(A/N): Hey Guys! So, I know I haven't updated in a while, and I know this is short, but there are only two more chapters after this till the end of first year. Do you guys think I should split it into different stories per year, or keep it in the same story?

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Leo, Elaine, Nicholai and Quiggly.

Leo

After half an hour of scolding from professor McGonagall, I was free to go. I walked back to the Gryffindor common room quickly, and found Remus and Elaine surrounded by a still sleepy looking James, Sirius, Peter and Lily.

"Morning!" I said, falsely cheery, and Elaine raised an eyebrow.

"Morning." Lily said dully, to which I frowned.

"Well, McGonagall confiscated my broom, and gave me a month's detention. Then she realised that there's only two weeks left before the end of term, and made it two weeks." I told them, sinking into one of the red plush couches.

"For what?!" James exclaimed, standing bolt upright. Oh.

"He flew out the window to wake up Elaine, seeing as we couldn't go up the stairs. McGonagall saw him." Sirius and James stared at me for a second, looking impressed.

"Out that window?" Sirius asked, pointing to the one behind us.

"Yep." Elaine said, popping the p.

"And you woke up Elaine? That takes some serious courage." James joked, to which Elaine punched him on the arm.

"Some Sirius courage, eh?" Sirius said slyly, to which we all replied with a groan.

"Not to mention the fact that he then flew back down with her clutching to him, screaming like a banshee." Remus told them, to which Sirius and James looked more impressed, and Lily chuckled.

"No he didn't!" Elaine protested, and Remus raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh really?" She shrugged, frowning.

"Well, he did, but I wasn't screaming."

"The clutching part was true though." Remus teased, to which she glared at him.

"Relax Damsel, stress is slowly killing you." I told her quietly, so the others couldn't hear, and she glanced at me before calming down slightly.

"So...Why are you guys researching animagi?" James asked, and Remus, Elaine and I shared a look.

"I told you, we're getting an early start on our OWL's." Lily glared at me before shaking her head.

"That excuse won't fly this time! We want to know, and if you guys can't tell us the truth we'll...we'll..." She glanced at Sirius and James who shrugged.

"Shit, we've got nothing." I glanced at Peter as he said this, surprised, before smiling at Lily somewhat smugly.

"Yeah, pretty much. Truth is, you have no clue what we're doing, and you don't have any leverage, so why don't you just drop it?" I suggested, and Lily glared at me again.

"Tell me this Leo, you and Remus are exactly alike, aren't you?" I froze for a second, swallowing deeply, before blinking quickly.

"In what way?" She raised an eyebrow and glanced at the other three.

"Why did both of them freeze when I asked them that?" James and Sirius stared at us both for a second, and Elaine decided to intervene.

"Because they're both really pale?" It was a weak intervention, but still.

"While true, I don't think that's why." I locked eyes with Lily, silently pleading for her to let this go, but she simply fixed me with a determined look.

"Because-" I started, before cutting myself off by grabbing Remus and Elaine's arm and bolting for the portrait hole. "Try and keep up!" I told Remus and Elaine, who were running on their own now. I took a sharp left, and they followed me, and I glanced behind me to see the others just turning the corner. I slid around another corner, this time dragging the other two with me, before turning another and halting in front of a portrait.

"Blabbering bison." I muttered, and the portrait swung open, allowing me to pull the other two inside, the door closing behind us mere seconds before Lily, James, Sirius and Peter rounded the corner, looking confused. I raised a finger to my lips, and Elaine and Remus nodded quickly, knowing to stay quiet.

"Where did they go?" James asked, perplexed, and Sirius frowned.

"I'd say a secret passage. Leo did say he knew all of Hogwarts secrets." I smirked slightly.

"Okay guys, if you come out, we'll drop it." None of us moved, we weren't that stupid. "Leo!" Lily yelled, and Remus jumped. "I swear to you, we'll drop it." I mulled it over in my head for a second before pushing the portrait open, and moving out from behind it, the others following slowly.

"I'll hold you to that." I warned her, and she nodded.

"I know you will, that's why I said it." She held her hand out, and I shook it. Just as she was about to release my hand, I tightened my grip, looked her in the eye, and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I wouldn't forget this, if I were you." I whispered to her, and she shuddered slightly.

"For someone who's usually so upbeat, you can be downright terrifying at times."

(A/N): Please review and/or check out my other stories!