"Narcissa?"

Someone was touching her shoulder, but she could hardly feel it, her skin was so cold. Narcissa shivered a little, and turned slightly.

Sirius was standing over her. In the crisp, freezing light of dawn, she could see that his clothes were filthy, and he had a still-bleeding gash over his left eye. He knelt down beside her on the snow-covered ground and said, "Are you all right?"

Of course she wasn't all right. She shook her head, not even hearing what he had asked. Had she imagined what happened last night? Had it been a dream?

"Come on," Sirius said, "You're freezing. You've got to come with me up to the hospital wing. We'll get you fixed up."

"Sirius," Narcissa managed, her teeth chattering so hard that she could barely speak, "Sirius – did you – was that - ?"

Sirius did not answer her.

She looked at him, straight into his eyes, "It was Remus, wasn't it," she said. It wasn't a question. "Remus is – is – "

Sirius did not speak.

To his horror, Narcissa's beautifully-arranged features crumpled, and she buried her face in her hands.

Sirius stared at her wretchedly for a minute. This really wasn't his thing – Remus was the one who was better with emotions. She wasn't crying yet, but he knew any minute now –

"Yes," he murmured softly, "Remus is a werewolf."

Narcissa's face rose from her hands and she looked at him again. Sirius wished he could look away, or at least will his eyes to not see her. She stared at him with such a wretched look of loss and pain that he could hardly stand it.

"It's all right," he said in a tone that he hoped was soothing, "You're safe now. Remus can't hurt you anymore."

He had meant to calm her, to make her feel safe. But Narcissa burst into tears.

"Narcissa – " he gasped, "Didn't you hear me? You're safe; Remus won't go near you again – don't worry about that."

"But I love him," she sobbed, burying her face in her hands and rocking back and forth.

Shocked into silence, Sirius watched her as she crawled deeper into herself, crying as if her heart was broken. And for the first time, ever since he could remember, his own heart tugged, slightly, knew what this girl, this woman who shared his blood, had felt for his friend.

He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her, for the first time, as his cousin. Together they knelt under the rising sun, rocking back and forth, each finally, for the first time, knowing exactly what the other one was feeling.

"How did she find out?" James demanded furiously.

"Shh!" Lily silenced him.

The three of them were sitting up in the hospital wing, a few hours later. Sirius had brought Narcissa up, and Madam Pomfrey had given her something for both the cold and for shock. Narcissa had been too upset to tell her what had happened, but Sirius had made up some story about a spell going awry, and Madam Pomfrey had apparently believed him.

Sirius shook his head, "I have no idea. But then again, I wasn't there earlier when she was bugging the two of you up in the common room. You must have let something slip to her, something you thought wasn't that big a hint, and she must have figured it out on her own."

"I didn't tell her anything," Lily said, "but she ran up into your dormitory, and James followed her – I don't know what they said to each other – "

"I didn't tell her anything!" James stage-whispered angrily, "D'you think I'm so stupid as to give away Mooney's secret? I've kept it for the past six years, Padfoot, which is more than we can say for you."

"Me?" Sirius' eyes narrowed, "I haven't told a living soul, and you know it!"

"Oh yeah? 'Cause I seem to remember – "

"Snape!" Lily broke in. "Severus Snape! Remember?" Her green eyes were wide, "That night that you decided to trick him into going to the Whomping Willow!"

Sirius turned red, "That was two years ago. And Dumbledore threatened to chuck him out if he told anyone, remember?"

Now James' eyes were narrow, "He wouldn't have to tell her – he would just have to tell her enough."

Sirius nodded ruefully, "She's smarter than we all gave her credit for," he replied.

Lily tried to hide her smile, "She's not so bad when you get to know her, is she, Sirius?"

Sirius looked at his cousin, sleeping fitfully on the cot. He shook his head, "You don't understand, Lily – it was so hard, growing up in that family. I barely knew Narcissa."

"You don't have to apologize," Lily said, "I think she'll understand. Her life hasn't been all that easy, either."

Sirius closed his eyes, "You should have seen her, out there, after I found her sitting by the door this morning. I never thought I'd feel sorry for her in my entire life, but I did."

James looked regretful, "So I guess it's over between them, then."

But Sirius shook his head.

"I didn't think it was true," he said, "But – she loves him."

He stole a look at James and Lily to see if they believed him. They didn't say a word.

"She said so herself," he went on, "while she was crying. I think she honestly is in love with him."

"And Remus," Lily asked, "how does he feel about her?"

But James spoke up.

