Author's Note: As you already may have notied, I took down these chapters for furhter editing not too long ago. Unfortunately chapter Six was lost. It's a problem that shall be remidied, I assure you, until then, please forgive me and my computer goblins. they were hungry and I Had no caffine in my system. Please enjoy the rest of the Fic, and don't forget to leave a review, as I have very low self esteem P

Lady Lloth

It was now October, the Hogwarts grounds covered in a layer of glittering frost, the air was crisp and cool and the evening sky was clear and sharp. It was the first Hogsmeade weekend of the term and the marauders were seated at their customary table in the three broomsticks, waiting for Lana's arrival, Sirius looking a bit more subdued than usual after his latest berating. he hadn't spoken to Haliwell singletime sine the incident with the love letter, having vowed to keep his word and keep Lana from acting the saber tooth tigress.

"you're going to have to tell her where you go every month

sooner or later Moony." James was saying. Remus almost choked on his Butterbeer. "Why?" he sputtered, eyes wide. "It's not like that'll prove anything."

"No, but she's getting suspicious," James continued, undaunted. "And If you want her to go out with you you'll have to be honest." He said, as if he was an expert on affairs of the heart.

"Oh yeah. That conversation will go well. 'Lana, before we go out, I wanted to tell you something. I'm a werewolf.' Yea...and now I'll tell you what would happen next. She'd run off screaming."

"She would not. She really likes you Moony. But if you keep shying away she'll give up." James countered earnestly.

"Or she really will go after Padfoot," Peter said with a

wink at Sirius. Sirius merely shrugged.

"I don't know if I can handle the yelling." He said with a sigh.

"She probably wouldn't yell as much. I think you just frustrate her. But I think she likes that too..." Peter said, seeming oblivious to the previous conversation. Sirius merely shrugged again, mind elsewhere as he looked around the three broomsticks. Wouldn't be so bad really, but one look at the expression on Lupin's face changed his mind.

"Just go on and tell her moony." He said bracingly.

"I have no idea how," he said lamely.

"Take her to the coffee shop and say : Ever wonder why everyone calls me Moony?" Lupin gave a weak laugh.

"Yea. Maybe..." he said with a sigh, drinking more of his Butterbeer.

"What's up with you, Padfoot?" James asked after a minute.

"Nothing. Just bloody exhausted after those rounds of detention."

James raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I didn't think they were that bad."

"you weren't getting yelled at by Lana." Sirius shot back with his barking laugh.

"No.. But Evans wasn't too happy either. But you're sure

that's it?" He nodded absently, sipping his butterbeer, pointedly

looking away from Haliwell as she moved to a table by herself in he back

corner of the pub.

"Why do girls take so long anyway?" Sirius asked after a

Moment, trying to get everyone's attention off of himself for once.

Lupin and James both shrugged as Peter eyed Lydia beadily, not yet willing to admit the game was over so far as she was

concerned.

"Look, she's here!" James said, looking pointedly at Lupin, as Lana strode into the pub. Lana's brown eyes searched the pub a moment before spotting her the group she was searching for. They all waved, Lupin motioning to a seat where a butterbeer already waited for her.
"Sorry I'm late, all. Got held up at Honeydukes."
"No worries." James said as he sipped his butterbeer. Lupin nodded, looking at a burn spot on the table while Peter and Sirius looked as though they were expecting something, Peter tapping his fingers absently on the table. Lana's brow furrowed. "Whats the matter with you four?" She asked curiously, her butterbeer halfway to her lips.
" Moony has something he needs to tell you, but he's too chicken." Sirius said unconcernedly. A grin came to her face, expression half worried, half excited as she looked at Remus, expectantly. It had sure taken him long enough. He offered a weak smile. He was looking Ill again, like he did before he disappeared every month
"You feeling all right?" she asked, smile faltering.
He sighed.

"Not really...can we go somewhere private so we can...talk..?"
She bit her lip a moment, eyes wandering to the other three as though they had been in on some sort of conspiracy.

"Course, Remus."
He smiled, hands trembling as he grabbed his butterbeer and rose to his feet, his chair scraping with unusual clarity on the wooden floor. She followed, grabbing her own mug and following him.

"What's wrong?"
He offered a weak smile. "nothing.." He said, trying to sound confident. "yet." He thought to himself as they approached an expanse of trees and grass tucked away behind Hogsmeade.
"Talk to me," she said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, a comforting smile appearing on her face. He smiled a bit wider at her touch, pale cheeks coloring slightly.

"I've...liked you a lot for a long time...but…there's something...you should know.."
"It can't be bad. Because I like you too. I was just wondering when you were going to ask. If you were even interested."
"Of course I am!" he said fervently, but backed away a bit, looking almost panicked.
"Then what's wrong?" she asked, brow furrowing at his unusual behavior, moving after him. He sighed and rolled up his sleeve, revealing a rather angry, ugly scar. It looked like something had tried to rend the flesh from his bone.
"What happened!" She asked, worry in her voice as she moved forward, hand reaching toward it.
"When I was…eight I was lost in the woods outside my home...and I came upon a…a wolf.."
She gasped, eyes widening as things were putting themselves together in her head. He swallowed and moved to withdraw his arm, looking away and running a hand through his hair. At least she hadn't started screaming… She blinked, if not simply to stop herself from staring then to also get her brain to think of something.

"So..." her voice was trembling. "You're a... werewolf?" she asked, the last word low, as if she was begging him to tell her 'no', that it was a joke being played on her by the marauders, but he nodded, still not looking at her. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, like a stranded fish fighting to breathe. Finally, with an almost apologetic tone to her voice, she spoke.

"I... have to go..." she managed. "Homework for potions."
He nodded, turning his back to her.

"of course." He murmured, trying to keep his voice steady. "I probably won't see you for a few days."
Her eyes instinctively moved toward the sky.

"Course..." she murmured. "See you, then."
He nodded and waited until she was gone before huddling under the tree and holding his head in his hands. He would have to get to the shrieking shack soon.
"Psst!"
He looked up sharply, eyes wary. Had anyone heard? Would he be kicked out of Hogwarts now that the secret was out..?
"Moony!"
"what is it?" he asked, a bit calmer now that he recognized the voice
"How'd it go?" James asked, moving toward him from behind a large tree.
"Well she didn't scream." He said dully. Sirius moved toward him.

"Didn't go well, mate?" He asked unnecessarily, though his expression showed he felt bad about it already. He shook his head.

"She's scared of me." He muttered with a self deprecating smile, suddenly looking much older than fifteen. They all watched him silently before Peter spoke up. "But what did you really expect?" he asked before he, though he clamped his hands over his mouth as soon as the words left it. Lupin snapped a gaze on him, his expression caught somewhere between anger and despair. Sirius cuffed the smaller boy upside the head.

"He's right though. " Lupin said softly before turning away. "I'll catch you mates later. I have to get to the shack."
"We'll meet you!" James said as they watched him go. He waved a hand absently as he left, not turning back to face them. Once he was gone, James rounded on Peter, expression livid.

"The bloody hell was that comment about!" Peter shrank away. "I didn't mean it!" he squeaked. "It jst slipped!"
"Then you shouldn't have said it! Git!" Sirius said, arms crossed over his chest.
Peter hung his head and shoved his hands into the pockets of his robes as they trudged back tot he three broomsticks. He stopped short however as he noted the familiar whisp of a girl just coming out of the pub.
"What?" James asked, obviously, the other two were too busy to notice at first.
he pointed at the girl tucking a green envelope into her bag, fumbling with a rather large book. Maybe Haliwell could divert their attention away from his slip…