Chapter Nine: Hide and Seek
Early the next morning James and Sirius were in Dumbledore's office with their stuff, ready to travel by floo powder to James' house.
"Even though the circumstances of you going home are grim," Dumbledore said right before James threw the floo powder that he held in his fist into the empty fire grate, "I hope you have a good time," Dumbledore gave them both a small, yet very happy looking, smile. James looked at him and couldn't help thinking 'The only way I'll have a good time is if Uncle Charles get drunk and runs around the neighborhood naked...again.' He then threw the powder into the grate and watched as green flames erupted. Just before he stepped into the green flames Dumbledore said, "Tell your father I send my sympathies, James." James nodded and stepped into the fire place. The green flames tickled him and he almost coughed as he said 'Godric's Hollow'. Off he went, his luggage spinning around with him, thinking, 'This was never my favorite way to travel'.
Just as Sirius was dragging his luggage over to the green flames Dumbledore stopped him. "Sirius, please keep an eye on James. It will be a very rough time for him at home." Sirius nodded and said, "Alright professor", and he stepped into the green flames. Clearly saying 'Godric's Hollow' he was off in a matter of seconds following James in a swirl of green flames.
Lily sighed as she turned the pages through her Ancient Runes book. James had been gone for the whole day and would not be back for another two days and she was already missing him. Lily was so distracted by her thoughts that she only realized that she was reading the same paragraph for the third time when she heard her name from across the common room. She turned around to see Remus sprinting towards her.
"As head girl," she said, "I would advise you not to sprint down the corridors and through the common room, but you look frustrated so I'll let it go. What's up?"
"It's Peter," Remus replied panting for breath," he's really annoying the living snot out of me, trying to get me to help him with something or other."
Lily laughed, "Living snot, eh?" But when Remus glared at her she sighed and said, "Well what do you want me to do about it?"
"Hide me!"
"Oh, you are so childish!"
"Come on, Lils! Please do me this favor! Please!"
"And what, may I ask, do I get out of hiding you from Peter?"
"The satisfaction of helping a friend," Remus said slowly then smiled, but when Lily turned back to her Ancient Runes book Remus said, "Fine! I'll- I'll do your homework for a month!"
This, Remus realized, got Lily's attention but not the kind he wanted. "Remus Lupin!" she yelled and Remus could tell by her tone that he was about to be repremanded. "I would fully understand if any of the other three offered such help, which I must say anyone should refuse, but you are a prefect and out of all people-"
"Yeah, yeah I know!" Remus said looking frantically at the common room entrance, "So will you do it?"
Lily stared at him for a few second, then sighed and said, "Fine but only for the mere satisfaction of-" But she didn't get to finish because the portrait in front of the common room entrance opened. Lily grabbed Remus and threw him under the table she was sitting at. A few seconds later Peter walked in and, seeing Lily made his way toward her. He sat down in the seat opposite hers and said, "Hey Lily, have you seen Remus?" Remus was scared that Lily wouldn't be able to lie about where he was; she was never a good liar. But when she spoke Remus was so convinced he didn't even know where he was himself.
"No, I haven't, not since earlier that is. Why?"
Peter sighed, "I need help on my homework and I was hoping he could help me but he ran out of the library so fast I didn't see where he ran to, let alone ask for his help."
"Well, maybe he felt ill."
"Yeah, maybe," Remus thought that after that Peter would go looking for him else where and just as his thank-yous to Lily were forming in his brain Peter gasped and said, "Lily! Do you think you could help me with my homework?" Remus groaned inwardly and thought 'Just say no Lily! Just say no'. But all that came out of Lily's mouth was, "I- I- well- I- I-,"
"Thanks Lily!" Peter said happily, jumping up and giving her a hug. "I'll be right back," and he ran towards the boys' dorm to get his books. Lily sat there mouth hanging opened, eyes wide, staring after Peter.
"Psst... Lily," Remus whispered from under the table. "Hey, Lily a little help. I'm kind of stuck." But Lily made no response, so Remus tried to squirm his way from under the table, but with no success. "Lily," Remus said again, only louder this time, "help me out he-" but before he could finish, Lily shifted in her seat giving Remus a view up her skirt. He closed his eyes and thought frantically 'Please move again, please move again,' but with no such luck. Remus' eyes opened when he heard a distant door close and he realized that he was going to be stuck under the table for a while.
"Sorry it took me so long," Peter said sitting down next to Lily again, "I couldn't find my book."
Finally coming out of her trance Lily said, "Oh it's alright, uh- so what do you need help with?"
"Well, actually," Peter said slowly, "all of it." Remus sighed at Peter's stupidity realizing that he was going to be stuck under the table for a while.
'You've got to be kidding me,' Remus thought.
"All- all of it?" Lily asked in shock disbelief.
"Well, yeah, you see, I'm not really good at learning stuff quickly, so if you could just go over it all to help me out."
Lily sighed, "Well, I'll help you with about half of it tonight and finish explaining the rest some other time. It's just too much for one night."
Remus rolled his eyes; it was only about a month into school, how could it be too much to explain? But that Remus found out when he sat cramped under a table for two and a half hours. Remus never realized how thorough Lily went through things. Not only did she answer his questions about what they were learning but she went into the background of each person, place, thing and idea she talked about.
"I think we should stop here for tonight," Lily said finally, realizing how late it was. Hearing these words, Remus' mind woke up and he thought 'Thank-you Lily.'
"Alright, thanks for you help Lily," Peter said closing his books and getting up. "I'll see you tomorrow," and he walked away. When Remus heard the boys' dorm door close he said, "Geeze Lils, took ya long enough."
Lily jumped up and pushed the chair out. "Remus!" she said surprised kneeling on the floor to look at him, "I'm so sorry! How long have you been down there?"
"Let's see, about two and a half hours!"
Lily's face looked really guilty as she said, "Sorry, it's just none of you guys ever asked for my help before. I was surprised when Peter asked me and so I kind of...forgot."
"It's okay," Remus said smiling, "Just help me up." Lily grabbed hold of Remus's arms and pulled him from out under the table. He stretched. "Now I'm going to take a shower, then go straight to bed."
"Why?" Lily asked confused, "The floor can't be that dirty, can it?"
"Well it wasn't exactly the floor," Remus replied but when Lily still looked confused he leaned over and whispered to her, "Next time there's a boy hiding under the table, make sure you close your legs." Lily blushed so red that it matched her hair and Remus walked away with thought of her in his head.