Chapter 7: James' POV

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Where the hell was he? He can't just run off like that for no good reason! Especially on a full moon night!

I was running around like a mad-man, Sirius and Peter asking everyone else. I ran into Lily's room. She and Remus were friends, right?

"Have you seen Remus?" I blurted, completely forgetting proper greetings.

She propped herself up on a pillow, her hands cupping her face, "Not even a hello?" She asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Please, Lily. It's important. Like life or death," her smirk immediately faded, and was replaced by a look of concern. I hated putting her through this, but I would be protecting so many more if I only knew where he was.

"I'm sorry, James. I haven't seen him since after dinner," her frown was deepening with sadness and worry. Her look was enough to make me want to stop right there and kiss her, something I had been waiting the longest time to do.

"What did you mean by life or death? Is Remus going to die? What's wrong with him?" Lily asked, her voice breaking at the possibility of his death. I wanted to answer every question truthfully, but I couldn't. I couldn't betray him like that.

"He might," I whispered, which was true. I had done some research on my own, and statistics proved that if a young werewolf didn't transform correctly, he or she could die from such immense pain.

"From what," she demanded furiously. My cryptic answers were doing absolutely nothing for her ever-burning curiosity.

"Cancer," I blurted out. Nearly at once, a story, explanation came up. Lying to her came too easy for me, and I didn't like it.

I continued, "The reason it's between life or death is that he has treatment tonight. It's of utmost importance that he gets every ounce of help he can," she finally looked satisfied, in an odd you-might-cry-your-eyes-out sort of way.

"Oh," she whispered feebly, trying to hide her tears.

I jumped up on her bed and placed a well-needed kiss on her lips. It wasn't the romantic one I had wanted to bestow upon her, but it was good enough. As we deepened, and our passion grew I knew we must part. Remus was still out there, and sunset was growing closer and closer.

I pulled my lips from hers, "Oh Lily, as much as I love being here with you, I have to go find Remus. But I swear I'll make up for it in Hogsmede," she smiled and whispered that she understood, before shooing me off to find him.

I bumped into someone that I didn't want to see. It was school policy that boys weren't allowed in girl's dorms and vice versa.

Hence, when I saw Professor Dumbledore standing in front of me, glaring down in a most angry manner, I was surprised, mortified, and shy of what could possibly be my punishment.

"Perhaps instead of spending your time dallying with a lady, you should be searching for your friend. It is of far more importance. However, you should know that I have him, in my study. He has had the potion and is completely stable. I will watch over him, seeing as you are already occupied," the disgust in his voice was evident, and I hung my head guiltily. I knew, with every bone in my body that he was right. I couldn't help but be relieved that Remus had been found.

His voice disturbed my thought process once again, "However, as to the matter of finding you here, I would say thirty points are to be deducted, and you shall not play at the next Quidditch match," I nodded, taking the punishment I knew I deserved.

"Now run along before you get yourself into any more trouble," he said, finishing his lecture. I ran through the corridors until I reached our own. Sirius and Peter were already in, sitting impatiently on their beds for my return.

"Dumbledore's got him. He's taken the potion. We're off duty," I said, summing up the events in three short sentences.

"You alright mate?" Sirius asked once Peter was asleep.

I stared up at our ceiling. We had enchanted it to match the time. It was a starry night tonight, with a full moon, teasing me into even more mortification.

"Not really, but it isn't anything new, so don't worry about it," I said, trying to clear my best friend's conscious. He was always more worried about me than himself. It was one of the many reasons we got along so well.

"You sure? I don't want you on a steamy hot date tomorrow all depressed," he said, teasing me and yet encouraging me to tell him what was wrong at the same time.

I laughed quietly, counting the stars that lined the inky black sky, "I'm sure. Thanks Sirius. You're not too bad a guy, you know that?"

"Finally, someone realizes," he exclaimed in a sarcastic manner. I chuckled again at his undying sense of humor.

"Sleep well James. You gotta be ready for that lovely smoocheroo you're gonna plant on Lily tomorrow!" I sniggered, remembering how we had already, as Sirius so elegantly put it, "smooched".

The one thing that shocked me was how unmemorable our first kiss was. I expected electric sparks to fly when we kissed. A chemistry lighting it up to our desire. That wasn't the case.

When I kissed her, there was nothing. No spark, nothing. I couldn't help but wonder if my body, my sub-conscious was trying to tell me something. It was definitely something to mull over.