Chapter nine: trip to Hogsmeade

"Moony that is the ugliest jumper I have ever seen," Sirius told his friend. Remus just shrugged as he pulled down the jumper. It was old, worn, frayed, stained, too small and a horrible shade of green that made Remus look sick and pale and it also had silver thread that had at one point was a design but was now just dashed lines.

"It doesn't even fit you and its Slytherin colors," Sirius complained but Remus ignored him. Sirius always said the same thing about the jumper but Remus loved it. His father had given it to him years ago and it had always held good memories with it.

"I could buy you a new one," Sirius offered and Remus just glared and left not saying a word. Sirius sighed and pulled on his own jumper. It was red and rather nice. It had gold designs of phoenixes (yes it was Gryffindor colors, a little something to brighten up the Black home with). It fit him perfectly and he was rather fond of it. But looking at the neat and fairly new jumper made him think about Remus's old one.

He knew Remus would never let Sirius buy him a new one. He hated to think he was a burden on his friends and no matter how much Sirius tried to tell him that wasn't true he wouldn't allow it. He also told them not to buy him much for holidays where presents were exchanged. (That meant no nice jumpers for Christmas or his birthday)

Sirius shook his head and went down to the common room. He was met by his three friends.

"You guys ready to go?" Sirius asked.

"I'm going with Lily," James said from an armchair by the fire. Sirius nodded. That was to be expected.

"Actually James I have plans to go with Remus to Hogsmeade today," Lily said coming down form the girls' dormitory.

"What?" James sputtered.

"It's the last trip before Christmas and I need to do my shopping. You lot cannot be trusted not to look." Lily said pulling on her gloves and hat.

"Oh and Moony can?" James asked angrily.

"Well, yes," She said. James's eyes widen.

"You know, you know what I think? I think that you and Moony are having an affair and are going off to shag somewhere." James accused. He knew how ridiculous this was but he was highly irrational when it came to Lily.

Following this accusation was silence. Sirius had been disappointed that Remus wasn't going with them but he hadn't thought about it the way that James had. Now his mind started whirring. He glared at Lily.

No wonder she wanted me to get over it. She didn't want anyone trying to steal Moony from her. Well no one messes with Sirius Black's man. No one!

His thoughts were broken by hysterical laughter. Both Remus and Lily were laughing so hard that they had to use each other for support (which caused even more glares form the two boys).

"You…guys…." Remus started but his speech was over come by his laughs. Lily was shaking her head in a way that told Remus not to bother. The two continued to laugh, chuckle, and guffaw their way through the portrait hole and down the hall.

James and Sirius stared at the hole in shock which then again turned to anger.

"So you guys ready?" Peter asked from behind them where he had been watching the whole thing.

"I don't feel like going anymore," Sirius said plopping down on the couch and crossed his arms.

"Me neither. Sorry Wormtail," James muttered mimicking Sirius and dropping onto the couch next to him crossing his arms.

Peter shrugged and left.

"I swear to you if Moony touches Lily, I'll kill him." James growled.

"If Evans even thinks about touching Moony I'll hex her into oblivion." Sirius hissed.

"So what do you plan to get Sirius?" Lily asked slyly giving her friend a sidelong glance.

"Most likely some Zonko's merchandise like I always do," Remus replied.

He knew she was hinted at maybe getting Sirius something special. Something that maybe would express Remus's feelings for him but Remus was not going to do that. And Lily seemed to sense it. She sighed in defeat.

"Fine if you won't use your romantic-ism to get you some, then let's use it for my own cause of getting some." Lily joked wrapping a hand around Remus's arm.

"I wouldn't think that James would be denying you," Remus said as the pair entered a small shop.

"Oh he's not. Girls just like to think of it as a reward or a treat. Unlike a necessity as guys like to think of it as." She said. Remus gave a laugh at that. It was true. His friends, Sirius included, thought as it as a need that needed to be met often.

The pair ambled around the town going into shops that might hold promiseing for gifts for their friends and family.

"Maybe I should get a biting tea-cup for Petunia." Lily said picking one up.

"Yes that will make her be much friendlier toward the wizarding world," Remus said paying the witch at the counter.

"Well no it wouldn't but it would give her what she deserves," Lily pouted as Remus pulled her out of the shop. By the end of the trip both teens were laden with packages and bags for all their friends and family members.

They made their way back to the castle, up to the Gryffindor Tower and gave the password to the Fat Lady ("eight cauldrons a' bubbling") and was met by quite a sight.

"Take it back!" Sirius yelled again to James who he had in a headlock in the middle of the Gryffindor common room.

"No…way…you….ponce!" James choked out from under Sirius's arm. Sitting at a table behind the two was Peter who seemed to be enjoying the show.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON!"

The three boys looked up in shock. Even Lily was a bit surprised at Remus's outburst.

"Padfoot would you please release Prongs," he said not really asking.

"But Rem-"Sirius began.

