Once again I was alone with James, but the searing pain in my arm distracted me from the anxious thoughts of sitting in a darkened cave with him. James had transfigured a rock in the cave into a jar and hence conjured a small fire in the jar to keep us warm. The warm May air was gone at eleven o'clock at night but I refused to admit I was anything except strong and resilient, even if I was cold and in pain and wanted nothing more than to be in the castle finishing my essay (which I hadn't even touched, unfortunately).

"I feel bad I left the dittany at the shack," James told me, dabbing at the wound with a wet end of his now blood soaked white t-shirt. His glasses had fallen to the end of his nose as he bent over and I resisted the urge to push them back up unto the bridge.

"It's just a minor bite, the only lasting damage will be a chronic fear of arachnids," I assured him and he chuckled, looking up at me with the brown eyes I had come to find incredibly endearing.

"I don't care what anyone says, Evans. You're pretty funny when you want to be," he told me and I rolled my eyes at the compliment.

"Damn right I am, Potter," I muttered and smiled as he laughed again. "Who says I'm not funny?"

James untied the soiled t-shirt from my arm now that the bleeding stopped and it was clean. He tossed to the side and it landed just outside the entrance of the cave and into the moonlight. "Er, a certain Gryffindor may think you have a tendency to be a bit of a killjoy."

I frowned. "Sirius Black needs to realize life is not one giant prank."

James grimaced as he sat down next to me, running a hand through his hair. "Trust me, he knows all too well."

"Yeah, right," I jeered. "I may be a muggle born but I know about the 'House of Black'. They're richer than you can believe and have most of the ministry around their finger. That's not exactly what I'd call difficult."

"Lily Evans, you are probably the smartest person I know," James began and I blushed. "But you have never sounded so stupid in your life."

I scoffed and he put a hand on my knee in reassurance. I pretended like it didn't electrocute me. "It's not your fault, Sirius puts on a very convincing face when he wants to. However, there's something behind that carefree smile and not many people look close enough to see it."

"What, is a life of being dangerously handsome and snogging girls not enough for him?" I rebuked and surprisingly, James smiled.

"If you know so much about the Black family, do tell," he challenged. "What house are they notorious for being Sorted into?"

"Slytherin, obviously."

"And what house is Sirius in?"

"Gryffindor, but-"

"Exactly! That should be your first hint that Sirius is not like his family," James explained. His hand was still on my knee and he began playing with the loose ends that were coming out of the newly ripped hole in the knee. "The Black family does not like change. They like tradition. And I think you can agree Sirius is anything but traditional."

I smiled, remembering the time Sirius wore the Gryffindor tie anywhere but his neck for an entire month just to be difficult. "I suppose. But he fights with his family, big deal. Everyone does at some point."

"Lily, it got so bad Sirius had to move in with me last summer " James said simply and I fell quiet. "His parents are abusive people and they despise him simply because he's different. Perhaps you don't know what it's like to have a family member hate you for standing out but-"

"Yeah I do," I interrupted, my thoughts jumping to Petunia and her icy glares and haughty rebuffs. "I know what it's like to have them look at you like you're a monster, a freak. I know what it's like to be ostracized and insolated and you don't even know why. You feel so confused that it drives you crazy and all you want is for them to realize how good of friends you were and how you told each other everything. I mean, how could they forget the sleepovers and the giggling and the summers outside? Hell, it doesn't just disappear! How could they hate you for something you have not control over?"

It was then I realized I had been ranting out loud and my cheeks went scarlet from embarrassment. I felt him looking at me but I stared at the dirt floor, drawing a pattern absentmindedly wishing he would say something. The only sound you could hear was the crackling fire in a jar and it was maddening.

I coughed, trying to ease the tension. "Just a guess, really."

"Your parents?" he asked finally.

"Sister," I mumbled and was grateful no tears came to my eyes. I didn't cry easily and wasn't planning on starting now in front of James Potter.

"She's a muggle, I reckon?"

"Yeah. She's about as muggle as they get," I laughed, quietly.

"I'm sorry, Lily," he told me and I willed myself to look over at him. His features were soft with understanding.

