Disclaimer: All right, ladies and gentlemen, I once again do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters. None. Zilch. Nada. Zero.

A/N: Sit back relax and watch the story unfold. curtsies

Chapter two

In Which We See a New Side of Remus

By LadyLindselot

Lily stood glowering down at each boy in turn before ending on James. "Potter," was all she could choke out. Her throat seemed constricted with rage and humiliation. All of the marauders were now looking down, bracing themselves; even Sirius had the grace to become flushed. They all looked like a guilty bunch.

"Please, Lily, I didn't mean…" James bravely began. After all, he was a
Gryffindor. He looked up at her pleadingly. "It wasn't what it sounded like, I swear, really."

Hate leapt from her heart into her mind where is blinded her with rage and hatred and left her searing with white fire. It poured down her throat into her mouth and onto her tongue. "Quality time? Stripper? Is that all you want from me Potter? To have a nice snog session in the astronomy tower?" Vaguely she heard running feet approaching her but Lily took no heed.

She took tense steps into the compartment until she was directly in front of James where she slapped him clean across the face and hissed in his ear. "Not even in your dreams Potter. If you or any of you come within three feet of me I swear I'll hex all of you into next Tuesday."

"Come on Lily, it was just a joke…" Remus started softly from the corner.

"You are supposed to be Head Boy, Remus, I would expect better from you!" She hissed at him. Her freckles seemed to stand on end when she turned to him and her Head Girl pin flashed in the light sharply.

James felt anger boil over him. Evans had no right to speak that way! Maybe she didn't notice but it was he not Remus who was wearing the Head Boy badge. She was definitely in the middle of her PMS. Anyhow, he could be just as clever as Remus. Sometimes. Ok, occasionally but he was often to one who came up with the brilliant scams for the marauders, dammit! She infuriated him so much but he was strangely attracted to her. DAMMIT! He balled his fists.

Sirius leapt to his feet.

"IF YOU COULD STOP SEEING RED FOR A MINUTE YOU WOULD SEE THAT REMUS ISN'T WEARING THE BLOODY HEAD BOY BADGE! JAMES IS!"

Lily stiffened and looked over at Remus coolly, "Care to explain?"

Remus opened his mouth to give Lily a mild response but Sirius beat him to it. "What is there to explain, Evans? James. Is. Head. Boy. Deal with it!"

Silence.

Lily stood there, her jaw set. She was humiliated, hurt and angry. Was this what she got for let her temper go unchecked? Control was sometimes so elusive for her and now she used every ounce of power to reign herself in. This was too much.

BANG!

Everyone in the compartment jumped at the sudden noise for it tore through the tense silence.

The marauder's door slammed open and almost came off the track as an angry Artemisia pushed up her sleeves, wand in hand. Her ivory skin was flushed and her normally coal rimmed, startling amethyst eyes were now a glowering emerald, not unlike Lily's.

"Potter," She said in a dangerously calm voice. "What did you do?"

James opened his mouth to curse and protest against the dark-haired girl but a big, firm hand covered it. Remus shook his head at James. At that moment Remus wished he could send a telepathic message telling Prongs to shove his hole. Both holes, now that he thought of it. And Sirius, too. Alas that his greatest friends could be rather thick at times.

Lily turned on her heel and stormed out of the compartment. Artemisia sent them all a death glare before sweeping out behind her friend.

The rest of the train ride was fairly uneventful. Though once in a while a random bang would rock the whole car but as the afternoon flew by out the window along the Hogwarts Express it was strangely quiet.

Lily was glad for this lull. Mortification and guiltiness had now set in and surrounded her. She sulked in the corner of her seat and stared moodily into the now darkening sky. They would be reaching Hogsmeade soon.

At the same time Artemisia was watching Lily from above her Witch Weekly. After a while she spoke quietly and carefully. "You'll have to face him some time, you know. You can't just block him out. I know that you hate him, and I do, too but now that you two are the Heads you have to be at least civil with each other."

Damn Artemisia's common sense.

"I know but Missy, how can I face them now? I feel bad about Remus and I'll apologize to him about that but James. .. Argh! He's so…"

"-Infuriating! I can't stand her! What is it with read heads, anyway?" Sirius growled pacing the length of the compartment.

"Well she did walk into a rather, er, strange conversation, didn't she?" Remus said calmly.

"Sure, but most women upon hearing that particular conversation would be flattered. Why Evans of all people, Prongs? You could have any girl in the whole bloody school and you pick her!" He flopped down beside Peter in an exasperated gesture.

Remus had a thoughtful half smile on his face. "Padfoot is right. Why Lily, Prongs?"

