(A/N): Hey Guys! So, I know I haven't updated in a while but...I've been busy. And every time I sat down to write any of my fanfics, I just felt like punching myself in the face. On the upside, this chapter 1,300 words, and it's not very angst-y! Also on the upside, I used this time away to write some of my book.

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

Leo

"Thanks." I heard Elaine whisper as she sat down next to me in the Great hall, at the Gryffindor table. Today was an off day from the Wizards Chess tournament, to both give us a break, and to make us focus on our studies.

"S'alright." I muttered, just loud enough for her to hear, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

I had received a letter back from Shari this morning, and the words were ingrained into my brain.

Leo,

What sort of problems?

How bad is it? And tell the truth, I don't want to find out later that you didn't tell me the full of it, because I swear to god Leo, I will hurt you if you do.

Of course they don't understand, they're humans Leo, they aren't like us. That's just the way they are. They either hate us, or accept us perfectly, the way we are, and both are unacceptable.

Humans are prey, a herd of cattle. They bond together for strength, but their relationships are often their downfalls.

You aren't weak Leo, but you certainly aren't all that strong. After all, you can't beat me just yet, and don't you forget it!

It's no trouble Leo.

I cope by, as you've seen, not getting attached. I don't get attached, I don't stop, I keep moving. I leave others for dead, to keep myself alive. That's how I can deal with the blood lust...I don't care, so I don't notice it all that much.

As for why...

I used to be like you, caring about every little thing I came across, wanting to protect people, to save the freaking world, but one day I realised...

A lot of people in this world are monsters, and most aren't creatures of the night Leo.

Truthfully,

Shari

P.S: Judy, I won't tell your father.

P.P.S: He's fine, by the way.

I had felt bad, for a minute, that I hadn't asked about my father, but I had learned, long before now, that he could handle himself. Time and time again, in fact.

"No chess! No chess today!" Sirius crowed, jumping to stand on the table, starting to clap loudly, drawing attention to himself.

Others around the places started to clap as well, either because they agreed, or because it was Sirius, and soon, everyone was clapping in time.

"You may want to run Sirius, Minnie's heading this way." I told him, over the boom of hundreds clapping, and his head snapped around to see Professor McGonagall forcing her way through the crowd over here.

"Uh-oh!" He yelled, and bounded down the table a few feet, scattering dishes, before jumping to the ground and attempting to race away.

"Mr Black!" Minnie shouted, her stern voice cutting through the quietening crowd, but Sirius still ran. "Detention!" She yelled, just as he dashed out of the Great hall.

"Well there's something you don't see every day." Remus remarked, sitting down on Elaine's other side, biting into the apple he had found.

"It's Sirius, we do see it every day." I replied with a grin, and I could feel the others staring at me, but I didn't let it bring me down.

"You seem in a better mood today." Lily commented, trying to phrase it cautiously, I could tell, not to send me off the deep end.

"Maybe it's the cold air, or maybe it's the fact that I didn't sleep last night, but yeah, I'm just a little bit happy." I beamed at her, and they blinked lightly before changing the subject.

"Ookay..." James said, rolling his eyes playfully.

"I still don't see why he has to sit here." Lily said, her tone harsh, and I saw James's smile drop slightly.

"Ah, you love it." She shook her head, groaning in frustration.

"He sits here because he's amusing, most of the time, we're friends with him, you don't think the others so bad, and you get him as part of the package." Elaine reminded her, and Lily frowned, her eyebrows scrunched together in the middle.

"When did I ever say that?" Elaine shrugged, a small, smug smile painted on her lips.

"You talk in your sleep sometimes." Lily looked outraged, and embarrassed, while James look like he was mentally taking notes of the events.

"Does she ever say anything about me?" He poked a finger to his chest proudly, and Elaine smirked at him.

"Sometimes..." Lily looked horrified, and James grinned. "...but only to say you're a toerag. Sorry James." His face fell, and Lily grinned now, snickering quietly, hiding it with a hand.

"She's also a cuddler." I teased, and Lily's cheeks burst into colour, scarlet, that is. James smirked at her, thanking me with his eyes, but I nudged her lightly. "And let's just say, the drool isn't minimal." She glared at me, but I beamed at her so brightly that she simply shook her head, forgetting her anger.

"At least I do sleep!" She said smartly, and I shrugged.

"I see no reason to sleep when there is a whole world out there waiting to be explored." Lily and Elaine raised their eyebrows while the remaining boys nodded.

"That was such a Marauder thing to say." I shrugged, rubbing my shoulder against Elaine's before letting it rest there.

"What can I say, I can't fault their logic." James and Peter high-fived while the girls rolled their eyes.

"That's because it's Moony's logic." Elaine remarked, and I hid a smile while the boys, besides Remus, looked somewhat crestfallen.

"Can't argue with that either."

"Maybe the reason you can't argue with anything is the reason you can't fault their logic." Lily commented rather confusingly, and I raised an eyebrow.

"At least I don't drool in my sleep." She looked shocked that I had brought it up again.

"At least I don't kick people under the table!" She kicked me lightly, or well, hard, but lightly to me, making her point.

"But you just did." I replied, unfazed, and Elaine had to smother her laughter as she watched on, her half-eaten breakfast forgotten long ago.

"I was making a point!" Lily said sharply, and I shrugged, trying to look innocent.

"Well, how was I to know?" I asked quietly, taking a bite of the apple I had placed on my plate at the start of breakfast.

"Um, because you aren't as stupid as James?" James furrowed his eyebrows.

"Hey! And hey, you called me James!" Lily rolled her eyes, looking angry at herself, and at him.

"Potter, you prat, stay out of this." James looked confused, and if I'm honest, a little bit hurt.

"But- you said-" Lily glared at him, and he shut up immediately.

"Relax Princess, stress is slowly killing you." Whether it was the nickname, the familiar phrase, or just the presence of someone who knew her so well, that one sentence calmed Lily down as soon as I said it.

"Thank you, Leo." She said stiffly, not wanting to acknowledge the fact that the others were all now staring at her. "And would you all please stop looking at me?" Or not. The others averted their eyes, but Elaine's remained on her.

"Apple?" I asked her quietly, the voice of peace, holding out an apple slice to her, which she took.

"Thanks." She repeated quietly, nibbling on the apple piece I had handed her, sighing lightly as she did so.

"How'd you sleep?" I asked her, and she shrugged.

"Well enough, I suppose." She smiled lightly, hiding it with her hair as it fell into her face. "How about you Elaine? I didn't hear you come back in after you left." Elaine paused for a second.

"Pretty good, though that couch is awful lumpy. It was warm though. Nice, otherwise." She glanced at me, the corner of her lips twitching up, and I knew she was thanking me again.

"You'd be surprised what a good pillow can do." Lily looked confused, but shrugged it off, figuring we were just being odd again.

"Well, I slept great." James interjected, and Lily rolled her eyes.

"No one cares, Potter."

(A/N): So, what did you think?

Lily can be so mean!

Shari is bitter. Very. Bitter.

Please review and/or check out my other stories!

P.S: Do you guys remember me saying I'm going to fail everything? Well, apparently not. According to my friends, from my teachers, I'm getting an A in English, Drama, Science, and probably Humanities. Strange. Also, maybe Maths.