Chapter Seven:- Happy, Hopeful Hogsmeade

Jaye was rugged up from the cold; wearing a light-blue jacket and a white woollen beanie to match her scarf. Remus was wearing a brown coat with a crimson scarf, which kept yelling "GO THE REDS!" at irregular intervals.

"Can't you shut that thing up?" Jaye asked.

"I could…but you're so cute when you're angry." Remus grinned. Jaye pouted.

"Fine, I'll do it…you know how good I am with Silencio spells."

Remus quickly pressed a corner of the scarf to deactivate it.

"Much better." Jaye smiled happily, watching the snowflakes fall around them. "I love the snow." She said twirling around.

"I can see that." Remus looked at her in an amused way. He found it hard to believe they'd only met at the start of that month. It felt like he already knew everything about her. But he knew that couldn't be, because there was a huge part of him that she didn't know about.

"Let's go get an ice-cream!" She exclaimed. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"An ice-cream? It's minus two degrees out here!"

"That means it won't melt on us!" Jaye smiled at him and linked her arm through his, looking up at him with big blue eyes. "Please Remus?"

"Oh alright." He caved. They walked down to Honeydukes to find an ice-cream. Jaye was humming softly under her breath. Remus started to sing the chorus.

Life is a magic thing…be in it as the Muggles say.

Live life to the fullest. Be thankful for everyday.

Keep your friends close, let them know you care.

Coz you just never know if they'll always be there.

They laughed and stepped through the doors of Honeydukes. The walls were filled ceiling to floor with the most delicious sweets you could think of. Jelly Slugs, nougat, caramels, boiled sweets, Fizzing Whizbees, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, Ice Mice, exploding gum and Sugar Quills.

Jaye looked around appreciatively.

"No matter how many times I come here I'm always blown away."

Remus looked around too. "Yeah. What kind of ice-cream do you want?"

They ambled over to the wall labelled 'Frozen Flavours'. Jaye poked around in one of the barrels and pulled out a huge strawberry. She turned to see Remus holding a similar item.

"Right, two strawberry ices." A bossy shopkeeper came up behind them. She flicked her wand and the strawberries turned into two cups of smooth, pink ice-cream. "That'll be four Knuts thanks." She held out her hand expectantly. Remus fished into one of his many pockets and pulled out the appropriate coinage.

"Thanks Remus, you didn't have to." Jaye said gratefully. "My shout next time."

They left the shop in high spirits. Neither could stop smiling. Remus was just about to suggest that they go to the Hogshead for a Butterbeer when Jaye spoke.

"Why don't we go to the Shrieking Shack?"

Remus started at the name and Jaye noticed.

"What's the matter, Remus? Scared?" She teased.

"No." He said quickly and quietly. "Let's go then."

They walked in silence, simply enjoying each-others company. The pair stood at the fence; taking in the shack's haunted appearance.

"Kinda scary looking, isn't it?" she observed. Remus nodded and took her hand in his. Jaye felt his grip and looked up to his face. "Are you ok, Re? You're all white."

Remus laughed shakily. "Yeah, I'm fine. But I've heard some weird stories about this place."

Jaye shivered. "I know. Right, let's get outta here then."

"Back to Hogwarts?" He asked.

"Sure, I want to teach you something. You might already know how but none of the wizards I've met have ever been bothered."

"What is it?"

"Not telling." She tapped the side of her nose like Dumbledore had the night before. "You'll see soon enough, but this is the perfect day for it."

The duo made their way back to the castle, teasing each-other and cracking stupid jokes. When they reached the Entrance Hall, Jaye asked Remus to wait there for her while she raced upstairs to find what she needed. Remus looked around the Hall happily, wondering what Jaye had in store for him.

"Moony!!" Remus turned to see Sirius behind him, his arm draped around a dark-haired girls shoulder.

"Ah, Padfoot. And how are you Ana?" Remus asked the girl. He knew Sirius had been friends with her for a long time, though Ana was a year younger than them.

"Fine thanks, Remus." She giggled and stood on her tiptoes to whisper in Sirius' ear. He let out a bark of laughter then winked at Remus.

"Right then old pal, me and Ana are going to go, err, amuse ourselves. See you later on." The couple walked off together, Sirius' arm still on her shoulders and her arm wrapped around his waist. Remus sighed.

Poor Tara. I wonder what happened. I knew it was only a matter of time before those two got together; they're just right for each-other. But it's such a shame Tara is getting hurt in the process. Padfoot, why don't you think before you act?

The next thing he knew, Jaye was bounding towards him with what looked like a pair of boots with blades attached. She held a brown pair out towards him.

"Come on Remus, I'm teaching you to ice-skate!"

"What? That sport where Muggles glide over ice wearing these contraptions?" He asked.

"That's right! Don't diss it till you try it! Out to the lake. Out, out."

She ushered him through the doors and walked him down to the edge of the frozen lake. There, she put on her white skates with pink laces and helped Remus tie his up.

"Oh, honestly, Remus. It's not that hard, don't look so worried!" She smiled at him, noting the faint worry line that had appeared between his brows. "Right, follow me out, take it one step at a time."

Jaye guided him onto the ice, not letting go of his arm. His legs started to flail hopelessly and before he'd gone two metres he was sprawled on his back. Jaye giggled.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up." He pouted from the ice. She skated circles around him before helping him up.

"Okay, let's try again. Smooth movements. Left, right, left…that's it!"

They skated around the lake together, Jaye memorising every moment and Remus slowly getting more confident. He concentrated hard on the rhythm.

Left, right, left, right

He skated ten metres without Jaye's help. As soon as he realised she was no longer there, he slipped over again. Chuckling, Jaye offered her arm to help him up. Remus, however, had other ideas. He pulled her down on top of him. Still laughing, Jaye took in his brown, honest eyes and ran her fingers through his hair.

Remus stared at her long brown hair and bright blue eyes. He breathed her in, noting a faint trace of vanilla before putting his lips on hers. They kissed for a long time and the only thought running and re-running through Jaye's head was…

This is it. THIS is magic.

I see so many ways that I can love you,
'Till the day I die....
You're my reality, yet I'm lost in a dream.
You're my first, my last; my everything.