***

"The library is closing, dear," whispered Madam Pince.

"Oh, yes. I drowsed, sorry," answered Lily, rubbing her eyes.

She ascended the marble staircase, the sound of her footsteps echoing in the deserted corridor. The redhead had reached the sixth floor when a sound of light swish of a cloak made her stop dead on her tracks.

"Excuse me? Is somebody there?" she asked the darkness.

No answer.

"Is somebody there?" Lily repeated.

But she had been so certain there was somebody. It was probably a combination of fatigue and paranoia playing games with her. The redhead was about to resume her way to the Gryffindor tower when a movement caught her eye. The tip of a dark green cloak had just disappeared downstairs. 

She tore after it, hearing the owners' footsteps clearly now. Landing on the ground floor, Lily looked around, careful to catch the slightest movement, but it was as if the person had vanished into thin air. Sounds issued from outside. Lily sprinted out of the entrance hall and onto the school grounds.

A little away from her, on the Hogwarts grounds, she saw the most peculiar scene. There, his outline drawn against the silver moonlight stood a wolf. Hampering his way were a stag on one and a black, shabby dog on the other side. Upon a closer look, she saw a rat crawling at the foot of the stag. The animals were putting up a good fight with the struggling wolf. But even so, the wolf was threatening to break away at any point.

With a shudder, Lily realized this was no ordinary wolf. It was a werewolf; in fact, it was none other than her friend Remus transformed the way werewolves do every full moon. She had been so preoccupied with her classes and worries that she hadn't noticed how Remus was paler during the last few days as the full moon approached.

The redhead was paralyzed by the scene, failing to realize how close she was standing to them. Slowly, panic started creeping in as the animals moved closer to her. She had to get away, werewolves didn't have their human consciousness during the full moon and were overwhelmed by their animal instincts. Remus would never forgive himself or her if he hurt someone.

As though reading her mind, the werewolf suddenly noticed Lily. The beast bared its teeth, trying to move in her direction. The others had realized something had changed, too. The stag turned around and seeing the redhead rushed frantically toward the Whomping Willow, where she stood.

Upon getting closer to the redhead it jerked its head feverishly, indicating the castle. As it reached Lily the stag started nudging her desperate for the girl to leave the grounds. Its eyes were hazel with just a spark of golden visible from where she stood. Lily couldn't help but feel like she knew him; she stretched her hand to pat its head but was soon forced to leave by the stubborn stag.

"Okay! Okay! I'm leaving!" she said, striding toward the oak doors. 

She looked back one last time. The stag was back on his efforts to placate the werewolf. And then it hit her. She had seen those eyes before. Of course, how could she have never realized before? The stag, dog, rat, and werewolf. Memories swirled in her brain like a hurricane. "What's with you idiots and animal expressions?", "What do you think they were doing in the middle of the night out with him, Lily? He was just saving his neck...". Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. Those weren't ordinary animals. The Marauders were animagi.

***

She had completely lost track of time when the portrait of the fat lady finally swung open, and Peter Pettigrew entered. A tall figure entered after him, his long, black eyes covering his handsome face. Limping badly, face smudged with a mix of blood and dirt entered Remus Lupin. His clothes ripped, and his breathing heavy.

Finally entered the last person, his clothes almost as torn as Remus's, a deep cut across his chest. He was the first one to notice the redhead who was now rising from the armchair by the fire. 

"Hey, Evans, what are you doing up so late?" he said in a casual tone. 

Or with as casual a tone as one could master with blood dripping from his shirt and looking like he just returned from a battle.

"James. Are you guys okay?" she walked toward them swiftly. James gaped. Did she just call him by his first name? The others were now looking with weary but stunned expressions.

She walked toward Remus.

"Rem, how are you? You don't look so good. You should go to the hospital wing...nothing Madam Pomfrey can't fix," Lily said.

She looked from Peter to Sirius anxiously. Peter had several light scratches on his face. Sirius looked exhausted, but neither sustained any serious injuries. Her breathing lightened slightly.

"Yeah, Prongs, Evans is right. Moony needs to get to the hospital wing, and so do you. That scratch you've got is pretty deep," said Sirius.

Remus seemed too weak to utter a single word. He stood loosely leaning on the door frame.

"Yeah. Right. Okay, mate, wrap your arm around me," said James supporting Remus to a standing position. "Nice and Easy. Like that, nice and easy. I got you, buddy. I got you."

Sirius was about to do the same with Remus's other hand when James shook his head.

"It's all right, Padds, you and Wormtail get some sleep. I'll get him to the hospital wing and spend the night there."

Sirius put down Remus's arm hesitantly.

"I'll come with you," Lily said weakly, she was almost as pale as Remus.

James smiled kindly.

"Thanks, Evans, but you should sleep too. It's late, and you have classes tomorrow. Don't worry. I'll take good care of him," he said, indicating Remus with his head,  "after all, we do this every month, remember?"

For a moment, Lily looked like she was going to argue but decided better of it and simply nodded instead.

"Okay then, night everyone," said James, exiting through the portrait hole slowly.

"Evans," said Sirius with a salute before disappearing into the boys' dormitory followed by Peter, who waved at her.

Lily slowly moved toward the girl's dormitories, still shaken. 

***

The weather had improved the next day. The rain had stopped, and the ceiling of the Great Hall was grey and cloudless, imitating the weather outside. She buttered her toast absentmindedly and ate quickly before standing up and throwing her bag on her shoulder.

"Excuse me, where do you think you're going?" Marlene said, looking up from her bacon and eggs.

"You haven't eaten anything," Alice joined her.

"There's somewhere I need to be. I'll see you in Transfiguration," the redhead said before running out of the Great hall.

Lily climbed the steps two at a time, coming to an abrupt halt in front of a white door. She tiptoed her way inside, in case there were any sleeping patients. However, she was surprised to find the hospital wing empty except for two boys.

A pale teen with sandy brown hair occupied a bed next to a small window. Next to him was a boy with dark, messy hair. Square glasses were placed on a small cupboard beside him.

Lily sat at the foot of Remus's bed. Looking at the boy with messy black hair lying across Remus. The cut on James's chest was gone, and so were the bruises on his face, his handsome features preserved. She turned her gaze to Remus. His cuts were gone too, though he still looked pale and exhausted. She had an uneasy feeling of being watched and turned to be met by the same hazel eyes she had seen the night before. James had woken up, put back his glasses, and was now glaring at Lily.

"Oh, hi..you woke up. I hadn't realized..." her voice faded away.

"Yeah. I like watching you when you're unaware of it."

Lily blushed softly.

"How are you feeling?" a small crease appeared between her eyebrows. He waved a hand at her.

"Don't worry about me. We'll be out of the hospital wing and back in corridors pranking Peeves in no time. Nothing serious."

She nodded quietly.

"Okay. Maybe I'll drop by later."

James smiled. That smile, she thought, how did she never notice it before? Lily stood up, feeling James's gaze following her as she half walked, half ran toward the door.