A/N: This is what I think likely happened when Sirius tried to get Snape killed by telling him how to get near Lupin under a full moon. Set in Marauder's/MWPP era, in their 6th year. Lily's POV.
I thought this was one piece of history that needed some filling in. I hope I'm accurately representing the characters and their (possible) relationships at this time. Please read and review.
I should also note that I've done a slight tweaking of The Most Ancient and Noble Black Family Tree. So I guess the story now falls under the category of A/U (alternate universe). But it doesn't widely affect the plot, and it is only a minor character that gets tweaked into the story, so I hope I am right in believing that the purists will forgive me? ;-)
P.S. - Thanks so much to everyone for reading and reviewing!
--------------------------
She got her books and parchment and headed for the door.
"Hey!" Tibby called, "It still smells down there..."
"Oh, I put a Refreshing Charm on the room. It doesn't smell that bad anymore."
"Really? I've never been able to do that kind of stuff. Andromeda keeps trying to teach me, but it just doesn't stick. I guess I wasn't meant to clean! ...Or maybe she's just not a good teacher. Anyways, hang on a bit. I've just about had it with Potions work for tonight, but I'm going to grab my book and join you downstairs."
"What are you reading?" Lily asked as they decended the staircase into the Common Room.
"Oh, it's actually quite interesting. It's a muggle novel Ted lent me."
"Really? Which one?"
"That's the funny part. It's called "The Lord Of The Rings" and it's about wizards and dwarves and trolls and things. Only they're all wrong 'cause this author was just making it up! Though there are some similarities, he had no notion of our world at all, that much is obvious...but it's such a good story, despite the inaccuracies. But there's a lot of other creatures in it too that aren't real. Like walking trees and hobbits and things."
Lily was then reminded of Sirius talking to Snape about the Whomping Willow. The two girls sat at the big window seat in the Common Room. Looking at the darkening sky, she said "Can you think of any reason someone would want to go near the Whomping Willow?"
Tibby shrugged. "Idunno...someone who fancies big fighting trees, maybe? Why do you ask?"
"Oh, it's probably nothing, but Sirius said something about it to Snape during detention and I'm just a bit curious, I guess."
"Hmph. Well, I've long given up on trying to fathom the minds of teenaged boys, so I can't help you there." Tibby opened her book.
"I take it you still haven't talked to Gideon, then?"
Tibby looked embarassed, but still had her eyes on her book. "No, and I don't intend to."
"Oh come on! You like him! You should at least talk to the guy!"
Tibby heaved a great sigh and put down the book. "Talk to him about what? Besides, he's a year older, I don't have any classes with him so I hardly ever see him, there's no possible opportunity for --"
She stopped speaking abbruptly as they heard footsteps from the Boys' Dormitory stairs. Tibby was always paranoid that Gideon or his brother Fabian or someone might overhear her speaking about what she termed "a delicate subject". She didn't want anyone other than Lily to know about her liking Gideon Prewett.
The fire in the Common Room had been reduced to burning embers now, so there was very little light except for the moon, which dimly shone through the clouds through the window and onto Lily's untouched arithmancy work.
As if by instinct the two remained silent as they now heard voices of two people entering the room.
"...I can't believe you fell asleep!" Lily instantly recognized the voice as James Potter's.
"Well, it's always best to get some rest before...especially since last month we didn't get back until 4 am!" She also recognized the second, slightly whining, voice of Peter Pettigrew.
"Yeah but you even forgot it was the full moon, Wormtail! Honestly," James laughed a little, "sometimes I wonder if you're going senile at an early age. You should have yourself checked out. You can ask Pomfrey when she checks out Moony tomorrow."
"Ha ha" said Peter derisively. "But in any case it does help to be well rested when looking after a werewolf."
Lily's eyes met Tibby's whose brows were furrowed in confusion and surprise. The two Gryffindor boys obviously didn't realize they weren't alone.
"Keep it down, would you? Someone upstairs might hear. I don't think we want to be responsible for the whole House knowing Remus is a werewolf." Potter said in a hushed voice.
Lily saw Tibby's eyes widen with shock, mirroring how Lily felt. Lupin was a werewolf? But he seemed so nice!
"Well, it's all right, isn't it? We set off those dung bombs and blamed it on those first-years, remember? There's nobody down here now."
"That's where you're wrong." said Tibby, who sounded as surprised as everyone else looked and felt.
------------
A/N: These chapters are unedited. But eventually I'll re-post 'em without the mistakes!