A/N: I've had this almost done for almost a week. It was just so hard to go from "almost done" to "done." I hope you like the way it worked out!

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

I don't own the Harry Potter universe.

High Flying

Remus skipped the rest of the lunch period. He didn't want his friends bombarding him with questions he could not answer. Rather than returning to the Great Hall, he went to the library. He was surprised to see how many people – mostly older students who had more demanding classes – had either skipped or left lunch early to go to the library.

He managed to find an empty table in a secluded corner. He sat down and slowly pulled his Defense Against the Dark Arts book from his bag. He opened it on the table in front of him and looked at it intently, pretending to read.

As the clock ticked toward the end of lunch, Remus' dread of the upcoming full moon was replaced with panic. His friends would notice that he was gone for the weekend. What could he possibly tell them to explain away his absence?

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

Remus looked up at the whispered question, and saw that he wasn't the only first year in the library during lunch. He nodded at the pretty girl from Ravenclaw that he vaguely remembered from the Sorting.

She sat down and took out her Astronomy homework. She started working on it, then looked up at Remus.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He nodded. "Fine."

"It's just … you haven't turned a page in your book."

"I'm a slow reader."

She frowned and went back to her homework. She had only answered one question when she looked at him again.

"I'm Laura, by the way."

He managed to smile politely. "I'm Remus."

"Do you need -?"

"I'm fine."

"Okay."

Laura went back to her homework again, leaving Remus alone with his thoughts.

"I hope Remus is all right," Peter said as they walked to the Quidditch pitch for their flying lessons.

"I'm sure he's fine," James said vaguely. His mind was already soaring through the air on a broomstick.

"A meeting with Dumbledore, though? That's pretty serious," Peter pressed.

"Well, we'll see him in class," Sirius said. "We can ask him about it then."

They arrived at the field before anyone else. The broomsticks were lined up on the grass, waiting to be flown. James felt the excitement course through him.

"Come on, we want to get decent brooms," he said.

Remus appeared at the last possible moment, and took the broomstick Sirius was holding for him.

"What did -?" Sirius began.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please!" Professor Aves, the flying instructor and Quidditch advisor, called.

"Shhh," James warned.

Professor Aves showed them how to properly mount and grip the broom. James was practically bouncing up and down with excitement and impatience. He wanted to fly, not to hold the broomstick. Then he glanced at Peter, who was next to him.

"Peter, be careful," he muttered. "If you grip it like that, you're going to fall off."

"What should I do?" he asked nervously.

"You should - here, look."

James began to adjust Peter's grip, hoping to spare his friend the embarrassment of being corrected in front of the class. Professor Aves made sure to let the class know who was doing what wrong.

At long last, they were instructed to kick off. James shot up higher and faster than anyone. As Professor Aves showed them different maneuvers, James performed them with him. Peter watched him admiringly, Sirius with amusement, and Remus with concern. As James had rather expected, their Slytherin classmates gave him evil looks. However, to his surprise, Lily had an expression of disgust on her face that rivaled the Slytherins' as she watched him. He descended closer to her, and she looked up at him.

"Show off," she muttered.

James' heart fell even quicker than his broom as he landed with the rest of the class. After leaving his broom, he joined his friends.

"Why so upset?" Sirius asked, looking at James' downcast face.

"Yeah, James, you were brilliant!" Peter exclaimed.

"Look," Sirius began, "I know Snape didn't fall, but there will be other classes. We'll have plenty of opportunities to laugh at him!"

James coaxed forth a smile, his eyes still on Lily. "Sure."

Remus cast around for a way to cheer up his friend. "Look, James, didn't you want to ask about borrowing broomsticks to practice?"

"Oh, yeah!" James brightened instantly. "Come on, let's go talk to Aves."

With James in the lead, the four boys crossed to where Professor Aves was collecting their brooms. James glanced at his friends, who gave him encouraging smiles.

"Excuse me, Professor?"

