-1Disclaimer: Does anyone truly read this bit! For any overzealous lawyers I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING HARRY POTTER RELATED. I hope that clears up any doubt.

Chapter Twelve:
The next Day

I spent Saturday avoiding James. It wasn't that I was really that angry with him, I knew Amy had been right. It was more that he'd hit a little close to home. I felt shaky and uncertain of myself, rocked to my core by his words. The words of a man I was beginning to feel deeply for. I knew now that I was falling hard for James. Over the past week he had let me see under the Potter shell, and his soul was beautiful. Apparently he hadn't thought the same of mine. Nosey, interfering, meddling and arrogant. That's what James Potter had accused me of, and he was right, I realised as I sat on the cold hard ground by the lake, my knees drawn up and hugged to my chest. I was nosey when I found out Remus' secret. I was interfering when James, Sirius and Peter confronted him about said same. I was meddling when I got involved with James and Severus' argument last year, and it was arrogance to assume I was always right, even if I only ever had the best of intentions at heart.

Licking my dry lips I tasted the salty tears that ran silently down my face. I wiped them away furiously with the back of my hand. What, in the name of all that's holy, was I doing! A little over a week ago (was it really only a week?) I couldn't stand to be in the same school as him, and now I was letting him shatter my self-esteem in one five minute argument.

"Get a grip Lily," I mumbled annoyed at my own stupidity.

I got up and began walking quickly through the grounds, trying to burn off the nervous energy that had suddenly imbibed my being. Falling in love with Potter? Ha! Maybe he'd shown me a side I could one day, maybe, fall for, but I wasn't there yet. Not after a week!

But I hadn't known him only a week, I'd known him five and a half years. And, although it was true I had disliked him most of the time, there were moments when he'd shown the side of him I had become enamoured with.

Like the time in our third year when my beloved Grandfather passed away. I had come back to Hogwarts that evening, tired, drained and empty. Amy and the Marauders were all in the darkened Common Room, but only James was still awake. Not that I noticed this as I knelt by the dying embers of the fire, staring at the last remains of glowing wood. However I felt him slip down onto the floor beside me, and gently squeeze my hand as I spoke of my Grandfather in whispered tones. We sat there for hours, lapsing into companionable silence, listening to the melodic snores of our friends.

He'd repeated that quiet support a week later, after the funeral. It was this time my memory recalled now. Indisputable evidence that I had seen the genuine James before.

Truth was I had never hated him. He'd exasperated me to the point of madness, disgusted me until I'd been physically ill and incensed me so much I'd felt I would explode. But I never hated him.

"Damn," I softly cursed under my breath as the energy I had being trying to expel suddenly fled me. I slumped against the castle wall, right back at the beginning of my musings. As dismay washed over me I closed my eyes and pushed my head back against the cool stone. Seeping strength from it, and willing myself to pull myself together.

"Yeh all righ' Lily?"

I opened my eyes to see Hagrid's hairy visage staring down at me. His beetle black eyes filled with warmth and concern. I straightened up and nodded to our overlarge gamekeeper.

"Yes thank-you Hagrid. I'm fine," I reassured him.

"Yeh sure?" He asked again. "Don' seem yeh righ' self." To those who didn't know him Hagrid could make quite an imposing figure. A little over twelve feet tall with wild tangled hair and a bushy, knotted beard. In fact when I met him on my first day at Hogwarts I had shied away, wondering if I'd made the right decision to come to this strange new world. All students quickly learn of Hagrid's sweet nature though. Literally a gentle giant, marred only by his slight obsession with big, dangerous creatures.

"I'm fine Hagrid. Just tired."

"Well, if yeh sure," he said, not sounding in the least bit convinced. "Bes' be gettin' back up to the castle. Dinner'll be over soon, an' Amy and the boys have bin lookin' fer yeh."

"The boys?" I asked as I fell into step with him, or rather trotting along beside him.

"Yeah. James, Remus an' Peter bin searchin' fer yeh all day," he explained in his low gruff tones. "Something' 'bout last nigh'. Wouldn' be anythin' to do with why yeh skulkin' around out 'ere would it?" he asked, his colourless eyes twinkling in mirth as we passed through the huge oak front doors.

"I was not skulking Hagrid." I protested weakly. "I was getting some fresh air."

