Sorry it took so long, I was gone over Spring Break and then Lizz and Annie failed to coordinate with Jamie. Hope U luv it as much as I do!

Chapter 5: Cats and Dogs

The Marauders collapsed onto their beds in complete exhaustion. It had been their first Quidditch practice of the year and it had, of course, rained cats and dogs. Peter had been watching from the sidelines under an umbrella while Remus, Sirius, and James had seemingly practiced crashing into one another in the blinding rain. So obviously Peter was the only one whining about the wet and the cold. So much that James, in a retched mood, put a silencing spell on him which caused a momentary amusing show of Peter running around frantically trying to take the spell off until finally he ran down into the common room, like he would find any help there.

"Oy, I hurt in places I didn't know existed! I'm going to take a shower." Remus painfully got up off the bed and went into the bathroom. He took a long, hot shower and soon felt immensely better. As he dried off he thought about Quidditch practice.

flashback

Remus swung his broom around and hit the red quaffle away from the hoops.

"Nice one Remus" Sirius called

"Watch out!" A bludger clipped Sirius on the back of the head, making him slam forward to smash his nose on his broom handle.

"I'm okay!" Sirius's head is too thick to get hurt by bludgers anyway, that's why he is one of the team's beaters. Remus shook his head.

"You're supposed to hit them with the bat, not your head" James said as he swerved down next to a dazed, but still flying, Sirius.

"Huh?" They laughed as Sirius looked around confusedly.

CRRRAAAAACKK!

"Shit!"

"Remus, you okay?" James landed next to Remus, who was sprawled on the dirt beneath the hoops.

"Yah, but that lightning was a little too close for my comfort!" Remus looked up at the middle hoop he had been flying in front of seconds before. It glowed red and had little sparks of electricity running all over it. Patricia Wood, captain of the Gryffindor team, yelled above the storm,

"You okay Remus? Good. Everyone come on back on your brooms, practice isn't over for another hour!"

"Are you kidding Wood? We're going to be killed in this mess, I mean look at Sirius." Sirius had a happy- go –lucky dazed look and seemed to be having trouble standing upright.

"Okay, Okay, but I want everyone here early tomorrow morning!" groans Remus and James managed to get Sirius upright and began leading him toward to school.

"Hullo!" They turned around to see Jamie walking up.

"Um… hi" She was strolling through the downpour as if it were the sunniest of days, it was a little unnerving. She reached them and smiled.

"How was Quidditch practice?" Jamie said as she noticed their soaking Quidditch robes, and then Sirius. "And how's he, including the acne?" Sirius snapped back to reality.

"Fun!" Nope he was gone again.

"Actually it was pretty scary: I almost got hit by lightening and Sirius got clipped by a bludger." James said.

"Wow, nothing seriously damaged I hope?"

"Well Sirius's brain is damaged but we think he was born that way, so nothing out of the usual." Remus said. "Uh.. not to sound stupid, but what are you doing out here in the rain?"

"Well, I was inside working on my Potions homework when I saw it was beginning to rain. I thought I might as well come see some Quidditch." She smiled but stopped when she saw their "I'm questioning your sanity" look. "What?"

"No umbrella? No 'it's raining maybe this isn't the best time for a stroll' thoughts going through your head?" James said.

"Well, yeah James. I'm not wearing make-up so it won't run, I needed to shower anyway, and I love the rain more than most people and definitely more than Potions homework! Besides its just water, it's going to do more good than harm." Jamie put her hands on her hips as if waiting for another objection. Water ran down her face in rivulets, and dripped off her nose. She was definitely getting the shower she wanted, in her clothes. Remus started laughing at her, well not her exactly but the way she looked, defiant yet ridiculous. Jamie started laughing (at herself as well) and it spread to James despite his lack of confidence in Jamie's sanity.

"Sorry I missed practice, I used to play, but I wasn't very good and it's not very popular." That caught everyone's attention.

"Not Popular!" Sirius uttered as if it were taboo, "That's impossible! Quidditch is the best game on the face of the earth!"

"Whoa Sirius calm down, America is different okay? Breathe." Sirius glanced around, taking in where he was.

"How long have I been out?"

"About 15 minutes."

"Did I miss anything?"

"Not really. Jamie just told us Quidditch isn't popular."

"Not Popular!" Sirius uttered as if it were taboo, "That's impossible! Quidditch is the best game on the face of the earth!"

"Anyway, Annie still plays, but there aren't any spots on the Gryffindor team. She is an excellent Chaser though." Jamie said.

"She can take Patricia's spot." Sirius said.

"What's this about taking my spot eh?" Patricia Wood stomped up. "This is mutiny! Traitors!"

"Calm down Patricia, Calm down, we were just joking."

"Don't you tell me to calm down Sirius Black! I mean I may not be as pretty as the Ravenclaw captain, but..." Sirius got a dreamy look on his face.

"And not nearly as good a kisser either. She was amazi…" SMACK! Sirius Blacked out again. Patricia brandished her broom like a bat, wild- eyed and most likely PMS-ing. James and Remus took one look at her...

