(Note from the author: These are not my characters, my world, and my situations. They all belong to J. K. Rowling, and are protected by copyrights.)

"You know, you'll always be what you are."
Remus gritted his teeth and kept on writing. He wasn't going to get him to turn around. He wasn't going to let him get him this time.
"You think I'm not going to tell them, don't you?" Snape's voice whispered so only the boy in front of him could hear his jeers, "Well, you're wrong. That oversized git doesn't scare me."
He wrote faster. The twelve uses of dragon's blood are . . .
"I promise you, I will tell them," Snivellus hissed, "And then they'll know what you really are. You think your friends can protect you. You're wrong. You four had a good laugh at me that night, didn't you? You wanted to kill me."
And oven cleaner, Remus finished. He wasn't going to turn around. He wasn't going to . . .
"It's sort of pathetic when a Mudblood like Evans has to stand up for you," he continued, a little louder, "You like her, don't you?"
Remus glared. He was pushing his buttons. Of course he didn't like Lily. He knew that. Snape knew that. But that didn't stop him from saying it.
The twelve uses of dragon's blood were discovered by Albus Dumbledore in . . .
"They think that they can tame you," he said, "But look in the Dark Creatures book, Lupin. You're in there. You're a killer."
He shifted in his chair. He wasn't going to do it. He wasn't Sirius. He was going to be better than that.
"You know what the Ministry does to killers, don't you?" Snivellus sneered, "They lock them up. In Azkaban. Or worse."
"How about you do your work and shut up?" he said from over his shoulder.
He felt Snape draw closer. He knew that he had Remus now. He shouldn't have said anything.
"They can put clothes on you," he said, "And teach you. And protect you. But the world isn't too friendly to animals, Moony. How's Dumbledore going to shield you then, hey? I bet you're dead within a year."
His fingers gripped his quill, and he leaned over his parchment. He had to finish this paper before the bell rang.
"I bet your mother couldn't look at you after it happened," he continued on, "I bet she wants to . . ."
"Mr. Snape, is there something that you'd like to share with the class?" Professor Hall said sternly from the front of the class.
Snape shot back into his seat, and bent his crooked nose over his own parchment. He frowned as he began to scribble his essay. Remus sighed, and brushed his bangs out of his face. It was getting worse. Ever since yesterday, when Lily had stunned Snivellus, Snape had been merciless. It wasn't just disgusted looks in the halls anymore. It was pure loathing.

