Expect the Unexpected

Chapter 1- Explanations and Beginnings

Expected the unexpected.

That's one of Ryan's favorite phrases. She should know, with her family. But that's beside the point.

Expect the unexpected.

That phrase reminds me of James Potter during this last year, our seventh year and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Every time I thought I had him figured out, he'd do something to completely mess up any ideas I had about him.

What a way to start out my story. With a name like that. If Alice or Morgan or Ryan ever found out I wrote that, well, I bet you can guess. Well, unless… Unless you don't know who we are. In which case you would be wondering `Who is this boy that this girl is rambling about?'

Allow me to explain. For those of you who know James Potter, better known as Potter until this year (as far as I was concerned), bear with me for a minute. For those of you who don't, for one thing, where have you been for the last seventeen years? I'm warning you now; I may not be the best person to tell you about him. We never really got along until this year, and that's only because we were forced together. Well, I say that now, but… Never mind.

Up until this year, Potter was just an arrogant, bigheaded prat (and that was nicely coming from me) who liked to entertain himself by asking me out. James and I always had sort of a love/hate relationship. More hate than love on my part.

Common known fact- James Potter has a crush on me. Yes, James Potter, Hogwarts second most eligible bachelor fancies ME. Until this year, I thought he only asked me out to get on my nerves and because I was one of only three girls in our year (one being one of his best friends, the other being completely hung up on Frank Longbottom) that hadn't gone out with him. And the only girl that point blank refused - repeatedly - to go out with him, as well.

Of course, by now you're probably wondering who I am (or maybe you've already figured it out). Lily Anne Evans, seventh year Gryffindor and (as I said) the only girl in the history of Hogwarts to turn down James Potter. Repeatedly. You can hate me if you want, but it sure never kept him from dating. At least not until… Right, on with the story.

To understand fully why I hate Potter- or used to at least- you would have to know more of the story than I feel like (and have the time to be) telling. Potter and his three friends call themselves the Marauders. James Potter, known to his friends as Prongs and the leader of their little group. Sirius Black, Hogwarts' most eligible bachelor and second in command, also called Padfoot. Remus Lupin, the only male Marauder worth talking to and the other prefect in our year, but known to his friends as Moony. And then there's Peter Pettigrew, called Wormtail, the most nervous person I've ever seen in my whole life. And lastly there's Ryan, who doesn't have a nickname (besides Rye and Wheat and occasionally Fireball-- the stupid things Black comes up with) and therefore isn't technically a Marauder in the eyes of many. Which is, honestly, understandable. Sure, she hangs around them more than anyone else outside their group, but…

Ryan actually gets along with all of them. Not just Remus, like Alice and Morgan and I do, but all of them. She plays Quidditch too, which could have something to do with it. In fact, she's the only Lady Marauder (according to the boys, but a lot of people don't consider her a Marauder because she didn't come in until much later; our fifth year, to be exact). And the first girl Sirius Black ever kissed, but that's her story. I used to never be able to understand how she does it, how she manages to get along with all of them, but, then again, she said she's known them most of her life. Three out of the four of them at least.

By now you're either extremely confused or extremely frustrated. There's always that chance that, by now, you're both. So I'll let you get on with the story. Our story. The story of eight seventh year Gryffindors in a time when no one was safe.

-Lily Anne Evans

~*~*~*~*~

Lily Evans sat in the Head compartment, flipping through a book. She wasn't really taking anything in though. Her mind was on other things. Such as who her partner was and where he could possibly be.

Not that it matters, she told herself. He's not going to ruin this for me.

She glanced at her watch. Only twenty more minutes until they had to meet the prefects, and the Head Boy (whoever the hell he was) still hadn't shown up.

“Still no sign of him?” Alice Carter, one of Lily's best friends, asked, coming into the compartment and sitting across from her.

Lily shook her head. She sighed and put her book away. “I still don't know who it is either.” Alice smirked. “What?”

“I'm just thinking about what would happen if Snape was the Head Boy,” she said, grinning.

Lily shuddered. Severus Snape was the seventh year Slytherin prefect. He was in a serious need of a hair washing, to put it nicely. “Don't even joke about that.”

Alice grinned even more, ignoring her. “Or what if it was Potter?”

“I'd die,” Lily said simply.

“I'm sorry to hear that,” a casual voice said from the doorway of the compartment.

Lily looked up and had to bite back a groan. James Potter stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with an amused look on his face. “Potter.”

“Lily Evans, what a pleasant surprise,” he said, smiling slightly.

“I'll see you later, Lily,” Alice said, standing up and walking over to the doorway. “Come to our compartment when you're finished, alright?” Lily nodded and Alice brushed past James and out of the compartment.

“Looks like she's in a hurry to get somewhere,” James said lightly.

“What are you doing here?” Lily demanded.

He grinned and pointed to the badge on his chest. It was of the Hogwarts' crest with the letters HS in the middle. Lily had to hold back another groan. There was no mistaking the badge. Hers was still in her pocket.

“Didn't you know?” James asked, his smile fading slightly. “I got a note telling me who the Head Girl was.”

Lily's had gotten a note too, but in her excitement, she had lost it before finding out who her partner was. But she wasn't about to tell him that.

“I mean,” James continued when she didn't say anything, “we are going to be partners.”

Lily was still trying to process the information. Dumbledore actually expected her to work with James Potter? Ha, as if. Never in a million years. Did he not know that she and Potter didn't get along? Or was this some kind of experiment to see which one of them cracked first?

“How did you get it?” she asked after a few seconds.

James shrugged. “Makes you wonder if he's finally lost it, doesn't it?”

Lily almost nodded, but stopped herself. Instead, she moved onto another subject. “We need to get ready for the prefect meeting.”

James nodded. “Right,” he agreed. He was agreeing with her? He never agreed with her. The two of them never agreed on anything. “We only have ten minutes to get ready for the meeting, but we have a whole year to figure out how we're going to work together.” And he definitely was never serious. Lily raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

He noticed her look and said calmly, “Believe it or not, Lily, this is important to me.” Wait a minute, did he just…? He did. He called her Lily. Not Lily Evans, not Evans, not my-dear-sweet-Lily-flower or any of those other stupid names. Just Lily. When was the last time he had called her Lily? She was pretty sure it had to be at least second year, if not longer. “So all we do is introduce ourselves and all that other stuff right?”

Ah, there's the Potter we all know and love, Lily thought sarcastically.

“Basically,” she replied calmly, standing up. “You do know where the prefects' compartment is, don't you?”

He snorted. “Everyone knows where the prefect compartments are. Besides,” he added with an extremely cocky grin that Lily knew only too well, “the prefects' compartment and the Head compartment are the only two Marauder proof compartments.” Lily rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to strangle him. “Ladies first, of course,” he said, bowing.

She rolled her eyes again, but brushed past him and led the way down the corridor to the prefect's compartment. Only about half the prefects were already there, including Remus Lupin.

“Congratulations, Lily,” he said when he saw her.

“Thank you, Remus,” she said. Remus was the only Marauder Lily chose to call by his first name. Well, male Marauder. Sometimes she would call Peter or Sirius by their given names, but never James. Maybe it was because she was usually so mad at him, she didn't want to bother to call him his first name.

Lily turned to face James. “We should give them about five more minutes before we start.” He just nodded. By the time they were ready to start, all the prefects had arrived.

“Can I have your attention please?” Lily called. Everyone except for the Slytherins stopped talking. Not that that surprised her, but it would've been nice if they listened just once.

“OY, you lot,” James said loudly. “Shut up.” Lily had to admit, that worked pretty well. At least they were quiet.

“Thank you. I'm Lily Evans, the Head Girl, and this is James Potter.” A few of the girls giggled and Lily resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “On behalf of Hogwarts, we would like to congratulate you on becoming a prefect. Today we are just going to cover the basics, and there will be another meeting later on this week.”

“You will have to patrol the corridors every so often to make sure no one's getting into any trouble,” James said. “After the feast, the fifth years will lead the new first years in your house up to your common room. We have the passwords, make sure you get them before you leave.”

Lily had to resist the urge to stare at him in shock. “Sixth years will follow the first years to make sure none of them get lost,” she continued, half amazed that James was actually helping, half wanting to make sure she didn't look like an idiot. “Seventh years will be patrolling tonight, mainly on the first floor and the corridors where your common rooms are.”

“That's all, I think, any questions?” James asked. Nobody moved. “Okay, you can leave. Just make sure you get your passwords before you go and patrol the corridors every so often to make sure no one's causing any trouble.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Guess who the Head Boy is,” Alice said, walking into the compartment where her friend, Morgan Watson was sitting.

“Digs,” Morgan said distractedly, flipping through Witch Weekly.

“Nope,” Alice said, sitting across from her. “Guess again.”

“Mathew Davies.”

“No.”

“Remus Lupin.”

“Nu-uh. Getting closer, though.”

Morgan's head snapped up. “No.”

“Yes,” Alice replied.

“Oh, Lily's going to have a fit,” Morgan said, smirking slightly.

“Why's Lily going to have a fit?” Ryan Miller asked, coming in and plopping into the seat next to Alice.

“James Potter is Head Boy,” Alice said.

“Oh.” Ryan nodded. “Yeah, I knew that ages ago.” She grinned. “Spent most of the summer making fun of him over it too.”

Morgan rolled her eyes. “Yes, I'm sure you did. Lucky girl.”

“`Because you spent the summer with four of the sexiest men alive,'” Ryan mocked, grinning. “Yeah, yeah. Sexiest. Psh. Sexy my arse.”

“You wouldn't be talking about me, would you?” a voice came from the doorway. They turned to see Sirius Black leaning against the doorframe.

“Oh, no, Oh-Great-And-Sexy-One,” Ryan said, half grinning, half smirking. “We would never call you unsexy.”

“Is that even a word?” Morgan asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

Ryan shrugged. “It is now.”

“A word created when talking about me, no less,” Sirius said, trying to sound offended.

“You should feel honored,” Ryan said, smirking at him. “I created a new word just for you, Sirius. Now, do us a favor and go away.”

“Rye, I'm offended,” Sirius said, putting a hand over his heart. “First you call me unsexy, and then you tell me to go away. What kind of friend does that?”

“Hmm, let me think,” Ryan said, pretending to be thoughtful. “I'd say… this kind. Come on, Sirius, I spent the whole bloody summer with you, can't I talk to my other friends for a few minutes in peace?”

“I s'pose,” he said, sighing dramatically. “Just because you like them better-“ Ryan didn't give him a chance to finish as she jumped up, pushed him out of the compartment, and slammed the door.

“You gotta love him,” she said, sitting back down and shaking her head, still grinning. “So, how was your summer?”

“Less exciting than yours, I'd bet,” Morgan said.

“Oh, yeah, I'm sure,” Ryan said, rolling her blue eyes. “Spending your whole summer either being yelled at by your Quidditch captain or being asked by your Quidditch captain what he should do about Lily Evans or being chased by an insane and previously unknown species just has to better than staying at home, with normal, sane people.”

“Being chased by an insane and previously unknown species?” Alice asked.

“Yeah, Peter had a bit of an accident when he was trying to transfigure a lizard,” Ryan said, smiling slightly (there was hardly ever a time when she wasn't grinning).

“Bet that was interesting.”

“You better believe it.”

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Chapter 2- Crushes and Cliffs

Hi, official Lady Marauder here. The only Lady Marauder. Or Ryan, as most people call me. The whole official Lady Marauder thing is just with the guys. They call me Fireball sometimes too, but that's something else in itself (it's mostly Sirius anyway, but we all know that he's a complete nut). I also hold the lovely title of being the first girl Sirius Black ever kissed. Not so nice a title as Lady Marauder, but still.

The story behind that, you're wondering? I think we were seven when Sirius decided girls didn't have cooties anymore. I just happened to be the first girl he saw. One of the disadvantages of growing up next to the Potters. The main disadvantage. (There are advantages too, though, like getting to know Remus Lupin.) Anyway, it was just on the cheek, and I ended up running away screaming and wouldn't talk to him for a few hours, but it's a fun memory all the same. James likes to bring it up around Sirius' more idiotic and ditzy admirers to get rid of them.

“Did you know he's kissed Ryan Miller?”

Makes for some pretty nasty rumors, but I don't mind. It's not like I would actually want to go out with him or anything. He hasn't kissed me since, for which I'm extremely thankful.

I have some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Three are perfectly normal and sane and everything, four are wacky and crazy and I sometimes wonder if they hit their head really, really hard while I was gone (or before I even left). Well, four sane, three crazy. I don't usually worry about Remus' sanity. Usually.

From the first time we moved until Hogwarts, I never really had any really good friends. Some of them were all right, but most of them just… Yeah, well, you know what I mean. We were always moving, and with my powers, well, they didn't exactly make me popular. Well, it did, but for the wrong reasons. You know what I mean.

My dad's a traveling auror, so we've been all over. He just goes wherever he's needed. We started moving when I was eight, right after my mom died. I blame him for my weird accent that isn't totally British, but isn't really anything else either. So far, we've lived in Italy, Greece, Russia, Brazil, France, and the United States. Not in that order, but we've lived all those places. The United States was the second best, but maybe that was because I actually understood what they were saying. Most of the time anyway. Or maybe it's because of family history.

You see, my mom (mum, madre, whatever word you want to use) was born in the United States. She moved to Britain when she was fifteen, the same age I was when we finally moved back. She and James' mum (hey, I'm bilingual… or octa-lingual or something—I can use whatever word I want!) became best friends almost immediately (I have to wonder if they started out being friends like me and Lily started being friends… Cough, cough). I can remember our moms joking about how James and I would get married one day. Yeah, the crazy things mothers come up with (and for the record, I have never liked James like that). My dad didn't go to Hogwarts, he went to a small private school in the middle of downtown London or something. How they met is beyond me, but the point is that my mom was, technically, an American citizen. Which might have something to do with why I loved the U.S. so much.

If it weren't for my little brother, Daniel (we call him Dan or Danny, Daniel's too grown up for him), I probably would've just come to Hogwarts anyway. I could've lived with the Potters and gone to Hogwarts and not worried about it. But I wanted to be at least a little closer to my brother (he's ten; he'll start next fall). We're really close. Probably because of how close we aren't to our dad.

I think, out of the seven of them, I'm probably closest to James, Lily, and Remus. James because I saw him at least once a year every year since we started moving. It was a compromise my dad and I made: he could choose my school as long as we visited the Potters at least once a year. It was usually at Christmas since both my dad and James' parents had Christmas off. Or at least they used to, before things started getting bad.

Lily… Lily is almost exactly like James. Well, not exactly, but pretty close. When I met her at first, she seemed kind of conceited (she was a cert, I can't really blame her that much), she's extremely stubborn, she's incredibly loyal, and she talks about James way too much. James seems conceited until you get to know him, he's stubborn, he's loyal, and he talks about Lily way too much. See my point?

And Remus? Remus just keeps me from going insane most of the time.

-Ryan Miller, Lady Marauder

~*~*~*~*~

“How'd it go?” Alice asked a little hesitantly.

“It was…” Lily trailed off, searching for the right word. “Better than I thought it would be.”

“He really is taking it seriously, you know,” Ryan said.

“Yes, I know,” Lily said, sitting down. “He made that clear as soon as we started the meeting with the prefects.”

Ryan laughed slightly. “You don't know how many times he practiced that speech. He wanted to make sure he showed everyone he really was going to take it seriously.”

It was true. He had driven her and Remus up the wall the whole summer, asking how he could prove to Lily he really liked her, and not just how she looked. Ryan had suggested he stop being such a conceited prick around her. Remus had suggested he start calling her Lily. She had agreed with Remus' idea, but had to add that James needed to listen to her idea too if he wanted to get anywhere.

When James got the badge, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. If he could pull off the whole Head Boy thing, Lily would have to take notice. Especially since she was probably Head Girl. So all he had to do (besides calling her by her first name) was get everyone to respect him because he was the Head Boy and prove that it really was important and that he could take thing seriously. Well, things besides Quidditch.

“Yes, the poor dear had to spend her whole summer with the Marauders,” Morgan said, trying to look sympathetic. Morgan was the most girly and flirty of the bunch. She wasn't to the point of having a track record as long as Sirius Black (“I can't find the right girl,” his motto was, “so I'll just have fun with the wrong ones.”), but she'd had her fair share of boyfriends.

“As apposed to some of us, who spent the summer with her boyfriend,” Lily teased. Lily was the bookworm, simply put.

Alice blushed. “He's in auror training. I had to see him while I had the chance.” Alice was usually the reasonable one, but all her reason usually went out the window when Frank Longbottom was around. Frank had graduated the year before, and luckily had finally asked Alice out before the end of the year.

“I'm sure that's the only reason,” Morgan said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “So how was your summer, Lily?”

“It could have been worse,” Lily said slowly. They all knew that Lily's sister hated her because she was different. Summer usually wasn't Lily's favorite time of the year. “What about you, Ryan?”

“It was… an experience,” Ryan said. Ryan had moved to Hogwarts when they were in the fifth year, only knowing three of the four Marauders. She was Seeker for the Quidditch team and tended to bounce back and forth between the girls and the Marauders, which was dangerous considering she was good friends with both Lily and James. Very few people were brave enough— or stupid enough— to try that.

“I can imagine,” Lily said. “I still don't understand how you do it.”

“You will soon,” Ryan muttered, but no one heard her.

~*~*~*~*~

“Guess what she did.”

James gave Sirius a questioning look as he walked into the compartment. “Who?”

“Wheat!” Sirius exclaimed. “Guess what she did.”

“Did she kick you out of the compartment, by any chance?” Remus asked, walking in behind James.

“Yeah,” Sirius said. “Can you believe it?”

“Yes,” James and Remus said at the same time.

“I told you, Padfoot,” Peter said.

“You know how she is,” James said, throwing himself onto the seat. “There's only one person out of the four of us she wouldn't kick out of the compartment, and that's only because he- how did she put it?- won't cause problems.”

Remus smiled slightly, but didn't say anything. “I think she just likes him better,” Sirius said, grinning. James and Peter snickered.

“Starting a little early this year, aren't we, Padfoot?” Remus said dryly, pulling out a book. The other three exchanged grins.

It was common knowledge with the Marauders that Remus had a crush on Ryan. Well, the male Marauders. He had since they were eight; he just refused to admit it. And James was pretty sure that Ryan liked Remus (not that he could be talking with his record with Lily). It was just a matter of the two of them admitting it to themselves.

“How was the meeting?” Peter asked.

“It was alright,” James said slowly. “I think I'm making progress.”

“I would've paid to see the look on Evans' face when she found out you got the badge,” Sirius said, smirking.

“I bet she would've paid to see the look on your face when you found out, Sirius,” Ryan said calmly from the doorway of the compartment, crossing her arms and grinning.

“I don't think she would have,” Peter said.

Ryan rolled her eyes. “I was kidding, Peter. It's called sarcasm.”

Peter and Ryan never really got along. Peter thought Ryan was trying to take his place and resented her for it. Ryan just didn't trust him. Usually, when Ryan told you she didn't trust someone, it was a good idea to listen to her. Her powers came in handy for that. But James didn't care what she said this time. He would trust all the Marauders with his life.

“Let me get this straight,” Sirius said. “You kicked me out, and then you came in here?”

Ryan grinned. “I didn't come to talk to you. I came because James wanted me to. And I thought that the sane one could use a little relief.”

“The sane one thanks you,” Remus said, smiling slightly. James and Sirius exchanged looks and had to stifle snickers all over again.

“Did she say anything?” James asked.

Ryan hesitated a little. “She said she could tell you were taking this seriously.”

“That's all?”

“It's progress, James. You can take it or leave it. At least she didn't say anything bad about you.”

“That could even be considered a compliment by Evans standards,” Sirius said.

Ryan nodded. “Towards you anyways.”

“So are we going out tonight or not?” Sirius asked, never being able to stay on one subject very long.

“Doesn't matter to me,” Ryan said, stepping all the way into the compartment and closing the door behind her. “I just have to get past Morgan and Alice because Lily'll be patrolling.”

“Meaning I do too,” James grumbled.

“You don't have to-“ Remus started.

“We want to, Rem,” Ryan said, smiling at how worried he was. “It'd be a waste of research if we didn't.”

“A waste of research?” James asked. He snorted. “Like you did most of it.”

“I helped,” Ryan said, trying to sound offended, but her smile gave her away.

Ryan had seemed to fit right in with the Marauders as soon as she came, but there was a lot she had missed out on. Even though she helped a little with the research on how they could help Remus, they had already done a lot by the time she came. They had even figured out that the only way they could really help was to become animagi, they just had to figure out how. Then after they figured it out and put the finishing touches on the map, Ryan wouldn't let them put her name on it. She felt like they had done most of the work to make it without her, so she shouldn't get the credit.

“I mean it you guys,” Remus said seriously. “You don't have to do it.”

“But we already have,” Sirius said. “Been there, done that. Besides, this is our last year. We have to make it a good one.” He threw a wink at Remus that made him blush and that, luckily, Ryan missed.

“All for making this year the best ever say aye,” James said.

“Aye!”

“So there's your answer. I'll just have sneak past Lily somehow. I might be a little late.”

“Me too,” Ryan said. “Alice and Morgan might not let me out, especially since Lily's not there. I'll get there when I can get there, I s'pose.” She mock bowed. “And now I must be leaving you all. As much as I enjoy your company, I must get back to sane people.”

“Sane people?” Sirius asked. “But, Wheat, sane people are boring.”

Ryan laughed. “I could use a little boring. I'm still afraid I might be attacked by a demented lizard.”

Peter scowled as the other three laughed.

“Oh, come on, Pete,” James said, patting him on the back after Ryan left. “She was just kidding.”

Peter muttered something that the rest didn't hear. The other three exchanged a look before shrugging. Sure, Peter and Ryan argued all the time, but they would still help each other out. They still trusted each other. They wouldn't betray each other.

But sometimes a person can only be pushed so far…

…before they are pushed over the edge.

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Chapter 3- Friends and Hope

I have some of the best mates you could ask for. All four of them risked Azkaban. For me, no less.

How did we meet? Everyone seems to wonder that. How did the infamous Marauders meet. We didn't all meet at the same time. James and Sirius met first, and Peter joined us last. I met James and Sirius on `Bring Your Child to Work' Day at the ministry, where all three of our dads were working at the time. I think we were five. Sirius and James had become friends the year before almost immediately after they met, but they had only gotten to talk a time or two in the past year.

Sirius is a Black and James is a Potter, which is why it was so difficult for them to talk to each other. In most cases, the Blacks and the Potters are avowed enemies. But not this time. Mr. Potter was a lot more open to the two of them being friends than Mr. Black was. Sirius' father would rather that Sirius became friends with Lucius Malfoy than with James Potter. And myself, of course (the lousy half breed, half-blood that I am). I think that's part of the reason why Sirius became such good friends with James; his father hated James, and Sirius hated his father.

I met them while they were hiding from Sirius' father. “Siri's daddy doesn't like me very much,” James had told me. So, because I helped them hide, all three of us became best friends. Strange how things work out sometimes.

Sirius and I visited James a lot over the next six years. I didn't know until later how Sirius ever managed to convince his parents to let him visit James. Sirius would have his cousin Andromeda, who lived down the street from James and was about seven years older than us, sneak him out and over to James's. I always knew I liked that girl.

Ryan was James' neighbor at the time. She just seemed to appear out of nowhere one day. “Jimmy, my mummy and your mummy said you have to play with me even if you have other friends over!” James had complained that she was just a stupid girl with cooties, what did she know? Ryan kicked him hard in the shins. “I know that hurts!” she told him as he yelled out. “And girls aren't the ones with cooties! Stop being such a meanie because you don't want them—“ She gave Sirius and me the coldest glare her six-year-old self could muster. The one and only time Ryan Miller's glare has been directed at me personally. “—to know that you play with a girl. I'm better at flying than you are anyway!”

Needless to say, as embarrassed as James was to have a friend that was a girl, Ryan joined our group. The four musketeers. The Marauders, as Mr. Potter called us. I didn't mind having her around, to be honest (Padfoot'll tell you it's because I fancied her; don't believe a word he says). She was just as tough as any of us, and made sure we knew it too. We always gave her the dirtiest jobs—like telling her she had to get the ball Sirius had “accidentally” kicked under the porch after it rained—but she never complained. She was smiling almost all the time. She would climb under the porch, make sure the ball was muddy before she came back out, and then give it to Sirius (“Here you go, Siri!”).

When Rye's little brother Daniel was born, we all decided to adopt him as our little brother. We were eight by then and knew enough to pull pretty harmless pranks, but we were determined to Danny everything we knew as soon as he got old enough.

We were also old enough to realize that Mrs. Miller wasn't doing so well. She didn't come over as often to help Mrs. Potter watch us, and when she did, she never played with us like she used to. And happy, go-lucky Ryan was moody a lot. When we asked Mrs. Potter about it, she just said that Ryan was worried about her mum and that Mrs. Miller would be fine. Sadly, she was wrong.

The day of Mrs. Miller's funeral was the first time I ever saw Ryan in a dress. And the first and only time I've ever seen her cry. Pretty soon after that, the Millers moved away, taking our little brother and our best friend away for what felt like forever. Over the next six years, James was the only one to stay in contact with Ryan. I think it was an agreement that Ryan and her father made.

I think that's part of the reason we became Peter's friend. We needed someone to fill that hole that was there after Rye left. He was fine, but he didn't completely fill the gap. There still seemed to be something missing to me, but I'm not sure the others ever noticed it.

Then, in fifth year, in the `miracle of `75' as James calls it, Rye came back. I almost didn't recognize her. Okay, I didn't recognize her. If you walked up to two of your best friends one day, and they were talking to a pretty girl you had never seen before (at least you didn't think so), you wouldn't think it was your long-lost fourth member either. But as soon as I asked who she was, and Sirius answered with a very loud “Wheat's back!”, I knew. And from there, as they say, it was history.

Ryan, being forced to be the messenger since she was, quote, `a girl' (some things never really change, as she had said), didn't exactly get along with Lily at first. I think she got along with Alice the best in the beginning, but eventually somehow she and Lily became friends. Now she and Lily are probably closer than Peter and me. Strange how those things work out sometimes.

Ryan is probably the bravest person I know. Not just because she's friends with Lily and James either. She's moved all over the world, and she still manages to smile all the time. I've only seen her mad once, and that was at James (that's a whole other story in itself; ask Prongs about it sometime). And she usually smiles unless she's talking to her dad.

She also has some powers. According to her, they are called the Power of the Phoenix. But that's her story to tell you.

-Remus Lupin

~*~*~*~*~

“I wouldn't want to be crossing the lake in this weather,” Ryan said, looking up at the sky and pulling her cloak tighter around her as she jumped off the train. She looked over and saw Remus get into a carriage with Madame Pomphrey. “We might not need to do it tonight.”

“Do what tonight?” Morgan asked.

“Uh… Nothing,” Ryan said quickly. “We'd better hurry up and get a carriage before we end up having to ride up with Greasy.”

“Ryan,” Alice said, trying to sound disapproving.

“Well, would you rather me call him Snivelly? Because I can if you really want me to.” Ryan started walking backwards, a pretty stupid and dangerous thing to do in a station full of people, especially when it's the first day back to school, it looks like it's about to rain, it's extremely windy, and kind of cold.

Alice watched Ryan weave her way through people without having to look where she was going. Alice shook her head before answering. “It would be best if you called him Snape, like normal people do.”

“Normal people are boring,” Ryan whined, making Morgan laugh.

“This coming from you of all people,” Morgan said.

Ryan shrugged. “They were normal at one point. At least I think so.” She frowned thoughtfully. “Or maybe I didn't used to be normal.”

“That's not what I meant, and you know it.”

Ryan turned back around, choosing to ignore the comment. Morgan and Alice exchanged a look as Ryan hopped up into a carriage. Ryan usually avoided talking about her powers if she had a choice. It wasn't that she had something against them exactly (or so she claimed), she just didn't want to talk about them because of what they stood for. Alice and Morgan still weren't exactly sure what it was that her powers stood for, but they knew it wasn't the best of ideas to ask her straight out.

“Lily'll catch up with us later, right?” Ryan asked after they closed the door to the carriage. The carriage jerked and started moving up the drive towards the school.

“That's what she said,” Morgan answered. “Be prepared for her to be in a bad mood though.”

“Why?”

“The Head Boy and Girl have to ride up to school together.”

Ryan winced in sympathy for both of her friends. “Ouch.”

“Ouch is right,” Morgan agreed. “So, just to warn you, she might be in a ranting mood.”

“Lily? In a ranting mood? After spending time alone with James?” Ryan asked, pretending to be shocked (but still with a slight grin on her face). “You have to be kidding me. Why would Lily be in a ranting mood-“

“All right, Ryan,” Alice said, cutting her off. “We understand.”

