I am SO sorry this took so long. I was banned from the computer. Pssh. But I wrote it allll up, and three one-shots, too, if you want to check them out. I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner.

So I needed to get rid of Bellatrix, hence this chapter.

Remus sat at breakfast, fully recovered. With slow, even strokes, he covered a bit of toast with raspberry jam. Small snatches of conversation ebbed around him. A few people were still looking at him with fear in their eyes. He was the one, after all, who had made a rabid mongoose chase Sirius Black around the school until three teachers finally got rid of it. It had added another month's worth of detention, but it had made Remus very happy.

James coughed anxiously, but Remus ignored him and took a bite of his toast. He savored the fruity flavor at the brittle crunch underneath.

Absentmindedly, he looked at his schedule. It was double Herbology, then lunch, Transfiguration, and Charms. He was already excelling in his studies again; he was doing all his homework, doing all the spells, and reading all the material. It wasn't as if there was anything else he could do.

Someone sat down a few seats away from him. Remus looked up to see Sirius, flushed, probing the plate of scrambled eggs.

Remus tried to bring himself to care, but he couldn't. He had worked out all of his rage and now he was just tired. Hating someone was exhausting, he found.

Soon breakfast was over. Most of the Gryffindor 6th years headed out into the brisk, pre-spring air, making for the greenhouses. James and Peter were hanging on Remus and looking worriedly at Sirius, but Remus continued to not care.

Herbology was uneventful and dull, as was Transfiguration. In Charms, Remus and Sirius were paired together, but they did not talk more than was necessary.

Soon it was dinner. Everyone was nearly done eating when a shy-looking first year approached Remus, shuffling her feet and fidgeting with her green and silver pin. He looked up politely, waiting for her to explain herself.

"Bellatrix Black sent me to tell you that she is having a going away party tomorrow night because she's transfering to Durmstrang, and she wants you to come. It's at nine." The first year said. Remus could tell everyone was watching him- especially Sirius.

"Tell her I'll be there!" Remus said, more loudly than he had to. The first year leapt back, because even she had heard of the incident with the mongoose, and then ran off. Remus smiled.

"Are you honestly going?" James asked incredulously. Remus smirked at him.

"Yeah, you wanna be my date?" he asked with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows that turned James crimson.

"Kidding," he added as an afterthought, "but will you come with me? I don't want to go alone."

James laughed. "Me, at a Slytherin party? Sure, should be fun."

Remus noted that his eyes flickered to Sirius quickly before he returned to his dinner.

xo

Remus was amazed it was the next day already. Lily had tired to direct him on what to wear, but he hardly listened. He just put on some jeans and a black t-shirt. James was dressed more or less the same, and looking very nervous.

"What if it's a trap? It could be a trap, they could kill us! Or worse, what if they think we're a couple? I don't want to deal with rumors, Remus!" James whined. Remus just laughed and led the way down to the dungeons. Luckily, McGonagall had forgotten to tell him not to use magic to wash the trophy room, so he finished quickly. Or maybe it wasn't luck- McGonagall wasn't very excited about giving Remus more detention than Sirius. In fact, she was being unnecessarily lax towards Remus. An old softie really.

"It's not a trick, calm down." Remus said with a laugh. "And they won't think we're a couple, because I bet even they can hear you and Lily shagging."

James turned pink and quiet. They were at the dungeons now. They found a first-year waiting to open the door for them.

Inside, the party was raging. An inhumane amount of alcohol was available, and some loud music was banging their eardrums. There was a large, messy banner that declared "Everyone will miss you, Bellatrix!" in sloppy red letters.

Bellatrix appeared out of nowhere just in time to scare Remus and James half to death. She took Remus by the hand and snaked him away through the crowd. Apparently all was forgiven on the nose-cat front.

xo

Remus couldn't remember exactly what happened, but he knew the big picture. There was a lot of alcohol, and Bellatrix had kept supplying him with it. He thought he remembered dancing, maybe on a table. He definitely remembered Bellatrix kissing him, and him asking why, and her saying because she hated Black. That was a good enough reason for Remus.

He woke up with a pounding headache in Bellatrix's bed. The sun was pouring into the room. No one was around.

Remus groaned, and collected his clothing. It must be around lunch time.

Luckily for him, the Common Room was deserted, so he was able to sneak through it.

James laughed at him when he crawled into his bed and shut the drapes. He heard Sirius asking what happened, and James growing silent. Then that's all there was, silence.

He wondered if it was like this for everyone after they lost their virginity to their ex-boyfriend's cousin.

xo

Remus woke up around dinner time, his stomach feeling like it was about to eat itself. He hauled himself down the stairs, and tumbled for the exit, when someone grabbed his arm.

He turned around, his head falling to one side. It was Sirius, angry Sirius, funny Sirius because Sirius's bangs were too long and they kept getting in his eyes.

Remus laughed. Sirius glared at him.

"Did you have sex with my cousin?" he asked. Remus wondered what he was most mad about: That he slept with a Slytherin, that he slept with Bellatrix, that he slept with Sirius's family, or that he just didn't sleep with him.

"Yes." Remus said, not to hurt Sirius's feelings but because it was true.

"Why?" Sirius asked and Remus knew he was asking why her and not me?

"Why not?" Remus said, only because he didn't have a good answer off hand. Sirius sighed and left.

Remus's stomach reminded him that he was hungry, so he went down to dinner.

bwuhahaha i pwn remus. and bellatrix is gone. for now. until i need another hot evil girl. bwuha.