"Hogsmeade weekend coming up," Sirius announced, coming back from the message board in the Gryffindor bulletin board. Lily, Remus, and Peter were sitting in the common room, trying to study for the Transfiguration test tomorrow. Peter's work, since it wasn't N.E.W.T. level, was a lot easier, and the other two were trying to teach him how to turn a mouse into a bouquet of flowers.
"Great," Remus said, "No, Peter. You're not doing it right. You say the incantation after you raise your wand. Not before."
Peter bit his lip, and tried again, "Mosumalus!" he spoke, and the mouse's fur grew a rose colored pattern.
"Wonder if James will be back by then," Sirius said, and then sat down on the floor, "You think he's holding up all right?"
"Hope so," Remus said, and then took Peter's wand, "Wormtail, it's not that hard. Look, Mosumalus." The rosy mouse turned into a beautiful bouquet, complete with a golden bow.
"How do you do that?" Peter squeaked, taking his wand back.
Lily was still detached from the group, sitting curled up on the couch, studying the three of them. She had never really seen a group like them before. All of her friends seemed to be air heads and phonies. She had thought that's what real friends were. But now seeing James Potter's group . . . she wasn't so sure.
Sirius had taken a liking to her ever since the incident with Snape. It seemed that every bad thought and remark about Morgana never happened, and he was treating her with an upmost respect. As for the other two boys, they needed a little more evidence that she was worthy before giving her any true friendship.
Remus had awkwardly asked her a few conversational questions. Peter, on the other hand, had been asking her to help him on every single piece of his homework. The other two boys were very surprised that she had the patience to put up with him. Neither of them would have lasted as long.
"I wonder if James is still coming over to my place for Christmas," Sirius wondered aloud, "Are you two?"
"Yeah," Peter said, still frowning at his wand. Remus nodded offhandedly as he took out his own wand, and turned the flowers back into a mouse.
"What are you doing for Christmas, Lily?" Sirius asked politely. He felt that it was his duty to show some courtesy to her, since the other two weren't doing the honors.
Remus narrowed his eyes as he studied him. What had changed so quickly in him?
"I'm staying here," she said, "My family's going on a vacation to Ireland, and I don't feel very much like going."
Sirius leaned back on the edge of the chair that he was sitting next to, putting his hands under his head, "Why don't you two take a break from that?" he said.
The portrait hole opened, and the Fat Lady's voice could be heard, "Well, welcome back, Mr. Potter."
The four of them turned toward the entrance, and Sirius smiled.
"Hey, Prongs," he said as a worn James shuffled into the common room, eyes downcast to the floor.
"Hey," he mumbled back. He was dragging his trunk behind him.
"You feeling all right?" Lily asked, standing to help him. She took a hold of the trunk, and heaved it up the staircase for him. James muttered a "thanks" and followed her. Sirius followed the two of them to their dormitory, and shut the door behind them.
"Was it nice?" Lily asked weakly.
"As nice as a funeral can get," he said grimly, "They killed her with the Aveda Kedavera curse."
Sirius blinked, "The Killing Curse?"
"And I heard my dad talking to someone I hadn't ever seen before," James said, "The guy he was talking with seemed to know him well enough. He was willing to be his Secret Keeper. But I didn't know him."
Lily, who was sort of lost to begin with, said, "Your dad's in trouble?"
"I think so," James said, "He's been gone for a long time. He seemed to be expecting Wendy's death. And they were talking about how we're in danger now, too. I think they're out to get us," he looked to Sirius, "And I'm scared."
Sirius blinked again, and stared at his friend. He had flat out said that he was scared. That wasn't like James.
"That's it!" he said, and then ran to the door and opened it, "Moony! Wormtail! Come up here for a second!"
"We're studying!" Remus shouted back from the common room.
"Don't make me come down there!" he threatened, and then looked to Lily, "Out."
"What?" she said increduously.
"I said out! This is our room. Go to your own. Let the boys talk," he said, and shoved her through the door. Remus and Peter ran into her as she walked angriliy (and very confused) down the stairs and back to the hearth to study.
Sirius ran to James's dresser, and opened it. He brandished the Invisibility Cloak, and then handed it to James.
"I've had enough of this," he said, "We're going out tonight."
"We have a test tomorrow!" Remus exclaimed as if Sirius was talking blasphemy.
"Which is more important? A stupid test or our sanity?" Sirius said, "Now get under the Cloak."
The three of them stared at him, as if they had never seen anything quite like him before.
"What? You don't understand what I'm saying?" Sirius shouted at them, "Get under the Cloak!"
"Are you ordering us around?" James asked.
"Yes," Sirius said, and pulled out his wand, "Now get going. Don't make me hex you, Potter."
Peter squealed, as if he thought Sirius might just do it. But James pushed the wand aside, and smiled for the first time since Wendy died.
"I'd like to see you try," he retorted as he grabbed the Cloak from him.

Lily was still sitting, disgruntled, next to the fire, as the four boys shuffled past her and to the portrait hole. James swore that he saw her glance up to where they were standing, but she didn't react in any way. They continued to the outside corridor.
"Where to?" Sirius asked.
"You were the one that kidnapped us!" Remus replied, "How about you figure it out."
"Let's go back to that one room," Peter suggested.
"What room?"
"You know, the one that shows you whatever you want," Peter said, "In third year we went there."
Sirius thought for a moment, and then nodded to a staircase, "I think it was up this way."
They climbed the stairs, and found the dead end hallway that had been waiting for them to return. It was darker than before, and filled with cobwebs. No one had been up here for a very long time.
They walked down the hall, thinking about what they wanted.
"Somewhere to get away to," Sirius informed them all, and they didn't argue.
They walked back to the staircase, and then back to the dead end.
"Look," Peter pointed at the door that had magically appeared, "It's working."
The four of them quickly scampered inside, and took the Cloak off.
"We're getting too big for this," Remus complained, "We all can't fit inside that thing any longer."
"Oh, stop your whining," Sirius said as they looked around the room. It was a room with couches, Quidditch posters, bookshelves, and a burning fire in the corner.
"Excellent," he said, and took the lead to the closest couch. James followed him, looking around in awe. It hadn't been like this for the Quidditch party. It seemed a little smaller now.
"Why are you doing this?" James asked quietly as he sat down next to Sirius.
"Life isn't fun anymore," he replied, "We needed to get away."
"Look," Remus pointed to a table in the corner, "Wizard's chess," he looked to James, "Up for a round?"
"Sure," James said, and then walked to the table where two chairs had just appeared, "Are you black or white?"
"I'll be black," Remus said, taking his seat, "Go ahead. Start."
James thought for a moment, and then moved his pawn two spaces.
Sirius relaxed on the couch as Peter sat down in an overstuffed chair. He had a large smile on his face as he looked up at the ceiling. He was starting to like this room.
"I told you it existed," Peter said haughtily as he looked at the bookshelves, "Hey! Look, Sirius! It's a book!"
"No, really," Sirius said, "Didn't think there'd be one of those on a bookshelf."
"No, I mean, it's a book addressed to me," Peter stood up, and took it out of its place, "To Mister Wormtail," he read, and then opened it up, "'You are not pronouncing the incantation right.' Well, imagine that!"
"Checkmate," James said, slamming the table, "I got you again."
Remus laughed, and then set the pieces back to their proper place, "This time, I'm white."
"Fine, but I'll still get you," James said. Sirius looked at him. He was smiling again. The glint in his eye was back. He mussed his hair.
Prongs had returned.
"Look!" Peter pointed to a window on the other side of the room, "It's snowing!"
"What?" James said, as Remus quickly whispered to the black pieces to change positions.
"Cheater!" James's queen shouted.
"It's snowing?" Sirius stood up, and looked outside. Not only was it snowing, it was coming down in flurries.
"That's amazing," Remus said, as James's queen took a swing at his face, "It's not really that late in the year."
"Come on," Sirius said, "Let's go out and see it."
"All right," James said, and stood up from the table. The four boys grabbed the Invisibility Cloak, and ducked underneath it.