"It's all right," I replied, waving a hand to brush it off. "I've gotten used to it by now"

"You shouldn't have to go through that," he said, joining in expanding the pattern in the dirt by adding tiny triangles around my circles. "Sirius included. Neither of you should."

"That's just the way life goes, I guess," I shrugged and realized for a minute or so I had forgotten all about the present, life-threatening predicament we were currently in. "How does Remus deal with it all? I can't even imagine…"

James smiled fondly. "I'm not sure. If there were ever to be a true, undeniable Gryffindor, it would be that mutt. I hope we've helped him over the years."

"You're really brave to do that for him, James. All of you are."

"That means a lot coming from you, Evans," he grinned genuinely. "Peter gets scared sometimes but he has it in him to be brave, I know it. I'd trust him with my life. I do all right, but it's Sirius who has really had an affect on him."

"How so?"

"Sirius has always been very curious about Remus, and he's not exactly one to let things go. Sirius is the one who stood up for Remus when that prick prefect Lucius Malfoy- remember him? A vapid wizard, really- would bully him all those years ago, the one who got him to confess that he was a werewolf, the one who feels it the most when Remus has to transform," James elaborated, his eyebrows knitting together. "Sometimes I think…"

A sudden, faint howl of wind filled the cave and James stood up to pear outside into the treacherous Forest. I shivered and painfully slid on my jacket, fear starting to set in.

"Just the wind," James said and hesitantly sat down again.

"Just the wind," I echoed and watched the flames dance in the jar. It was still difficult to process how they had managed to become Animagi without anyone noticed. I wanted to ask hundreds of questions: how they had done it, where they had done it, what books they had read, if they could teach me even though I was rubbish and a lot cause in Transfiguration, but I held off sensing that it was a conversation that was needed to be held when we weren't in imminent danger. Instead I looked up at James and grinned, settling on a question that felt right to have light shed on it at the present moment. After all, maybe all we needed was some happy thoughts. "James?"

"Hm?"

"Why is your animagus a stag?" I asked him, although I already knew the answer. "I mean, did you get to pick it?"

"No, it just sort of…happened," he answered, smiling slightly. "It turns out that's why my Patronus is as well. It suits me though, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it does," I agreed and reached into my pocket for my wand. "Do you want to know a secret?"

"About Lily Evans? Always."

I closed my eyes and thought of the time I was Sorted into Gryffindor, how the nerves and excitement flooded me as the table erupted into cheers and for the first time in my life I felt like I belonged somewhere. "Expecto Patronum."

The silvery doe I was so accustomed to illuminated the cave, prancing around in delight like it were grazing in a field of daises rather than a bleak, drafty shelter. I looked over at James and the smile on his face was absolutely brilliant. He reached for his own wand and cast the charm himself, his stag joining my doe in silvery wonder. He reached for my hand and I let him take it.

"Amazing," he murmured as they began to fade. "Now how about that?"

"What are the odds?" I giggled like a bloody schoolgirl, but I couldn't help it. Sitting with him, talking to him, made me feel positively giddy. Someone call the Prophet, damn it, James Potter finally managed to capture the heart of Lily Evans and she wouldn't have it any other way. List be damned, I didn't need to keep score with myself anymore.

It's an odd feeling when you realize you've fallen for someone you once hated. Maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe it was the full moon, but something told me I never really hated him at all. I was just waiting (impatiently, I might add) for him to finally be the person he was destined to be. And here he was, messy hair and all, and all I wanted to do was tell him!

I didn't, however. I couldn't. Not here. It didn't feel right and I assumed that he would think it was forced if I admitted it high on adrenaline and 95% sure I might be fatally injured in the near, near future. So instead I took my hand from his and stood up, looking out unto the grounds from the cave's entrance and trying to find the brightest star in the sky to wish on.

"Lily…"

"It's times like these I wished I had paid attention in Astronomy," I joked, feeling anxious, desperately wishing to change the topic. "There's the moon, well, obviously, and er, there's Orion's belt, but that's about all I can tell. Perhaps that's the North Star…oh, I think it is! Look, it's all big and shiny…oh, maybe it's just a planet. Yep, that's definitely a planet. Saturn, I think. Maybe Venus."

