Something Worth Leaving Behind

"Have you seen Remus?"

"No, I'm afraid I haven't. Did you check the library?"

"Yeah, I did."

Sirius sighed helplessly and looked around the common room as if, if he looked in the right direction, his friend would magically appear before his eyes.

"Sorry, Sirius."

"Don't worry about it, Frank." Sirius gave his heavyset housemate a pat on the shoulder and went back up to the dorm room.

When he entered the circular dorm, James was still fiddling with his tie, but he looked up hopefully as Sirius came in. "Has Frank seen him?"

"No," Sirius sighed in return. He sat down mournfully on his bed and ran a hand through his hair, sighing again.

James gave up on the tie and flung it to the side.

"Why are you so worried about where he is anyway?"

Sirius shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. But it seems he's been more distant lately."

James thought for a moment then looked back up at Sirius.

"Really?"

Sirius groaned and got up. "I'll go and check the library again."

"Okay." James watched his friend exit the dorm. He reached for a pair of socks and began pulling them on, muttering to himself, "I don't know what's wrong with those two..."

After stepping out of the portrait of the Fat Lady, Sirius found Lily Evans coming down the hall. "Hey, Lily!" he greeted.

"Hi, Sirius," she replied with a kind smile.

"Say, have you seen Remus?"

"Yeah, actually I have." She came to stand right beside him.

"Really? 'Cause I was looking for him."

"Yeah, he was up on the seventh floor. Said he needed some quiet time."

"Oh." Sirius looked down at his feet. "Right."

"What's wrong?" Lily asked, concerned. "You seem a bit on edge lately. Is there something wrong with Remus?"

Oh, yeah, thought Sirius. Didn't you know? He's a werewolf. "Nah, it's just..." He shrugged. "I don't know, he's just been..." He looked up at Lily to find her patiently waiting for him to finish. He sighed. "He just seems to have been more distant lately."

Lily grinned. "Well, he's got his own life to live, Black. He's not going to spend all his time with you guys anymore."

Just like that, she turned to the portrait, said the password, and entered the Tower, leaving Sirius speechless.

"She is right, you know," the Fat Lady said in a superior tone.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Phoenixes."

The portrait swung open and Sirius returned to his dormitory to change.

***********

Meanwhile, in the Room of Requirement, Olivia still hadn't shown up.

However, Remus had decided to use his time wisely and got his clothes together. He had even gone so far as to set out her gown as well and was wondering whether or not he should get dressed when he heard the door click closed behind him. Spinning around, he found Olivia standing by the door.

"Hello again, Remus."

"Olivia." Remus smiled at her and she returned it.

"So... did you tell your friends you're going to the ball with me?" Olivia asked, coming up beside him to admire her gown once more.

"No," Remus replied, watching her. "But I did start a bet that you would arrive at the ball with someone who wasn't a Slytherin."

"And how did they take that?" Olivia asked, looking up at him.

"They were mightily disappointed I wouldn't tell them who it was. I don't think they suspect me, though."

Olivia chuckled lightly. "You troublemaker."

"Actually, the term is 'Marauder,' if you please."

"I know," Olivia replied, punching him playfully in the arm. "I'm just picking..."

"So? Shall we change?"

"It doesn't start for four hours! And I thought we had agreed to enter fashionably late?"

Remus shrugged. "Yeah, I know. I guess I'm just restless."

She looked back down at her gown and fingered the lace trim.

It was a beautiful eighteenth century French gown in a gorgeous shade of maroon; the white lace on the bodice and sleeves contrasted beautifully. It had pretty embroidery in the skirt depicting a lovely rose garden in silver thread. Remus's costume was of the same design with similar embroidery on his tailcoat. His mother had also found a beautiful ivory jewelry set, with ornate lupine carvings, framed in white gold, with a set of cufflinks, a necklace, a hair clip, and earrings; she had sent them to Remus a month earlier. There were really quite beautiful, in Olivia's opinion, and they worked very well with the costumes, to the surprise of the two friends.

"So, how's Snape? He does know, doesn't he?"

Olivia gave a mischievous smirk, meaning that she hadn't told him yet.

Remus smiled in return, shaking his head. "And you call me a troublemaker."

"Actually the term is 'Marauder,'" Olivia replied, mimicking the matter-of-fact look he had given her.

Remus chuckled. "So I won't be the only one accused of treason tonight, then?"

"Most certainly not!" Olivia cried in a Shakespearean voice, as if it was preposterous of him to think of such a thing. "Then again," she said, looking away once more, "I shall probably be yelled at, though not for consorting with Gryffindors, but for not telling everyone I was the best of friends with the brilliant Remus Lupin."

"Brilliant?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Olivia replied, in the air of a grand storyteller. "Everyone will be astounded that I didn't share you. God knows some of the ditzes in my dorm could use a great tutor like yourself."

"You're exaggerating. And brown-nosing."

"I'm not! You're the one of the cleverest, kindest, greatest, good-hearted people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting."

"Oh, really?" It was obvious Remus did not believe her.

"Yes! Between you and Severus, my Potions and Defense grades have gone up remarkably. As a matter of fact, Narcissa asked me once how I had managed to get a higher grade than she on the last quiz."

"What did you tell her?" Remus asked curiously.

"That she would have to wait until the end of the year like everyone else to find out when I took my marvelous tutor to the ball."

Remus gawked at her. "You mean you'd planned this?"

"Yep," Olivia replied with a chipper smile. "And you thought it was your idea, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did." Remus chuckled. "How did you do it?"

"Oh, I told Severus I'd go with him and then yelled at him for something afterwards and cried, 'I'll never go to the ball with you, Severus Snape!' Of course, he is much too proud to tell anyone he was dumped and the only one I told that I was free was you. I knew you didn't have a date and, like I thought you would, you asked me

Remus glared at her playfully. "And you were going to let me think I was the mastermind?"

Olivia giggled. "Well, if you hadn't asked, my plan would have sizzled, right?"

"I suppose so..."

"So, all of Hogwarts, besides the three of us, thinks that I'm going to ball with Severus tonight."

"And his date, if he's gotten another."

Olivia shook her head. "He hasn't. Like I said, he's much too proud."

"Oh, and my friends."

Olivia nodded. "Yes... and your friends. And you let this slip... why, again?"

Remus grinned sheepishly. "To stir up trouble."

"Yes, and doubtless you scurried up here as soon as possible to avoid interrogation?"

"But of course."

"I do know you too well." Olivia sighed, and then scooped up her gown into her arms.

"Shall we get changed now?"

"After you."