Falling // Wolfstar

Forty Two

Remus flips through the pages of Cyrano de Bergerac, listening as Allison animatedly discusses her take on misogyny and her bitterness towards the male gender. Davy is nowhere to be found. In fact, he hasn't seen the boy since the day in the kitchen. Remus can't decide if he's grateful for the fact or not.

"It's repulsing that he would use somebody else to try and win over a girl," Allison continues. "That he would think so lowly of women that we are only skin deep! Men are utterly useless if it were not for reproduction!" She turns to Remus with eyes blazing. "Give me one reason why men have the audacity." Remus licks his lips under her intense stare; he couldn't give any good reason even if he thought hard enough. "Exactly."

Lily laughs under her breath and Remus shoots her a look.

"Lily thinks that Cyrano is justified," Remus blurts falsely.

Lily gasps and smacks his arm. "You prat!" she murmurs. "I can understand where his insecurities come from that he would think a beautiful girl wouldn't want to be with him, but that doesn't excuse the deceit. If he truly loved her, he would want her to love him for who he is. Not just vanity."

"Well said," Allison agrees, clapping her hands together. "So does anybody have any suggestions for next week?"

A chorus of ideas are brought up, ranging all over the place, and Davy's absence becomes noticeable. Remus stares at the empty desk beside him. He recalls the first time they had met back in September. They were discussing Pride and Prejudice.

Elizabeth Bennet - a woman of her time - would not be succumbed to being wooed by meaningless fancies of a suitor; her intelligence was beyond that. She needed to be loved - most ardently.

As someone who shared the same love of reading, Davy agreed with him. They had been friends. A friend is all Davy would ever be to him. Remus taps his finger on the desk. The discussion of next weeks book fades like white noise. It's peculiar. He didn't know Davy very long, but he knew him enough to know that Davy is smart - he isn't in Ravenclaw for nothing. Plagiarizing an assignment didn't seem to be in character. Taking fifty house points from a student out of bed - even Lily isn't that cruel. Claiming to be in love with him. The first day after book club Davy had started The Outsiders; he hadn't even attempted to read Cyrano de Bergerac.

Cyrano. A man pulling the strings from behind.

"Hey Lily," Remus whispers, "Could you do me a favor?"

*

*

*

Lily locks the door of the supply closet, listening to the defining click. Head Girl late night patrols have become routine to her by now. She hadn't gone to bed before midnight in ages. Of course, she had Potter to entertain her. Though he was annoying and immature and well, the list could go on, she was grateful for his company. His jokes were awful, but she couldn't feign laughter. Most nights they spent together she had to hold her stomach from laughing too much.

James yawns from behind her, walking around in circles out of boredom. "Why are we doing this again?" he asks.

"Because Remus asked us to," she repeats. "It's not like McGonagall hasn't had up stuck down here on previous nights."

James groans. "At least we were walking around, but standing guard for one door?" He kicks at it with the bottom of his shoe. "Sirius got the fun job."

Lily presses her hands onto James' chest and pushes him away. "Will you stop!"

"Oh, I see." He playfully grabs under Lily's arms and scoops her up, pinning her against the wall.

"James!" Lily squirms with a laugh. "Put me down." She crosses her arms as if it would suddenly put her feet on the floor.

"You're adorable when you're angry, you know that?"

"James Potter if you don't put me down this instant." Her stomach drops when she's suddenly released, only for James to catch her again inches from the floor. She rolls her eyes. "You're impossible."

"They call me James Impossible Potter for a reason."

Lily raises an eyebrow with a smirk similar to his own. "Oh really, because I thought it was Fleamont."

James sets her down immediately. "Alright, alright you win." He pins his arms around her head, leaning down just before her lips. Her breath is caught momentarily. "Evans." The surname is like water on his lips.

"Potter."

It feels like a lifetime ago since they referred to each other like this.

James' eyes soften when he looks at her. The liveliness in her emerald eyes is a stark compliment to the dark strawberry of her hair. It's a roaring auburn, not quite ginger. He remembers the first time he ever saw her - the awe in her face as the boats floated to Hogwarts. It was love at first sight - even if he hadn't known it back then. He would crawl to the end of the Earth to make her happy, and she had no idea.

"Go out with me," he says quietly. There is no flashy zeal or hint of a joke in his voice. His vulnerability is pure. "For real this time."

In the shadows of the dungeon, a figure watches from a distance. James and Lily share a kiss before running around like cats playing, but they never leave the corridor. It'd been at least twenty minutes and there was no intention of them moving. It was getting harder and harder the past two weeks; every other closet was empty and this was his last resort.

Davy returns back to the Ravenclaw tower hastily as not to be seen. The riddle stumps him again - as it always did.

"Trouble?" Remus questions, appearing from behind.

Davy turns around, anger beginning to boil inside. "What's it to you?" he spits.

Remus holds his hands up in defense. His wand is still in his pocket, showing no indication of a duel. "I just want to talk."

"Talk? About what?"

"In privacy," Remus adds. He starts to walk away, and grins when he hears Davy's footsteps follow closely behind.

*

*

*

Frances and Sirius wander along the empty corridor on their own patrols under the command of Remus. Frances swipes aside a curtain and pushes open the fake window. Her face contorts into a frown when she sees the only occupant is cobwebs. She turns to Sirius and shakes her head pitifully. Three floors down - four to go.

"So your new friend," Sirius begins nonchalantly. "Am I being replaced?"

Frances sends him a warning glare. "Willa is a friend. And so are you."

"A friend? Or a friend?" Frances plants a sharp punch right into Sirius' arm and he howls with laughter. "Blimey!" he exclaims. "For someone your size, you sure hit like a troll."

"I don't know," Frances answers honestly.

"So you don't fancy my brother anymore?"

"No, I most certainly do not."

"Good." Sirius rubs his arm tenderly, going to the next broom cupboard; he opens the door to find it empty. "Damn, this could take all night." He closes the door and continues along with Frances as they make their way up to the fourth floor. "Okay no more questions about Willa."

"Thank you," Frances huffs.

"But don't think I didn't notice your matching hair the other day."

"Sirius!" Frances barks.

Frances rolls her eyes and pushes aside a large tapestry. Hidden behind it is an alcove. She jiggles the door handle but it remains stuck. Pulling out her wand, she recites, "Alohomora." The door clicks open and she opens it cautiously. Her hand flies to cover her mouth as she lets out an audible gasp. Instantly, Sirius shoves the rest of the tapestry aside and peeks in for himself. His eyes widen immensely at the sight before him. Impossible.