“Ah, but you only have to hear one side of it,” Ryan said. ”And it's the non-desperate side of it too. And if you want my opinion, I think that little Miss Evans better watch herself this year.”

“Why?” Morgan asked.

Ryan smirked. “To quote James, she might `fall for the Potter charm.'”

“Do you honestly think Lily Evans and James Potter could ever possibly get together?” Alice asked.

“Not right now,” Ryan said with an easy shrug, “but I do know if they don't start getting along, this school will fall apart. And, contrary to popular belief, both of them care too much for this school to let it fall apart. And I also know that you should always expect to unexpected. Especially when it comes to two people as stubborn as James Potter and Lily Evans.”

Morgan often times wondered if Ryan really knew more than she let on.

~*~*~*~*~

Silence. It was safer and easier than trying to talk to him. Although, Lily knew, she would have to talk to him eventually if she planned to get anything done. She couldn't avoid him forever. And he had seemed better earlier, like he had finally decided to grow up.

James Potter, grow up? We'll see how long that lasts, she thought wryly.

James cleared his throat, making her look over at him. “Er… Have a nice summer?” he asked.

Lily shrugged. “It was alright. What about you?” As much as she hated polite conversation, it was better than silence. Even when she had to have polite conversation with Potter.

“Pretty good.” She expected him to talk about some near death experience or some great prank he came up with, but she was a little surprised when he left it at that.

They lapsed back into silence. A sudden thought occurred to Lily as the carriage started slowing down. “Do you realize this is the longest we have ever gone without fighting?”

“That could have something to do with the fact we only said about five words to each other,” James said, He shrugged. “But, hey, I'm not complaining.” The carriage stopped and they jumped out. James watched Lily run up towards the castle and added quietly to himself, “Maybe there is hope for me still.”

~*~*~*~*~

Lily slid into the seat next to Alice. “Not a word,” Morgan said slightly threateningly.

“I don't have anything to complain about,” Lily said honestly.

“That's because A, James has grown up a little, with my help,” Ryan said, grinning. “And B, because you only said, what, five words to each other?”

“James said it was closer to twenty,” Sirius said, sitting beside Ryan.

“He counted?” Ryan asked.

Sirius shrugged. “Probably.” He leaned over and whispered, “If this clears up, meet me and Pete by the statue of Cassandra the Calm at midnight.” Ryan nodded. He stood back up. “Nice talking to you lovely ladies,” he said, bowing before going over and sitting with James and Peter.

“What did he want?” Morgan asked.

Ryan shrugged. “Prank stuff. You know, the usual.”

“Where's Remus?” Lily asked, looking down the table. “He's not sitting with them.”

“He… uh… He wasn't feeling well,” Ryan said. “He went to the hospital wing.”

“He gets sick a lot,” Alice said.

“His family does too,” Morgan said. “He was out at least five time last year.”

“Do you know anyone that's getting sorted?” Ryan asked quickly, trying to change the subject. They didn't get a chance to answer as the doors opened and a long line of first years walked in, led by Professor McGongall.

Everyone turned to look at the sorting hat that sat on a stool in front of the staff table. The brim opened and the hat began.

“Though I may look old and drawn

All you need to do is put me on…”

Ryan didn't bother to listen to the rest of it. James and her father had told her about the sorting, and she had seen it twice already. Nothing ever changed anyway. The hat sang a new song, of course, but after you hear a sorting song or two, they all sound the same.

No, she was trying to figure out whether or not they would need to go out to help Remus that night. She closed her eyes and tried to close the sorting hat out of her mind. After a couple of seconds, she heard a distant howl.

Well, that's clear enough.

She reopened her eyes in time to join in the clapping for the sorting hat. During the actual sorting, she managed to get James' attention and let him know that, more than likely, the clouds would clear up enough for Remus to transform. It was better that way anyway; at least if it cleared up Remus wouldn't have to be by himself in that house the whole night.

“Ryan!”

Ryan turned to look at the other three. “What?”

“You weren't listening to a word I said, were you?” Morgan asked.

“'Course I was,” Ryan said easily, noticing that the food had appeared on the table and starting to put some on her plate. “You were talking about how I couldn't go out tonight because Lily won't be there and we have to have our `Back to School Celebration' with as many of us as possible. I heard you.” Lily gave her a look that said she obviously didn't believe it. Ryan grinned. “I got the gist anyway.”

“So you don't have any pranks planned for tonight, right?” Morgan asked.

“No pranks,” Ryan said slowly.

“But?” Alice asked.

“But… I might have to leave around midnight.” The other three groaned.

“If it's not a prank, what is it?” Morgan asked.

Ryan paused, thinking. She shrugged. “The guys want to have a back to school celebration of their own.”

“That sounds fair enough,” Alice said reasonably. Ryan could have hugged her.

“But why does it have to be tonight?” Morgan asked. “They've never wanted to do anything before.”

“It's never been our last year before either,” Ryan said pointedly. “Lily, stop giving me that look!”

“What look?” Lily asked innocently. Ryan rolled her eyes. She could lie to just about anyone (powers can come in handy sometimes) except for Lily, James, and Remus. James knew her too well to not know when she was lying, Remus was naturally sensitive to those kind of things, and Lily… Lily just knew, as Ryan would put it.

“You know what I mean,” Ryan said, grinning. “The one that says, `I know what you're saying is a complete load of bull shit.'”

“Ryan,” Alice said warningly, but Lily just said, “Was that the look I was giving you? Hm, and I was trying so hard not to let you notice.”

“Tired, Lils?” Ryan teased. Lily rarely resorted to sarcasm, and only did when she was tired. And she hated{/I] being called Lils.

Lily gave her a glare that was reserved just for the Marauders. “Very. I can't wait until this is over so that I can spend four hours with James Potter. Then, by the time I get up there, you'll be just leaving. Might I add that this is to celebrate with the afore mentioned… person.”

Morgan and Ryan exchanged grins. Luckily for Lily, Dumbledore stood up, stopping them from saying anything they were planning to say.

“Welcome to a new school year,” he called. “I have a few announcements before I send you up to bed. First, this year our Head Girl is Lily Evans—” He motioned for Lily to stand up and waited while everyone clapped politely. “—And our Head Boy is James Potter.” There were a lot more cheers for James than there were for Lily, but that could have had something to do with the fact that James had the Marauders cheering for him, and they were louder than half the students. No, wait, correction- Sirius was loud enough for half of the students. Lily rolled her eyes, but Ryan noticed James was smiling sheepishly. She grinned to herself.

“I would like to remind you that Quidditch try-outs are next weekend,” Dumbledore continued when the cheers died down. “The Gryffindor team wished for me to tell you that there are no open positions this year— “ There were loud groans all along the table. “—And first years are not allowed to try out. I would also like to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is, as the name suggests, forbidden. You would all do well to remember that.” He looked at the Marauders at that point.

“I believe that is all. Dismissed!”

“Hey, I'll catch up with you in a sec, 'ight?” Ryan said to Morgan and Alice as Lily ran off to help the fifth year prefects.

“Okay, but you're not free until midnight, young lady!” Morgan called after her teasingly. Ryan laughed as she weaved her way through the crowd to Sirius and Peter.

“It'll clear up,” she said.

“Any idea when?” Sirius asked.

She shook her head. “Could be any time. My guess is about one, judging from the moon, but I'm not sure.”

“All right. Still Cassandra the Calm at midnight then?”

“I'll meet you there,” Ryan said before dodging out of the Great Hall and up the stairs.

-->

Chapter 4- Full Moons and (Innocent) Morning Afters

When did I start liking Lily Evans? Well, believe it or not, I've fancied her since first year. Yes, first year. Only the Marauders know that, and I really wouldn't blame you if you didn't believe me. No one else does. She definitely doesn't.

I noticed her the first time I saw her. Yes, I know we were only eleven and most people believe it isn't possible to know that young, but I had a crush on her the first time I saw her on the platform in first year. Before she had her braces (summer between second and third year), before she got her glasses (summer between third and fourth year), and before any of the girls had… well, you know.

Why does everyone always think it's just for the challenge? To get the unreachable. To finally melt the `Ice Queen.' Well, no one really calls her the Ice Queen, but she really is untouchable. Seriously. She's only had one boyfriend and I don't think she's ever been kissed (“Ahem.”). Oh, only joking. Of course she's been kissed, and I'm sure she's had more than one boyfriend. But she is definitely still a virgin, regardless of whether or not the vast majority of the upper-Hogwarts students are. (“You say that like it's a bad thing,” Rye says, sounding amused. “Want to tell your story, James?”) Nah, I'll save that for another day. It's not important at the moment. Anyway.

But I really do like her, honest. I'm not that much of a prick to just go after a girl because I can't have her (do I look like Padfoot to you? No, just kidding, he's not that big a prick either. You all know his motto).

Of course, she doesn't know that. She thinks that I only looked at her as a prank victim until fifth year. All because Padfoot pranked her the first night. I didn't even have anything to do with that prank. I just mentioned to Sirius that I thought she was cute, so he decided to prank her. He just put peas in her hair. If she hadn't screamed, she was Marauder worthy. If she did… Well, let's just say that eleven year old Sirius Black had very little respect for the opposite gender when we were eleven (except for Ryan, but by then she had been gone for three years and we didn't even consider her a girl half of the time).

Well, Lily obviously screamed (as most eleven year old girls would), and I was the first one she saw, and I got blamed. Okay, so maybe I was sitting closest to her, and so maybe I laughed a bit, but she didn't have to blame me! I was innocent—that time. And so maybe I pranked her a few times over the next four years, but that didn't mean she had to hate me.

A lot of things changed in fifth year. The first thing was Ryan's return. The second thing was that was the year we all learned how to be Animagi. The third thing was Miss Lily Evans.

She came back from the summer between fourth and fifth year looking… different. More grown up, I guess is the word for it. The `nerd' with braces had perfectly straight, white teeth. The `geek' with glasses had gotten contacts. The dorky girl that had left at the end of fourth year cam back with curves in all the right places.

The only reason I started asking her out in fifth year was because I suddenly realized I might not be the only one that fancied her. Yes, even though we never got a long. Even though we called each other by our surnames (I made the mistake of calling her Evans the first time I asked her out; never call a girl by her surname if you want positive results). Even though she hated me and she thought I hated her. And even when she turned me down, I was persistent. Persistent enough to ask her out eighteen times in one week (Moony counted one time for “blackmail when you either move on or get married,” as he put it). But that was an extreme case. Usually it was only three times a week, tops.

And what did I get for my troubles over the past two years? About a dozen slaps in the face and a girl that hates me more than the entire Slytherin house combined.

But I digress. I deserved it. I was a bit… arrogant in the way I asked her out. (“A bit arrogant!” Ryan exclaims in disbelief. “Your bloody head wouldn't fit through the door, you were so arrogant!”) Okay, very arrogant. (“Hark, a grain of truth!” Padfoot yells, grinning. Not that he's one to bloody talk.) But I'm working on it. Ryan and Remus agreed to help me.

She'll say yes, just you wait.

-James Potter

&-&-&-&-&

“She's late,” Peter grumbled.

“She'll be here,” Sirius said easily, leaning against the statue of Cassandra the Calm. “Give her a bit of a break, Wormtail.”

There was a sudden burst of flames two steps to the right of Peter and he jumped back, toppling over. “Oh, I'm sorry, Peter,” Ryan said quickly, reaching out to give him a hand up. He pulled himself up and glared at her. “I always manage to land by you, don't I?” she asked, looking apologetic.

“Usually,” Peter said darkly. “Why were you late?”

“They nearly put an anti-disapparation jinx on me,” Ryan said, smiling slightly.

“Who would've cast it?” Sirius asked, sounding surprised that one of the three other girls would even threaten anyone.

“Morgan,” Ryan said easily. “She does all the threatening. I thought you knew that. It wouldn't've worked anyway. You can't really apparate in here. We'd better get going.”

“Yeah, Prongs said he'd meet us down there,” Sirius said. “Has it cleared up?”

“A bit,” Ryan said, shrugging. “Not enough for the moon to show. It will clear up though. I know it will.”

“Because you have such wonderful powers that make you all powerful and knowing,” Sirius said jokingly, throwing James' invisibility cloak over himself.

“Of course,” Ryan replied, grinning.

“We'd better get down there before it does clear up, then,” Sirius said. “Come on, Pete, Ryan can get down there on her own.”

“I'm glad you have so much faith in me,” she said, smirking. She mock saluted the spot where Sirius and Peter had disappeared. “See you in a minute.” There was another burst of flames and she disappeared.

“How does she do that?” Peter asked as they started down the hallway.

Sirius shrugged. “She just does. Powers of the Phoenix, or something.”

The two of them got to the doors of the Entrance Hall about the same time as James. “How was patrolling?” Peter asked as Sirius threw off the cloak of them.

“I don't have any hand prints on the side of my face, do I?” James asked dryly.

“That good, huh?” Sirius asked, grinning.

“That good.”

By the time they got to the tree, Ryan was leaning up against it calmly, her foot on the lump that would hold the tree still. Every full moon, Remus went down a tunnel to a place called the Shrieking Shack. The villagers of Hogsmeade thought it was haunted, but it was really just Remus they heard. The entrance to the tunnel was guarded by a tree that was affectionately called the Whomping Willow.

“I thought you three would never get here,” she said when she saw them.

“Oh, shut it,” James snapped.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Have fun patrolling, Jimmy?” He just motioned for her to climb down the tunnel first.

Instead of going, she pointed up. They all looked up just as the clouds moved aside, revealing a full moon. “We might want to transform before we go down there.” About ten seconds later, a rat raced past her, closely followed by a dog. “Alrighty, then,” she said, looking at the stag in front of her. “My turn then.”

A few minutes later, a phoenix gracefully landed on a werewolf's head. The werewolf seemed to calm down a little bit. At least until a dog playfully bit his tail. The werewolf turned around, tackling the dog just as playfully. The phoenix chirped and flew over the railing on the staircase to watch as a stag joined the game and a rat weaved in and out between the others legs.

Idiots, she thought, smiling inwardly. Very adorable, loveable idiots. But still… Idiots.

&-&-&-&-&

“Up!” Ryan felt herself be whacked with a pillow and muttered a swear word. “Hey, that's a new one. What language was that in?”

“Portuguese.”

“I thought you hated Portuguese.”

“Not as much as I hate mornings,” Ryan said, putting a pillow over her head.

Lily laughed from the other side of the room. “And I thought I was tired.”

“Not nearly as Miss Marauder, I'd say,” Morgan said. “I'll pull you off the bed.” Ryan didn't answer. “Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you.” She grabbed her friend's legs and yanked. Ryan tumbled off the bed and onto the floor.

“Ow. That kind of hurt.”

“I warned you.”

“Yeah, I know.” Ryan got up off the floor and walked over to the bathroom. She turned back to the others. “For the record, I'm always tired. Happens when you're best friends with the Marauders.” She grinned. “At least I'm not hung over.”

Morgan laughed as Lily and Alice tried to look disapproving. “That's not funny, Ryan.”

“Yes, it is,” Morgan said, still laughing slightly. “I'd like to see Ryan hung over on the first day of school. It would be interesting. No, wait, I think it would be interesting to see Ryan hung over any day.”

“I'm sorry, dear, but I don't get hung over,” Ryan said, smiling sweetly.

Morgan laughed again. “I doubt that. I bet the guys could tell me.”

“Ask `em, if you don't believe me.”

“I will.” Ryan grinned again before going into the bathroom.

Alice smiled slightly and shook her head. “I will never understand her.”

“She's not a morning person, by any stretch,” Lily said. “That much I know for sure. I think she gets out all her… unpleasantness in the morning. I'm glad she's not like that all the time.”

“Amen to that,” Morgan agreed. “Imagine surviving OWLs with the morning Ryan.” She pretended to shudder. “Don't know if I would've made it without the stress relief.” Lily and Alice laughed.

“Should we leave her?” Lily asked.

“Yeah,” Morgan said. “She can manage.” She walked over to the closed bathroom door. “Hey, Rye? We're going on down, alright?” A muffled sound came through and Morgan turned to the others. “That's a yes, I'd say.”

&-&-&-&-&

“Time tables coming down,” Ryan said, passing down a stack of papers.

“'Shame that Aurors have to take Potions,” James said, sighing.

“'Shame that we have to have it with Slytherins again,” Ryan added, making a face.

“Not a shame, my dear Wheat,” Sirius said, smirking. “Absolutely fantastic. We have a class to play pranks on them in.”

“That's what Care of Magical Creatures is for, Si,” Ryan replied. “Although it might not be such a good idea,” she added thoughtfully, “considering the last time we did that, Kettleburn jumped so much he got another finger bit off but,” she shrugged, “that can't be helped. Besides, you can't interrupt Potions, I need to pass that class.”

“We all need to pass that class,” Remus said.

“Not me,” Peter piped up. The others looked at him. “What? I don't. You don't need Potions to work as a Code-breaker.”

“And if you pull pranks in Potions, Peter will miss them,” Ryan added, smiling slightly.

“Can't have that,” Sirius said, mock-seriously. “Okay, just for you, Wormy, all pranks will be in Care of Magical Creatures.”

“And I do believe that would be my notice to leave,” Ryan said, bowing. “I'll see you in Transfiguration, right?”

“Unless you're a complete idiot and somehow managed to not make it into the NEWT level class,” James said.

“Practice not being so pricky, James,” she added with a smirk before walking off.

“I can be pricky to you!” James called after her.

“Moony disagrees,” Sirius said, earning him a hit in the back of the head. “Ow!”

“Besides, that wasn't pricky,” James said, turning to the others. “Was it?”

“It would have been if you said it to Lily,” Remus said.

“Yeah, but to Ryan, it's not. At least no more than usual. Right?”

“My opinion, mate,” Sirius said as seriously as he could, “is that you give it up and stop trying to figure out if that was pricky or not.”

“And my advice is that you just try to be her friend,” Remus said. “Prove to her you actually want to get to know her and not—“

“Just the inside of her,” Sirius said, winking at James. Remus smacked him again. “Hey!”

“It's at the top of my list, Moony,” James promised. “The very top.”

&-&-&-&-&

“Good morning, Sunshine,” Morgan teased as Ryan sat down. Ryan stuck her tongue out at her.

“What classes do we have?” Alice asked, ignoring them.

“Transfiguration,” Lily read off. She groaned. “What a wonderful way to start the year.”

“At least it's every Thursday and not every Monday,” Alice said consolingly. “And we do have Charms today too.” Transfiguration was Lily's worst subject. As much as she loved Professor McGongall (who was actually pretty nice once she liked you), she hated Transfiguration. Ryan, Alice, and Morgan told her she just needed to be more confident when it came to transfiguring things and she wouldn't have any trouble. Lily claimed she just needed to not have it with the Marauders.

“I'm almost afraid to ask, but how was patrolling?” Ryan asked.

“Honestly?” Lily said. “Not as bad as I thought it would be, but still horrible.”

Ryan smiled sympathetically as the bell rang. The four got up and headed towards Transfiguration. “Is it going to be a good day or a bad day?” Morgan teased. Ever since Morgan found out about her powers, she had teased Ryan to no end about them. Mostly Ryan's tiny knack for being able to predict the future. Ryan usually just brushed off her comments for reasons she didn't want to talk about.

“Will be for me,” Ryan replied, grinning. “Maybe not so much for the rest of you.” Morgan laughed slightly, shaking her head. The four of them sat near the front on one side. McGongall stood by her desk, waiting for everyone to come in. When everyone was seated, she called their attention.

“It is my belief that some of you are not nearly as open to the ideas of others as you should be,” she said sternly. Her eyes rested on moment on the Marauders and rested again on Lily, who was looking at the Marauders and rolling her eyes. "Because of this, I will be putting all of you into pairs. You and your partner will be doing a term paper on the subject of your choice, with my approval, which will be due at the last class before the holidays.”

Everyone looked at each other uncertainly. Not open to ideas? Pairs? Term paper? This didn't sound good. Didn't she know they had NEWTs to worry about?!

“Yes, Pettigrew, I will be choosing the pairs.” Peter put his arm back down. “The pairs will be a boy and a girl.” Half the room groaned, about a quarter of the room whispered excitedly (all of them girls in the Marauder fan club), and the last quarter of the room rolled their eyes at the other three quarters. McGongall's glare shut them up fast enough. “You will also be sitting next to your partner during my classes. Most importantly, I do not want to hear of any complaints about your partner. The two of you must work together on this project. Understood?”

“At least we don't have this class with Slytherin,” Ryan muttered.

“Miller? Is there something you would like to say?”

Ryan smiled innocently. “No, Professor. Just commenting on how happy I am that we have this class with Ravenclaw.” Sirius and James coughed loudly to cover up their laughter and Morgan gave a false cough that sounded oddly like, ”Marauder.” Ryan tried hard not to grin.

“I see,” McGongall said, her mouth pressed into a thin line. “I'm sorry to say you won't be working with a Ravenclaw.”

“I won't?” Ryan asked, a little surprised. It wasn't exactly a secret that she was friends with the Marauders. In fact, it wasn't a secret that she was a Marauder. And McGongall wouldn't willingly pair up the Marauders, would she? Which meant, Ryan assumed, that she was either working with a Ravenclaw or Shane West or Brandon Smitch, the two other Gryffindor boys in their year

“No, you won't. Interrupt me again, and I'll give you a detention.” Ryan kept her mouth shut and tried to look as innocent as she could. McGongall wasn't fooled. “Unfortunately for you, Miller, I have already decided the pairs. Otherwise I would see to it that you were working with a Ravenclaw.” She picked a piece of parchment up off her desk.

“Carter and Smitch, come and sit in the front desk please.” Alice and Brandon both shrugged and picked up their stuff before moving to the desk where she had pointed. ”Miller and Lupin, next to them.” Ryan and Remus exchanged a surprised look as they sat down. “Watson and Harding.” Morgan sat next to a Ravenclaw named John Harding.

Ryan had almost decided that it really wouldn't be too horrible when McGongall said it. They all knew she was, but hoped she wouldn't. Especially Ryan. But, no, she just had to say it (AN- because it just wouldn't be cliché if she didn't :P).

“Evans and Potter, middle desk in the second row.”

-->

Chapter 5- Complaints and Throwing Rocks

“Just my luck,” Lily groaned, flopping down onto her bed. “Of all the boys in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, she puts me with him. WHY?”

“Lily, be fair,” Alice said reasonably. “You said yourself that it seemed like he'd grown up. Maybe he won't be so bad this year. He hasn't asked you out at all, has he?”

“No,” Lily admitted reluctantly.

“And how many times did he ask you out on the first day of last year?”

“At least three.” She sighed. “But he's still James Potter, and I still don't want to work with him.”

“Your choices are rather limited, dearie,” Morgan said. She smiled slightly. “And I'm sure Kaitlyn or Meredith would be happy to trade with you.” Kaitlyn Scoder and Meredith Winter were the last two girls in Gryffindor and their year and the founders of the Marauders fan club. They were, well, stuck up to put it nicely.

“I don't want to help either one of them,” Lily said, making a face as she sat up.

“True,” Morgan agreed. “And it would be cruel to make even your worst enemy work with one of them. You can consider it practice. You have to meet with him for Head stuff too. Besides, he's a bloody genius when it comes to Transfiguration.”

“That's the problem,” Lily groaned. “I have to meet with him enough as it is. And he's going to be rubbing it in that he can do Transfiguration and I can't. How much torture—“

“Lily.”

“Okay, not torture. But you know what I mean! What will I do if we argue all the time? He's a show off in Transfiguration as it is, I don't need him making fun of me because I can't turn a kettle into a turtle.”

“I don't think—“ Morgan started, but Alice gave her a warning look. “Never mind.”

“Don't think what?” Lily asked suspiciously.

“Nothing,” Morgan said. “It's just… Maybe you should try - at least a little. I mean, Ryan likes them well enough, doesn't she? And you get along well enough with Ryan, so they can't be all bad. That's all.”

“But Ryan's known them her whole life,” Lily said, “except for Peter, and you've heard how she talks about him.”

“Or lack thereof,” Morgan corrected.

“A the beginning of fifth year, you loathed her because she was friends with them,” Alice reminded Lily.

Lily blushed slightly at the memory. “Okay, I admit, that wasn't too brilliant on my part. We're friends now though.“

“Because?” Alice prompted.

“Because… we sat next to each other in Potions.”

“Exactly!” Morgan exclaimed triumphantly. “There you go. It's just you and Ryan in Potions all over again. With definite differences, of course, but you know what I mean. It's just another Marauder-forced-sitting-arrangement... thing.”

“But I didn't really trust her—“ Lily started.

“Until she yelled at James and Sirius for attacking Snape,” Alice finished for her. “Yes, we know. You realized they made her mad at times too. So maybe, if you give James a chance, it will turn out the same way it did with Ryan.”

Lily sighed. “I guess you're right. I'll give him a chance. Not that I really have choice considering the circumstances.”

“And now would be your golden opportunity since you have a meeting with him in thirty minutes,” Morgan said cheerfully.

“I almost forgot,” Lily said, standing up. She paused, frowning. “Where is Ryan?”

“Library, we think,” Morgan said. “She said she had to meet Remus.” She grinned. “And I, personally, hope that she figures something out this year. I'm perfectly willing to do all the matchmaking it takes that too.”

“That's what you say about everyone's relationship, Morgan,” Lily said, laughing slightly. “I think she would prefer you just stay out of it.”

“I know she would. But it really doesn't matter anymore because I'm tired of having the male Marauders staring at us for one reason or another. So, therefore, I'm going to work to get at least one of them to stop staring.”

Lily laughed again, her hand on the doorknob. “Good luck with that. I'll see you after the meeting.”

“I don't know what she's laughing at,” Morgan said as soon as the door shut. “She's next.”

Alice laughed. “Don't tell me. Although, please, Morgan, don't start your matchmaking until after she's friends with him. It should work much better.”

“A month then,” Morgan said easily. “I'll give her a month. Then, if I have to, I'll be… friend-maker. Or something.” Alice just shook her head and smiled.

&-&-&-&-&

Name: Sirius Black

Looks: Dashingly Handsome

Position: Hogwarts' Most Eligible Bachelor/ Hogwarts' Most Handsome Man/- (“Sirius,” Moony says a little threateningly.)

All right, all right. Sheesh, Moony. I'll tell it, just give me a minute. He's worse than a girl sometimes— Oi, just kidding Moony! No need to get your knickers in a twist! You see, Moony over here says I have a story that needs to be told so the you will understand the conversation the lovely ladies just had. Not that we ever heard that conversation. We weren't actually there or anything. Well, physically, we weren't there. But that's beside the point, right, Wormtail? It's not our fault Rye left her mirror out on the table where we could hear everything.

Anyway, I think it was right after one of our OWLs or something. Prongs and I were just having a little fun, and Evans tried to stop us and basically squashed Prongsie's pride (again) in the process. So Prongs was taking his frustrations out on Snivellus.

“Right,” Prongs said furiously. “Right.” There was a flash of light and Snivelly was hanging upside down again. “Who wants me see me take Snivelly's pants off?”

The crowds watching started to cheer, but they stopped when someone said, “James, put him down.” Moony even put his book down when he heard that. Everyone moved out of the way to show Rye standing there. I think I even saw Moony smirking when he saw her, but we all know why that was— Just kidding! Kidding! Moony, you can put the wand down now!

Prongs just looked at her. She looked kind of, well, angry? “Come on, Rye, don't-“

”Put him down,” she said through clenched teeth. Her hand was kind of shaking too. I think Prongs is the only one that's ever seen her like that (besides in the mornings, but she just cusses you out in some other language. She doesn't actually get violent).

“This should be interesting,” Moony muttered. I agreed. Angry Wheat was very interesting.

“Remus, do us all a favor and shut up,” Rye snapped without looking at him. Moony shrugged and went back to his book, trying to not grin.

This is where I tried to step in. It was really getting out of hand. I mean, no one questions us. We're the Marauders. (“Cocky much, Padfoot?” Moony asks.) No one besides Evans questions us. (“I think so,” Wormtail pipes up.) Well, publicly anyway. (“Now that's more like it,” Moony says.) So we couldn't ruin our reputations by being questioned by one of our own.

“Rye, he's—“ Well, I would have stopped it, but her wand and her hands started sparking. You would jump back if her wand started sparking at you too. There's a reason her nickname's Fireball (“Just be happy Ryan's not here.”). Yeah, I know, she hates it. She thinks it's too kinky and won't let us call her that. Ever. But I'm sure— (“Don't finish that.”) Right, never mind.

Prongs sighed and let Snivelly drop. It's probably for the best; those poor people would be scarred for life if Prongs had pulled his pants down.

