Chapter 2
"Yet So Close..."
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Remus sat in the armchair in complete silence, staring into the fire until he heard the unmistakable sounds of footsteps walking down the stairs of the dormitory. He hoped that it wasn't another prefect because he had a perfectly good reason to be staying awake. "Remus?" the voice said. To his surprise, it was only Sirius. Remus sensed a bit of tension in his friend's voice. He simply turned around and said,
"Padfoot, what are you doing up?"
He chuckled. "I should be asking you the same thing." Sirius walked over and sat in the other armchair next to Remus.
Moony shook his head. "I just couldn't sleep."
Padfoot nodded. "I would think that you of all people would be able to sleep."
"Are you saying that as a bad thing?"
"No, I'm just saying... You looked very...spacey at the feast today," Padfoot said, quickly changing the subject. "It worried me. Are you all right?"
Moony nodded. "I'm not feeling well, that's all."
"The full moon has yet to approach."
"I know... There are other things on my mind." Moony tried to hide the small blush that he felt rising in his cheeks so he rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. He looked at Padfoot and felt that there was something that he wasn't telling. "Is there something bothering you?"
Sirius shook his head.
Remus could feel the tension between them and yawned. "Well, I think I'm going to head off to bed. We have classes tomorrow and we don't want to miss that."
"You may not want to miss them but I sure can," Sirius said with a grin.
He smiled back, admiring his friend's sense of humor. Together they stood up and walked back into their dormitory. "'Night, Padfoot."
"G'night, Moony," Sirius said in return.
Remus covered himself with the blanket and rolled over on his stomach. He could tell that this was going to be an interesting year.
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Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter made their way down the Grand Staircase. Remus listened to the jokes made by James and Sirius about Severus.
"I'd sure like to show him a thing or two this year," James said, waving his wand about.
"Oh my gosh!" a voice said from behind them.
The four of them turned around, catching the glimpse of the red-haired girl that passed them so quickly. James grabbed the girl by her wrist and twirled her around. "I see that you're running a little, Miss Evans." James checked his watch.
Lily threw a scowl at James. "Leave me alone! Can't you see that I have to get down to the Great Hall?"
"Meeting someone are you?"
She blushed and hesitated. "It's none of your business!" She jerked away from James and ran down the rest of the staircase.
"You think...?" James said, looking at Sirius.
Padfoot shrugged. "Oh, c'mon, Prongs. She's stuck-up – I don't know how any other guy but you would like her."
"I'll get her eventually," he said, gliding his way down the staircase and into the Great Hall. He noticed Lily talking to a sixth year Gryffindor boy with short brown hair. He was fairly tall and rather good-looking. James began to walk Lily's way but Sirius grabbed him by the arm.
"It's not worth it," he mumbled.
Prongs ignored his friend and made his way toward Lily. He pushed the boy away from Lily, causing him to fall on the floor.
"James!" Lily yelled. "Go away!!" She went over and helped the boy up from the floor. "Gosh, I'm so sorry... I don't know... He just..." She glared at James, pulling out her wand and pointing it at him. "James Potter! I'm sick and tired of you trying to get me to go out with you! Never ever in a billion years would I even dare to! It's the start of the school year and if you don't keep your distance from me, I swear I will curse you." Lily and the boy walked off to the Great Hall.
James breathed out a sigh of relief. "Whew, I thought she was actually going to do something to me." He smirked. "She's so witty."
Remus shook his head. "Good Lord, James..."
"She is very good at Charms, I've heard," Wormtail said.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Forget it."
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"Ah, yet another year together in the same classes with Severus," Padfoot exclaimed. "How exciting things will be this year."
"But Remus..." Peter started. "He's a prefect." He pointed to Remus.
"Nonsense, Wormtail," Padfoot said. "Moony wouldn't put us in detention."
"I wouldn't go that far," Remus said. "I do have to do my job but you guys better behave yourselves."
Padfoot threw his arm over Remus's shoulder, making chills run down his spine. "We'll behave, Remus. Not to worry."
He chuckled. "Right."
"Ah, c'mon, we better find out who's going to be torturing us this year," Prongs said as his friends followed him into the Great Hall. They sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"Oh, that reminds me," Remus said, standing up.
"Where are you going?" Sirius asking, pulling on Remus's robe.
"I'm a prefect, remember? I'll be right back."
"Yes but I've yet to grasp that fact, Moony," he said with a laugh.
Remus smiled. "Even though I've been one since fifth year?"
He nodded. "Even so."
Moony's smile faded, wondering if Padfoot's remark was something more. He pushed the thought away and walked over to the Head Boy in Gryffindor.
Padfoot watched his friend Moony while gulping down pumpkin juice and munching on a piece of sausage.
"I think Lily's starting to take a liking to me," James said, looking over at Lily and her friends.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Would you stop talking about her?"
James looked at Sirius. "I know that it annoys you, Sirius, but c'mon, I won't shut up."
Padfoot went quiet, knowing that James was right. There really is no point, he thought just as Remus returned to the table.
"If you ask me," Remus began, "I think that this would be the perfect time for James to get the best of Lily."
James looked at Moony. Food dangled his from his fork which was halfway in his mouth but his eyes were on his friend.
"What makes you say that?" Wormtail piped in.
Remus chuckled. "I overheard Lily talking with some friends and some guy. It must be the same one that she was talking to earlier... Her friends say that he fancies her but Lily has yet to realize that."
Padfoot looked at James, his fork now down on the table. "No need to ruin the mood there, Remus."
Remus shrugged. "I'm not. I'm sure James doesn't mind a little competition."
Prongs shrugged the comment off. "It doesn't matter to me."
Of course it doesn't matter, Moony thought, glancing at Sirius. I certainly don't want competition...but then again... He shook his head. No, it's not right, Moony, and you know it. Sirius would never like me like...that...
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Author's Note: I'm sorry it took so long to update. I was grounded but I should be okay for now. :) I suppose this chapter was a lot of fluff but it'll progress...don't worry. I'm still trying to work a few things out.