First days just seemed to past, then it turned into weeks, soon months were passing and Lily lost track of time all together. It was on her way to the last flying lessons before Christmas break that she realized someone was missing from her group. She looked around, gazing for the normal hazel eyes that followed her as she walked down the grassy slope with the rest of the first year Gryffindor's. James Potter's head wiped around when he saw Lily's gaze come his way. She counted the normal herd of boys but only found…

"Three? Where's Remus?" she asked Pat who was gazing coldly at the Slytherin's who had just walked up. Severus glared right back as he came to stand next to Lily.

"Who?" he asked as Pat turned her head in the direction of the trouble makers.

"Who knows? He always seems to get sick at this time. Remember when we had our first lesson? He didn't even get to come! He wasn't in the hospital wing. I would know. I had to do that bloody detention for Professor McGonagall and her bloody homework." Pat replied.

Severus snorted but said nothing.

"I'll bet they do." Lily muttered.

Severus grabbed her hand as she began to make her way over to the boys.

"Don't, Lils, they're--"

"It's okay. Sirius isn't all that bad, and James is okay. Peter's really sweet, but I want to know what's wrong with Remus. He's the best out of all them and he's the one--"

"I never said they were bad people. I just said that you should go over there. They're all weirdo's and I can tell that Potter really likes you!" Severus admitted.

Lily laughed and patted his arm.

"He's arrogant, Sev. I wouldn't ever get together with him. Ever." she promised.

Severus let go of her hand and she made her way gracefully over to the three boys who gazed wistfully at the brooms in front of them. Pat and Severus stood back to watch her. After a moment Pat whispered,

"And like you haven't."

A little red colored Severus's cheeks.

"I do not!"

"Don't lie."

Lily's dark red hair rippled behind her in the wind as she made her way towards them. She pulled her winter cloak more firmly around her as the cold air bit at her. Her cheeks were rosy from the exposed air and she tightened the straps on her gloves to help keep her hands warm. She stood in front of the three boys now and she crossed her arms over her chest as she eyed them, trying to decide the best way to ask her question about Remus without seeming that she liked him more then a friend. She didn't want to start any problems within the friends, because she, like Severus, could tell that James Potter had taken a liking to her. She didn't want them to stop being friends just because of her.

"Where's Remus today? He really seemed to like flying last lesson." she finally said.

"What does it matter where Remus is?" Sirius snapped.

James cuffed his ear and shrugged at Lily. She studied them for a minute. Peter was gazing off towards the lake, James was staring at the ground, but Sirius glared at her with a hard, protective, glint in his eyes. She had seen that glint before. He used it on James all the time when he was trying to keep a secret from him. James always found out, Lily didn't know how, and there never seemed to be secrets between the best friends. She could tell they were all lying, except for made Peter. He probably really didn't have any idea where his friend was.

"Well, is he in the hospital wing?" she asked instead of pointing out what she already knew.

"No." Peter answered with a sigh.

"Oh? Where is he if he's ill then?" Lily asked, slightly confused. Wouldn't they take him to the hospital wing if he had been sick this morning?

"We left him in the dormitory. He told us that when he felt he could stand up that he would head up there. We'll go check on him during break, all right? Now leave us alone." Sirius snapped.

"If Pat and the git over there ditched you--" James began.

Lily cut swiftly across him,

"Thank you, Sirius, but you don't have to be so rude. And they didn't ditch me, James. I just came to ask about Remus. At least he's worthy of people's attention."

James looked taken aback as Lily turned and headed back over to her friends.

[X]

"What do you mean he's not in here?" James demanded as Madam Pomfrey stood outside the hospital wing door, "He has to be in there! He's not in the dormitory. Where else could he be?"

Madam Pomfrey went to shut the door,

"I'll ask you to leave again, Mr. Potter, before I bring the headmaster into this. Your friend isn't with me and I don't know where he is. Good night, Mr. Potter."

James stared in disbelief as she shut the door.

"What do you mean he's not in there?"

James spun around to see Severus and Lily standing there. Lily looked upset and she was tugging on the other boys arm, trying to get him to move.

"What does it matter to you?" James demanded.

"I think the headmaster should be told if someone is out of bounds." Severus said.

"Oh, Sev, I highly doubt that Remus is out of bounds. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore might be with him, or Madam Pomfrey might have just said that to keep visitors away. Sometimes they get really sick--"

"Yeah, Snivellus, he's just sick." James sneered.

Lily's cheeks flushed.

"Do NOT call him that!" she yelled, "He never did anything to you to deserve being bullied the way that you're bullying him! Just shut your mouth, Potter!"

James looked stunned.

"Shut my--?"

"Never had anyone talk to you like that, Potter?" Severus sneered back.

"You watch your mouth before I curse it." James warned, pulling out his wand. Lily wiped hers out before either one of them could do anything. She shouted something, a spell that neither James nor Severus knew, and James ducked as a jet of light zoomed over his head, just barley missing him. Lily was right in front of him glaring.

"Don't you EVER threaten him again." she hissed.

James looked like he wanted to hit her. Severus pulled her back, cast James a hard glare, and they headed off down the corridor.

James stared after them, a mixture of fear and surprise on his features.

[X]

Lily hugged her cloak around her as she and Severus walked around the lake on the last day before Christmas break.

"Are you going home for Christmas?" Lily asked as the wind rushed past them.

"No."

"Why not?"

"They don't want me home."

"Sure they do."

"Lily."

"Oh really, Sev, they're your parents!"

"They don't want me at home, Lils. It doesn't matter. Just be sure to send me lots of letters, okay?"

"Well, I'll give you your present before I leave, then."

"You can just send it by post."

"I don't want to send it by post, though. I want to see your face when you open it."

"I'll take a picture."

"This isn't a time for jokes, Sev."

Severus smiled when Lily laughed anyway. He loved the sound of her laugh.

"Well I've got a present for you too. But if you're not going to be here I'm just going to send it by post." he replied as they settled down on the frozen ground beneath the tree.

Lily rolled the snow between her gloves with a little smile on her face.

"If that's what you want to do." she shrugged.

"It is."

She laughed again.

"Well what are we going to do today, Sev?" she asked, throwing her head back as more snow gently fell from the sky.

She gasped when it hit her square in the throat. Severus was already running away yelling back to her over his shoulder,

"A snowball fight!"

Lily rolled up some snow and laughed softly to herself,

"Sometimes, Severus Snape, you're such a Muggle."