"Yes?" Professor Aves looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"We wanted to see if we could borrow some broomsticks so we could practice flying. We want to try out for the Quidditch team next year, and we wanted to stay in shape …" James trailed off uncertainly.

"I wouldn't think you would need the practice, Potter," the professor said coldly. "My answer is no."

James' jaw dropped. "What?"

"I said no," Professor Aves repeated. "You obviously don't need the practice. Perhaps if you want to help your friends, you could do so in class, rather than showing off."

James felt his mouth fall open again. Remus, realizing James was incapable of speech, took over.

"Thanks, Professor," he said. "Come on, James."

He and Sirius practically dragged their friend away, both surprised by his disappointment. They had obviously underestimated how much James loved to fly.

"He called me a show off," James muttered.

"Shake it off, James," Sirius said. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Just like Lily did," James added.

"Why should you care?" Sirius asked. "I've never even seen you talk to Lily – not for any length of time."

"I'm not a show off!" James snapped. "My mother would kill me if she thought I was showing off at school!"

"So, then, quit showing off," Remus said.

James stared at him.

"Professor Aves didn't ask you to help him demonstrate everything," Remus said. "You just did it."

"So, you think I'm a show off, too."

"I think you were way too excited to fly."

James couldn't help but smile. "I was … a bit."

"I'm thrilled that James isn't a show off, but if we can't use the brooms, I'll never get this flying thing down," Peter moaned, bringing the other three boys back to their pressing dilemma.

A hint of a smile floated across James' face. "Get this flying thing down?" he repeated. "I think we've found your problem, Peter. You want to go up when you fly."

Peter made a face at him, but Sirius laughed.

"Don't pay any attention to Potter," he said. "You'll be fine, Peter. I have a plan."

"Ooh," James grinned. "This is going to be good."

Remus looked from Sirius to James, his eyes widening at the looks on their faces. Now he had one more thing to be nervous about.

"If you keep making that face, it'll stick that way."

Lily looked up at Olivia with a frown. "What?"

Olivia sat down next to her in the common room. "Spill."

"What are you on about?"

"You're frowning at the fire for no particular reason," Olivia said. "What's bothering you?"

Lily shook her head. "It's stupid."

"So, tell me anyway."

Lily sighed. "I'm … James Potter is an idiot!"

Olivia laughed. "Why?"

"Did you see how he was in flying lessons today?"

"Brilliant?" Olivia offered. "I was planning to try out for the Quidditch team next year, but I'm not sure I'll make it if I have to fly against him."

"No!" Lily exclaimed. "Not brilliant! Watching him showing off like that … it was … embarrassing!"

"Embarrassing?" Olivia looked bewildered. "Why?"

"I … don't know," Lily said, slowly calming down. "I just … felt really embarrassed."

"For him?"

"Maybe," Lily said slowly. "I mean … flying along with the teacher? That's ridiculous. He made himself look like an idiot, and all of Gryffindor with him."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"I would."

Olivia sighed. "You've never really liked him, though. It's not like this is new."

"You're right." Lily shook her head. "There's no rule that says we have to be friends with everyone in our House, right?"

Olivia smiled. "Not that I know of."

"Good." She glanced at the clock. "I'm going to try to get some homework done before dinner. Want to work with me?"

Olivia laughed. "No. Enjoy that one all by yourself."

"So what did Dumbledore want?"

"What?" Remus asked nervously, hoping to buy himself some time.

"What did Dumbledore want?" Sirius repeated as the boys made their way to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Oh," Remus said quickly, calling to mind the story he had fabricated once Laura had stopped trying to talk to him. "He said my mother is ill, and that I have to go visit her."

The three boys' faces instantly showed concern.

"Is she really that sick?" James asked softly.

"So they said." Remus felt horrible about lying to his friends, but he couldn't tell the truth. Aside from the fact that he had promised Dumbledore that he wouldn't tell anyone, he knew that the other boys would abandon him if they knew what he was. He couldn't lose his friends.

