Over the next few weeks, Lupin was more willing to allow Lily in his company. They returned to the usual routine of evening library sessions, and intellectual conversations in the common room. She stopped pushing for information, but it did not stop her from watching him closely. Since their conversation by the lake, Lily felt a powerful need to protect Lupin. It devastated her to know that he felt so poorly of himself that he did not deserve her attention or care. She became invested in his wellbeing, so much so that many of her friends were beginning to notice. Snape was also keeping an annoyingly close eye on Lupin, Lily felt that this was not for the same reason as her.
One day, on their allotted trips to Hogsmeade, Lily and Snape had decided to go for a quiet stroll on the outskirts of the town. Stood on a windy hill, they could see for miles. To the right they could see pointed, round towers, some reaching higher than others- Hogwarts looked impressive from a distance- Lily could hardly believe she lived there. She and Severus sat on a wooden bench, the damp of the seat seeping through her coat slightly. She tucked the black woollen coat further around her body and straightened her cream bobble hat on her head. To her annoyance, this caused wisps of long red hair to fall in her face and her mouth.
"I told you he's dangerous you know," Snape sulked, he briefly glanced in her direction, not staying enough for their eyes to make contact.
"I know you don't like them, but it doesn't make him dangerous," Lily responded diplomatically.
"To be more truthful, I hate them," Snape corrected, "Potter is an arrogant, self-centred prick, Black is just as disrespectful, and Pettigrew is like a lost little sheep. Lupin is something different. He's up to something dangerous and the others know about it. I've seen them sneaking about!"
"I'm sure you are only saying this out of concern for my safety Sev, but you have to let it go," Lily started. She was not sure what shocked her more, Snape's boldness to argue with her or the speed at which she rushed to their defence. "I don't like Potter, or Sirius and Peter much for that matter. That doesn't make them dangerous."
"Lily please..." It wasn't clear if he was annoyed that she was defending them, or just upset that she disagreed with him. Either way, it was not going to stop him from continuing his speech, "I've seen them. Potter and his band are not to be truste-"
"-Oh Snivellus, when will you learn?" A loud jeering voice rang from the bushes, James slowly emerged, his wand pointing towards their bench. "Evans, considering your reputation as a clever witch, I'm shocked you're still entertaining this greasy mouse man five years later."
Snape had barely any time to stand from his seat, a flash flew from James' wand. Beside her, Snape's legs grew rigid. His face flushed and his eyes watered in frustration, the top part of his body writhed and wriggled to get free. "Pack it in Potter you great bully!" Lily shouted, standing to her feet. James' eyes flashed sideways momentarily and he dropped his wand, allowing Snape to gain mobility again. This time, he reached into his own pocket and extended a wand. Lily quickly flickered her gaze in the direction of James' glance. She spotted a tall figure striding leisurely in their direction, James instinctively reached a hand to his hair and ruffled it slightly, she noticed he did this a lot.
Sirius, Peter and Lupin had appeared behind James. "Come on lads. He's not worth a second spent in detention." They walked past Lily and Severus, James went out of his way to push Snape with his shoulder, "Get the hint, Slime ball. Stay out of our business, and I may consider letting you keep an ounce of dignity next time I see you."
Lily heard Snape give a sharp intake of breath as though he was about to respond. He had also glanced in the direction of the oncoming eyes and thought better of it, he placed his wand back in his pocket and settled for glaring at the back of James' head. Although nobody talked to her about it, it was becoming apparent that James had made humiliating Snape a popular past time. Especially since becoming quidditch captain, James had developed many 'fans', they were often seen following him about the grounds, laughing extensively at his jokes and promoting his general big-headed behaviour.
"What a git. People like him don't deserve a wizarding name," Snape spat when the apparent professor had disappeared into a nearby building, " they are an embarrassment and it's a shame you know who hasn't finished them off."
"HEY!" Lily scolded. She agreed that James' behaviour was unnecessary, but sometimes the way that Snape spoke sometimes encouraged it. The more time he spent with the muggle hating Slytherins, the more toxic his attitude towards other people became. This is why Lily often preferred his company at home, and not during school time.
Within the next week, Lily began to spot the warning signs that Lupin was growing ill again. Like before, he became withdrawn and quiet. He showed up to lessons and meals but looked more dishevelled and tired. His eyes looked glazed and heavy, his skin was grey and colourless, he was reluctant to talk but Lily was glad that he opted against lying. Alternatively, he still wasn't being truthful, but he was open enough to tell her that he would be away for a few days. Curiously, rather than showing concern for their friend, James, Sirius and Peter grew more excited as the days past. In the common room, they stayed up most nights, their heads hidden in a book, and in the pages of some huge bit of paper. They regularly exchanged knowing looks and disappeared during lesson times to Merlin knows where.
As she had the month before, Lily chose to quietly monitor the whereabouts of the four boys in the evening, suspicious that they were up to no good. Now that it was mid October, the evenings were dark before it was six o'clock and therefore by seven thirty, the common room was usually teeming with students, busying themselves with homework and activities to keep them occupied. Previously, James and Sirius had claimed that their late nights had been a result of late night practice, however even Lily knew that it was not safe to practice flying after dark. Cleverly, Lily had chosen the table near the portrait entrance to write her potions essay. Dorcas sat silently beside her, grateful to use Lily's highlighted notes. At eight o'clock, Lily saw Lupin leave the boys dormitory, a note to see Dumbledore in hand. She nodded quietly at him and he gave her a small smile. For now, that was the best she was going to get from him.
The minute Lupin left, Lily eyed up the table by the fire where James and Sirius were absent mindedly playing chess. It had been five minutes and neither of them had made a move, their eyes kept flickering to the window and back to their game. James was the only one who seemed aware of her attention.
Another hour passed, Dorcas completed her essay and joined Mary and Alice on the arm chairs by the smaller fireplace. Every five minutes the three of them would erupt into laughter, Mary had bought a box of Bertie Botts and they were taking it in turns to guess flavours with their eyes closed. Lily was reluctant to join through fear that she would miss whatever James, Sirius and Peter had planned. An hour later, most of the common room had emptied to bed. All that remained were some sixth years frantically writing and rewriting a large essay; some first years ,who had fallen asleep in front of the fire; Lily, who had finished her essay half an hour ago and had been tracing the words of her last paragraph with a dry quill; and the three meddlesome boys, still playing the world's slowest game of chess.
Evidently, by ten thirty Lily was fighting sleep, her head essay was getting closer and closer to her face, or rather, her face was falling closer to her work. She placed her head in the crook of her elbow and rested her eyes. A cool draft woke her twenty minutes later, Lily watched as the portrait hole swung open and shut again. When her eyes had re-adjusted, she noticed that she was the only person left in the common room. Disappointed, she took herself upstairs to bed. She did not notice the excited events happening just outside her window.