The summer between fourth and fifth years was definitely an eventful one. For the first time I was actually receiving regular letters from my friends telling me about how their summers were going. Plus, they were often asking me for help with some of their summer work or ideas dealing with their animagus training. James even started sending some sketches he had started doing for our map idea. I thought they were great, but still, it was only ideas, nothing formal yet.

But the most important owl of the summer was the brown tawny owl that brought me my letter from Hogwarts. I wasn't expecting anything special, just the usual book and supply list for the new school year. But to my surprise, there was something else. I emptied the envelope on the table, and stuck inside was a little silver badge. I looked at it for a moment, and then picked up the extra letter. I read it over a couple of times, and then looked up for a moment. I, Remus Lupin, was named Gryffindor prefect.

I honestly was shocked. Boy prefect for our year, for our house. This was a big honor. I still couldn't believe it. Of course, after I thought about it for awhile, it made sense. The only people in our house in our year who had better grades than me were James and Sirius, and they weren't exactly the model students you would want as prefects. And as I look back on the event, I also realize it was just an attempt by Dumbledore to gain some control over Sirius and James's antics. And of course I never understood how Dumbledore being the brilliant mind that he was would ever think there was a way to put a stop to their crazy schemes.

But on the plus side of being a prefect, my parents were very proud of me. I think the last time they were this proud was when I had gotten my acceptance letter to Hogwarts. It was a great feeling to have them be so proud of me. I really liked it. I just hoped that I wouldn't let them down.

And when they heard the news, James and Sirius were ecstatic too, of course, for a much different reason. They didn't see this as an honor; they saw it as an opportunity. The fact that I was a prefect meant that they thought they would be able to get away with more. And of course, they were probably right. I still had that need to be accepted that probably would never go away as long as I lived. I just hoped I wasn't becoming too much of a doormat.

The next time I saw my friends in person, we were all at the platform. I found it much easier to see them, seeing as I had grown quite a bit over the summer. I had gone from an average 5'5" to a now tall almost 6' even. Of course, luck for me I had grown tall, but hadn't quite filled out my frame which left me looking rather scrawny. My mother had said I looked like I had been stretched and starved all summer. And most of all, I was wearing my little prefects badge with pride. I had grown rather proud of the little silver badge and wanted to show it off, give me a sense of status within the school.

I finally caught sight of James and Sirius, they too had grown some, but somehow seemed to fit nicely into their new heights where as I looked like I was caught in some awkward transitional phase. Which I now know that I was, I didn't stay scrawny like that forever. Perhaps the reason James didn't seem as scrawny as he actually was because he just always was that way and always would be. Sirius was the shortest of us three, and it would always stay that way. Sure, he wasn't much shorter, but he was still shorter. But Sirius, unlike James and I, had this older look about him. If you looked at him, you would probably think he was a seventh year, or someone's older brother rather than the fifth year he was. And with that came the start of something I had a low tolerance for at the beginning, and didn't really develop one for it. With fifth year came the fangirls, that squawking, giggling, goofy group of girls who decided to worship Sirius and follow him around. Of course, at the beginning of the year they weren't up to following him around yet, simply just giggling and staring at him slightly.

But I found my friends and walked up to them, a smile across my face. "Well, hello gentleman," I said to them, glad to be in their company for another year.

"And how is our majesty the prefect doing?" Sirius asked teasingly. "Just kidding Remus, but really, how are you?"

"I'm fine," I said with a nod. "Kind of glad to be back at school though," I said taking a quick glance around the platform to see who else was around. "What about you two?"

"We're doing fine Remus. Glad to be back too. We've come up with so many great ideas for Snivy this year," James said with a smirk on his face.

Sirius nodded and had that mischievous look upon his face as well. "Yeah we do. He won't know what hit him this year."

"Well, might want to wait a couple of days. I can't exactly go easy on you two right off the bat or it will be a little obvious you're getting special treatment," I said, giving Sirius and James probably one of the only warnings I have ever given them.

"Fine," James said kicking the ground. "Well, we better get on the train. So come on," he said. I nodded in agreement and we all walked that way together.

"Alright, let's get a compartment," Sirius said as he got on the train.

"Well, I have to head up to the prefect's compartment first," I said to them. "So I'll meet with you later then ok?"

"Yeah. Say hi to Evans for me. You know she has to be a prefect this year," James said with his goofy love struck smile.

