To Puzzle

Lara

I was flying across the Quidditch pitch, listening to James voice inside my head as I followed the new moves he's told us earlier. The quaffle whizzed from James to me to Sirius, who was the other Chaser. Sirius seemed to have 'taken me under his wing', at least in Hogwarts Quidditch, which I found very amusing. I had begun to notice he'd stopped flirting with me, which was a great improvement, though he hadn't tried to stop our mutual banter.

"Oi Greyette! Call that a throw?"

"Don't blame me for your bad catching skills Blacky!"

The rest of the team was entertaining and amiable too. There were two other girls, Elaine and Anaya Levet, both of them fifth year. Anaya was a warm girl with long brown hair and a pretty olive face with large hazel eyes and Elaine was slender with equally long blond hair, pale skin and blue eyes. They were cousins, though they looked nothing alike, and this duo made up our Beaters. On the ground you would never expect these two forth year girls were Quidditch players, and beaters at that, but once on a broom they were vicious streaks of energy, slamming the Bludgers violently across the pitch.

The seeker, Asha D'Argo was a fourth year who was, like most seekers, light and speedy on his broom. He had a happy oriental face, dark brown hair and a very fine body which my teenage mind had no problem admiring. I thought he was a good player and I quickly grew to like his warm booming laughter and had no problem working with him.

I had been practising with the team for about three weeks now and I was looking forward to the first match of the season against Hufflepuff in a month.

I landed lightly on the pitch and walked to our changing rooms, catching up with the Levet cousins as I did. They were chatting happily to each other about the up and coming Hogsmeade weekend. I had never been to Hogsmeade, though I'd heard it was the only muggle free town in England so I was looking forward to it.

"What do you think I should wear? I don't want to put him off by wearing something really special but I need to make an effort, it is our first date" Anaya said desperately and I chuckled internally.

"I think you should wear that dark red shirt, I've always said it looks really good on you" Elaine replied earnestly.

"I suppose... Do you have a date yet?"

"No… I don't think I'll go, I've got that CMC assignment due the Monday after" She replied glumly as we walked into the changing rooms.

The room was boiling compared to outside and I quickly pulled of my goggles before they could steam up. As I pulled off my gloves and began to unlace my Quidditch boots, I heard the boys arguing behind us as they came in.

"Nonsense, you're just hoping Lupin will ask you!" Anaya said gleefully "If you're that desperate you should just ask him"

"Shhh!"

Elaine was now bright red and waving her arms to quieten her cousin who was now laughing. She was looking over her shoulder around the room and our eyes met briefly but hers slid away. I knew she was looking for James and Sirius, but unluckily the damage was done.

"Ah! Does our little Elainie poo have a crush on our Remus, eh? How sweet!" Sirius said mischievously his eyes laughing. Poor Elaine was cringing and glowing deep burgundy as she hit the brunette around the head.

"I do not!" She shouted indignantly but I could tell she was lying; I didn't need to hear it in her words either, in was plain on her face. I turned my back on the scene and pulled off my boots. I felt a weird about this discovering and as unfounded as it was, I couldn't help but undergo annoyance over it.

"That's a guilt expression if ever I saw one, isn't it Prongs? I'm sure he going to be interested to hear this!" He continued to laugh as he walked away.

I could feel James looking at me and my back tensed up. His thoughts were... concerned? Odd, there was nothing to be worried about. It was only a small thing and it was completely stupid anyway. So what if people had crushes on Remus, he was one of the most popular people in the school.

"Ugh, you are such a bitch Anna" Elaine whispered angrily to her cousin.

"You love me really. Don't conceal it" was the cheerful reply.

"And it doesn't matter anyway… Remus doesn't date, everyone knows that" she muttered glumly "Remember when Mel asked him? Or Tally Hawk from Ravenclaw? He never says yes and never asks anyone"

Was that true?

I got changed and showered quickly, my thought mulling on Remus. Why wouldn't he date? Perhaps he just hadn't found the right girl? Being a Marauder he must have been asked out by lots of girls and apparently he'd never said yes.

I sighed as I began to walk up the hill to school. The infuriating mysteries of Remus Lupin.

"Lily?" I said from my perch on bed.

It was evening now, I'd been silent since I'd got back from practice and I knew Lily was curious. The common room had been full, noisy and steamy when I'd arrived after practice. In one corner Amy had been challenging second years to games of exploding snap and her squeals of excitement about losing (I know, I don't understand it either) played a main role in the cacophony of noise. Tabby, ever watching over the crazy girl, had rolled eyes with me when our eyes had met. In another sofa, so tightly wrapped together I couldn't figure out who was who, sat Alice and Frank who were… doing something I supposed was kissing, though it looked more like they were trying share skin. They were succeeding.

