As we made it back to the dorm, I collapsed on Remus's bed and he fell next to me as well, breathless. I started giggling slightly, and after a few confused glances, he did as well.

"Can't believe...we didn't notice...what Peter...was doing!" I said, talking between deep breaths. Remus laughed softly to himself and I threw my head down on his pillow, pushing my hand against my heart in an attempt to slow the pace of it down.

"I know. It was certainly...odd..." He said, giggling. "The whole thing was very odd, there aren't any other words to describe it!" I laughed and shook my head.

"I'd have never have guessed."

"Me neither."

"He always seemed to hate her though. He complained about her all the time. I always thought that they'd end up killing each other one day." Remus paused thoughtfully.

"Maybe it's true, then."

"Maybe what's true?"

"That if a guy picks on someone constantly, it means they fancy them." We both paused, thinking.

"Yeah, right." I said, giving him an odd look. "If that's true, not only am I going to grow up gay and form a wonderful relationship with Snape, but I better start fighting you, James, and the rest of the word for him now!" Remus chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"It would be a quick way to end the world though, I suppose." I told him. "I mean, how quickly would everyone be killed? We'd all be jumping on each other so that we can be the perfect lover for Snapey. I would win of course, so sorry if I have to kill you at any point in the future." Remus nodded solemnly.

"And I too am sorry for when I have to kill you." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You better be staying away from my man," I said, holding up a fist. Remus laughed loudly and pulled his shoe off, causing me to yell and cover my head. At which point, the door slammed open and an irritated looking James walked in, carrying an aimlessly giggling Peter in his left hand.

"Now." He said, coldly. "I think it's time we - " He stopped, and looked at us, me curled up in a ball with Remus standing above me, holding his huge show above my head threateningly. I uncurled myself slowly, and gave him a very serious look. To the side of me, Remus dropped the shoe on the floor and pulled the other one off next to it. I ran my fingers through my hair quickly, my expression never changing. "Right. Well." James muttered, looking nowhere near as furious as he had seemed to be a few seconds before. "Just...just don't stalk me again, alright?"

"It was hardly stalking." I said, ignoring Remus's jabs into my chest. "You were right next to us."

"Yeah, guess you're right." James said, sighing. That was an unexpected response. Why wasn't he yelling at me or throwing things? I couldn't work out whether I preferred to be safe, or to have the normal James back. I looked at him for a while, unsure of what to say. Remus pushed me over slightly and sat down next to me.

"So, how long has this been going on?" He asked.

"Since this morning, really." He said. I smirked at him, but he shook his head at me. "Sirius, I wouldn't have believed it either." He said in a very confused way. "It was just...you know I was late getting up, right?" We both nodded. "Well just as I was coming down after you, I bumped into her. And...she said some things...I said some things back...it was a strange experience...and then I went into the forest after you. Well, just as I was getting to the forest, she came up behind me, said some more things, and...well...that's when you came along." I nodded.

"I take it you aren't going to tell us what these THINGS are?" I asked him. He stared at me.

"Do you really want to know the details, Si?" He asked.

"Oh...lovey dovey kind of details." I said, pulling a face. James nodded. "Well you still abandoned us." I said, frowning slightly. "We had to wake up at 5am and we didn't even get to have the meeting. We could have stayed in bed," I said, glaring at Remus, who ignored me completely.

"I'm sorry. I'd have rather been with you and you know that. But things happen." He said, shrugging. "We can have the meeting now."

"The moods gone." I said, shaking my head. "I think the whole situation died after Peter here suggested we take away Snape's bedcurtains as some kind of cruel, cruel revenge." James stared at me. "Yeah, that's what we said."

"I don't get it." He said, in a questionning voice. I shrugged, but he ignored me and shook his head at Peter instead. "What is wrong with you?" He asked, in a mystified voice. "First you think we should steal curtains...I mean what kind of revenge is that?" He walked over to Peter's bed and pulled back the curtains, doing a hilarious impression of an upset face. "Oh no, are you going to go and cry now?" He asked, his voice getting louder. "Is you all upsetted cos your curtains are not there? And then," He continued. "You are the worst hider EVER. I mean, I get that you guys shouldn't have been watching me and all, but I can live with that. I just worry about our future plans if you are going to hide that pathetically, surely you knew that we could see you?" I burst into a loud fit of laughter, and James joined me. Peter didn't seem to react at all, and I was just about to start insulting him some more until I got something out of him, when Remus gave us a stern look.

"Just cut it out now you two, we get the point." He said.

"Yeah, but it's funny, cos - " James began.

"It's funny to an extent." Remus said, cutting him off. "Now you're getting out of line, just give it a rest, he's your friend remember, and he's never done anything like that to you two, so you should stop doing it to him." Smirking slightly, James apologised to Remus, still refusing to acknowledge Peter.

"Yeah, but the only reason he doesn't do it back is because he knows that we will kick his - " Remus shot me a dirty look and I shut up. "Sorry Remus," I said, sighing, smirking slightly at James's giggles from my side. "Honestly Remus, you should lighten up a bit, we're only having a bit of fun. We don't mean any harm." He ignored me, and I decided it was best not to push it any further, but couldn't help exhanging looks and smirking at James on a few ocassions.

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I nudged James as Lily entered the Great Hall. He looked up vaguely to see what it was I wanted to show him, shrugged slightly, and then went back to putting bacon on his plate. She noticed me staring over at her and gave a nervous wave, which I ignored completely. I felt a bit mean actually. It's not LIKE me to feel mean and I hated that I was, but she didn't do anything to me, I was just irritated for some unknown reason. Next to me, James was still ignoring her and piling more and more bacon onto his plate, eyeing a particuarly large piece of mine that I was poking with my fork.

