Lupin's True Love

June 8, 1973

Veronica stretched as Remus' eyes glazed over. James and Sirius were quizzing each other with questions form their Transfiguration books. Lily and Emma were staring into the fire as Peter read his Transfiguration book. Jessica yawned as Patricia flipped through her notes.

"Could this be any more boring?" Veronica yawned as she looked around the empty common room. "Amazing! We're the only ones still awake."

Patricia jumped slightly and looked at her watch. "No wonder. It's after one in the morning."

"Good." James stretched as he reached into his bag. "Time for a study break." James pulled out his Invisibility Cloak. "What do you guys want?"

"Anything sweet and chocolaty." Lily yawned and stretched as James swung the cloak around his shoulders.

"And some tea." Emma closed her book as James pulled the cloak over his head.

The portrait door opened and closed silently. Everyone turned back to their notes and books.

"Forget it. I can't study while I'm worrying about James." Veronica slammed her notebook closed as Remus stretched.

"He'll be fine." Remus chuckled as he shoved his notes back into his bag.

"There's no need to worry." Sirius closed his book. "He doesn't want to get into trouble this close to the end of term."

"Yeah." Peter slid his Transfiguration book into his bag. "We only have three more exams."

"Then we're FREE! FREE, do hear me?!! FREE!!!" Sirius raised his arms in triumph.

"Not quite, Siri." Veronica flipped through her notes. "We still have to wait for our results."

Lily smiled as Veronica climbed to her feet and moved toward the window. "Then we go home."

Patricia noticed Veronica's slight frown. "What's wrong, Veronica?"

"You guys get to go home to your families while have to stay with dear, sweet James." Veronica rolled her eyes. "How am I going to put up with him for two months? Doesn't anyone want to switch with me?"

Lily laughed as Veronica sank onto the window seat. "You can always come and visit my family."

"Sirius, Peter, and I will come for tea once on a while." Remus leaned back in his chair. "Besides from what we've seen of Mrs. Potter, James wouldn't dare bother you for long."

The portrait door opened and closed quietly. Sirius jumped to his feet as James let the cloak fall to the floor.

"FOOD!!!" Sirius took the sweets tray from James. "Good work, Potter."

"Yeah. You take the tray with the sweets and leave me with the tray that has the tea." James placed the ceramic tea service in the center of the table.

"Yeah, well, I know what the girls would like." Sirius passed the tray to each of the girls.

Patricia poured nine cups of tea as James sank into his seat. Remus handed each cup to the others before reaching for a chocolate covered éclair. The platter of sweets passed from one pair of hands to another until it was half empty. Sirius picked out several peanut butter cookies as James grabbed a handful of chocolate chip cookies. Veronica shook her head as she nibbled on the snickerdoodle cookie she held.

"Well." James gulped his tea. "What are we studying next?"

Veronica picked up the exam schedule. "Let's see. We've finished with transfiguration and Charms. We still need to study Potions." Veronica reached for her notes. "According to Tilbelt, we'll need to know the appropriate ingredients for several potions and the potions' uses."

"As long as it's not the Polyjuice Potion." Remus ducked as Veronica threw a cookie at him.

"Enough. Let's get back to studying." James opened his Potions book.

Peter's pencil tapped repeatedly against his book. Emma and Patricia tried to read their notes. James and Sirius glanced at each other an instant before Sirius grabbed Peter's pencil.

"What?" Peter's head jerked up.

"What is your problem?" Sirius glared at Peter. "We're trying to concentrate."

"Not that Vee needs to study." James rolled his eyes.

"Knock it off, Jamey-pooh!" Veronica turned her head toward Peter. "Peter, some of us have such tiny brains that we need total silence to study."

"Sorry, Veronica." Peter calmly took his pencil from Sirius and tried to start studying again.

Veronica turned through the pages of her Potions book. James scribbled several notes as Sirius read through his notes. Peter quickly closed his Potions book.

"What's wrong now, Peter?" James watched as Peter began shoving his books into his bag.

"Nothing. I think I'll head on up to bed." Peter made his way to the dormitory door. "I'm exhausted."

Veronica started to follow him but Remus grabbed her arm. "Let him go."

Veronica sank back into her seat as Emma smiled at Sirius cracking his knuckles. James and Remus shook their heads as Lily rubbed her eyes.

"Well, I guess we should all go to bed." Lily yawned as she stretched her arms over her head.

"You're right, Lily." Patricia closed her book. "Our exams aren't until Monday."

Emma hurriedly shoved her things into her bag. "We can finish our studying tomorrow down at the lake."

"Maybe the sunshine will help us keep the information in our head a little longer." Patricia shoved her books into her bag.

Veronica closed her book and gathered her notes. "I'll be up in a minute."

Okay." Jessica followed the other girls to the dormitory door.

James watched as the door closed quietly behind Lily before he climbed to his feet. "What was Peter's problem tonight?" James began pacing the floor in front of the fireplace.

"I'm not sure, James." Veronica stretched slightly. "Haven't you guys noticed that Peter's been acting a bit weird lately?"

"He's always acting weird." Sirius stretched as Veronica refilled four of the nine cups scattered across the table. "But you're right, Vee. He's been acting a bit weirder than usual. I think he's up to something."

"I wonder what." Remus took a sip f his tea.

"I don't know but he scares me." Veronica shoved her things into her bag.

"What do you mean?' James turned from the fireplace as Remus draped his arm across the back of Veronica's chair.

"He rarely looks me in the eyes when I try to talk to him." Veronica shrugged her shoulders slightly. "I guess there's something about him that I just don't completely trust."

"You don't trust Peter? Why?" Sirius shoved his books into his bag.

"I just told you, Siri. I don't know why." Veronica rolled her eyes as she sipped her now lukewarm tea. "Yuck!!"

James sank into his seat and shoved his book and notes into his bag. "Don't freak out about it, Vee. No one ever trusts everyone they meet in life."

"Let's just drop it. I'll figure out my feelings after our last exams." Veronica swirled her tea around in her cup.

"Maybe he's just feeling the pressures of the exams." James took another cookie off the tray.

"Maybe." Veronica watched as James took a bite of the cookie. "How can you guys eat so much in sweets? It makes my teeth hurt watching you."

"Sorry." James took a sip of his lukewarm tea. "Disgusting!"

Remus climbed to his feet. "We should be heading to bed."

"I guess so." Veronica yawned as she picked up her bag. "Good night, guys."

Remus followed Veronica to the girls' dormitory door. "Good night." Remus placed a gentle kiss onto Veronica's forehead.

Veronica kissed Remus' cheek as James and Sirius laughed. "Good night. Remember to kill them when they go to sleep tonight."

"Don't worry. I'll drain their brains tonight." Remus waited as Veronica laughed and James and Sirius gasped. "It might help them with their exams."

Veronica closed the dormitory door behind her and sleepily climbed the stairs to her dormitory room. Lily and Emma were sitting on their beds brushing out their hair as Veronica walked into the room. Veronica opened her trunk and pulled out her nightgown as Patricia snorted in her sleep. Veronica quickly changed as Lily and Emma closed the curtains around their beds. Jessica moaned softly in her sleep as Veronica closed the curtains around her bed. She pulled her comforter up to her chin and stared at the canopy of her bed for a few minutes. She turned on her side and drifted into a restless sleep as the grandfather clock chimed three times.