After weaving my way through the crowd, tripping over a gaggle of first years who had decided to sit in the middle of the floor in the process, I climbed the stairs to my dorm. It was blissfully quiet in there, with only Lily studying on her four poster bed. I sat on my own and pulled my potions essay towards me. Needless to say the lines and lines of script about blood replenishment potions didn't really manage to do anything but glide in and out of my thoughts.

So here I was now, staring out of the window next to my bed, waiting for Lily to reply.

"Hmm?"

"Is it true Remus doesn't date?"

There was a pause and I looked up to see her studying me intently.

"Well?" I prompted.

"It true that he's never had a girlfriend at Hogwarts – at least that I know of."

"How come?" Merlin I felt like such a teenager by asking these questions.

"Don't know" She shrugged and then grinned at me suggestively "hey now, why'd you want to know?"

"When are you going to fall for James Potter?" I retorted, she scowled and I stuck out my tong, turning away. I grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill. I was going to make a list. The Lupin conundrum:

His mind feels different.Once a month he and his friends disappear for a night, saying they're visiting his mother.Several nights before he finds it difficult to sleep and he's stressed.He came back exhausted and with wounds.He's got lots of scars.He's bitter about leaving school.He doesn't date.

I felt like it was staring me in the face but I just couldn't figure it out. What was going on? I started to randomly list things about him, hoping to find something – anything.

He has blond hair, pale skin and his eyes are pale blue, with gold dusting.He's a part of the Marauders.He loves to read.He's a prefect.His nickname is Moony.

Why do they call him Moony? Was it like saying he was dreamy? Did he particularly like the moon? Maybe it was one of those 'you had to be there' moments which gave him that nickname. However, none of the other nicknames made much sense; Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail?

Maybe it was nothing. Maybe I was overreaction. Maybe I was just being a lovesick teenager stalker girl, just like all those other girls I detested.

Remus

"Remus, I just got this from my Uncle. Here read it" Sirius said handing me a letter. I was sitting on my bed in the dormitory, doing my Transfiguration homework. I looked at him curiously before beginning to read. The paper was heavy and expensive and the elegant script was written in dark green ink. My scowl got more and more pronounced as I read.

Dear Sirius,

It is good to hear from you. I'm glad to hear that you plan to leave your parents house, they had it coming to them with all that Slytherin nonsense. If you ever find yourself in need of a place to say then my house always has a spare room should you need it.

As for the name Grey there are several possibilities. I know for certain that there is a particularly influential pure-blood family named Grey. They are an ancient family, perhaps as old as ours, and they are similarly strict about purity of blood from what I've heard. The most notable of the Greys is Alexander Grey who took control of Germany. I remember your mother tried to court him when she was younger but he moved away and quenched her dreams. Did you hear about him? The German government became unstable after the chaos created by Grindelwald and Alexander Grey took control in the mayhem. They say he's a cruel leader, mad and unstable. I've even heard hints that the Death Eaters tried to recruit him but that's just rumour.

If it's an old wizarding family then that seems like the strongest bet, though I'm sure there are others with the surname Grey. I feel real sympathy for anyone related to him; then again, I have sympathy for myself for being brother to you mother – don't we all.

I hope I may have helped. Good luck with your NEWT's if I forget to say so later.

Your Uncle, Alphard Black

I threw the letter away. I'd forgotten I'd asked Padfoot to owl his uncle. Cruel, mad, unstable – how about sadistic and cold-blooded, or perhaps heartless bastard…

"I take that the Greys are related to this Alexander man then?" Sirius asked scowling.

"Oh yes, that's him, their father" I spat.

He stared at me, obviously miffed at my violent reaction to the letter but decided not to ask. He turned away to go back to the dormitory.

Sirius

I was shocked at this turn of events. The grey's father was the mad-mad of Germany? Bloody hell, no wonder they were scared of him. I remembered the booming, infuriated voice of the howler and I shivered. I'd heard about him before, mother was resentful of him and yet basically hero worshipped his feet, but I'd never related him to the silver haired twins.

Remus was seething, staring at the letter from my uncle as if he could set it on fire if he looked hard enough. I just hoped he didn't do accidental magic and set fire to my bed sheets too. I wondered what else he knew about their father, it must have been bad. I wanted to ask but he probably couldn't say anyway.

