Chapter 2:
An unwanted rescue.
Lily sat up in her bed, the thoughts from the previous night flooding her head. Remus had always been her friend, since first year, but she still worried about him. Today was no different. Being Saturday, she had a whole day to relax so she may as well talk to him. She got changed into a crop top and shorts, planning to see him in the Gryffindor common room. However she was surprised to walk down the steps and see him, along with Peter and Sirius being tended to by James. They all had scars and bruises on their bodies but nobody was worse than Remus. There was a large deep gash on his forehead and three claw marks on his upper arm. The three of them tensed up when they saw Lily standing there but James started to explain that Lily knew now.
"Remus, I can't believe what you have to go through. I'm so sorry." She said softly, trying to comfort him.
"Don't be, it's not like you were the one that bit me." Remus snapped at her. Lily was shocked at his reaction. "Sorry Lily, I'm just so tired."
"Understandable.' She casually walked over and planted herself on a chair near the fire, ignoring Peter with his jaw dropped at her image.
"You're a lot curvier than I expected Evans." Sirius said playfully winking at her.
"Shut up Padfoot she's mine." James joked. Lily raised her eyebrow but didn't say anything. James continued dabbing antiseptic on Remus' injuries.
Peter snapped out of his trance and finally asked "So are you two dating?"
"What us? Oh God no. Just friends." Lily smiled at such a silly question.
James looked a bit disappointed but kept his mouth shut. Remus winced in considerable pain as James dabbed a bit too violently at his scars.
"Sorry Moony."
"So did you not even snog last night?" Sirius asked looking about as disappointed as James at Lily's reaction.
"No Sirius. We did not snog." Said Lily dryly.
"She did tell me I was brave though." James said smugly. He grinned and high fived Sirius.
"James!" Lily exclaimed punching him in the shoulder.
"Ow! Merlin Lily! Sorry." James rubbed his arm and finished bandaging Remus. Remus walked over to the fire, picked up his book and walked out.
"I'm going to the library if you need me." Remus turned away.
"I'll come, I need to get a book out."
"Really Lily, why don't you just stay here?" James asked.
"No I'll go." She said cheerily, standing up. As soon as she left the room, the boys instantly started gossiping about her.
"Did she really say you were brave?"
"Are you sure you didn't snog?"
"Did you see the way she looked at me?"
"I think she likes you Prongs. We finally have lift off!" Sirius started depicting a rocket launching with his hands which ended up looking very inappropriate indeed. James and Peter were staring at him, their mouths open and ready to catch flies. Sirius glanced up and looked down at his hands, realising the situation. With his hands still in the air, this was the perfect time for Lily to come back inside.
"Sorry guys I forgot my bag, have you seen it…? Sirius?" Lily looked disgusted and regretted even coming back inside.
"Err…Haha" Sirius looked uncomfortable as he dropped his hands in shame.
"I'm not going to ask." She mumbled, finding her bag and running out of the portrait hole.
"Hey Remus! Wait up!" Remus sighed as his steps fell back into Lily's.
"Lily I know why you're coming. I don't really feel like talking." He mumbled awkwardly.
"Remus, I don't care about what you are. We'll always be friends. What you are doesn't matter." Remus was shocked by Lily's soft, comforting words.
"Most people think I am going to kill them, in the middle of the day, weeks after the full moon if they know. You don't think that?"
"Of course not!" Lily laughed. "I'm a lot smarter than they are and I know that you can't just randomly change. They don't understand. Remus you are still the same person, you just have a little problem."
"Ha yeah, the marauders call it my 'furry little problem."
"?" She laughed as she saw Remus shake his head in laughter. Silence fell upon the couple for a few minutes until they reached the library.
"So er… do you want to study with me?" Remus asked Lily, shyly.
"Sure, I really don't get this potions assignment…"
For many more hours, the pair studied together, fully focused on their task. Remus was relieved. This was the first time that someone, apart from the marauders, had still acted naturally around him after finding out about his problem. For the first time in weeks, he was happy.
Lily woke up, stretched and fell out of her bed with a thump. Her normal morning routine had already been ruined, and she knew that today would not be a good day. Aching and rubbing her side, she slumped over to the bathroom to have a shower. She got undressed and examined the bruise on her body. Very quickly it had become purple. Sighing, she got into the shower and was sprayed with freezing cold water. Hopping around and shrieking to try and turn it off, Lily hit her forehead on the shower head. Finally resting on the floor of the shower, the water off and her head still pounding, Lily wondered how bad this day was really going to be.
James woke the distant sound of banging and shrieking. He sat up quickly, shoving his glasses onto his face and grabbing his wand, attacking spells whirling through his mind. He jumped up, only wearing his boxers, running through his door and up to Lily's. He was glad that he knew the counter spell to the staircase charm. Sirius had figured it out so that he could go and snog girls in their dormitory's years ago. Opening Lily's door he found her bed empty. One more bang was heard from her bathroom and he ran forward. Bursting through the door, he was surprised by what he saw. Lily was slumped on the floor of her shower, naked, her head in her hands. James smirked and lent against the doorway, only a little disappointed that he couldn't fully she her.
"Moooooorrrrning." She jumped at his sudden appearance and screamed. "Don't worry. I can't see anything." He chucked her a towel from the rack. She quickly stood up and covered herself.
"Potter! Get out!" She screamed shooing him out.
"Aww are we back to last name basis again?" His lopsided grin, sent Lily insane. "Lily wait - ow! Stop hitting me." Lily had resorted to slapping his shoulder.
James hurriedly got out of her dormitory and raced out of the common room. He slumped on the wall next to the Fat Man.
"That was bloody brilliant! Hahaha!"
Lily was rocking on her bed, finally clothed and reliving the past hour, cringing with embarrassment. Why didn't she lock the door? Well I didn't think that James Potter would burst into my bathroom uninvited did I? Which was completely true. Not to mention the fact that she was so utterly attracted to him when he wasn't wearing a shirt. He had such fit abs from years of Quidditch training. Stop thinking about that! Mentally punching herself, she hauled her body up and went down the Great Hall.
James sat with Remus and Sirius in the Gryffindor Common, late at night, playing a game of exploding snap with Sirius. The fire was roaring and they had taken the comfy armchairs, where Remus was currently reading book. The game ended and the two boys both sat back in their chairs to relax.
"So Remus, what's new with you?" asked James, swinging his legs up over the arm of the chair.
"Not much." Remus grunted, not looking up from his book.
"I think we need to get you a girlfriend." Sirius noted.
"No we don't." Remus was still reading his book while holding the conversation.
"Why not Mooney? You'd look cute with that blonde girl over th-"
"I don't need a girlfriend Sirius," Remus snapped his book shut and spat at Sirius. "because I already have one." With that, he stomped up the stairs to the boys dormitory.
"Does he?" James asked seriously.
"A guy like Remus, nah!" Sirius collapsed into fits of laughter while James pondered the thought of his best mate having a girlfriend. Until he had proof, he was sticking with Sirius on this one.