"Sirius, now," Remus ordered through clenched teeth struggling not to lose his temper. The wolf was enraged. Sirius saw the wolf peering out through Remus's eyes. It sent a shiver of terror through him and he immediately complied.

"Thank you," he said sound suddenly exhausted now and sinking into an arm chair. Then Sirius remembered that the full moon was coming soon. "Now what happened?"

Sirius and James sat on the couch and exchanged a glance.

"It was his fault…"

"He started it…"

They both started at the same time. And began to babble and talk over each other. Remus ran a hand over his face and through his hair.

"QUIET!" he finally roared over the two when they looked about ready to get into another wrestling match. The both immediately quieted. "We are going to try this again."

He said in an icy calm.

"One. At. A. time." He grounded out through his teeth. He looked back and forth between the two then at Peter behind them. "Wormtail, did you see what happened?"

The smaller boy jumped as Remus addressed him.

"N-no Moony. When I came back they w-were going at it and I-I couldn't stop-stop them." he stuttered terrified. Remus nodded then turned his look expectantly on to the two boys in front of him

"Well?" He asked raising an eyebrow. Sirius's breath caught in his throat as he stared into his eyes. James glanced at Sirius and noticed his 'checked out' expression. He took a deep breath.

"Well after you two left I told Sirius that if you touched Lily I would kill you," James began blushing at his words but Remus just nodded for him to continue. "And uh, Sirius said that…uh… if Lily, um if Lily knew what was good for her then um she would…leave me for you." James stuttered as he made up the story on the spot. He knew he couldn't tell Remus what had really happen.

Remus seemed to except this story but Lily looked suspiciously at her boyfriend who wouldn't meet her eyes. Remus turned now to Sirius.

"Is that what had happened?" He asked him. Sirius snapped out of his daydream as Remus addressed him. He had heard James's new story and was grateful to him.

"Yeah. So James told me that I was a daft cow with stupid hair." Sirius made up. "And I told him to take it back but he wouldn't. He wouldn't Moony! He attacked my hair!" Sirius said slipping into his overdramatic self.

Remus chuckled wearily.

"Well I guess no harm was done. And you know your hair is lovely." Remus told the raven-haired boy. Sirius glowed inside at Remus's praise.

"Uh James? Can I speak with you? Alone? For a moment?" Lily asked her boyfriend James looked at her questioningly but she just got up and left the common room. He followed.

Out in the hall Lily rounded on him.

"Ok James what really happened?" She asked staring intently at him. He cringed under her gaze.

"I-I don't know what your talking about. I told you what happened." He said not meeting her glare.

"James I know your lying. Tell me the truth right now…" she said leaving off threateningly.

"Ok, Ok but you can't tell anyone!" James said looking around fugitively. "And we can't talk here." Lily nodded understandingly.

"Alright, we can go to the prefect's lounge." She said and she led him off down the hall.

The prefect lounge was a large square room. Each wall was painted a different house color and was embossed with the house crest. The room was divided in fourths. In each of the mini-lounges were couches chairs and fireplaces. They were each decorated in the houses colors. In the center of the room was a round table where the prefects held meetings.

Lily and James sat on the large red couch on the Gryffindor side.

"Spill," she said giving James a look that told him if he didn't tell all, and right now his 'need' would never be met by her again. So James jumped right into the story of what Sirius had told him about the Halloween party, Remus's confession and his own feelings for Remus. (Most of this Lily already knew except for the last part which she was ecstatic about)

After James told Lily that much he stopped for a breath.

"Then today when you guys left I told Padfoot that if Moony touched you I would kill him and he said that if you touched Moony he's hex you into oblivion. And then I said that 'there's no way that she would go for a Nance like that' but I didn't mean it. I was just upset and worried and guys do that ya know. We cut down other guys who might be a threat

And I forgot that I was talking to Sirius about Remus. And he got all pissed off and I got angry that he wasn't backing me up. He told me to take it back. That Moony wasn't a Nance and that I was just jealous but…but I told him to sod off and then we got into a fight." James said in a rush. Lily looked at him and shook her head.

"Boys are stupid," she said. James gave a noise of indignation but Lily ignored him. "So, Sirius is in love with Remus and Remus loves Sirius." She said. James was a little thrown off by the sudden change of topic, but recovered.

"Seems that way," he said.

"Well do you guys have a plan? I mean Remus is very guarded. He won't appreciate a public announcement. And I think it would be nice if Sirius put some effort into it. Remus is such a great guy. He deserves some effort." Lily said going into hyper drive.

"Well actually, we already thought of that and we have a plan," James smirked. Lily looked shocked.

"Really?" He nodded. And then proceeded to tell her his plan. By the end of it Lily moved from shocked to impressed. She almost glowed with pride for her boyfriend.

"Oh James, it's simple but I think it will work. Great job," she gave him a kiss on the lips that soon progressed to a full fledged snog session.