“You can thank me later,” Rye snapped.

“Why should I?” Snivelly asked coolly.

“Because I just saved your arse,” she spat.

He made a big deal about getting his wand and getting up until her wand sparked again. As soon as he left, Wheat turned to everybody watching. “Don't you all have somewhere else to be?” she snapped.

Moony was snickering the entire time they were clearing off. You've got to hand it to her, though. The only other person I know that can make a crowd clear that fast is Minnie. (“Sirius, it's Professor McGong— Oh, forget it.”)

As soon as everyone else was gone, she turned to me and Prongs. “What the hell did you two think you were doing?!”

“Give me a minute to get used to the pissed off Rye,” I said. And you know what, I think she almost cursed me. She gave me the coldest glare I've ever seen. And that includes all the ones I've gotten from Evans. Man, when she has mood swings, she really has mood swings.

“There is a big difference between defending yourself and being a bully,” she hissed, shoving her wand in her pocket. I nearly thanked her for it too, those sparks weren't pretty. I think her hand was still sparking a little bit, but her hands aren't as scary as her wand. “And James, you complete and total idiot! We had just convinced Lily to give you a chance and then you went and you BLEW it! And you know something? I can't say that I blame her for turning you down this WHOLE, ENTIRE YEAR!!!” Ouch, harsh. Not that I said that, I enjoy having a head, thankyouverymuch. “Urg!” She turned and stormed into school.

Prongsie was looking kind of sick. “She was going to give me a chance?”

“I think we need to get Rye away from Evans,” I said. “I think she's rubbing off on her.” I wasn't trying to be insensitive or anything, I was just trying to get his mind off it. I was trying to help. I guess he didn't want my help then.

What was the point to that story? Oh, yeah, so Evans started to trust Wheat. Or something like that. Amazing that Prongs doesn't hate her. Rye, I mean. No, well, both of them really. Hey, Wormtail, are you hungry? (“Kind of.”) Let's go get something from the kitchens, I'm starved…

-Padfoot

&-&-&-&-&

“I hate this,” James said, throwing a rock as hard as he could towards the center of the lake.

“You should be happy,” Sirius said, watching him.

“So? I still hate it.”

“That was a good skipping rock,” Sirius said lightly as James threw another one, vaguely wondering if there was anyway he could convince James to chuck a rock at the annoying second years sitting a few yard away.

“Now I won't be able to do anything without her thinking I'm showing off,” James continued, ignoring him. “It'll never get done, and then she'll go and blame me for it.” He sighed and tried to skip a rock. It only bounced twice before it sunk.

“Bad luck, Prongs,” Sirius said sympathetically. James wasn't sure if he was talking about the rock or Lily. It was probably the former, but he let himself assume it was the latter. “But couldn't you use this as a chance to show her you aren't a prick or whatever it is you aren't trying to be?”

“In theory,” James muttered darkly. “Like I said, everything I do will be showing off. Like she never shows off in Charms. I swear, I said hi to her earlier and she glared at me. Glared. I didn't even do anything, and she glares at me for saying hello.”

“Then why don't you just give it up?”

There was a long pause while James tossed a rock up in the air a few times, catching it every time. He threw it before turning to Sirius. “You know what, Padfoot? I honestly have no idea.”

There was another pause before Sirius said, “You know what I think your problem is, Prongs?”

“No.”

“Too bad, I'll tell you anyway.” Sirius grinned. “You listen to Moony and Wheat too much. Think about it, the two of them have fancied each since we were, what, six?”

“Eight,” James corrected, smiling slightly.

“Alright, since we were eight, give or take a year or two. And look at where they are. Nowhere at all. It'd be hard to say which one's worse off.”

“Who, Rye or Moony?”

“No, you or Moony. You and Evans hate each other, so it's one of those `worship from afar' things.” James glared at him, but Sirius just grinned. “But with the two of them, they talk to each other, but they can't do anything. Won't do anything. Personally, mate, I think you're in the better position.”

“Yeah, just don't tell Moony that.” James frowned. “Where are they, anyway? Where's Wormtail?”

“Wormy's still in the kitchens, last I heard,” Sirius said easily. “Moony and Rye are meeting in the library. To work on their project.”

James snorted. “This is Remus and Ryan we're talking about. They probably are working on their project. Really working on their project. Their Transfiguration project, you git.” James looked at his watch. “Hey, I'll see you later, Padfoot. I've got a meeting.”

“With the lovely Miss Evans, I presume,” Sirius said, raising an eyebrow.

James smacked the back of Sirius' head as he walked by. “And Minnie too, I do believe. See you.”

“Say hello to Evans for me!”

&-&-&-&-&

“She'll crack first.”

Remus looked up, confused but not really surprised. She had a bad habit of suddenly changing the subject to something that would seem random to anyone but her. She was usually completely willing to explain, though. “Pardon?”

Ryan looked up too, grinning. She knew he was confused, but she simply repeated, “She'll crack first.

“Who?” he asked, still trying to understand what she was talking about.

“Lily. She'll crack first. Before James. He won't argue, but she'll start it.”

Ah. “How do you know?”

“A little birdie told me,” she said, grinning.

Remus chuckled. That was simply her way of saying `I just predicted the future.' “Did the birdie tell you when this would happen?” he teased.

“No. But I could find out if you really wanted to know. I just ran into a bit of a wall and I'm too lazy to push past it.”

“A… wall?” he asked, slightly confused.

“Yup. A wall. Something that wouldn't let me get more information. Nothing good is on the other side, usually, so I don't bother. Takes a lot of work to push past them anyway.”

”Er… Right.” Sometimes he really had no idea what she was talking about. But there was one thing he was sure of. Having the powers of the Phoenix was a lot better than being a werewolf.

“Don't,” she said absently, looking back down at her homework. “You're doing it again, and you shouldn't. There are some disadvantages to mine too, thank you.”

“Not until October, though, right?” he asked, changing the subject slightly.

She nodded. “The middle's on a Saturday. Probably the Saturday of our first match, just my luck. But, yeah, not until October. The-“

“Twenty-second,” he finished for her. “It starts on the twenty-second. The middle is the twenty-ninth.”

She nodded. “You're luckier, in that respect. You only have one day. Three days, if you want to compare it to mine. Mine lasts five times longer than yours.”

“Yours has good parts, though.”

It wasn't a new discussion. Ryan and Remus, whenever they were by themselves, usually ended up getting back around to it. Remus was `at his worst' for only one night a month. Three nights in three months if, as Ryan had said, you wanted to compare it to hers. Having the powers of the Phoenix meant that Ryan was weak for about two weeks every three months (AN- cookies to anyone who can figure out why!).

She let out an exaggerated sigh and looked up at him again. “Don't. I'm not arguing with you about this anymore,” she added, pretending to be stern, but Remus could see the corners of her mouth were turned up. “But,” she grinned, “that's just counting the extras. You wouldn't believe the things I go through just for being a girl.”

He laughed slightly. “Alright. I really don't want to know.” They lapsed back into silence for a few minutes before Ryan heaved another sigh.

“I really don't like Potions at all,” she said. Remus chuckled. “Although,” she continued thoughtfully, “some good things did come out of Potions. Not the actual class, though, just the seating arrangement.” He smiled and shook his head.

“Don't you think you should be working then instead of complaining?”

“Yes, mum,” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him before going back to work.

-->

Chapter 6- Meetings and Making Plans

I want it stated that I wanted to have no part in this to begin with. It's a rather stupid idea, and you'll be even worse off if she finds this and reads it. -Remus Lupin

Stop worrying, Moony. It's not good for your health. It's just a short list to help out our good buddy Prongs. What's so wrong with that? -Sirius Black

Nothing… until he somehow loses it and she finds it. -RL

Remus, if you help me write that list, you won't just be helping James. You'll be helping me too. -Ryan Miller

How will I be helping you? -RL

You'll be shutting him up for one thing. We'll all thank you for that. -RM

Hey! Is it so bad to want just a little advice from two of my best friends? -James Potter

It is when you reject another best friend's advice. Siriusly, I must know more than the two of them combined. -SB

WARNING! Over-used pun alert. (Don't make me hurt you, Si.) -RM

I think it's because it's Lily Evans we're talking about. -Peter Pettigrew

Exactly! That changes it. This isn't just another girl. This it the girl. I have to do exactly everything right or she'll never even look at me. -JP

Oh, Merlin, he's getting emotional. Help him before he starts groveling. You sound like a bloody bird. (Fireball, as much as I would like to see you try, I must state that I was being completely Sirius.) -SB

(How many times do I have to tell you to not call me that?) Ignoring the entirely sexist comment, James, she already looks at you. Not in approval, granted, but she still looks at you. Don't be such a Drama Queen. You sound like Sirius. -RM

Hey!! -SB

(:P I win.)

Be serious, you two (not Sirius). This is Lily Evans we're talking about. She's not affected at all, and unless she's an ice cube or the Potter Charm is failing me, there must be some way to get her to like me. -JP

(AHH, they're ALL doing it!!) You use anything too much and it won't work anymore, Jimmy. -RM

What's that supposed to mean? -JP

What does it sound like it means? See, Remus? He doesn't get it. He won't get it until we explain it to him. And if he doesn't get it, he'll never give it up. I need your help because… well, you'd understand his point of view better. -RM

I understand his point of view better? -RL

Yeah. The male perspective. -RM

The male perspective? -PP

She means she's never had a penis been a guy but Moony has. -SB

Oh. -PP

Please, Remus? For me? I'm giving you a poor, pitiful, I-desperately-need-your-help look right now. -JP

Come on, Remus. Just to shut him up. -RM

Alright, fine. I'll do it. I'll help you. -RL

Yes! Thank you, Moony!!! -JP

Okay, I'll start. Just to, you know, get us started. -RM

Well, that made sense. -SB

Hey, no yanking the parchment away when I'm working. And you need to shut up anyway. Alright, here we go:

FIVE STEPS TO WOOING LILY EVANS:

5.

Can you use a word besides woo? It makes it sound so stupid. -JP

That's because it is, mate. -SB

Do you want me to write the list or not? If either one of you take this away again, I'm not doing it. -RM

Liar. -JP

Yeah, you're probably right. Now stop it. -RM

FIVE STEPS TO ATTRACTING (POSITIVE) ATTENTION FROM LILY EVANS:

There, is that better? -RM

Yeah, thanks. -JP

I get to start. -RM

5. Don't antagonize/pick on/piss off Lily.

Your turn, Remus. -RM

Do I have to? Stop looking at me like that, I'm going. -RL

4. Don't attack/curse/pick on Snape in front of her.

Moony, my friend, you're asking for the impossible. I hate Snivellus and not cursing is merely a possibility I will not consider. -JP

Then you better be enjoying the single life. It's just when she's around, not all the time. You're fine as long as she doesn't find out. And didn't I already tell you not to yank the parchment away? Sheesh. Men. You never listen. -RM

3. Learn to listen.

I do listen! -JP

Yeah, when it suits you. Which means, uh, NEVER. -RM

2. Try to be more mature around her.

Ouch, Moony. I felt that all the way over here. -SB

He wanted my advice, I'm giving him my advice. -RL

Mind if I add to that? -RM

Go ahead. -RL

2. Try to be more mature (and nicer) around her at least once a day.

There, that'll make it easier on you. -RM

I'm sensing some sarcasm. Nice to know you have such faith in me. NOT. What is this, pick on Prongs day? -JP

Yes. You asked for it, Prongs. Your turn, Rye. -RL

1. Stop being such a prick.

You're sure being nice today. -PP

Yes, well. I try. -RM

-Marauders, sixth year, History of Magic Class, April 13, 1977

&-&-&-&-&

Lily and James reached McGongall's office at the same time. James nodded for Lily to go in first. She looked at him for a few seconds before opening the door and walking in. James sighed and followed her in. It's going to be a long year.

McGongall looked up as they walked in. “Evans, Potter. Take a seat.” The two of them sat in the chairs in front of her desk. She looked between them sternly. “I first want to congratulate both of you on being chosen as Head Boy and Girl. We haven't had a Head Girl and Boy from Gryffindor in quite some time.” James smiled slightly. McGongall claimed that she was completely unbiased, but James knew better. He knew for a fact that McGongall covered for them (the Marauders) all the time in front of other professors.

“I must stress how important it is that you are good role models,” McGongall continued, looking directly at James. “You are supposed to set a good example, and I expect you to do so. This means not merely taking points or giving detention to someone you do not get along with. I expect you to not abuse your privileges. Is that understood, Potter?”

He considered asking her why she was so worried about him abusing his privileges, but decided against it. “Yes, professor,” he said, looking innocent. Well, if that didn't earn him some evil looks…

Sheesh. No one had any faith in him at all. (He could just hear Ryan saying “Hm, I wonder why that is…”) Well, apparently Dumbledore did, or he wouldn't be Head Boy, but Dumbledore was half off his rocker anyway.

Oh, well.

McGongall went on to explain their duties, responsibilities, and… other things that James was starting to not catch. At least until she said something that got James' attention.

“The Headmaster has decided, with recent events, that the students could use some distractions,” McGongall said. “You are in charge of arranging these events. One of the best suggestions, I believe, is a ball. I do not care when you have it as long as you ask Professor Dumbledore or myself before you make anything official. Do either of you have any questions?”

James looked at Lily, who was pointedly ignoring him (for some reason). “I don't think so, Professor,” Lily said. James turned back to McGongall and nodded.

“One final thing before you two leave,” McGongall said. She gave each of them another stern look. “I realize you two do not see eye to eye, but the Headmaster believes that you two would make a good pair if you managed to get past your differences. I must stress how important it is that both of you try to get along. If not for my sake, at least for the sake and sanity of this school. You are dismissed.”

The two of them got up and left the room in silence. After walking about halfway to the common room, James finally decided to speak up. “Any ideas about the big events we have to take care of?”

“I kind of like the ball idea,” Lily said. And she left it at that. James could already tell he was going to have to practically drag any kind of information out of her.

“Yeah, it sounds alright,” James said. “I was thinking we should plan something a little more original though. I mean we can do the ball too,” he quickly added when Lily threw him a look, “but shouldn't we plan more than one thing? Something that would be more… oriented for the whole school instead of just the older students?”

Lily just looked at him for a second, almost like she was considering how she should answer. “Well, yes, I suppose that would probably be a good idea. The first years need a distraction just as much if not more than sixth and seventh years.”

“Right,” James said, happy to be getting somewhere. “Exactly.”

“Perhaps we should think about it and discuss our ideas at our next meeting,” she said.

“Yeah, sure.” He paused and frowned. “Meeting?”

She didn't even try to pretend she wasn't rolling her eyes. “Yes, Potter, our meeting. The one we have to have at least once a week and then report to McGongall about?”

“Oh, yeah, that meeting.” He tried to think of a quick cover so that she wouldn't think he wasn't paying any attention during the meeting they had just had (even though he really hadn't, but she didn't need to know that). “Well, I wasn't sure if you were talking about that meeting or the one we have to have with the prefects every week and also report to McGongall about.”

She looked a little surprised. “Oh. Well, we should decide what we're going to be planning before we discuss it with the prefects, don't you think?”

“Yes, definitely.” She gave him a suspicious look, like she thought he was making fun of her. “Augurey,” James said to the portrait of the Fat Lady. The portrait hole swung open and Lily climbed through first. James followed her, thinking hard. He frowned and watched her walk up the stairs to her dorm. There has to be some way—

“Oy, Prongs!” James looked over by the fire to find Sirius and Peter (with Remus rolling his eyes from his seat next to them) waving him over. “Get your arse over here!”

James chuckled and shook his head as he made his way over to his friends. “You're still alive,” Peter said.

“'Course he's still alive,” Sirius said. “It's going to take more than Lily Evans to kill our buddy Prongs.”

“I wouldn't be too sure of that,” James said a little darkly.

“Sounds like it's time to pull out that list again,” Remus said lightly.

“I thought you were against the list,” Sirius said, smirking slightly.

“I am,” Remus said. “But as long as he made me write it out, he might as well use it. It doesn't sound like he's been using it.”

“Oh, shove it, Moony,” James grumbled, throwing himself down on the rug in front of the fire. “I threw that stupid list away this summer.” In reality, it was Ryan who had thrown it away (something James thought was a bit cheap, considering she helped write it). He still wasn't exactly sure how she had known where it was, but you never knew with Ryan. It didn't really matter that she had thrown it away though. He had it memorized.

“Why'd you throw it away?” Peter asked.

Sirius snorted. “He didn't. Fireball chucked it for him.”

“I thought she burned it,” Remus said lightly.

“Oh, yeah. That's right. She did, I forgot about that.”

“What is this, pick on Prongs Day?” James asked. “You guys need to mark on my calendar or something so I can be ready for it.”

“But you should always be ready for it.”

“Because every day is pick on Prongs Day, right?”

“Naturally.”

&-&-&-&-&

Two weeks. After two weeks of being totally, completely fed up of being paired with someone she didn't want to be paired with, she started giving in. No, giving in wasn't the right word for it. Not bothering with it anymore was a little better, but that wasn't quite it either.

Two weeks, three meeting by themselves, two meetings with the prefects, and eight Transfiguration classes. That's really all it took.

Not that Lily was willing to admit that she was starting to accept him. Never in a million years would she admit that. But, like it or not, she was starting to accept him. He still had annoying little quirks, but they weren't as annoying as they had been two weeks ago. They fought, but it over really stupid stuff half the time (not that all their arguments weren't stupid) and she was only arguing with him because… well, she didn't know how else to act around him.

And she had even started thinking of him (but not calling him) as James instead of Potter. Not that she would admit it, of course. It wasn't that she could really consider him a friend, but he really wasn't her enemy anymore. They were more like acquaintances. It was just… different.

She almost told Alice about it. Almost, but she decided against it for some reason. Maybe because she was afraid of hearing `I told you so.' But she knew that Alice wouldn't say that. Morgan might, but Alice wouldn't. But little did she know that it didn't matter whether she mentioned it or not, because all three of her roommates already knew.

&-&-&-&-&

“There you are!”

Ryan looked up curiously. “Were you looking for me?”

“Yes, actually,” Alice said, smiling slightly. “Only we never really left the dorm. So I don't guess we were doing a very good job of looking, were we?”

“We've decided,” Morgan announced. “We've decided we're going to help you play matchmaker for Lily and James. But only after they're friends. So we need your help on how to get them to be friends. That way, all you have to do is convince them to get along, and we'll take it from there.”

“There's no way to get people like Lily and James to be friends,” Ryan said. “If there was, they would already be friends. Thanks to me.”

“Ryan, if you get enough people to work on it, they'll have to give in sooner or later,” Alice said. “Preferably sooner than later.”

“You sure do switch sides fast,” Ryan teased.

Alice laughed. “They leave me no choice. Honestly, enough is enough, don't you agree?”

“Most def.”

“Besides, she's starting to get along with him,” Morgan said. “If I've noticed, then you must've noticed.”

“Yup. So what's the plan? Are the guys going to be included? Because Remus would be helpful, I think. And Sirius can drive her insane enough to talk to James about it. Or do you want to go a different route?”

“We thought we'd let you figure out the details,” Morgan said. “You're probably getting the most out of this, besides the two of them.”

Ryan grinned, a mischievous look in her eye. The well-known Marauder grin. Most people had enough sense to know, when they saw that grin, that it would be best to just stay out of all five Marauders' way, just in case. Nine times out of ten, that look ended in a prank. “They'll never know what hit them.”

“Now, that's what we wanted to hear.”

&-&-&-&-&

“I need your help,” Ryan announced five minutes later in the common room. Three of the four male Marauders looked up at her.

“Wheat? Needs help?” Sirius asked. “Oh, no, the world's going to end! We're all going to-“

“Ah, shut up,” she said, smiling slightly as she shoved his shoulder. “I need to help with Operation LJ.” One look of confusion, one look of comprehension, and one smirk. “Operation Lily and James?” Two looks of comprehension and a widened smirk. “Okay. Alice and Morgan said they'd help with the matchmaking.”

“But they're Evans friends,” Peter said slowly.

“They also happen to be fed up,” Ryan said. “They realize Lily and James aren't as different as they seem. But they'll only help if we can get the two of them to be friends first,” Sirius opened his mouth, “because they might not really be as great for each other as James thinks they are. If they can't be friends… well, you get the idea. Don't even think about saying it,” she added threateningly to Sirius.

“I wasn't going to,” Sirius said innocently. “I was just going to say it could be very beneficial for both of them if they're friends first.”

“I knew it. I knew that's what you were going to say. No, Sirius, not `beneficial' friends. Real friends. Think you and me. That kind of friendship.”

“Oh. Does that mean he gets to try out new techniques- OWW!! What the hell?!?! Ryan!”

“Prick.” Ryan smirked. “You deserved it. It's your own fault, any way you look at it. No, not like that. Like how we are now, stupid.”

“Remus, she hit me,” Sirius whined. He stopped and rubbed the back of his head. “Hard too. I think I'm going to have a bump. Bloody hell, Wheat, you should've been a Beater.”

“Don't come whining to me,” Remus said, holding up his hands. “I'm staying out of it.”

“But I was just asking-“

“Like you and Remus¹!” Ryan exclaimed. “That kind of friendship.”

“Oh. Sheesh, why didn't you say that in the first place?” Ryan made a noise of frustration, clearly wanting to say `I did say that in the first place!' but she kept her mouth shut. “Only Remus isn't a bird. You're the bird here. `Course, you don't really act like a bird. You do look like a bird, though, `cause of—YOW! STOP HITTING ME, YOU CRAZY WOMAN!”

“That one you deserved,” Remus said, trying to hide his smirk.

Sirius grumbled, rubbing the back of his head. “Prongs won't like that. Prongs won't agree to that. You realize that, don't you?”

“Have you been listening to me at all?” she asked. “Alice and Morgan have agreed to help us get Lily and James together,” she said slowly like she was talking to a two-year-old. “But Lily and James have to be friends first so that we know that we aren't all crazy for ever thinking that they could get together. Only after their friends will we even have a chance of even attempting to get Lily to go on a date with him. Understand now?”

“No,” Peter said.

“It really doesn't matter anyway, Peter,” Remus said. “All we have to do is follow whatever instructions Rye gives us.” He looked to Ryan. “You have a plan?”

“But of course,” Ryan said, trying to sound offended. “I always have a plan.”

$$$$

¹- Okay, I just had to say something about that since I got questions about it elsewhere. I know there are R/S shippers out there, but I'm one of them. I'm never going to be one of them. I just wanted to point out this is not, whatever you want to believe, a bit of foreshadowing. This is not a R/S fic. This is a L/J with a little R/OC thrown in on the side. I do not write slash, I rarely read slash. This fic will not have any slash. Thank you.

-->

Chapter 7- Dates and Making Plans

(“And may I present to you the one, the only-“ “Sirius, shut up. Let him tell the dannato story.”)

Do I really have to tell it? (“It's your turn, Wormy. Everyone has to take their turn.”) Oh, alright. The first time Prongs asked her out? Uh… Oh, yeah, I remember now. Yeah, Padfoot and I still laugh about it sometimes. Mostly Padfoot though. (“It's a funny story!” “Stop interrupting him, you idiot!”)

We were just walking down the corridors one day in fifth year, I think. Because Ryan was there and Evans looked- (“Don't you finish that.”) -different. She looked different. That's all I was going to say, swear! Honest! (“You tell her, Wormtail!” “You need to shut up, Padfoot.”)

Anyway, Evans looked different. So it was fifth year. I think. Anyways, we were just walking down the corridor and Prongs saw Evans up ahead of us. Well, Evans and Watson and Carter. (“They have first names, you know.”) Oh, sod off, Ryan.

Prongs'd been mooning over Evans since the beginning of the year, even if he wouldn't admit it. He was always talking about her. Still is. One minute he's making fun of her or complaining about her, the next minute he sounds like he fancies her. Insane.

For some reason, he decided to yell her name down the corridor. “Hey, Evans!”

She turned around, and she already looked annoyed. Just from him yelling her name. Not a very good way to start a conversation. “What do you want, Potter?” she asked coldly.

“What makes you think I want anything?” Prongs asked, using the famous Marauder look of innocence. He and Sirius pull it off the best, but it never works on McGongall. Or Evans, now that I think of it.

“You're talking to me, aren't you?” Evans asked.

Prongs winced. “Ouch, Evans. That hurts. Actually-“ I could tell he wasn't as confident, and Padfoot and Moony and Rye could tell, but Evans and Carter and Watson couldn't. “-I was wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend.”

And then the entire corridor went silent. You could've heard a quill drop. Watson gasped in shock, and Carter's eye widened. Even the four of us were too shocked to say anything. We knew he fancied her, but we didn't think he'd actually do anything about it. We thought he'd get over it before he did anything stupid. We were, obviously, wrong.

Evans took two steps forward and slapped Prongs as hard as she could across the face. It kind of echoed in the empty corridor.

“I think that's a no,” Padfoot said, smirking slightly as Prongs rubbed the side of his face.

“James Potter, that is the most immature and cruel prank I've ever heard,” Evans spat. “I thought even you were above asking out girls as a prank.” She turned and stormed down the hall. Carter and Watson exchanged a look, glanced at Prongs, and ran after Evans.

“It wasn't a prank!” Padfoot tried calling after her.

“She either didn't hear you,” Moony said.

“Or she doesn't care,” Padfoot finished.

“Me thinks that was just a tiny bit pricky,” Ryan said, calmly leaning against the wall and trying not to grin.

“Uh… better luck next time?” I tried.

And there were plenty of next times. But every `next time' was just as bad as the first one. A lot of them were worse. She obviously doesn't like him, so why doesn't he just give up on her all together?

-Peter

&-&-&-&-&

“Ryan!!” Lily exclaimed, exasperated.

“Yes?” Ryan responded innocently.

“Can't you sit still for a minute?” Lily asked. “You've been practically bouncing off the walls all morning. Just what are you so excited about?” It was during breakfast. Ryan had come in late, as usual. Morgan and Alice had gone on ahead to class, and Lily was waiting for Ryan while she finished up some Head stuff that she needed to get done.

“A lot of things,” Ryan said cheerfully, grinning at her frustrated friend. “The main one being that Quidditch starts today. Did I mention that? Our first practice is this afternoon.” She stopped and frowned slightly. “No, wait. This'll be my first practice. The rest of the team had two last week when I had detention.” She grinned. “But I'm still looking forward to it. Have I ever told you how much I like Quidditch—“

“I thought you were never in a good mood in the morning,” Lily cut it darkly.

“Oh, I'm only in a bad mood until I get a shower. Then I'm much happier. I like to be clean. Besides, I had a really good idea this morning.”

“Oh?” Lily asked. “About what?”

Ryan grinned. “Secret Marauder business. I'd tell ya, but then I'd have to kill you. And that wouldn't be good for anyone.”

“For… anyone?” Lily asked suspiciously.

Ryan rolled her eyes. “Yes, anyone. Don't be so paranoid,” she added, grinning. “If I killed you, it wouldn't be good for you. Morgan and Alice would be tres sad. I would probably get sent to Azkaban. If, that is, the Ministry could find me before Sirius, and that's only if Sirius could find me before James. And then, if Morgan and Alice or James or Sirius killed me, Remus would be extremely sad and Peter… Anyway, it just wouldn't be good for anyone.” She waved her hands in a circle. “Set off a whole cycle of events.”

“Hm, I see.” Lily gave her another suspicious look as the bell rang and they headed to class.

Ryan shot her another innocent smile. “I wouldn't ever plan anything that would involve you without your consent.”

“Of course you wouldn't. And I'm the queen, is that it?”

Ryan laughed and nodded. “Exactly it. Your Majesty.”

&-&-&-&-&

“Hey, Rye!” fourth year Keeper Stephanie Letmen called, running to catch up.

Ryan grinned. “Hey, Steph. How's it been?”

Stephanie shrugged. “Pretty good, I s'pose. You?”

“Same old stuff,” Ryan replied. She looked up as they entered the Quidditch Pitch, shielding her eyes. “Trey, you haven't been practicing!”

“Oh, shove it, Ryan!” a brown haired boy yelled back. Trey Recher, a fifth year Chaser, threw the Quaffle at her. Ryan dodged it as if it was a Bludger. “You're supposed to catch that, you know.”

“Hey, you stick to catching your balls, I'll stick to catching mine,” she yelled back. She paused, thinking. “No, let me rephrase that. You stick to catching Quaffles, I'll stick to catching Snitches.” Trey snickered before turning to talk to sixth year Beater Mark Barden.

“I'll stick to hitting balls then, how's that?” Aubrey Bradley landed next to Ryan and Stephanie. Aubrey was a sixth year Beater. She and Mark didn't always get along, but it was amazing how well they could work together when they wanted to (namely when James threatened them or during matches).