I just laughed and shook my head James. "Will do, will do," I said to him. "See you later," I said before heading off towards the front of the train.

I kept looking back occasionally at them as I made my way towards the front still. Sure, I was glad about being a prefect, but I wasn't too happy about having to leave my friends to go sit up front for half of the trip. Just wasn't exactly my cup of tea.

I opened up the door to find it empty, well, except for one certain redheaded girl sitting next to the window glancing out at the platform and the last people hopping on and saying goodbye to their parents. I just stood there in the doorway for a moment. Even though I was now a fifth year, 15 years old, almost a man as far as the wizarding world was concerned I still had one little problem.

Lily was sitting there in her uniform already, her dark red hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She was sitting there, and as I was observing her I just happened to notice her uncross and recross her legs. All of a sudden I felt rather constricted and found myself pulling at my collar, coughing even.

This of course brought her attention to me. "Remus! Thank God," she said sounding relieved to see me. "I have been in a panic all morning as to who they were going to name as the boy prefect for us. I mean no offense but the two people with better grades than you…"

"Are Sirius and James, I know," I said with a nod.

"Yes, well, they're not exactly prefect material now are they?" Lily asked me.

"Well, um, I guess…not," I said, still slightly flustered and of course, watching my words. I didn't want to go and start insulting my friends. Of course, if James had been there he would have probably rung my neck for the way my eyes just happened to fall on Lily at certain moments. I bit on my bottom lip slightly as I glanced out the window and the train starting to pull away slowly. By the time I looked back people were coming in the compartment. Thank Merlin.

The prefects meeting was rather uneventful, just a boring part of the ride where I was re-told the rules and how I can and cannot enforce them. But before long the ride was half over and I was free to go and join my friends in their compartment.

I just walked along the isle, my hand in my pockets and looking down at my feet. I was still marveling at how long of a distance there was between my eyes and my feet on the floor. Of course the downside was that I didn't notice where I was going, or what was coming towards me.

Soon enough there was a flash of fur, a loud meow, and before I knew it I was down on the ground. I groaned as I looked over and saw this cat just, sitting there next to me. "Oh bugger," I muttered to my self as I tried to at least sit up so I wasn't laying face down on the floor. The cat seemed rather amused as it licked my hand, as if to say sorry. I just glared at it, and actually, found myself flipping the cat off.

"Bloody cat!" I shouted rather loudly. "Who the hell let's their cat run around a train? Honestly!" I said, rather angry about falling because of a fucking cat. Merlin did my leg hurt.

Of course, I seemed to calm down rather quickly once I noticed who the only person who was in the hall with me was. Standing there, right in front of me with a look of both embarrassment, and I think nervousness was Rebecca. I just kind of looked up at her. Over the summer she had apparently gained some….err….assets. Yes, that was a good way to put it.

"Remus…" Rebecca said as she moved closer to me. "I'm so, so, sorry about that. Really, I didn't mean for her to get out. I was trying to catch her, but she just slipped away," she said, now bending down to my height. "I'm really sorry….let me help you," she said. She went on to then hold out her hand for me to take, as if it would help.

Of course, I looked at her hand for a moment, but my eyes traveled up to her face, but then back down. It wasn't like I was some pervert or something, but, I couldn't stop myself from well, checking her out. I finally snapped out of my little moment and shook my head to get any….err….thoughts out of my head. I went on to push her hand gently away, after all, if I took it she would end up on the floor with me. Of course, that little voice that all teenage boys had seemed to think that wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"No, it's ok. It wasn't your fault I fell down," I said to her as I started getting up slowly. My leg still hurt though. Stupid cat.

"Again, I'm really sorry. Did you hurt anything?" Rebecca asked me once I got up. I just tried to contain myself from going, 'what do you think Einstein? I just fell on the damn floor.' But, I remembered I wasn't dealing with James or Sirius here, I was dealing with her.

I ended up shrugging slightly instead of saying my comment like some moron would. "My leg is sore," I said to her. I ran my hand across it slowly, it really did hurt. She of course seemed rather upset by my comment on my leg.

"Oh, let me take a look at it. I can try and…heal it or something," Rebecca said to me. She then went over to the compartment next to us, revealing some first years.

I hobbled over, seeing as my leg hurt like bloody hell and looked at the group. They gave me blank expressions and looked at me and Rebecca slightly confused.

