Hey, so I'm so sorry that its been a while since I updated you. I was working on my dissertation for uni but I handed it in yesterday so I thought I'd give you a little treat. This isn't what I promised but I hope you like it. Please review.

Previous Chapter:

Lily was sat in the kitchens with Severus again. She blew on her hot chocolate before taking a big gulp. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, don't you find it really strange that he always disappears once a month?"

"Who are you on about?" Lily asked.

"Lupin! Once a month, always on the full moon." Severus replied.

"Don't be ridiculous. That's a horrible thing to suggest." Lily said, shocked. "Remus' mum is sick, that's all."

Chapter 26:

"I miss Remus," James commented.

"Yeah, me too, man." Sirius replied from his seat in front of the fire. Peter had run off somewhere – James had a feeling he was hiding away with the house-elves in the kitchen.

Lily and the other first year girls walked into the common room. "I hate that girl!"

"What girl?" Sirius asked, bewildered.

"Evans," James replied darkly. Sirius merely chuckled.

The girls didn't stop. Alice looked like she wanted to but Kate just kept walking and Alice felt she had to follow. James nodded at Alice gently, no hard feelings.

The boys quickly walked down to breakfast the next morning. Harry walked slightly behind his father. He could hear him quietly humming happily. James had already been up ages. He'd had his usual morning fly and was ready to face double charms. He was so excited about having the afternoon off – although he did think he'd have to do his potions essay. He sighed.

"What's up man?" Harry was so happy Sirius had asked the question he'd wanted to ask.

"Ah, just thinking that we need to do our potions essay."

"Ah. Don't remind me." Sirius shuddered at the thought.

When they finally made it into the Great Hall the owls were flying overheard. James saw his owl flying the length of the Gryffindor table and back, looking for him. He went and sat down, grabbing his owl's attention. It hooted softly and rubbed it's head against James' chest affectionately. James patted it gently on the head playfully.

"What have you brought for me today pickles?" James asked. James had a weird feeling that his owl looked slightly sad. James frowned slightly at the thought. The owl held out his leg for James to take the letter tied to it. It hooted gently before taking flight.

James looked at the letter, it was from his mother. He opened it quickly, excited to hear from her. Although in the back of his head he couldn't help thinking, she only saw me a couple of days ago.

James,

I'm sorry to write about this but I thought you ought to know before it ends up in the paper as I'm sure it will. Last night whilst your dad was out on patrol something went wrong and well, the problem is he's missing. I'm really sorry, I don't know any more than that. I'll let you know as soon as I do.

I love you son. Stay strong.

Mum.

James felt tears prickling his cheeks. He couldn't look up. He couldn't meet any ones eye.

"James? Who's the letter from?" he heard a voice. He felt eyes turn to him. He looked up without lifting his head. Everyone was watching him stare at the letter – Kate, Alice, Evans, Sirius and Peter. He kept staring at the letter blankly before reaching down into his bag for a quill.

"James? Are you ok?" Alice asked, she sounded worried.

He began to scratch a reply into the back of his letter.

Mum,

I'm so sorry. What can I do? Do you need me to come home? He'll come home, I promise. Its dad – he always comes home.

I love you too.

James.

Alice couldn't take the tension anymore. She leant over and read his reply. "James!" She knew it would be something like this. She had only ever seen James like this once before – the time when his dad had been seriously injured on one of the aurors' raids.

"James…" She tried desperately to get his attention, even though she knew it was pointless. "Frank do something. Frank looked at her, realising what was going on, "Potter, talk to us. Look at me."

James looked up briefly. Frank kept his eye, "I know. I know." He said nodding his head sadly. He'd received his own letter. His dad was missing too. Frank's dad was an auror who worked with Charlus. James nodded at his oldest friend before turning to Alice, "I've got to go. Sorry."

Harry wanted to help but he couldn't. He couldn't speak to him or hug him. Instead he followed him out of the Great Hall. He saw the other Gryffindors' eyes following them out of the door – confusion etched across their faces. Alice and Frank refused to tell them what was wrong, "He'll talk when he's ready. He's just being a Potter." Alice giggled with no real humour at the thought: The selfless Potters.

James walked straight to the owlery and tied his note to Pickles' leg. "I'm sorry. I know you only just got back, but it's urgent." He watched his owl fly out of the window. He stood watching at the window until his owl was a tiny blob on the horizon and then it was gone. He walked to his charms lesson, slightly late. When he walked into the charms lesson, Flitwick frowned at him. James thought to himself sarcastically, never the benefit of the doubt.

James apologised before taking his seat besides Sirius. He looked at Remus' empty seat and frowned. He really missed Remus. Harry watched from the corner of the classroom as James kept his head down and the other gryffindors kept looking at him with confused, worried expressions.

Lily was the only one who managed to pay any attention at all to whatever Flitwick was talking about and even she kept glancing at Potter. After double charms was over the gryffindors walked together towards the Great Hall for lunch. They all talked animatedly except for James and Frank who just kept their eyes on their feet. Alice walked in between them holding James' right hand and Frank's left. There was nothing in it between James and Alice, they were just friends, had been for years.

James tried to eat his lunch, but just kept pushing it around his plate. Eventually he gave up. "I'm going to go back to the common room see you in a bit."

"I'll come with you, James." Frank smiled sadly.

James merely nodded. They made their way away from the Gryffindor table and out of the Great Hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, several Slytherins' called out, "Oi, Potter, Longbottom. Your dad's are done for." James and Frank ignored them and just kept walking.

In the Entrance Hall they let out a big breath, they had both been keeping in. Snape and Avery were walking towards them. Avery was grinning maliciously, "just the people I wanted to see."

"We heard about you father, Potter. Yours too Longbottom. Such a shame to see that magical blood go to waste but that's what you get when you stand up for mudblood rights." Snape said coldly.

James' wand was out before Snape could move, "mutatio skullus!" He used the first hex to come into his mind, he knew his father would be disappointed that he'd used such an awful spell but that just made him angrier. Evans walked out of the Great Hall just in time to see Snape's head changing shape and James put down his wand. "Potter, what the hell are you doing?" She screamed angrily.

"It's absolutely nothing to do with you, Evans. Keep your nose out."

Avery laughed, "touched a nerve did we, Potter?" James barely looked at him, casting the knee reversal hex at him and walking away. Frank quickly followed after him, leaving Lily to deal with the Slytherins. "Oi, Potter! You can't leave them here!"

"Yes, I can." James replied without looking back.

"Potter, you're such a selfish arse." Lily replied exasperated.

James turned round, "Do you know what I don't get Evans, it's not ok for me to hex them in anger when they attack everything I believe in, when they use foul names for people like you. Yes when your precious Snivellus uses the word Mudblood…" Lily looked slightly shocked, "but it's ok for them to get several older Slytherins to attack me and Sirius… and use unforgiveable curses on us? Wow… you have the most amazing definition of right and wrong… I have no idea where your line is but it sure is slapping me in the face an awful lot." With that he turned and walked away, leaving Lily stuttering, unable to form a reply.

So what did you think? Not what you were expecting right.

So next chapter...

Remus will be back YAY!

The boys will finally start spying on the Slytherins.

A little bit of working on the marauders map...

and maybe some more surprises.

Love you guys please please please review.