Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, events and/or places that are recognized as being written and created by J.K. Rowling. J.K. Rowling owns all the characters and places from the Harry Potter books including the ones used in this story.

Clea dug her fingernails into Lily's arm. Lily stepped forward, dragging Clea with her.

One more scream, this one slightly more quite than the other two was heard. "Let's see who it is." Lily said, starting off towards the staircase that led up to the boys' dorm. Clea squeaked and tried to hold Lily back.

"Oh come on Clea," Lily started to walk even faster and darted up the stairs, with Clea still attached to her arm. "You've come this far."

Clea sighed and let go of Lily's arm. The two girls climbed the stairs, trying hard not to make one noise. Silence once again surrounded them. Clea was feeling more relieved as they got closer to the door that said "Seventh Years" on it; she convinced herself that one of the boys was just having a nightmare.

Lily placed her ear on the door and shut her eyes, concentrating on the sounds within. "Someone's snoring," she whispered. Clea copied Lily and placed her ear down a little further from Lily's.

"Do you hear that?" Clea mouthed to Lily. "Someone's whimpering."

"Let's go in," Lily said. This was their plan all along. Clea was going to sneak up to the Gryffindor tower. Lily was going to sneak her in. And both of them were going to sneak into the boy's dorm and try to go through the parchments that Lily said were always lying around Remus's bed; hoping that they would find some answers.

Clea wanted to do this during the day, while everyone was outside. However, the weather put a stop to that. A horrible blinding blizzard had descended on Hogwarts, almost delaying the exit of the students that were returning home; which also meant that no one would be going outside tomorrow. Lily was the one that decided on doing it that night; Clea was scared but also too curious to not to go.

Lily's hand went for the door knob. But before she managed to do anything, the door knob started turning on its own. Lily and Clea practically flew down the stairs and out of the tower.

"We should have...waited...to see...who it was," Lily panted, as she stood outside of the portrait hole with Clea. Clea's breathing was even faster than Lily's' and she couldn't get her hands to stop shaking.

"I'm going back to my room," Clea said firmly. "I've had enough adventure for one night." Lily stepped back into the Gryffindor common room, and Clea started her careful journey back down to the Slytherin dorms.

Two mornings after Clea's and Lily's little attempt at spying went by in a blur. Clea didn't bring up the screams or the whimpering. She didn't want to dwell on it, nor did she want to know who it was. Lily secretly pondered the incident, being one to not give up so easily on a puzzle. Or perhaps Lily was just trying not to think about tomorrow night's Graduate Ball.

In the library, where the two girls sat, Clea started to feel herself getting antsy.

"Let's go outside," Clea said, closing her book with a slam. "The blizzard stopped and the boys are out there. And I am so bored."

Lily sighed and snuggled herself into the chair she was sitting in. "I'll meet you there in an hour. I want to finish this."

Clea stepped outside and was smacked across the face with the cold December wind. Sirius and James were having an all out snowball war. Peter was commentating and keeping score, while Remus sat down in the snow watching and twisting his scarf absentmindedly in his hands.

Clea approached Remus from behind. She couldn't resist bending down and ruffling his brown hair playfully. Remus sprang up as soon as Clea's hand touched his head and looked at her like he was about to rip her in half.

Clea shook so fiercely, that she was forced to fall to the ground. She gaped up at Remus; he was breathing heavily and staring down at her His hands were clenched into fists. In a moment, the color returned to Remus's face and he collapsed to his knees in front of her and grabbed her face in his hands.

"I'm s-so sorry, C-Clea. I'm so sorry." Remus stroked Clea's face, as tears dropped from his eyes. Clea was still shaking all over. Sirius and James ran over looking troubled.

"Everything's fine," Remus said looking up at them. "Clea scared me; that's all."

Clea looked at them through wide eyes.

"I didn't mean to Remus," Clea whispered. "I'm the one that's sorry." She smiled rather meekly and pulled herself back to her feet.

"What are you doing out her, Clea?" Sirius wrapped his arm around his sister.

"I was just bored in the library with Lily and I wanted to come and see what you all were up too. I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

Remus ran his fingers through his hair, and wiped the streams of tears that cut through his face. He stepped close to Clea and grabbed her gently away from Sirius' grasp. "You didn't cause any trouble Cleopatra," Remus held her close to his side and nodded at Sirius who looked like he was ready to die to save his sister. "You guys can return to your game...if you want." He added in a tense manner.

James looked at Sirius and then the pair walked back over to Peter who was still sitting across the yard, resuming their positions to continue the snow ball fight.

"After a brief pause, the game returns with Black leading Potter," Peter's voice echoed through the courtyard. Remus sat down in the snow and looked up at Clea with a look of misery and desire. Clea plopped down gently next to him. She made sure that not even the corner of her cloak touched him.

"I can't sit in the snow," she said after a minute. "I'm freezing." Clea began to stand up when Remus grabbed her arm and forced her to stay put.

"Stay with me, please?" Remus asked her. "Here,"—he reached into his pocket—"if you eat this, you'll feel warm." Remus handed her a chocolate frog and Clea practically swallowed it down. Instantaneously she felt warmth spread over her body.

"That's perfect, Remus. Thank you." Clea twisted her fingers together.

"I'm sorry I'm so jumpy," Remus said. "I'm just,"

"Nervous?" Clea asked. "About your....?" Clea stopped, realizing that she didn't know how to finish that question. Was Remus going on a trip, was he taking a test; she didn't know what to say.

Luckily, before the moment of silence got any longer, Remus spoke up. "Exactly," he said. "I'm really nervous."

"Why?" Clea asked breathlessly, she was getting more and more lost every second.

"It hurts," Remus said. And then he glanced at his watch, and jumped to his feet. "I have to go now." He said, in a voice close to shouting. Clea stood up next to him and bravely grabbed his hand and stopped him in his tracks.

Remus whipped around, but this time he looked scared and upset not murderous.

"Remus," Clea said softly holding Remus's hand close to her. "I won't judge you, or hate you, or never want to speak to you again. Whatever you are hiding, you can tell me. Really,"—Clea draped her other hand over Remus's holding it now with both of her hands—"I would never betray you, if that's what you're scared of. You can trust me." Clea swallowed hard as she added, "I love you."

Remus started shaking almost violently, but Clea held her ground. He stepped forward towards her. He grabbed her chin with his free hand and lifted it up, so that she was staring him right in the face. He bent his face forward. He gently and softly pressed his lips unto hers. Clea barely had time to press hers harder against his, when he tore apart from her. He yanked his hand out of her grasp and held it over his face.

He lowered it slightly, tears running down from his eyes. "I'm going to be late," Remus said quietly. "Have fun tomorrow, Clea. I'll see you soon."

And with that, he ran out of the courtyard and back into the school.