"Run!" Remus grabbed Jamie while James levitated Sirius beyond Patricia's lethal swings to trail after them as they zoomed across the grounds.

"You're dead Sirius Black, do you hear me? DEAD!" Patricia followed them in the front door and up and down several hallways.

"Can you still play, Bilden?" called James as he ran ahead of the others. "We might be needing a new beater."

"Where are we going?" Jamie gasped as Remus pulled her into a room.

"Shhh!" Patricia ran right up to the doorway, looked around, and continued down the hallway.

"How come she didn't see us?" Jamie asked as she looked down the now empty hallway. Remus smiled and led her back into the room.

"Jamie, welcome to a well guarded Marauder secret, welcome to the Room of Requirement." Remus said gallantly and pulled her back inside. Jamie turned and looked around the large room. There were 4 chairs around a table with hot chocolate and cookies. A bed with some medical supplies was nearby and there was a dressing screen in a corner with four sets of robes identical to the drenched and mud-splattered ones they were wearing (minus the mud). James dropped Sirius onto the bed. Remus laughed at her look of astonishment and pointed to the screen.

"Go ahead and change, promise we won't look." He said. Although he wore a mischievous smile that had Jamie looking over her shoulder just to be sure. When she stepped back out the guys had changed and were munching on cookies, so she sat down and grabbed some cocoa.

"You feeling better Sirius?"

"Yes, I do have a magnificent arse."

"Guess not. So tell me about the Room of Requirement."

"The name is kinda self explanatory but it basically tunes into and gives you whatever you require, like robes, cookies, invisible doorways, medi.." But James was interrupted.

"Pictures of a sleeping Snape!" Sirius blurted suddenly. Jamie cast an accusing glance at Remus and James, who were caught between shifting uncomfortably and laughing at the memory.

"Yes that too." James smiled at the memory of an excellent Marauder prank.

"Soooo, how did you guys discover this place?" Jamie bit into her cookie, warm and gooey, just like she loved em. As close to cookie dough as you can get without getting Salmonella. She thought.

"It was incredible! It was our second year and two in the morning and we were innocently running for our lives from Professor McGonagall." James began excitedly; he loved telling about their notorious exploits.

"Innocently?" Jamie scoffed. These guys are anything but innocent.

"Anyway… we saw an open doorway and ran inside, praying she wouldn't find us. However, McGonagall seemed not to even notice the doorway and hurried on by, just like Patricia did a little while ago. We had stumbled on the Room of Requirement!" James finished triumphantly.

"So what's this about pictures of Snape?"

"Well, the reason McGonagall was chasing us was because we had tried to sneak into the Slytherin dorms and take embarrassing pictures of Snape sleeping, but she saw us first, thanks to someone checking himself out instead of standing guard." James looked pointedly at Sirius.

"I love my arse!"

"When we hid in here we found loads of pictures of Snape sleeping, the magical kind and everything. So we multiplied them to fall over dinner, it was great. Did you know he sleeps with a stuffed snake?" Jamie laughed and it infectiously spread till they had to wipe away tears.

"You'll have to give me a couple! Let's go back to the common room I have stuff to do before our prefect duty tonight, Remus." Jamie said as she stood up.

end flashback

Remus smiled as he thought of Jamie laughing. He got dressed and pulled out a new book his parents had sent him. But after not realizing the book was upside down for ten minutes, rereading the same sentence three times, and pretty much just staring absently, Remus dropped it in disgust.

"Damn I can't even read" He said quietly. James looked up, incredibly startled. Remus not reading! It's the apocalypse! Run for your lives!

He looked up again, Remus was staring at the floor as if was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. Or maybe it something else…

"Thinking of a certain Jamie Bilden, my dearest Moony?" James said teasingly.

"Uh, yah." Remus gave a small laugh and ran his fingers through his hair, not surprised James had figured it out. "I just keep thinking about her laugh, and her eyes, and well her" He sighed.

"Moony my good man, you're hopeless. She's obviously into you too. I mean you're a pretty good- looking guy. Nothing compared to my sex-godliness of course, but still not too bad. Why don't you ask her out or something?" Sirius said.

"Yeah, there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up why don't you ask her out then? No problem." James looked at the downcast Remus.

"Like she would even go out with me! Besides do you remember what happened last time?" James winced, no one could forget that. Remus had gone out with a girl named Dana Spinett and though she was a little ditzy at times, they still had tons of fun. But Remus still had to sneak off every full moon, so she had followed him one night to see what he was up to every month. Obviously she found out. James was only glad he and Sirius were there in time, or there might have been another werewolf roaming the grounds, or worse, no more Dana Spinett.

Afterwards, even though she promised not to tell, she wouldn't come within twenty feet of Remus. It had almost killed him to see her look at him with horror instead the love that was there before. Remus's werewolf self also became violent and harder to control, and they learned that the werewolf's mood reflected Remus's. Finally Dana had moved to Beuxbattons and Remus had gotten over it, but he still hadn't asked anyone out since then. "I mean, she'll think the same thing Dana did once she finds out!" Remus glared at his friends. "I won't do that to her." He could just see her smile disappearing as she saw what he was.

