'Shut it,' Potter said, scowling at Black as they exited the classroom of Madame Maxwell.

'I haven't said a thing,' Black said, smirking.

'Let's keep it that way,' Potter said, as all the Gryffindors headed towards the History of Magic classroom.

'So,' Black said in a seemingly casual tone, 'Madame Maxwell is really something, isn't she.'

Potter nodded, carefully: 'She's the real deal.'

'And really pretty, if you're into older women. Mind you, compared to your mum she must be quite young.'

Black ducked to avoid Potter's fist.

'What did you do that for? I am just saying, I can understand why you'd find such a refined lady attract - ouch.' This time, Potter had found his target.

'Oh stop it, Black,' Mary Macdonald said, 'I think it's cute how Potter blushed every time she spoke to him.'

'Watch it, Macdonald,' Potter growled.

Remus couldn't help let out a small chuckle, and Peter too looked in a good mood. Having seen the great James Potter at a loss for words in class had given Remus the strength he needed to put all his trepidations about being at Hogwarts to the back of his mind, where he intended to keep them locked up for as long as possible. It was fun, laughing with Peter and Macdonald, and even Black.

Remus would have felt sorry for Potter, had it not been for the fact that he suspected a part of Potter enjoyed the attention, despite his protestation.

'I didn't expect her to be French,' Peter said, more to Remus than the rest.

'Neither did I,' Remus agreed. 'But she's worked for the Ministry for years, so I suppose this is home for her now. Maxwell is a Scottish name, I think, so she might be married to someone over here.'

'Bad luck, mate,' Black said to Potter, jumping out of Potter's way to avoid yet another punch.

'Still has a French accent, though,' Black said, once he was a safe distance from his friend. He smirked at Potter as he started imitating their professor: 'Yess, ma yong Zhames Pottair.'

'Her accent is not that bad.'

'Oh Pottair, zhumping to 'er defences. Haow nobleu.'

'If you don't keep your mouth shut, I won't help you with transfiguration later,' Potter said to Black, who just laughed.

'I don't need your help, mate,' Black said. He looked over his shoulder, and Remus realised they had left the girls behind in an effort to keep up with Black, who had had to continually run away from his friend.

Black approached Potter and smiled: 'Don't forget, I know your secret.'

Black put his hand into Potter's robe, and pulled out a pointy, silvery match. It wasn't far from being a needle, but it wasn't the exemplary needle Potter had showed their transfiguration professor.

Magic indeed, Remus realised.

'How?' Peter gasped.

'I swapped them,' Potter said, unfazed, taking the match from Black and pocketing it again.

'You just happened to have a needle on you?' Remus asked.

'I asked one of the older Gryffidors about our first lessons,' Potter shrugged.

'McGonagall is going to expect you to know the spell now,' Remus pointed out.

'And I will do, by Monday. This way, we got 5 points.'

'What if you don't manage?' Peter asked, and Remus couldn't decide whether he sounded concerned - or hopeful.

'It's not that hard, transfiguration. It's just logic. Anyways, it's my problem, isn't it?'

'Unless you're planning to turn him in, Pettigrew?' Black asked.

Peter vehemently shook his head.

'I didn't think so,' Black said.

History of Magic turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. Professor Binns was the only professor at Hogwarts that was also a ghost. Remus had mistakenly thought professor Binns must have carried on because he was passionate about teaching, but Remus realised quickly that this could simply not be the case. Binns droned on and on while the Gryffindor students scribbled down names and dates of various goblin rebellions.

After that particularly boring class, it seemed all the Gryffindors had decided to head outside to see the Whomping Willow. Even Gemma Dawlish and the other girl, who Remus now had learned was called Elizabeth Vane, had joined the descending mass of Gryffindor first years.

The only person who didn't look excited was Lily Evans. Remus had the distinct feeling that if Mary Macdonald let go of her friend's arm, Evans would immediately turn around and head back into the castle.

'I thought the tree was meant to be... well, a bit more...' Peter waved his arms wildly. Remus agreed, as he observed the branches of the tree swaying peacefully in the wind. It was hard to believe this was meant to be a violent tree they had to avoid - or rather, a violent tree that hid a secret passage only Remus, McGonagall, Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey knew about.

Potter and Black ran the last few yards, excited cries escaping them as they did so. Suddenly, the tree came into life and both boys had to dodge the branches to avoid being hit. The girls shrieked as the boys ran away from the tree.

'I bet I can touch the trunk,' Black said, once Remus and the others had come nearer.

'I bet I can do it faster,' Potter said, and exchanging a quick glance, the two were off again.

'They're idiots!'

The disapproving voice came from Remus' right, and he saw Lily Evans looking at both boys as they ducked and jumped and tried to get closer to the trunk.

'I bet they won't last more than 5 minutes,' Gemma Dawlish said gleefully.

'Don't say that,' Mary Macdonald groaned.

Remus noticed she was still holding Evans' hand.

'They're going to die!' Elizabeth Vane cried out.

'They're not,' Maeve Ryan said fairly, 'they might break a bone, but I'm sure the matron will patch 'em up proper-like.'

'Idiots,' Evans repeated, but she too followed the boys with her emerald eyes.

Ryan clapped as Black narrowly escaped a branch, while Vane covered her eyes. Remus too was starting to feel distinctly nervous. There were too many close calls, and should one of the boys be injured, he had no idea of how they would get to them.

'This isn't going to end well,' Remus muttered. It seemed Evans heard him, because she snorted, pulling a face that plainly said: you've only just realised?

