Decoration

The first item on Amy's list was decoration, which I thought quite stupid since we're planning a Halloween party. I mean, every year we have Halloween parties, and this year we've already had one. I decided to dispose this topic, and would've had, if it wasn't for Potter showing up with his arrogant, stupid look and saying:

"So we're using the same decoration? That's tacky, why don't we reuse the food, too?"

I narrowed my eyes towards him to show how disgusting his idea was, but to make him stop gazing arrogantly and sarcastically at me I called another bloke of our group. James rose his eyebrows, probably thinking he would soon get rid of me – muahuahua, he can wait – and looked as though he had been hit in the face by a rock when I pointed at him and ordered:

"Potter is in charge of decoration, ok? Be sure it is completely original, will you? You're right, James. What a thought I had, reusing old stuff! Good luck!"

And I left, feeling really mean and really good at the same time. I turned my head round and saw him scratching his head as he tried to draw a good decoration on a sheet of parchment. I got so distracted that didn't even notice a pair of strong arms and hands – in the good way, course – grabbing me and putting me over someone's very tall shoulder.

"OOOOOH!" I screamed and shook my feet, deadly afraid of falling. All I could see from over the shoulder of whoever had kidnapped me were the school corridors, and as always, many students looking as if I were being carried by force to the Hospital Wing.

Only after I passed to the second step of desperation – resignation – did I realize I was being carried by the owner of one of Hogwart's best perfumes: Sirius. That didn't make me relax, on the contrary. I screamed even more.

"SIRIUS, MAY I KNOW WHAT AM I DOING OVER YOUR SHOULDER?"

"Phew, thank God you stopped wailing." He complained from over his shoulder ( the other way, of course, he wasn't speaking to my, hun, posterior).

"You kidnapped me, are you aware of that?"

"My apologies. Will you stop yelling and follow me?"

"Will you put me on the floor?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll go."

He grabbed me off his shoulders and put me as gently as possible on the floor, which I thanked him for, but couldn't hold my tongue.

"Where are we going?"

"Remus asked me to take you."

"Rem?" I asked, completely abash. I had just been with James – POTTER! -, Had been abducted by Sirius as a request of Remus. "Does Peter have something to do with this?"

"What? Why would he?"

"I dunno, the lot of you are always into stuff together."

"No, I guess he's at the kitchens. I have no idea why he's in Gryffindor if the Hufflepuff dormitory is right beside the kitchens!"

I couldn't help but laugh. Sirius is so sarcastic sometimes, reminds me somehow of James. And why of earth am I remembering him? I hate him and have no space for memories of this rat.

We got to the courtyard, and I saw Remus waiting for me as he always does when we arrange meetings: sitting on the fountain gazing at nowhere, letting the wind to its job. I love Remus, he's like a brother to me, and my companion, everything, and I'd do anything to help with his… Problem.

I walked to him without realizing, and didn't see Sirius stop to leave us alone. Remus smiled calmly as I sat down beside him, and when we found ourselves alone I finally asked:

"Need to talk?"

"No, but I've got a feeling that you do, Lils."

"Me?"

"That's right, you. James and I had a talk."

"He's an idiot, Rem, you are perfectly aware that I…"

"That you're too proud to face the fact that people make mistakes? He's rather regretful."

"Oh, he is. You should see the way he treats me on the commission meetings."

"He's hurt, too. Please don't interrupt me indignantly; I've already done that when he told me."

"Thanks."

"But, you know, he's changed. I mean… More."

"James, changed? The only thing he changes is his clothes, Rem, I'm sorry."

"May I tell you something?" Remus asked dreamily, and I frowned. "Course you can, you know that." I replied as if his question was so stupid I didn't even need to think before answering. "When I arrived at school I thought this would be the saddest seven years of my live, can you believe?"

"Because of-"

"My parents had explained to me that many fear werewolves, even thought I was like everybody else out of the full moon. They told me it would be better if I didn't mingle with people, and I agreed. I wanted so hard to come here, learn, be normal."

As he finished talking I felt my throat close and clutched his hand instinctively, feeling I could burst into tears at any moment. Remus smiled kindly and cleaned the single tear that fell out of my eyes. "Rem, you know that I-"I started, but he stopped me.

