As the now-familiar whirling stopped James could see Lily sitting in the chair. Her eyelids looked swollen and she appeared to be… well… bored. But her eyes were still alert.

As the wolf groaned slightly she was on her feet, with her wand outstretched, within a heartbeat. When she realised that it was shrinking, turning back into a human being - back into Remus - she sighed in relief.

"Bout time too…" she muttered. "I've never been so tired in my life." She flicked her wand and the ropes receded a bit. James noticed that she still left the hands and feet bound, which made sense really as she probably didn't know quite as much about werewolf transformations as the Marauders.

Another flick of her wand and Remus's limp body was clothed in jeans and a t-shirt (a point of modesty often forgotten by the Marauders since they'd transformed in front of each other so often). She then began floating him after her as she walked down the stairs.

She clambered into the passageway and trudged slowly down it. When she came to the end she tried to step outside but the way was blocked… by non other than Professor McGonagall. McGonagall mouthed wordlessly at her for a moment as Evans just dragged her hand through her hair.

"Miss Evans!" McGonagall got over her shock and snapped ferociously. "Just what do you think you're-"

"Shh!" Evans insisted. McGonagall froze.

"What!"

"I said shush. He's still asleep and God knows at least one of us should come out of this thing well rested." she muttered darkly.

"I…Well I… what were you doing down here?"

"Attacked." Evans said with a huge yawn. "Knocked unconscious. Woke up down here. Lupin tried to send me back but it was too late… Long story short; neither of us had an exactly restful evening."

"Good lord," McGonagall whispered. "The wolf… it didn't?"

"Break my arm in three places? Yeah I think it did." Evans gave a sort of one-sided shrug. "Anyway, I think Remus needs the Hospital Wing. I fixed his leg as best I could but I still don't like the look of it." McGonagall was staring at her in horror and Lily seemed to finally get her meaning. "Oh! You mean did it…?" she mimed biting. "No. No it didn't. I'm fine. He's fine. We're all fine. It's fine."

McGonagall appeared slightly staggered. "I… well I never…"

"Professor could we go back to the castle now please?" Lily asked politely, stifling another yawn. "I'm starving. I need food. And I need to sleep… for like a week. And I think that maybe Madam Pomfrey should take a look at this." she waved around her useless arm. McGonagall nodded weakly.

"Yes… O-of course. Follow me." Evans did as she was told.

Remus and McGonagall wore identical expressions of stunned disbelief. The unconscious Remus and Lily shared expressions of deepest boredom, verging on oblivion. Sirius and James wore identical expressions of delight at the way Evans was dealing with things, the way Remus was reacting to her reaction and also at the fact that Evans came out of the entire thing relatively unharmed.

Their joy, however, dispersed as soon as they walked into the Hospital Wing.

"Miss Goldman has been in here asking for her several times Headmaster." Madam Pomfrey reported to an interested looking Dumbledore and a terrified looking Slughorn. "I really think we ought to be wondering about the whereabouts of Miss-"

"Lily!" Slughorn exclaimed loudly as Lily and Remus entered the room.

Evans moved immediately for the nearest bed and collapsed on it as though it were the first time she'd ever come in contact with one. "Dumbledore! That blasted wolf has been attacked students! The Head Girl no less!" Slughorn hollered in outrage. "I'm telling you! That's the last straw! He's out of here! He's getting expelled or I swear I'm going to the Ministry!"

James froze. His two friends paled and looked at Slughorn in terror. They couldn't do that to Remus. Remus was their friend, school was his life, they couldn't throw Remus out of school… could they?

"Who are you talking about Professor?" Lily asked innocently, pulling herself up. James had seen the look before, it was the same look he wore when he played the naïve Hogwarts student who didn't have a clue what was going on around them. Dumbledore apparently recognised that look too, as his eyes twinkled in amusement.

"What…I… what do you mean… what do you mean who am I talking about?" Slughorn sputtered.

"Well you were talking about expelling a wolf. I didn't know we had any dogs within the grounds sir." she said sweetly as Madam Pomfrey began fussing over Remus.

Slughorn sent her a calculating look. "Miss Evans do you mind if I ask you about last night?"

"Not at all Professor." she smiled again. It amazed James how she could still bat her eyelids at someone after the night she'd just had, but she managed it.