"You know Remus, you won't even give yourself some hope! What if she's okay with it huh? What if she likes you for you, like we do! Give yourself a chance you dumbass!" James yelled, suddenly angry.

"Fine! I'll ask her out, okay? Will that make you happy?" Remus shouted back.

"No it'll make you happy." James smiled. "Duh"

Remus smiled too. Who knows maybe she'll say yes?

"While you puppies have been resolving your little fights, has anyone been worrying about this dumb hex that wench put on me? I mean Vivian suggested I wear makeup to get hid it! This is the last straw! I want this acne gone now! It's marring my godly features!" Sirius magicked up a mirror, a trick he learned in his first year, and began examining his still zitty features. Remus and James laughed at the child-like Sirius.

"Sorry paddy, I've looked everywhere and even asked Madame Pompfrey, but it looks like the girls invented this hex especially for big-headed gits like you." Remus picked up his book again

"I hope we find a cure soon Padfoot" James said sincerely. Sirius gave him a doubtful look. "Cuz it sure is embarrassing being seen with you." James laughed. Sirius jumped up.

"I'll kill you Prongs!" Sirius reached for his wand on his bed, but his wand flew over to Remus's waiting hand.

"I've told you to always keep your wand close Sirius." Remus admonished. Sirius growled and sat down on his bed again; his arms crossed and lower lip pushed out, like a pouting child.

"No fair."

"Life isn't fair."

"Hmph." Sirius pouted for a couple minutes more. "This is entirely, that wench, Lawrence's fault. What is her problem anyway? Most girls would have died if I gave them that kind of attention." Just at that moment Peter came in and heard what he said.

"Don't say that about Lizz." Sirius head snapped around and he reached over and grabbed James's wand. Peter however had turned bright red. "Ohh do you like her now, Wormy? You're a bigger idiot than I thought! Poor fool, all you'll get from her is acne." Sirius started out the door. "I'm going for a run." He stormed down the spiral staircase, through the common room, past the pink lady, down more stairs and hallways, out the front door, and up to the edge of the Forbidden Forest before he let himself think.

Damn Lizz, She and Peter deserve each other; all they do is give others headaches. Sirius stopped.

With her spicy hazel eyes and that hair. He gave a frustrated sigh and twirled James's wand between his fingers.

Time for a good run.

Sirius ran out to see the stars were out and sparkling. He took a big whiff of fresh air with his rapidly changing nose, and leaped on all fours towards the lake. He let all his thoughts wash away and only concentrated on running, running, running...

Suddenly a sultry scent crossed his big black nose. His Animagi gifts included scent and hearing. He turned suddenly and sniffed again. Running along the edge of the lake he came back over to the Whomping Willow. He slowly crept up; he could see the willows branches swinging every which way and wondered why. There!

A lion, no mane, lioness, was running beneath the Willow's branches. Sirius watched as a huge branch whipped down to hit her, but the lioness leaped away in time and ran around again. Again and again the lioness dodged the swinging branches. Sirius suddenly heard little growls and purrs coming from her, he realized she was laughing.

She's playing a game! It's one of the Animagi! Well, duh Sirius, what would a lioness be doing on these grounds? Or in England for that matter! He snorted in spite of himself, and then realized the Willow had stopped moving. He looked up to see the lioness on the other side of the tree staring at him.

Crap she saw me! I'm such an idiot

Lizz sat looking at the unearthly big, black dog sitting over by the Forbidden Forest. She also realized he was one of those Animagi and her eyes got wider. She turned and ran back towards the school.

Crap he saw me! I'm such an idiot!

Over her shoulder she saw the dog chasing her, trying to catch up. She couldn't help but let out a lioness laugh,

Keep trying doggy, you'll never keep up, I'm a lioness for crying out loud. Just try.

Lizz stretched her body to its full potential and sped across the grounds towards the greenhouses. Her Animagi gifts included speed and agility, he would never catch up. She leaped onto the roof of Greenhouse Four and leaped again onto a ledge of the castle. She tried not to laugh as she saw the dog run up, panting pink tongue hanging out and all. The only reason he had been able to follow her was because he had followed her scent. She stood perfectly still and made herself look like one of the many berserk gargoyles that adorned the school. Meanwhile, Sirius was cursing his black and white vision.

Can't see anything in the dark and I couldn't even keep up! Man and I thought I was fast, Damn! Course (he smiled) she looked pretty sexy loping across the grounds like that.

The Sirius dog shook himself and ran back towards the school.

HA, she'll have to come out and go inside sometime, I'll just go wait by the doors.

Lizz watched him leave and smiled to herself,

He's probably going to go wait by the entrance for me to come out. Well he's going to have a long night, I don't envy him.

She leaped up some more ledges, like a cat up a bookshelf, and landed next to an already open window. Lizz changed back to human here and crept through the window to take a nice, long, hot shower, while Sirius got a headache waiting for her to come out.