"Oi! Out!" I said with a hand gesture. "We need this for a medical emergency. And no buts! I am a prefect," I said with a flash of my badge. The group just looked at me and slowly made their way out. Once they were out I made my way over to sit down.

Rebecca came in with me and ended up sitting across from me. Her cat came in too. I glared slightly at the cat. Stupid cat. She seemed to be frowning some and looking at me. "Would you mind if I looked at your leg?" she asked me. She seemed slightly nervous about asking me and I was kind of surprised she did ask me.

"Oh! Umm…err….yeah," I said with a nod. I reached down and slowly lifted up my pant leg, wincing a bit as I did so. No wonder my leg hurt so badly. I had some awful rug burn, and a bad cut. Plus my knee was starting to bruise.

Rebecca leaned down and was looking at my leg now. I was looking at her dealing with my leg when I noticed something else. I wasn't trying to look or anything, but it just so happened that I could see right down her shirt from the angle I was at, of course letting me see her…assets.

I was jolted out of my trance as she suddenly pressed her scarf against my cut. I winced slightly as she did so.

"Here, hold that there," she said, taking my hand and putting it on top of the scarf. I just nodded as I did as I was told, keeping it there. While I did that she reached inside her robes and pulled out her wand.

"Umm…creo glacies!" she said finally. She tapped the wand in her hand, and some ice appeared in her hand. She then took the scarf back from me. Luckily my bleeding was stopped, so she put the ice in the scarf and put it on my knee.

"Here, that should, numb it, or something," she said, shaking her head some and running her hands through her hair. She had pretty hair.

I looked at her for a moment, then looking down at her leg. "Well, thanks," I said to her. "You really didn't have to do that though. I would have been fine," I said looking down at her for a moment. Of course, I wasn't sure what else to say to her. After all, her cat had made me fall down flat on my face making me hurt my leg. But, in return she fixed my leg and I got to ogle her assets in the process.

"So, um, glad to be back to school?" I asked her, still feeling nervous about talking to her. I mean, I wasn't exactly at the top of my game when she was around. Hell, I was lucky I could put together a whole sentence when she was near me.

Rebecca laughed slightly. Was she laughing to me? I hope not. "I guess you could say that. I mean, I'm glad to be back in the wizarding world and all, but the schoolwork that entails...eh, not so much," she said with a smile.

I simply nodded. I was still nervous, as usual. "Yeah, schoolwork," I said nodding. "Not, um, my favorite either," I said to her. I felt so stupid for what useless drabble was coming out of my mouth. It was like, my brain shut off when she was around me. I and I couldn't control it either.

"But, I guess school isn't so bad," I said to her. "I mean, if we didn't go to school, we couldn't do magic you know. Plus, then we wouldn't all be here together and I wouldn't know a single person I'm friends with now," I said, making my most intelligent comment to her since we've met. Maybe it was the badge.

I was glad to see that she must not have found my rather odd ramblings too stupid, or else she probably wouldn't have stopped what I thought had to have been one of the first real conversations we've ever had together.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean, if it weren't for Hogwarts, I wouldn't have even known about magic, and wouldn't be friends with Lily and Mariah, and even you," she said. I swore to Merlin my heart must have skipped a beat. We never talked and yet here she was considering me a friend? Or was that just polite conversation? Or was it something else? Why do girls have to be so confusing? "So, I guess I'm pretty lucky then," she said, smiling at me even.

Ok, that has to be a good sign, she's smiling at me. That's good right? Good? Oh, I was a mess, a real mess on the inside. I felt as if my stomach was in knots and I couldn't seem to think clearly. Stupid hormones, I curse you.

I managed to nod my head slowly. "Yeah, I guess so," I said, shrugging slightly. I felt so stupid! I guess so? What was I thinking? Oh wait, I wasn't thinking, that was the problem.

"So, um, yeah…" I said with another nod of my head. I couldn't think of anything else to say. I mean, after all, I was already tongue tied around her, and then when I went to say something to her I looked at her and…well, got distracted and then messed up what finally took me so long to think of to say! I guess I was just doomed when it came to girls.

"So," I said once more. "Anything, um, interesting happen to you over the summer?" I finally got out. I wanted to let out a big sigh of relief upon finally making a full and coherent sentence.

"Not really," Rebecca said, keeping the conversation going. I felt relieved once again that I hadn't been too stupid. "I worked on my summer assignments, and helped my mum in this diner she works at in town. I made a few extra pounds, so I guess it wasn't a total waste. How was yours?" she asked me in return.