His arm brushed against mine as he stood beside me. I ignored it and continued to ramble like the dimwit I was. "Oh, look there! That's the big dipper. See, because it looks like a spoon? Do you see that? It looks like a spoon, kind of. And that's the little dipper, because it looks like a littler spoon and- oh, James Potter, I feel you looking at me!"

"Lily," he said again and I couldn't help but turn towards him. He was smirking and I could tell he knew everything. On top of everything I'd be damned if he wasn't a Llegimins, too.

"What?" I asked stubbornly, insults rising up as a blush set in. I wanted to wipe that satisfied smirk right off his conceited, handsome, attractive face more than anything.

"It's just like I said earlier," he grinned, moving ever so closer. "You may be the smartest person I know, but you sure can be stupid."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, what a-"

And he was kissed me. His lips were on mine before I knew it and my heart felt like it would burst. He was kissing me and Merlin's beard I was kissing him back. My hands were in his arm and his hand held my back and time seemingly had never existed.

The only thing that could have pulled us apart was death itself really, and that's kind of what did.

A low growl made by thumping heart stop all together as the blood congealed in my veins. The werewolf stood in the entrance of the cage, sniffing the bloody shirt James had tossed out earlier as it stared at us with soulless, black eyes. I couldn't think, I couldn't breath, and I was frozen in fear.

"Lily, whatever you do," James told me in a forceful whisper. "Do not try to save me."

"I-"

He was transformed in a heartbeat and ready when the werewolf bore it's frightfully large teeth. I gasped despite myself as the stag leaped forward, butting the werewolf out of the cave with it's antlers. The werewolf retaliated even stronger and struck the stag back, hitting him against the wall as it cried out in anguish. With horror I saw the right front leg stick out at a odd angle as the body lay limp. The beast noticed this too and turned to me slowly, relishing the fact the hunt was over. I shut my eyes, praying for it to be quick, but a yelp made me open them again to see the werewolf battling a black dog, both snarling as they circled each other.

So I ran. I ran like the bloody coward I am. I took the broom and flew out of the cave as fast as the broom would go, tears filling my eyes from the harsh wind and flowing from the guilt that plagued me. Because of me and my damned curiosity and insufferable personality James and Sirius were forced to fight with their best friend trying to protect me. I had never felt so vile in my life and I crash landed unto the forest floor, unable to control my sobs. Worst of all, I had run off like a fool when it was my mistake that had gotten us into this situation in the first place. It wasn't fair and it wasn't what a Gryffindor would do.

I may no nothing about fighting werewolves but I did know Remus. There was still some Remus left in the beast and Remus would never, ever hurt me. With determination I sat up and cupped my hands around my mouth, staring directly towards the mountains before I howled as loud as I could.

"Oooooowwwooooooooo!" I waited but no figured emerged from the cave. "Oooooowwooooooooooo!"

Like a shadow, something dove out of the cave and disappeared into the dark. It was coming. He, Remus was coming. I took my wand out of my pocket and clutched it, hoping to Merlin it wouldn't be the last time I held it. I waited for what could have been minutes or what could have been hours, but eventually, the low growl was back and I was staring at the beast without my wand raised.

"Remus," I said, my voice shaky. "Remus."

The growling stopped but it did not look any less vicious. I tried again, confident that he was in there and he was listening. "Remus John Lupin, it's me, Lily. I know you are there."

The werewolf stared at me and I could have sworn some life came into the black eyes. "Remus, you are not this werewolf. You are a Prefect at Hogwarts, a student just like me. You love to read almost as much as I do and you eat more chocolate than humanly possible. Yet you are still human, Remus. You are a human and you are not this werewolf! You have friends and family who love you!"

It looked away from me and began shaking it's head, just like it did when it first transformed. It was conflicted. Remus was in there and he was fighting. "I'm not going to hurt you Remus because I know you are not going to hurt me."

The wolf made a strangled cry and it disappeared into the Forest once more. I smiled in relief. We were safe – for now. I grabbed the broom and rose into the air, wondering if Sirius and James had stayed in the cave. However, from my position in the sky I saw a light in the distance. It was coming from the shrieking shack – they had gotten back! How hurt they were, I didn't know, but they were there and they were safe, too.

For now.

Sorry for the (incredibly) late update. Thanks for bearing with and continue to do so because it's not over yet!

Review, if you'd be so kind :D