James ran a hand through his wild black hair. "I-I don't know. Lily is just, I don't know, Lily." He looked at Remus hopefully. "Does that make sense, Moony?"

"HELL NO PRONGS!" Laughed Sirius. "I think that you're in it just for the…"

"-Chase. All guys like a chase. Maybe, since you and I are the only ones that are off limits to him he wants you. Get it? Reverse psychology?" Artemisia leered at her to see her reaction to this theory. "It's common knowledge that Pothead fancies you."

"Maybe, but maybe he is really a hermaphrodite!" Lily said brightly. Both girls giggled historically.

"No, wait," Artemisia said between bouts of laughter and gasps. "Maybe he has his…"

"-Thong in a bunch!" Sirius choked out before tumbling onto the floor. In spite of himself, James keeled over, his face bright red.

"Do you really think that Evans wears a thong?" Peter asked his watery eyes wide. This made James and Sirius laugh harder and Remus's smile to grow, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"Yes, actually she does."

All of the marauders stopped laughing very quickly and looked at their friend, for the second time that day, in surprise and awe.

"Y-you didn't have…you couldn't… With Evans…" James stuttered stupidly.

"Wow, just when you think you know a bloke he turns around and shags a girl. And not just any girl, either, Lily Evans. And I thought that you went to some convent for women to take a vow of celibacy over the summer and that was why you didn't join Prongs, Wormtail, and I over at the Potter place. Nice choice for a virgin. How did you do it? Was she good?" Sirius quipped.

Peter's eyes were as round as saucers. "You fucked Lily Evans?" Was all he could choke out.

Remus rolled his eyes. "Really, mates, are all of your heads stuck in the gutter?"

All the marauders nodded their heads vigorously at each other.

Remus sighed with a satisfied smirk that he rarely put on. "Actually during a prefect meeting she dropped her wand in front of me after the Head Girl, Wanda, I think, knocked her over. No, don't ask me why, Sirius. Anyway, she bent over and I caught a glimpse." He kicked back.

"The view was rather nice." He added, his eyes drifting casually to James.
"Real nice." His smile widened when he saw James blush deepen to a dark crimson. "Although, if I was to shag, as Sirius so charmingly put it, anyone, Artemisia would have my vote." He concluded reassuringly to James.

"So," Peter said slowly. "You didn't fuck Lily?" He sounded disappointed because he wouldn't get the play by play.

Sirius laughed and through an exploding snap into Peter's face.

Lily and Artemisia were still laughing as the train pulled into the station in Hogsmeade.

Darkness draped itself around the tiny wizarding town like a snug cloak. The surrounding forest was like a black lace hem along the outcroppings. Cozy street lamps that gave off firefly-like light glowed around them as they stumbled off the train.

"Fir's years, o'er here! Fir's years!" The tall silhouette of the Keeper of Keys and Games, Hagrid, loomed alongside the train like a tall and beer-bellied spire. "'Lo Lily and Artemis, welcome back!" He said over the heads of some very terrified looking first years. The two girls waved as they crossed the street to the horseless carriages.

They entered the last one that they found was empty and hoped to God that Black, Potter, Pettigrew, and Remus, (They preferred Remus to the others so they decided long ago to address him by his first name.)

Once they carefully tucked themselves in the velvet cushioned seats they both stared out their respective windows in comfortable silence; a silence that was soon broken by a very loud and obnoxious Sirius.

"Oy, mates, I bet that I can find the carriage that Evans and Engledew are in with the first guess. Watch, it's magic!" The other marauders laughed from not far away.

Artemisia's eyes grew wide in fear. She drew out her wand and whispered "Cierra!" Lily watched the heavy bolt slide loudly into the crude metal holder and cringed.

"Alohamora!"

The bolt drew up quickly before it was kicked open by a boisterous Sirius. The rest of the marauders' heads poked out from behind him. "Voila! What did I tell you! On the first guess! Artemisia, baby, I could sense you in here, I could feel it in my…"

"Don't say it Black!" Artemisia warned.

"…Ears." He climbed in quickly and sat next to Lily and playfully draped his arm over her.

Peter came in next and slipped shyly beside Artemisia who scooted as close to window as possible. She wanted zero physical contact with this mouse of a boy.

James and Remus came in last and looked around in dismay at the lack of space. "Oh, well," Lily, said brightly, her tone conversational. "I guess you'll have to find a different place, Potter." She beamed up at him as Artemisia stifled giggles.

"Not if we make room, Lily, flower of my heart!" said Sirius jovially. James smiled he took the hint from Sirius's wink and approached Lily as Remus hesitantly, with cheeks flushed, stood in front to Artemisia.

