"You did not think when you sent me to the brink… the brink…"

It had been a frightfully peaceful Sunday afternoon. The air was crisp and smelt of crushed autumn leaves. The sky was a crystalline blue with white puffy clouds in the sky. The sun was actually shining today as well. Looking out the window, one could see the rolling landscape of the Hogwarts grounds where one could see the large Black Lake, the hazy line of the Forbidden Forest, the small little cottage with smoke pouring out of the chimney that was Hagrid's Hut.

Yes, it had been very peaceful.

Too peaceful.

Which was what was making Remus Lupin rather anxious. He had not seen his friends all morning. Since breakfast. He hadn't seen James at all since yesterday morning by the tree when he had told them that he was "giving up on Lily Evans."

Remus snorted as he remembered this comment.

Right. James Potter give up on Lily Evans.

That would be the day.

Remus adjusted his position on the window seat. With the window open because it was such a lovely day, Remus had been reading all morning and for part of the afternoon.

It had just occurred to him that he had been alone for all that time.

Not seeing the Marauders for a period of time, when one was a Marauder, meant one thing.

A prank.

On him.

Brilliant.

Remus sighed. What would it be this time? A hallucination of a giant chocolate bar that would only move just centimeters beyond his reach when he went for it?

Plastic wrap outside the door when he tried to exit the room, and a camera flash going off right when he ran into it?

Being followed from behind and having Sirius under the Invisibility cloak and dropping fake piles of poo from Zonko's wherever he went?

Remus had no idea what was in store for him.

He was pondering other ideas when suddenly, Sirius opened the door and walked in.

He was soaking wet.

Remus held in a laugh.

"Er, what happened to you, Pads?"

"Wormy and I decided to take a stroll on this wonderful day. And since you were nowhere to be found, probably in Wonderland like that wench Alice you're reading about, and James has been MIA since last night, it was just the two of us. Pete thought it would be funny to push me into the Lake."

"Always the element of surprise, Wormy has."

"Indeed. Impressive for such a large fellow. Now I must get to changing my clothes."

Sirius walked over to his trunk and opened it.

"What the BLOODY hell!"

"What?"

Sirius scooped into his trunk and pulled out a handful of shredded cloth and watched it flutter to the ground as he tilted his hand.

"What in Merlin's name is that?"

"My clothes. Or what remains of them. Well played, Wormy. Well played."

"What, did he just come in with scissors?"

Sirius scooped the rest of what remained of his clothes out of the trunk.

"No idea. I mean… he… OH MY GOD!"

Sirius yelped and jumped back.

"What?"

"It's… I have no idea how… but… I… ohmygod. Look, Moony. Look."

Remus slowly stood from his seat and set his book on the bench. He cautiously looked into Sirius' trunk from a distance.

"Holy Merlin! How did that get in there?"

A series of grumbly mumblies sounded from Sirius' trunk.

"I don't know. I'm pretty sure I drowned mine after third year."

"Who had a spare copy of their Monster Book of Monsters?"

"Ohmygod get it out, Moony. Do something. Quickly. It still looks hungry."

Suddenly, the Book leapt out of the trunk and started to chomp its way towards Remus and Sirius.

"MERLIN I DIDN'T KNOW THEY COULD LEAP!"

"NEITHER DID I!"

"Get on the bed! Something! Where's your wand?"

"Where's yours?"

They both looked at each other, then over at the dresser.

Both their wands sat on the counter.

"Oh, shit. We're gonna die. I didn't know it would end this way… I'd rather be killed by like…" Sirius looked around the room, "That curtain or something."

"One never knows. You may still suffer death by drapery."

"Not if this bloke has anything to say about it."

"What do we do?"

"You should… pet it. And then I'll run out the door and call for help."

"As it feasts on my arm?"

"Sacrifices must be made, Moony."

"Thanks, Pads."

"No. Thank you for your chivalry, brave Moony."

"I'm not going to do that."

"I thought you wouldn't."

15 minutes passed, and still, the Book eyed Sirius and Remus like they were two drumsticks.

Sirius and Remus had taken to hugging each other and looking warily at the Book.

"What do you think it's thinking?"

"Er, probably what it's going to pick its teeth with when it's done with us."

"Oh, Merlin. If I could live another day…"

They heard the door open, and Peter walked in.

"What are you two lads up to?"

Remus and Sirius just looked at Peter like he was nuts.

The Book, on the other hand, now had its attention focused on Peter. If Remus and Sirius were drumsticks, then Peter was the prize ham with honey glaze.

A series of grumbly mumblies emanated from the Book and it clamped its way, rather quickly, toward Peter.

Peter just eyed it in horror.

Being the calm one, Remus stated: "Uh… run, Pete."

And run, Peter did. Peter screamed as he lunged out the door, the Book not far behind.

"I was not aware that Peter could emit such a pitch."

"I think he found a new note. Let's call it H."

"Why H?"

"Because A through G are already notes."

"Oh. I see."

"Shall we get down now?"

"Yes."

Remus ran over to the door and shut it. Sirius wiped his brow.

"I thought we were goners."

"As did I."

They both fell onto the bed, sitting.

"Would you like me to fix your clothes?"

"Thank you, Moony. I would very much appreciate that."

