There, do you feel better?" smiled Charlotte, "I mean, I let you make fun of my abnormality, and if you don't feel better, you'll feel worse when I get through with you."

Lily laughed again, and said, "Yeah, I feel better. So, how are you and Sirius doing, anyway?"

"Fine. Let's get off that subject so you don't start crying all over my robes again," smiled Charlotte. It was true. The entire shoulder of her robes was soaked.

"Let's go down to the common room and play chess," said Charlotte.

"Fine, but prepare to lose," smiled Lily.

*

"Are you guys ready?" said James. Remus had already left (it was the full moon, he had to leave hours ago), and the guys were about to leave.

"I guess," muttered Peter (he never really liked to do this because the guys tended to lose him a lot).

"I've never been more ready," said Sirius excitedly.

"Then let's go," said James, and he pulled the cloak over the three of them, and they disappeared from sight.

She watched them leave from the shadows, with her heart sinking. She had asked him not to go this time, but he didn't listen. Honestly, Remus was more important to him than she was. She sank down onto a big armchair in front of the red embers and cried quietly.

"I really hoped you wouldn't be down here," said a voice from behind her.

Lily turned around, but didn't see anybody for a moment. Then Charlotte appeared, taking off an Invisibility Cloak.

"Where did you-?" Lily started.

"I got it for my birthday last weekend from my parents. Now, I know you asked James not to go tonight, but he's out having fun, and you should be happy for him," said Charlotte.

"They- they never told you about Moony, did they?" said Lily through her tears.

"No, and I'm a patient person, so I can wait," said Charlotte stiffly.

"Okay, but I'd just like to tell you, they're not exactly having 'fun' out there. What they're doing is really dangerous," whispered Lily, as if someone was listening to them.

"Well, I'm sure the guys can use common sense and stay out of trouble," said Charlotte. She sounded confident, but her face gave away that she was worried.

"What do they do?" she asked slowly.

"Well, I can't tell you everything, but they go into the forest," she whispered to Charlotte. For a moment, Charlotte thought Why is she whispering? Nobody else is in here at 2 in the morning, are they? but then realized what Lily had said.

"Are you joking? Why would they do that? When Sirius and I were in there, it was terrifying, and it was in broad daylight! I can't imagine what it's like at night!" said Charlotte urgently.

"Don't worry, they've done it every full moon since last year. I'm sure they'll manage." It sounded like Lily was forcing herself to say these things, like she didn't really believe it. Charlotte didn't fall for it for a moment. She walked over to the window seat looking out over the forest, and cried tears under the full moon.

A/N: Okay, this was kind of depressing, but it's just that time in the story. Also, I've been crying a lot lately over a guy, and I kind of wanted to make it seem like it's normal for people to do that (I've been crying for a different reason, but it's close enough). Anyway, enough of my depressive-ness. Ignore these Authors Notes, just read the stories. If you people actually do read and enjoy these stories (hell, you don't even have to enjoy them, you can hate them for all I care) then please review. I need a life, and this is the closest I get to getting my mind off of how crappy mine is.