CHAPTER FIVE

Remus Lupin remembers when he actually took notice to Ambrosia Harkins wearing shorts because it was the first time he'd seen her in shorts. She, when she wasn't wearing her school uniform or muggle trousers, wore long colorful skirts that stopped half way down her calf.

He and his friends, James, Sirius and Peter, had all just found a compartment when a knock came from the door.

Peter, being closest to the door, opened it, only to reveal Ambrosia Harkins and Marlene McKinnon. The two girls were both Gryffindors as well, and in the boys year. It had been late one night at the Potter's house over the break that Remus had finally admitted, to the boys, that he fancied Ambrosia. So seeing her standing there in high waisted shorts, showing off her never ending legs, and a large torn shirt with a deep cut collar, that read THE WHO, seemingly gave Remus a heart attack.

"Marlene," James cheered at his childhood friend, "What brings you and Harkins here?" He stole a look at a red faced Remus and smirked.

"We can't find a compartment," Marlene said, swinging a blonde pigtail behind her shoulder, "Do you mind if we sit with you four?" No one asked why they didn't go find Lily Evans or Dorcas Meadowes and sit with them, because they knew if the ginger and dark skinned girl weren't with Marlene and Ambrosia they were with their Slytherin friends.

James looked to Sirius and Peter-Remus not being able to tear his eyes away from Ambrosia's legs, not that either girl noticed -and nodded.

"Sure," he said, "The more the merrier." Both girls smiled brightly at James, Ambrosia's smile made Remus feel hot from the inside out.

Marlene took a seat in between James and Sirius and Ambrosia took one next to Peter and door, making Remus feel both relieved- that he wouldn't have to sit four hours next to the girl he fancied- and bitter that he wouldn't be able to sit next to the girl he fancied for four hours.

"So," Ambrosia wondered, "What did you all do over break?"

"I went to visit family in Goa," James said enthusiastically, "Then the guys came over."

"What side of your family comes from Goa?" Ambrosia asked, to which James told her that his mother's family did-that they had immigrated in England when she was a baby and he was the first generation born, via his mother's side.

"That's great, I myself come from Sri Lanka."

"What just you?" Sirius joked, "Not your parents?" For the first time in his life Remus Lupin saw Ambrosia Harkins smile dim. Now, she was still smiling, she was always smiling, only her happy go lucky smile had turned into a sad timid one. The kind of smile that wasn't really a smile. James, not Remus or any of the other boys, noticed Marlene stiffen and her eyes narrow.

"Ah, no," she shook her head, looking at her hands that were now clasped together, "My parents died-" when Marlene did catch Remus' attention he didn't think that he'd ever seen anyone as murderous as Marlene towards Sirius in that moment, "-When I was very young. My adopted mum was there on business when she found me…" The compartment had become quite when she said this. Sirius looked very guilty.

He went to open his mouth, to apologize, Remus suspected, when Ambrosia stood up.

"I need to use the bathroom," she told them, her smile quivering, threatening to fall as her eye welled up with tears, before rushing out the door, "Excuse me."

"Thanks a lot Black," Marlene spits at Sirius before rushing after Ambrosia. Sirius with a guilty frown on his turned to the other boys in the compartment- "How was I supposed to know her parents are dead? Did any of you know." Remus went to shake his head with James and Peter only to tightly shut his eyes.

"I did-sort of," he said as he remembered the first time they spoke to one another. About how, Ambrosia had told him that her adopted mother had 'rescued' her.

"And You didn't stop me?" Sirius asked, Remus felt his neck turning fred from either embarrassment or guilt.

"I forgot," Remus said, "It was all the way back in first year!"

He groaned, placing his hands over his eyes as he slumped back in his seat.

"She is never going to talk to us again."

"I'm sure she'll talk to you again," James told Remus, "Sirius on the other hand…"

"I didn't know!" Sirius through his hands up. The compartment was only quite for a few moments before they started talking about something else.