DISCLAIMER: I don't own it. Duh.

Chapter 24: Suspicions rise …

"Hi," Lena said. Remus was lying face down on his bed. He lifted his head up.

"Hi," he replied, and dropped his head again.

"It's not like you to sulk," she remarked.

"Well, I've made an exception," he mumbled.

"Do you fancy Kim?" she asked. He sat up reluctantly.

"Must you insist on talking everything through?" he asked. "You were the exact same with Lily and James …"

"And if I hadn't locked them in our dorm together, they might never have admitted that they like each other," she went on.

"Why do you have to be right?" Remus asked.

"It's just a gift," she said, smiling. "So, do you fancy her?"

"It's not that simple," he said.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because it's not like you and Sirius or Lily and James," Remus said. "It's … complicated."

"Oh, so our relationships are simple, are they?" Lena asked. "Dumbledore's asked us to go to his office today, and I have a sneaky feeling that his parents will be there, having heard the rumors from Reggie. They'll want to break us up because I will 'soil their blood with my inferiority,' or whatever. Oh, and Lily and James had to keep their relationship secret because they spent 6 years claiming to hate each other. Yes, our relationships are simple." Remus fought back a smile.

"Well, my thing complicates it even more than egos and parents," he said. "I would like to ask her out, but I don't know whether I should tell her at the beginning or not. If I do, we've been honest from day one, but I might never get to see day two. Or I could wait and have a few happy weeks, but then when I've become attached to her I risk loosing it all." Lena thought.

"I can't see it being a problem with Kim," she said. "She's mad about you."

"She's mad about a seventh year Prefect who is studious and, apparently," he shook his head disbelievingly, "handsome."

"Don't be silly, Remus, she doesn't fancy me," Lena joked.

"You know what I mean," he said. " She doesn't know who I really am," he went on. "No one does, apart from the boys and, maybe, you."

"I know that you're a werewolf, and it doesn't bother me," Lena reminded him.

"You're not there at full moon," he said. "You don't see me then."

"I see you every other time and that is when Remus is in control," Lena said.

"For every person that thinks like that there are about 500 who hate me," he said.

"I'm almost positive that Kim isn't one of the 500," Lena said. "If you want, I could … you know, test the waters a bit. I wouldn't mention any names," she added quickly. "Just steer the conversation around to werewolves and gauge her reaction." Remus didn't look convinced.

"Maybe …," he said.

*****

"What are you doing?" Sirius asked as the revolving staircase moved upwards.

"Holding your hand," Lena said. "Listen, you love me, right?"

"Of course – why are you asking something like that?" Sirius asked.

"Because – well, I don't know," she lied. "I love you," she went on, giving him a quick kiss. Sirius was slightly confused as the stepped off the revolving staircase and knocked on Dumbledore's office door.

"Come in," the headmaster said from inside. To Sirius' surprise, but not Lena's, the Blacks sat in two chairs at Dumbledore's desk. "Good evening," Dumbledore said pleasantly.

"Good evening, sir," Lena said, leading Sirius to the other chairs that were positioned in front of the Headmaster's desk. Sirius was busy shooting an unpleasant look at his mother.

"Your parents, Mr. Black, have expressed concern over the seriousness of your relationship with Ms White," Dumbledore said. "Is there anything you wish to say?"

"We haven't had sex," Lena said boldly. The Blacks jumped at her forwardness, but Dumbledore hardly batted an eyelid.

"She's lying!" Mrs. Black accused.

"She is telling the truth," Dumbledore said, surveying her closely. "If that is all—"

"It most certainly is not!" Mrs. Black screeched. "This relationship is highly inappropriate!"

"No, it's not," Lena said calmly. "We are a regular teenage couple. We kiss, but we haven't gone as far as the rumors suggest."

"You've discussed it," Mrs. Black insisted. Sirius' eyes darted from his mum to his girlfriend as if he were watching a tennis match.

"Yes we have," Lena said. "Like every responsible couple should. I am not aware that we have broken any rules." She looked hopefully at Dumbledore.

"She is correct, they have done nothing to transgress any school rules through their courtship," he confirmed. "However, I would like to have a word with Mr. Black about a mysterious substance that has been erupting from the Slytherin sinks for the past few months." Lena and Sirius grinned, suddenly remembering the prank they'd organized months ago … it had been just before the attack on Lena's parents and everyone had completely forgotten about it in light of the events that had followed.

"I would appreciate it if you'd help us out," Josef Black said, speaking for the first time since his son had entered the office.

