What's this I hear? a new chapter? AHH!! i can hear you all screaming now.. anyway... as i know i've said many a time by now... i have started super-de-duper advanced smarty pants school... (no im not trying to brag.. i'm just trying to imply to you all that i get A LOT OF HOMEWORK!!!) therefore... updates will take me longer... now then.. onwards... in other news.. i have totally gotten my brother hooked on fanfiction.. i feel very accomplished and you all should congratulate me on accomplishing such a feat... also... i can no longer feel my arms as i had to carry home 8 different textbooks today... really it's true... it's taking me forever to type this... so, this will only impede my further updates... right... anywho... i think that's all i need to tell you.. thanks to all of you who reviewed last chapter!! you all get a virtual cookie and a pat on the head!! now on to the chapter!!!

disclaimer: all characters belong to Jo...

Chapter 9

Lily felt herself spinning wildly, Remus's hand still closed firmly on her wrist, before being thrown out onto a sandy hearth rug. A minute later, their bags shot out of the fireplace and landed on a nearby sofa.

She heard Remus groan next to her, and saw that he had hit his head coming out of the fireplace. She quickly pulled out her wand and muttered a quick healing spell before pushing herself up off the ground. She offered a hand to Remus and helped him stand up. They both went to sit on the sofa.

After a few more minutes of silence, Lily couldn't take it anymore.

"What the hell happened there, Remus?!" she practically yelled at him.

Remus grimaced, obviously hoping to wait and let James explain it.

He slowly looked up to look at Lily. She had put on her fiercest, most demanding look and was glaring down at him.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead before standing up and lighting some of the lanterns with his wand. For the first time, Lily got a look at where they were.

They appeared to be in the sitting room of a quaint little cottage. There was a large bay window on her right, through which she could see the shore. To her left was a small kitchen and behind her, a hallway, down which she assumed were the bedrooms. However Lily really couldn't care less where she was. She just wanted someone to tell her what was going on.

Finally, after what seemed like forever to Lily, Remus sat back down, tucking his wand away into his bag. He looked up at Lily again, and it hit her.

Sorrow. She thought. That's what I saw. Sorrow.

And she felt a pang of sympathy for him, though she didn't know why. What was so awful in Remus's life to make him look like that? And why couldn't he stay and fight with James and Sirius and Peter? He's a great fighter. And what was he sick with that gave him all those scars? What he was sick with last weekend…. On the full moon…

Lily gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth.

That's it! He's a werewolf! It would explain everything! Except…

"Why'd we have to leave, Remus?" she spoke softly this time.

Remus, who had been studying his feet for the last few minutes, slowly looked up.

"Because those were Death Eaters. At least a half a dozen of them. And you're a muggle-born and I'm…" he trailed off.

"… a werewolf." Lily finished for him.

Remus looked part astounded and part sad. But it was soon replaced by a look of acceptance. Melancholy yes, but acceptance none the less.

Lily realized how he must feel. The way people reject his kind. And her kind for that matter. He obviously thought Lily would reject him like everyone else. But she wasn't like that. Shouldn't he know that?

"Remus, it's no big deal. Really." Lily said.

Remus snorted. "No big deal? Lily I'm a werewolf! I was the reason those Death Eaters attacked James's house. It's all my fault. I- I'm a monster!" he shouted.

"No." Lily said firmly. "You're not. And it's as much my fault as yours."

Remus shook his head, but looked a little heartened none the less.

"Do- do the rest of them know?" she asked.

Remus nodded, and Lily thought she saw him smile a little. She was about to inquire further when she heard a bang and James, Sirius, and Peter flew out of the fireplace, closely followed by their bags, all landing in a heap on the rug.

James was the first one up. He dashed over to Lily first.

"Are you okay? None of them followed you right? You're not hurt at all?" he asked frantically, eyes scanning her body for injuries.

Lily laughed a little at him. "I'm fine!" she said, pushing him away a bit. "And what happened to mister calm?"

"He left when you did."

She turned to look at Sirius and Peter, who were looking a bit worse for the wear. Peter's shirt was ripped and Sirius had a long gash across his forehead, but both of them were beaming. Sirius reached up to wipe the blood from his forehead before turning to Remus.

Lily thought she saw an almost loving look pass over his eyes before he reached out and embraced Remus like a brother. She couldn't help but smile at them.

She turned back to James and saw that he too was watching his friends. He had a large cut on his cheek and was covered in soot from head to toe, but Lily still thought he looked marvelous. She leaned in for a kiss, and startled James a bit. But soon he was kissing her right back.

Remus nudged Sirius and pointed to Lily and James. The both sniggered for a moment before Sirius's eyes flashed with mischeif. He looked over at Remus, grinning. Remus eyes got wide and he began to shake his head frantically at Sirius. But Sirius just turned back to Lily and James, still grinning, and transforming into his animagus form, pounced headlong at James.

"BLOODY HELL, SIRIUS!!" James yelled, and pushed the dog away. He looked furious.

Lily just looked puzzled.

"Sirius? I thought it was your aunt's dog? And what's it doing here anyway? They're not still in Bora Bora?" Lily looked around at the marauders. She scanned the spot where Sirius had just been standing. He didn't seem to be there.

He couldn't have just disspaered! Could he?

Neither James, Remus nor Peter would meet Lily's eyes, as they all seemed to find the carpet very interesting all of a sudden. The dog had bounded over to Remus and was trying to jump up and lick his face.

Lily walked over to it. She looked down at the dog, with it's tongue hanging out the side of it's mouth, and it's eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Sirius?" she asked cautiously.

The dog barked in reply, and much to Lily's surprise, suddenly transformed back into a man she knew quite well.

"'Ello Evans!"

yes!! i know you all were waiting for this moment.. well its finally here!! how will Lily react? who knows! you'll just have to wait and see... by the by.. reviews will speed up my updates.. so yeah.. PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I BEG OF YOU!!! hope you guys liked this one.. tell me if you liked my idea of how Lily found out... please tell me if you think anyone is OOC... and just in case you're wondering.. no... i don't ship Remus/Sirius... i'm not a huge slash person.. although i do think they have a closer relationship than portrayed in the books... i mean.. they had to have been pretty close for the way they reacted in PoA.. so yeah.. that's just my take on it.. tell me how you like it please!!!