I decided to go back to the common room where Alex and James were. Wormy had got himself a detention when he fell out from under James' cloak just after a prank. Honestly. We'd just got back from practice and I knew Alex was curious about why his sister was in a weird mood. Don't know I was supposed to know, he'd be better to ask Prongs, he usually took notice of things like that.

I reached out a hand for the dormitory door but just before I got there the door was flung open and somebody came out.

"I've just got to gra- ugh!"

The familiar voice said before being cut abruptly off, by me. Whoever it was collided with me as if they'd been sprinting up the stair. I felt myself topple, the wind knocked out of me, and I saw a flash of silver before I was crashing into the floor in a tangle of limbs. I tried to struggle up but the person had fallen on top of me. I was finding it hard to breath; my arm was under me at an uncomfortable angle; there was something (an elbow?) sticking into my ribs. I gasped.

"Oops! I- um - sorry Sirius!"

The warm body that was Alex pushed up from me. His usually pale face was flustered and his silver hair fell around his face, curtaining him. His grey eyes were wide with shock. He tried to get up but the plain silver ring on his finger seemed to have got caught in my coat. He staggered to his feet.

I could hear people laughing and I plastered my lopsided grin onto my face before jumping to my feet. That was awkward.

Alex was still red in the face I noticed and his hair was as messy as Prongs' in the mornings. The laughers turned out to be James and Remus.

"Sorry Sirius, wasn't looking where I was going" Alex said sheepishly, I waved him off and lounged on my bed.

I tried not to think. I could do that, I'd done it enough over the last couple of weeks so I could do it now. Not thinking.

Remus was looking at me funny, it was making me uncomfortable. I decided to return the favour.

"Hay Moony, you'll never guess what we heard today in Quidditch practice?" I wiggled my eyebrows up and down.

James and Alex looked at me and rolled their eyes.

"Not a wise move Siri. Girls are dangerous when provoked" Alex said and I blinked at him. Since when has been calling me Siri? Nobody called me that and yet it sounded… normal when he said it. Alex frowned as if he's heard my surprise (which he probably did) and I quickly diverted my thoughts again. And anyway how would he know about Levet? Oh, right, Lara.

"Only if Remy here decides to shout it out to the whole school, which I think, we all know he won't" I argued, they didn't comment, only look at each other with annoying knowing looks. Remus was staring between us looking completely baffled.

"Well, you know Elaine Levet in the year bellow? The good looking blond who plays beater?" He nodded slowly. Everyone knew the Levet cousins; they were sexy, witty and were incredible Quidditch players – what more could you ask for? I, of course, had already dated them briefly but they were nevertheless notoriously hard to get.

"Well… she has a crush on you!" I pronounced proudly grinning at my quiet friend, anticipating his reaction. We all snorted in amusement as Remus went bright red and started blabbing. Mwahaahaa got you back.

"She does? Who me? Are you sure? How do you know? I don't really think…and even if it were true I not really sure that-"

"Oh come on, Moony. Elaine Levet, Levet for Merlin's sake!" I said.

"Um. No, no I think, I think I'm good"

Honestly our silly friend. He thought that just because of his furry little problem he couldn't have a bit of fun. How often do you hear that a Levet is sweet on you? James and Alex were looking at me as if I was an idiot. What did I do?

"Ah Paddy… you are so very blind aren't you?" James said shaking his head and giving me his 'sympathy for the unfortunate' stare.

"What?" Remus and I said at the same time, I looked at James and Alex perplexedly. Alex looks mischievous and ever so slightly uncomfortable. Odd.

"Well I thinks it's fairly obvious why our little Moony hear isn't interested in Levet, don't you agree Grey?" James said leaning against the bed post behind him looking smug.

"Oh yes, it's extremely apparent. Unfortunately for me, though I suppose it could be worse" he wrinkled his nose, perching on the opposite bed from me. I thought I saw his eyes flick to me and away but I couldn't be sure.

I had no idea what they were talking about. I looked at Remus. He was staring wide eyed at Alex and turning redder and redder as the seconds went by. Why wouldn't he want to go out with Levet? There was the obvious reason, the reason he never went out with girls, but Alex didn't know about that one. Maybe he had his sights on someone else. I looked at Alex – Oh. Yes I can see how that must be uncomfortable for him. I chuckled. Ah these Grey twins had really shaken up our already hectic lives.

"Ahh, my sincere apologies Remy and Alex – I have great sympathy" I chortled and he gaped at me as the others laughed.

"Ugh!" Remus collapsed in his bed, his hands over his face and his Homework flying everywhere.