Disclaimer: Only Malika and Jane belong to me, everyone else belongs to J. K. Rowling.

Chapter 12

December 1994

Malika was still fuming when she arrived at her apartment. Remus looked up from the book he was reading, upon seeing her face he immediately came to her side, alarmed. Malika was never one to easily lose her temper and Remus had never seen her looking as angry as she did now. Whatever had happened, it must be really bad.

"What's wrong? Why are home early?"

Malika took a deep breath to calm herself, before she answered him.

"I'm home early because I quit my job."

"What? Why?"

Malika shook her head, she didn't want to tell him what was going on at the Ministry. Instead she just said, "I don't want to work for those criminals anymore."

"But you always loved your job. Tell me what happened that made you so upset."

"You don't want to know," Malika whispered.

"Malika, please." Remus was getting really worried now, this behaviour was very out of character for her.

Malika went to the couch and slumped down in it, before she whispered, "I've tried to reason with them, but they refused to even listen to me…" Remus sat down next to her, confusion written all over his face. "…I can't work for people like them…" She lifted her face to look him in the eye, angry tears burning in her eyes. "They want us to hunt down werewolves." She had whispered the last part so quietly, that he probably wouldn't have heard it without his heightened werewolf-senses.

A silence spread between them.

Remus didn't know how to react, a mixture of emotions coursed through him, shock, confusion, fear, horror, anger, but most of all, worry. Not for himself, but mostly for Malika. He had never seen her distressed like this and he didn't know how to handle it.

Malika kept her eyes on Remus and saw the emotions cross his face. She was still furious at the Ministry, but now another emotion took hold of her: fear. She was afraid for Remus, afraid of what could happen to him, but at the same time she was afraid of his reaction, afraid he would maybe blame her or work it out on her. Deep inside she knew he would never do that to her, but at that moment, her fear of losing him stopped rational thought for a moment.

Remus sensed the fear taking hold of her. For the first time since he knew her, he could sense she was afraid of him, and it sent a pang to his heart. For a moment he wondered what could have caused this, then the smell of fear became too much, too painful, and he knew he had to get out of there.

Suddenly, Remus stood up from the couch and announced he was going to take a walk. He was out of the door before his words even got through to Malika. When they finally did, she burst into tears.

000

Jane had been thinking a lot about Malika's words, repeating them over and over again in her mind. She knew Malika was right, she even felt guilty for not standing up to her superiors like her friend had done. But what could she do? She didn't want to lose her job. If only there was a large group of people thinking the same way, then they could actually do something.

A large group of people…

This thought got her thinking. If only…

A plan formed in her mind as she got up to immediately start the execution of it. She would have a lot to do, but first she had to speak to Kingsley…

000

A few hours had passed since Remus had left and Malika had finally calmed down a bit. To distract herself from her depressed thoughts, she had cleaned up the apartment a bit. When Remus finally returned, she was cooking dinner, but she immediately rushed to his side as he entered.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, of course, why wouldn't I be?" Remus watched her a bit puzzled.

"I was worried. You left so suddenly, a lot could have happened. The full moon was only last night and you're not completely recovered yet, the Ministry could have gotten a hold on you, or Death Eaters." Or you could have decided to not come back to me at all, she thought, but she didn't dare to say it out loud.

Remus stared at her, bewildered by the almost-panicked state she seemed to be in. It had never occurred to him that she would be worried, but her obvious concern warmed his heart and made his own worries melt away. After a moment, he pulled himself together, he had to find a way to calm her down, somehow. He took hold of her upper-arms and looked her in the eye before talking.

"Calm down, Malika. Nothing happened. The Ministry wouldn't pick me off the street like that, at least, I hope not. And what are you worrying about Death Eaters, there haven't been seen any since summer and Voldemort isn't back yet either."

Malika seemed to calm down a bit, although not completely. She flung her arms around him with no intention to let go of him soon.

"I was so scared you wouldn't come back. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you'd hate me. I'm so sorry."

Remus returned her hug, totally bewildered now and trying to make sense of her words. What was she talking about? As realization hit him, he almost laughed out loud in relief at the misunderstanding.

"You were afraid I would leave you, weren't you. Did you really think I would blame you for the stupidities of the Ministry? I know you're not like them, sweetheart, and I could never hate you, even if you would turn against me, I love you too much for that to happen."

Malika lifted her head out of his robes to face him. "Then why did you leave?"

Remus sighed before answering. "I suppose I'm just as scared to lose you. I could smell fear coming over you as we were sitting there, and I thought the Ministry had finally succeeded in influencing you, I thought you were afraid of me and that thought hurt me more than I could explain."