"Over some tea perhaps?" Slughorn said deviously.

"Oh that would be lovely Professor." Lily said earnestly. He conjured up a tray of tea.

"Care to join us Albus? Minerva?" he said casually, though there was no mistaking the underlying question in his voice; he was asking for approval. And sure enough, a second alter he was pouring a small phial of clear liquid into Lily's tea. McGonagall looked as though she were about to say something when Dumbledore shot her a stern look.

"No thank you." she said curtly.

"No thank you Horace. You go ahead though." Dumbledore said politely.

James wondered just how scared of Remus Slughorn was to poison one of his favourite students for opportunity to have him expelled.

"Do you take sugar?" he asked Lily.

"One please." she responded brightly, stifling another yawn. A second later she was holding the cup of tea in her hand.

"Drink up." Slughorn said jovially. "Drink that all up."

Lily did as she was told. The entire cup of tea went down her throat in a matter of two gulps. Slughorn smirked with triumph.

"My, my. You must have been thirsty."

"Very." Lily responded. James wondered if she knew what was in her tea… He didn't see how she could possibly not know, since Slughorn hadn't exactly been subtle. But he didn't see how she could be so calm if she did know. Maybe she would want Remus kicked out too… but surely Remus would have been told about that. They wouldn't let him toddle off back to Gryffindor tower for an evening and then tell him later, would they?

"SO! Lily. Where were you last night?"

"Hogsmeade." Lily responded freely. "Sorry for not contacting someone, I was quite distracted."

"Hogsmeade eh? Why were you in Hogsmeade?" Slughorn asked.

"I went down with Amber and Michiko." she answered. James saw her eyes gleaming cheekily and he understood. She'd been expecting this, she'd rehearsed the story last night. Veritaserum wouldn't affect her in the slightest since every word out of her mouth was true, just out of context. He grinned at Sirius, who got it too.

"Oh really! And can they verify that?"

"Of course they can." she dismissed airily. "Why? Is there something wrong Professor?"

"Wrong? Of course not. I was just…eh… curious. Lily did you run into Remus Lupin at all last night? Did you see him?"

"Yeah I saw him." She said lightly. "Only really spoke to Potter though. Hardly said two words to Remus last night I'm sorry to say." James had to admire the truly twisted take on the truth. Because there was nothing anyone could possibly do to disprove a word Lily was saying.

"You mean you eh… didn't spend much time with him last night?"

"Who? Remus or Potter?" she asked in faux-confusion.

"Lupin." Slughorn clarified, with a frustrated edge to his voice.

"Nah. Not really. Was barely in the same room as him for more than five minutes." 'Oh that was a nice touch' James thought gleefully.

"So he uh… he didn't give you those bruises then?" he said, gesturing to her blemished skin.

"What these? I fell down the stairs." she said simply. "What are you thinking Professor? Remus Lupin is one of the gentlest souls you could ever hope to meet." she said with a laugh. Dumbledore seemed to be fending off a chuckle at this point and James could hardly blame him.

"You fell down the stairs?" Slughorn asked furiously.

"Yes Professor. Is there a problem?" her voice was sugary again.

"You expect me to believe that you hurt your arm to that extent by falling down the stairs?" he growled.

"Well…" Lily said in a helpless and confused sort of voice. "I don't expect you to believe anything Professor. Whatever is the matter with you?" If she'd only changed her tone slightly she would have been taunting him. It was delicious.

"Did you hurt your arm by falling down the stairs?" he asked.

"Oh. No, no I didn't. It came in contact with a door you see…" she rolled her eyes as though it were the most inconvenient thing to have ever occurred in her life.

"Where exactly did you stay?" he asked sharply.

"Charming little cottage. I don't think you'll have been there before though Professor. Lovely little place. Surprisingly comfortably sized shower cubicle…"

"What?"

"Professor!" Madam Pomfrey came over to Lily, an infuriated look on her face. "I understand that you're curious but I really must ask that you leave so that I can fix up this young lady's arm in peace."

And with nothing more than that Professor Slughorn was shooed out of the Hospital Wing, muttering about werewolves and students in Hogsmeade.

James didn't know if he'd ever stop laughing.