Lily automatically narrowed her eyes. "What do you want, Potter? Why are you looking at me that…AHH!"

Before she could farther protest she felt herself lifted into the air by powerful arms as lightly as if she were a child. She knew Artemisia was getting the same treatment with Remus because she could hear her muffled protests probably stifled by Remus's hand. Lily was swung around and land softly on James's lap with a slight: "Oomph."

Sirius laughed as he watched Artemisia and Lily struggle against their 'seats' and Peter nervously joined in.

"Stop squirming so much." Remus whispered into Artemisia's hair. He wrapped his arms around the girl protectively as the coached lurched under them preventing the girl from tumbling foreword. Instantly she stopped her protests and blushed. Carefully, she leaned backwards into Remus's chest, waiting for a command to stop but it never came.

Deep down she was glad the darkness hid her blush. She rather liked it this way. It just felt…right. And content, right here, in Remus's hold. "But I'm not going to tell anyone. Not yet, anyhow. It might pass. Maybe…" She thought.

On the opposite seat James said much the same thing to Lily. "Calm down, Evans, I don't bite, honest. If I did do you think I would endanger you like that?" His hold on her waist tightened. She scowled at the darkness and felt strangely touched by his words. Did he mean that or was that just something to get her to stop? But, obeying James, she stopped fidgeting.

The clomping of the 'ghost horses'' hooves thudded rhythmically and the sway of the carriage reminded her of being on a hammock being gently pushed by the breeze or being on a ship being rocked like a child in a parent's arms or cradle. Without noticing it she shivered and curled closer to James and nodded off to sleep.

The looming castle that was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry pointed regally to the star-speckled sky. Lights from within burned welcomingly to the cold students out in the tiny wooden boats. The lake that lay in the depression below was placid save the long black tentacle that waved from the far side of the lake.

The Lily, Artemisia, and the Marauders' carriage rolled bouncingly up to the front doors of the Entrance Hall. The doors were wide open and already many second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh years were toddling at a steady crawl greeting portraits or certain suits of armor.

James leaned down until he got close to Lily's ear. "Oy, Evans, we're there." He called softly into her ear. She stirred but turned her ear away from him, grumbling.

He glanced over at his fellow marauders. Peter was climbing down only to be swept away by the throngs of people heading to the double doors in front of them. Artemisia was rubbing her eyes and looking about groggily while Remus held her steady around her waist. James caught Sirius's eye and grinned.

"No, mate! You don't wake a lady like that! Honestly, how long has it been since you've woken a girl who was sleeping on your lap?" He flapped his hand dismissively at James. "Watch."

He leaned close to Lily's other ear and said in a soft voice. "Hello, lover. If you don't wake up, I can't give you your morning kiss. Hmm?" He looked down at her leeringly.

Lily sat bolt upright in James's lap as though stuck by lightning. "WHAT THE HELL?" Her eyes fell on Sirius, who was just inches from her face. Looking at her in a very uncomfortable way, she might add. She screamed and toppled off James's thighs on to the coach's floor.

She scrambled up, refusing James's help and ignoring Sirius's laughter that sounded like barks. Artemisia was now wide-awake after having her best friend scream in her ear, who wouldn't be? Remus heard the thestrals prance uneasily and swayed slightly before bracing himself.

Sirius gallantly strode out of the carriage only to be received by his fan club of girls. He gave them all a mock bow and blew kisses at the girl's with a gleam in his eyes. The gaggle responded by batting their eyes and giggling madly. They followed Sirius like a mother goose guiding her goslings to water, into the castle.

Remus reluctantly let go of his hold on Artemisia as her twin brother Apollyon poked his head into the door. His sun gold hair had a strange halo as the candlelight shone through it. He narrowed his slate gray eyes at Remus suspiciously before turning to his sister. "After the feast I have a present from home for you. I think you forgot it." She nodded and stumbled out to join the trickle of people outside as Remus consciously followed.

Lily was brushing off her dark robes as a shadow stood over her. Slowly, she looked up. A shapely, blonde Hufflepuff with sky blue eyes and unblemished skin looked past her at James. Althea Lynch, one of the most sought-after girls in Hogwarts, was James's girl friend since the sixth year.

She gave a sidelong glace at James who was looking between the two girls before him. Lily inwardly sighed, "He never changes, the arrogant bastard." She laughed at the irony. A year ago she never minded the fact that Potter had a girl friend. Now, it had become somewhat awkward. At least that was how it was like since the train ride here.

Rather self-consciously of the fact that she was the third wheel she slid out of the door next to the attractive teenager, and leapt up the cold stone steps to her second home.