Disclaimer: Why? Really, why?

I'm not JK Rowling.

"Come on, James. Just one!"

"No, Padfoot! I don't feel like it!"

"Please!" Sirius put his hands together, and made his trademark puppy face (not hard, considering his "talent"). "It won't harm anyone. Well, at least no one we care about," he added, leering at the Slytherin table.

It was three weeks into school, and they were eating breakfast in the Great Hall. Sirius was badgering James, trying to talk the newly responsible Marauder leader into "just one prank!", as he had been since school started. They hadn't even had their annual "Welcome home" surprise (which wasn't really much of a surprise anymore for the other students of the school. They'd taken to wearing old robes and water proofing themselves for the Hogwarts Feast). Remus was surprised, but didn't argue. He'd go along with their pranks, but wouldn't push for them. Peter had been mysteriously absent, so that left Sirius to the endless whining and begging.

"No, Sirius," James said, in response to his best friend's pleading.

"Pron-"

"I said no!" James slammed down his fork, grabbed his bag, and headed toward the girls', and Lily.

"Touchy," Sirius said, watching James sit next to the red-head.

Remus shrugged it off. It wasn't as if this was the first time James had snapped. He'd been like a bomb, waiting for that little poke to set it off, ever since that day he'd received the letter. Remus wasn't surprised, as Sirius was, though. He'd been the same when he'd gotten a similar letter about his parents and sister two years ago.

Sirius was still staring at the girls and James, glaring.

"Don't know what's wrong with her."

"Last I checked, James was a 'him'," Remus said, eyebrows raised.

Sirius acted as if he hadn't heard him. "Stubborn, you know?"

"Can you blame him? His dad just died."

Sirius looked at him like he was stupid. "What?"

"James' dad. Dead." Remus was now very confused.

"Not him, you prat! McKinnon!" He flung his hand out, gesturing at Marlene McKinnon, with a frustrated look on his face.

"What about her?"

"She rejected me! Three times!" Sirius held up three fingers in Remus face, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"Rejected as in….?"

"Rejected as in: pushed aside, refused, ignored. She bloody turned me down! I've asked her out three times, and she won't go out with me!"

"Join the club." James was back, definitely in better spirits. Lily had that effect on him. "I do believe you have a record of Lily's no's, don't you?"

"Seven hundred and thirty six, and counting," Sirius said, obviously cheered that his best friend was in the same boat as he was.

"You two are failures," Remus said, shaking his head mockingly.

"Oh, Mr. Casanova!" Sirius said sarcastically. "Why don't you show us how it's done?"

Remus blushed. It was well known that he'd only been on three dates in his entire life, and those girls had asked him out. He had then politely let them know he wasn't interested, and didn't date. The word had spread, and he wasn't bothered anymore. With his "furry problem", he was determined to live a loveless life, so as not to put a girl he cared for in any danger. He was scared how they would react if they found out about his abnormality.

"Don't take it personally, Sirius," James was saying. "Lily said Marlene's going steady with that Corman guy in Ravenclaw."

"Ian Corman?" Sirius said rather loudly, attracted several curious looks from nearby. "Oh, I'm going to pound him on Tuesday…" Sirius said with a maniacal expression on his face, grinding his hands together, in a gesture that looked suspiciously as if Ian's head were between those hands.

Tuesday was the first Quidditch match of the year, Gryffindor against Ravenclaw. Ian being a Ravenclaw chaser, and Sirius a beater, Remus had no doubt Ian would leave the pitch with plenty of injuries. And Sirius would leave unpunished.

Then Remus saw a flash of gold out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see Katy Doyle running from the Great Hall, a letter in her hand, crying uncontrollably.

"What was that all about?" asked Sirius, referring to Katy's dramatic exit.

"I don't know," James said. "Wait here a second. I'll go ask Lily."

"No," Remus said. "I'll go talk to Katy."

The other two looked at him like he was mad, knowing it was suicide to go after a bawling female. Who knew what they were capable of? "Why?"

Remus blushed, but didn't answer before he left the hall.

Remus found Katy leaning against the wall, tears streaking her face.

"Katy, are you alright?" Remus asked. Without a word , she flung the letter at Remus, who read it, then looked back at Katy, shocked.

"They're-"Remus began, but couldn't get anymore out.

"They're dead!" she shrieked, and fell to her knees. "Every one of them! Patrick, And Clara…" she gasped for breath. "Mum and Dad. The twins. Remus! They were my only family! I don't have anyone-anything else!" She was clawing at her clothes.

"Sure you do," Remus told her, falling down beside her.

"What?" She looked up at him, through red eyes.

"What about Lily and Marlene? They love you! They're like sisters to you! And the professors here? And…" he trailed off. "They would never let you get hurt. They'd never make you go on alone. And neither will I."

Katy threw herself into his arms, and sobbed.

Remus's insides were boiling, ready to go out and kill Voldemort and his Death Eaters himself. Katy would not be hurt. He would make sure of that.

"Admit it! You like her!" Sirius repeated for the tenth time.

James rolled his eyes. Sirius had been hounding Remus since he and James had caught their friend embracing a hysterical Katy Doyle out in the corridor.

Remus hadn't admitted a thing, but he hadn't denied the accusations either. He'd only conveniently found other topics of conversation.

"She was upset. I was merely consoling her, as a friend."

"A friend." Sirius nodded. "Well I'm sure she found your arms very calming."

"Even if I did like her, and I'm not saying I do, I'd have no chance with her."

James rolled his eyes again. "Ahh, come off it, Moony. Girls regard you as, well-"

"Sexy!" Sirius said helpfully.

Remus turned red and made a show of working on his essay. James smirked, and Sirius winked at him.

The portrait hole opened, and Lily came in. Smiling, she waved at him, before sitting on the sofa.

"If you gentlemen will excuse me, I have a fair maiden to woo." James scrambled to get up, never taking his eyes off the red-head.

He leapt over the back of the couch, landing right next to her.

James gathered his words. The Halloween Ball, and he had his mind set on taking Lily Evans, if it was the last-

"Amos Abbott just asked me to the dance!" Lily all but squealed. "Oh, I've been hinting at him for weeks! I'm just so happy!"

James felt the blood drain from his face as he sat, staring, unbelieving, at Lily.

"James?" Lily was saying. "James, are you alright?"

He felt himself nod, even though he was far from alright. He felt numb. Amos Abbott? His Hufflepuff friend? Who he had defended in second year from bullying Slytherins? Amos was taking his Lily?

He shook himself, and forced a smile. "Lily, that's great. I hope you have fun."

Then, before he exploded, he escaped to his dormitory, and let out a long, loud, frustrated scream.

One of the fluffy, romanticy filled ones. Poor boys. They really are quite pathetic.