It was a few days after the Hogsmeade trip. Millie was waiting with Lily who in turn was waiting for Remus so they could go on patrol together. "Thanks for waiting with me by the way. Where's Becky?"

Millie sat down in one of the nearby tables and rested her head in one of her hands, "No idea."

Lily sat down too, "It's close to curfew though... If I see her-"

"James Potter, I cannot believe you!" A squawky voice shouted, a loud number of stomps following it.

"-Was that?" Millie asked and Lily nodded. And her suspicions were right. Jenny soon came trampling down from the boys dorms, nearly knocking a few first years out of the way. She began to make her way to the portrait whole when Lily shouted, "Jenny, it's ten to. Why don't you save yourself a detention and go up stairs?"

Jenny slowly turned round, eye almost twitching but seemed to swallow whatever anger she had. She threw a dirty glance to the pair of them and made her was up to the girls' dorm.

"Lily! I can't believe you just did that?" Millie giggled, a proud tone hinged in her voice. Lily ignored her as she spotted Remus also come out of the boy dormitory stairs. His hair was slightly messy as if he'd just woken up.

"Remus!" Millie called getting his attention.

Remus calmly walked over to them yawning slightly, "Sorry I'm late Lily, I was trying to avoid the cross fire up there."

Lily shrugged, "No problem. Want to go then?" Remus stepped back, as if to say 'sure.'

"Thanks for waiting with me again, Millie."

"No problem," she said flashing a cute smile in Remus direction. He grinned back at her and tapped two fingers to his head as if he were saluting her.

Millie started walking back towards her dormitory, fizzing inside. She ran a hand through her hair and felt herself going a little red. Every time he would take notice of her it happened. It was just the way his hair was neat with little flicks to it, the way when he grinned he had a tiny dimple, the way his eyes shone-

"Ah!" Millie said as she tripped over something long and thin. She stumbled to the floor but caught herself on her knees. She turned to find Jenny sitting with her back against the wall, crying. Instead of shouting at her she simply sniffed and drew her legs up to her chest.

"Uh... Jenny?" Millie said. They were not the best of friends. At all. But she felt a little sympathy for her.

She sniffed again and looked up, "What?"

"Um..." Millie said again but then turned to face her properly. She held out her hand gingerly, "Come on. You can't sit out here all night..."

Jenny looked from Millie to her outstretched hand, her face unnaturally straight. She slowly wiped her eyes and stood, leaving Millie knelt on the floor. Millie rolled her eyes mentally but stood too.

"What's the matter?"

"Ugh." Jenny said and her voice cracked, "Why would you want to know?"

"Well, you're sad." Millie stated awkwardly.

"Well done, genius," She said sarcastically, then paused, "It's James."

Millie could tell she was getting onto something, "What's he done?" She angled the question specifically so it sounded as if she was on Jenny's side. She looked back to Millie.

"Right. So I'm being perfectly reasonable-"

Millie immediately started tuning out of the conversation and nodded every now and then. She figured she may as well let her vent all her issues and regain her pride. She was just concentration on not drooling when Jenny said something that snapped her back to reality.

"So then I see him chatting to Lily, so I told him there is no way in hell that he can even talk to her again-!"

"Wait," Millie interrupted. She looked her up and down, "Are you seriously telling me you tried to forbid him from even seeing her?"

Jenny stopped and looked puzzled. Annoyed, but puzzled, "Uh, yes. What else?"

Millie almost laughed, "You can't do that! Not after he's claimed he's loved her for what, nearly 6 years? And he still does no-"

She cut off abruptly and actually looked at Jenny. She was looking very angry again and Millie suddenly remembered why she and Jenny weren't even acquaintances. Her temper.

"So, you're telling me, he's been using me?" She asked, closing the space between the two with a step. Millie was taller than average, but Jenny's model-looks included height so she was looking down on her, "You're telling me, that this whole time we're actually in a relationship, that he- that she-?"

"No... No, no! I'm not saying that at all!" Millie said trying to dig her way out of the hole she created. Jenny's eyebrows arched, "What are you up to?"

"I'm not up to anything; you're being paranoid."

Jenny mad a high-pitched squeal, an overdramatic high-pitched squeal, Millie added in thought. Jenny shoved her shoulder so Millie stepped an extra two steps back, her back almost on the opposite wall. "It's you three isn't it? You're trying to break me and James up, so that bitch Lily can have him all to herself. Well you know what?" Millie was too taken back to say anything so when she heard a confident, "What?" from behind her she was surprised. Jenny glared at Millie and turned round to look at the voice that had just spoken.

"What do you want? Freak" Jenny snarled.

"I want to know why you have one of my friends backed up against a wall-" Becky said, then added a patronising, "-princess?" on the end.

Jenny seemed to be getting redder and redder, whereas the only thing that was red between the others was Becky was her hair. "I hate you." Jenny scowled, she then flipped her hair, looked Millie up and down and went into a nearby dorm.