"When are you leaving?" Peter asked.

"Friday evening," Remus replied. "Professor McGonagall is going to come and get me. I'll be back Sunday, I guess."

"You'll be gone all weekend?" Sirius asked in dismay.

James shot him a look. "Sirius, his mum's ill," he hissed.

"Right. Sorry, Remus." He gave a small smile. "Well, we'll just have to enact my plan sooner."

"What plan is that?"

"My plan to get the broomsticks." His eyes were shining with excitement.

James' eyes lit up with the same excitement. "And how do you propose we retrieve the said broomsticks?"

Sirius and Remus laughed at James' statement. Peter looked nervous, but managed a smile.

Sirius stopped laughing and grinned. "I propose we borrow the broomsticks."

Remus shook his head. "Aves already said no."

"Aves doesn't need to know that we've borrowed them."

Remus' eyes widened. He looked almost horrified. "You want us to steal them?"

"Remus, Remus. I said borrow, not steal."

"We'll return them," James said, quickly catching on. "Once we've flown them a bit, of course."

"How are we going to do that?" Peter asked.

"We know where Aves keeps them locked up," Sirius said. "It's really just a matter of nerve."

"Okay, let me get this straight," Remus said. "We're going to steal four broomsticks, to fly them, then to return them - all without getting caught?"

"That's the idea," Sirius said cheerfully.

James grinned. "Excellent, Sirius! What's the plan?"

While Sirius talked, Remus grew more and more nervous. By the time Sirius had outlined the entire plan from start to finish, both he and James wore identical grins.

"When are we going to do it?" James asked.

"Tonight," Sirius replied promptly.

"Tonight?" Remus exclaimed. "Why would we do it tonight?"

"No time like the present," James said enthusiastically.

"But what if they need the broomsticks tonight?" Remus asked, determined to be the voice of reason.

"They won't," Sirius said confidently. "I've already checked the schedule. There's no flying lessons or Quidditch practice until Friday afternoon. Now, Friday would have been my first choice, but we'll move it to tonight."

"Why Friday?" Peter asked.

"Once the flying lessons and practices are over, no one will be likely to want to use the brooms again." Sirius grinned. "But tonight will work just as well."

"We'll have to wait until well after dark," James said sagely, as though he broke rules every day. "We don't want to be seen."

"When can we go?"

"Peter, stop it," James hissed. "Just try to concentrate on the assignment."

Peter gave him a look of disgust.

"I know, I'd rather not be doing Transfiguration, either," James conceded. "But if we're too loud, we're going to be kicked out of the library."

"Why couldn't we stay in the common room with Sirius and Remus?"

"It would be too obvious if we all left together." James felt like they had been over that point fifty times. And now you agree, Peter, he thought. Agree with me, just like you did every other time.

"But why would it be obvious?" Peter protested.

James' eyes widened in surprise. Peter never protested. "What do you mean?"

"We always leave together. Why would it be obvious that we were up to something if we all left together?"

James stared at him in amazement. "What do you mean?" he asked again, incapable of saying anything else.

"Don't you think it's more obvious that only Sirius and Remus are there? Won't it seem weird that we're not all together?"

James stared, his mouth open. Peter, who was nearly as nervous as Remus about breaking the rules, was making suggestions for their plan? Peter, who could barely understand his homework without help, was independently making suggestions that made sense?

"Peter," he finally said weakly, "why didn't you bring this up before?"

Peter shrugged. "I thought you and Sirius had it under control. You acted like you didn't need my help."

While James was still trying to formulate a response, Sirius and Remus walked into the library. They both craned their necks, looking for their friends.

"Over here," James hissed, waving his arms to attract their attention.

Sirius noticed him, and nudged Remus, pointing in their direction. Remus looked up, and smiled at them. The two boys crossed the room, and sat down at James and Peter's table.

"Are you ready?" Sirius asked with a grin.

