Disclaimer: Listen people, if I owned Harry Potter, do you think I'd be writing it here? I DON'T! So please don't sue me, I have nothing! Zero, Zip, Zilch, Nada, Cero!

P. S. I own characters you don't recognize, but the rest are the work of the goddess of fantasy, J. K. Rowling.

Chapter 3: Patrolling Problems

Lily stared out the window of the Gryffindor Common Room on the last day of school. She didn't really see the green grass and clear blue skies, but the beautiful day mocked her inner gloom. Her father's death had left her torn and confused. Part of her missed him, but the other part questioned what there was to miss. She knew that it was wrong to think that way, but she couldn't help but remember that her father had all but ignored her until she got her Hogwarts letter. Then he hadn't wanted her to go!

She'd gotten a letter yesterday from her mother, explaining the details of the funeral and wake plans. She said that they were telling friends that it was from a car accident. Lily hadn't replied, but she knew that her mother understood that Lily was confused about the whole ordeal, and why.

Everyone she knew had been really nice about the whole thing. The marauders had sent her a card telling her they were sorry and they'd all listen if she need to talk. Cara, Chandra, and Jen had been great during the last few days. They'd dealt with her silences and just changed the subject if she trailed off when she spoke. She didn't know how to thank them. She turned from the window toward them. "What would I do without you Girls?" she asked and spotted Remus heading over to their table. "And the nice Marauder, of course." she added sarcastically.

Remus made a disgusted face and grinned. "It was the only title left." he said lamely.

"Well, maybe it'll help you someday." said Jen absently.

"Perhaps." added Lily.

"One can only hope." said Chandra wryly.

"Sure it will." Remus didn't sound convinced. He turned to Lily and said, "We have to go patrol tonight; it's our turn. Faith will kill me if I don't."

"She'll kill you anyway. She still hasn't forgiven you guys for the oatmeal over the prefects bathroom." said Chandra, smiling.

"You guys have to admit it was funny to see Bellatrix covered in oatmeal." he laughed. "And that was Sirius' idea, not mine."

"I'm coming." Lily stood. "Let's go."

Remus and Lily began patrolling the halls on the seventh floor, talking as they walked.

"So how are you holding up, Lils?"

"As well as can be expected." I wonder if Remus knows why...

"That's good."

"Remus," she began as he said "Lily..."

They both laughed and Lily said, "You first."

He looked horrified. "No, you."

"But-"

"Ladies first."

"You're doing that Nice Marauder thing again."

He shrugged, and Lily squared her shoulders. "Okay. Do you know why James never mentioned... about his mother?"

Remus shrugged again. "He doesn't like to talk about it. His dad never talks about her unless he's asked. James hero worships his dad; he just follows his lead." He paused. "And when did he change from Potter to James?" he asked shrewdly.

Lily ignored the bait. "You wanted to say something?"

"Answer the question first."

"Alright." she resigned. "When he talked to me that night, he told me he hadn't ever known his mum. I realized then that there was a little more to him than what he usually shows. I still think he is stuck up and a bully, however."

"I see." Remus commented thoughtfully.

"So," Lily tossed a strand of hair over her shoulder. "Your turn." She stopped and leaned against wall.

"Okay. This may sound a little weird, but does... Cara... does she ever talk?" he asked awkwardly.

"Talk? Of course she does! Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "I've never heard her talk. Not in class, the halls, nothing. Not even when I say hi to you all, she just nods. Does she not like us all, the Marauders?"

Lily thought back. Cara had liked Remus since third year, and before that, well she was so shy, the teacher never noticed her enough to call on her. (Not that she ever raised her hand in class.) Still she talked to Chandra, Jen and herself, but only when they were by themselves, when He wasn't around. And it was definitely not because she didn't like the Marauders. "It's not that. She's just really shy, Remus. Chandra, Jen and I aren't as... Loud as James and Sirius. We haven't brought her out of her shell as obviously as they have with you."

"I see." He bit his bottom lip nervously.

"May I ask why you're so curious?"

"No reason." He was still chewing his lip and didn't look at her.

"Remus J Lupin, you said yourself there's a reason for everything. What's yours?"

Remus adverted his eyes, blushing slightly and still chewing his lip like he always did when he was hiding something.

Lily was struck with a sudden thought. "Remus, you, do you like Cara?"

"You can laugh if you want." He looked up at her, his greyish yellow eyes wide. "I won't mind; James and Sirius laughed themselves hoarse."

"I'm not going to laugh." Lily rolled her eyes. "You guys would look great together. You should ask her out." she added encouragingly.

Remus smiled slightly, looking relieved. "I don't know. What about... you know..." he trailed off, looking anxiously around the deserted hall.

Lily caught on immediately. "Remus," Lily said firmly. "You can't let your," she too looked up and down the hall, "Condition run your life."

"I know. It's just, I have such a hard time telling people about it. I don't know how to tell her. Do you think she'd understand?"

"She will." Lily chose her words carefully. "Cara is very... empathetic. She has this natural gift of understanding where others are coming from. But fair warning: she tends to give pity to the people she empathizes with." Lily smiled wryly.

"Great. The one thing I try to avoid." Remus hated it when people pitied him for being a werewolf.

Lily continued. "Besides, if she didn't understand, she's not worth your time."

"Again I say, James could take lessons from you." He grinned.

"Several." she agreed. "Done patrolling?" she asked as the arrived back at the portrait.

"Yup." He said the password and climbed in. "Goodnight Lily."

"Night." As Remus disappeared into the door to the boys' dorms, Lily headed to her favourite seat by the fire. She started laughing a bit as she sat down. That explains a lot. She thought. Remus has always been the quiet one but I had know idea being a werewolf would stop- or at least hinder- him from asking a girl out. No wonder he's so polite around the girls!

Lily decided to go to bed early, as they had to be ready early tomorrow for the ride home. As she extended the stairs, she prepared herself for the swarm of questions she might get if she let on that she knew something the girls didn't. She knew she couldn't look Cara in the face or she'd let it out immediately. She figured she'd distract them with a story of catching Slytherins out of bed, they always fell for that.

Author's Note: He did it, he did it, he did it!!!! I'm psyched!!!! Read and Review, Pleeeeease!!!