Ryan laughed. “Well, if that's what you want to do.” She smirked slightly. “I think kicking `em's more fun, personally.”

“Oh, gross,” Stephanie said, scrunching her nose. Ryan and Aubrey laughed.

“Watch out!” The three girls ducked without needing to look up. Cameron York (a third year chaser) stopped in front of them, smiling sheepishly. “Uh, sorry. Can you-“ Ryan picked up the Quaffle and threw it to him. “Thanks.” He flew off, throwing it to Trey in the process.

“Cute kid,” Aubrey said, shaking her head. “For how stupid he is.”

“His aim's awful,” James commented lightly, coming up behind them. “We're working on that though.”

“Shouldn't there be more than this?” Ryan asked him.

He shook his head. “This is all of us. I'm still looking for a reserve Chaser, unofficially. But I didn't want to hold try-outs just to get a reserve. That's stupid.”

“And a lot more pain than it's worth,” Aubrey added.

“I'm thinking about Anthony Underwood,” James said. ”What do you guys think?”

“I think he's a pain in the arse,” Mark said easily, landing next to the others with Trey and Cameron right behind him, “but he's got a hell of an arm.”

“Well, you're a pain in the arse and you're still on the team,” Aubrey said. “So you two should get along fine.” Mark scowled.

“His aim's worse than Cameron's,” Trey said. “He's probably the best we've got, though. Unless you want to try Cassie-”

“You just want her on the team because you fancy her,” Cameron said, smirking. Trey reached to hit the back of his head, and Cameron ducked, grinning. “It's true though. She's not that great. She just happens to have-“

“York,” Mark said, slapping his hand over Cameron's mouth, “one of these days, your hormones will kick in. And then, if you can see at all, you will want another girl on our team. No offense, ladies. But you're all hands off.”

“Thankfully,” all three girls muttered in unison.

“I agree,” James said. “Anthony it is then. I don't want to deal with any more… relationship issues than I already have to. Besides, I have to train Cameron to aim anyway.” Cameron blushed slightly. “Mark, let out the Bludgers. Do NOT let out the Snitch. I just want to pass around for a while. Everyone else, get your arses in the air. Our first match is on the 29th. And it's against Slytherin. You all know what that means-”

Ryan nearly fell off her broom as she spun around to face him. “The 29^th? As in October 29^th?” James nodded. “Maledizion.”

“What language was that in?” Cameron asked. It was pretty much a known fact that, if Ryan swore, it was almost always in another language. It was also a known fact that about 75% of the time, if Ryan spoke in a different language, it was a swear word.

“Italian. It means damn it. As in dammit, James, that's a really bad day for our match against Slytherin, especially since that happens to be the exact middle.”

“The exact middle of what?” Trey asked teasingly. “Your time of the month?”

“Recher, if you like having a head, shut the hell up,” Aubrey snapped. “And don't joke about that. It's hard to play a Quidditch match then, thank you.”

Trey snickered as Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Please tell me you're getting all the perverted jokes out now.”

“Are we being perverted?” Trey asked innocently.

“Let me think about that. Hm… Yes.” Trey snickered again.

“You mean the exact middle?” James demanded. “As in not the day before, not the day after? The worst possible—“

“Would I joke about that?” Ryan snapped. The rest of the team all blinked at once. None of them (except for Aubrey, who just happened to be in the right place at the right time during her fourth year) had ever heard Ryan snap at anyone.

James took a deep breath and let it out. “I never said you were,” he said as calmly as he could, “but what I meant was is it right in the middle? On the exact middle day?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. I'll work on it, alright?” She nodded. “Okay. Everyone, get passing. You know the drill! Get in a circle, start moving it around. Cameron, always pass it to Trey. Always, unless I tell you otherwise. Got that?” Cameron nodded. “Watch out for those Bludgers, we don't have Mark and Aubrey to watch your arses this time. You've got to do it yourself.”

The team started passing dutifully, but none of them were really concentrating on what they were doing. Stephanie and Aubrey were wondering what Ryan and James had been talking about. Mark was halfway wondering about Ryan, halfway wondering about another female on the team (and she wasn't a fourth year).

James was wondering how he was going to convince someone to change the date of the match. Ryan wondered is there was a way for James to change the date of the match.

And for the last two?

Trey wondered if Cassie would be willing to go out with him. Cameron wondered which one of the other males on the team he would be most like if and when his hormones finally did kick in. He hoped it would be James, even though he wasn't having much luck in the female department. At least he knew how to handle a very pissed off Ryan Miller. And that, in Cameron's unbiased and uneducated opinion, was a definite bonus.

&-&-&-&-&

“I've got it.” Lily looked up from the stack of papers in front of her to see James standing in front of her, looking triumphant.

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

“This big event thing,” James said, waving his hands. “The one besides the ball. We should do a Muggle carnival. You know, with that big fair-ness wheel-“

“Ferris wheel?”

“Yeah, that. One of those. And the games and the prizes and everything. What do you think?”

Lily frowned thoughtfully for a minute before nodding. “I think that could work. We could hold it in the spring, possibly.” She nodded again. “Good idea, Potter.”

James wanted to say ”Don't look so surprised, I'm not a complete idiot.” But he somehow thought that that would be considered rather pricky, and even though he wasn't positive about that, he wasn't about to take his chances. He smiled slightly. “Thank you.” He did add, though, “I came up with it all by myself.”

He was rewarded with a slight smile. “Wow, Potter, finally learning how to use that head of yours?”

He decided to take it in stride. “Sure. I use it all the time. How else would great minds such as Ryan and Remus- and yourself, of course- be able to spend any time with me at all?”

“They manage with Black, don't they?” Lily asked dryly.

“They can only have so many pity cases, Lily,” he responded seriously.

She looked for a second like she was going to laugh, but she just shook her head. “Although your great wit never ceases to amaze me, Potter, we need to get to work. I-“

“It's James.”

She looked at him oddly. “Excuse me?”

“My name,” he said slowly, “is James. Not Potter. At least… all of the people I get along with call me James.” Bad move, James, he thought, wincing inwardly. They hadn't officially declared a truce yet. Who was to say that she didn't still consider him an enemy?

“Doesn't mean we're friends,” he said calmly when she opened her mouth. “Just means we can have a conversation without snapping at each other. Which is something we've been doing for the past ten minutes or so.”

She paused, looking like she was considering it. “You're right,” she said thoughtfully. He started to break into a smile and had to look down so that she wouldn't see. “But don't think I can just start calling you by your first name all of the sudden,” she added quickly. “It- It takes getting used to, you know.”

“Of course,” he said. She sounded a little flustered, but he wasn't sure why. At least it was a start. And he had to start somewhere.

&-&-&-&-&

“She hasn't done anything,” Sirius complained from the floor in the common room. “Ryan's had two weeks to come up with a matchmaking plan, and she hasn't come up with anything.”

“First off, they're not matchmaking plans,” Remus said, not looking up from the book he was reading. “She's just trying to get them to settle their differences enough so that they can spend time in the same room. Secondly, maybe she does have a plan. She just hasn't told you what it is yet.”

“You know what she has planned,” Sirius said accusingly.

“I just know Ryan Miller. If she doesn't want to tell you something, she won't. It's that simple.”

“She asked for our help, though,” Peter said, frowning.

Sirius nodded. “Exactly. Thank you, Wormy. She asked for our help. If she didn't need our help, she wouldn't have told us. If she needs our help, she should tell us she needs our help. Besides, I know she doesn't have a plan.”

“Oh, really?” Remus asked dryly, finally looking up. “And just how do you know?”

Sirius grinned. “I am the all powerful Sirius Black, Moony. I hear all, I see all, I know all. If I haven't heard about, it doesn't exist. That simple.”

“Well if you are the all powerful Sirius Black and you are, as you say, all powerful, why don't you just do something about it?”

Sirius frowned thoughtfully for a second. “You know what, Moony? That's a good idea. Why shouldn't I do something about it? I have to listen to him complaining too. Screw Ryan's plan. I'll just use my own.”

Remus had the feeling he shouldn't have said anything. “I was joking.”

“I'm not.”

“Locking them together in a broom closet isn't going to work.”

“Who said anything about broom closets?”

“She'll kill you when she finds out,” Peter put in. “She told you she'd handle it.”

“Nah, the only person she ever considers actually murdering is James,” Sirius said easily. “Well, and her dad. That doesn't count though. Besides, she's not exactly handling it if she's not doing anything, is she?” He didn't wait for an answer. “Didn't think so. So, if she's not going to take care of it, I will.”

-->

Chapter 8- Guilt and Confessions

“Someone looks guilty this morning,” Ryan said cheerfully, plopping into the seat next to Remus. “What did you do this time?”

Sirius smiled innocently. “Do? Me? I haven't done anything. Really, Wheat, you should have more faith in me and—“

“Oh, stuff it,” she said, laughing. “I don't want to hear it. It's too early in the morning for your B.S. And, no, that wasn't me accidentally getting your initials backwards.”

Sirius just shook his head sadly. “Between you and Evans, Wheat, the world would be full of… cynics.” Remus snorted, and Sirius ignored him. “I'm not doing anything wrong. What makes you think that?”

“Because I've known you for the past eleven bleeding years. I think I know you well enough by now to know when you're up to something.”

“But you didn't see me for seven of those years. How do you know I haven't changed?”

“Your name's still Sirius Orion Black, isn't it?”

“See, there you go! Cynical. I could have changed for all you know. But you'd never believe it.” He shook his head. “You and Evans should really start a club—“

“Double stuff it, Sirius,” Ryan said as she grinned. “And no, I'm not talking about Oreos.” (AN- Were Oreos around in the `70s? Me thinks they were.)

“What the hell's an Oreo?”

“If it makes you feel any better, I dunno what he's up to either,” James said, looking like he still couldn't believe his best friend wouldn't tell him what he was up to.

“Oh.” Ryan shot Sirius a mock glare before grinning. “In that case, where'd you get the chocolate and how can I get some too?”

Sirius grinned and popped a Bertie Bott's bean into his mouth. “No chocolate. I've got some ear wax I'll be willing to share, though.”

“Ew, no thanks. I'll pass.”

Sirius winked at her. “Thought so.”

&-&-&-&-&

Okay, I know that's it's technically Morgan or Alice's turn, but I had to make a confession. I lied. Not about anything earth shattering, not about anything drastic, not about anything that would really piss anyone off. I just… lied. Pure and simple. Wow, that felt good to get off my chest.

Now, you're probably wondering what I lied about. Because you really can't just walk up to someone, informed them that you lied, and then walk away, can you? Well… there's a couple of things, actually…

The first thing I lied about was being an Animagus. I'm not really. I can turn into a Phoenix naturally with my powers. I was just born that way. Remus knows that, and James might, but the others don't. That's not really a big deal, though. Just something I like to keep to myself.

The next thing I lied about was Lily and James' relationship. Or future relationship, really. But what was I supposed to say? “Oh, yeah, by the way, Lily, you'll fall for James in seventh year. Try not to fight it, alright?” Yeah, that would've gone over well.

Not bleeding likely.

And it wasn't like I ever tried to find out on purpose or anything. It just… happened. It does that sometimes. When I meet a new person, I suddenly have a flash of their future (that's why Fawkes tends to burst into flames if it's near that time when a new student comes to visit Dumbledore — he's weak and he just can't handle a vision right then).

The first time I met Lily, I just had this sudden flash of her future. And the image I got just happened to be of her and James- an older Lily and James, to be specific- kissing. Odd and disturbing, right? I had just met the girl, and suddenly I'm picturing her snogging one of my best mates? Great mental image. Not.

But, then again, if she knew that it was going to happen, she might not be fighting it as much. Or she might be fighting it even more. You just never know with Lily. So I just kept it to myself. I get to say I told you so later, though.

The last thing… isn't really a lie. I just didn't tell the guys something I probably should have told them a long time ago. Dumbledore knows. He knows that Peter, Sirius, James, and I sneak out on the full moons and go help Remus. He knows that Sirius, James, and Peter are all Animagi. Illegal Animagi.

But he also knows that we do it to help a friend, and he lets it go. He's pretty cool about that. He'll let you get away with things a lot faster if he knows that you're doing it to help someone else. Someone deserving. Which we are, aren't we? It's not as if we became— they became illegal Animagi to help out the Death Eaters or something.

So, as a review, I've lied about Lily and James' future relationship (knowing about it, I mean), about being an Animagus, and about Dumbledore knowing what we do on the full moon. There. Now you know.

Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. One more thing. You know that big matchmaking scheme I promised everyone? I'll let you in on a little secret. My plan is to do abso-bleeding-lutely nothing. You want to know why? Because she's already falling for him. Why should I do work my arse off if she's already heading in that direction without my help? Remus, Sirius, and Peter and Morgan and Alice can handle it on their own. Well, Sirius might need to be watched carefully, but the others I trust completely. Or at least most of the others.

Psh. And they said they needed my help.

-Rye

&-&-&-&-&

“But Professor—“

“I said no, Potter.”

“Professor, she can't help it,” James said almost pleadingly. “She's the best Seeker in this bloody school—“ McGongall opened her mouth to correct him, but he rushed on. “Sorry, won't happen again. She's the best Seeker in this school. And she's going to be sick. I'm just asking for a day or two, at most. All she needs is a couple of days to get over her… `sickness,' and she'll be fine!”

“Potter,” McGongall said sharply, cutting James off again. “Do you realize that I have had four people within the last three days make the exact same request you are? Four people, Potter, and all of them were on the Quidditch team. They either have no faith in your persuasion abilities, or they were asked to ask me. I shall tell you the exact same thing that I told the four of them. I have no control over the times of the matches.”

“But you have to have some say in it,” James said before she could stop him.

She glared at him. “No, I don't. Now I will tell you something I did not tell the other four. Madame Hooch agrees with your opinion of Miss Miller's abilities as a Seeker. I do not believe it would take very much persuasion to have her change the date. You know where her office is.”

“Oh.” James blinked before smiling innocently. “Thank you, Professor. Sorry to have bothered you.” He turned to go, but McGongall called him back.

“Potter, do you have a reserve yet?”

“Yes, Professor. Anthony Underwood agreed yesterday. We're having practice this afternoon to see how well he fits in with the team.”

McGongall nodded. “Very well. And Potter?” James turned back to her again. “You and Miss Evans are getting along then?”

“Er… Yeah, I guess. I mean… Yes. We are, Professor.”

“One last thing, Potter.” James turned back again, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “You must not lose to Slytherin. Professor Clearing would be unbearable if you did.”

James grinned. “We aren't planning on it, Professor.”

&-&-&-&-&

“How are we going to convince her?” Peter asked, frowning.

“Leave that up to me, Wormtail,” Sirius said confidently. “I'll handle it. You just need to find her.”

“She's in the library,” Ryan said, sitting backward in one of the empty chairs at their table in the common room. Peter looked at her, startled and slightly annoyed, but Sirius didn't even blink. “So what do you have for me?” she asked Sirius. “Tricking her to be in a certain place at a certain time? Showing her all kinds of proof that James is really a good guy? I'm not locking any doors, if that's part of your plan. Although I highly discourage it. I enjoy having a head, thank you.”

“I don't think we should include you at all,” Sirius said, tipping his chair back on two legs. “You told us you would come up with a plan, but you never did. Why should we ask for your help now?”

“Oh, but see, that was my plan,” she said, grinning. “I'm too lazy to come up with my own idea, and you seem to be doing well enough. Just don't tell Remus that. He's against you planning this, for obvious reasons. Actually, now that I think of it, I'm kind of against you planning this. But for the sake of laziness.”

“We don't need your help,” Peter informed her coolly.

Sirius waved him aside. “She's offering, Wormtail. She'd have an easier time of it than we would.” He turned to Ryan. “Can you convince her to come to Quidditch practice?”

Ryan snorted. “Next thing you know, you'll be asking me to convince her to get on a broomstick.” Sirius smirked and started to open his mouth, but Ryan cut him off. “Alright, I'll see what I can do. No promises, of course.”

“Of course.”

“She'll probably say no.” Ryan frowned thoughtfully for a second before smiling to herself and nodding. “If she doesn't agree to it, I've got a back up plan. I'll need you to keep James in the locker room for a while.”

Sirius frowned. “Why?”

“I'll explain if we get there. Which we, hopefully, won't. I'll see to you at practice, then?”

&-&-&-&-&

“Hi,” Ryan said cheerfully, sitting in the only empty chair at the table where Alice, Morgan, and Lily were working.

“Hi.”

“Hey, Rye.”

“'Lo.”

“Whatcha workin' on?” Ryan asked in her best American accent. Morgan snorted, Alice looked at Ryan and shook her head, and Lily just rolled her eyes.

“Homework. The thing most people work on in the library.”

“Just wondering,” Ryan said easily. “I've worked on things other than homework in the library before. Written letters, read, planned pranks. The options are just endless—“

“What do you want, Rye?” Alice asked not impatiently.

Ryan grinned. “I was wondering… Today's the first Quidditch practice with the whole team, you see, and since none of you have ever come to a practice when I've been on the team, I was wondering if you guys wanted to come.”

Lily's head snapped up. “Why?”

Ryan shrugged. “I dunno. The guys always come, but you three never come. It won't be that bad, I promise.”

“But—“ Morgan stopped when Ryan shot her a significant look. “Oh. Okay. I need a break from Potions anyway. What do you think, Alice?”

“I think it could be fun,” Alice said agreeably.

Lily looked between the three of them in shock. Ryan gave her a pleading look. “Oh, no. I don't think so. I hate Quidditch. The only reason I put up with the matches is because of you. No. I'm not giving James Potter another chance to show off.”

“He doesn't show off,” Ryan said. “He plays his position. Besides, he won't have chance to show off at practice. He'll be teaching Cam and Anthony how to aim. Or something like that. Come on, Lily. It won't kill you. It's not like you still hate him or anything.”

“I never hated—“

“Greatly disliked, same difference. You like him now.” Lily stared at her, thinking something along the lines of that wasn't how she would have worded it. Ryan grinned and stood up. “Just think about it. I'll see you two later,” she added to Morgan and Alice.

Lily looked at the other two, who studiously returned to their homework. “What—“ She noticed a slight smile on Morgan's face. “She's scheming against me, isn't she?” Lily demanded.

“You're just being paranoid,” Morgan said easily.

“Mm-hm. That's what she told me when I accused her of planning something behind my back.”

“Lily, I can honestly say I have no idea what is going on in Ryan's head,” Alice said. “I don't know what she's planning. But I do know it won't kill you to go to one practice. She's right, we've never been.”

Lily sighed. “Alright. One practice for Rye. But only one. After this, I'm never coming to one of her practices again.”

“You might like it and actually want to go again,” Morgan said. Lily snorted disbelievingly. “Well, you never know! Expect the unexpected, you know how it goes.”

“Yeah. You make it sound like you think I'll enjoy it.” Morgan and Alice traded looks. Lily sighed in frustration. “What is up with all of you lately?!”

&-&-&-&-&

“Oy, Miller, you're late!” Mark knocked a Bludger in her direction.

Ryan ducked it and hopped on her broom quickly, shooting up into air quickly to avoid the Bludger. Aubrey hit it away. Ryan turned to James immediately. “Well?”

“Well what?” he asked innocently.

“Well, did you get the match changed?” she demanded.

He smiled slightly. “What would you give me if I did?”

“Relationship help,” she said.

“I sure as hell hope you got it changed,” Trey said, smirking. “You need all the help you can get.”

“You're lucky Madame Hooch thinks you're the most talented Seeker in this school,” James said. “She agreed to switch it to February and let Slytherin play Ravenclaw on the 29^th instead. Our first match is the 12^th of November against Hufflepuff.”

“Really?” Ryan squealed and did a quick spiral out of happiness. “Thank you!”

“Don't thank me,” James said, shrugging. “Thank…” He trailed off, his eyes on the stands. “Shit.” He rounded on Ryan angrily. “What the bleeding hell—“

“Watch you language, Jimmy,” she said sweetly. “You're scaring the children.” James continued to glare at her. “Lily came because I asked her to. She's not here for you. Act like you normally do, and everything will be fine. You're just being a paranoid git.”

“A paranoid git my ass,” James snapped. He turned back to the rest of the team. “Alright, guys. Stephanie, Trey, Cameron, and Anthony, get in a circle over there and start passing. Cameron, pass to Stephanie. Anthony, pass to Trey. Always, un—“

“Unless you tell us otherwise, we know,” Cameron finished.

James nodded. “I'll be there in a minute. Mark and Aubrey… Hit that bludger back and forth. There's a reason I only took one out. Don't let it hit anybody, and try not to knock each other out of the air. I don't want to have to escort one of you to the hospital wing. Rye, find the Snitch. Go, have fun. Let me know when you have it, I'm timing you. Everybody get to work!”

&-&-&-&-&

“See, Lily?” Morgan said cheerfully. “That wasn't so bad.”

“It was better than I thought it would be,” Lily admitted reluctantly. Luckily, she didn't see the grins Morgan and Alice traded behind her back. “How long do you think it will take her?”

“It usually takes ten minutes or so,” Remus said as the three boys walked over.

Sirius grinned. “And what brings you three lovely ladies—“

“Oh, stuff it, Black,” Morgan said. “You know exactly why we're here. Don't play stupid.”

Sirius shrugged. “It's the thought that counts. That's what I get for sitting in on the How to Not Be a Prick lessons.” He punched Remus. “Told you I wouldn't learn anything.”

Ryan walked out of the locker rooms a few minutes later, wringing out her wet hair. “He's all yours, guys,” she said cheerfully. (Lily did not, however, miss the smile Ryan sent in Remus' direction.) Ryan turned to Lily. “So? Was it awful? They didn't have to give you CPR or anything, did they?”

“No, they didn't,” Lily said. “I survived. It… wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.”

“Oh, good.” Ryan pulled her still dripping hair back into a ponytail and wrapped a rubber band around it. She made a face. “Crap, I forgot my ring. I have to go back. Anyone want to come?”

“I've seen the inside of the locker rooms,” Morgan said. “Once is enough.”

“When did you see the locker rooms?” Alice asked.

Morgan grinned. “That's my business. It wasn't the Gryffindor locker room, but I have a feeling they're all the same. And I know you've seen the inside of the locker room.” Alice blushed slightly. “But Lily hasn't.”

“Come on, Lily,” Ryan said, tugging on her arm teasingly. “Once in a life time opportunity.”

“Alright,” Lily conceded, smiling slightly at Ryan's enthusiasm.

“We'll meet you in the common room,” Alice said, waving to them before she and Morgan started back towards the castle.

Ryan dragged Lily into the locker rooms. Lily scrunched her nose at the smell. “Hey, they're locker rooms,” Ryan said, shrugging when she saw Lily's face. “No amount of cleaning spells are going to make this place smell nice. Or… look nice either.” She motioned to a pile of dirty towels in the corner of the room. “It's because we have to share it with boys.”

“I thought you were done,” Remus said, looking up from where he was sitting next to Peter on one of the benches along the walls.

Ryan shrugged. “Forgot my ring.” She turned to Lily. “Don't move. I'll be right back.” She disappeared through one of the two rooms off of the main section.

“Boys' showers,” Peter said lazily, motioning to the door on the left. “Girls' showers.” He motioned to the door on the right.

There was an explosion from the left one, followed by a yell. “PADFOOT!! I—“ The rest was drowned out by the sound of running water and another yell. Lily rolled her eyes. Boys.

Ryan walked out of the girls' showers with a frown on her face. “Neither one of you have seen a ring, have you?”

“Who's looking for a ring?” James asked, walking out of the boys' section with Sirius behind him. Both boys were soaked, and James still had a towel in his hand.

“My ring that my brother gave me,” Ryan said, holding up her thumb to prove her point. “I usually don't take it off, but the spell that keeps it from tarnishing was wearing off.”

“The silver one with your initials on it?” Remus asked.

Ryan nodded and walked over to the lockers along the wall, opening one. “The one that I'm always wearing.” She slammed the locker closed and turned back around. “Merde.”

“Do you want us to help you look?” Lily asked as James asked her, “Where do you want us to start?”

Ryan smiled slightly. “I'll look in the girls' showers. Remus, could you look in the boys' showers just in case someone kicked it in there or something? The rest of you… Just look.”

Lily looked around the room, wondering where it could be, before turning back to Ryan. Ryan quickly dropped her hands to her side and smiled innocently. “Are you sure you don't need help in the showers?”

Ryan nodded. “They aren't that big, and I already halfway looked for it in there. You just start over there,” she pointed to the front wall, “and James can start on the other end or something. Sirius and Pete can do this wall. I just hope it didn't go down the drain.”

Everyone studiously started looking. “I bet it's in her pocket,” Peter muttered.

“I doubt it,” James said. “She always wears it. I don't think I've ever seen her not wearing it since she got it.”

“It's not like her to lose it, though,” Lily said.

Sirius had a sudden coughing fit. Everyone looked over at him. “Must be getting a cold or something,” he said.

A few minutes later, there were two triumphant exclamations. Both people leaned forward to pull it out from under the bench… and Lily pulled away, rubbing her forehead. James rubbed the side of his head with his free hand. “Sorry. I didn't see you.”

“Obviously,” Lily said. She looked at his face to see a triumphant look, but there was still an apologetic gleam in his eye. For the first time, Lily noticed that his eyes were hazel. She had always thought they were just brown.

“You found it!” Ryan's joyful exclamation made Lily realize that she was staring — at James Potter of all people. She looked away quickly.

“Er… Yeah.” James handed the ring to Ryan, grinning. “There you go.”

Ryan gave James a one-armed hug. “Thank you!”

“You're welcome,” he said easily, standing. He offered a hand up to Lily, and to everyone's surprise (including her own), she accepted it. Ryan was almost beaming. Lily never even thought that it might be because of something other than her ring.

&-&-&-&-&

“Cheers, Fireball,” Sirius said that night. “Fantastic. Couldn't have come up with better myself.”

“Thank you,” Ryan said, mock bowing. The Marauders, minus James, were sitting in the seventh year boys' dorm. They knew James would be back in a few minutes, so they were using the time to talk about him while he wasn't there.

“Did you really lose it?” Remus asked.

“Well,” Ryan said slowly, “I really did leave it behind by accident, and it really did fall on the floor by accident. But I knew where it was. How else would I have known to put Lily and James look on that wall? I didn't mean for Lily to really look at him for the first time—“

“A nice addition, though,” Sirius said.

Ryan laughed and nodded. “I just meant to show her that he's willing to help other people.” She shrugged. “Or something like that.”

“Whatever you did, I think it's working,” Peter said.

Ryan nodded. “I think so too.”

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Leave me lots of reviews, please. `Tis my birthday, you see, and reviews are the best kind of present. ^_^

-->

Author's Note: Okay, I'm having trouble replying to reviews (I used to know how to do it, but then I forgot), so I'm not replying to reviews. But as for the oreos, just assume that Ryan knows what they are because she lived in the States for a little while (instead of the truth, which is when I wrote the chapter I didn't know they don't really have oreos in the UK now and I was just too lazy to change it).

This is the chapter. Or the chapter before the chapter. You'll see what I mean. Just pay attention, there's a lot of plot in this one (and fluff. Plot and fluff go together hand-in-hand in my book).

Chapter 9- Letters and All Around Stupidity

Finally! It took her long enough! Sheesh. I've been waiting for since the beginning of the year. I thought she would never get around to me. Agrippa, she certainly takes her time.

Hi, my name is Morgan Watson, matchmaker extraordinaire. I am happy to say I am in charge of setting up my three best friends.

Well, maybe in charge isn't the way to put it. I was in charge of the Alice Carter-Frank Longbottom mission. I can take full credit for that—and I will. It came out rather well, if I do say so myself. If they don't get married, they better have a hell of a good reason. They so crazy for each other, I don't think there's any reason that they shouldn't.

I can't take full credit for the Lily and James project. Hell, I can barely take any credit. I'm leaving that up to the Marauders. I mean, I trust Ryan well enough, and she could control those boys with the snap of her pretty little fingers if she wanted to. She just chooses not to, for some reason I cannot understand in the slightest. I mean, honestly, what girl doesn't want the Marauders at her beck and call. Just imagine having Sirius Black come whenever you wanted him—

Sorry, I got a bit carried away. Just ignore me. I have a bad habit of getting onto tangents, and it's near impossible to shut me up. So, if that happens, just ignore me. That's what everyone else does.

Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, Lily and James. As I said, Ryan is officially in charge of that project. She can have it. Those two are the most difficult people—No, I take that back. Lily is the most difficult person I have ever met. Not that she fully intends to be difficult, she's just stubborn as a mule. There's so much… chemistry between the two of them. No, wait, potential chemistry would be better.

And sexual tension. I have never met a pair of people with more UST than James Potter and Lily Evans.

