Disclaimer: These aren't my characters and the plot is based on JK's books. All the usual stuff.

Love's unwritten laws

Chapter 1: Can you keep a secret?

"This is great!" said Remus in hushed tones, "Look there's Slughorn in Dumbledore's office, wonder what he's done, and…"

"Quick put it away!" said Sirius as he saw on the map someone coming towards them. He waved his wand over the parchment and whispered 'Mischief managed' just as a girl came round the corner and entered the common room from the girl's dormitory.

"Hello Lily, "said Sirius snickering, "Going anywhere nice?" he laughed.

"Oh, ha ha. You know full well where I'm going. Thanks to you and your practical jokes I'll be going to detention for the next week!"

"Oh come on Lils, it was just a bit of fun!" James said.

"For you maybe, but having to scrub toilets, without magic, is not my idea of fun. And don't call me "Lils" my name is Lily!" she retorted and stormed off.

"I love it when she's angry." James grinned dreamily to his friends.

Remus watched Lily walking away, her hair swishing with every step…

"Hey, I have a great plan for revenge on Severus.

…catching the light so that it looked like spun gold…

"Hello, Remus, anyone in?" said Sirius waving his hand in front of Remus's face. Remus tore his eyes away from Lily.

"What?"

"I think you were on another planet there mate. Listen to this, James has an amazing plan…"

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

The marauders spent the rest of the Saturday afternoon looking at their newly created map. Watching the teachers as well as the students.

Noting that Lilly was still in the second floor toilets Sirius asked, "So, who are you taking to the dance then James?"

"Dunno, why did you ask?" he answered suspiciously

"Well, I know that you've had your eye on 'Lils' for a while. Just wondered when you were going to ask her."

"I'll ask her when I want to ask her. You can't just go blurting things like that out at any time."

"Yeah, but if you don't ask her soon someone else will. She's got herself a secret admirer or so I've heard. Someone sent her chocolates.

Remus blushed.

"Not that she ate them mind, thought they might have been poisoned with a love potion or something."

"They were not!" Remus blurted out. The other two looked at him.

"I mean, err, why would they be, because if someone was, umm, that desperate they wouldn't bother sending her flowers as well, I mean, I heard they sent her a bunch of flowers too, you see why would they do that if they were going to use a love potion on the chocolates?" he said rubbing the sweating palms of his hands together.

"You get some funny ideas." Sirius said cuffing him round the head.

"Anyway. I'll ask her next time we see her. Obviously without you two, you can disappear off whilst I ask her."

"Okay, but you may want to wait until the detentions are over." Remus commented.

"Why?"

"Because I don't think she's terribly pleased with you at the moment."

"Oh, right." He glanced at Remus, "Hey, Moony, are you okay? You look bit red. Are you ill?"

"Yeah, I think I'll just go and get some fresh air. See you later." Sirius picked himself up off the settee and hurried out of the common room. ………………………………………………………………………………………

When Lilly came out of detention she headed down the staircase and out into the grounds towards the lake. She sat down and started to pull out some potions homework that was due in next week.

Remus ran down the staircase and out into the grounds slowing only as he reached the lake. He hated having to lie to James. But he had to. James had seen her first and as the unwritten law of dating and best friends went, he wasn't allowed to love Lily.

As he neared the lake he caught sight of Lily sitting there. He groaned out loud.

Lily heard a sound behind her and turned to see Remus.

"Oh," she said, "It's you." Remus gulped as her emerald green eyes met his, "Where's James and Sirius? Didn't think you ever left each other, not now you're the 'Marauderers'.

"Where did you here that?"

"Let's just say that Sirius has a rather large mouth."

"That is my best friend you're talking about." Remus said sitting down next to her.

"Yes but I think I've just about had enough of you and you're best friends. Especially Sirius, he is getting so arrogant."

"Oh," he said slightly ashamed, "I forgot about the detentions, we didn't mean for that to happen by the way."

She looked at him suspiciously, "Was that an apology?"

"Well almost." He laughed and she laughed too. How he loved her laugh. It made him forget everything else. It was just him and her and that was all that mattered.

"Lily," he started, "Are you…" but he was interrupted by James.

"There you are Remus! You were gone a long time for just a breath of fresh air. Sirius is looking for you in the castle" then he spotted Lily, his grin turned into a frown and he looked directly at him, "You could have just gone to the balcony you know."

Lily, unaware of the sudden tension, grinned up at James, "Hello to you too James. You seem to have forgotten your manners. Not that that's much of a surprise."

James was still glaring at Remus, who couldn't bare the distrust and accusation in James's eyes any longer and averted his eyes to the ground as he got up and quickly yet silently headed back towards the castle.

"So Lily," James returned his attention to her,"You doing anything tonight?"

"Why? Because this sounds suspiciously like you're trying to ask me on a date!"

"Well I wouldn't put it quite like that but I was wondering if you'd join me tonight for dinner?"

Lily laughed, that sweet laugh that made James heart flutter. "You are full of surprises Mr Potter."

"Is that a yes then?"

"I suppose. Yes."

"Tonight then Miss Evans." With a wink and a twirl James made his way back to the castle, all thoughts of Remus forgotten. Lily was left sitting by the lake with a smile on her face as she watched James skip across the grounds.