Chapter Six: Through Thick and Thin

Lily lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind going crazy with thoughts of what might happen between them. Not just between her and James, but her and Remus, James and Remus and just everyone. Lily had learned early in life that one little fight between friends can ruin the whole friendship. Sighing Lily got up and walked down into the common room. As soon as she got down there though she wished that she hadn't, there was so much tension that you could cut it with a knife and it wasn't just from James and Remus. Lily saw Remus sitting in a corner trying to read and hold ice up to his eye at the same time, while James was on the other side of the room surrounded by a group of girls. As soon as Lily walked over all the girls glared at her, making her feel uncomfortable.

"James," Lily whispered, "what is going on?"

James looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean," Lily said already getting annoyed, "why are there all these people around you glaring at Remus and me?"

"Well that's quite simple my dear Lily," James said in a suave voice, "these girls are on my side."

Lily looked at him angrily. "James, it was just one little mistake. So Remus kissed me, which he admitted to. I even apologized profusely for not stopping it. All he was trying to do was help me-"

"What? By kissing you? By stealing you away? What Lily, what was he trying to help with?" James said angrily.

"He was trying to make me feel better and his feelings for me got in the way. You shouldn't be mad at Remus for just trying to help me; you guys are too good of friends for you to sink so low as to do this. You know we are both really sorry for what happened. You've forgiven me now please James, have a heart and forgive him!"

"If you're so mad about it," one of the girls near them said, "why don't you go and stand with him."

Lily glared at the girl who said it, as well as all the girls around James, and said, "Well then, maybe I will." And, to the astonishment of James and the whispers of the girls in the group, Lily walked away and over to Remus.

"Hey," she said, "how are you holding out?"

Remus closed his book and sighed. "Not so good," he said, "Do you know how hard it is to try to read and hold this thing over your eye?"

"I didn't mean about that," Lily said, "I meant about the whole business with James."

"Oh, well the answers would be about the same anyway. He's being a complete jerk, even when I tried to explain to him what happened earlier he didn't even bother to listen."

"Maybe I can have another talk with him. Not now of course, with all his fans around I won't be able to get a word in." Lily sighed, "This isn't going to be easy." Remus nodded his head in agreement.

Across the room at one of the tables, Sirius was watching both of the groups carefully and Peter was writing a letter to Sarah. Sirius sighed, "Man, I don't know what James' problem is but he's being a total jerk. It's his fault that this happened anyway. I mean, he's my best friend but he can be a little inconsiderate sometimes when it comes to other people's feelings." Sirius looked at Peter, "You know what I mean?"

Peter nodded his head, not really paying attention, "Yeah sure, whatever." Sirius noticed how his concentration as a whole was on this paper so in one quick move he snatched it out from under his nose. "Hey!" Peter said surprised.

"Dear Sarah," Sirius began, "I am just writing to ask you when you are going to tell me what you wanted to on the train." Sirius looked at Peter and shook his head.

"What?" Peter asked confused.

"Oh Peter," Sirius said, "Peter, Peter, Peter, you're not supposed to ask a girl a question that involves her telling you something. You're supposed to wait until she can get you at the right time to tell you." Peter watched sadly as Sirius crumpled the letter up, turned and threw it into the fire. "If you listen to me more," Sirius continued, "you'd have a girlfriend by now." Peter was about to reply when James came across the room, leaving his groupies, to talk with Sirius and Peter. He slumped down in the chair next to Sirius. "I don't get it," he said, "why is she talking with Remus still? Doesn't she realize how upset I was earlier today?"

"Yes she did," Sirius said, "but you have to realize James that Remus was Lily's first boyfriend and now, even after their broken up, which I might add was mostly on your behalf, their still great friends, not to mention that he's one of your friends too. You're just gonna have to get over it James. Wake up and smell the poisonous toadstools, no matter how hard you try to keep Lily away from Remus, it's never gonna happen." James looked down at his hands in his lap and sighed, "I guess you're right." He looked back over at them and watched as Lily started to help Remus with his homework. "It still hurts though, to know that one of your best friends and your girl friend could have been getting with each other behind your back for the past year."

