Chapter 18: Sleeping, Sneaking and Snivellus

"Britney, wait up!" Sirius called after her. He jogged up to her and stopped in front of her. Britney stopped too, and was looking at the wall beside her in the deserted corridor. Sirius was grinning from ear to ear.

"Aren't you supposed to be on a date?" Britney asked, still avoiding eye contact.

Sirius scoffed. "I wasn't in the mood."

"It's Valentines Day," Britney muttered.

"Happy Valentines Day," Sirius said and pulled out a rose and gave it to Britney. Britney took it and looked up at Sirius briefly. She looked at the red rose.

"Whoa, thank you," she said in a small voice.

"It doesn't mean anything," Sirius added looking at Britney wearily.

"No . . . It does." She smiled and kissed Sirius on the cheek. "It's the only thing I actually got, Dom took me to the Hogshead." Britney said angrily.

"Classy," Sirius said watching Britney.

"Yeah," Britney said nodding her head. "I'm sorry about back there, I – I mean, he shouldn't have said that." Britney looked at him. "I obviously don't know much about your family situations. But, I know enough not to mention them"

Sirius sighed. "I bet you weren't planning on spending your Valentines with me." He said, changing the subject.

Britney smiled. "I don't mind."

James sat in Madam Malkin's on the couch, where Britney and Tess sat earlier in the day. He had his head leaned against the arm of the couch half asleep. His girlfriend, of a total of one week was getting dressed up in robes of all colours. She was asking questions about how each robe looked on her, and if the colour matched her eyes, her hair or her personality. His girlfriend was one of the tallest girls he had dated, she was about 6 feet, which is only about an inch and a half shorter then him. Of course, Sirius thought that it was great that James wad dating a girl who was tall and a year older than him. She was 7th year Ravenclaw. She was literally huge! She was awfully intimidating too. James was scared to even break-up with her.

"James?" James heard faintly. He felt like he was far away, as his eyes were drooping slowly. "James!" James knew he should open his eyes, but he couldn't. He felt someone shake him. He opened his eyes and looked around groggily. "James." James looked at his girlfriend, Cynthia. "What do you think about these robes?" James was still half asleep.

James opened his mouth. "Huge," he said quietly before closing his eyes completely and falling asleep. James felt someone hitting him with a magazine, but was too tired to care. He moved around a bit and sighed contentedly. He heard muffled screams from far away, but it was too late because he was in a deep sleep…

Lily hurried her way back to Madam Malkins. She had to return her dress robes after she noticed a rip in them at the Tree Broomsticks. She was late for dinner, and had to hurry back up to school. She opened the door and heard the little bell go off, and she hurried over to Madam Malkin and told her situation. Madam Malkin disappeared in the back, saying she would be just a minute. Lily sighed contentedly, and headed towards the couch when she saw a familiar person passed out on the couch.

"Potter?" Lily said apprehensively. She walked slowly over to James and shook him lightly. James stirred and opened his eyes. He sat up quickly when he saw Lily.

"Evans? What are you doing in my dorm?" James yawned. Lily gave him a weird look. James took in his surroundings, and let his mouth hang open into a slight 'o' shape. "I fell asleep," James said sheepishly.

"I see that," Lily smirked. Madam Malkin cleared her throat and handed Lily her robes. "Get back to school, Potter." Lily said and she left the store with the ring of the bell. Madam Malkin turned to James.

"You finally have woken up. I'm very astounded on how you slept through your girlfriends screams and whacking you around." She gave James a look and turned back to doing what she was doing before. James shook his head and hurried out the store.

He chased after Lily who was walking very quickly. James forgot his cloak back in Madam Malkin's but decided to freeze and be with Lily then be warm and without Lily. "Evans!" James shouted and finally caught up to her.

"What?" Lily asked still walking quickly. James was doing a slight jog trying to keep up, he was getting a slight cramp in his chest.

"Let me walk you back to the castle," he said panting. Lily gave him a strange look but continued to walk as fast as possible.

"No," she said passing through the Hogwarts gates, as they closed behind the two of them.

"Don't you have a date on Valentines day?" James continued talking, not caring that he was freezing in the February weather, and couldn't breathe in the cold air properly, and he was cramping up.

"No," Lily said nonchalantly. The castle was getting closer and closer, and James' Valentines day time with Lily was coming to a close.

"Aren't you going to slow down?" James tried letting out a small laugh but couldn't because he could barely even breathe. He was feeling slightly suffocated.

"No," Lily said hurrying up the stairs to the entrance door. James finally took this as his final opportunity and stopped her by grabbing her arm. They had made it to the top of the stairs.

"Come on Evans, be nice to me on this holiest of days," James said with his grin that would make any girl weaken.

"'Holiest of Days'? What are you smoking?" Lily chuckled and pulled her arm free of James' grip and headed through the door, and into the empty Entrance Hall. Everyone by now was in the Great Hall eating dinner.

