Of Secrets and Stags

Note – This chapter shall be unusual. It's from Alice's POV and it helps show her part in James and Lily's oncoming relationship. This chapter also helps devolp her character 'just' a bit. I hope you enjoy it.

I've been thinking about it for some time now. As Lily as apparently not noticed, James is… much different. I guess she's predjudiced for the things he used to do to her. At first, it was just meaningless picking on her. I don't think he devolped feelings for her until the 5th year. Before that, she was just fun to pick on because she had such a huge temper. I think the first time he asked her out that he might have been serious. I think every time he asked her out, he was probably serious, actually. I'm pretty sure that he really does like her a lot, and for someone like him to like someone for two years is pretty amazing, considering he's gone out with just about every girl in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, not to mention half of Ravenclaw (that are of age, of course).

Taking notes on him isn't easy. I have made a few good points, however.

1. He's stopped targeting innocent people.

2. The only real target is Snape.

3. He hasn't played a prank all year.

4. His grades are actually becoming decent, or at least, his grades aren't bad enough for him to be yelled at anymore.

5. He reads books that don't involve Quidditch or anythign vulgar.

6. He's stopped taunting the teachers.

7. He actually seems less involved in Quidditch.

8. He doesn't do that hair thing much anymore, and when he does, he does it without realizing it.

9. He hasn't had a girlfriend all year.

10. He's stopped asking Lily out constantly.

It's a pretty long list so far. I can't believe all the changes that have happened. I don't even think Lily has noticed them, either. She still treats him as though he were scum that should be wiped off the face of the planet. How somoene could think like that, I don't know. I suppose when they patrol "together" they split up or something to avoid confrontation. I don't think I've seen or heard them do anything together that's Head related. In fact, James, other than the mystery Lily and I are trying to solve, has ignored Lily pretty much all year.

Could it be that James doesn't like her anymore?

I'll have to investigate this further.

----

For the past ten nights, I've spied on them. The damn boys don't say much at night. I know they're loud, too. Lily and I can hear them every now and then from our Dormitory. What, do they know I'm listening in on them…?

Wait, I hear someone stomping.

"James! James, get up, you moron!" Sirius yelled.

"What?"

"It's the night before the full moon. You know what that means…" 'No, what does it mean?' I couldn't help but think at that.

"My bed or Remus'?"

"No, the floor."

'What… in… bloody… hell… are… they… doing?' I asked myself, getting more and more curious by the second. Perhaps I could find out more about the mystery or even Lily. But it would require being able to see the bastards as well. And then I was struck with a brillant idea.

I grabbed my necklace, which was a locket that Lily had given me and took out my wand. I opened the locket up, revealing a picture of Frank and Lily. "Eyesight projectum," I whispered. I could now see out of the locket, but now using my actual eyes. I took the locket off and carefully positioned it so that I could see the Maruaders.

They were in a circle, on the floor, surronded by poker chips and cards. "Okay, strip poker!" Sirius called out loudly.

"No!" hissed Peter and James at the same time. Remus, however, seemed ot have no problem with it.

'Oh, god. Remus is a pouf.' I thought with an inward chuckle.

"Okay, Padfoot, you deal," James said, passing the deck to Sirius.

"Gotcha, Prongs," Sirius said as he started passing the cards out.

"Peter, how much do they know?" Remus asked as he calmly collected his cards.

"Yeah, what exactly did Lily say?" James asked.

"Oh… She said something about how you were helping with a stranger's transformation that was getting to close to the school. She also said that the stag was only being controlled by James," Peter said quickly.

'That's the most he's ever said…' I thought again with an inward laugh.

Remus, James and Sirius exchanged worried glances. "What?" Peter asked, looking back and forth between the three, completely confused.

"Well… It just seems like they'd be smart enough to realize that…" Remus trailed off.

"That Moony is the werewolf and James is the stag," Sirius finished for him, putting his arm around his neck.

"Do you have to be so loud?" Remus practically whimpered as he dug his head into his chest.

"Told you. Remus is getting closer. Give it up, Peter," James demanded as he stuck his open palm out.

Peter sighed and handed him a blue poker chip and muttered, "I didn't think that he'd actually try to scoot closer…"

"Yeah, well you obviously have no clue how relationships go. Get yourself a girl," James prodded.

"Well, I did have my eyes on… Nevermind," Peter squeaked.

"C'mon, Wormtail! You can tell us!" Sirius said loudly.

"Er… Alice…"

The other Mauraders burst out into laughter as I blushed a deep red. 'And this pervert was supposed to pretend to be me? He probably went to the bathroom to see me naked or something like that!'

"It… must… have… been… interesting… to… be… her!" James said between laughs.

"Yeah, kind of like the equilvilent of you being Evans!" Sirius laughed out.

'Aha!' I thought. 'Now, I know the truth for sure about both James and Lily and the werewolf situation'

"That technique is going to make you a master Auror one day," Lily whispered to me. I, of course, having not been able to see her, jumped and nearly dropped my locket, er, eyes.

"Um…" I began, not knowing what to say, after ending the charm.

"We'll discuss it in the Dormitory, Alice," Lily said with a look of hatred in her eyes.

"Right…"

----

"So, that's the truth, then?" Lily said, surprised.

"Yes. Remus is a werewolf, James was the stag," I confirmed.

"I… I can't believe it…"

"Yeah, I know. Remus is the nicest Maruader, it's hard to comprehend that he's actually…"

"Not that!"

"What?"

"Potter… was the one who saved… me?" Lily whispered, shocked.

"Yeah…" I said softly, looking down. "You know, he really has changed," I said, a little louder and looking back up at Lily. She had a mixture of amazement, shock and anger on her face.

"Nothing has changed about that bastard," Lily said, shooting a direct icy look at me.

"Lily, listen…"

"Don't 'Lily, listen' me!" she yelled before hiding under her covers.

I sighed and shook my head. 'She really is like a child sometimes… I guess she just can't believe it. I'll… I'll talk to her in the morning or afternoon about it…' I yawned and laid my head on my pillow. Before I realized it, I was fast asleep.