The Marauders Rise (II)

Covering for Remus

September 8, 1973

A few days later, the Marauders and LILY are sitting at a table in the Gryffindor common room, finishing their essays for Transfiguration. It is very late at night, and they are the only ones left in the ill-lit room.

LILY: How far are you?

REMUS: Just a few inches left.

JAMES looks around the common room, sees it to be empty, then lowers his voice and leans forward.

JAMES: How did last night go?

REMUS: What?

JAMES: The full moon. How was it?

REMUS: Same as it always is, James.

JAMES: Yeah, but-

LILY: He doesn't have to talk about it if he doesn't want to, Potter. (She places a consoling hand on Remus' shoulder)

JAMES drops the subject and continues working on his essay.

PETER: What did you write for the mental concentration part?

SIRIUS: (levitating a crumpled up piece of paper in the air) That I shouldn't be daydreaming about Quidditch tryouts while performing it. (He and JAMES laugh).

PETER: Did you already finish it?

SIRIUS: Yeah, I finished it ages ago.

PETER: Is it a full half-foot?

SIRIUS: Listen, Pete, old chum. When you're as close to old Minnie as I am, she's bound to let a few things slide every now and then.

LILY: Yeah, I'll be sure to remember that when she fails you on our next exam.

SIRIUS begins to respond, but at that moment REMUS suddenly falls asleep at the table, nearly falling off his chair.

LILY: (getting up to help him) Remus! Are you okay?

REMUS: (dazedly) Yeah, I'm fine.

LILY: Last night was pretty bad, wasn't it?

REMUS: I'll be fine-

LILY: Why don't you go up to bed, okay? Sirius, Peter, help him, will you?

SIRIUS and PETER both get up and hoist REMUS up, then walk him up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. LILY watches them with a concerned look on her face.

LILY: It must be awful for him.

JAMES: I know. (He looks over at REMUS' unfinished Transfiguration essay, then grabs it and begins writing).

LILY: Hey! (She tries to take the paper back, but JAMES holds it out of reach). What do you think you're doing?

JAMES: Helping.

LILY: You better not be ruining that essay, Potter!

JAMES: Of course not! I'm finishing it for him.

LILY: "Finishing it"? No, you're not! Give it!

JAMES: You're gonna have to take it from me, then. (He gets up and holds the parchment above his head. LILY gets up as well and tries to take it from him. She chases him around the common room until he grabs her around the waist and hoists her up in the air).

LILY: You- arse- put- me- down! (She hits him on the back until he releases her).

JAMES: Tell you what. I'll give you the essay, if you go out with me.

LILY: (mockingly) Tell you what. No. Now give that to me!

JAMES: Come on, one date.

LILY: That's never gonna happen in a million years, now will you stop-

JAMES: Would you relax, please? I'm just gonna finish it for him.

LILY: No, you will not! You do realize that that's cheating, right?

JAMES: I'm just helping out a friend! You just saw him, he's a mess! And there's not a damn thing that we can do to help him with it, but if he needs a little rest on his homework, then what's the harm?

LILY: The harm is that it's against the rules!

JAMES: Lily, it really makes me angry that there's nothing we can do to help Remus with his transformations, all right? And I really want to do whatever I can to make it easier on him.

LILY: I understand, that, James. I want the same thing. But you can't do this, you'll get in trouble!

JAMES: It's just one homework assignment, all right? Everything'll be fine.

LILY: (hesitating, as JAMES continues to finish the essay) You're not gonna give up on this, are you?

JAMES: No, I'm not.

LILY sighs heavily, then shakes her head and makes her way to the staircase to the girls' dormitory.

JAMES: You won't tell McGonagall?

LILY: (bowing sarcastically) Your secret is safe with me.

She leaves the common room, leaving JAMES alone at the table, writing neatly on the parchment.