Chapter Six: Confrontation at Hogsmeade

(POV of no one)

Estella, Selene, Alice, and the Marauder Boys were stunned. It was mid-October and James and Lily hadn't had a huge blowout once. It was astonishing.

"She was even civil to him on the train, come to think of it," Selene said, tilting her head. The six of them were in the Gryffindor common room, awaiting James and Lily's return from their patrolling duties.

"Yeah," Estella said breezily, "but that's because she had a 'revelation' over the summer, 'member? She said that with her sister dying, she shouldn't be so petty and things. I suppose that's why she didn't refuse his truce."

"Whoa," Remus said. "Her sister died?"

Estella sighed and rubbed her temples, knowing that it was too late to take it back.

"Yeah," Alice answered quietly. "Her elder sister Violet. They were close. It was of a muggle disease. Called leukemia. Can be fatal."

"Blimey," Sirius whispered. "That's bloody awful."

"Do ya think James knows?" Peter squeaked.

The girls shook their heads. "Doubt it," Alice said. "Lily has a hard time trusting people… especially James."

"James?" Sirius was incredulous. "But he's so nice to her! He's infatuated! He's never given her any reason at all not to trust her. Let alone go out with him."

"We know that," Estella snapped.

Selene put a hand on her arm, calming her down. "… But Lily doesn't. She questions James' motives, I think. She thinks that she'll just be another trophy of James'. She thinks that a while ago he liked her perhaps, but now it's more of the hunt than the actual… 'prize'."

"Never thought of it that way," Sirius said dazedly, shakily running a hand through his black hair.

"I doubt you ever did," Estella glared. "Not all girls prefer the love 'em and leave 'em style, you know."

Sirius glared right back at her. "Hey, I've changed. I haven't messed around like that all year."

"The day you change is the day I've shagged Malfoy," Estella sneered.

"I don't need this," Sirius said, standing up from the couch he was on. "I'm going to go to bed," he ran up the stairs quickly, taking two steps at a time.

"Creep," muttered Estella. "G'night all," she said, leaving and taking the tension with her.

Peter sighed and stretched after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "Eh, I better go too," he said, "got a big week ahead of me."

"Really?" Alice asked curiously. "And why's that?"

Peter suddenly reddened, realizing what he just said. After a quick glance at Remus he said, "Oh, just tests 'n' stuff." And scrambled up the ladder without another word.

Alice left shortly after. "I forgot I have to meet Frank near the Ravenclaw dorms… he has practice tonight, and wanted to tell me something afterwards," she said and hurried off.

"Hopefully Lily won't catch her," Remus remarked as Alice hurried off. "Curfew's only in an hour."

"Lily wouldn't take points off," Selene said, amused. "A warning perhaps, but not points. She may be a McGonagall in some aspects, but she can be a Dumbledore as well."

Remus grinned at Selene's assessment of her friend and laughed.

Selene frowned, supposedly angry. "Are you mocking me?" She pouted.

"Yes," Remus said, still grinning.

"You're so mean!" Selene whined like a little girl.

"I'm like the big bad scary wolf in all the fairy tales, so beware," Remus puffed out his chest and there was a mischievous gleam in his eye—then he seemed to realize what he just said and looked a bit… deflated, in Selene's opinion.

"Nah," Selene said, hoping to cheer him up from his odd depressed state. "You've just got a wolf's cloak on. Underneath it you're the hero all the girls go crazy for."

"Now you're just confusing me with Sirius," Remus smiled.

Selene cocked her head to the side. "Sirius is… appealing, sure," she said, trying to find the words. "But he's an open book. He lays all of his charm and looks right on the table. You, however… I dunno. You're the mysterious type, the quiet one no one can quite figure out." She stood up, preparing to go to bed. "And you know what they say about the quiet ones: watch out. They're the ones who always do the unexpected."

He said quietly just as she was at the stairs, "You say that like it's a good thing."

She smiled at him, her first true smile at a boy, and noted that in the firelight, he seemed to glow. "It is."

And with that, she left the handsome werewolf to ponder her last words.

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(Lily's POV)

It was the first weekend to go to Hogsmeade and Lily went with her friends, as usual.

"So, when did James ask you to go with him?" Alice winked at Lily.

"And how did you turn him down?" Estella wanted to know.

Lily frowned at them. " Whatever are you talking about? James didn't ask me to go with him to Hogsmeade with him."

All three girls gasped. Lily's frown deepened.

"He—"

"Didn't—"

"Ask—?"

Disbelief was the main expression worn on their faces. Lily blinked and frowned some more. "No," she said slowly. "Of course not. Why would he do that?"