I thought about it for a moment. Did I really do anything? Well, I did, I helped James and Sirius with any questions they had about their animagus training and ideas on the map, but I couldn't tell her those. And I definitely couldn't say a word about being a werewolf.

"Oh, the same old same old," I ended up saying, and feeling once again and as always around her, really stupid for that coming out of my mouth. "Homework and talking with Sirius and James really," I said with a nod. "Maybe that's why I'm glad to be back. I do more here than at home."

"Yeah, I think I understand what you mean," Rebecca replied. It was about then that I noticed it felt as if the train was slowing down. Both of us looked out the window and sure enough was the station in Hogsmeade.

"Bloody hell!" she suddenly shouted out. Of course, she quickly covered her mouth, which confused me. Was something wrong?

"Oh, Merlin. I'm sorry. I have to go. I just left all my luggage in my other compartment," Rebecca said as she stood up quickly. Luckily she picked up her cat with her. Stupid cat, making me fall.

"Oh, ok," I said nodding as I watched her go, standing up myself. "Well, I guess I'll see you later then," I said grabbing my things and heading out of the compartment. After all, I had never made it back to the guys, so I needed to find them right away.

I got off the train and looked around for my friends. I found them and went over to them. "Hey guys!"

"Hey! Remus!" James said looking at me. "Where have you been?" he asked.

"I was detoured by a cat," I said with a sigh.

"A cat?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'll tell you later," I said with a nod of my head. We walked towards the carriages together, me starting my story dealing with the whole encounter dealing with Rebecca and her devil cat. They both found it rather amusing.

"It's not that funny guys," I said as we headed inside to the familiar sights of the Great Hall.

"I think it is," Sirius said as he took a seat at the long Gryffindor table, James and I sitting with him. "I mean, you got knocked down by a cat."

"Hey, it hurt," I said frowning. "Besides you look at it," I said pulling up my pant leg right there in the middle of the feast to show them.

"Why is there a scarf on your leg?" James asked making an odd face.

"Oh!" I said looking at the now wet scarf that was wrapped around my leg. "Rebecca's scarf! I didn't give it back to her!"

"Well, why is it there?" James asked me again, still confused.

"She put it there to hold some ice on my knee cause it's all bruised, see," I said unwrapping the wet scarf letting them see the damage done by my fall. Both James and Sirius winced some looking at it. "See, told you it hurt."

"Maybe we should take you to the hospital wing once we're done here," Sirius said.

I was looking down towards Rebecca talking with her friends. "Nah. I'll be fine," I said, still watching her talk. Of course, once again my eyes were caught on her assets.

Sirius then smirked and pushed me playfully. "You like her don't you?" he asked me.

I turned and looked at him. "What? Like her?" Of course, I knew I did, but I hadn't really wanted Sirius and James to know that. After all, look at the way we harassed James about him liking Lily.

"Yes, you totally like her. Look at the way you're looking at her," Sirius said. "That's the same way James looks at Evans."

"Oh! Speaking of the lovely Miss Evans, did you tell her I said hi?" James asked me. I simply sighed and shook my head. I had to endure Sirius asking me about Rebecca and James asking about Lily for the rest of the feast, but I managed to make it through.

Soon enough the feast was done and we were free to head to our common rooms. I got stuck with my prefect duty and had to go show the first years there with Lily. I looked over at her once and awhile, staying rather quiet. After all, I really didn't want to look stupid in front of Lily. I mean, she was the other prefect!

After a long and trying time of dealing with what I thought had to be the most stupid group of people I've ever met, I sat in my usual place in the common room, where Sirius and James and Peter were already sitting.

I off course still had the wet scarf on my leg and decided to finally take the thing off. It was starting to annoy me.

"You still have that?" James asked looking at me.

"Well, what am I supposed to do with it?" I asked him.

"Give it back? Look, she's right over there," Sirius said pointing. I did look over and suddenly I felt those knots in my stomach returned.

"So?" I asked, feeling rather nervous about the prospect of going over and talking to her again.

"So, go over there and give her the scarf back. Stupid," Sirius said pushing me in that direction. I looked back at him and he just made a hand motion gesturing me off in Rebecca's direction.

