*~*~*
Life progressed, as it has a tendency to do. September blew out, and October blew in with a premature snowstorm, blanketing the Hogwarts grounds at and absurdly early time, causing a fit from Madame Sprout, who feared for her outdoor plants. October marked the end of several things, one being the safety of Remus's secret.
Lily and Barty were walking through the fourth floor corridor on the west side of the castle when the heard voices coming from the territory they would come upon.
"That doesn't sound like Prefects on patrol." Barty observed, looking around curiously.
"Nooo, not unless they're about ready to get in a fist fight."
Quietly, the snoopy couple peeked around the corner to see a congregation of seventh year boys, the Gryffindor to Slytherin ratio four to one. They came in time to hear Severus Snape hiss "For a common by-blow, you are definitely high and mighty, Potter! Maybe I should find a new name…chance child…mongrel...woods colt?"
There were three lunges at the Slytherin cast simultaneously, but James stood back.
Lily saw that Barty opened his mouth to intervene, but she stopped him.
"Are you just going to let them break school rules and get into a fight?"
"Yes. I'm a firm believer in one turn deserves another. Nobody should talk like he did without expecting the consequences. He disregarded human feelings."
"You just have a soft spot for that particular by-blow." Barty said with a teasing smile on his face.
"Don't say that!" She shoved him jokingly as they departed from the scene of a pummeling.
*~*~*
"I think I dropped my wand back there." Sirius said, turning from his friends.
"Sirius..." James said warningly, knowing that his friend hadn't dropped his wand.
"Relax, Prongs. Are you going to the library?"
"I guess."
"I'll meet you there. You and Lily there."
"Moron."
"I know." Sirius grinned and jogged down the corridor the way they had come. After a little consultation with the Marauder's Map he had successfully swiped from his unaware counterpart, he soon found Severus Snape walking slowly down the halls. Careful not to be seen, he took an ulterior route, scribbled a hasty note, and dropped it in the path of Snape.
Severus walked down the intended path, as Sirius had planned, and picked up the crumpled note, also as Sirius had planned.
Wormtail, don't forget to meet me at the Willow tomorrow night at sundown. –Padfoot P.S. Prongs can't come, he's meeting her in the library again.
Snape grinned, knowing which set of people used those particular nicknames.
Sirius grinned, knowing he would get revenge for his friend.
"Are you sure you don't want to come tonight, Prongs?" Peter asked James for about the fifteen time.
"No, Wormtail, nothing's changed since five minutes ago."
"Back off, Pete, James wants to visit our resident redhead at the library again." Sirius said, nudging James and Peter as they made their way to the first floor.
"No, I don't. She is the last person I want to see. She can’t keep a secret for the life of her! Look what happened to me; the whole school knows that I am looking for my dad now."
"Actually, only the Marauders and her, but if you want to think that, we'll let you."
"You are such a pain."
"I know."
"Are you coming to Quidditch practice with us?" James asked, tightening his shin guard as he tried to walk, miraculously not falling until Sirius gave him a push. "I officially revoke that invitation."
"I officially decline the revoked invite. I have some last minute stuff to do before we go tonight."
*~*~*
"Is the humming necessary? We have three months until Christmas?"
"Only seventy days." Lily corrected, and resumed her humming of 'Winter Wonderland' as she scanned articles.
"You are ridiculous."
"But I'm happy, which is more than I can say for certain other parties occupying this table."
"Are you saying I'm not happy?"
"Is anyone else sitting here?" Lily looked up as if she were searching for missing people. She got up and walked to the window to look at the stars and the glowing moon. "I think we have werewolves other than Remus."
"Why?" James asked, snapping to the window, hoping Lily hadn't spotted Sirius or Peter going to the Whomping Willow to accompany Remus in his transformations in their dog and rat animagus forms, perfected a couple years ago, effectively blocking her view.
"Hey!"
"I'm just trying to get a good look. Can you tell who it us?"
"Sure. It's Snape."
"What?"
"Severus Snape."
"I know him." James opened the window and leaned out for a better look. "Blessed Hell! It is Snape! What is that blockhead doing?"
"Going for a moonlit stroll?"
"This is not funny."
"I figured you would think it was."
"Not hardly." James spun around and started sprinting to the library exit, Lily chasing him.
"Are you going to get Dumbledore?"
James didn't answer, only picked up his pace. When he reached the doors to the castle, he purposely prevented her from exiting also. "I need to go alone."
"It would be safer if two went."
"No, it wouldn't. Stay here, Lily."
"But-"
"You can follow in ten minutes, not a second before."
"I-"
"Have no choice. Stay here."
"Can I get Dumbledore?"
"If you walk, don't run. I need ten minutes."
"James, I really don't think that's wise."
"It is, trust me."
Lily chewed on her lip for a few seconds. "Okay. Ten minutes."
"Thank you." James rushed out the door, into the blackness of the Hogwarts grounds.
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