Chapter 8: Could It Be?

"Okay. This may sound a little crazy, but… What if they really do like us that much? What if we aren't just random people?" Kara was scared at the mere thought, but if it was true, then… maybe she'd get her happy ending.

"Well, we aren't sure about me and you, but our newest friend seems to be a definite. All the time we ever spent with those three, Remus has always seemed so different than the two jerks we're stuck with."

"And, almost as if his mind was elsewhere. I know."

"She and Remus have a chance. Even if we end up becoming insane and falling for them, they'd end up leaving us. It sounds horrible, I know, but we've seen it happen all too many times with Sirius, and a couple with James, before he concentrated on you non-stop."

"Yeah. I think she needs this 'alone time'. I think having two new friends is freaking her out. It's so hard to believe we only met this morning… it's like she was always here. How did we never see her?"

"I know. It's so weird, we're both pretty kind. Especially you, Lily."

While they sat on Lily's bed, talking, Amy was lying on the couch in the empty common room, thinking.

How could he have seen me? Why did he see me? Why does he care? I'm just the girl everyone overlooked so easily… what's so special about me?

She sighed.

Why did I need to be invisible? Why didn't I want to be seen? Did I really want to be seen, and that's how he saw me?

The thoughts raced through her mind, and she didn't care that the spell would wear off in exactly 24 hours now. She didn't care that people had seen her walking with him earlier… she only cared that he could possibly live with being friends… This revelation shocked her, since just twenty hours ago, she hadn't ever spoken to him, and now she felt like he was her best guy friend… and her major crush.

The truth was… both were true.

"It almost seems odd, don't you think?" Kara asked her friend suddenly.

"What?"

"That Remus has a crush for seven years, but never breathes a word of it to anyone. Then, five years after I give up on a crush, he likes me back. Finally, James, who would seem like the one person to be playing the field as much as Sirius, hasn't gone through more than five relationships in seven years here – just concentrating on you."

"Circumstance, I guess. Or maybe just some really messed up karma."

"What did we do to deserve them?"

"No idea… Do you know why Amy used to try to hide?"

"No. I don't think she does either, though."

"Well, how about why the three of us have become best friends through this? I mean, sure you and I have been, but Amy…"

"There's a choice. It could have been fate, coincidence, or the obvious fact that we all three have the Marauders' obsessed with us."

"Good point." She stifled a yawn. "You know, it's almost one, it's been a very, very disturbing day, and I'm tired. I'll see you in the morning." She shivered. Only a little more than 23 hours left… God, I wish James would wake up and see I only want the truth… She blinked rapidly. She wanted James to leave her alone, didn't she? He's way too annoying, obsessive, and determined and sweet and kind when he's not so obnoxious… She drifted off to sleep.

Kara was already asleep. Suddenly, the image of Sirius's face drifted into her dreams. "You still care for me, in the darkest, deepest point in your heart." His face softened. "You always have." Her dream-self asked him something. And the dream disappeared.

Amy had also fallen asleep. She was thrashing in her sleep on the comfy couch. "Courage," she murmured mournfully. Remus was drifting farther and farther away, and she was running to him, but her legs were going in the opposite direction, away, away… She tried to reach him, but he only got farther away… She stopped running, lay down, and cried.

Lily had the strangest dream of all… First, she dreamed of a beautiful baby with her eyes and James's hair, then a bright flash of light before she drifted into dreamless sleep.