Soon they were outside, and crunching through the newfallen snow. It was already covering the soles of their shoes, and dropping at an enormous rate. They could hardly see anything three feet in front of them, and Peter yelled, "Let's go back inside!"
"Don't be such a twit," Sirius said, and flew from under the Cloak. Remus groaned, "Here we go," he said, and followed his friend out into the cold wet snow.
James took the wet cloak, and stuffed it in his pocket. No one would be able to see them from the castle.
"Padfoot! Moony!" he shouted out into the storm.
"Hey, Prongs!" a voice came from behind him, and he swiveled around. Hands came out of the swirling wind, and he slipped, and tumbled into the snow. Down the long hill leading to the lake, he rolled blindly, screaming.
He could hear Sirius laughing as he hit the bottom with a thud. Then came the shouting voices of him and Remus, and two bodies rolled to either side of him.
James joined in the laughter, and then looked at the invisible top of the hill, "Come on, Wormtail!"
But Wormtail wouldn't come down, "No, I think I'll stay here, thanks."

They opened the door to the common room. It was very quiet at one o' clock in the morning. All four of the boys were sopping wet with melted snow as they snuck through the room to the staircase.
"That was great, Padfoot," James commented.
"I bet it was," a voice came from behind the couch's silhouette. The boys froze, and stared at where the voice came from.
Lily Evans was looking back at them, in curiosity.
"Lily," James began, but she cut him off.
"What were you doing?" she asked, "You looked like the squid attacked you."
"And it's any of your business," Remus said.
"Moony, please," James said, and then turned to Lily, "You're not going to get us into trouble, are you?"
Lily blinked, "Why would you think that?"
"You just seem the type," Sirius said protectively from behind James.
Lily sighed, and then grabbed her books, "Just wondering if I could come along next time. I haven't ever used an Invisibility Cloak."
Then she walked past them, and up the stairs to the dormitories. The four boys looked at each other in a daze.

"No! Never!" Sirius said, "All right, I'll admit, she's not as bad as I thought she was. But she's not that good to go tagging along with us."
"Not to mention that she can't go with us every month," Remus said, "She's not an Animagus, and she's not going to pick it up in a few days. It took you three years. I would bite her. Maybe kill her."
"I don't believe that we should," Peter offered his opinion, "I don't trust her."
"I'm not saying that we tell her about Remus," James argued, "I'm just saying that maybe we should . . . just show her that room or the kitchens or something . . . "
"Never," Sirius barked.
They were sitting in their room, drying off before jumping into bed.
"And why not?" James said, "Just because she's a girl? Or because she's my girlfriend?"
"How about both?" Sirius covered up, his hair still drenched.
It felt good to argue about pointless, adolescent things again. Not if they should give their lives to save the world, not if their families were going to die. But about a girl. James smiled to himself.
"Right now, I want to get some sleep," Sirius huffed, and turned over in his bed, "Good night."
James gave a sigh, and then blew the candle out. It had felt good to laugh again.