"Woah, someone has anger issues..." Millie said.

Becky let her dead straight face drop into a smile, "C'mon lets go up stairs, and you can tell me what just happened." As they began to make their way into the dorm Becky said, "I don't think we should tell Lily about this yet."

The next morning nothing out of the ordinary happened. Millie and Becky were walking with Lily to breakfast and as Jenny pushed past them she just ignored them, although Millie whined for a while about her sharp elbows. It was quiet late when they ate, so they didn't get their usual seats and were far away from the Marauders, but Lily wasn't feeling jealous as Jenny was staying away from them too. The bell rang too soon and some Gryffindors' trooped to Potions.

Once outside, Becky stood next to Sirius. He turned to her and grinned, flipping his hair out of his eyes and her stomach squelched slightly.

"We've got that lovely partnering today," He said.

"What?" Becky asked and immediately remembered. She groaned, "Oh great. Knowing me, I'll get some utter head case like Norman."

Sirius and Becky both looked to the back of the line as Norman joined it. He hitched his backpack up onto his back, took out a tissue and blew his nose noisily. The few students near him automatically moved away, going, "Ew!" as flecks of mucus sprayed out from either side of the tissue. Sirius chuckled his bark-like laugh.

"Why do you like Norman now?" Millie asked, joining in. Remus turned around at the sound of her voice and laughed.

"Adorable. Norman is just – adorable."

"Anyway," Sirius addressed the two girls, "We've developed this spell. You know how Slughorn's going to make us pick a name out of the hat and that's our partner?"

"Yeah," Millie and Becky replied in unison.

"Okay. Well we took a look at it," Sirius nodded to Remus, "And it has to be boy-girl but we know how to charm it to be who we want."

"Really?" Millie asked.

"Seriously?" Becky said at the same time. Sirius grinned, "That is my name, is it not?"

Becky rolled her eyes and pushed him slightly.

"Anyway," Remus interjected, "This is so easy – just slip your wand down your sleeve and as you pick, say Sumo volo. You don't need any motion, just focus on who you pick."

"So yeah," Sirius beamed, "I know, thank me later. But Millie, you pick Remus and Becky, you pick-"

"What makes you think I don't want Norman?" Becky joked, eyebrows arched.

"Because I'm Sirius," Sirius winked and Becky pushed him again, laughing.

A few minutes later the class was lead in to the potions room. Slughorn was now standing in front on a big caldron that he was calling is "caldron of mystery". He found it funny while no one else did. Lily pitied him slightly so tittered along with a few other sympathisers.

"Okay, so girls line up on the left side of the classroom please." He said merrily.

There were a few whispers and clutters as a clumsy girl, Maggie banged into a chair that sent another one toppling. Slughorn grimaced slightly and asked, "Maggie can you pick first please?"

A few of the boys laughed, this obviously made Maggie feel even worse so she nodded and let her block fringe fall into her grey eyes.

"Bloody heck," Millie whispered to Lily, "I feel sorry for whoever gets her as a partner, she'll be dropping everything!"

Lily smiled, "Actually she's rather good in potions." Millie's smile faltered and she went silent. Maggie Thornmath stepped up to the caldron, not tripping to much surprise and picked out a name.

"Miss Thornmath, who have you got?"

"Mathew Horen," she said eventually. Mathew stepped out from the crowed of boys. He was a gangly boy who had sandy blonde hair and black framed glasses, Millie had a slight crush on him in third year which had been embarrassing according to her. Professor Slughorn directed them to their seats and clapped, "Right, who's next?"

Millie stared out along the class, chewing her lip absent-mindedly, when she caught Remus's eye. He raised his eyebrows and nodded towards the caldron slightly. She jumped slightly.

"Oh!" She said loudly and everyone turned to look at her. She felt her face flushing a little but said, "Can I?"

"Yes, come along, Miss Johnston," He said and Millie walked towards him, holding her wand in her sleeve.

She glanced at the professor as she reached out to pick a piece of paper. He was smiling and looking into the caldron so she grabbed the chance and whispered, "Sumo volo." Instantly she felt a small tickling sensation travel up her right arm, snake around her neck and then drop down through to her outstretched hand. She closed her eyes and imagined Remus's face, grinning at her last night.

"Who have you picked?"

"Um," She said, unfolding the piece of paper. She feigned surprise, "Remus. Remus Lupin."

Millie turned to see Remus walk towards her and Professor Slughorn pointed to a seat near the back.

"Miss Evans?" He boomed and Lily looked up, "Surely you want a pick?"

"Oh, um, yes sir," She replied and brushed her hair out of her face. All she could think about while fishing around in the parchment was, Not Norman, not Norman, please not Norman! She finally closed her hand around a neatly folded note and took it out.

"Who's the lucky man?" He grinned.