Not that I would tell Lily that.

(“That's such a romance novel term. UST. What does that even stand for?”) Shut up, Sirius. What are you reading this for anyway? (“Just making a statement.”) Shove off.

But Miss Marauder and her boys can take care of that. I only help when she asks me to or when I see an opportunity that's just too good to pass up. Don't get many of those, so I take them when I can. I worked my bloody arse off last year, so I'm laying back this year.

Well, at least when it comes to Lily and James. Ryan and Remus are something else entirely.

The two of them are a pair. Talk about falling for your best friend. And the worst thing is that neither one of them realizes it. Well, I guess I should take that back too. Sirius said that Remus knows, he just refuses to do anything about it. Doesn't want to ruin the friendship or something like that.

I suggested friends with benefits. Sirius said he already offered that idea to Remus without much success.

I'll let you in on a little secret—I've been working with Sirius since the beginning of the school year to get Ryan and Remus together. I can't stand the prat most of the time (he's a pig), but it's in the best interests of our best friends. We have to be extremely careful about how we do it, though. First of all, we don't want them to find out. We can't let anyone find out. It just… wouldn't work well. Secondly, if we somehow screw this up, we don't want to screw up their friendship. We're playing with fire, but that makes it all the more exciting.

You would think they would be the easiest to get together, but they're the hardest. The number one problem (behind the fact that they won't admit they fancy each other) is that they're both scared of being in a relationship. I know you can't tell by looking at them, but it's more obvious if you know them. They don't want to get attached. They don't want to fall in love.

I don't know either one's reason, but I know they have one. I'm sure they know each other's reasons. But I don't need to know the reason. I just know that they need to get over it.

On second thought, Sirius probably knows. Hang on, let me ask him. (“Bugger off, Watson. S'not any of your business.”) Hmph, well. Thanks for the cooperation, Black. (I'm sticking my tongue out at him right now, but he's too busy pretending to do his Astronomy homework to notice.)

We may need to call in back up. I was thinking Lily and James might just be the perfect people. Hey, wait a minute… Yep, that just might work. In the process of hooking up Ryan and Remus, we would be showing Lily that James cares for the well being of others, i.e. Ryan and Remus.

Ha, this might not be so difficult after all.

More over Marauders. Watson's on this case.

-Morgan

&-&-&-&-&

For the first time (in Alice's memory), Lily, Morgan, and Alice were sitting with the Marauders during breakfast. Voluntarily. It had even been Lily's idea! Of course, her excuse was that she needed to talk to James about Head stuff, but still. Alice was taking it as a sign. Of what, she wasn't sure, but still a sign.

She looked down the table to where Lily and James were arguing. Well, they weren't really arguing as much as they were… debating.

“We can't decorate in just red and gold, James! The ball is for the entire school. Not just Gryffindors.”

“So? What colors do you think we should have?”

“One color from each house, just to be fair. Yes, every house. I don't like it any more than you do, but I'd rather go ahead and do that than argue with Slytherins.”

“We could always just silence them. Or curse them. Either way, I have the satisfaction of pointing a wand at a Slytherin.”

“James. You're Head Boy.” Alice noticed the slight smile on Lily's face and couldn't help but smile herself. They were making progress. Lily could have a normal conversation with him without storming away annoyed. James had managed to convince her to start calling him by his first name. They could (almost) be considered friends. They certainly acted like it. Alice wasn't sure who she should thank for the progress, but she would thank them if she ever found out.

Morgan sat next to Lily, flirting shamelessly with Sirius. He flirted right back. Probably more out of boredom than actually liking each other, but you could never tell with those two. Ryan and Remus sat across from Alice.

“We have to work on the Transfiguration project sometime,” Remus was saying.

Ryan shrugged innocently. “I'm going to be sick soon. I have to get as much of my regular homework finished as I can so I won't have so much to do next week. I don't think I'll have time.”

“And since you're sick, you can't do any work?” Remus asked. Alice could almost see the trap he was waiting to set on her, although she didn't know what it was about.

“No more than my regular work,” Ryan said, still looking innocent. “Sorry. Maybe after I'm better. I won't be so tired then.”

Remus smirked slightly. “I guess you can't go out on Wednesday either then.”

Ryan frowned, trying to remember what was on Wednesday. Suddenly, she looked at him sharply. “Remus, you can't—“

“You'll be too tired, Rye,” he said, mocking her innocence.

“That's not fair—“

“I don't want you to come if you're going to be too tired. What happens if you get stuck again?”

“I won't get stuck again,” she said defiantly. “The last time I got stuck, I was fifteen. I haven't gotten stuck since then, and I don't plan on it either. Stop being such a smarmy salaud. For the record, that means bas—“

“Is the full moon on Wednesday?” Peter asked. “I thought it was on—“ Remus and Ryan both gave him significant looks, and he stopped talking. Alice was about to ask what was so special about the full moon when the mail arrived. An owl landed in front of Alice, and she grinned. Who cared about the full moon anyway?

“Lily, Frank wrote to Alice again,” Morgan called happily.

Lily looked down the table in interest. “Well? What did he say?”

“I haven't even opened it yet,” Alice said, taking the letter attached to the owl's leg. “I'll let you know. After I read it.”

An owl dropped a letter on Ryan's plate. She picked it up, looking at it curiously, before slitting it open and pulling out the letter. As she read it, her face paled slightly and her curious look turned into a scowl.

“Rye?” Remus asked uncertainly.

“It's nothing,” she said, smiling what looked like a slightly forced smile. She stuffed the letter into her bag.

“Did your dad write you again?” James asked.

Ryan frowned. “Uh… Not exactly.” She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “I'll meet you in class. I forgot my Defense book.”

After she left, the rest of them looked at each other questioningly. Peter was the first to say something. “Do you think she knows we don't have Defense today?”

&-&-&-&-&

“Hi, Wheat.”

Ryan looked up to see Morgan sit on one side of her and Sirius sit on the other. If she hadn't been so worried about hiding what she had been working on, she might have asked them what they were doing. As it was, she stuffed her parchment under her book and into a large pile of notes. She hitched a smile onto her face.

“Hi, guys.”

“What're you working on?” Sirius asked.

The smile became even more forced. “Oh, you know. This and that.” She waved her hand vaguely. “What's up?”

“Well, Clearing decided to pair us up to work on that Potions project due Friday,” Morgan said (Ryan swore internally; she had forgotten all about it). “And we need someone to make sure we don't kill each other.”

“You've always gotten along just fine before,” Ryan said distractedly, scribbling a note to herself to find James ASAP so that they could finish `that damn project' (which showed Sirius and Morgan how truly distracted she was to have not sworn in another language). “Better than everyone else anyway. What's the problem?”

“He's being a bigger arse than usual,” Morgan said.

Sirius snorted. “You're just mad because I won't tell you about that thing.”

“Those things, Black,” Morgan corrected him. “There's more than one. Two, if you want to get specific.”

“Isn't mine to tell,” he said, shrugging. “Ask them.”

“You know what?” Ryan said. “Because I am extremely sleep deprived, I'm not even going to ask.” She hadn't snapped at them, but Sirius and Morgan both got the feeling she would if they weren't careful. “Sirius, if you can find James in the next ten minutes and bring him here, I'll help you two make sure you don't kill each other. I—“ She stopped and shook her head. “No, you stay there. I'll get him.” She paused for a second before turning to them again. “Sirius, switch seats with me. You have to sit next to her if you're going to work with her.”

Sirius scowled. “Yes, mum.”

“Si, that is possibly the biggest insult you could ever give me,” Ryan said lightly, standing up. Sirius did the same, and the two of them switched places easily. “I don't want to be anything like your mother. Your mother's a bitch.” She flashed a grin. “No pun intended, of course.”

“Funny,” Sirius said sarcastically. “We're going to Moony next time.”

“No, we're not,” Morgan retorted. “Because there won't be a next time. I'm never getting paired with again.”

“I—“ Sirius started.

“I see what you mean,” Ryan said, cutting him off. “Alright. Talk about the project and maybe you won't argue that much. Try it.” Although Morgan and Sirius still managed to find things to argue about, Ryan made sure none of them turned into shouting matches. Which was a good thing considering the library (where they were working) was full of very stressed looking Ravenclaws that might curse the first person to say something. After about twenty minutes, James walked into the library. He looked around and made a face at Ryan before walking over.

“You rang?” he said dryly, sitting in an empty chair next to her. “What is it?”

“We need to do that—“ Ryan stopped in mid-sentence and pretended to glare at James. “You already did it, didn't you?”

“If you're talking about the Potions thing,” James said, grinning. “Yep, I did. You're welcome.”

“I helped him,” Sirius said. James raised an eyebrow. “Well, not really. That was Moony. I just kept them company while they did it.”

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Thanks. No need to baby me yet, but thanks anyway. I assume you made it—“

“Look like your handwriting, naturally,” he said, grinning. “Anything else, Fireball?”

She smiled slightly, shaking her head. “No. Wait, yeah. There is. Besides not calling me Fireball. Can you make sure they don't kill each other while I go get a book?” Sirius and Morgan opened their mouths to protest they wouldn't kill each other, but Ryan held up a hand. “Humor me. Besides, you never know with those Ravenclaws. Be right back.” She got up and walked off between the shelves.

As soon as she was gone, Sirius leaned over and started looking through her stack of papers. “Don't you think that's just a little rude?” Morgan asked.

Sirius snorted. “You sound like Evans— Lily,” he corrected himself before Morgan or James could get a chance to. “She doesn't care. I do it all the time.”

“What about that thing she hid when we came over?” Morgan asked.

“What thing?” James asked.

“What do think I'm looking for?” Sirius asked, grinning at Morgan. He yanked a parchment out of the pile and scanned it, frowning. “What the hell—“

“What?” James and Morgan demanded. Sirius handed the parchment to Morgan, who held it so that James could read it too. Morgan could automatically recognize Ryan's handwriting. It wasn't addressed, but it was obviously a letter.

Just who the bloody fucking hell do you think you are?

Yeah, that was my first thought when I got your pitiful excuse for a letter. Just who the hell does he think he is? Then I remembered. Oh, yeah. You're that psychopath that ruins people's lives. Then I started laughing.

That's right, it made me laugh to think that you would actually think that you have a chance. That I would think you have a chance. That I would actually want to help you. Hey, hate to break it to you, but I hate you. Hate you and your beliefs. Hate you and your ideals. Hate you because you make- No, never mind. I just flat out hate you. Strong enough for ya?

And you thought I might help you? Hi there, but perhaps you've never heard of Terrence Miller? That you be my father, you BASTARD. God, how stupid are you? Don't answer that, I already know. I'd heard you weren't the brightest crayon in the box, but COME ON. My father is an Auror. And you think I'd want to help you?

You still want my answer?

I hope you rot in fucking hell down there with all of those Death Eaters.

The other three exchanged confused looks. “You don't think…?” Morgan trailed off uncertainly, biting her bottom lip.

“No,” Sirius and James said in unison. “He's stupid,” James continued.

“But he couldn't be that stupid,” Sirius finished. Morgan kept biting her lip uncertainly. “At least if it is him, she telling him no in every possible way she can think of,” Sirius added helpfully.

Morgan nodded. “At least we found this instead of-“ She stopped and quickly handed the parchment back to Sirius. “She's coming.” Sirius stuffed the paper back into the pile right before Ryan walked over.

Ryan looked between the three of them. “All of you look guilty. You realize that, don't you?”

“That's because we're always guilty, Wheat,” Sirius said, grinning. “You should know that by now.”

She shook her head, smiling. “Don't doubt it. Did they argue?”

“Not much,” James said.

“We're almost done, anyway,” Morgan said, closing her books and starting to put things in her bag.

Sirius blinked at her. “We are?”

She held up two rolls of parchment and showed him a third one that was half full. “Look like we're almost done to you?”

“Your handwriting is crap, Watson,” Sirius replied easily.

“Yeah, so? You knew that. It's better than yours any day. And it's for Clearing anyway. It's not like you care.”

“Yeah. True.”

“I don't think you two need a babysitter anymore,” Ryan said. “Now I need to find Remus. Any clue—“

“Dorm,” Sirius and James said in unison.

Ryan nodded. “Thanks.” She all but threw her stuff into her bag before slinging it over her shoulder without closing it. “I'll talk to you all later.”

“Hey, Rye,” James said, stopping her. She looked at him, looking slightly annoyed. “Just… get some rest before Wednesday, alright, love?” She sighed and nodded before turning and walking out of the library.

“What's Wednesday?” Morgan asked.

“S'not any of your business,” Sirius said.

Morgan raised an eyebrow. “Must have to do with those things, because that's the exact same thing you told me when I asked about them. Okay, another question then.”

“We're all ears,” James said.

“Why is it that both of you - the two that aren't in love with her - are the two Marauders that always end up calling her `love'?”

“Bleeding hell, Watson, she's practically my sister,” James said. “If I had a sister, I'd probably call her `love' too.”

“What are you going to call Lily, then?” she asked innocently

“What- Why- Where-“ James sputtered for a minute, looking at her in shock. “Lily. I'm going call her Lily. Dammit, what's going on?”

“Just wondering,” Morgan said, shrugging. “I just thought that was kind of odd. Gathering information, in a way.”

“Mate, sometimes it's better to just not ask,” Sirius advised him.

&-&-&-&-&

Ryan was, for lack of a better term, royally pissed. And furious. And down right insulted. Who did he think he was?

It would be in your best interests to accept.

Best interests? Best interests for whom? Not her, that was for sure. It would be in her best interests. Yeah. Right. Uh-huh. Forget the fact that her dad would be furious is he found out. Forget that her friends would hate her. Forget that her ten-year-old brother wouldn't trust her. And all of them with good reason!

It would be in your best interests to accept.

Not that she was planning on accepting. That much was for certain. She couldn't, for one thing. She wouldn't for another. Didn't he know where her powers came from? People with the power of the Phoenix had at least one gene from the Gryffindor line. Didn't he know that?

Granted, most people didn't. It didn't mean she was the heir or anything. But she was, however distantly, related to Gryffindor. Like people born with Parseltongue had at least one gene from Slytherin. That was just an identifying factor. Each founder had one. She could've been the great-great-great-great-great-great grandchild of his half-sister for all she knew (if Gryffindor had a half-sister, which was unlikely). She didn't even know or care if Godric Gryffindor had an heir anymore, she just knew it wasn't her.

And she knew that he was an idiot.

If you're going to plan on taking over the wizarding world, you should at least know your history, right? And that was part of wizarding history. Chances were he thought she didn't know it. Chances were he didn't care. But that didn't change facts.

The heir of Slytherin had asked a relation of Gryffindor to join his side.

It was almost laughable, really, if Ryan was in the mood to laugh about it. Maybe when she would laugh about it when she got over how insulting it was. But not now. Now was not the time to laugh about it.

Had he asked any of her other friends to join him? Or was it just her? Surely he asked people other than her. She was powerful, maybe, but she wasn't better than James. Or Lily, although she was a Muggleborn. Or Remus either, for the grades he got. Surely he knew that.

Her primary question though was how he knew. How did he know about her powers? Most people didn't. A lot of people thought there was some kind of disease that went around between the Marauders, the way Remus was out once a month and she was tired so often. Not that that made people stay away from them or anything.

Only people close to her knew about her powers. Well, and a couple of very observant people in their classes that figured out she was sick once every three months at the exact same time every year. But other than that…

Had Sirius' cousin Bellatrix noticed? It was possible. Not exactly probable, but possible. Ryan had a couple of classes with her, but she didn't seem extremely observant. Or maybe Bella's little sister Narcissa had noticed? Or, ever more probable, Snape had noticed. The possibilities were practically endless. Any Slytherin- or even a person from another house- could've figured it out.

It didn't matter, though. Ryan didn't care. She wasn't going to accept. She had no reason to accept. Sure, there was power, and who didn't want power? She could join the elite, the letter had said. She would be in the inner circle. She would know who every Death Eater was and could turn in anyone she wanted for her own bargaining tool if necessary.

But she didn't want it. She didn't want that kind of power. Hell, she wasn't sure she wanted any kind of power. Power corrupts. Power got in the way of personal things, and she had enough personal problems, thank you. She didn't like to lead. She wasn't good at it. She just came up with the ideas, and Remus made them work. They made a good team-

But that wasn't the point! The point was Voldemort (she could say it without flinching, despite the new fear of saying his name) wanted her on his side. Well, hell if he'd get here. She'd move to Brazil before joining him, and she'd hated living in Brazil. She'd die before she joined him. Her dream was to be an Auror so that she could fight him on her own.

No, she wouldn't join him. Never in a million years. Not a chance on Earth or in hell. Which, she decided wryly, was where he belonged. She hoped she was one of the ones to send him there.

&-&-&-&-&

“No, you're not.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No.”

“Yes. I'm going, and you can't stop me.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really.”

“I think I can.”

“You and what bloody army?”

Remus sighed and rubbed his forehead. He knew better than to argue with Ryan when she was in her weak period, especially lately. Ever since she got a letter the week before, she'd been tired and it didn't take much for her to snap at people. A drastic change from her normal personality, but it couldn't be helped. There was no way he was going to let her. Not this time.

It was the day before the full moon and four days into Ryan's weak period. And she was starting to feel it. Not that she would admit it, but it was perfectly clear to Remus. Ryan, naturally, wanted to help out during the full moon, and Remus, naturally, didn't want her to. The other Marauders were strangely silent about the argument.

All of them knew who was one whose side, though. That much was obvious, even though no one had said anything about it. James and Sirius were both on his side, and Peter didn't care. But the other Marauders stayed out of that argument, as they did whenever that subject came up. It wouldn't matter anyway, Remus knew. Ryan was more stubborn than all of them combined when she wanted to be.

“You're right,” he admitted finally. “I can't stop you. But Ryan…” He reached out a hand. He thought of putting it to her cheek, but he changed his mind at the last second and put it on her shoulder.

Her eyes flickered to his hand before meeting his eyes squarely. “But what?”

“Just… Please, Rye. I just don't want you to get hurt.”

She sighed. “You always forget it's easier for me to transform than it is for them. I do it naturally, no extra magic involved.”

“True,” he agreed, “but that didn't keep you from getting stuck in fifth year. Remember that? You were stuck for-“

“Twelve hours, yes, I know,” she said, rolling her eyes with a slight smile on her face. “Honestly, Remus, you were more worried about than I was.”

“Probably. It can be a little disturbing to wake up with a Phoenix sitting next to you.” She laughed, and he smiled. “But I was only worried because I care about you and I don't want you to get hurt.” Okay, so maybe he said a little more than was necessary, but he needed to prove a point.

She smiled and put her hand over his. “I know, Rem. Really, I understand. But it's so easy. And you know how the guys are always hurting the next morning because they use different muscles or something like that? I don't. It doesn't hurt me at all. I know what I'm doing, and if I start getting tired, I'll transform back before I get too tired. Okay?”

“Do you promise?” he asked her, eyeing her seriously.

She raised her right hand. “Swear on my little brother's head.”

Remus chuckled. “I hope for Dan's sake that you don't break that promise.” She grinned too.

Remus suddenly realized he'd been staring into her eyes for the past couple of minutes. Surely she noticed? If she had noticed, she didn't seem to mind because she was staring back. He was pretty sure that, if he didn't look away soon, he was going to end up kissing her. But he couldn't look away. Nor did he want to.

He was considering what would happen if he did kiss her and if it would be worth it (his immediate decision to the latter question was yes) when she made the decision for him. Ryan took the step that separated them, stood on the tips of her toes, and kissed him. Remus only hesitated a second before kissing her back.

Sirius and James chose that moment to come into the dorm. Luckily the two of them were arguing about something and didn't notice Ryan and Remus until they jumped apart.

“You can't-“

“Sure, you can…” Both boys stopped in the doorway to the room and looked the pair in front of them. Sirius smirked. “Are we interrupting something?”

“No,” Ryan and Remus both said a little too quickly.

James smirked at Sirius knowingly. “You sure? Because we can-“

“No, I was just leaving anyway,” Ryan said hastily. She threw Remus a look. “I'm still coming tomorrow.”

Remus shrugged and nodded. “I didn't doubt it.” She nodded too before pushing past the pair in the doorway and going down the stairs. James and Sirius looked at Remus expectantly. “Don't ask,” he said wearily.

“Hah!” Sirius exclaimed joyfully. “We were interrupting something! Weren't we?”

“Yes, Padfoot,” Remus said, sitting on his bed and looking at his hands. “You were.”

“About bloody time!”

Remus gave him a dry look. “Not now, Padfoot, alright?”

“He's right,” James said, shrugging. “It took you long enough. You better not leave it there, though.”

Remus opened his mouth but closed it again quickly, shaking his head. “Women are damn complicated.”

“Learn to expect the unexpected, Moony,” Sirius said cheerfully.

“It just wasn't unexpected for the rest of us,” James added just as cheerfully.

&-&-&-&-&

“Stupid!” Ryan exclaimed furiously, storming into her dorm. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” She wasn't exactly sure who it was that she was calling stupid, but it fit the entire situation pretty well. It wasn't until she slammed the door behind her that she noticed Morgan sitting on the floor and Alice and Lily sitting on their respective beds. All three were looking at her questioningly.

Ryan swore in Greek. “Skata.”

“That bad, eh?” Morgan asked nonchalantly.

“I would ask,” Lily said, “but I know I wouldn't get an answer, so I'm just not going to bother with it.”

“To sum it up, I just topped myself when it comes to stupidity,” Ryan said as calmly as she could managed.

“We gathered as much,” Alice said lightly.

“This wouldn't have anything to do with any of your fellow Marauders would it?” Morgan asked carefully. Ryan didn't see the other two give her warning looks. “The tall, light haired one? Sandy brown hair, light brown eyes- You know the one I'm talking about, right?”

Ryan wanted to run and hide. It wasn't a normal instinct for her, but running seemed like a good way to get away right then. “Yeah. I know the one. What makes you think this has anything to do with him?”

“Because Sirius was looking for you through your mirror, and he was saying something about how he was sorry to have interrupted you and Remus.”

Ryan froze in the middle of pulling out her homework. She turned around slowly. “He what?”

Morgan grinned innocently. “Well, I think that's what it was. He kept yelling, so we turned it over. It was coming out a bit muffled, but I think that's what he said. Isn't that what you heard, Alice?”

Kaitlyn Scoder and Meredith Winters chose that moment to walk into the dorm. Ryan didn't think she'd ever been so happy to see them in her life, and she never would be happy to see them again. But she didn't like where the line of conversation was heading. They wouldn't talk about it with two gossip queens in the room, surely.

Luckily for Ryan, Morgan dropped it. But it was only a matter of time…

&-&-&-&-&

A phoenix landed on a stag's horns gracefully. A big black dog growled at her in a way that she translated to mean, You're late.

The truth was that she almost hadn't come for reasons didn't feel like admitting to anyone. But she had decided to come, and now she was wondering why she had.

She took flight and flew at eye level to the stag to see what he had to saw to her. The stag gave her a look that said, If you're going to come, be on time.

She gave him a look back that said quite clearly, He had you three. Which he did! They didn't really need her. What use was she anyway? She was the scout. That's all she did. Well, and pull fur occasionally. But they didn't need her to keep him in check.

Merlin, she sounded like Peter.

The reason she had come was simple. She remembered once, in fifth year, she had been sick during a full moon. She didn't get sick often, besides her weak periods, but when she was sick, she was really sick. The next morning, when the boys all came in with a few extra scratches and bruises, they informed her that he was always much calmer when she was around. She hadn't known why at the time, but she had a pretty good idea now.

The werewolf let out a loud howl that scared a rat into shrill squeaks. The phoenix rolled her eyes and landed on the werewolf's back and dug her claws into his fur. She chirped once, sharply, right by the werewolf's ear. I'm here, dammit. The werewolf stopped howling almost immediately.

If a stag and a dog could grin, those two would be grinning at each other widely and knowingly. She'll have him whipped in no time.

-->

Chapter 10- Now or Never

I don't want a turn at this. I wouldn't know what to talk about. (“Anything and everything. Something about any of us. Just… random stuff.”) I'm assuming you don't want me to talk about my boyfriend then. (“'Course not. Stuff connected to the eight of us. You know.”) Alright.

What to talk about…

(“Would it help if I left?”) I guess…

Alright. I wasn't sure I could get her to leave, but I did. She promised not to read this until the end of the year, and she better keep her promise. She'd probably kill me if she ended up reading this before it happened. Before everything fell into place like it's supposed to.

I suppose an introduction is in order. My name is Alice Carter. I suppose I'm the sensible one. Lily is the smart one, Morgan is the flirtatious one, Ryan is the athletic one. So I suppose that makes me the sensible one.

I'm not. Sensible, I mean. That's just my reputation. I just have a habit of saying the right thing at the right time. It doesn't make sense until I actually say it, and it (luckily) comes out making a lot of sense. Which is how I received the title `Sensible.' It's really the only thing left.

If I was really as sensible as everyone says I am, I would have a solution to the Lily and James problem. Luckily, it isn't much of a problem anymore. They get along now. They haven't had a true argument in months. Lily hasn't slapped him in ages. It's finally working out for the better. If only we could convince Lily that she could give him a chance in the more-than-friends department too.

I'm not even sure they're the real problem anymore. I mean, sure, Lily is going to be extremely stubborn once we start trying to convince her that she and James would be wonderful together, but that's to be expected. I'm starting to think that the real problem is Ryan and Remus. Or, at least, I think so. But even that's starting to work itself out. Maybe there isn't a real relationship issue in our year.

I remember when Ryan came to Hogwarts. We all do. I don't think I've ever seen the Marauders so happy as the first couple of weeks of our fifth year.

Well, all except Peter, the poor boy. I feel a bit sorry for him sometimes. Those first few weeks, he was almost completely ignored. Not on purpose, mind you. The other three were just so happy to be reunited that they left him behind for a little while. It didn't last long, anyway. As soon as one of them figured out that Peter was feeling left out, they all did everything they could to remind him he was still included.

Perhaps that's why he and Ryan don't get along. He must think she's trying to replace him. She isn't, of course. If anything, she could accuse him of trying to replace her. Or accuse the other Marauders of trying to find someone to replace her. Ryan and Peter each have their own position in that group. Ryan is a strategist, Peter is… Well, I'm not exactly sure what Peter does, but he isn't a strategist. He strikes me as possibly the look-out, the diversion. But he's something else entirely, as well. He's Peter. That explains it, doesn't it?

We all had our own opinions about the new girl. Lily thought she would be just like the other four, or how she conceived the other four (which was completely wrong but also completely understandable from her viewpoint). Morgan wondered if Ryan would help her get closer to the Marauders (that was when she still had crushes on at least two of them at a time). I just wondered what she would be like. Then I met her, and we got along alright. She seemed nice enough, and she didn't constantly prank people, and she didn't pick on other people just because she didn't like them. If she could be compared to any of them, she was most like Remus.

But she isn't really like any of them. None of them can truly be compared to the others. Each had his (or her) own place, own position. They know that. They know their own position. Except, again, for Peter.

Maybe he's just incredibly insecure. But that really doesn't make much sense either, because he is a Marauder. Marauders aren't insecure, period. They know who they are and what they do and where they belong. Or, at least, the others do. If Peter is really so different from all of them, why is he a Marauder?

There are a few key traits all Marauders have. They are all loyal, to family and to each other (the exception for familial loyalty is Sirius Black, but that makes perfect sense if you know his family). They all would willing trust their life in a fellow Marauder's hands (the exception being Ryan, who doesn't trust Peter as far as she can throw him). They help each other, no questions asked, no matter when, where, or why. They're true Gryffindors, breaking “unimportant” rules for the sake of having fun, or even helping each other.

They're all smart. They are stubborn. Their faith in their beliefs, life, and each other is unshakeable. They would never, faced with money, power, or even death, betray each other.

Some people would kill for that kind of friendship. They have their arguments, they're human. But they have that special kind of friendship that everyone wishes they had. The kind that you look at and you know, just at a glance, that the five of them would do anything for each other, even give up their lives if necessary.

And that, at a glance, is what the Marauders are.

-Alice Carter

&-&-&-&-&

“Owww…” Ryan knew she sounded like Kaitlyn and Meredith after the Hogsmeade parties, but she didn't really care. Not that there had been a Hogsmeade party the night before anyway. She never went to those parties. At least not unless Sirius dragged all of the Marauders off to one of them to pick up girls (which made it pointless for her to come along, but she did for the entertainment of watching a drunk Sirius). And, on top of that, she never got drunk off wizarding stuff. So that couldn't be why she was groaning.

She felt a bit like that one time she'd drank something out of her father's Muggle liquor cabinet. It was just once, and it was just one beer, but Morgana, did she have a headache the next morning. So she had a low tolerance to the Muggle stuff. Big deal. As long as she kept to Firewhiskey, she was fine.

