(A/N): This is the chapter I said before the break didn't necessarily NEED to have Leo in it... half of it was written before the break, then I rewrote and finished it today.

Elaine

After Leo left for Christmas, I dragged the Marauder boys to the Room of Requirement so I could attempt to resolve the blizzard level cold shoulder going on between Sirius and Remus.

"Sit." I told them, and Sirius immediately followed my instructions, while Remus crossed his arms over his chest.

"Elaine-" I cut him off.

"Sit." This time he did as I told him, though he did look a bit put out. "Now, Remus. I understand that you're upset about what Sirius did last full moon-" He rolled his eyes.

"That's an understatement." He muttered, and Sirius shot him an honestly pitiful look.

"As we all have a right to be-" Peter mostly looked like he wanted to be left out of the conversation entirely. "But you need to be willing to sit down and talk it out." Remus scowled, something I don't think I've ever seen him do before.

"Elaine, that isn't-" I cut him off again.

"Are you never going to talk to him again? Are you going to ignore him forever? Answer me, Remus. Are you willing to lose one of your best friends over an, admittedly cataclysmically stupid, mistake?" He sat there for a second, gaping at me like a fish.

"Elaine-" I cocked an eyebrow at him, and he seemed to reconsider whatever he had been about to say. "...no." I put my hands on my hips.

"No? You're going to be the bigger werewolf and realise that we all make mistakes sometimes?" Most of them pertaining to the recent full moon. "And you-" I started, turning back to Sirius, who winced. "You need to work on your responses when someone is antagonizing you. If you had kept your temper, none of this would have happened." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I- yeah. I know. For what its worth, I am sorry, Remus." Remus nodded, tersely, which was a start.

"Whatever, I'll... get there, or something." I grimaced.

"At least you're trying." And I haven't had to break up a physical fight yet, which to be honest was the main reason I had brought James and Peter along to begin with. They weren't exactly a surefire fight stopper like Leo, but maybe they'd at least make Remus think twice about going all wolfy on Sirius. "Honestly, Sirius, I think Remus- while the most wronged part here- is the least of your problems." They both seemed confused by this.

"What- What do you mean?" I hated to remind him, but it needed to be said. And I didn't want to put it on Leo to be the one to say it.

"Not only did you put Remus at risk to harm Snape- which would end up with Remus being thrown out of Hogwarts and not to mention maybe killed-" He winced, shooting Remus an apologetic look, which the other boy skillfully avoided. "Which in turn would get Professor Dumbledore in trouble, not to mention any other staff member who could be proven to know about it- like Madam Pomfrey- you also put each of us, your friends, in danger." I stopped to catch my breath.

"If the ministry found out we knew, we'd be thrown out, and if they knew we were animagi we'd be in Azkaban faster than you could say 'stupefy." He clearly hadn't thought this through, though he had obviously been drowning in the possible consequences of his actions since the full moon. "And worst of all, Leo's probably never going to trust you around Remus again." Even Remus seemed upset about that one.

"You were supposed to be my second in command for the full moon while Leo's gone, but I guess now I'll have to rely on James." Sirius almost hid his surprise, but I was used to working with Leonides 'Brick Wall' Joannis, so I still saw it. He wasn't surprised we were replacing him as second in command, he was surprised he was even up for the job in the first place. James didn't bother to hide his clear shock at the 'promotion'.

"Honestly, James should probably take over my spot, considering how I froze." James looked positively nauseous at the thought, and Remus patted my hand in what was probably meant to be a reassuring manner.

"It wasn't your fault, Elaine. People freeze sometimes-" I shook my head, pulling my hand free of his as I hugged my midsection.

"I can't freeze! Leo relies on me to be there, and if I'm not..." I knew I didn't have to remind any of them of the last time I had lagged behind the two of them, and Leo's subsequent visit to St. Mungo's. "And considering Leo isn't exactly big on self preservation at the minute..." I trailed off, seeing the fresh scars scattered across his midriff in my minds eye.

"His family would smell if he was hurt, right?" It was a point I think we'd all (well, except Lily) been pondering since we'd found out Leo was going home for Christmas. It made sense that James was the one to bring it up.

"The question is whether they'll care." I think we collectively all shot Remus a sharp look at that.

"Of course they'll care! Lisbet called him her 'little boy'!" Remus shrugged, like my point wasn't all that convincing.

"Yes, but they're vampires." We knew that already, what was he getting at? "Maybe they don't see it the same way we do. I mean, they do heal really quickly." Okay, maybe he had somewhat of a point.

"Brooke told us he said he'd be healed by dinner before he fed from her, and you saw them as scars a few days after-" I still felt awful for not realising what they were when I first saw them. "So maybe it's not as big of a deal to them." We all paused to think that through for a second.

"Wait..." All eyes were on Sirius, who immediately looked like he regretted speaking up. "...If he said he'd be healed by dinner without feeding, and then he fed, which speeds up healing... why were wounds still fresh a few days later?"

...

That son of a bitch.

(A/N): Elaine still blames herself for freezing on the full moon.