"Trust me James," Sirius said, "they haven't been."

James looked at Sirius. "How do you know?" he asked.

"Because, Remus has been too caught up with trying to become head boy and school and Lily loves you. Like they have both been trying to tell you it was a mistake. Feelings that have been short lived don't die that quickly my friend."

James took a good look at Sirius. "When did you become so smart?"

Sirius smiled, "I'm not, I'm just good with relationships. Like I've been trying to tell Peter here, if you guys listened to me more maybe you would learn a lesson or two about your relationships."

James smiled at his best friend and then turned and looked longingly at Lily, knowing now that things would patch up, but that it would take some time.

"Hey Remus," James said standing in the bathroom doorway watching Remus brush his hair, "can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, but make it quick. I don't want to be late for mine and Lily's date."

"Yeah about that," James said, "I don't think you should go."

Remus stopped brushing his hair and looked at James. "Why not?"

"Because I heard Lily talking to her friends about you."

"And..?"

"And not good things came out of her mouth."

"Like what not good things?"

James hesitated; did he really want to do this? If it meant a date with Lily Evans then yes, yes he did. "I heard her telling her friends that the only reason she was going out with you was because of pity."

Remus was speechless. "But- but then that means that she-"

"Lied to you and told her friends about your secret."

Remus walked out of the bathroom and sat down on his bed. "I can't believe that Lily did that."

James nodded his head. "I know," he said, "I thought she was such a sweet girl." Remus looked up at James, tears in his eyes, and he told him as plain as day, "I'm not going."

"But Remus!" James said in pretend shock, "You have to go! She'll be waiting for you and-"

"And nothing I'm not going." Remus lay down and closed his curtains around his bed. "You can tell her yourself, cause I'm not talking to her either."

"Alright Remus, whatever you say." With that James walked out of their room and went to the girls' dorm. A few minutes after he knocked on the door one of Lily's roommates answered.

"Oh, hi James," Simone said, "What's up?"

"I'd like to talk to Lily," James said, "it's urgent."

Simone disappeared and a few seconds later Lily was in her place. "Yeah?" she said looking at him.

"I have something to tell you."

"Well make it quick, I still have to finish getting ready for mine and Remus' date tonight."

"About that," James said all casually, "he's cancelled."

Lily eyes opened wide, "But why? He was so excited about this date too."

"Well," James said not sure of what to tell her, "he's sick."

Lily looked at him curiously, "Really? He looked fine earlier today."

"Oh it's one of those instant sicknesses, where at one moment you feel fine and the next you're barfing things up you didn't even know you ate."

"Are you sure that he's not just nervous?"

"Oh we're sure; we took his temperature and he's way up there like…102."

"Lily's eyes opened wider. "102!" she said, "He's got to go to the nurses office if his temperature's that high! I'll take him right now." James blocked her way out.

"Too late," he said, "Sirius and Peter already took him.

"Why didn't you help? You're one of his friends aren't you?"

"Yes, I am but he wanted me to tell you that he's really sorry and that I should take his place."

Lily's look went from shock to amazement to horror in ten seconds flat. "You mean that I'm going to have to spend my evening with you?" James nodded his head and Lily laughed. "I'd rather dive in a pen full of Hippogriffs."

James figured that her answer would be something like that. "Fine," he said, "be that way. Just ignore what could be Remus' last wish, for you to go out and have a good time instead of staying inside worrying about him. I guess I'll see you around then." James started to walk away, until he stopped when he heard Lily said, "Fine, I'll go on the date with you." James turned and faced her. "But if you make one wrong move at all tonight, I don't care what Remus wants, I'm leaving." After the door closed James ran and got changed into something nice and in less then an hour he was out on a date with Lily Evans.