"I have told you, there is nothing I can do about it. Nor would I want to," Dumbledore said. "There are not doing anyone any harm, and seem to be quite happy." Lena and Sirius shared a quick glance.

"They are dragging our name through the mud!" Mrs. Black almost shouted.

"Surely your son's happiness is paramount," Dumbledore said softly.

"He is no son of mine," Mr. Black announced.

"Then you have no right to tell me what to do," Sirius retorted. "I'm seventeen, and I don't live with you anymore. I can do whatever I want. This is the first time you ever took an interest in my life. I was 'weird' from day one as you constantly reminded me. And then I got sorted into Gryffindor and became the family leper, and then I left and we were all happy. So why bother me now?"

"I am content to let you do whatever sordid things you want, but when you threaten our name—"

"Oh shut up!" Sirius shouted. "I don't care about your stupid name! I love her and if I want to marry her and have kids, I will, alright! She'll do more for the name Black than you ever have. If we do end up married, that is. Right now, I'd just like you to leave me alone!" Mr. Black stood up and his wife joined him.

"You are an embarrassment," she hissed into Sirius' ear.

"So are you," he replied.

"I wish I'd thrown you out on the streets the minute you were born," she went on.

"Well, I wish you had, too, but we can't change the past, can we?" he replied. The Blacks stormed out of the office. Sirius turned to Dumbledore warily, worried about his reaction. But Dumbledore merely blinked and turned to face the young couple.

"Ms White, you may leave if you wish," he said, but Lena shook her head. "I see," Dumbledore said, his moustache quivering slightly. "I was wondering if you'd help me out, you see, Mr. Filch cannot seem to repair the sinks …"

*****

"Lets never fight again," Lily said, ad they sat on her bed, while 'We can work it out' played in the background.

"Oh, I don't know," James said. "Making up was fun."

"I'm sorry," Lily went on. "Its just … Kim's my friend, and I was angry …"

"It's ok," he said. "I was a git, too. Do you know why Dumbledore wants to see Sirius and Lena?" Lily shrugged.

"Ask them," she said, as the door had just opened, and Sirius and Lena walked in.

"James, you have detention with Cooke the first week back," Sirius said.

"What?" he asked. "You go to Dumbledore's office and I end up with a detention?"

"We all have it," Lena went on. "Remember the Slytherin sinks?" Realization dawned on his face.

"Oh yeah," he said, grinning. "Is that what he wanted to talk to you about?"

"Nah, my parents just wanted to split us up," Sirius said, grinning. "Nice try, mother," he added, pulling Lena onto her bed.

"I could get used to this," James said, wrapping his arm around Lily.

"Me too," Lily said drowsily. "I can understand why Lena and Sirius do it."

"What?"

"Sleep together," she said. "Literally, not – you know."

"It is comfortable," he agreed.

"Stay here tonight," Lily asked. James smiled.

"Of course," he replied.

"Ooh, look, it's an orgy!" Kim exclaimed, entering along with the others, plus, surprisingly, Frank Longbottom.

"Nah, you're too late, you've missed it," Lena joked.

"We've adopted Frank," Ally informed them. "His Hufflepuff friends have buggered off home for Christmas, so he was all alone."

"And he's better off with us?" James asked.

"Course he is!" Lena exclaimed. "How did he get up here?"

"We updated the Confundus Charm," Remus said. He had been slightly nervous around Kim at first, but she assured him that there were no hard feelings and asked if they could forget everything that had happened.

"You know, it doesn't really feel like Christmas," Lily mused.

"Why not?" James asked. Lily shrugged.

"Hey! I have an idea!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Lena asked.

"Why don't you all move in here?" Lily suggested. "We could conjure up an extra bed, and then there'd be room for us all! Ally and Kim could use Sophie and Adele's beds, and the boys could take over the rest. We'd be together for Christmas and we could all open our presents together on Christmas morning!!

"Do you like Christmas, Lily?" Peter asked sarcastically.

"I think it's a great idea," Sirius said.

"Yeah," Remus added. "I'm going to go and get my pyjamas." Lily smiled gratefully.

"We'd better decorate," Lena said. Sirius grinned, and with a flick of his wand boxes of decorations appeared in the middle of the room. They set to work immediately.

James conjured an extra bed, which he positioned between Ally's bed and the door. Ally herself was bewitching strips of paper to dip themselves in glue and make paper chains. Lena then stood on Sirius' shoulders to hang them on the ceiling. Lily hurried outside and returned with fairies, which she charmed to flutter around the posts of the beds. Remus and Frank wove tinsel around the fairies, and Kim conjured a beautiful red, green and gold rug for the centre of the room.

