A/N: I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot. I didn't mean to imply that I would do another slow update. Quite the contrary. I had every intention of updating the next day. But then life went CRAZY! Fitting in soccer camp, church, showers, and sleep…it's stressful. Here's the deal though. I leave for a church retreat Sunday. I don't get back till the day HBP comes out (I've told my parents HBP needs to be in the car when they pick me up). Therefore, I need to get all of this posted by Sunday. Good luck to me. Sorry this chapter is short, but I wanted to give you guys something, and I wanted sleep. Sorry if it's absolute crap.

Wow…thanks for the reviews. Wow. What's it up to now? Geez, I don't even think I can count that high! You guys are amazing. Truly amazing.

Disclaimer: Is it mine? Is the sky fuchsia?

"He hates me doesn't he?"

Remus looked up at me. We were finishing up our rounds on the seventh floor and, until now, had worked in silence.

"What are you talking about?" Remus asked, not meeting my eyes.

"You know what I'm talking about Remus." I said slowly.

Remus sighed and continued to stare at his shoes. "He says he does."

"Oh." I said softly, surprised at how this news affected me. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach, not elation. I had an inclination to sit down with my head in my hands wondering where I screwed up, not the urge to dance around the castle singing.

"But." Remus continued. "You say you hate Prongs."

We walked the rest of the way to the portrait hole in silence. Remus said the password then turned to me. "I don't feel well Lily. Tell Sirius, James, or Peter I went to the Hospital Wing please."

"Sure." I said as I climbed through.

When I looked around the common room I only saw one Marauder--Peter. He was sitting alone at a table, his books spread all around him, his quill hovering over the parchment. He looked pale, and a few beads of sweat were on his brow. His face was screwed up and as I moved closer I could see the hand holding his quill was shaking.

"Having some difficulty with Transfiguration?" I asked sympathetically when I reached him.

Peter's head shot up and he almost fell out of his chair. "What? Transforming? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not transforming, Prongs isn't transforming, Padfoot isn't transforming, and Moony…Moony is definitely not transforming." Peter said all of this very fast.

I stared at him dumbfounded. Peter laughed nervously.

"Maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing Peter." I said cautiously. "That's where Remus is, he said—"

"He's there already?" Peter exclaimed. "But! But! It's not supposed to happen yet!" He lept out of his seat and swiveled around to face the window overlooking the dark grounds. "Where's Prongs?" He said frantically as he turned to face me again. "Prongs Lily, I have to find Prongs!"

"Peter, I really think you should see Madame—"

"Prongs!" Peter's face lit up as James appeared behind me.

"What Wormtail?" James said, uncomfortable in my presence.

Peter shot a glance at me, then continued. "Padfoot told Snape."

"What?" James croaked.

"Padfoot told Snape that Moony's a—"

James sprang over to Peter and clapped a hand over his mouth. "I gathered that much you idiot!" James paused, a look of horror coming over his face. "Oh no. Oh no. He didn't tell him how to follow…"

Peter nodded.

"Has he gone MAD?" James erupted. "Does he not realize? Come on Peter, we have to stop the bastard before he gets himself and Snivellus killed."

James sprinted up to their room, all but knocking me over as he passed. When he remerged, the front of his robes unusually lumpy, I was positioned, blocking the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked brightly.

"None of your business Evans." James said harshly. "Now move!"

"It's after curfew! You're not allowed out this late." I continued, still maddeningly cheerful, knowing it would annoy James to no end.

"I…don't…care." James said, teeth clenched.

"Oh, but I do." I retorted with a smile on my face. "You see James, it is my duty as Prefect to—"

"Lily! I don't have time to play games!" James said desperately. "This is serious!"

The uneasy look in his eyes made me drop my façade. "What's going on?" I asked curtly.

"Damn it Lily, stop wasting my time! Get out of the way you silly girl! There isn't time for this!" James tried to push me aside.

I pulled out my wand. "Either tell me or take me with you."

"No Lily!" James cried hysterically. "Merlin, you've told me no enough times, you think by now you'd know what it meant! Now MOVE!"

I was taken aback and James took the opportunity to push me out of the way. He hurried out of the portrait hole. I regained my senses and followed him.

I gasped as I saw what he was pulling out of the front of his robes. "You have an invisibility cloak?"

James looked up at me again. "Lily, you're not coming with me!" He said angrily.

"Why not?" I asked, stomping my foot in frustration.

James' expression softened as he gazed at me for a moment. "I can't let you get hurt." He said quietly, and then disappeared under the cloak.

"James!" I yelled, searching the corridor in vain. "James!"

A voice somewhere to my right answered. "Go back to the common room Lily, don't come out. I need you to stay safe."

"Are you ever going to tell me what's going on?" I pleaded, looking down the empty hall.

The voice answered again, closer this time. "Perhaps someday. That is, if you ever give me a chance to have an actual conversation with you.

I gaped at the comment, and then felt a kiss on my cheek. A kiss so soft I'm not sure if it was real or if I simply imagined it. With that I turned and climbed back through the portrait hole.

A/N: I'm sorry for the short chapter, but I desperately need sleep. I'll have another chapter up tomorrow, hopefully finishing up sixth year, probably at least starting seventh year.

I know Sirius didn't tell Snape what Lupin was, that he just told him to follow Lupin down the Womping Willow, but I'm counting on the fact that Pettigrew is hysterical.

Thank you for reading!