"I'm not done yet. When I arrived, Lily, it was better than any of my wildest dreams. I got into the train searching for an empty cabin, and saw you and Snape leaving one. I supposed, obviously, that it was empty, so I got in. You can imagine my surprise when I met James and Sirius, who were laughing so hard that scared me."

"I recall this day." I rolled my eyes. "Since they were kids James and Sirius liked to make a mess-"

"Indeed. I tried to run, but Sirius rose at the same moment and asked me what the hell – yes, he said hell – I was doing. I apologized and said I would look for another place, but he didn't let me. James laughed loud again and stretched his hand towards me, asking why I didn't want to stay there. I was shaking enough already, you know, I was forbidden to make friends, and shaking hands with that skinny, shortsighted boy had been my first infraction even before I arrived at school."

Hearing Remus tell me all of that, right there on the fountain, was probably one of the greatest friendship gestures he had ever done. As he took a deep breath to begin talking again I held his hand strongly in mine and patted his hair.

"Disobeying my parents completely." He moved on "I became friends with James and Sirius, and later on, Peter. By the end of the first year everything was so good I couldn't even believe it was happening. One only thing terrorized me more than anything: if they ever found out of my secret. The second year started well, but soon I was running out of excuses. My two grandmothers and grandfathers had already died again, about three or four cats became suddenly sick and I don't know what else I had already said so they wouldn't doubt of my disappearances during the night. James and Sirius were never foolish, and when I started disappearing after more and more ridiculous excuses, they grew suspicious of me. And what does James do when he is doubt?"'

"Surely he doesn't go to the library." I laughed, remembering later I was supposed to look angry when talking about him or his abandoned moods. Remus chuckled too, and I felt a clutch in the heart as I saw tiny wrinkles appear on the side of his eyes. Remus was destined to always look older than he was, and this detail made me become even more interested in what he had to tell me.

"You're right, surely not. He, Sirius and Peter followed me under that invisibility cloak of his. They saw me entering the Hospital Wing, when Madam Pomfrey took me to the Whooping Willow and left alone. Imagine how I reacted when, on the other day, the three showed up at the Hospital and opened the curtain behind which I was hid. They pressed me so much I confessed. I lost my ground, Lil. All of that wonderful first year passed right before my eyes as if it was the last hours of my life, and I lowered my head to wait for their screams of 'go away from us' or 'leave our dormitory!'. I really thought I'd have to leave the school, until Sirius, always the most spirited, laughed and asked: 'why the hell have you sunk your head?'"

I smiled unconsciously, thanking Sirius mentally for being so weird, but cool. He may be crazy and a damsel kidnapper, but he's probably the kindest friend I know.

"I raised my chin ready to get punched or something, believe me. I trembled so much I couldn't even move when they reacted, throwing themselves over me in a hug. All the bones of my body ached, of course. I was weak from the last night, and hurt myself from struggling. Even though all of this hurt my body, my heart was never merrier. It was the first time I experienced the feeling of having true friends, and I guess I've never cried so much in front of others after that day. My biggest fear just vanished."

"James can be a good friend." I admitted. Remus kept smiling, and I supposed he still had something to say.

"I was already satisfied enough for they accepting me and keeping my secret and I must confess I was upset when, after a week or so, James came up with a ridiculous idea: follow me."

"What?" I rose in shock, and he nodded. I rolled my eyes. "Are they mad?"

"I asked him this and a few more when he told me. But, you know, willpower was one of James and Sirius' qualities I admire the most. By the end of the fifth year they became animagi. "

"WHAT?" I inquired even louder, sitting closer to Remus. "Rem, are you serious?"

"I am. They're not registered, naturally, and also didn't attend any course. Sirius turns into a huge black dog, James into a stag and Peter into a rat. They went with me, Lily. It was foolish of me letting them do so, still is, but each full moon they go with me I feel more human. The good they've done to me is probably greater than I'll ever be able t pay back. James may seem an ignorant jerk sometimes, but I, more than anyone else, can tell you inside he's good, generous and the best friend I could ever have. That's why I think he deserves a second chance, more than any other excuse I could give you."

I went speechless in front of him, telling me all of that, besides asking for a second chance for James. I bit my lip and looked away, fighting against my own pride. I didn't know this side of him, surely.