"Course yeh were," he said disbelievingly while giving me en encouraging clap on the shoulder. I stumbled under the sudden weight, nearly losing my balance as I tried to keep up with the overlarge man. The smile I tried to give him turning into a grimace, partially due to trying to keep upright, as well as my turbulent emotions. I hadn't even noticed we'd entered the Great Hall.

"Lily!" My head snapped up and I saw Amy hurrying towards me. Concern written all over her face, along with worry tingeing her ice-blue eyes. She wrapped me in a warm hug before pulling back, resting her hands on my shoulders, and searching my own emerald eyes with her own. "Are you okay? You look like you've been crying. Where have you been?"

"I'm fine Amy," I reassured her while self-consciously rubbing my cheeks. "I was only in the grounds thinking."

The fretfulness didn't leave my best friends expression as she slid her hands down my arms to clasp my own palms in hers. "Merlin Lily, you're freezing!" she exclaimed. "How long were you outside?"

"A little while," I confessed sheepishly, knowing I had been out there since before breakfast.

"I'll leave yeh two t' it then," Hagrid said, starting to make his way towards the staff table. "Take care o' 'er Amy."

"I will. Thanks Hagrid," Amy replied gratefully and Hagrid responded with a wave of one massive hand. When he had gone I turned back to my closest confidant.

"Gods Amy, did you recruit the entire school body to look for me?" I asked irritably. "Hagrid. The Marauders. Was Severus Snape scouring the castle for me too?"

Amy merely snorted in response and physically dragged me to our usual seats at Gryffindor house table. "Eat," she instructed forcefully.

"I'm not hungry."

"Don't be stubborn Lily. You haven't eaten properly since yesterday lunch-time, and you're positively icy at the moment," she replied snappishly.

"Fine," I moodily conceded, filling my plate with a baked potato and tuna. Now I saw Hogwarts finest food in front of me I had to admit I was extremely hungry. My stomach grumbled in assent while my mouth salivated expectantly. I tucked gratefully into the delicious dinner before me, savouring the scintillating sensations on my palate, as the buttered potato melted delectably on my tongue. "So?" I asked with an encouraging motion of my left hand, including fork.

"I didn't ask the Marauders to look for you. They were searching for you off their own backs, and they obviously ran into Hagrid. As did I. Okay?" she finished, raising her eyebrows and hitting me with a pointed stare.

Quickly swallowing my current mouthful I had the grace to look ashamed of myself as I mumbled my apology.

"That's alright. I was just worried about you," Amy said sweetly. "Did you come to any decisions while half freezing yourself to death?"

"Nope," I told her while shaking my head. "Just went round and round in circles like a dog chasing it's tail.

"What's the time?"

"Just about seven, wh…?"

I cut Amy off with a profanity as I leapt up from my seat. "I'm late for prefect duty. I've gotta go, see you later," I yelled over my shoulder as I sprinted from the Great Hall at full pelt. Leaving Amy sitting stunned at my sudden departure.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"Sorry…I'm…late…Remus," I panted as I skidded in McGonagall's empty classroom. "Lost…track….of….time."

"First time for everything Lily. Are you okay?" Remus asked as I stood doubled over, gripping the back of a chair for support and massaging the stitch in my side. There was a strain in Remus' voice though, it was not the good natured concern I usually received.

"Yeah, just out of breath," I explained. "Are you?"

"Well, as lovely as this is," an oily voice drawled from the corner. "I have better things to do with my time now the Gryffindor prefect has decided to show up."

"Hello Severus," I greeted pleasantly and recovering enough to straighten myself up. "I hope this evening finds you well."

"It does," he replied cordially. "Despite the best efforts of some of the less desirable creatures the Headmaster sees fit to entertain."

I took in the scene before me with more than a little trepidation. Remus and Severus stood facing each other with tension in every muscle of their bodies. While talking to me neither one had broken the hostile eye contact that linked them, and each was gripping his wand tightly within their robes. The tension between them was palatable, filling the room like a syrup, making it difficult to breathe.

"Now Severus, I'm sure Dumbledore wouldn't admit any undesirable creatures into Hogwarts," I calmly said as I placed myself between the two young men, deliberately breaking the stare they had been maintaining. My heart pounded ten to the dozen, as adrenaline coursed through my system. "My sincere apologies for my lateness, I hope I haven't disrupted your plans too much."

"Not at all," he sneered. "I was just going to polish the silver. I find those small domestic tasks so therapeutic. Don't you Lupin?"

"I prefer to spend my time with friends," Remus replied tersely from behind me.