Remus stood up to get his wand. With a wave, Sirius' clothes began to sew themselves back together, fold, and plopped back into his trunk.

"Looks like Peter's prank backfired on him."

"I wonder if the poor blighter is still alive."

A high pitched scream came from the common room.

"It appears he is, but only just."

"Someone should help him."

Neither Sirius nor Remus stood to help.

The door opened. Instead of seeing a Peter with ragged clothing and bitemarks all over, they were given an even more pathetic sight: James walked in, looking as if he still had not showered since the other day, in the same clothes they saw him in yesterday morning.

"Blimey, Prongs! What happened with you?"

James said nothing, but made his way over to what would have been his bed if he hadn't been made Head Boy.

He flopped unceremoniously, face down, onto the pillow and mattress.

Remus and Sirius looked at each other, then at James.

"Prongs?"

"."

"In English, Prongs."

James lifted his head. "I did it. I told Lily I was done."

"Bravo! How did she take it?"

"How are you taking it?"

James just looked at his friends, then at the ground.

"She didn't even care. She told me to leave. Better things to do, I suppose."

"Well, what did you expect, Prongs? Lily bawling her eyes out because you left her? Crawling back on her hands and knees begging you to keep stalking her?"

"I don't know what I expected, Pads. I don't know what to do anymore."

"Stop being depressed, for one. It's only a girl. There'll be others."

"Not like Lily."

"Maybe better than Lily."

James looked as if he had been stupefied.

"What?"

James stopped speaking.

Another scream was heard from the common room. It abruptly stopped.

Remus, Sirius and James could hear periodic thuds as something climbed the stairs.

The door, which was open a crack from when James had come in, opened a little.

The Monster Book of Monsters peeked in. All three of them froze, waiting to see what it would do next.

Without even seeming to notice the three Marauders, the Book hopped over to Sirius' trunk, still open, and hopped in, stirring up some more clothes to make a sort of nest. It turned in a circle a few times, then lay still. After about a minute, quiet snores could be heard.

Sirius stood up slowly and walked over to the trunk.

He poked the Book.

Nothing.

He placed his hand flat on the face of the Book.

The Book's eyes opened. Sirius drew his hand away.

The Book just looked at Sirius.

Sirius brought his hand back down and stroked the Book between its beady eyes.

The Book's eyes fluttered and it began to purr, snuggling closer to Sirius' hand.

"Erm… wow."

"Mates, I'm calling him Chester."

"You're keeping it?"

"Yes. Good boy, Chester. You just sleep now."

"Can we get back to the issue at hand?"

"What?"

"James."

"Ah, yes. Prongs, just because Lily didn't react, doesn't mean you should be antisocial, depressed, lifeless and smelly. At least take a shower. Good Merlin, lad."

James didn't seem fazed at all.

"I'm going to move in here. Is that alright with you guys?"

"Of course. As long as you need."

"I just can't stand to see Lily right now. I'm empty. I feel as if my heart has been ripped from my chest."

"As long as you need, Prongs."

Two weeks passed.

James hadn't said much at all. He had to be reminded to eat, shower, go to class, everything.

Sirius had to take over Quidditch practices, since James had seemingly forgotten his captain duties.

Remus did rounds with Lily. James refused to see her.

One night, Remus and Sirius were down in the common room by the fire.

Unbeknownst to them, Lily had crawled through the portrait hole in search of James. She was worried. She barely saw him.

Walking into the room, Lily saw both Sirius and Remus on the couch. They were talking.

Lily crept a little closer to hear what they were saying, but as to not be noticed.

"He's at the brink, Moony."

"The brink of what?"

"Insanity. Going crazy. Giving up his own livelihood. Just the brink of everything."

"He certainly has not been himself since he gave up on Evans."

"That bitch. She doesn't even care what she's doing to him. Selfish, callous, apathetic witch. What was she thinking? She wasn't! That's what!"

"Calm down, Sirius. It's not Lily's fault."

"It is. Without Evans in his life, James has resorted to being a shadow of his former self. I miss Prongs, Remus. I miss my brother. If I could give Evans a piece of my mind…"

"Maybe Lily feels… I don't know… different. Can you imagine if suddenly someone that was pestering you for all these years suddenly left? How do you think Lily is feeling?"

"She's probably celebrating."

"I don't know. I've seen her. She's not looking so good herself."

"Who cares? Serves her right. Taking James' heart and squeezing it to a pulp. I should sic Chester on her."

"Now, we both know that wouldn't work."

"He ate Peter."

"No he didn't."

"Almost."

"Well, let's just see what happens. Who knows… this could all turn out for the better."

Lily had tears running down her face. That's why she hadn't seen James. He was as empty as her.

She had to fix this. She quietly left the common room, leaving Remus and Sirius to their conversation.

She was going to fix this. She had to, for both hers and James' sakes.

She was on the brink as well, after all.

AN

Hey Lovies! Posted a little earlier! Only a few chapters left!

I hope everyone understands the timeline, here.

The first chapter happens a ways into the future, when Lily and James are together. The second chapter happens BEFORE the first chapter. From chapter 3 on it is in chronological order. I just wanted to clear that up for anyone who might have been confused.

Read and Review if you wish!

Lily S.C.