Malika reached up to brush some hair from his forehead and trailed her hand down along his face, Remus closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"I guess we have both been stupid," she whispered, he only smiled in answer.

Suddenly, Remus frowned. "What's burning?"

Malika cursed, released him and ran for the kitchen, Remus followed her at a much slower pace. He was laughing when he entered the kitchen and Malika glared at him playfully, before returning to her cooking.

December 1976 (Marauders 7th year)

When Lily arrived in the dormitory, she found Malika sitting on her bed staring ahead of her.

"Are you alright?"

Malika turned towards Lily, a troubled look on her face and Lily answered her own question.

"Obviously not. Do you want to tell me now what's wrong?"

Malika started to tell her friend everything that had happened, from Sirius pulling her aside in the empty classroom to her little exchange with Remus in the library. After she had finished a silence fell between both girls and Lily put a comforting arm around her friend.

Lily was the first to speak again.

"I wish Sirius would finally leave you alone, why can't he see he's making it a lot harder for you?"

Malika shrugged her shoulders miserably.

Lily hesitated a moment, she had always vowed to not interfere in this, but she felt like she should do something. "Can I say something?"

"Sure."

"I think you and Remus are really suited for each other, maybe you should give him a chance."

Malika looked up and faced Lily. "I don't know Lily, I don't know what I'm feeling, but I do know that I don't want to hurt anyone."

"But you're hurting them already by letting them wait for a decision you're always delaying. You know this isn't right. I was just talking about it with James and he agrees with me."

Malika raised an eyebrow and took her opportunity to quickly change the subject.

"That's right. You were talking with James. Care to tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing." Lily answered a little too quickly and at the same time, a blush spread across her cheeks.

Malika grinned. "Right, you're blushing about nothing."

"You're spending so much time with Remus and Sirius lately that I was forced to spent time with James."

"Uhuh, sure, because there are no other people in all of Gryffindor."

"Nothing is going on between James and me, Malika, we just get along well lately. Besides, that's not what we were talking about. We were talking about you and you changed the subject."

Malika laughed. "I don't remember, but I have a feeling you are changing the subject right now."

Lily blushed again and muttered, "Shut up."

Malika only laughed harder, until Lily smacked her with a pillow, which ensued in a full-blown pillow fight between both girls.

000

A few days later, the Yule Ball was officially announced on the notice board in the common room. Of course it was the subject of many conversations for the following days, everyone was talking about who was going with who.

That was exactly what the Marauders were talking about one night in their dormitory.

"So, does anyone have a date yet for the Ball?" Sirius was lazily lounging on his bed and was of course the one to start this conversation.

"I was thinking about asking that Huffelpuff girl Amy, if you know who I mean." Peter was looking around at his friends to see what they thought about his idea.

"No idea who you're talking about. Wait, you mean that blonde 4th year you were talking with yesterday?"

"Yeah"

"Would be a nice catch I'd say."

"Sirius!" Remus said warningly, and immediately regretted it, because now Sirius' attention went to him.

"What about you Moony?"

"I'm not sure I'm going."

Sirius shrugged and turned towards James, who was lying on his bed and staring off in space.

"Oy, Prongs."

"Hm?"

When it was obvious that was the only answer Sirius would get, a pillow sailed through the air and hit James in the head. He bolted upright and glared at Sirius.

"What the hell was that for, Padfoot."

"For being so distracted these days. What's gotten into you? If I wouldn't know better, I'd say Lily agreed to go on a date with you. But we all know that's not likely to happen anytime soon."

James threw the pillow back to Sirius, only now it was hexed to keep hitting him like a beater. Sirius pointed his wand at the pillow to blow it up and sent the feathers to fall back down on James like snow, and to stick to him wherever they touched him.

At that point, Remus decided he had enough of the show and performed a finite incantatem before his friends made an even bigger mess of the dormitory.

"Aww Moony, we were just having fun," whined Sirius.

"You can have a snowball fight tomorrow outside, Padfoot."

Sirius pouted and James quickly decided to restart their previous conversation, although he hadn't really taken part in it earlier.

"You wanted to talk about the Yule Ball, Padfoot, so tell us what your plans are."

"Well, I would really like to ask Malika, but I'm pretty sure she'd say no anyway because she doesn't want to choose." Sirius' reply sounded a little bitter.

