Disclaimer: As I discovered last week, don't own anything. Although the flying Ford Anglia would fit perfectly in my back garden…

Thanks to the following reviewers: blvd, sugur-huny-bun, WhiteCamellia, Dementedtearz, Ashlynn, sexyredhead, Kilala-kat-ex, life2me, angelbaby7sat, Alex202, X.Little.Black.Cat.X, Stasya, Lady of the lads, MicroChips, Fairy-GYAKUTENNO-MEGAMI, Haunted Whispers, Nimrodel Telcontar, maneatingbananas, EvenstaroftheEast.

A/N: 23 reviewers! I love you all! You've brightened up my week! Sorry bout my rather random authors note last week. Blame the muses for being bored! And the copyright people who kidnapped me cause they thought I was copying JKRs work. As one of my favourite authors on this site once said, I would never seek to copy that which I love!

Brief note, I have four muses. Jack, Doc, Fred and Helen. They're all a bit bonkers and that works great for me since I'm bonkers too! Anyway, here's the next chapter and I hope I haven't scared you all away now you know how strange I am!

Chapter 18

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Lily asked in concern. It was Wednesday night and James, Sirius and Peter were about to head down to the shrieking shack to meet Remus.

"We'll be fine," James assured her. "We've been doing this for two years."

"Prongs hurry up," Peter whined. Sirius was hugging Tash, who was also against them going. Jenny was sitting at the window gazing at the grounds miserably.

"We'll be back by tomorrow morning," James promised, kissing Lily on the lips and joining Peter under the cloak. Sirius did the same and they all vanished. The portrait door swung open as they left the common room.

James loved full moons, despite the darker reason for them. He never felt so alive or as free as he did when he was a stag. And knowing they were doing something to help Remus made it some of the happiest times of his life…except for the times when he was with Lily.

He couldn't blame her for worrying. There was always the possibility of being caught or having Remus bite someone. There had been more than one occasion when it had almost happened. James shuddered as he remembered the events that led to Snape finding out.

Without realising, they had arrived at the base of the whomping willow. Peter had already transformed and was making his way carefully to the knot at the base of the willow. Sirius transformed into a gigantic black dog just as the tree froze. Glancing up at the window of the Gryffindor common room, James sighed and transformed.

OOO

"Jen?" Lily asked. "You okay?"

"I just feel so helpless sitting here whilst he's out there having to go through that every month," Jenny said, still gazing in the direction of the willow.

"Come on let's eat something," Tash threw a large bag of fizzing whizzbees at Jenny before helping herself to droobles best blowing gum. Lily took the nearest bar of honeydukes chocolate and began to eat that.

"So Lily," Tash said. "How are you and James going? Have you said the big word yet?"

"I'll tell you if you tell us, all jokes aside, where is your relationship with Sirius going," Lily said.

"Deal!" Tash said. "You first!"

"Okay," Lily said. "Yes, James told me he loved me and I know I do too."

"Isn't it the most wonderful feeling in the world?" Jenny sighed. Lily nodded feeling a dreamy look slide onto her face.

"Hey guys," Tash snapped her fingers in front of Lilys face. "Come back guys, come back!"

"Why?" Jenny asked dreamily. "We're so much happier here."

Lily pulled herself back to reality and looked at Tash, who was blowing a bubble with her gum.

"And you Tash?" Lily asked. "Remember, all jokes aside."

"I don't know," Tash said. "I mean I have fun with him but I don't know if we're quite at the stage you lot are."

"You'll get there," Jenny said. "And when you do, you'll understand what we mean about the most wonderful feeling in the wo…"

"Yeah I get the picture Jen," Tash interrupted spitting her gum out of the window and grabbing a chocolate frog.

"Hey guys," Jenny said. "I can see the boys at the willow." Everyone peered out of the window and saw the willow freeze. The girls watched as one by one, all the boys transformed. Lily sighed slightly when she saw James turn into his stag form.

