Thanks Spirit, Violin, marauders rox, DraceHermioneFan1295, lil pink pixie and chickibabe46 for reviewing :-). I'm sorry for the disappointment with the Marly/Remus thing but I have no intention to pair up any of the Marauders with Lily's friends. While I haven't been completely successful in avoiding some of the other Lily/James clichés, this is one that I have managed to work out of this story. Happy New Year to all of you, wow, I can't believe it is 2007 already!

This chapter is a little drifty I'm afraid. Please do tell me if you think some chapters get a bit off track from the major story, if you're bored or would like more/less from particular characters. While this whole story has a definite plot/plan, there is room for changes depending on feedback. Constructive criticism is always appreciated. I always make note of it but unfortunately not all of it I will actually have effect on the story. Sorry for the drabble… here's the next chapter.

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Ch 28: Interrogation

"Just a quick hello and that's it okay?" Remus said firmly although he couldn't help but let out a hint of the nervousness he felt.

"Chill Moony. Don't worry so much. Would we embarrass you?" Sirius said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone but only served to increase Remus' sense of dread. His honest answer to that question would have to be yes.

"Right. Well I'll see you later then will I?" Remus asked as if hoping his friend's answer would have changed in the last 30 seconds.

"Too right you will." Sirius said cheerfully. A little too cheerfully.

Half an hour later Remus and Katherine were happily sitting down by the lake. Not ones for public displays of affection they were instead sitting under the shady beech tree talking happily, their feet dangling in the cool lake. Their study books were perched neatly at the base of the tree waiting to be opened.

In his cheerful state, Remus had momentarily forgotten the pending arrival of his boisterous friends. He did feel slightly guilty at his apprehension and disloyal attitude but he had known them for too long to know that they couldn't resist wreaking havoc.

In his defence, Remus was quite an insecure person. Shunned often because of his unfortunate condition, acceptance meant a lot to him. Maybe it wasn't the best way to live your life but hey, we don't always make the best decisions do we?

Katherine's gentle and warm nature made him exceedingly happy in her company. For lack of any other way of putting it, she made him feel like any other ordinary guy. And even with his uncertainties with their relationship, Remus didn't want anything to sabotage it.

"Moony, is that you? Well, fancy seeing you here. Who would have thought?" Sirius cracked a grin and Remus let out a soft groan. When he had said for them to casually walk up without making it obvious that they had planned it, this is not what he had meant.

"Sirius, Peter, James… oh and Lily. What a surprise seeing you here." Remus replied through gritted teeth.

Watching this uncomfortable exchange, Katherine looked a mix between amused and very confused.

"Guys, this is Katherine. Katherine… well I'm sure you know who they are." Remus said uncomfortably while Sirius grinned uncontrollably, Peter picked his nose in what he thought was an inconspicuous way and James looked constipated in his effort not to laugh while Lily eyed the lot of them curiously.

"Hi." Katherine greeted with a smile.

"Well, it's been lovely to run into you." Remus said quickly. "I'll catch up with you later. I'm sure you're very busy. Thanks for stopping by."

Ignoring Remus' pointed hint to leave, Sirius instead took a seat right between Katherine and Remus, James and Peter following suit, Lily slightly hesitantly behind them.

James bit back a laugh as Sirius threw his arms around the couple and grinned cheerfully.

"So, what do you think of our good friend Moony here?" Sirius asked Katherine conversationally and ignoring Remus' death glare.

"Sirius I really don't think –" Remus butted in only to be interrupted by Sirius.

"I tell you, he's come a long way recently. Used to be a shy little bugger and now look at him." Sirius clapped him friendlily on the back. "He's quite the ladies man."

"You can shut u–"

"Course we don't tell anyone about the teddy bear incident. It would do horrors to his reputation, and we wouldn't want to embarrass him now would we?" Sirius continued carelessly while Remus' cheeks flamed.

"The teddy bear incident?" Katherine asked curiously with a glance at a highly uncomfortable Remus. "What have you been hiding from me Remus?" She asked jokingly. Remus mumbled something incoherent.

Sirius pulled a face before he continued. "Back in fourth year poor Remus here was having a few anxiety issues over his first date. Bit of performance anxiety you could say." Remus blushed scarlet and mumbled something else. "He was so nervous that she would dump him that we walked into the dorms one day and caught him practising with Peter's teddy bear."

"Practising what?" Katherine asked confused.

"Snogging. It was a rather sickening sight I tell you." Sirius said with a wrinkled face while Peter looked appalled.

"You did what with Tinkerbelle?" He spluttered.

"Thanks Sirius. While you're company has been much appreciated, feel free to leave any time." Remus said with forced calm.

"Well, he's improved dramatically." Katherine said with a joking wink at Remus who flushed, if possible, even darker.

Peter was still muttering 'poor Tinkerbelle' under his breath with a very traumatised look on his face.

"Don't feel obligated to stick around. You're welcome to –" Remus tried again, this time getting even more desperate for Sirius to leave.

"I suppose he didn't tell you about the hairy incident back in fifth year either?" Sirius asked curiously. Katherine shook her head.

"How many 'incidents' are there exactly?" She asked with a laugh.

"Oh, there's plenty." James answered grinning.

"This particular one was the summer before fifth year when Moony decided he'd experiment with facial hair and decided to grow a goatee." Sirius continued, pulling a face while Katherine laughed.

"It wasn't an attractive look. We told him he looked like Bobbin Wood." Sirius said with a laugh while the others looked at him curiously.