I walked over to her, the scarf in my hands as I twisted it nervously. The short walk felt like it took forever. Of course I finally made it and she was there reading her book. She looked up at me and I just stood there nervously, finally holding her scarf out in front of me.

"Um…you left my scarf on my leg," I said rather nervously. Once again, I just couldn't think and something stupid just flies out of my mouth. She had to have thought I was the dumbest person on the planet.

Yep, it was official. She must have thought I was retarded because she just looked at me. Stupid Remus…very, very stupid. I was relieved when she finally did say something though.

"Oh! Right," Rebecca said finally. "I'm sorry about that. I was just in such a rush to get my things that I must of…forgot," she said as she reached for her scarf back. "Thanks, for returning it."

I nodded my head for a moment. "It's alright, I kind of forgot it was on my leg until James asked me why there was a scarf on my leg," I said with a slight laugh. I figured if I made it sound like a joke I would seem less stupid for forgetting I had a scarf on my leg. Especially a cold wet one.

I felt a little better as she laughed. That was a good sign, right? Or was she laughing at how stupid I was for forgetting about her scarf. Oh jeeze…what was I getting myself into.

I then noticed her hand. She was twirling her hair, her long brown hair. And curse my damn hormones! I once again found myself staring at her newly acquired assets. But this time it wasn't my fault, after all her hand was right there. I was only snapped out of my little trance as she spoke once more.

"Well, is your leg doing better at least?" she asked me. I just looked back up at her face as she spoke, trying hard not to look down.

"Oh yeah, my leg's fine now," I said with a nod looking down at it. "I just guess you know how to touch me just right," I said to her. Of course, after I said it, I could have hit myself. Did that just come out of my mouth? Oh Merlin, I was doomed. Sure, I didn't mean it that way, but…did I have to say it that way? I just tried to remain calm, maybe she wouldn't take it in a bad way.

And to make me feel even more stupid, I heard laughter. Oh Merlin! Someone other than her heard that stupid comment. And worse off, she even dropped her book. Could things really get any worse? I just sighed and went to pick up the book.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that. Let me get it," she said as she bent down as well to pick it up. At the same time, both our hands reached the book, and actually touched each other. I just froze, not sure what to do next. Finally I just pulled my hand away, with the book. I handed it to her slowly.

"Um….here. You can…err…have your um…book back," I said rather quietly, so nervous I'm pretty sure my knees were shaking. I mean, I almost forgot what the word for book was! Come on brain! Turn on again! Please!

I noticed she started twirling her hair again. I happened to start shuffling my feet at that point.

"Thanks," Rebecca said quietly. I noticed she was smiling, which made me a little less nervous. But, I still didn't know what to say so I just stood there. Finally the awkward silence was cut by her friend.

"Merlin, I'm tired. I think I'm going to head up to bed," the girl said as she walked over by us. "You're coming, 'Becca?" she asked as she looked at Rebecca, obviously trying to pull her away. And honestly, with the way the moment was going, I wasn't going to object.

Rebecca just nodded and stood up with her book and scarf, and that devil of a cat of hers at her feet. I once more glared at the cat. Stupid cat. "Well, thank you again, Remus. Goodnight," she said with a smile as she headed for her dorm.

Once she was gone I let out a sigh of relief and collapsed on the couch. I opened up my eyes to find a very amused Sirius and James smiling at me. I just groaned upon seeing their smiling faces.

"Way to go Romeo," Sirius said with a smirk as the two forced me to sit up.

"I really enjoyed your comment on how she touches you just right," James said to me, putting a friendly arm around my shoulders. I just groaned once more putting my head in my hands.

"Yeah, what was that about?" Sirius asked me, but looking at James. "Was there something going on in that compartment on the train that you're not telling us?"

"Ooh! Was Remus getting some action?" James asked, which made Sirius laugh.

I just pushed them off of me and rolled my eyes, not really in the mood to put up with their little comments, even if I knew they were just playing around. I mean, I really liked Rebecca, and here was my chance to finally talk to her and I go and mess it up. I'm pretty sure she thought I was the stupidest person in the world right now. Which, after some of the things I said I would have to agree.

"I'm going to bed now," I said to them, not waiting for them to say anything else to me. I just trudged off feeling very defeated towards my dorm. I made it up to the dorm and found my bed and opened up my trunk. It wasn't long before I changed into my pajamas and was asleep peacefully in my bed. I could only hope the rest of the year didn't go like that day had.