"She's wearing a werewolf pendant," he broke in, "I saw it yesterday on her. Silver and moonstone, protection against werewolves. Remus must have given it to her."

Lily's huge green eyes were shining.

"We can't let them split up," she announced determinedly.

"How do you propose we do that?" James asked, exasperated. "Remus has locked himself in the Shrieking Shack. He knows exactly what he almost did and he blames himself. He says that when he gets back to the castle, he's going to tell her he can't see her anymore."

"Why?" Sirius asked.

"Are you really that thick?" Lily asked him, "Remus is in love with her. He loves her too much to put her in danger. So rather than hurt her, he's going to give her up. "

"I don't think Narcissa is going to accept that," Sirius said hesitantly.

"What?" Lily asked, rounding on him.

"She seems pretty determined. I wouldn't be surprised if she fought to keep him."

Lily stood up. "I think it's high time that you two went down to Hogsmeade and had a little talk with Remus."

James followed suit, "Not yet," he said, "First we're going to have a little talk with Snape."

They found him in the library, trying to study for his Potions NEWT. Severus was sitting in a corner, deeply absorbed in a copy of Moste Potente Potions when James and Sirius came storming in.

He saw them coming and leapt to his feet. The book thudded onto the floor, forgotten. His hand was already at his hip for his wand before he was even standing.

"Ease off," Sirius said, "both of you." He looked at James, who was glaring at Severus.

"Afraid, Black?" Severus spat out.

"Just for you, Snape," Sirius shot back smoothly.

James' gaze could melt lead, "You told Narcissa Black about Lupin," he accused, "Admit it."

"No, I didn't." Severus' voice was icy.

"Don't lie to me!" James raised his wand and pointed it straight at Severus.

Severus laughed and did the same, "You don't want to threaten me, Potter. I know more curses than you could possibly imagine. You can't hurt me anymore."

"I'd gladly break your face," James hissed.

"Prongs, step off," Sirius warned him in a low voice.

"By all means," Severus said loudly, "let the egomaniacal buffoon have his own way. Give me a reason to jinx you, Potter, and I swear you'll regret it."

Sirius half-expected James to fire off a curse, but instead, he only replied, "I won't provoke a fight with you. I made a promise and I'm going to keep it."

Severus laughed harshly, "Yes, it is so much easier to be a coward when you have dear Mudblood Lily Evans to protect you."

James flinched, but stood firm, "You call me, coward, Severus, when you're the one who tried to send an innocent girl to her death!"

The word hit home. Now it was Severus' turn to flinch.

"She's fine," he muttered, "Professor Slughorn said that she's just not feeling well –"

"Because last night she was attacked!" James spat out, "Because she went looking for Lupin! And she never would have known where to find him, if you hadn't told her."

"I didn't tell her anything," Severus returned.

"Bull."

"It's true." Severus licked his lips, agitated, "I didn't have to tell her anything."

"She wormed enough out of you, didn't she?" Sirius asked, "She only needed a little bit of information to figure out the truth, and you gave her that."

Severus said nothing.

James was so angry his fingers were shaking, "You couldn't just leave well enough alone, could you, Snivellus?" Severus flinched again angrily at the sound of his most hated nickname. "You couldn't stand to see anyone happy; you have to spread your bad mood around, like the plague. But why Lupin? He's never done anything to you."

"It's none of your business," Severus snapped, holding his wand steadily at James' face.

"What are you going to do?" Sirius asked him lowly, "Jinx both of us? Nobody's not that fast, Snape, not even you."

"Try me," Severus snarled.

James stood there for a moment, silent. Then he lowered his wand, "I didn't think even you could stoop that low, Snape," he said.

"Liar," Severus hissed, "Don't flatter yourself a saint. You've never thought anything different."

James whirled on one heel and stomped out of the library. After a moment's hesitation, Sirius followed quickly behind. Severus watched them leave, wand still at the ready, in case of treachery.

At the door, Sirius turned and looked at him, eyes full of hatred.

"I just want you to know," he snarled back, "that what you did amounts to nothing. She knows exactly what he is – and she's still in love with him."

Severus did not move, nor did he pocket his wand.

With a bang, Sirius slammed the door behind him.

Only then did Severus relax. He lowered his wand and stared after them.

"So Narcissa is still in love with the half-breed werewolf," he said softly to himself. "Then – there is nothing else to be done."

He walked over to the library fireplace and opened his book sack. He took out a small vial of black powder. Stepping towards the fireplace, he threw the powder into the air and shouted clearly, "To the Malfoy mansion!"

There was a burst of flame, and he was gone.