"Absolutely," James replied, glad to be freed from talking to Peter. "Are you?"

"Yes," Sirius said. Remus nodded, but looked noncommittal.

"How are we going to do this?" James asked. He glanced at Peter. "Peter thinks it would be less obvious if we all go together. People are used to seeing us together, so it might seem suspicious if we go separately."

"Peter said that?" Sirius asked, looking from James to Peter as though unsure whether or not he should believe that the idea had truly come from Peter.

"Yes," James said firmly. "And, I think it makes sense."

Sirius frowned, thinking through what James had said.

"I agree," Remus said softly, yet with confidence.

Sirius and James looked at him in shock. Remus was agreeing?

"You agree?" Sirius asked in surprise.

James stared from Remus to Peter as though he were stunned. First Peter dared to speak his mind - to the benefit of the group - and then Remus agreed to rule breaking? Although he had not said a word to argue against their plan, James and Sirius had known that Remus had been silently disapproving all day. Now, apparently, he had had a change of heart.

"Yes," Remus said, this time with more conviction. "I agree."

"Really?" James asked, still obviously reeling from the night's surprises.

"Really," Remus repeated. "Look, I don't like the idea of us stealing stuff –"

"Borrowing!" Sirius interrupted.

"But, I like the idea of us getting caught even less," Remus finished, ignoring Sirius. "The more we can do to increase our chances of getting away with this, the better."

"That's the spirit!" Sirius said enthusiastically.

Unfortunately, he spoke rather loudly, and they were promptly dismissed from the library. James and Peter gathered their Transfiguration books and notes, and shoved them into their bags.

"What should we do with this stuff?" James asked as he hoisted his bag over his shoulder.

"Take it back to Gryffindor Tower," Sirius said. "That way, we can leave together, to cut down on the suspicion," he finished, glancing at Peter and Remus.

Twenty minutes later, the four boys were leaving the common room. No one paid attention as they headed toward the portrait hole. James glanced back as they climbed out.

"I can't believe no one cares what we're doing! All that effort for nothing!"

"I think it's a good thing," Remus said. "The less attention we get, the better."

"But –"

"Come on," Sirius interrupted. "Let's go get those brooms before someone else does."

"Yeah, so many people want to steal brooms and fly them in the middle of the night," Remus said sarcastically.

James laughed. "You never know, Remus. Someone else might just be as inspired as Sirius, and have the same brilliant idea."

"Come on," Sirius said again. "Keep your voices down, you two. It's after curfew."

"Since when?" Peter asked, looking at his watch.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the grandfather clock they were passing chimed, alerting them to the late hour. James, Remus, and Peter all jumped, and Sirius grinned.

"I can tell time, Pettigrew. Come on, we've got to find a back way to the Quidditch pitch. We can't go in full view of everyone."

They wandered around the castle, looking for "shortcuts," as James called them. None of them actually saved them any time, but several turns did save them from being caught as a professor walked by patrolling the halls. At last, they made it out of the castle.

"Come on, we've got to be quick," Sirius muttered as they darted from the cover of one tree to the next on the way to the field. He glanced up at the sky, where the moon hung, nearly full. "If the moon wasn't so bright, this would be going so much better."

Remus trembled as he, too, looked up.

They finally made it to the Quidditch office, where the broomsticks were kept. James tried to turn the doorknob, but it refused to move.

"It's locked," he stated.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious," Sirius replied sarcastically. "Honestly, you'd think that you'd never seen a wand before. Move." He shoved James out of his way, pulling out his own wand. "Alohomora."

The door swung open, revealing the Quidditch office. Remus, James, and Peter all stared at Sirius.

"What?" he asked. "You've never seen that spell before?"

Remus shook his head. "I just can't believe they didn't have a stronger locking charm on the door. I mean, anyone can break in."

"As we're about to. Come on," James said, stepping over the threshold. He made a beeline for the brooms, and began selecting the best ones for them to use.

