Clair de Lune

"Maybe you're right," Alice laughs. "and maybe Lupin IS a bit of a girl. Boys aren't supposed to cry about ickle things like being sick."

"That's what Da says anyway."

"Girly?" Alice laughs. "I heard him belching 'God Save the Queen' with Peter during Charms. I don't think Lupin is girly."

She whispers to Lily. "He's definitely odd though. He cries a lot. I saw. Today in defense, he started crying. I saw him. I tried to ask what was wrong and he ran off on me. He doesn't talk to anyone except those gits he hangs around with. I heard some Slytherin's calling him Loopy once..."

She concludes with, "But at least he's Gryffindor. He can't be all bad."

Alice didn't like Snape, but she wouldn't say that to Lily. That would just be mean.

Alice is caught silent. Er... Snape wasn't stupid, but he was SOMETHING alright. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she didn't like him. He didn't feel right.

"We're too young to really fancy anyone," she quipps. "Mum says."

My mum is the bravest cleverest witch that ever was.

"Are you sure you don't fancy Lupin?" Alice asks. Both Snape and 'Loopy' Lupin were quiet and a little on the weird side, but at least Lupin was a Gryffindor. He couldn't be all bad.

"If you ask me, it's all about Black. He's gorgeous. Aestet...aesthetically," she struggles to say the big word. "pleasing. But I don't 'fancy' him. He's a bit of a git, really. ALL boys are gits, even the clever ones." Alice adds. "Especially the clever ones."

Alice was unconvinced. Mhmm, because chocolate had all these great medicinal purposes, righhhhht.

"Well I don't fancy anyone. Boys are so stupid."

"What are you doing?" Alice asked, jumping onto Lily's bed. One of the other girls sat up and threatened to throw a hex if they didn't 'keep quiet; people are sleeping!'.

Alice, never one for subtlety, ever, peered over Lily's shoulder. Her eyes go wide as chestnuts and Alice bites her lip to hold back giggling (because 'people are sleeping!').

"Lily fancies Lupin~ Lily fancies Lupin~" Alice whispers in a teasing sing song voice.

James was next. The hat barely has time to touch his head before shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!"

James beams, feeling very self satisfied.

...

Besides, any minute now, those dung bombs he'd planted ought to be going off.

James jumped into the seat next to Sirius. "This is brilliant! We're all together!"

---

After James was sorted it was Alice's turn and she was sorted Gryffindor as well.

Next it's Peter's turn. The hat is placed on his head and right away it starts analyzing him. Definitely not a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw. That leaves Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Not Slytherin! he hopes desperately. I want to be with James!

No, not Slytherin for you.... says the hat. You're too soft for Slytherin.

Soft! I'm not!

"Gryffindor!" the hat bellows.

Peter couldn't help feeling a bit cheated. What? Am I only Gryffindor because I don't fit anywhere else?

He didn't mind, though. He was happy to be in the house James was supposed to join. Besides, Black and the Swot weren't half bad either.

He sat down on the other side of Remus and smiled big.

James clapped excitedly and waved at Sirius. They were going to be in the same house! (Of course he hadn't been sorted yet, but that was beside the point.)

I knew Sirius was better than Slytherin!

Really, James couldn't be more pleased.

He looked up with interest when the Professor called for Lily Evans. It was that pretty red head.

Girls were so annoying... but... he really did love her hair.

Remus frowns. He hopes Lily doesn't want to know about what his father does for a living. Remus didn't like talking about it. His father used to have a really nice job, but he stopped working after Remus 'got hurt'. He stayed at home to take care of his son. Stupid amounts of money were wasted on cures that never worked. His parents loved him, but sometimes it was too much. Remus was happy to have a chance to take care of himself and not be a bother to his parents. Maybe his father would go back to his job at the ministry now that Remus was in school.

He looked up from his daydreaming when the other boy asked if he could help with the smell.

"Wait here," Remus says. "I'll find a prefect. I'm sure they can help you."

He hurries back to a lavatory and changes into his school robes, then drops his bag back by his seat on the train.

Then he goes to look for a prefect to help.

"Oh you're muggle born then? That's pretty incredible." Remus smiles. "What do you parents think of it. My mum's fascinated by it all. Especially when dad does magic."

He finds that Lily is really easy to talk to and he relaxes. "Oriel College, at Oxford. It's where I live."

They reach the car and Remus shifts awkwardly. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Remus nods his head quietly. "My mum's a professor at a muggle college. She teaches mythology. My name is just a by-product of her obsession."

It would also explain how Remus knows such big words for an 11 year old.

Although the name's a bit ironic now... he frowns.

"I told you," Remus follows Lily. "It was my idea." He tried his best to come across as convincing.

"It's nice to meet you, Evans. I'm sorry you had to meet me because of a dung bomb." His nose scrunches up boyishly.

Remus shyly glances back at the girl. She seems nice and she clearly looks out for her friends. He awkwardly offers a hand. "I'm Remus Lupin."

"Don't be upset with James. He's just irritable because it was my idea," Remus lies softly. "I'll apologize. Where's your friend?"

Remus stands up, carrying his bag. He needed to change into his robes. "Pardon me," he politely maneuvers his way past Sirius. He stops by Lily and Alice. He can tell James isn't going to apologize, although, he really should... But he likes James, and he doesn't want to cause him any trouble. He taps Lily's shoulder and clears his throat. Then walks down the aisle, hoping she'll follow.

Alice giggles in the background. She can't help it.

She coughs and blushes a bit, clearing her throat.

"Hey, I know you! You're James Potter!" she accuses. "Your mum is friends with my mum! You really should apologize. Great prank, though."

Okay, now this girl is getting annoying. James looks up at the red head from his seat and stands up. He leans with one hand on the wall, and holds his head up. "Oh and is ickle Sevvy sending girls to defend his honor, or are you just a busy body?"

James abruptly stops laughing. Who died and made HER boss of all everything?

James decides to ignore the girls.

"Babayaga," he flips over his latest chocolate frog card. "What an old biddy. Oy Peter, have anything to trade?"

Alice leans against a wall, laughing and holding her nose. "Merlin's pants!"

She coughs a few more times. "Brilliant prank! But why'd it have to be us? What rotten luck!"

Several heads poke out of the various compartments nearby to glare at Lily and Alice.

"Who set off a dung bomb IN the train!"
"FIRST YEARS, UGG!"


"Hey!" Alice snaps. "It wasn't us! We were pranked." She groans and grabs Lily. "Come on, this way."

A few feet down, they've caught up with the snack lady, who looks at them funny. Alice shrugs innocently and takes a deep breath of air.

"Ahhhhh, fresh air!"

Meanwhile, a messy head of black hair, way in the back, has peeked out, and he is laughing at them.

"Think I found our prankster, Lily." Alice points, and the head quickly zips back into its car.

Alice tries and tries, but she can barely get the sugar quills to even hover. "Hmm, guess it needs some work!"

"Wow! Lily! That's so cool. My mom wouldn't let me practice magic until I got to school!"

Alice takes her wand. "Let me try, how'd you do that? Teach me!"