Disclaimer: I don't own the Marauders or Lily. They're all J.K.'s

Chapter 1: Best Friend

"Oof!" Remus Lupin exclaimed as someone whapped hm on the head. "Who on earth--" He spun, glaring venomously at the whacker.

"Geez, Remus, that was only a light whack." Lily Evans rolled her green eyes as she dropped the old Daily Prophet issue she had used to hit him on the table. "You don't have to be so melodramatic."

"Well, I was in the middle of Hogwarts: A History! I was just getting to the fascinating part!"

Lily gave a deep sigh. "Remus, Remus, Remus. That's just so you. It's a perfectly beautiful day--" she gestured at the window, "--and you are sitting in this dreary common room, reading. Come on, Lupin. Get out a little."

"I like to read!"

"If you want to read, at least do it outside."

"Woman, it's November and snowing and cold."

"So bundle up a bit. Please, Remus. I wanna go out to play!" She tugged at his hand.

Remus smiled. "OK, OK, alright! Fine, we'll go outside. Just let me grab my cloak."

Remus shivered as he and Lily stepped out the doors. Lily, on the other hand, was absolutely thrilled. She bounced on the snow, catching snowflakes with her tongue. She picked up a mound of snow and tossed it at Remus, who was leaning against a tree, his teeth chattering.

"Hey!" Remus squeaked as the icy missile hit him in the chest. Lily was doubled over, laughing. Remus had to smile. Her happiness was just too infectious.

"OK, you are definitely in for it!" He picked up another mound of snow and hurled it at Lily.

She shrieked with laughter as the snowball missed her by a foot. "You are such a terrible aim!" She let loose with a huge one. It hit Remus smack in the stomach.

"That hurt," Remus complained as he quickly formed another ball. This time, his aim was right on. Snow melted all over Lily's head.

For the next half-hour, they ran around, hurling snow at each other. Finally, Lily flopped down, and Remus dropped his half-finished snowball.

"Tired?" He sat down down beside her on the snow.

"Yeah." She was breathing hard a little, her breaths coming out in little puffs. She grinned at him. "So, did you have fun?"
Remus rolled his eyes. "OK, so I did."

Lily flicked some snow at him. "I told you so."

Remus pulled her to him and ruffled her long red hair playfully.

Remus and Lily reentered the Gryffindor common room. James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew were relaxing by the fire. James narrowed his eyes in annoyance as the two came up to them, shaking snow from their heads and brushing it from their clothes, which were already dripping from the melted flakes.

"Hi!" Lily chirped.

Sirius raised his eyebrows and smiled in greeting. Peter stuttered. "H-hi."

"Evans. Moony." James tried to keep the jealousy out of his voice.

"Hey," Remus said. Sirius leaned over and high-fived him.

"I have to go change." Lily squeegeed snow from her hair. "That snow is pretty cold. Do you guys want to head to dinner first? You don't have to wait for me."

"Don't worry, Evans--we'll wait," James replied. "Go change before you catch a cold."

"By the way, this may not have occurred to you, Lily, but it is snow. It's supposed to be cold," Sirius remarked.

"Very funny, Black."

"I have to change too. You people better wait for me." Remus went to catch up with Lily, and together they headed for the stairs leading up to the dormitories. When they'd both gone, James let out all his breath in a whoosh.

"Whoa, mate." Sirius raised his eyebrows. "What's with you? I thought you didn't like Lily anymore."

"I don't." James struggled to keep his cool. But Sirius could see that it still steamed James to see Lily hanging out with another guy--particularly his best friend.

Author's Note: To my old reviewers, I hope you guys like this story! I just can't seem to write a fan fiction without the Marauders in it. I was originally going to write a Draco/Hermione fic, but that one still needs a lot of tweaking. Please r and r! Thanks! :)