"I really love Christmas," Lily whispered to James that night. James smiled.

"Yeah?"

"And I suppose sometimes, when I stay here for Christmas, I miss my family," she said. "So I wanted my other family near. Does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense," James replied. Lily yawned. James kissed her forehead. "Good night," he whispered.

"'Night," she replied.

*****

The next morning, while most of the occupants of the room were still snoozing, Remus threw a book at Lena.

"Watch it!" she exclaimed, examining it. "Hairy Snout, Human Heart?"

"It might help, you know, bring the subject up." Lena suppressed a grin as he blushed slightly.

"Ok," she said. She chose her moment carefully, wanting to get Kim alone. Her chance came when Kim needed to get a book for a Potions essay.

"I'll come," Lena said, picking up the book. "I fancy a walk."

"What's the book?" Kim asked.

"Oh, it was written by a werewolf. It's made me very angry," she said truthfully.

"Why?"

"Because they get such a raw deal," Lena said. "I mean – they're not dangerous for 27 days of the month, but they are treated like second-class citizens. Don't you think it's unfair?"

"I suppose … I've never really thought about it," Kim said, wandering away from her friend to search for the book. Lena sighed and hit herself on the head with the book. Kim hurried back holding a gigantic book.

"I mean," Lena went on, "they can't work or anything. The ministry barely recognizes that they're human."

"Really?" Kim asked. "That is unfair, I suppose."

"I've been trying to think how I'd react if I found out that someone I knew was a werewolf," Lena said.

"Why?"

"Well, I've always thought that I have a pretty open mind, but I don't know, it would be a huge shock," she said. "How do you think you'd react?"

"I don't know," Kim replied. "What brought this on?"

"I was just reading the book, like I said," Lena said quickly. "And, you know, putting myself in someone else's shoes. Never mind, are you ready?" Lena didn't want to make her suspect something, she might guess. And Remus needed to tell her himself. She had realized lately how fortunate Remus was that no one had already guessed. Now that she knew, she was wondering why she hadn't figured it out before. It seemed blatantly obvious to her.

"Semolina Pilchard," Kim said, and they entered the common room.

*****

Later that evening, Kim was reading the book on her bed. At least she was trying to, but couldn't quite get her head around it.

The effects of there potions are threefold, and are immediately noticeable within seconds of consumption, providing that the drinker has not taken any other potions in the 33-hour period immediately before consumption—

"Bugger off!" Kim shouted, and flung the book to the other end of her bed. She took a deep breath and flopped backwards. Her head hit something on the pillow, and she pulled it out. It was Lena's book, the one that had got her all worked up about werewolves. Curious, she opened the first page.

"I'm not looking for sympathy or pity. I'm looking for equality. I don't think I'm mean, or cruel, I flatter myself that I am an all round nice guy. You'd say hello to me on the street. But as the author of this book, as a werewolf, you hate me …" Kim flicked forward a bit.

"I CAN'T HELP IT!!!

I had to get that out of my system. I, more than anyone, hate what I become at full moon. I hate knowing that I won't be able to control myself, that I won't know what I'm doing …"

Kim was soon engrossed in the book. Twice, she was forced to summon some tissues. And she agreed with Lena, the book made her very angry. She could scarcely believe the way the author was treated. She was fascinated by the strength he must possess, and realized by the last page that she had been developing a bit of a crush on him …

"Are you ok?" a concerned voice asked. She blew her nose and stuffed the book in her pocket, thinking that it was rather silly to be crying over a book.

"Hi, Remus," she said. "I'm fine, I'm just being mushy and girly, there's nothing wrong."

"Do you want me to get Lily or Lena or someone?"

"No, it's fine," she said. "I'm just being silly. I'll move my things out of your way."

"No, take your time," he said, looking at the potions book. "How is it going?"

"Not very well," she replied. "I'll head over to The Fluffy Zone to see if I can get my head around it." But when she drew the hangings, she pulled the other book from her pocket and opened it eagerly.

*****

"Has Kim been acting strange lately, or is it just me?" Remus asked. It was Christmas Eve, and they had retreated to the Room of Requirement, thus awarding the first years some time alone in the common room. Kim herself was not present, having stayed behind to do some homework with Ally.

"No, what do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Oh, it's just that she's been looking at me funny for the last few days," Remus said.

"She has been quiet," Sirius mused.

"Well, yeah, but this time of year can be tough for her," Lena said.

"Why?" Peter asked.

"She misses her mum," Lily said. "She died when she was born, and Kim's never forgiven herself."

"For what?" Remus asked.