The other boys followed behind him, looking over the broomsticks for themselves. Sirius and Remus selected their own, but Peter waited for James to hand him a broomstick.

"Are we all ready?" James asked, looking to be sure that everyone had a broom.

"Looks like," Remus said.

"Good," Sirius said. "Let's go before someone notices the door is open."

"Believe me, I think someone is far more likely to notice four boys flying around the Quidditch pitch than an open door," Remus said.

"Don't spoil the fun!" Sirius said, laughing. "Let's go."

The four boys left, closing the door behind them. They walked the short distance to the field, where James went over the finer points of flying with Peter. While he was talking, Sirius mounted his broom.

"Come on, Remus, let's show James that we know what we're doing!" He kicked off, shooting up into the air.

Remus sighed, then kicked off, quickly catching up to him.

"Hey, you're good!" Sirius exclaimed.

"I'm just proving that I know what I'm doing!" Remus shot back.

Sirius laughed. "Are you watching, Potter? Lupin and I can fly as well as you!"

"Try me!" James shouted. "Come on, Peter, let's go."

"I don't think I'm ready."

"You are. You'll be fine."

"I don't know …"

"Come on, Peter. I'm not going to let you fail." James grinned. "Besides, if you get into trouble, we'll bail you out."

James kicked off, leaving Peter no choice but to follow.

The four boys darted around the pitch, racing, and trying different tricks. Finally, even Peter had mastered the basics of flying.

"We'd better go in," James said at last. "If we fall asleep in History of Magic tomorrow morning, everyone will know we've been up to something."

"We wouldn't be the first to fall asleep in History of Magic," Sirius said with a grin.

"No, James is right," Remus said. "It's really late."

"Oh, all right. You win," Sirius conceded.

They returned to the ground, and walked back to the Quidditch office with their broomsticks. They carefully put them exactly where they had been, making sure nothing was out of place. Sirius relocked the door as they left, and they began their halting run back up to the castle.

Once inside, they darted through the halls, trying to make as little noise as possible. They took as many of the "shortcuts" as they could remember, and found a few more. They reached Gryffindor Tower, where the Fat Lady gave them a reproving look.

"And where have we been?" she asked, frowning down at them.

"Valoroso," James replied, giving her a cheeky grin.

She scowled, and swung open for them to enter.

"We made it!" Sirius exclaimed as they walked into the common room. He grinned, looking quite proud of them all. "Mischief managed!"

Remus looked at him sharply. "We were lucky."

"Don't ruin my moment, Lupin," Sirius replied. "And, don't even try to tell me that you didn't have fun."

Remus smiled helplessly. "Yeah, it was fun.

"And it took your mind off your mother, didn't it?" James said with a smile.

Remus' face fell. James was right. He had forgotten all about his "mother" while they had been busy breaking the rules. But now thoughts of all that awaited him on Friday night returned in full force.

"I'm sorry," James said as he saw the look of torment on his friend's face. "I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, it's all right. I have to deal with it, don't I?" Remus smiled a bit sadly. "And, you're right. I haven't thought about it in ages."

"See?" Sirius grinned. "Breaking the rules is a good thing."

Remus smiled almost reluctantly. "Come on. We should get to bed."

They made their way up to their dormitory silently. Remus looked as though he wanted to say something, but waited until they were all in bed.

"I've decided something," he said at last.

"What's that?" James asked.

Remus drew a deep breath. "You know I don't really like breaking the rules. But, I really did have fun tonight. And it did take my mind off . . . things. So, it's definitely worth the risk. And I'm in for the next adventure."

Sirius' eyes took on a shine. "So, there will be more adventures, then?"

"Oh, we're not leaving this at one adventure," James declared. "That was way too much fun."

"And, we got away with it!" Peter enthused. "I can't wait for the next one!

"We'll have to start planning," Sirius said with a grin.

Remus grinned back. It was wonderful to be included. It was wonderful to have friends.