A tense silence fell in the dormitory. Sirius was glaring at Remus, who shifted uncomfortably under his friend's stare, James was watching Sirius and Peter had focused his attention on his Chocolate Frogs as if hoping it would keep the others from noticing him.

At last, it was Remus who broke the tension, addressing James.

"What about you, Prongs?"

James turned to face Remus as a slow grin crept upon his face.

"Actually, I'm going with Lily."

Upon seeing the shocked faces of his friends, James burst out laughing.

"You're joking, right?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, Padfoot, but it's the truth, I asked her a few days ago and she said yes."

"Okay, the world has officially gone crazy. Wait a minute, a few days ago, and you didn't tell us? This asks for punishment." Sirius got a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Oh, now you got it, Prongs, this time I'm not intervening." With that, Remus closed the curtains of his bed and they heard him mutter a charm to protect him against whatever may hit the curtains. Peter quickly followed Remus's example, except without using a charm.

Sirius transfigured the feathers that were left of the blown pillow in cupids that attacked James with their arrows, James in turn changed the ones he could get to in little cats attacking Sirius, and thus another fight had started, only this time it lasted a few hours.

000

A few days later was a Hogsmeade Weekend and it would definitely be the most busy one of the year. Not only was it the only day the students could go Christmas shopping, it was also their only chance to find the perfect robes for the Yule Ball.

Malika and Lily had already bought all the presents they needed, most of which they had bought together, but they did split up for a little time to find each other a present.

Now, Lily was dragging Malika over to a store called 'Miss Miranda's Dress-Robes for All Occasions'. The store was filled with students and Malika had tried to find excuses to get out of entering the shop, but it was no use. Lily took a good hold of her friend's hand and managed to push their way through the crowd toward a rack full of dress-robes. The two girls started rummaging through the robes until Lily found a beautiful emerald green robe that matched great with her eyes and fitted perfectly.

"I'll take this one then, now we have to find one for you."

"Lily, I'm not sure I'm going."

"What?"

Malika looked down at her feet, she didn't know how to explain to Lily her reasons for not going, she didn't even know her reasons, she just didn't feel like going.

"Malika, you can't leave me there alone with the boys. Please tell me you'll be there."

"I don't know, Lily, I just don't really feel like it."

"It can help you relax and stop all that thinking for a while, Malika. It would really do you some good, you'll see it will be fun. Please, for me?" Lily batted her eyes at her friend, until Malika burst out laughing and gave her friend a friendly shove.

"Alright, I'm coming."

"Great. Thanks. Maybe it can help you sort out your feelings."

"Maybe, but I'll go without a date, I think that's for the best. Besides, I suppose you'll be without a date too, except there is some mystery guy you didn't tell me about."

Lily suddenly started blushing and rummaged through the robes again to hide it, Malika had seen it anyway.

"No way. You have a date already, and you didn't tell me? I can't believe this! I'm your best friend and you're supposed to tell me everything, so tell me, who is it?"

Lily mumbled something.

"I'm sorry, Lily, I didn't quite catch that."

"What would you say if I told you I'm going with James?"

Malika's mouth fell open, she had a feeling something was going on between them, but she hadn't expected this to happen.

"Lily Evans finally giving in to James Potter? I never thought to see this day."

"Shut up, Malika, and let's find you a robe, alright?"

Malika laughed, but did as her friend had told her.

000

On Sunday, Remus was sitting alone in the library making some homework, that is, until Sirius came barging in, the Marauders Map in hand.

"There you are, Moony, I've been looking for you, we need to talk."

Remus looked up, puzzled. "What's up?"

"Not here, let's find an empty classroom."

Remus packed his things together and followed his friend to one of the unused classrooms. Once they arrived there, he watched the other boy expectantly.

"There's something I want to know first. What are your plans for the Yule Ball?"

Remus got an apprehensive look on his face. "I don't really have any plans."

"Don't you want to go with Malika?"

"You know just as well as I do that she won't accept to go with either of us, Sirius."

"Yes, of course I know that, but do you want to go with her?"

Remus frowned, he had no idea what Sirius was getting at. He answered hesitantly, "Yes…I would like to go with her if there was any chance she'd go with me."

Sirius nodded. "That's what I thought, and believe me, I've been thinking about it too. But don't worry, I have found the answer to our problem."

Remus looked highly sceptical and even more as Sirius was revealing his plan.

"I don't know, Sirius, I'm not sure she would agree with this."

"Aw, come on Moony, we can only try, what do we have to lose?"

Remus sighed. "Alright, whatever you say, Padfoot."

Sirius grinned broadly. "That's my boy, let's go find her."

000

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