"Well don't let us hold you up. Is there anything we need to know for this evening?" I asked gently, but firmly, ushering the Slytherin out of the door.

"Just the usual. Peeves seems to be on a mission of destruction this evening, but then when isn't he?"

"We'll keep a watch out. Good evening Severus."

"Evans," and with that he swept from the room. I closed the door behind him and turned to my friend.

"Are you okay Remus?" I asked, knowing full well that could be a strong contender for worlds most stupid question, but it seemed a good place to start. Remus just stood staring at the spot Severus had been standing on, still gripping his wand for dear life, and his face a strange mixture of fury and fear.

"Remus?" I ventured again, place a tentative hand on his arm.

"Do you see now Lily?" he asked in dangerously quiet tones. I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Do you see why we despise him so much?

"That ugly, greasy, big nosed bast…"

"Remus!" I exclaimed.

"If the cap fits," he replied angrily and snatching his arm from my grasp. He swung round and faced me in barely contained fury. "Do you know what that sorry excuse for a wizard just accused me of? Do you?

"That socially inept moron just held me responsible for last Saturdays sorry debacle. He thinks we planned it as a prank. That it was a great joke by the Marauders, only that Prongs lost his nerve. How utterly stupid can that idiot be?" he raved, furious at the very idea.

"He's not stupid Remus. He's a git." I said simply. "He doesn't believe that really, how could he? It's ridiculous. He just said it to wind you up, and he did a fine job. Didn't he?"

Remus snorted on response, shaking his bowed head moodily. "I don't understand how he can even suggest I'd do something like that. It's not like he's the one person in the school I'd most like to learn about my condition. For Merlin's sake, what if he tells everyone?"

"He won't," I reasoned as I perched myself atop one of the desks. "He promised Dumbledore, and Severus knows the repercussions of breaking a vow to the Headmaster.

"He just doesn't like being indebted to Potter, and who can blame him?"

My sandy haired companion lifted his head to look at me with one eyebrow cocked. "Oh, so it's Potter again is it?"

"The good news for you is that Severus will most likely leave you alone after tomorrow lunchtime," I carried on ignoring Remus' question. "The bad news is that the entirety of Slytherin will turn their collective hostilities to Sirius."

"I cannot believe you're thinking of Black now," Remus snapped as he started pacing in annoyance.

"We have to Remus," I told him firmly. "Haven't you spoken to Potter about this at all?"

"No. For some reason he was in a bad mood when I realised him from your full body bind last night," he said mockingly. "Can't think why, and then we spent the whole of today looking for you."

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit Remus, and it wasn't my body bind. It was Daimler's," I said trying my best to stay calm.

My words had some effect though. Remus stopped dead and stared at me as if I was mad. "Daimler," he said in disbelief. "Daimler, the little fifth year prefect."

"Yes," I confirmed.

A few moments passed in shocked silence as Remus absorbed this information. Then, as suddenly as someone turning on a light switch, his face cracked into a grin and he burst into hysterics. I watched my friend with increasing fear for his sanity. It took him over ten minutes before he'd calmed down enough to form a coherent sentence.

"You mean that James 'Prongs' Potter, beloved Captain of the Marauders, was bested in a duel by a fifth year teachers pet. No wonder he was peeved!"

I started giggling, it really was quite funny. Grabbing his arm I pulled him, still howling with laughter, into the corridor to start our patrol.

"So," he started an hour later as we went about our watch on the forth floor.

"So," I mirrored.

"Do you want to talk about your discussion with Prongs last night?" he asked innocently.

"I'll make you a deal Remus," I bargained casually as we walked. "I won't mention Sirius if you don't mention Potter."

Remus regarded me warily for a second, calculating how far he could push the issue. I put on my best no-nonsense scowl to aid his choice. "Deal," he agreed, wisely erring on the side of caution. "But you'll have to talk to him eventually."

"Indeed, just as you'll have to speak to Sirius." I retorted. "The difference is that I don't share a dorm with James Potter," and with that the rest of the evening was spent on safer subjects.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: So there it is. Sorry it's a boring filler chapter but it needed to be in there.

Thanks once more to my fabulous reviewers; scarlet dreamer; Prongs; FrostyAKF; and paige-rossi-black. Your comments are all appreciated and welcomed.

Please let me know what you think of this chapter, particularly Hagrids dialogue. He's very difficult to write well and I'm not sure I've captured him properly.

Take care, Gem.