As the school year crept closer and closer to its end, classes grew harder and homework assignments grew longer, with professors trying to cram every last drop of knowledge into their students' heads. By mid-May, the students were so stressed and overwhelmed that all anyone could think about was cramming for finals (other than James and Sirius, of course, who insisted they just didn't need to study).
"By the start of next class, I want five pages from each of you on the proper way to perform the Disarming Charm," said Professor Byrne at the end of one of their last Defense Against the Dark Arts classes of the year. He held up a hand to quiet the inevitable groans. "You'll be expected to perform a proper Expelliarmus spell on your final exam, so you'll need to study the spell carefully. It's for your own benefit." As he looked around the class, his eyes jumped right over Remus, as they always did.
Remus swallowed. This was the class he was most determined to do well in, if only to prove to Professor Byrne that he did belong at Hogwarts. He'd show him how much he'd been practicing everything he learned in class, how seriously he took defending himself and others from Dark magic—and Dark creatures.
So as the rest of the class filed out, Remus stayed behind and went up to the professor's desk. Byrne narrowed his eyes at him as he approached. "How can I help you, Mr. Lupin?"
"I was wondering if there was anything else I should be studying, Professor," he said meekly. "For the exam. I've been reading over the textbook, of course, but I could also pick up some books from the library."
"Hm." Byrne thought for a moment while he scribbled something down on a piece of parchment. "Well, I've always thought your textbook was somewhat lacking in information about basic counter-jinxes. I'd recommend A Beginner's Guide to Jinx Protection. Maybe Standard Protective Enchantments, too."
"Perfect. Thank you, sir." Professor Byrne didn't look up at him, concentrating deliberately on his parchment. So Remus turned to leave, reciting the book titles in his head to make sure he didn't forget.
The library was more crowded than it had ever been, filled with students poring over books and notes and tearing out their hair in frustration. Remus pushed his way through the shelves until he found the books he was looking for, then tried to find a place to sit and read them. Usually Remus could get a table all to himself, but today there were none empty. But towards the back there was a small table occupied only by a single girl—Lily Evans.
Taking a breath, Remus forced himself over to her. "Hey, Lily," he said quietly; it was a few seconds before Lily looked up at him from her reading, and her green eyes instantly went cold. "Can I sit here?"
"Sure," Lily said curtly, returning to her book. "What do I care?"
Remus took the seat across from her and began flipping through A Beginner's Guide to Jinx Protection. But he found it difficult to concentrate—he was keenly aware of Lily's eyes on him, examining him warily.
Finally he glanced up and tried for a smile. "What are you studying?" he asked her.
Quickly she turned away from him. "Charms."
"Oh." Remus blinked. "Well, you shouldn't have to study Charms too much. You're the best in our year at it, I think."
Lily snorted. "Better than James and Sirius?"
"Oh, definitely," he assured her. "Professor Flitwick thinks so, and that Revealing Charm you cast the other day was amazing."
"Thank you." Lily's cheeks had gone a little pink, and she turned back to look Remus in the eye. "You're much nicer than your friends, you know."
"I know," Remus said with a wry smile.
"Well, why do you hang out with them, then?"
Remus's mind drifted back to their many late-night adventures, the unforgettable thrill he would feel creeping around whenever he could convince his rational mind to let him. He thought of the long dormitory conversations and games of Exploding Snap, sometimes stretching almost until dawn. "They're my roommates," he said simply.
"That doesn't mean you have to be best friends."
"I guess not," Remus replied. "But isn't Mary your best friend? She's your roommate."
"But she's actually nice," Lily countered. "And she's not my best friend; Severus is." Her eyes had turned cold again as she glared accusingly at Remus. "Who your friends can't ever seem to leave alone."
Remus hesitated. He wanted to defend his friends, tell Lily that Severus started their fights at least half the time. He wanted to explain how Severus was a Slytherin, and how Sirius's awful Slytherin family had soured him against the whole house. But he didn't; he knew it would only lead to more trouble. "Maybe we shouldn't talk about my friends," he suggested instead. "I came here to get away from those loudmouths."
Lily's lips twitched. "Fine," she agreed. "But only if you help me with my Expelliarmus."
"Deal."
By the end of their study session, Lily and Remus were sitting side-by-side, paging through books together and laughing at each other's jokes. Remus liked her, how smart and fierce and determined she was; but he knew he couldn't tell his friends that, considering she self-identified as the best friend of their least favorite Slytherin. Still, when it was time for dinner and the two of them finally packed up their things to leave, Remus knew it wouldn't be the last time they were study partners.
