AN: Hope you like this chapter! I've made it a lot longer than usual… Anyway, I'm really sorry it took me such a long time to post this one. I had a couple of projects in Computer and Lit to do (still do, actually), and a week of exams in front of me. Hope you guys understand. Thanks! :)

Disclaimer: You know the drill

Chapter 11: Your Hand Will Not Let Go

Sirius was not enjoying his task. He couldn't believe that Lily and Remus had heaped this on him. He might as well be planning his own funeral!

"Well, you were the idiot who told Lily that James wouldn't mind," he muttered to himself.

About five seconds after they'd gone off for their little talk, Remus and Lily returned, all smiley and happy. Then they'd asked Sirius to please tell James.

Sirius had practically passed out.

"Honestly, being a god little Boy Scout is going to get me killed one day," Sirius grumbled. (AN: They hang out with Lily, who is a Muggleborn, hence the Boy-Scout reference)

He shut his eyes in preparation to be the first target of James's wrath.

James was out on the Quidditch field, zooming about on his broom. He was in a particularly good mood. And why shouldn't he be? Lily Evans liked him!

"Sirius!" he exclaimed when he spotted his best friend on the ground, watching him. James went into a dive and landed his broom neatly on the field before Sirius.

"Hi," Sirius replied.

"What's up?"

Sirius fidgeted. James narrowed his eyes. Cool, casual Sirius had never in his life fidgeted. Something had to be seriously wrong.

"Are you calm, James?" Sirius asked suddenly.

"Uh, yes. Sirius, what on earth—"

"Do you have a history of heart attacks?"

"NO, Padfoot. Now really, what—"

"Sit down for this, Prongs."

"What?"

"Sit down. Or better yet—" Sirius whipped out his wand and wrapped James in vines.

"Sirius Black!" James squeaked.

"I wanted to make sure you don't punch me," Sirius explained as he put his wand away.

"Well, I feel the urge to punch you NOW."

"Good thing, then."

"If you don't tell me what's going on…"

Sirius told him.

James had calmed down after only, surprisingly, an hour, Sirius noticed as his friend finally stopped writhing within the vines. James's forehead dripped with perspiration and he looked exhausted. Sirius released him from the vines with a wave of his wand.

"Feel better?" Sirius asked.

James didn't answer.

"Oookay."

"Let me at him," James growled.

"Under no circumstances are you beating Remus up," Sirius informed him very sternly.

"That—that werewolf! He was my friend! He was supposed to help me!"

"He is your friend! And he was helping you! At least…before that happened."

James stormed back to the school. Sirius ran to catch up with him, then finally stopped when it was clear he'd never reach him.

"If I see a single mark on Moony when I get back, you'll answer to me," Sirius called after James's fading back.

Lily was going to the library when she spotted James heading in her direction. Her heart began to pound.

Merlin, she thought. He looks so…dangerous. Certainly not like the time he saved her. Lily started to back up.

But unfortunately, James was faster. He grabbed her arm and slammed her up against the wall, his eyes burning with anger. The pain hit her, and Lily dimly felt something wet at the back of her head before her world went black.

"That's a very nasty wound," Sirius noted as Remus finished bandaging the back of Lily's head. Lily winced. Remus was NOT a good doctor.

"What happened, anyway?" Lily asked.

"James brought you back here. He told us to take care of you while he went to get the blood wiped off the floor before any of the teachers noticed," Remus reported. "How did you get that banged up?"

Lily gingerly touched the back of her head. James had brought her back to the common room. She realized that she must've passed out when he'd slammed her against the wall, then…

What had brought James back to his senses?

"It was James, wasn't it?" Sirius looked straight at Lily.

Remus whirled. "Lils, was it?"

Lily finally nodded slowly.

"How could he?" Remus leapt from his chair.

"I can't believe he would actually hit Lily!" Sirius exclaimed.

Lily sensed the brewings of a fight. "Neither of you are going to hit him back. The important thing is, he got me help when he saw that I was hurt. I'm sure James never meant to actually injure me, just frighten me."

"Well, it worked too well," Remus muttered. But he did sit back down.

"I better go find him." Sirius strode to the portrait hole. "And not to beat him to a bloody pulp!" he called back.

Remus turned back to Lily. "Sorry. I know I'm not a very good Healer." He gently touched the back of her head.

Lily wrapped her hand around his. "It's alright. Remus, don't be mad at James, please? He's come to his senses now. He really didn't mean to do such a thing."

Remus sighed and squeezed her hand. "Alright. You said it."

Lily moved closer and gave him a quick but tender peck on the lips. Remus responded by wrapping his arms around her and deepening the kiss. Lily hooked her arms around his neck, savoring the taste of the kiss.

AN: Thanks to:

Dee Ann- Thanks!

Alcapacien- Thanks too!

Dei- Thanks! It's just that I've read way too many fanfics portraying Sirius as a, well, not so smart guy. I kind of want to him to look wise for once… :)

Miss Lady Padfoot- We-ell, you'll have to see… ;)

Carmel March- No problem, although I have missed your reviews. :) Thanks a lot!

XDsw33ti3- Thanks! :) And I'm trying to update sooner so you can enjoy more of this story.

Jurneyo- Well, I liked the idea of Remus and Lily getting some back…because in most of the R/L fics I've read, Sirius is opposes them, and I wanted things to be more different here. And thanks!