"Don't be dense, Evans!" Cried Alice. "James has asked you to go to Hogsmeade with him ever since fifth year! He's never missed a visit in two years! How could you have never noticed?"

Lily frowned again (she is really confused here). "I don't know… I mean… I never thought really anything of him back then…"

"Hey Tiger, you know you can get wrinkles that way if you frown all the time, right?" It was James himself, flanked by Remus, Sirius, and Peter.

"Yeah," Lily said absently and then realized who said it. "James," she said, "maybe you can help me out with a problem."

"Sure," he said, a bit surprised.

"See my friends here," she looked at her friends, who said with their eyes "What the hell are you doing?!" She ignored them and continued. "They are shocked as to why you haven't asked me to go with you to Hogsmeade… I have no idea why they're shocked. Could you explain to me as to why?"

James gulped and turned pink.

Lily frowned. "James?"

Sirius snickered at his friend's complexion and Remus sighed, rubbing his temples. Damn. Now the plan would be ruined.

"Well… it's because we're friends."

All four girls were confused now. "And…?" Selene prodded.

"Friends don't go on dates with each other," James finished, exceedingly glad with his response. Until…

"Since when are you two friends?" Estella demanded, a bit hostile.

"Hey, they can be friends with each other if they want," Sirius stepped in, growling.

"Break it up you two!" Remus grabbed hold of Sirius' arm and pulled him back.

"'Stelle, stop," Selene commanded.

Alice looked at her watch and sighed. "Well, as much as I'd love to stay at this love-fest, I have to go meet Frank."

The girls bid her a half-hearted good-bye. Lately all Alice did was study or go on dates with Frank.

"You didn't answer my question Lily," Estella asked.

"When we called that truce, it started," Lily said slowly. "I guess it kind of evolved into that."

"And what will it evolve into next?" Estella snapped.

Lily and James both colored slightly at the memory of their almost-kiss. "Not what you're implying," Remus said coolly.

Everyone's gaze jumped to him. "This is ridiculous. Why does it matter whether these two are friends? It's for the better, if you ask me. Come on now, we're wasting time. I still need to get my costume for the ball—and you do too James. Let's go—we only have two hours." Remus nodded at the girls. "See you three later."

They nodded back, and Lily and Selene smiled. Estella scowled.

"I need some butterbeer," Estella stomped off towards the Three Broomsticks.

Lily rubbed her temples. "Let's let her be, Selene. Come on—you promised you'd help me shop for a costume, remember?"

Selene nodded. "Yup. Let's go!" Her face broke out into a cheery grin—Lily was obviously distraught over Estella and needed some cheering up—and the two made their way to the costume shop.

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Author's Note: Thank you guys so much for getting me to 26 reviews! You guys rock! I'm hoping to get at least 5 reviews per chapter… that'd be nice. : )

What do you think about Remus and Selene? I personally thought they'd go well together because they're both kind of shunned (if you remember, Selene's non-veela side of the family hates her because she's part veela and so beautiful.) They're also kind of quiet and mysterious… I knew, while thinking of the character, that her name would have to be interesting in comparison with this. Selene means "moon" in Latin… and what does Remus fear? The moon! (Although this doesn't mean in the story he will fear her.) So anyway… what do you think? Let me know!

TO MY REVIEWERS:

Maud'Dib the Master: Thanks! But uh… maybe if you review again, could you clarify this sentence for me? I'm just a tad confused: REMUS SHOULD GO OUT WITH SOMEBODY AND THEN GET DUMPED BECUASE HE IS A (you know what) and has to go to (you know where) with (you know who). I'm not quite sure what he is other than a werewolf/wizard… are you implying he has to go to hell with someone? I'm sorry, I'm just so confused.

SnakeEyesHannah: Once again, you give me the sweetest compliments. I'm so flattered. Sorry there's not a lot of L/J in this chapter. Promise promise promise there will be in the next one. LOL, and Sirius is really hot huh? It's almost disturbing to think that a story character is hot but hey, I can't help it!

Sparkles3: Remus is one of my favorite characters too. I feel for him because he's lost so many people and he's an outsider. Hopefully in the sixth book he and Harry will be able to comfort each other (not romantically of course, because that would be… odd.)

Mercedes B: Glad my chapters live up to your expectations. I'm sorry that I ruined other L/J stories you've read… (I myself am really picky on the ones that I read. ) On the other hand, that's an awesome compliment, thank you.

Autumn Rhea: Yeah, I didn't really like how they portrayed Remus in the third movie… and I don't like the way Sirius looked… he looked creepy… Yeah, I agree with you on your views of the Marauders.. that sums it up quite well, actually.

And thanks to…

soccerchic1989, scullymulder1234, Hidden Portrait, Flamata, and schnabeldame… LOVE YOU ALL!