"Hey, James." Remus said quietly, looking in Lily's direction. James nodded but remained silent, still checking up on what everyone else was having for breakfast. I looked up at her. She was still staring at James, trying to will him to look up at her. This was just nasty. And not picking-on-Snape kindof nasty, because that was just plain funny. Lily's friend, a girl she was normally with, pulled her arm slightly and tried to pull her away. After a few seconds more, Lily shook her head at him, and followed the girl to two seats at the end of the table.

"She's gone." I told him. James nodded.

"Good." He looked up briefly to see where she had gone, and instantly looked downwards as he caught her eye.

"James..." I began. He nodded, but didn't look up. "Oh, just have it." I snapped, throwing my piece of bacon on his plate. "Maybe it's you that should turn into a dog, you're sitting there begging like one." I looked over to see if Lily was still watching us. She wasn't, but I felt certain I had felt her eyes on us a moment before. She was helping a friend with what looked like potions homework. Oh, crap. Potions homework. Oh well, like the teacher was going to do anything if I didn't hand it in. She must have felt my eyes on me as she turned to look at me. I smiled weakly and she did the same back, before going back to her friend, watching me out of the corner of her eye. She was nice, but not in an annoying way. She still looked like she would be able to have a lot of fun. I was actually beginning to regret not getting to know her before. I'd seen her around a lot but I'd pretty much ignored her, or joined James in the taunting of her. Now I wasn't really sure why. She had a lot of good qualities. She was the sort of person I'd want hanging around me when James and the others were annoying me, and she was quite pretty as well.

Okay, so this may seem a little sudden to you. I'll admit something. I've been having these thoughts for about 3 weeks now, but they were just never as vivid in my mind until the events of yesterday. I know, I know, pathetic.

"I wish they'd stop looking over at me." James muttered, breaking my thoughts. I didn't say anything. I wanted to say something, about how it was his own fault and how he could do better. But I knew I should be being supportive.

"Well, you're kindof asking for it aren't ya?" Remus asked. "You were all over the girl yesterday, now you won't even look at her."

"I guess it just shows how loved I am at this school then doesn't it, if I can afford to get away with doing that?" James asked. I laughed slightly. James was always like that. Well, so was I, but for once I didn't think it was fair. Me and James, the opinionated, arrogant ones of the group. But I wouldn't say a thing.

I'd been watching her for a while. Not just now, but I'd just noticed her around school a lot more. I didn't have any plans to say anything or do anything, it was just fun to watch. And now...well...now what the hell did I do?

"Guh!" I yelled. "My potions book! I left it in my room!" I said, standing up. James gave me a confused look.

"You always forget your potions book, it's never stopped you before. Just share with one of us."

"I know, but he threatened me with suspension if I forget it again."

"He threatens you with suspension every single time!" James said, sounding suspicious.

"I know, but it's just irritating me now. Normally I'm fine. A little bit of arguing here and there makes my day. But it's getting too far, I'm going to whack him if he bugs me about it this time!" James accepted this. I got up and headed for the dorms, Remus following behind me like I'd known he would. I held the door open for him before marching in and searching under his bed, while he closed it quietly behind him and leant against the door.

"What's going on?" He asked, calmly. "The great rebellious Sirius Black, caring about what his potions teacher thinks? I don't think so. What's up?"

I laughed nervously. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me." He sat down on his bed and looked at me. "You might be surprised at the things I can help you with." Well, it wouldn't be the first time. Him and his reading. He was always filled with information and help. And it wasn't that I couldn't trust Remus, infact he was probably the must trustworthy person I knew.

"I don't think it's fair how James is treating Lily." I said, after a pause.

"Why? He's always like that and you've never had problems before. He's not acting much worse than what you do. What's the real problem here?" I cringed slightly.

"It's just that...Lily's a nice girl." I said, not looking him in the eye.

"She's so nice that you and James spend around an hour a day stealing her books and threatening to throw them in the lake?" I squirmed some more.

"So I've changed my mind lately." I said. I looked up at him, willing him to know what I wanted to tell him, without actually having to say the words. "She's...nicer than I thought she was." Remus didn't speak for a while. His face was completely blank, but I knew he'd worked out what I was trying to say.

"She's with James, Sirius." He said, softly.

"Well it's not like he cares whether she is or isn't!" I snapped. Remus kept the same steady, calm expression.

"That's just his way of putting things. Of course he cares. James cares about a lot, he just doesn't want us to think he's got any emotions at all." He said. "You might think he doesn't care about Peter by the way he insults him constantly, but if there was fight between him and someone else he'd be there in a second. He keeps things hidden like you do, but I know you'd be there in a flash if there was a fight with Peter as well." I shook my head.

"Don't bring me into this, that isn't what this is about." I said.

"Well I just thought you could relate. Stay out of it Sirius, he wouldn't appreciate it if you ruin some great relationship for him."

"What about - " I began, before stopping myself. What about a great relationship for me just sounded so wrong.

"Yes?" Asked Remus, kindly. I shook my head.

"Forget it." I said coldly. "I'm not that bothered anyway."

"Would you like me to tell James?"

"NO." Like he'd ever let me forget it. "Just pretend we never had this conversation, okay?"

"Okay. But don't forget what I said."

"Right. Whatever." I hissed, marching to the door.

"Sirius, potions book."

"Right. Thanks. Whatever." I said, walking back and picking it up before returning to the door and slamming it open.