"You know it's funny," Tash said. "I've been dating Sirius about two months and I've never asked him what it's like being a dog."

"I've never asked James," Lily said. "I think we instinctively blocked out the night we found out since we all know they're doing something illegal."

"We're turning a blind eye for a good reason Lily," Jen said still gazing in the direction of the shrieking shack. All the boys had disappeared down the tunnel.

"Come on," Tash said. "We won't make time go faster by staring out of the window!"

She threw chocolate frogs at Lily who opened it and looked at the card.

"Dumbledore," she said. "You know I've given up trying to find the four founders of Hogwarts. I don't think they've really made the cards, I think they've just said that to encourage us to buy them."

"That's not true Lily," Tash reminded her. "My brother had Ravenclaw in the pack I gave him."

"You mean the one he threw in the bin before he told you about it?" Lily asked sceptically.

"I know! I mean, I love my brother and all but honestly, how thick can you ge…" Tash was cut off as a grey blur shot across the room and seized Tash's wand.

"Apollo!" Lily shouted at her cat. Apollo took no notice and ran off towards the portrait hole with Tash's wand still in his jaws.

Tash made a dive for the cat but at this exact moment, the portrait door opened and Crystel walked in, tripping over Tash as she went. Taking advantage, Apollo darted out of the common room and down the seventh floor corridor.

"Oi! Get back here you dozy little hairball!" Tash yelled, getting up and leaping through the portrait hole. Lily and Jenny followed, both girls stuffing their own wands into their dressing gown pockets.

"Crystel stay here," Lily said briefly to their roommate, who was still lying on the floor. Lily bolted down the corridor after her friends.

"Stop that cat! It has my wand!" Tash yelled bolting down the staircase to the sixth floor. Lily followed, praying that they wouldn't be caught by a teacher.

Up ahead, Apollo turned down the sixth floor corridor and behind a tapestry. Tash followed, ripping the tapestry off its hangars as she went. Jenny and Lily followed. Lily had no idea where this passageway went. She sincerely hoped that they wouldn't end up somewhere horrible, like the Slytherin common room.

OOO

Taking extreme care not to step on Peter, James and Sirius followed Remus up the passageway towards the whomping willow. As they reached the tree, Wormtail shot out to freeze it again. Remus was out the second the branches stopped moving. Sirius was after him, wrestling him to the floor. James stepped out last dipping his head against the moonlight.

They had all agreed to stay close to the castle that night, and perhaps explore a little more of the forest. James joined Sirius, and began to usher Remus towards the dense foliage of the forest edge. He loved it in the forest. They didn't have to worry so much about anyone seeing them when they were undercover of the trees.

Even so, the forest always held surprises. At one point during one of their adventures, they had come across a small group of centaurs and had only just managed to stop Remus from attacking them. None the less, it had been fun to a degree.

James suddenly had a feeling of foreboding as he remembered how they were betraying Dumbledore's trust. It had never really bothered him before, but now he was thinking about it, a very guilty feeling settled into the pit of his stomach.

As they got closer to the trees, Remus suddenly raised his head, sensing something. James and Sirius listened too to try and find out what they were dealing with. James felt himself panic when he heard human voices. Sirius's reaction was to pin Remus to the floor. James was about to help when he heard the voice again. His blood ran cold.

"I swear Lily! When I get a hold of that cheeky fleabag I'm going to turn it into… into…"

"A Slytherin?"

OOO

"Thank you Jenny, a Slytherin! Perfect," Tash gasped. Lily and Jenny followed, clutching their sides.

"Tasha can't we just look for Apollo tomorrow?" Lily asked.

"No!" Tash said stubbornly. "What if he drops it in the lake? Or one of the Slytherins gets a hold of it? No thank you!"

Lily sighed. She and Jenny had followed Tash and Apollo down the passageway, which had taken them down to the ground floor and out of a side corridor, ending up outside the greenhouses. Still Apollo had continued to run away from the castle and apparently, was not giving up his prize. They were now halfway down the hillside.