This time, though, it wasn't just her head that hurt. Her whole body hurt. Maybe she had lied to Remus just a little bit when she told him that it didn't hurt her to change like it hurt the other three. But he certainly didn't need to know that.

She just… hadn't stretched her wings in a while. She'd been busy lately, that was all. If she flew around as often as she usually did (at least two or three times a week), then she wouldn't be hurting. She was just out of practice. Like a runner that hadn't run for a few weeks and suddenly decided to run three laps around the Quidditch pitch at a sprint. That was all it was.

If she thought hard enough, she could barely remember telling Lily to go away in Russian (okay, so her words were a little stronger than that, but that was what she meant). If she didn't get up soon, she'd be late to class. She had double Transfiguration first thing. McGongall wouldn't accept the excuse that she was tired because she'd been stretching her wings the night before. If anything, McGongall would press as to why she was so tired if she was `just stretching her wings'.

If she thought hard enough, she could remember why her right arm and lower back hurt. Actually, at the time of the injury, it had been her right wing and right above her tail. He had bitten her. Not hard, granted, but he did bite her. She couldn't really blame him for it, though. It was her own fault for not paying attention and moving out of range fast enough. Thank Merlin and Morgana that werewolf bites didn't do anything to animals except leave bite marks.

That was one of the things she regretted about not being an Animagus. If she was a true Animagus, she could leave most of her cuts and bruises behind when she transformed back. The guys had only learned that around Christmas of their sixth year, but it was possible. After they transformed back into their normal selves, they only had the worst cuts and the worst bruises.

But not her. Everything that happened to her as a Phoenix happened to her as a human. A minor setback that she usually didn't worry about because she was faster than all of them. Well, except for the whole werewolf-bites-don't-hurt-animals thing. She still wasn't affected by… whatever it was that made people werewolves. She was pretty sure she would still have the marks though.

If she hadn't known any better, she would've thought she was drunk. Her thought process was starting to confuse even her.

“Urg,” Ryan groaned again, putting her face into the pillow. Five minutes couldn't hurt, could they? She could just do a quick freshening spell and take a shower during lunch (she might even get warm water that way). Then she'd be off to see Pomfrey and get her to write a note of absence for Transfiguration. Pomfrey loved her anyway, as much as she hated to admit it. If you had to deal with a kid that passed out every few months because she was over working herself when she knew she shouldn't be, you'd start to like her too.

Yeah. That's what she would do. It wouldn't kill her.

Suddenly there was a flash of green light behind her eyelids. She let out a loud yelp and tumbled out of bed and onto the floor. She landed on her back with an, “Oof!” She took a deep, slow breath, trying to calm down as she stared up at the ceiling. Okay, Miller. How many spells come out as green lights? She could only come up with one. She closed her eyes, hoping that would help, but all she managed to do was make it worse.

Death Eaters. Lots of them. At least ten against one fully trained wizard and a little boy. “You might as well give it up, Miller,” one of the Death Eaters sneered. “It's all over now.”

”It's not over until I decide it is,” the man said coolly, standing protectively in front of the little boy. The boy just shuddered behind him, looking terrified.

The Death Eaters laughed wickedly. “Have it your way then,” the leader said.

The group of Death Eaters parted. An unnaturally tall man—No, it wasn't a man. It couldn't be human. Its face was very pale, as if it never went out into the sunlight, and its eyes were a little like a snakes. It all but glided between them to stop in front of the man. The man paled slightly, but he held his ground.

”What do you want?” the man snarled.

The thing had the evil laugh down perfectly. “To show your daughter just what happens when she refuses to assist us.” The man paled even more. The thing merely chuckled. “Yes, I contacted her. What did you expect? To just let Dumbledore have her?”

”You would if you were smart,” the man hissed. The boy behind him trembled. Why wasn't he trying to run?

The thing chuckled again. “Why? Because of her powers? Her powers are why I want her on our side. Her refusal is why you must die. Say goodbye to your daughter, Miller.” The thing whipped out its wand and pointed it at the man calmly. “Avada—“

&-&-&-&-&

All of the male Marauders sat down next to Lily, Morgan, and Alice the next morning. “You lot look tired,” Morgan said. “What, do all of you have hangovers? Because Ryan pulled out the Russian cuss words this morning.”

“First of all,” James, raising one finger, “Padfoot was the only one that had anything to drink last night.” Sirius looked up and grinned before going back to his food. “Secondly,” he raised a second finger, “Ryan doesn't get drunk. If she doesn't get drunk, she can't have a hangover.”

“Thirdly,” Sirius said, raising three fingers, “shove off, Watson.” Morgan made a face at him.

“I thought she used Portuguese when she was really tired anyway,” Peter said.

“She saves Portuguese for the first day after breaks and Mondays,” Morgan said, giving Sirius an annoyed look. “Russian is for when she's really tired.”

“French for normal mornings,” Lily added, “and French or Italian for regular conversations.”

“And Greek after she's messed up badly or when she's really angry,” Alice finished.

Morgan smirked slightly. “Actually, she swore in Greek a couple of days ago. Said she topped herself in stupidity or something.” She looked down the row of Marauders. “None of you would know anything about that, would you?”

Three Marauders look down the table to the fourth. The fourth raised his head tiredly, looked at his three friends sitting down the table, looked at Morgan, and (seeing as he had had an extremely long day the day before) gave all of them a certain hand gesture that isn't worth describing. His fellow Marauders started snickering. No one got a chance to say anything to him as the mail arrived.

James elbowed Sirius and pointed to a pair of barn owls. Sirius nodded grimly. “Ministry owls.” Everyone immediately looked up to follow the two owls' flight. They weren't difficult to place. The owls were brown with white wings. Or they had been originally. The tips of the wings alternated between red and blue, making the owls look like someone had been playing around with color changing charms.

Everyone in the Great Hall knew that they were Ministry owls. They all tensed when they saw a pair of them. If there was only one owl, it was just delivering an update to Dumbledore. It was never a good update, but it meant that no one in Hogwarts had lost a family member. If there were two owls, one was delivering an update to Dumbledore. The other was delivering an update to a soon-to-be grieving family member.

One owl, predictably, landed in front of Dumbledore. The other owl circled the Great Hall twice before flying through the doors leading to the Entrance Hall. Everyone (especially the Muggleborns) let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't them. Their family was safe.

Lily paid the owl that delivered her newspaper. “Why do you bother subscribing to that?” James asked.

Lily glared at him. Ministry owls always put her in a bad mood. “I want to get information about what's going on outside. So that I can know what I'm up against when I get out there.”

“You're up against a crazy loon who enjoys killing people,” he informed her, nodding to the picture of the Dark Mark on the front page. “See? World Renown Auror Killed in Own Home. It's never good news. And look, right under that—“ He pointed. “'Son also killed during attack while daughter safe at Hogwarts'.”

“If the daughter is at Hogwarts, why did the owl fly out?” Alice asked.

“Wait a minute,” James said, frowning and turning his head to get a better look at the picture. “That looks like—“

“You don't think—“ Sirius started.

“It couldn't've been—“ Remus stopped uncertainly.

A variety of four letter words flew out of their mouths. All at once, the three of them dived for the newspaper. James came out with it, and the other two quickly gathered around to read it over his shoulder. Peter leaned in at the last minute. More four letter words.

“What's wrong?” Lily asked as Alice asked, “What is it?” and Morgan asked, “What has gotten into all of you?”

There was a slight pause as the four scanned the article. Remus finally answered, scowling. “Let's just say Ryan is in for a long day.” The girls' reactions were, predictably, a cross between horror and shock.

James was furious. He glanced over his shoulder at his friends and saw their reaction were close to the same. Sirius was frowning, but James could tell that he was furious and already planning revenge. Remus was still scowling and fighting to keep calm. But Peter. He looked mildly concerned, but not concerned enough. Like he…

Lily jumped up, startling all of them. “I'm going to go see if I can find her. If I can't…” She left the sentence hanging as she raced out of the Great Hall.

&-&-&-&-&

“Where's Miller?” a Hufflepuff muttered to his partner. The pair didn't notice three Gryffindors tense in the row behind them.

His partner shrugged. “Think her old man got blown up.” James clenched his jaw, Sirius scowled, and Remus' hand tightened on his wand.

“What?”

“Didn't you see the paper this morning? Terrence Miller got attacked by You-Know-Who. House was in ruins. His son got killed too.”

“Wow. Really? I didn't even know he had a son. You still got your copy of it?”

“Yeah, sure. I let Nate borrow it, but I'll get it for you. Wicked gruesome picture--“

BOOM! The two Hufflepuffs jumped as James glared at Sirius, and Remus grimaced.

“Great.”

“Potter! Lupin!” McGongall yelled, ready to start off on them. “Black, Pettigrew! It's a fairly simple assignment. There is no way fiv- four extremely talented students such as yourselves should continue to blow things up. That's your third kettle, Potter, and Mr. Lupin's fourth cauldron. Dare I ask what seems to be bothering all of you?”

“Did you see the paper this morning?” James asked.

“Notice anyone missing?” Sirius added, glaring at the Hufflepuffs. The two Hufflepuffs, realizing they'd been overheard, turned back to their work without a word. They had enough sense to know not to face the wrath of Sirius Black.

“Gentlemen, I assure you Miss Miller is fine,” McGongall said calmly. Peter let out a tiny snort of disbelief. She ignored it. “The headmaster is speaking with her. When they are finished, she will return to regular classes. Until that time, I suggest you concentrate on your own work.”

“Easier said than done,” James muttered darkly.

&-&-&-&-&

Remus couldn't concentrate. He had been trying to work on homework to make the time go by faster, but he had only managed to write a couple of paragraphs in the two hours he'd been in the common room. His mind kept wandering.

He looked around the common room for a different distraction and realized he was the only one there. Even the people that didn't know her, that just knew of her, had been in a depressed mood all day. It was understandable, when you thought about it. Terrence Miller was a famous Auror. He was known all over the world for stepping up whenever a Ministry needed him (at the expense of him family, Remus thought grimly).

Aurors like Terrence Miller didn't just… die. Aurors like Terrence Miller fought the Dark Arts until they were too old to hold a wand straight, and then they were put on Chocolate Frog cards. Aurors like Terrence Miller had kids like Ryan Abigail Chelsea Madison Miller: one of the most popular students in a school of over a thousand, near the top of all her class, and extremely powerful when she wanted to be.

Remus knew what everyone was wondering. If Voldemort could kill an Auror like Terrence Miller, who was next? Teams like the Potters? The Head of Law Enforcement? The Minister himself? If Voldemort could take out world famous Aurors, who was to say that he couldn't get into Hogwarts?

Remus was worried. Not about Voldemort. Voldemort would do what he wanted when he wanted, and there were very few known ways of stopping him. Things happened to people who opposed him or got in his way. There's no use in worrying about something you can't change.

No. He was worried about Ryan.

He knew he shouldn't be, that Ryan could easily take care of herself, but he couldn't help it. They hadn't seen her all day. Talking to Dumbledore couldn't take that long, could it? What could he say besides, `Ryan, I'm sorry, but Voldemort just finished killing off your family'?

He knew that she would get over the death of her dad easily enough. Maybe not easily, but… She and her father had never been close. Or, at least, they hadn't been since Ryan's mother died. Danny was a different thing entirely. They had always been close. Remus wouldn't be surprised if Ryan cried over Danny.

“Remus?”

He was out of his chair and halfway to her as soon as he recognized her voice. He stopped about a step in front of her and looked at her. She had been crying, he decided. Her eyes were red, and there were still a few tearstains on her cheeks. Her hair was down, something she only did when she had a headache.

“Rye—“ He started.

“I'm fine,” she said forcefully, “before you ask.” She sniffled and stubbornly wiped away a stray tear.

Remus had a feeling that if he so much as touched her, she was going to lash out at him. “Where were you all day?” he asked instead.

“In Dumbledore's office,” she said. She hesitated as if she was trying to decide whether or not she should explain it any further. “The Head Aurors and crap were there. They said they'd give him an Order of Merlin, second or third class. A lot of bloody good it does when he's dead.” He wasn't sure if the contempt in her voice was for the Head Aurors or her father. It was probably for both.

“Are you sure you're okay?” he asked carefully.

Ryan opened her mouth, probably to snap that, yes, she was sure, but she shut it quickly when tears started welling up in her eyes again. Remus made a command decision. If she set him on fire, she set him on fire. He took the step separating them and pulled her into a hug. She let him as she started crying. Crying hard. It was the first time he had ever seen her really sobbing, and only the second time he'd seen her cry.

The two of them stood there for a couple of minutes, Ryan crying, Remus rubbing her back comfortingly. After a few minutes, Ryan's tears slowed. She finally pulled herself out of his arms. “Thanks,” she mumbled. Remus gave her a reassuring smile. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes. “This is all my fault.”

“It's not your fault,” he said.

“It is too.” She walked over to the couch and sat down, putting her head in her hands. “If I had just bloody well accepted it—“

“Rye, what are you talking about?” he asked as he sat down next to her.

“This! The reason he…“ She looked up at Remus. “Well, I might as well tell you. Voldemort contacted me.”

Remus blinked. He WHAT? “When?” he managed to ask.

“Last week,” Ryan said. “He…” She swallowed and rubbed her eyes again. “He wanted me to join him. Because of my powers. Stupid, greedy, fucking little—“

He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure there was anything he could say. He knew Ryan was smart and powerful, but a dark lord wanted her help? Didn't Voldemort know anything?

“It's funny,” she said humorlessly, looking at her hands in her lap. “He chose my weakest time to attack my family. Almost like he knew I wouldn't be up to going after him today even if I wanted to. Not that I would bother to go after him today anyway,” she continued, her voice quivering. “It wouldn't make any difference. He's already dead. They're already dead.” She had to fight back tears all over again.

Remus couldn't help but think how she seemed so… defenseless. He hated seeing her like that. Defenseless, but she was already accepting it. She didn't want to, but she was. She probably thought it would do her more good in the long run. “Ryan, look at me.” She did, reluctantly. “It's not you're fault.” She let out a tiny noise of disbelief. “You didn't have a choice,” he continued. “How do you think Danny would feel if you had accepted?”

“We'll never know, will we?” she asked dryly.

He chose to ignore her comment. “I know it's hard, Rye, but… At least you still have someone. You still have James and Sirius and Lily and Alice and Morgan and Peter—“ Another snort of disbelief. “… And me. You still have us.”

She managed a smile. A weak one, and a watery one, but still a smile. “You're right. As usual.” Her smile faded. “I just…” She trailed off and shrugged helplessly.

Remus put a comforting arm around her. He wasn't sure how much it would help, but it was worth a try. Neither one of them said anything for a few minutes. “Are you going to go up to bed?” he finally asked her.

Ryan shook her head. “They'll want to talk about it. I'm… I'm not ready to answer questions yet.”

He nodded. “Do you want me to stay for a bit?”

She gave him a thankful look. “Could you? Just for a little while. For… emotional support.”

He smiled. “If you want me to. I'm not sure how supportive I'll be, though.”

“You doing enough just by being here.”

&-&-&-&-&

James was exhausted. He didn't even try to hide it. He and Lily had been patrolling for two hours. Of all the days that he had to attack, he had to go and kill Ryan's family on a bleeding Thursday, which meant that James had to patrol. Which, James had thought before he left for patrolling, would be okay. Ryan hadn't gotten back by the time he left, and maybe he and Lily would find her while they patrolled. No such luck.

All they had found were two couples in broom closets and three random students wandering the corridors. So not only was James exhausted, he was also worried about his friend. He was happy when they reached the common room. He mumbled goodnight Lily before turning towards the stairs leading up. He had his foot on the bottom step when he heard Lily gasp.

“James, come here.”

James fought back a groan (it was too late to look at snogging couples) and walked over to where Lily was standing in front of the couch. He looked down at the sleeping pair without realizing what he was seeing. “At least someone found her.” Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Bleeding hell. Wha-“

Lily stifled a giggle at the look on his face. “I think it's safe to say she's in safe hands.”

James just shook his head in disbelief. Remus and Ryan were sitting on the couch, both of them fast asleep. If he hadn't known before that they had feelings for each other, he sure knew it then. “Let's leave them,” he finally said after a few seconds. “They both need the rest.”

Lily nodded, not asking why Remus would need the rest too. “Goodnight, James.”

“'Night.”

&-&-&-&-&

It took Remus a few minutes to remember where he was. He woke up fully as the night before came rushing back to him. He moved just enough to look at his watch, being careful to not wake Ryan up. It was still early. There was about half an hour before people would start coming down for breakfast.

He looked down at Ryan. She still slept peacefully. He really didn't want to wake her, but he knew he had to. “Love, wake up,” he said quietly, shaking her right shoulder gently.

She muttered something he couldn't understand before opening one eye groggily. “Why?”

“Because we have classes to go to,” Remus said, smiling slightly.

She groaned and mock glared at him through her open eye. “Only you would say something like that, Rem.”

He chuckled. “Well, I don't know about you, but I want a shower.”

She sat up with a yawn, opening the other eye. “A warm shower for once? I wouldn't know what to do.” Remus could tell she was trying to seem normal, but something in her eyes disagreed. Or maybe it was the lack of something in her eyes.

Remus stood up silently and took her hand, leading her over to the girls' staircase. She walked up the first two steps before turning to face him. The two of them stood in silence for a few minutes.

He looked down at their hands before looking back up at her. “Love, you're going to have to let go of my hand.”

Ryan blushed slightly and quickly dropped his hand. “Sorry. I guess I'm just a bit… clingy.” She grimaced at the word, making Remus chuckle.

“Not a problem,” he told her honestly.

She smiled slightly. “Thanks. For everything.” She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before turning and bounding up the stairs.

He stared after her in slight surprise. Finally, he shook his head, smiling. “Expect the unexpected.”

By the time he was out of the shower, all of his dorm mates (Sirius and Peter included, the two that usually made it to breakfast ten minutes before Ryan at most) were awake and staring at him.

“Well, well, well,” Brandon drawled, smirking slightly. “Look who's back.”

“Where were you last night, Moony?” Sirius asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Helping a friend,” Remus said easily, walking over to his bed. James chuckled knowingly as the others exchanged looks.

“This friend isn't named Ryan Miller, is she?” Shane asked. The seventh year Gryffindor boys actually got along pretty well, and they were always up for teaming up on someone for a little teasing. Usually James or Shane, who had a well-known crush on a Ravenclaw in their year. They rarely teased Remus, but sometimes you just have opportunities that you can't pass up.

“Could be.”

James chuckled again. “You shouldn't help someone in the middle of the common room, you know.” He dodged a pillow, laughing. “Anyone could walk in and see you.”

”Oh, did helping this friend involve snogging?” Sirius asked joyfully. He received a pillow in the face.

“Shut up, Padfoot.”

&-&-&-&-&

As soon as she was sure she was out of sight, Ryan stopped and leaned against the wall. She slid to the floor with a groan, burying her face in her hands. What was wrong with her? She'd been so… clingy. Like she needed his help. She hated that. Needing someone's help. Yes, he had been great. Comforting her, listening to her, not overreacting about Voldemort…

She wasn't acting like herself, that was for sure. Yeah, Danny dying had been horrible. Seeing it had been worse. But she would've felt better if she could do something about it. As it was, all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and cry all over again. She felt like that was the only thing she could do. But crying never did anyone any good, and it definitely wouldn't bring him back.

And what was going on with Remus anyway? He had called her love. Twice. He never called her that. Sirius did all the time (when he was pretending to flirt with her), James did occasionally, but Remus never did (and she would set Peter on fire if he even thought about calling her that).

Of course, she'd never kissed him up until two days ago either. And now she was suddenly kissing him on the cheek. And smiling whenever he smiled, whether she actually felt like smiling or not. And feeling proud of herself for making him laugh. And…

She knew she was avoiding thinking about what she really should be thinking about, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to think about it if she could avoid it. Thinking about it would only make her depressed, and then everyone (well wishers, all of them, but annoying all the same) would start pestering her about whether or not she was `okay'. That was dumb question in itself anyway. Her family just gotten killed by Voldemort. Was she supposed to be okay?

No. She wasn't. There were all kinds of people that didn't want her to be okay. Death Eaters and Voldemort worshippers who wanted her upset. Her `admirers' that wanted proof that she was more human. Probably even, subconsciously, her friends just to prove that she wasn't always happy.

Ryan shook the last thought away. Of course her friends wanted her to be okay. What was she thinking? They would be there if she needed them. That's what they were there for.

She banged her head against the wall behind her. She was thinking too much. She always did that around that time. Her body might be tired, but her brain would move faster. Usually blurring things together so that, if she said any of her thoughts out loud, they wouldn't make even a tiny bit of sense.

She sighed before standing up. Whenever she moved, there was a dull pain in her lower back. She needed to see Pomfrey, and badly. But it would have to wait. The longer she avoided her friends, the more questions there would be. Besides, she didn't feel like avoiding them anymore. She needed to tell them, to explain to them. Now or never.

She opted for now.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

A/N- Sorry for waiting forever to update, I honestly forgot that I hadn't updated. But here it is. This is the real chapter where everything happens anyway. Or starts to happen. Or whatever, just read it and review please. ^_^

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Chapter 11- Healing and Truth

By the time Ryan got out of the shower, her three friends were awake. The three of them sat on her bed, looking at her expectantly. Kaitlyn and Meredith had already left to hide out in sixth year dorm, so it was just the four of them. Ryan walked over and joined them silently.

“How are you?” Lily asked.

Ryan shrugged. “I'll be okay. Eventually.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Alice asked carefully.

Ryan resisted urge to roll her eyes. That was a stupid question. If she had wanted to talk about it, she would've just come out and said so. “No, not really. Maybe later, but not right now.”

“Where were you yesterday?” Morgan asked.

“Dumbledore's office. They're giving Dad an Order of Merlin for some bunch of crap. Dying in the line of duty or something, because he died fighting Voldemort.” Morgan winced, Alice tensed slightly, and Lily frowned. “Oh, come on, you three. It's just a name.”

“What about last night?” Morgan asked. “You never came in.”

“I… slept in the common room.”

“Why?” Alice asked, frowning.

“I felt like it. The couch in front of the fire actually isn't bad.”

“Especially when you have extra pillows,” Lily said, hiding a smirk. Ryan smiled slightly. At least someone was going to act normal. “Rye, did you know your right sleeve has blood on it?”

“Really?” Ryan lifted her right arm and looked at the underside of the sleeve. “Oh. It does. I forgot things don't heal as fast during… Oh, well.”

“What happened?” Alice asked.

Oh, touchy subject. Ryan hesitated. “A dog bit me. While I was in the other form. He snuck up on me. There's probably blood on my back too.”

“A dog?” Alice frowned. “I haven't seen any dogs-“

“I think I'm going to Pomfrey for this,” Ryan said, pretending to not hear Alice. “She'll be able to heal it. I would get Remus to do it, but I don't think healing charms work well around this time or something.” Remus was, unarguably, the best at healing charms among her friends. She stood up calmly. “If I'm not at breakfast by the time you three get down there, could you tell the guys I'm fine for me?”

“Of course,” Lily said easily.

Ryan shot her a grateful smile as she threw her bag over her shoulder. “Thanks. I'll be down in a few minutes. I'll probably be there before you get there.” She walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. Well, considering, that actually hadn't been too bad. They had asked touchy questions, but she could understand that. As much as it annoyed her. She shook herself mentally and walked down the stairs to the common room.

Madame Pomfrey frowned at Ryan when she walked into the hospital wing ten minutes later. The wing was unusually empty, and it looked like Pomfrey had been organizing healing potions. “What have you done now, Miller? I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow.”

“Well, I meant to come yesterday,” Ryan said easily, grinning as she set her bag down on one of the cots. “But I couldn't work it into my busy schedule. I didn't even have time for class yesterday.”

Pomfrey continued to frown at her for a few seconds without saying anything. “Well? Your friends are not escorting you, so you obviously didn't faint. What this time?”

“Bites,” Ryan answered. “On my arm and shoulder. I wouldn't bother you this early, but I didn't think healing charms worked. And it's rude to lower someone's ego just because your body doesn't like to cooperate.”

“Hm,” Pomfrey said, walking over to where Ryan was standing. “I thought I saw blood on your sleeve. Let me see the one on your back.” Ryan turned and lifted her shirt high enough to let her look at the bite. “Hm. Miller, are you aware that your bite looks remarkably like a werewolf bite?”

“Really?” Ryan asked innocently. “I wonder why that is.”

“Of course, you have no idea,” Pomfrey said darkly. “Might I ask what bit you?”

“You could, but I can't tell you,” Ryan replied cheerfully. “Marauders' honor, you know. It was while I was in Phoenix form, though, so no worries about me being infected. Besides, it would be a little weird if I could transform into two animals, don't you think?”

“Be careful what you say,” Pomfrey said stiffly. “Someone might take offense-“

“Oh, Remus doesn't care,” Ryan said easily. “Is it going to have to heal the Muggle way?”

“Even if it didn't have to, I ought to make you suffer through a natural healing as it is,” Pomfrey said. Ryan grinned. That was one of Pomfrey's favorite threats whenever Ryan came in without an irregular or stupid injury. She rarely went through with her threats though. “Yes, it's going to have to heal the Muggle way. If it still looks bad in two weeks, I'll try to heal it then. If it is a werewolf induced injury, as I have reason to believe, it will have to heal the Muggle way anyway. You'll be stiff for a while, and I would try to avoid using that arm. No Quidditch practice until both wounds heal, or you'll make them worse.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Ryan said meekly, hiding a grin. Pomfrey also said she shouldn't be anywhere near a broom on her two week sick periods either, but that had never stopped Ryan.

“Don't yes, ma'am me, Miller,” Pomfrey said sternly, walking over to her cabinets to find something to clean the wound. “We both know that you won't listen to me.”

“I wouldn't want to deprive you of the joys of healing me,” Ryan said cheerfully.

“Your mother certainly had just as much trouble behaving as you did,” Pomfrey said without thinking. “I remember her well. I wondered if it was those American genes-”

Ryan's smile faded slightly. “Can we leave my family out of this, please?”

“Yes, of course,” Pomfrey said distractedly. “All of you Gryffindors. I think I've healed more Gryffindors than students from all the other houses combined. It's ridiculous, how careless all of you are.”

“We don't find trouble,” Ryan said, grinning again now that they were steering clear of touchy conversations. “Trouble finds us.”

“Yes, yes, as I've heard. Potter's favorite excuse.” She walked back over to Ryan with a bottle and a roll of bandages in her hands. “Well, turn around. I can't very well wrap a bandage when the wound is on the other side of you.”

&-&-&-&-&

“Morning,” a cheerful voice said, plopping down into the seat next to Remus. All four Marauders' heads turned in her direction. They gaped at her in shock. “Oh, come on, guys. I wasn't the one that was attacked by Voldemort, was I?”

“How are you feeling?” James asked.

“That's a stupid question, Jimmy,” she said, still looking reasonably cheerful as she put a waffle on her plate. “Even you should know that. I'm as well as can be expected. Just because I'm not crying all over the place doesn't mean I'm fine- Can you pass the syrup?”

Sirius handed it to her, smirking slightly. “So you wouldn't mind if we treated you like we normally would?”

“I'd like it better if you did,” she replied. “Shoot. Bring it on, Black.”

Remus shot Sirius a dirty look, which he ignored. “What did you do in common room last night?”

“Talked and slept. You want more in depth, ask Remus. He was there too. No, on second thought, don't ask for more in depth than that. There wasn't any snogging, if that's what you were asking.”

“Tough luck, Moony,” Sirius said sympathetically.

James cuffed the back of his head. They ignored Sirius' yells. “Why are you eating with your left hand?”

“What?” Ryan looked up at James, looked down at her left hand, and looked back up at him, smiling slightly. “Oh. That. Nothing important. I pulled a muscle in my right arm or something. And don't,” she added, rounding on Remus, “say I told you so.”

He shrugged, not looking at her. “Wasn't going to.”

“Didn't you-“ Peter started, but Ryan made quick motions with her hand to get him to shut up.

“Oh, that's right,” Sirius said. “I forgot about that.”

“Did you leave them all day yesterday?” James asked. “I hope you went to the hospital wing this morning-“

“'Course I did,” Ryan interrupted easily.

“What did you do?” Remus asked suspiciously, having a pretty good idea already. When no one answered his question, his idea was confirmed. “Where?”

“My back and right arm,” Ryan said carefully. “Pomfrey said they should heal by the end of the week, and-“

“And you can't get on a broom until they heal, or you'll only make them worse,” Remus finished for her, smiling humorlessly.