'You never know,' Peter said, 'they're rather good.'

Remus, who had been used to hearing disapproval in Peter's voice when it came to Black and Potter, was surprised to pick up on a note of admiration from the small boy.

'Looks like Black is throwin' in the towel,' Ryan observed.

Black, robe covered in grass and mud, and out of breath, joined them: 'Nobody can get to that trunk, I swear.'

'Your friend hasn't given up,' Macdonald said, sounding like she wished otherwise.

'He will,' Black said confidently. 'Trust me, it's impossible.'

James Potter was athletic, which Remus assumed had to do with his Quidditch playing. Remus had to remind himself that it was a good thing that Potter could not get to the trunk, as he found himself cheering on his dorm-mate.

'GET IN THERE!' Black shouted encouragingly at his friend as James weaved through the attacking branches.

Then, as Potter was only a few inches from the trunk, a branch came out of nowhere, and everyone screamed. Potter threw himself on the ground just in time. Remus felt sick. The tree was clearly designed to prevent anyone from getting near it, and the closer James Potter came, the more danger he was in.

'Merlin, that was close,' Vane whispered, and even Dawlish looked scared.

Remus turned to Black, intending to tell him that he needed to convince his friend to stop, but the words died in his throat. Black had gone deadly pale and before Remus could ask what was wrong, the black-haired boy had started sprinting back towards the Whomping Willow.

'JAMES, ON YOUR LEFT!' came Black's desperate shout.

Potter rolled to the right - not a moment too soon, Remus realised - as a great knobbly branch slammed into the ground where Potter had been a moment earlier.

Remus could see what had frightened Black. Potter's glasses had fallen off.

'How good is his eyesight?!' Mary Macdonald all but shouted at Remus and Peter.

'I dunno... Remus?' Peter said, giving Remus a terrified look.

'Not good,' Remus said, noticing how his voice shook slightly.

He hadn't known about James Potter's eyesight, not until that moment. He could tell from Potter's fumbling and Black's shouting that Potter was primarily reliant on Black. The game had turned deadly serious.

Remus wanted nothing more than to turn away from the horrific scene that would be unfolding. However, before he was aware of what he was doing, he had moved towards Black. It was Remus' fault that this tree existed, and he had to help. Black was struggling to approach the tree, needing his attention to be on Potter and the branches attacking the messy haired boy.

'I'll take over the instructions. You go,' Remus said. Black immediately darted forward, and Remus kept a running commentary up for Potter.

Remus knew he could not afford taking his eyes off Potter, and still, his eyes suddenly shifted to see how Black was progressing, getting to his friend.

'BEHIND. DUCK!'

Remus' moment of inattention had cost James Potter. He was crawling on all four, and Remus, having taken his eyes off Potter at the wrong time, barely got out the warning before the branch hit Potter's arse. In a way, it wasn't a disaster. Potter was thrust forward, away from the trunk and Black was able to pull his friend away from further harm.

'Thanks,' James Potter said, wincing as Black helped him up. Remus hurried over to the two, and could hear his classmates' footsteps behind him.

'You alright, mate?' Black asked. Both boys were very white, except from the dirt on their faces.

Potter didn't have time to answer before the rest had surrounded them both.

'That was so brave,' Elizabeth Vane exclaimed.

"Aye, class," Maeve Ryan grinned. "Especially that part where the Whomping Willow gave your arse a good wallop, eh, Potter?"

'What are you on about?' came an indignant voice and Remus saw Lily Evans push the other girls aside. 'That was dangerous, and really, really stupid!'

'Why do you care?' Black asked, coolly.

'Yeah, shouldn't you be on some date with Snivellus?' Potter asked, squinting at her. Remus had no idea who - or what - Snivellus was.

Evans huffed and dragged a confused looking Mary Macdonald back with her towards the castle.

It took some time before Potter and Black were able to shake off the rest of the girls, but eventually, it was only Remus, Peter and the two boys left. At first, Remus had wondered why Black and Potter hadn't let the girls accompany them back to the castle - given how much both boys seemed to be enjoying the attention, but then Potter turned somewhat towards Black and asked in a rather tentative voice:

'I don't suppose we can get my glasses back?'

'Not a chance,' Black laughed, before sobering slightly: 'I am not going near that thing ever again.'

'No... I suppose that's wise...' Potter said, 'Thanks by the way. You too, Remus, thank you.'

'I don't suppose you have any spare glasses?' Remus asked.

''Course I do, up in our dorm.'

'Well then,' Black said, looking at Potter. 'We better head back.'

He started to walk, but he seemed unsurprised when Potter didn't follow.

'Use your words, Potter,' Black said, unable to hide a sly smile.

Potter looked down.

Black laughed again, and bounced back to Potter.

'Alright... no words. Lucky for you, I am both a skilled legilimens and your traditional - handsome - knight in shining armour. Here,' Black said, taking Potter's hand. 'I'll lead, shall I?'

He pulled forward, and Potter yelped out in pain.

Black's face fell as he turned to look at his friend: 'You alright?'

'Yes, fine,' Potter said, his free hand pressing on his back, 'just, no sudden movements, okay? And... I am going to need to be closer than that. The ground is uneven.'

Potter moved forward gingerly and placed his hand on Black's shoulder.

'All set?' Black asked, and Potter nodded.

Together, the four headed back to the castle.

A/N

What do you think? I've never quite written a scene like it (a kind of action-scene as told from the side-lines). And what do you think of James' small crush on Madam Maxwell? At some point I am going to stuff it up and write Madam Maxime - I just know it...