"Tash we should go back, it's freezing out here," Jenny called, panting for breath. Lily noticed too. She and Jenny were both wearing dressing gowns, but it was mid January and there was still ice on the ground. Tash was just wearing pyjamas and slippers, not bothering to pick up her dressing gown before she had started to chase the cat.

There was a yell and Tash rugby tackled Apollo to the ground. The cat yowled, dropped the wand and sank his teeth into her hand.

"Ow! Stupid bloody animal!"

"Don't hurt him Tash!" Lily begged as Apollo bit in again. Tash yelled in pain and let out a stream of swear words. Lily took aim, waved her wand and muttered a spell. Apollo fell asleep, still clinging to Tash's arm.

"Mother of Merlin get rid of it!" Tash freaked. Lily prised her sleeping cat off her arm. Jenny came to provide inspection.

"Bloody hell Lily your cat could crush donkey with those jaws!" She tapped Tash's hand and the wounds cleaned themselves. Jenny waved her wand and conjured a bandage for Tash. Gritting her teeth, Tash muttered a brief, 'thank you' before wrapping her hand and arm up and pocketing her wand.

"Right can we please please please please go back to the common room?" Jenny begged.

"Yes," Lily said, nodding for all she was worth. Tash shot Apollo a glare before getting to her feet. Lily tucked her can into her dressing gown and shivered in the cold.

"Bloody animal," Tash said.

"Why the hell would a cat go after a wand anyway?" Jenny asked, as they struggled up the hill.

"I don't know," Lily shrugged. "Maybe it smelt of fish or something."

"Shut up," Tash scowled. She was evidently still sore about her injuries.

"I hope you've had tetanus shot recently Tash," Jenny said, nodding at Tash's hand which was very red, and beginning to swell slightly. Her arm was in a similar state.

"Twelve years ago yes," Tash nodded.

"Ah…" Jenny trailed off.

"What is that bad?" Tash asked in a panicky voice. At this moment, Apollo woke up and jumped out of Lily's arms. He streaked off towards the castle.

"Oh for gods sakes what now!" Tash asked irritably. Lily halted as she heard a low rumbling coming from behind them. A chill ran up her spine and she turned around.

At the bottom of the hill stood Remus. Lily felt like screaming but her voice seemed to have disappeared. Tash had gone very pale and Jenny was shaking. Lily felt terror surge through her. She had seen him in werewolf form from a distance but never this close. They might be at the top of hill but he was still huge. Lily couldn't help staring at him.

Jenny started forwards but Lily grabbed her arm.

"Jen he's a werewolf, he won't recognise you."

"What do we do?" Jen squeaked.

"Running would be a good idea," Tash said. "GO!"

All three girls turned and ran towards the castle but Lily knew it was pointless. Remus would have caught up with them in no time. Tash appeared to be thinking along the same lines, as Jenny slipped and fell flat onto the floor.

"We can't outrun him," Tash said helping Lily to pull Jenny up. "We're going to have to fight!"

"NO!" Jenny screamed.

"Jen we've got no choice!" Lily said, although she knew this was going to be one of the hardest things she would ever have to do. She pulled out her wand. Tash already had hers out and was facing the direction they had just run from. Jenny slowly joined them. Lily could see she was shaking worse than ever.

"What are we hitting him with?" Lily asked.

"Stunning spells on three," Tash ordered, as Remus came charging up the hill, teeth bared.

"One, two…THREE!"

A/N: Yes I'm evil, I know you hate me. But could you review anyway just to tell me how much you hate me for leaving you there? Thank you!

VIN (Very Important Note!): PLEASE READ THIS! I'm on holiday from the evening of the 19th to the 4th. What I'll do is I will update next Wednesday as normal then I'll update on Friday morning (British time) before I leave. Then when I come back on the 4th which is the Sunday, I'll update then too. Then I'll go back to updates every Wednesday.

Next chapter: Need I explain? Basically full moon part 2 and Valentines day.

May Stardust fall in your dreams!