“Remus, I never listen to her when she tells me that anyway,” Ryan said, sounding slightly exasperated. “She's just over reacting- as usual. I'll be fine. That's the least of my worries, believe me.”

“Will he get an Order of Merlin?” Peter asked suddenly.

“Who, Dad? Yeah, second or third class. Hopefully second. Not that it matters. And will you please stop looking at me like I'm about to explode or something?!? I'm still alive, aren't I? Nothing happened to me.”

There was silence for a few seconds as the boys exchanged looks. “You know,” Sirius said slowly, “she's right.”

“I haven't seen her explode lately,” James agreed. “She looks reasonably stable.”

“No worse than usual,” Peter added.

“I've never exploded, thank you,” Ryan said.

Sirius snorted. “All depends on who you're talking to,” Remus said.

Ryan grinned. “Much better, gentlemen. Keep up the good work.”

&-&-&-&-&

“This is getting ridiculous,” Morgan declared the next morning.

Alice looked up curiously. “What is?”

“Ryan.” Morgan nodded to their friend, who was sitting on the other end of the table in the Great Hall with the James. “Have you noticed how many times she's moved back and forth between us and them?”

Alice looked down the table before looking back to Morgan with a nod. “Yes. Of course. Why do you think that is?”

“Lord if I know,” Morgan said, shrugging. “Any input, Lily?”

“Nope,” was the only answer she received.

Morgan shrugged. “Alright. Maybe she thinks we're being too emotional for her, but she's mad at one of the guys. Which one, though?”

“I don't think she's mad at James,” Alice said. “When she is angry with him, she won't even look at them. The same with Sirius.”

“She's usually mad at Peter, but that's certainly never stopped her,” Morgan mused. “I've never seen her mad at Remus. Do you think she could be mad at him for some reason?”

“I wouldn't say that,” Lily said. Morgan and Alice looked at each other before looking back at Lily expectantly. Lily sighed. “She slept in the common room the other night with Remus. No, not that kind of sleeping together,” she said, exasperated, when Morgan's eyebrows shot up. “They were just sleeping. I'm not sure what was said or done, but she obviously feels awkward talking to him.”

“How do you know?” Morgan asked.

“They were in there when James and I came back from patrolling.”

There was a slight pause. “Oh,” Alice finally said. “Well. That explains it.”

Lily raised an eyebrow. “Does it?”

“Yes,” Morgan said, clapping her hands happily. “It means that she realized something. She knows how she feels. Or how he feels. Or she could just be confused out of her bloody mind, which would be fun to watch just for the sake of watching it.”

“Was she like this while Frank and I were solving our problems?” Alice asked Lily.

Lily smiled sympathetically. “Alice dear, she was worse.”

“I would be worse if I didn't have at least partial faith in the Marauders,” Morgan said cheerfully. Her face fell. “And if I wasn't worried about pushing too hard so soon…”

“I'd be worried about your sanity,” Lily said, changing the subject before they could get too into it, “if I didn't have partial faith in the Marauders too.”

&-&-&-&-&

“You should go back upstairs.”

“Shut up and go away.”

“I'm serious, Ryan.”

“No, you're not. He's not down here yet.”

“I'm glad we managed to get the match changed,” James said, frowning at his friend. Ryan raised her head enough to send him a mock glare before putting her head back down on the table. “You'd fall off the broom before they even released the snitch.”

“Only takes four muscles to raise this little finger and tell you to shove it,” Ryan muttered.

“Only takes five minutes for you to walk from here to your dorm,” he retorted.

“But it takes more energy.”

James sighed. “Why did you even come down today if you were this tired?”

“I wasn't this tired when I got up this morning. You of all people know how quickly it changes. I can't help it.”

“You shouldn't be this tired until this afternoon.” Ryan made a noise of disgust. “Well, it's true. If you didn't waste all that energy running away from Remus-“

Ryan sat up immediately. “I am not running away. I do not run away from anything.”

“Sure could've fooled me.”

“Psh.” She put her head back down on the table. “Don't go all deep and philosophical on me, Jim. You're not doing well enough in that department to talk.”

“I'm not running away.”

“I never said you were. I just said you weren't doing very well in the relationship department. So what?”

“If you're not running away, what are you doing?”

“Giving him space while I figure out how I feel.”

“Thestral shit. You know how you feel. I know how you feel, and I'm a guy. One that apparently has the emotional range of a-“

“Flea. Yeah. I know. She changed it to tic later because you suck the fun out of her life or something.” Ryan propped her head up on her left hand. “Besides, I'm avoiding potential awkward situations. If something goes wrong—“

“That's the stupidest reason I've ever heard.”

“Then why haven't you asked Lily out yet this year, hm?”

“Because he lost his balls when he became Head Boy,” Sirius said, plopping down next to James and starting to shovel food onto his plate. “What's wrong with you, Wheat?”

“Tired,” she said through a yawn.

“Shoo'n't choo `e-“ Sirius swallowed his mouthful. “Shouldn't you be fine until this afternoon?”

“Yeah. But it's all this stress, you know. Relationship issues and…“ James opened his mouth but closed it when she shot him a warning look “…such. Makes me tired.” She yawned again. “Where's Remus?”

“Helping Wormtail find his Potions book,” Sirius said. He smirked. “Why? Do you need to talk to him about something?”

“No. Not about anything special. Just wondering.”

“She's wondering if she should force herself to get up and move down to where the girls are yet or if she can stay here for a while,” James said.

“Am not.”

“Are too. He thinks he went and did something wrong.”

“Maybe he did.”

“Now that's being unfair.”

“You just need to spell it out for him,” Sirius said.

Ryan rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. “This coming from Senor Casanova himself. The person I never take relationship advise from.”

“That's because it never works,” Peter piped up as he and Remus sat down. All of them looked at him. “What? Sirius's relationship advice never works. Except for him.”

Ryan grinned. “For once, I think I'm going to have to agree with Peter.”

&-&-&-&-&

Ryan felt like beating her head against the wall. No, she needed to climb a tree. It was just a heights thing. Sometimes she just really needed to climb a tree. Not, of course, that she had the energy to do either. Banging her head against the wall or climbing a tree, that is. But if she did have the energy, she would have. Maybe she could settle for the table. She was sitting at a table by herself in the back of the library. No one would think to look for her there. Unless, of course, the boys got desperate and pulled out the map. Which was unlikely, since they were probably still at the match anyway.

She just needed to be alone so badly. But on the `day of death,' she could never get a moment to herself. They were so worried that she would faint and hit her head. Or get caught by Slytherins while she was all but defenseless.

Normally she didn't mind. She didn't mind attention. On a bad day, she even craved attention. She was an extrovert by nature and normally hated to be by herself. That was just how she was. But today… Today she just needed to be alone. To think. To figure out how she felt. To figure out what she was going to do now that she knew she felt that way.

It was an odd feeling, knowing you'd fallen for your best friend. It took more coming to terms with than it would had you fallen for just anybody. Maybe she had always liked him a little. She certainly couldn't remember feeling any differently. And now…

“Rye?”

Speak of the devil.

“Yeah?” she asked, lifting her head off the table and looking at Remus.

He looked at her, concerned. “Are you alright? You seem more tired than usual.”

“Stress,” she said lazily, stifling a yawn. “Shouldn't you be at the match? How'd you find me?”

He sat in the seat next to her. “I used the map. Why aren't you at the match?”

“James wouldn't let me go, and neither would you,” she said, smiling slightly. “Besides, I didn't really feel like going. You didn't answer my question.”

“I'm here because I needed to talk to you without someone interrupting.”

She straightened a little, but not noticeably. At least she didn't think so. “What time is it?”

“Around noon.”

Great. “Can it wait, Remus?”

“No. Sorry. It can't.”

“Alright.” She forced down another yawn. “Make it quick, though. I don't want to faint while you're talking.”

“I'll be brief.”

“I think I know what you're going to say anyway.”

“Do you?”

“Maybe.” She twisted the silver ring on her thumb without looking at him. She was being ridiculous, she knew, but she couldn't help it. She… was slightly relationship-phobic. She didn't really have a reason, but…

“Rye.” He grabbed her hands in his. Ryan's head snapped up to look at him. “I need to answer a question honestly.” She nodded uncertainly, and he hesitated. “Do you still… I mean, is he-“ He stopped, looking like he was having trouble figuring out what he needed to say.

Ryan resisted the urge to roll her eyes and gently prodded his mind with her own to find out what he was trying to say. When she found it, she pulled back, blinking and giving him a startled look. “Where did you hear about that? That was two, three years-“

“Morgan told me. Two, three years ago.”

Ryan laughed. She couldn't help it. He thought she actually fancied his best mate. Like she could ever fancy Sirius Black.! Remus looked slightly startled to hear her laughing. “Remus, I never liked him in the first place. I just told Morgan that so that she would leave me alone about it. Somehow, she heard that he'd kissed me, and she was just so sure that we fancied each other. I finally gave up telling her that it happened when we were six and arguing with her about whether or not I fancied him. It didn't help that I went to Hogsmeade with him that one time, remember?”

“You… didn't fancy him?” he asked. “Never?” Ryan shook her head, still laughing slightly. He looked slightly embarrassed. “Well, that makes what I have to say a little easier.”

“Does it?” she asked teasingly. This wasn't so bad, she decided. Maybe the only reason he had held back was because he didn't want to if she liked his best mate. That would make sense, really. A lot of sense. Not the thinking that she liked one of his best mates (that made no sense), but the holding back because of it.

He smiled. “Yes, it does.” She suddenly realized that he was rubbing his thumb over her left palm. It was extremely distracting, but she couldn't look away from his face. This was almost exactly like before, in his dorm, only this time…

He asked her a silent question with his eyes. She nodded. That little voice in the back of her head told her that that might not be a very good idea, especially considering how close she was to the `time of death'. She ignored it. That little voice could just shove it. It didn't know anything about relationships anyway.

He leaned forward and kissed her. It was a lot different having him kiss her instead of the other way around. She couldn't put her finger on it, but this time was definitely different. Not that she cared about putting her finger on it anyway. Especially not when he was kissing her. All was right with the world, as far as she was concerned.

He pulled away slowly, his arm still around her waist and her arms around his neck, no matter how awkward and uncomfortable it was when they were sitting in two different chairs in the middle of (at the back of, actually, if you wanted to be specific) the library. She blinked at him, at a loss for words in one of the few times in her life.

“I… That was… Holy…” She looked at him, trying to think of something to say. “I… Wow…”

He grinned. One of the make-you-go-weak-in-the-knees types that she was sure he had learned from Sirius combined with the Rye-you're-rambling-again type grin. Then he leaned forward and kissed her again.

Of course, he chose to do it at the exact `moment of death'. Which, naturally, meant she couldn't handle powerful emotions. And kissing usually creates a pretty powerful emotion. When faced with a powerful emotion near the moment of death, typical Phoenixes burst into flames and shoot a few feet into the air. When a person with the power of the Phoenix is faced with a strong emotion near their time of death, they… faint.

&-&-&-&-&

“Ryan Abigail Chelsea Madison Miller!” Lily exclaimed in shock. Ryan winced. Alright, so maybe she deserved it, but that didn't mean that Lily had to yell her name- her full name, all her middle names included- in front of the entire common room. The Quidditch match had just ended, with a win for Ravenclaw, so the common room was pretty full. People all over the room looked up with interest. It wasn't every day that you got to see the Head Girl yell at a Marauder. It used to be a regular occurrence, but it was happening less and less as the year wore on.

“I know, I know. It's just… And he just… And I…” It took her a second to realize Lily was laughing. “Oh, maledizion, Lily! It's not funny!”

Lily attempted to make a straight face. “Yes. Of course. It's very-“ A tiny giggle escaped. “I'm sorry, Rye, but... You fainted?”

“Yes. But it's not my fault. He knew it was about to happen. I warned him not to.”

“He probably thought you were just afraid of hearing the truth.”

“Yes, well. Maybe so. But that's really beside the point right now.”

“And what, pray tell, is the point?”

“I... I'm not sure.”

“Okay, let me make sure I understand. You told him not to talk to you because you were near the `moment of death'. He decided to talk to you anyway. He told you he liked you...?”

“Eh, not exactly.”

“Not exactly?”

“Well... He kissed me again, and-“

“Again?!”

“Yeah. Again. Don't look at me like that, we both know you already knew about the other day.” Lily grinned. “Anyway, he was about to tell me that he really fancied me or something, but I... fainted. Stop laughing, Lily!”

“How did you get to the hospital wing?”

“I... He brought me? As soon as I woke up, I left. Pomphrey will have my head the next time, but- Lily, what do I do?!?!?”

“I would have thought that was relatively obvious. You go find him, and you talk to him. Find out what he was going to say, probably something along the lines of `I really fancy you', and then snog his brains out.”

“LILY!!! If I wanted Morgan's advise, I would have asked her.”

“I'm just kidding, Rye. Well, about the snogging his brains out part. The rest of it should work reasonably well.”

“Reasonably?”

“Well, I never fainted directly before a guy told me he fancied me.”

“Oh, shut up.” Ryan stood up and hesitated a second. “This'll work, right? He won't be-“

“Ryan, he's fancied you since fifth year anyway. I think it would take a lot more than what you did to make him stop now.”

“Well. You could say the same for James, y'know.” With that, she turned on her heel and walked over to the potrait hole.

&-&-&-&-&

It's my turn then? Alright. Let's do a summary of this year so far, shall we?

Ryan is the same old Ryan with the tiny difference that she has now figured out that she has feelings for Remus Lupin. The events that brought her to that point… Well, let's just not talk about it. It's a little too close to home for me. I mean, if the Death Eaters have no problem killing Terrence Miller, then what will happen to my family? Is it only a matter of time?

I said I wasn't going to talk about that. And I won't. Remus… Well, Remus knew how he felt all along. That hasn't been a problem. It was just a matter of getting him to admit it and do something about it. I'm hoping that's what he's doing right now, but you can never be sure. Someone just needs to give Ryan a slight push and she'll fall into his arms.

Morgan is the same old Morgan. The same flirtatious, fun-loving, energetic Morgan. More inclined to try to hook people up, maybe, but she's always been like that. Alice really hasn't changed all that much either. She's still sensible Alice, and she still makes sure we all stay in line. She's happier, though. That credit can be given to Frank.

I've seen a different side of Sirius this year. I'm not sure what it is. He's still the pranking, rule-breaking Black, but it seems like he's changed. Maybe it's just my view of him that's different. Peter is the same way. I've seen a different side of him too. I can understand why he's a Marauder now, I think, but at the same time he's so different from all of the others.

Then there's James.

Oh, Merlin. James. That in itself shows the difference. Before this year, before I was forced to work with him, I never would have even considered calling him by his first name. He's shown me a different side this year. He's not the same Potter that I've known for the past six years. He isn't really such a conceited prick, he doesn't think only about pranks, he doesn't get good grades without trying. He's… normal. Normal for a Marauder, that is (just look at Ryan).

I… Well, I don't know how I think of him. I want to think of him as a friend, and I think I do, but at the same time… Maybe it's just the adjustment. Getting over the fact that he's not making fun of me or asking me out or… Well, it's adjusting to the fact that he isn't mean to me anymore. He acts like I'm just a friend, a far cry from what he used to do.

We actually get along pretty well, which shocked me beyond belief. Myself and James Potter? Able to sit around and crack jokes about Professor Clearing or Amos Diggory, able to plan almost an entire ball, able to try and plot how to get two of our best friends together? All without killing each other?

I hate it when Rye's right about those type of things. She's been telling me for years- But it doesn't matter. It's just the fact that I get along with him now. Next thing you know, I'll be admitting that I've started to fancy him or something.

Which I don't. I know Ryan's going to read this and take it the wrong way because she is just that optimistic, but it doesn't work like that. Sorry, Rye, but your best friend and I are never going to date each other. Never. Nope, sorry. Even if he starts asking me again, it's simply not going to happen.

…Right?

Of course.

-Lily

--------------------------------------

AN- And I know you all probably want to kill me now. ^_^ I love you guys too. My goal is to get you caught up to at least chapter 14 before the book comes out, but that all depends on my mood and reviews and whether or not I actually work on my billion and a half summer assignments. Lovelovelove.

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Author's Note- So I'm clearly an awful author that never updates anything. Woo-hoo. But this chapter is successful in multiple respects, so I think you'll enjoy, despite the wait. ^__^

Chapter 12- Trusting and Giving In

“Hullo,” James said cheerfully.

Lily barely glanced up at him. “'Lo. Your best friend just left the common room in search of your other best friend. And your other two best friends have been wrecking havoc since the match ended. Did you know you had too many best friends?”

“I didn't know there was such a thing,” he said easily, grinning. “I only have one more best mate than you do. Ryan has too many best friends. Say what you just said again, with names.”

“Ryan left to look for Remus. Sirius and Peter are driving me crazy. Can you make them stop blowing things up?”

“I could, but then they might find something else to do. Like… Did you say Rye left to look for Moony?”

“Are Remus and Moony the same person?” Lily asked dryly. “I think she went to the library.” She looked up at James. “He kissed her, you know.”

James blinked. “He what?”

“Kissed her. Twice, I think she said. Or maybe she was saying that was the second time? I'm not sure. I was just trying to get over the fact that she admitted that he kissed her.”

“She fainted, didn't she?” he asked. She nodded. “That figures. Did you say she went to library?”

“Yeah.” Lily caught a look at his face and immediately knew what he was planning. “James Potter, you are not going to go and spy on them!”

“Why not?” he asked, trying to sound offended. “They're my best mates, like you said. Why can't I?”

“Because- Because it's rude. How would you like it if you were about to tell someone you fancied them and your best friends decided to watch you?”

“Well, they've seen me make a fool of myself enough times. It really wouldn't matter any more, would it?” Lily blushed slightly. He grinned. “I'm going to take Sirius and Pete with me. Do you want to come?”

“No,” she answered darkly. “I am going to respect their privacy. But if you ruin it for them or interrupt them, James Potter, I will personally make sure that you fix it. After I hex you for her.”

James grin widened as he stood up. “Me? Ruin something? No, not me. Oh, by the way, when are we meeting again? I forgot.”

“Tuesday, just the two of us. Thursday with the prefects. Because you have Quidditch Monday and Wednesday, and Merlin forbid you move practice.”

“Right. Thanks.” He ignored the Quidditch jibe easily. “Do you want me to report back to you with how it goes or would you rather I let Rye tell you so that you can squeal over it with Alice and Morgan in the privacy of your dorm?”

Lily threw her quill at him, laughing slightly. “Just go, will you? Take the other two with you.”

James grinned and mock saluted her. “Yes, ma'am.”

&-&-&-&-&

Ryan hesitated at the door to the library. He was definitely in there. Was he mad at her? Or embarrassed? Would he ever want to talk to her again? She shook her head. She was being ridiculous. There wasn't anything to worry about, like Lily had said. She wasn't sure that he had fancied her since fifth year, but that was just a side note. The point was…

Well, it couldn't hurt to just test him, could it? Reach into his mind, find out if he was angry, and jump out again. It would take all of… thirty seconds. No harm done, right?

She leaned against the wall just outside the library door and closed her eyes. Anyone that walked by would think that she was waiting for someone to come and meet her. But she wasn't. She was going to meet someone else.

She cast out her senses, feeling her way around the library. Casting out your senses was a funny thing. For one, you could pick up on the strangest (and grossest) things purely by accident if you weren't careful. But she felt Remus' senses every day, so it wasn't difficult to find him. She could see him in her mind's eye. Pretending to be working at a table near the back of the library while his mind wandered. She just barely touched his mind, long enough to find out he wasn't angry or annoyed, before his head snapped up. She jerked back, and her senses snapped back to her.

“Ow!” She opened her eyes with a slight grimace and rubbed the back of her head where it had hit the wall behind her before breaking into a slight smile. He knew her too well, really. She just barely touched him, and he already knew she was trying to find out how he was feeling.

Well, if he already knew what she was doing, she might as well as go on in. She slipped into the library and headed towards the back. A few people called out to her, and she waved to them dully without really paying any attention to them. Almost everyone that saw her recognized the look. Ryan Miller was on a mission. Come hell or high water, she would accomplish her mission.

She stopped a bookshelf away from where she knew Remus was sitting. Well, this was it. She already knew that he didn't hate her. So why was she so scared? Why was she resisting the urge to fiddle with her ring? Why did she feel like heading for the hills-

She took a deep breath, shaking her head. She was being ridiculous and overly dramatic. Heh, when wasn't she both of those things?

Something cold and wet was pressed against the back of her knee. If she hadn't been so used to the feeling, she might have jumped and pulled out her wand. As it was, she merely mock scowled at the large, black dog behind her. “Prat,” she whispered. “Can't a person have any privacy?”

“If you wanted privacy, you should have gotten it over with before we found out you and Moony kissed,” a familiar voice retorted quietly.

She sighed. “Where's Pete then, if you three are so sneaky?”

“Don't worry about that right now,” James' voice said quietly. She couldn't see him, but that's what invisibility cloaks were for. “Just get your arse over there and do it, would you?”

“Impatient much?” she teased softly. A pair of hands reached out of nowhere, grabbed her shoulders, and turned her around before giving her a slight push towards where Remus was sitting. She couldn't help a slight snicker. “Alright, I'm going. Sheesh. Violent prat.”

She walked over to where Remus was sitting before she could stop herself and plunked down unceremoniously in the seat next to him. “I've decided,” she announced.

He glanced up at her before pretending to work on his homework again. “Feeling better?”

“Much. Fainting really does refresh the body, mind and— Don't you want to know what I've decided?”

He sighed, trying not to grin as he put his homework aside and looked up at her. “What have you decided?”

“I've decided,” she said dramatically, “two things. The first thing is that I'm an awful friend.”

He blinked at her. “You're a -- No, you're not. Why do you think you're a horrible friend? And why-“

“You ask too many questions. I'm a horrible friend because I tried to avoid you for a week because of my own selfish reasons. No, Remus, they weren't perfectly understandable reasons. They were selfish, and I shouldn't have done that. Just because you saw me break down doesn't mean you'll hate me. I should know that, right? Right. The second thing I decided is that I've been in denial for the past two years of my life. And you have been too.”

“No, I've been too quiet for the past two years,” he said, trying to hide his smile.

She waved her hand. “Fine, fine. Minor details, Remus. My point is that it's un-bloody-believable that our friends put up with it for this long. Especially Sirius. Who, by the way, is watching us. Just in case you wanted to know. James is over there too. They're spying on us to make sure we finally start going out. Or something.”

“So what do you propose we do about that?” Remus asked, a slight smirk making its way onto his face.

“I dunno,” she said with a shrug. “I haven't had a real relationship in ages. All of mine are usually one time snog sessions. Wow. And you really didn't need to know that.” She knew that Sirius and James were both wincing in their hiding spots. Well, that sure didn't make her feel any better about the situation.

Remus looked at her carefully. He didn't seem too bothered by her comment. There was an odd look in his eyes that she recognized from that morning. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? And he was smirking, almost exactly like he had been earlier. Oh, Merlin.

“If we were to go steady, it wouldn't just be a one time snog, would it?”

“'Course not. I tried that this morning, and look where that got me.” He let out a tiny snort, and she grinned. “So? Any ideas?”

“A couple.” And with that, he unceremoniously leaned forward and captured her mouth with his.

&-&-&-&-&

Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you think you're doing? That is a very private scene there. Doesn't it bother you that you just walked in on a kiss?

No?

Oh, you're just as bad as James and Sirius. Really. They stood in the background and watched the- But you know that. Who am I kidding? You're probably sitting there, cheering right along with them. Seriously, all of you. It was just a kiss. So, yes, Remus and I finally started dating after all our friends' hard work. Aren't you proud of them? Of us?

You should be.

Not that I should be talking. If I'd just `given in' and `stopped fighting it,' things would've been so much easier. Or so they tell me. I argued that a relationship takes two people. I wasn't the only one `fighting it'.

What is it, anyway? Have you ever wondered about that? Just what is this little thing that we all like to label as `it'?

Is it love? Eh, I'm not sure about that. It seems a little strong to me. I like Remus a lot, sure. I'm bloody infatuated, if you want me to be perfectly, one-hundred percent honest. But do I love him? Well, that's where it falls into the gray area. I'm not really sure about that one way or the other. Of course, I'm the one that's been fighting this whole relationship thing from the start (apparently) so I wouldn't know.

It's not that I'm untrusting, you know. I trust people easily enough. But… I can't admit that I trust people. Does that make sense? I trust them, and I know I trust them, but I don't do anything to show that I trust them.

It's complicated. But isn't everything complicated when it comes to me?

Falling in love would be the sign of complete and total trust, wouldn't it? It's not that I think Remus would tear out my heart and stomp on it or anything, but sometimes I can't help it. Especially now. Not after all that's happened this year. Lord. If losing your little brother isn't a relationship killer, I dunno what is.

Wow. That's pretty deep for me. Normally it's all jokes and smiles. Huh. That was extremely personal. Don't be expecting something like that from me again. It's a once in a lifetime thing.

Anyway, I'm sure there's more I could say. Something about how the wizarding world is now, or how Voldemort's direct attack on my family changed my life. There are a lot of things I could try to explain, but they would all take too long and be too depressing. Right now I'm just enjoying the fact that I, well, finally `gave in'.

-Rye

&-&-&-&-&

Romance disgusted him. It honestly disgusted him, especially when it was between his best friend and… that girl. The one that tried to take his place. The one that wanted to replace him. The one that had been trying to steal his friends from him for two years and was actually successful in doing so. The one that he hated above all others. The girl that had all of them under her spell. Except for him, that is. He wouldn't let that… bitch control him too. He wouldn't let her. Because he didn't fall for her spell, she distrusted him. Fine. The feeling was mutual. He distrusted her too.

Peter crept down the stairs to the dungeons, the map stuffed in his pocket. He wasn't sure exactly who he was meeting, and it was good to have at least some advanced warning. Besides, the others might find it odd if they looked at the map and found his dot in the dungeons for no explainable reason.

Why was he going down to the dungeons, anyway? He had received a note from an anonymous sender requesting that he meet in the sixth year Potions classroom. Why had he decided to come? Well, it was either that or watch Remus and Ryan snog — No, the real reason was because the letter had mentioned something about people `receiving what they deserved'. Well, that was enough to catch anyone's attention, wasn't it?

Peter stopped at the bottom of the stairs and pulled out the map. There were a couple of familiar dots in the sixth year Potions classroom, just like he knew there would be. He knew that it was probably a group of future Death Eaters, but that hadn't stopped him from coming. He had faced these same people more times than he could count. Besides, it would be good to wave in Ryan's face that he had faced four Slytherins on his own and hadn't come out with a scratch.

He stuffed the map back into his pocket. Well, ready or not…

He walked down the hall and opened the door to the right dungeon. “Well, well, well,” a voice drawled. “Look who came.”

“Starting to feel rejected, Pettigrew?” another voice asked dryly.

“No, Cissa, he just finally developed some courage,” a third person sneered.

Peter looked around the room at the group of people standing in front of him. All of them were Slytherins. Severus Snape, Narcissa and Regulus Black, and Rabastan Lestrange. Regulus was the only one who hadn't spoken, and he was looking at Peter with an odd look on his face.

“I told you, Reggie,” Narcissa said, smirking. “Here he is. Power calls to everyone.”

“Not power,” Regulus finally spoke up, frowning. “Revenge.”

“What you lot want?” Peter demanded, holding his wand in his pocket. His reflexes might not be the best, but he could probably beat Lestange if he needed to.

“Why did you agree to come, Pettigrew?” Snape asked snidely. “Why did you agree to come when you knew who it was that asked you to come?”

“And why didn't you bring any of your little friends?” Lestrange added coldly.

“How do you know I didn't?” Peter asked just as snidely.

“We know, Pettigrew,” Snape said. Peter somehow realized that Snape wasn't lying. Somehow, Snape did know. He really was all on his own in this one. Better to get away as soon as he had the chance.

“Well, what do you want then? If you obviously just wanted me to come without my friends, what do you need?”

“We know how you feel about Miller,” Narcissa said coyly. “We know how much you hate her.”

“I don't hate her,” Peter spat.

“Don't lie to us, Pettigrew. It never works. We know that you hate her. And the Dark Lord knows too.”

“Is that what this is about? You want me to help You-Know-Who get rid of Ryan?” The others exchanged exasperated looks and nodded. “That's insane. Why would I betray my own house to help you?”

“Oh, certain things that might be able to change your mind, Pettigrew.” Lestrange's smirk grew. “We certainly have ways of convincing you if you do not decide on your own. Do you want to find out about them?”

Peter was in over his head on this one. He thought he could take them, but he couldn't. Not on his own. And that fact disgusted him more than anyone would ever know. He glared at the future Death Eaters. “No. I'm not going to betray my friend. At least I have honor.” He turned and walked out of the classroom, expecting them to follow him. He would never admit how relieved he was that they didn't.