Lily looked down at the name in her hand then up to the group of boys, "...James Potter," She mumbled. He grinned and Sirius discreetly nudged him, grinning too. Lily refrained from rolling her eyes and when Slughorn instructed them to sit near their friends, she walked ahead of him.

"So," Millie smiled, "You wanted James?"

"Hm?" Lily asked as she sat down opposite them, a puzzled look on her face.

"The spell!" Millie whispered as James neared them, "Y'know. You got him because you said the spell.

"What spell?"

"Millie," Remus nudged his partner, "We weren't actually talking to her when we told you about the spell."

Millie looked from Remus to Lily and then to James who sat down. He ran a hand through his hair an smirked slightly to Remus who reciprocated.

Becky, at the front of the class, looked at the person standing in front of her. She was called Stephanie Jones and took the fact she was half-French in her stride. She was tall with long black hair that she swished at every chance she had and her model lips were always pouted. The only reason Becky was looking at her was because she was fluttering her long lashes in Sirius's direction.

"Can I go next?" She said just as Stephanie started to raise her slender arm. Stephanie turned to look at Becky who smiled as she narrowed her eyes.

"Of course, Miss Fumagall."

Becky almost sauntered up to the caldron and muttered the spell to herself. She stopped herself from giggling as the sensation shot through her body and her hand was magnetised towards a little folded piece of parchment. She grinned and said, "Sirius Black."

Slughorn looked slightly surprised, "But you haven't opened it?"

"Oh," Becky hit herself in her mind and quickly unfurled the paper, "Yes I did."

"Oh, okay," He laughed, "Then proceed. Why don't you sit with your friends too?"

Becky smiled as Sirius joined her and they walked to the back.

"Almost slipped up there, Rebekah," He winked and she mumbled, "Shut up!"

The sat down on the end of the three desks that were pushed together with their friends and just chatted amongst each other as Slughorn paired the rest of the class and started the lesson. Becky was very satisfied to see a disgruntled Stephanie sit down with Norman and inch away from him.

The three girls were walking towards the common room, "I actually feel sorry for him."

"Becky, its Norman. He's disgusting." Millie said.

"Hey!" Lily interjected, "You can act pretty disgustingly at time too!"

Millie laughed, "But you admit it! And he is disgusting, the sneezing snot. He once left all those tissues on my desk."

"Millie..." Becky warned.

Lily just continued walking ignoring Millie. Lily did think he was disgusting, but she wasn't the type to just say it. They neared the Portrait Hole and Lily murmured, "Freezing frogs."

The portrait opened. Just as it did Jenny can rushing out nearly knocking Lily out of the way, all three girls looked at each other and continued walking when they eventually heard Sirius say, "Can't you just dump her? She's way too paranoid. And clingy"

The three girls noticed that the common room was rather empty and guessed a lot of students must have left once they started arguing. No one liked being near Jenny when she was in a mood. The marauders however sat in their usual seats by the fire; Sirius was sprawled out on one of the arm chairs, while Remus sat on the floor leaning on the couch. James sat on the couch, his head in his hands.

"What happened this time?" Millie asked walking towards them.

"Oh wait. Let me guess-" Becky started, "-she practically bit off your head for being paired with Lily?" Everyone turned to look at Becky surprised.

"H-How..." James trailed, whereas Lily looked totally confused and replied with "What are you on about?"

"How did you know it was that?" Remus said closing his book to get involved with the conversation.

"Lucky guess, you should really hear some of the rumours going around."

James just sighed and returned his depressed position he was in three moments ago.

"Um... Anyway," Lily said, breaking the silence. She skirted around Remus on the floor and Sirius's legs, and then plonked down next to James on the sofa, "I have an idea for the Potions-"

James suddenly stood up quickly and looked down at Lily, a frustrated look on his face, "For Merlin's sake, can you just stop bugging me!" He shouted.

Remus looked up at James, shock evident on his face. Sirius watched from his position in the chair but didn't stop slouching. Both Millie and Becky stayed standing where they were but exchanged looks. Lily looked up in disbelief and watched him run a hand through his hair.

"Uh..." She eventually said, ignoring how his tone had cut her slightly, "What?"

"I just... Oh, forget it," He said. He ignored his bag and, stepping over Remus, stormed up the dormitory stairs, taking them two at a time.

"Hah," Remus tried to make it seem like a joke, "Looks like it's his time of the month..."

"For a change," Sirius grinned and winked at him. Remus stared back, not amused.

"You okay, Lils?" Becky asked. Lily just nodded at her and thought one thing. Mood Swings.

Millie sat down next to Remus and Becky moved James's bag then sat with Lily.

After a lengthily pause, Becky said, "Y'know, Sirius, Remus, one of you should probably go up there and talk to him. Remus stared at Sirius who watched them all, a dissatisfied look on his face.

"Ugh. Fine," He agreed and stood up, stretching, "If I don't come back alive, I would like some red flowers at my funeral. If you find my body." He winked at Becky, picked up James's bag and left.