"Who on earth is Bobbin Wood?" James asked. Sirius brow furrowed for a minute as he thought.

"You're right. That wasn't it. You know the one, the robber who stole things and gave it to the poor people. What's his name… eagle… seagull… Pigeon Cloak was it?"

"You don't mean Robin Hood by any chance do you Sirius?" Remus asked dryly, fighting back a laugh.

Sirius grinned. "That's the one. Rodney Hood. That's who Remus looked like. Eventually we convinced him to shave it off though."

"I think that's enough stories for today." Remus said while the other laughed.

Remus was beginning to think that this was worse than introducing your girlfriend to your mother. She was the one who was supposed to sprout all the embarrassing stories from your childhood, not your friends.

"At least I didn't show her the photo!" Sirius said defensively before leaning over to Katherine. "Did you want to see it?"

He reached into his pocket and Remus' face paled. "I don't think so Sirius." He said forcefully. For the first time Sirius semi-listened to what Remus had told him.

"Maybe another time." He reasoned with a wink and a nod.

"Would you look at the time. I think it's time for you to leave now Sirius!" Remus said with fake brightness.

"Do you like our pranks?" Sirius asked suddenly, ignoring Remus. While grateful that he wasn't sharing any more embarrassing stories, Remus was annoyed that he still couldn't take the (not very subtle) hint to leave now.

Katherine nodded enthusiastically. "They're hilarious! I loved the one the other day when you made Severus Snape sing in limericks for the whole day." She said with a laugh.

James shifted slightly uncomfortably under Lily's stare and pretended to watch something in the grass with intense interest. He had clean forgotten to tell her about that prank.

"And who do you think is the handsomest Marauder?" Sirius tossed his hair exaggeratedly.

"Don't answer that." Remus butted in while Katherine laughed.

"Do you like dogs?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, I love them. My parents have a big German Sheppard at home." Katherine said happily. Sirius grinned in satisfaction with her answer while James rolled his eyes.

Finished his interrogation and seemingly approving, Sirius clapped Remus on the back. "Well done mate. You picked a good one. She's a keeper." He congratulated happily.

Remus gave him a dry look and Katherine flushed slightly but laughed all the same.

"Thanks Sirius. I'm so glad I have your seel of approval." He muttered sarcastically.

Sirius, clearly missing, or ignoring, the sarcasm beamed. "Always here to help Moony."

"Now, do you think you have somewhere else to be now?" Remus probed and Sirius finally got the hint.

"Right you are Moony. James, Peter, Lily and I must be of to… er… knit." Pulling the others up, Sirius bounded happily back up to the castle and finally finally, Remus and Katherine were left alone again.

"Sorry about him." Remus muttered, still a little mortified.

Katherine smiled kindly and took his hand. "Don't worry. He was a laugh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to encourage him. I hope you weren't too embarrassed." Remus shrugged but his pink cheeks indicated his answer.

"Well, I suppose I have to tell you some of my embarrassing stories to make it up to you." She said with a grin. Remus' mouth twitched.

"Oh yeah? What have you got to rival the 'incidents' of Remus Lupin?" He teased.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Katherine joked with raised eyebrows. Remus laughed and she leant over and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. Feeling full of happiness despite his earlier embarrassment Remus realised that Sirius was right. She was a keeper.

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"He looks happy doesn't he?" Lily asked pensively as her and the Marauders minus Remus crowded around one of the windows looking out onto the grounds.

James gave a grunt of approval.

"Ouch. Wormtail you're stepping on my foot." Sirius whined loudly. The sound of shuffling could be heard and a squeak from Peter as he toppled over.

"Sirius, move you're fat head, I can't see." James moaned as he gave Sirius a poke in the ribs to make him move. Who knew they would all be quite so enthused to spy on Remus out a window?

"Okay, I'm going to leave you guys now." Lily muttered. "This whole spying on Remus thing is just plain weird. Seya James." She turned to walk down the corridor but James caught up to her.

"Aww, would you look at that Pete. Love is in the air. Everywhere I look around. Love is in the – oomph. Ouch. That's hurt."

Sirius rubbed his foot from where Peter had just stamped on it so shut up his awful singing.

"Please don't sing ever again." James said as he pretended to make retching noises to a weirded out looking Lily.

Looking huffy, Sirius chose not to respond to that comment.

"I was simply making a point. We're the only ones left. Your and I are going to be next Pete." Sirius said before suddenly realising that that could come across as sounding rather wrong.

"Ergh! Yuk. Not like that! I just meant – never mind." Sirius sighed as gales of laughter down the corridor from James and Lily reached his ears. Peter didn't seem to get it and rather than explaining, Sirius let him keep the confused look that was currently covering his face.

"How about we leave now?" James whispered into Lily's ear to which she nodded agreeably.

"Would you fancy a walk with me Lily Evans?" James asked humbly while offering his hand. With a smile Lily accepted the proffered hand.

"That's incredibly kind of you to offer to accompany me to the library. I thought you'd never ask." Lily replied with a smirk. James turned to her with disgusted expression.

Hand in hand they walked down the corridor still happily arguing over whether or not they were going to the library (Lily) or heading to a comfy broom closet (James), the strangled sounds of Sirius singing 'love is in the air' following them.

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Sorry this chapter is quite short. I've written some of the ending but I'm not quite sure yet whether it will be two chapters or one very long chapter but either way, hopefully it will make up for this chapter since it should be up tomorrow or the next day. If you have any questions that need to be resolved before the end now is the time to ask them in a review. xx