&-&-&-&-&-&

“Remind me again why we let him get away again,” Rabastan muttered, his fingers tightening around his wand.

“Because if we attack him now, we may not be able to convince him on our own,” Narcissa explained patiently. “The Dark Lord only asked that we find out how he felt about Miller. We did that. That was all that was required.”

“I still don't see why he wants Ryan so much,” Regulus said. “She can burst into flames and read minds, but she can't do anything else.”

“Shows how little you know, Black,” Severus said coldly. “She has more than that. Besides, he wouldn't say no to-“

“We completed our mission, gentlemen,” Narcissa interrupted. “That's enough for now. Let's not speculate on why the Dark Lord wants Miller so badly. I'm sure he has his reasons, and I'm sure he has no reason to tell us his reasons. Leave it alone.”

Severus and Rabastan frowned sourly, but they didn't say anything else. Regulus frowned thoughtfully, thinking. What would make you betray your friends for the Dark Lord? He was almost positive that, no matter what anyone said or did, Peter wouldn't crack. The others would curse anyone for even suggesting the idea.

Why had Peter come down, anyway? He knew what was waiting for him. Why did he—

Regulus shook his head. Why should he wonder about the habits of Gryffindor? Blood traitors and mudbloods, all of them. Especially Sirius. Cissy had said that they would all pay one day.

Would they? Was he really on the winning side in this war?

Did he have any other choice?

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I normally wouldn't get the next chapter out so fast, but this chapter and the next are primarily filler, and you guys are getting closer to being caught up with the other places I have this story posted. That being said, here's the next chapter!

Chapter 13- Days and Routines

Not much had changed in the three days since Remus and Ryan got together. Sure, they held hands every so often. Sure, they sat next to each other in every possible class. Sure, they kissed each other on the cheek occasionally. But they still teased each other the same way. Ryan was still happy-go-lucky Ryan (if not significantly happier as long as you don't count the day of her father and brother's memorial service—they never found her brother's body), Remus was still quiet and reserved Remus (if not in a significantly happier way as well).

The other Marauders had not hesitated to call them on any `cute' gestures. At the Halloween feast, they had even started throwing candy at the pair. Alice and Morgan were proud of the two of them. Lily thought they were just incredibly cute. They weren't anywhere near over doing it. There wasn't any awkwardness. There was just… Ryan and Remus. The way is should be.

Lily was wondering why it had taken the two of them so long to realize it and how happy she was that they finally had when James walked into the room. Sweaty, smelly, mud and grass stain covered, and in his Quidditch clothes.

Lily glanced at her watch. “You're five minutes late, James.”

“Damn,” he swore. “I ran all the way up here from the Pitch too.”

“And you smell,” Lily couldn't help but tease.

He pretended to scowl at her. “Can we meet in the kitchens? I'm starved, and dinner is almost over.”

“You want me to eat with you when you smell like that?” she asked, looking horrified. He gave her a dry look, making her laugh as she stood up. “Only for you, James.”

He flashed her a grin. “The house-elves save the best food for me, you know.”

She laughed again, following him out of the classroom. As long as they met together, it was okay, wasn't it? McGonagall had never specified where. Just as long as they met. In the beginning, it was best to meet on neutral grounds like classrooms. Now, it didn't matter if they met in the library (Lily's territory) or the kitchens (James' territory). “What were you doing anyway? Dinner started two hours ago.”

“Went straight from class to the Pitch.”

“Why?”

“Had to work out.” Lily gave him a dry look that was packed full of hidden meaning. “Actually, Ryan had to work out. I was just her slave driver slash encouragement slash babysitter. She gives me a run for my money, that one.”

“How is she doing?” Lily asked. She knew James would be the first one that Ryan would tell if she wasn't feeling well.

“Oh, she's doing fine,” James said dryly, shaking his head. “One minute I have to tell her to slow down before she hurts herself, the next I have to tell her to speed it up or I won't let her go inside to see Remus. It's ridiculous. Not that she isn't like that at all the practices. I think I need a new co-captain.”

“What do you do to work out? Just have her catch the Snitch over and over? ”

“Throw tennis balls for her to catch. Then golf balls. Then marbles, if she's feeling up to it. Just depends on how she's feeling. If she wants to, I'll let the Snitch out and we race to catch it.”

Lily gave him an odd look. “Shouldn't she beat you every time?”

“Er… Yeah. It's more practice for me than it is for her, I s'pose. I have to be ready for it, just in case. We never know when she's going to need to skip a match, with her powers and things. So what's up for discussion today, Miss Evans?”

“The ball. We need to start planning that. It's supposed to be in little over a month, you know. Where are we?”

James grinned as he ducked around another tapestry. “First floor. You've never seen that passage before?”

“James, I didn't know where the kitchens were until last year.” James pretended to look shocked, making her give him a dirty look. “Don't look at me like that. Not all of us spend our free time wandering around the castle.”

He grinned again. “Not all of us have fun studying, Evans.” He ducked as she reached out to cuff the back of his head. “So we just wander the castle for fun.” He stopped in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit. He reached out a finger and tickled the pear. The pear giggled before turning into a handle. James pulled it open and smirked at the pair that sat in front of him. “Look, Lily. We've got company.”

&-&-&-&-&-&

Ryan stopped at the door to the changing room, watching James sprint out of the Pitch. She laughed and shook her head, wondering how late he would end up being. But there was someone else coming in her direction. Someone that, no matter how many classes they had together every day, she would never get tired of seeing. Especially now.

She leaned against the doorframe, waiting. He was taking his time getting there. Maybe he was just waiting for her to come out instead of the other way around. She pushed herself off the wall, thinking she could just get a shower when she got inside, and walked out of the Pitch.

She really should have been expecting something, knowing him and the rest of Marauders as well as she did, but she still couldn't help a squeal when she found herself with her feet off the ground and wrapped in Remus' arms. “Remus!!”

He laughed and put her back down on the ground. “Hullo.”

“Hullo to you too,” she said, crossing her arms and pretending to look stern. “I've just been in the air for the past two hours. I don't need my boyfriend to lift me up off the ground as soon as I get off the broom.”

He chuckled slightly before giving her a quick kiss on the lips. “Are you hungry?”

“Very,” she answered. “Is dinner over?”

“Almost. Do you want to go down to the kitchens? I think Sirius has eaten all of the food at the Gryffindor table anyway.”

“Wouldn't surprise me,” she said easily, grabbing his hand. “I smell though. You might not want to eat with me.”

“If you've been in our dorm lately, you would know that you smell just fine.” He intertwined their fingers, ignoring how her wrist guards got in the way. “Well, maybe not fine, but better than our dorm at any rate.” She attempted to playfully slap him, but he caught her arm easily. “To the kitchens then, love?”

“Yes, darling, that would be wonderful,” she replied, grinning. “Did you know it's kind of difficult to walk normally when someone's holding onto both of your wrists?”

“I hadn't noticed,” he answered easily, smiling. “I suppose that means you want me to let go of your arm then?”

“Please and thank you.” He dropped her opposite wrist and received a peck on the cheek in return. “Oh, that reminds me. Could you ask Sirius to lay off on the teasing a little bit?”

“How does that remind you of Sirius's teasing?” Remus asked, amused.

“Because, every time I kiss you on the cheek, Sirius makes a big deal out of it. Well, Peter does too, but that really doesn't count.” Remus gave her a look that said, `Be nice.' “James used to, but he's laid off. But could you ask Sirius to lay off a little? I would, but that would just make him tease us even more.”

“Oh, he just does that because he's jealous.”

“Of who? You?”

“No, you.” Ryan snorted. Remus grinned. “Didn't we ever tell you? The Marauders became a homosexual group after you left.”

“Ah. Now I understand where you picked up Peter. Although that doesn't explain James. What happened there?”

“Oh, he just decided he was too good for us. First he was skipping the meetings, and next thing we know, he's asking Lily to go to Hogsmeade with him.”

“And you followed his lead and left too.”

“But of course. The other side was too pretty to be left alone.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

She grinned. “Oh, you are so full of it. Didn't anyone ever tell you flattery will get you no where?”

“Eh, probably. I save it all for you though.”

“Of course you do. That's what they tell you when they don't want you to know that they're flirting with other girls when you're not around. Or other guys, in this case.”

He smiled slightly and a little wryly. “You're such a dear. However did I get such a girl like you?”

“Pure luck,” she responded easily. “And patience, from what the guys have said.”

“Ah, yes. A lot of that.” The two of them wandered inside and headed towards the kitchens, holding hands all the while. When they stepped into the kitchens, they were instantly greeted by eager, squeaky voices.

“How may we help you today, sir and miss?” one particular house elf asked.

“Left-overs from dinner would be great, Tibby,” Remus said kindly. “Thank you.”

“Anything to help Master Remus and Miss Ryan,” Tibby squeaked happily. “Are Masters Sirius and James and Peter coming too, sir?”

“We don't think so.”

“Right over here, sir.” The house elves led the two of them over to a table that sat directly under the Gryffindor table. Food was immediately piled in front of them. “Can Tibby help you with anything else, sir and miss?” the house elf squeaked.

“No thank you, Tibby,” Ryan said. “This is more than enough.” Tibby bowed and hurried off as she and the other house elves went back to cleaning up after dinner. Ryan started to peel off her wrist guards. “You know,” she said cheerfully, “there really isn't such a thing as good Quidditch gear for girls.”

Remus laughed slightly. “I'm sure you would know.”

“I would. You can ask Aubrey. That's what I should do after I get out of school. Open my own line of girls' Quidditch gear. That would be—“ Remus leaned over and kissed her to stop her rambling. Of course, that was when James and Lily decided to walk into the kitchen.

“Look, Lily. We've got company,” James said, smirking slightly.

“Shove off, you great prat,” Ryan said good-naturedly. “Just because we get to snog and you don't doesn't mean you have to be jealous.”

“Nah, you two can snog all you want,” James said, plopping down on the stool across the table from them. “I'm good.”

“You didn't take a shower either, did you?” Lily asked Ryan, grinning as she sat down.

Ryan grinned back. “'Course not. Oh, James, you never told,” she added, turning to him. “Remus told me that Sirius is gay. Why didn't you ever mention it?”

James, who was in the middle of taking a sip of pumpkin juice, choked and started coughing. “Ex-excuse me?” he sputtered.

“He said that the Marauders became a homosexual group after I left,” Ryan said cheerfully, enjoying his reaction. “That's where you came up with Peter. You never mentioned it.”

“Oh.” James yanked off his wrist guards. “Well, that makes a little more sense then. I think. Maybe. No, on second thought, not really.”

“Do I even want to know whether or not you're joking?” Lily asked, laughing.

“It clears things up,” Ryan said, still grinning. “I wonder what the female population of Hogwarts would do if they found out the Marauders are gay. It would be very amusing. See, I could use that to get your ditzy admirers to go away, James, like you do for Sirius.”

“I don't use that anymore,” James said. “I can't exactly tell them that he kissed you while you're going out with his best mate. The Marauders are a lot of things, but we don't cheat on each other. I mean, we don't snog each other's girlfriends.”

“Considering Remus is the only one with a girlfriend, it would be difficult for all of you to snog each other's girlfriends,” Ryan teased. “You could pass around me, but that's about it.”

James threw a grape at her. “You know what I mean. I can't use that to get them to go away anymore.”

“I'm starting to think that even attempting to work on planning the Ball right now would be pointless,” Lily declared.

“No, it wouldn't,” James argued. “It would be… beneficial. Remus can add his input as a cert, and Rye can add her input as… another girl.”

“How nice of you to notice, James,” Ryan said dryly.

“Doesn't matter if he noticed or not,” Remus said, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Remus noticed,” Lily added, smiling slightly.

&-&-&-&-&-&-&

Alright. That's it. I give up. Yes, you read that right.

I. Freaking. Give. Up.

You don't hear me say that very often. But this is just one of those times that there is nothing more that I can do. So I am throwing my hat in and throwing my hands up and declaring that I give up.

(“Having troubles, Watson?” Sirius asks, snickering.) I want to punch him right about now. You hear me, Black? (“I hear you.”) Good. Half of the problem is your bloody best mate, you know. Don't look at me like that! (“The other half of the problem is your best mate.”)

Prat.

So. What do I give up about? Lily and James, that's what! They are so pathetically hopeless that I just want to strangle both of them. They think we don't catch those looks they send each other. They think we don't know what they're trying to hide from each other. They think we're bloody blind, is what they must think!

How stupid do they think we are? It's not exactly difficult to miss. When Lily is randomly looking around the room, nine times out of ten her eyes end up on James. When James needs someone to tell him how long this or that essay has to be, nine times out of ten he asks Lily. Whenever they have Head meetings, nine times out of ten they come out laughing and grinning at each other like no one will notice.

Why is it that the outsiders always understand things so much better than those going through it?

I mean, honestly. Who doesn't see it? If even the first years know that the Head Boy and Girl fancy each other, you know there is something wrong.

Not that Lily would ever admit to it. One of these days, James is going to snog some other girl, and it will smack her like a ton of bricks to the chest. Not that James would snog another girl, but that's what should happen. Or maybe Rye or I can just smack the side of her head once or twice and knock some sense into her.

Not that it would work. But it's a nice idea.

Why can't they just cooperate like Ryan and Remus did? Is that really so difficult? Just say it straight out. “I fancy you.” Three words. (“I knew you'd fall for me sooner or later, Watson.”) Arg. Shut up, Black. I wasn't talking to you. I was just proving how easy it is to say it. (“Talking to yourself is a sign of insanity, you know.”) Then you must do it all the time.

You know, lately I've been spending far too much time with Sirius Black for my liking. The two of us are the main conspirators when it comes to setting up Lily and James, so of course we have to talk. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. That's another thing. If Lily and James would just get together, I wouldn't have to talk to Sirius as much. (“You know you love me.”) Shut up, you prat. One of these days, I'm going to snap and just… stab you to death with a quill. In the eyes.

(“Vicious, eh, Morgan?”)

One of these days, Black, you are going to get shot. The Muggle way. Anyway… Shut your mouth, Black, I don't want to hear it! (“It was helpful.”) I'm bloody well sure it was. I…

Oh. Really? (“Do I look like I would joke about that, Watson?”) Yes. But not this time. Do you really think that would work? (“Yes. No. Maybe. I came up with it, didn't I?”) That doesn't mean anything, Black. That means bloody squat. (He's shrugging, which means he either agrees with me or is just too lazy to be bothered to argue with me.) Hm. This just might be one of those rare good ideas though.

-Morgan

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Chapter 14- Changing Positions and Changing Opinions

“Where's James?” Aubrey yelled up to Ryan.

“Dunno,” Ryan called back, spinning her broom upside down in a way that would make most people throw up. “It's Sirius' week to keep up with him. I had it last week.”

“Amusing,” Aubrey called dryly, mounting and kicking off into the air. “Then who's keeping up with Sirius?” Ryan laughed and shrugged.

“Did he mention what he's planning?” Trey asked, stopping next to Ryan with the Quaffle in his hands. “Because he mentioned something about a new training plan. And since you're the unofficial co-captain and all—“

“I probably know even less than you do,” Ryan said. “He never tells me anything. Well, anything about Quidditch. He tells me when Lily's being a bitch or when the prefects are being assholes or when we need to buy a muzzle for Sirius.”

“He must talk to you a lot, if he tells you every time Lily's a bitch to him,” Mark said, joining the circle after hitting a Bludger.

“Even more often when it comes to Sirius needing a muzzle,” Aubrey added cheerfully.

“They're getting better,” Ryan said, flipping back right side up before her head started hurting. “Lily and James, that is. Not James and Sirius. Buying a muzzle for Sirius wouldn't do any good. But Lily and James are getting better.”

“They were walking down the hallway together the other day,” Cameron piped up. “They looked pretty happy together.” Without warning, he snatched the Quaffle from Trey and zoomed off down the Pitch. Trey swore under his breath before flying after him.

“Oy, you overgrown prats!” James called from the ground cheerfully. “Get your arses down here! I've got a new practice idea, and I want to try it out.”

“Great,” Mark grumbled.

The six of them landed in front of James. He stood next to the open ball crate on the ground in front of him, and an extra pair of Beater's bats sat next to it. “What are the extra bats for?” Aubrey asked curiously.

James grinned. “We're going to try something new, and I didn't think either one of you would let anyone else touch your bats. So we're going to borrow the school's.”

“Why would anyone else need to use a Beater's bat?” Stephanie asked.

“Ah, thank you for asking. I don't think we have enough appreciation for the positions everyone else plays. We could play that way, with all of you thinking you play the hardest or the most important position. Or… we could try out each other's positions.”

“You're joking,” Trey said, staring at him in disbelief.

“Nope,” James said cheerfully. He picked up one of the bats and tossed it to Trey. “Thank you for volunteering. You look like you could make a good Beater. Cameron, give the Quaffle to Ryan.”

Ryan caught it a little clumsily. “Are you doing this to make us look like idiots?”

“Possibly,” James said, still grinning. “Stephanie, pick a position.”

“Uh… Chaser?”

“Excellent. Aubrey?”

“We play together really well though!” Aubrey argued. “It isn't like the Beaters work alone and the Chasers just try to stay out of the Beaters' way and the Seeker just flies in middle of it all without paying attention. Is this really necessary?”

“Chaser it is then,” James said in answer to her question. “Cameron?”

“Keeper, I guess.”

“Good choice. Mark, you're a Seeker. Good luck with that. Everyone know what they're doing?”

“Rebelling against our captain who seems to have gone temporarily insane?” Ryan suggested.

“I meant your positions. Try rebelling and I'll pull out the Head Boy badge.”

“But we only have two weeks until we play Hufflepuff,” Mark said. “We need practice in our own positions, not everyone else's. And I can't play Seeker!”

“You asked me yesterday why we were still practicing so much,” James said easily. “I think you're probably as ready for the match as you can be at this point, at least without some… appreciation for everyone else. I'm not saying we don't play well together. I'm just trying something. One practice at Seeker won't kill you.” He turned to everyone else. “Any questions?” No one said anything. “Good. You all know what to do by now, right? Chasers, try the three-man weave for right now. Shoot on whatever goal you want. Cameron, remember to guard all three posts. Trey and Mark… Eh, good luck with that.”

“Good luck with that, he says,” Trey muttered darkly. “I can hit a bloody Bludger, thanks!”

“Well, that's good to know,” Aubrey said innocently. “Can you control where you hit it, or are you proud just because you can hit it?”

Mark snickered as Trey scowled. “If I can aim where I throw a Quaffle, I can aim where I hit a Bludger.”

“Nice theory,” Ryan quipped.

&-&-&-&-&-&-&

“Ryan's a cheater!” Cameron declared as the team walked into the locker room.

“It was getting disgustingly pathetic,” Ryan said, shrugging. “No offense, Mark, but it's a damn good thing you weren't thinking of ever playing Seeker.”

“Can I hate our captain?” Aubrey asked, tossing the Quaffle to Cameron.

“Despite the fact that he's way better than the last captain,” Mark said, “yes.”

“Good. Because I do right about now. A whole hell of a lot.”

“See, guys?” James called cheerfully. “That wasn't too awful, was it?” He ignored the swear words that entire team seemed to have fun throwing at him. “I think all of you had better stick to your own positions, though. That didn't turn out quite as well as I had hoped, but at least you all know what kind of hell the others have to go through on a daily basis, yeah?”

“James, if you enjoy having hair on your head, you might want to shut your mouth right about now,” Ryan said.

James laughed and held his hands up in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. It wasn't the best of ideas, but it was alright. As long as I promise to never put you through that again, can you promise to win me the Cup this year?”

“Hell yeah!”

“Good. I'm going to hold you to that, you know. Anyway, hurry up and get out. McGongall yelled at me for not locking up properly. She thinks Slytherin might try and sabotage our gear. The sooner you leave, the sooner I can leave.”

“Take as long as you can, guys!” Ryan called cheerfully.

James shot her a dry look. “You're going to have to stay too. I need to talk to you.”

Ryan groaned. “Never mind. Hurry up, you prats! The sooner you get out of her, the sooner I get to see my boyfriend. Move, move, move!” Everyone laughed and made comments about just what she was going to be doing with her boyfriend.

Half an hour later, Ryan and James headed back to the castle. “So?” she asked, giving James a look. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

James shot her a dry look. “I'm pretty sure you know what I need to talk to you about.”

“Probably. Is this on behalf of the Marauders or on behalf of yourself?”

“Er… Remus noticed first, actually. Obviously. But I noticed, and I said something to him. I convinced him to let me talk to you about it since you're, you know, especially touchy about that. You almost bit my head off the last time.”

“The last time, you were doing it with me.”

“Yeah, well. Maybe Remus would have been better to say something then, since he's never done it. But that's beside the point right now. You really—“

“Shouldn't be starting again just because life isn't going my way,” she said in a monotone. She shot him a slight smile. “So I've heard.”

“I'm serious, Rye.”

“Speaking of him, do the other two know?”

“Yeah. They do. And no, they don't know I'm talking to you. Well, they might, but they didn't ask me to. So don't blame them for this. This is purely me and Remus. Do the girls know you started again?”

“Did they ever know would be the better question.” James shot her an accusatory look. “Well, we weren't that close the last time I was doing it! By the time we became really good friends, I'd stopped. Now I've started again.”

“It's harder to hide it from your best friends than it is to hide it from your dad.”

“Obviously.” She rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. “It's not that big of a deal. Really. It's not as bad as the last time. Once a day, two on a bad day. It's not that bad, really.”

“Then stop.”

“It's not that simple.”

“It was last time.”

“Last time was completely different. Last time was because I was a selfish little brat that wanted to rebel. This time is completely different. It's… to make me feel better.”

“It'll start affecting your Quidditch.”

“Oh, thestral dung. It won't unless I do it for years, and do a lot more than I'm doing now. Just chill.” She walked a little faster to get away from him. James let her, figuring she wouldn't talk to him anymore anyway. It wasn't worth it if she wasn't listening.

He sighed, shaking his head. “Bloody birds. Remus gets to effing do it next time.”

&-&-&-&-&-&-&

So? -Ryan

So what? -Lily

Oh, you know exactly what I'm talking about, Lily. -R

FYI, she's talking about the looks you and lover boy James keep sending each other. Just in case you were still a little unclear on what she was talking about. -Morgan

Yes, Morgan, I managed to gather that much, thank you. And don't think I can't read what you just scratched out. -L

She's only trying to be optimistic, Lily. You can't really blame her for that. -Alice

You're supposed to be on my side in all of this. The reasonable one, remember? The one who reminds this little optimistic Fireball that her dreams are hopeless? -L

Ignoring the explicit use of the nickname of d00m, you just proved that you've been talking to James way too much. Which only proves to encourage me even more. You're meant for each other, Lily! -R

Tell me she didn't. Please tell me I didn't just see the Line on this parchment, which by the way started out as my notes. -L

I'm afraid she did. And you did read it. Don't kill her, though. And stop pretending you, of all people, actually need to take notes in this class. -M

Yeah, Lily. You're not allowed to kill me. Just imagine how much you would regret it when you figure out that you really do need my help after all. I mean, it's not like you can bring a person back after you kill them. -R

I don't think she's violent enough to kill you right now anyway, Rye. She's smart enough to wait until you least expect it. -A

Oh, please. After years with the Marauders… Do you think she would be more likely to kill me if I mentioned the fact that threatening to kill me is very Marauder-ish? -R

I wouldn't try and take that chance if I were you. -M

Alrighty. -R

I wouldn't kill you, Rye. Not yet, anyway. Not until after I prove to you that I have no interest in James whatsoever and you see that he no longer has an interest in me. -L

Can I tell her? -R

Tell me what? -L

Not unless you want your head bitten off in the middle of Charms. Which, by the way, might be just a little obvious if you don't want anyone else to know about it. -M

Alice, what are they not telling me? What do I need to know? Is this some big secret that I really need to know for my sanity and well-being, or is this just something that they want me to ask about so that I can find out it's nothing to worry about? -L

It's probably nothing, but I really can't make any promises with the two of them. -A

It's nothing really that important, Lily, it's just that… —M

What Morgan's trying to say without really saying it is that you're just being an idiot, Lily. James still fancies you. That I can tell you for certain. You, I don't know about. But James… I could give you ass loads of proof if you want it. -R

Spare me. Let me live in my blissful thoughts that James no longer has feelings for me other than friendship. Or, you know what, let's make that even better. Before this year he was just an arrogant berk that enjoyed asking me out as a joke. -L

Whatever, Lily. Think whatever the hell you want, but one of these days, you're going to listen to me. One of these days, you hear me? -R

-Ryan Miller, Lily Evans, Morgan Watson, and Alice Carter

Seventh year, Charms class, November 7, 1977

&-&-&-&-&-&-&

“Rise and shine, my chick-a-dees!”

“Oh, sweet Merlin,” Morgan groaned, barely lifting her head from the pillow. “Is it Quidditch already?”

“Yup, yup, yup!” Two weeks later, a very happy Ryan was strangely awake for as early as it was in the morning. This could only mean one of two things: she was on a certain time of the month or there was a Quidditch match. It was usually pretty safe to assume it was the latter if it happened on a Saturday.

“Why can't you be like this during the week, Rye?” Lily asked, yawning.

“Why can't you shut up?” Kaitlyn snapped before yanking her curtains closed.

Ryan just grinned. “Because. That would require missing out on an extra hour of sleep on a regular basis. This way, you know when to expect it and I still get to sleep in most of the time. Now, up!”

“Just because you need to get up early doesn't mean the rest of us do,” Meredith said snidely, sticking her head out from between the curtains. Her usually perfectly placed hair was sticking up in all directions, but Ryan didn't feel like pointing it out.

“Oh, but the sooner you get out of here, the more chance you have of getting a seat close to James,” Ryan said sweetly.

Meredith smirked. “I don't have to be close to him for him to notice me.” Ryan couldn't help exchanging a look with Morgan as Meredith climbed out of bed and headed towards the bathroom.

“Well, I'm going to head downstairs,” Ryan said cheerfully. “You guys hurry up and come down, `kay? I don't want to have to deal with James stressing on game day too much. He's no fun on match day, generally. So—“

“And you ramble on match days,” Alice said, cutting her off with a smile. “Just go on down, we won't be too much longer.”

“Alright.” Ryan closed the door behind her, whistling cheerfully to herself and snapping her fingers on her free hand, making a tiny fire ball appear and disappear with each snap. When she reached the common room, the Marauders and male Quidditch players were already there. “Morning, boys.”

They greeted her in various stages of consciousness. James and Cameron seemed to be the most awake, followed by Remus ,Trey, and Mark, followed by Sirius (who only opened one eye to look at her and then closed both of them again) and Peter (who was laying on the rug in front of the mantel with a pillow under his head).

“Are you ready?” James teased. “Not going to fall off your broom? Run into a pole? Get hit with a Bludger?”

“Yes, and no to the last three,” she said, grinning. “The girls should be down in a bit. Oh, and Meredith has her sights set back on James again.”

“Thank you, Merlin,” Sirius said, opening one eye again. “About time she went back to him. Normally, having girls obsess over me is great, but that bird scares the flippin' shit out of me.”

“Are you sure you don't want her, Padfoot?” James asked. “I mean, she's all yours if you do.”

“Nah, Prongsie. I think you can have her. You need more worshippers as it is if you ever want to be able to compete with me.”

“You're breaking the first two rules of non-Prickiness,” Ryan said in a sing-song voice.

“The first two rules of non-Prickiness?” Mark asked, frowning. “What the hell is that?”

“The rules on how not to be a prick. First rule is don't be overly arrogant and the second rule is don't treat girls like property that you can pass around between your friends. Sirius just broke the first two rules of non-Prickiness.”

“Why would you need rules of non-Prickiness?” Cameron asked.

“Because. Lily used to consider James a prick. So we gave him non-Prickiness lessons and made Sirius sit in on them. Neither one of them seemed to have gotten very much out of them, but it doesn't really matter.”

“Morning, gentlemen,” Aubrey said in a sing-song voice as she and Stephanie reached the common room.

“What is with you birds and your morning person… ness?” Mark asked.

“Because we didn't stay up all night worrying about whether or not we could hit a Bludger away from our teammates instead of at them,” Aubrey said cheerfully before bounding over to the Portrait hole and climbing out.

Mark glared at the portrait hole after she disappeared through it. “She really pisses me off. One of these days, when she's not looking, I'm going to hit the Bludger at her.”

“Now's a bad time to decide you hate your teammate,” James said, not being able to hide a smirk. “C'mon. Let's go get breakfast before all of you are awake enough to realize we actually have a match today.”

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