"Being born," Lena said. "She blames herself, and I don't think her dad helps that much."

"She normally responds best to Ally," Lily explained. "They're really close, and Ally can normally cheer her up."

"Oh," Remus said. "That must be it." It would explain why she had been crying the other day … he was satisfied with this explanation, at least until Ally entered and threw a book at Lena.

"What was that about?" Lena asked, rubbing her head.

"I just found Kim reading it," Ally said.

"Reading's not a crime," Lily pointed out. Lena examined the book, and realized that it wasn't the first time that she had been hit with that particular publication.

"Yeah, well, that book's the reason she's been distant," Ally explained. "She's been hung up on it all week."

"Hairy Snout, Human Heart?" Lily asked. "What's it about?" The boys exchanged highly amused glances. Lena caught Remus' eye briefly.

"Werewolves," Ally said. "She spent two hours telling me how hard done by they are."

"She has a point," Lena ventured.

"It's your fault she's like this in the first place," Ally said. "You gave her the book."

"No, I didn't," Lena said. "It must've got mixed up with her schoolbooks."

"Since when are you for werewolf rights?" Lily asked her best friend.

"Since I found the book in the library and found out how unfairly they are treated," Lena replied. "I happen to think that it's a good thing she's taken an interest."

"Taken an interest!" Ally exclaimed. "She's bloody obsessed! The author's her god. She won't stop raving about him. He's brave, he's kind, he's human, he's misunderstood, he sounds handsome … she's upset now because she wrote to the publishers and they won't reveal his identity. She even said that it's a pity they can't marry … Marry! She's never even met him! I'm sorry, Peter, do you find something funny?" Peter was rolling around on the floor in hysterical laughter.

"No," he tried to say.

"How can someone 'sound' handsome?" James wondered.

"It gets worse," Ally said. "She thinks she knows him." Peter stopped laughing, and all four boys tried to hide their panic. Something in their actions caused Lena to shoot Remus a silent question … he barely nodded his head, and she hid her shock.

"W-what do you mean?" Peter asked.

"She said – that someone she knows shows all the signs of lycanthropy," Ally sighed. Noting the boy's expressions, and misinterpreting them, she added hastily: "Oh, I don't think it's true. I reckon she just wants it to be."

"Why don't us girls go and have a chat with her?" Lena suggested.

"But your Christmas surprise!" Sirius blurted.

"What surprise?" Lena asked, and his eyes told her to go along with it.

"The one that was a surprise," he went on. "I suppose it could wait …"

"Lena, go with him," Lily said. "We'll talk to her."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes," Ally said. "You'd probably fire her up even more, talking about werewolf rights." They made to leave.

"Oh Ally," Sirius called, "did she mention who she thought he was?"

"No," Ally said. "Don't worry. There's no werewolves in the school, I'm positive." The others smiled weakly as the two girls left.

"You wrote the book?" Lena exclaimed.

"Yeah," Remus said, his unrestrained panic evident.

"When?"

"About fifth year," he said, "but can we get back to the fact that she knows?"

"We don't know for sure she suspects you," James pointed out.

"C'mon, Prongs," Sirius said. "He's gone every full moon, is reserved and doesn't talk about himself at all. She hardly suspects Peter."

"She fancies you, though," James pointed out, and Peter dissolved into giggles again.

"She fancies the author," Remus said.

"You're the author," Sirius reminded him.

"So what do we do, shall we tell—" Lena started to ask, but at that moment Frank entered, and Sirius stopped her from saying more by kissing her.

"Wow!" Frank exclaimed, looking at every part of the room but Lena and Sirius. "This place is amazing! I hope you mind me barging in, but I met Ally and Lily, and they told me to come here …"

"No, pull up a chair," James said. "Sirius was just about to whisk Lena off somewhere."

"Yeah, Ally mentioned that," Frank said. "Is there something up with Kim?"

"Girly crisis," James said, as Lena and Sirius called goodbye. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yeah, thanks," Frank said. "So this is where you study …"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: This took ages; I've had sooo much on my plate with preparing for college and all. Plus, my mum was away this weekend and last weekend, so I had a lot of babysitting to do. Oh well, more money for college!

Thanks to the reviewers!

jess: Thanks for your reviews!! I totally understand your crying, I cried while writing it. I miss him so much!! Thank you sooo much!!

WaNdA: I know, I love the Black night! Thank you again!!

roswellobsessed: I know, poor Remus!! Things just might start looking up for him soon!!

Mr. Padfoot1: Did you like the chapter? Hope you did!

kevin luver: I know, I hate cliffies, too. But it doesn't stop me writing them, sorry!!