"Come on, just be nice. I know you can!" James said touching her arm. Lily shivered slightly. She then noticed James was shivering even more.

"Oh for crying out loud Potter. You are pathetic," she laughed. James was very pale and his lips looked slightly blue.

"What are you saying?" James shivered crossing his arms across his chest and putting his hands under his arm pits.

Lily shook her head. She headed into the great hall pulling off her cloak and hate and gloves and putting them into her bag from Madam Malkin's. She looked around at her friends to find that they were all sitting beside the other three Marauders and in conversation. Lily groaned and headed towards them, sitting beside Britney who was talking to Sirius across from her. James came up behind sitting next Sirius on the opposite side.

"Cold James?" Britney asked amused. Sirius laughed when he say James' appearance. Remus shook his head.

"Where you been, mate?" Sirius asked, trying to stifle laughter.

"Shut it, I'm freezing my arse off!" James said grabbing the spoon for the mashed and putting them onto his plate.

"It was your own fault," Lily muttered to her food. James looked up and glared at her.

"Actually, I think it's your fault." James said putting a fork full of food into his mouth grinning. Lily winced at how gross it was.

"Really, how?" Lily asked anger flashing in her eyes.

"I was sleeping, when you -" James was cut off by Sirius who let out a suggestive whistle. Britney grinned at him. "Do you mind?" James snapped.

"Not at all," Sirius stated. "Go right ahead." He grinned widely, and looked interested.

"Sirius," Remus said warningly.

"What?" Sirius asked confused.

"Don't, get her started," Remus said nodding towards Lily.

Lily snapped her attention to Remus. "Get me started Remus?" Lily hissed. Remus looked at Lily with no expression and just shrugged her off, getting into a conversation with Alice and Frank.

Lily opened her mouth, but Britney interrupted her before she could say anything. "I love Valentines day! Don't you?" She said loudly, but with much sarcasm. All she was met with was miserable muttering.

A week and a half after Valentines day, the full moon was fast approaching. Remus was bringing his monthly excuse up to people. In the beginning everyone was very suspicious of his disappearance, but over the years, people simply, didn't care anymore. Except for Severus Snape. Who, decided to make it this month, his month to find out what really happens to Remus Lupin once a month.

After Defense Against the Dark Arts on the last Thursday of February, Severus Snape decided to follow the Marauders silently and unnoticed.

"So what's going to happen tonight?" Peter asked Sirius and James.

"Peter you dork, haven't you noticed where Moony is?" Sirius asked. Peter shook his head slowly.

"He's dealing with his 'furry little problem'," James grinned. Peter nodded with realization. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"So we're going to the Shrieking -" Peter started. The three Marauders stopped in the deserted corriders. Snape was hiding behind a corner listening intently.

"Shh! Wormtail you idiot!" Sirius snapped. James looked up and down the hall incase of any listeners. "Keep your mouth shut! Merlin, Wormtail, you would think you would know by now not to say anything outloud!" Sirius said shaking his head.

James looked at his watch. "Shit, I'm supposed to see Professor McGonagall about hexing that little third year earlier today." Sirius grinned. "You want to come?" James asked.

"No" "Yes" were the responses James received. James and Peter headed off to see Professor McGonagall. Sirius headed down the corridor in the other direction, towards Snape. Snape tried to hurry away without being noticed but tripped and slammed on the cold stone floor. Sirius whipped out his wand and turned down the corridor to see Snape on the ground.

Sirius grinned and pointed his wand at Snape on the floor. "Snivellus, what are you doing? Snooping your large nose into other people's affairs are we?" Sirius said.

"Shove off Black," Snape said trying to get up, but stopped when Sirius jabbed his wand into Snape's back.

"Nuh-uh Snivellus, you aren't going anywhere." Sirius hissed keeping his wand on Snape. He went through Snape's robes and pulled out his wand and put it in his back pocket of his pants safely. "What did you hear?" Sirius asked curiously with a taste of venom in his voice.

"Just that you and your deluded friends are meeting up at the Shrieking Shack tonight," Snape sneered, his faced pressed up against the floor while Sirius put his foot on Snape's head.

"Well, well, well, Snivellus, greasy now aren't we? You have to slime your greasy head and big nose into everything." Sirius said slowly. "If you are so interested in finding out my friend Remus' secret, then come to the Whomping Willow tonight at midnight. Use a stick to prod a knot on the tree. Then climb your greasy self down the hole that you will see." Sirius removed his foot from Snape's head. "See you tonight, Snivellus. I can't wait for our little date." Sirius spat at Snivellus and walked quickly down the hall.

Snape smiled. This was easier than he had thought. But was Black to be trusted?

A/N: I said i would update sooner and i did:D i've written quite a few more chapters. I don't think i've ever been ahead of the story, I've always been right with the chapter that i would update with. Well Thank Youheiroglyphic..I'd have to say my favourite Marauder is Padfoot...but i like all of them..:D

R/R!