"I can't believe you did that Padfoot. That was really reckless even for you!" Kelsey heard a familiar voice seethe.

Wait. Where was she?

The first thing Kelsey felt was the cold, hard ground. Her back hurt and she had no choice but to slowly open her eyes. She was on the floor of some old dilapidated room. Glancing around, she spotted Sirius, Astrid and Remus arguing in hushed tones.

Right, she had been knocked out. The last thing she remembered was Remus' panic-stricken face as he tried to reach out to save her back at the Three Broomsticks.

That got her blood boiling again. How dare they?!

She propped herself up on her elbows and cleared her throat. Astrid immediately rushed over.

"Kelsey! Thank Merlin!" she started fussing over her. Still angry, Kelsey swatted her friend's attention away. Astrid's face dropped a little but she stuck to where she was without budging.

"What the fuck guys?" she accused.

"Sorry 'bout that Jones," Sirius was the first one to speak. "Had to make sure you wouldn't throw a fuss," he shrugged. He sent a half-sorry look her way but she continued to glare daggers at him.

"A fuss? A fuss?!" Kelsey got up and dusted off her dress. "You assaulted and kidnapped me!" If looks could kill Sirius Black would be ten feet under. More than angry, Kelsey was hurt. Why was she the only one who had been shocked at the revelation?

"I agree," Remus stepped forward cautiously. Kelsey stiffened taking in his presence. "That was unnecessary. You know how he can get. I'm really sorry you had to find out this way If it helps both Astrid and I weren't happy." The werewolf looked even more guilty and tired than he had at the beginning of the day.

Kelsey felt almost sorry. "Right you and Astrid," she spat her friend's name. So I'm the only idiot who didn't know this whole time?" she scoffed.

"Kelsey.." Astrid began in a pleading tone, begging her friend to look at her but she stayed fixated between Remus and Sirius.

"Fine," Kelsey crossed her arms. "But he needs to apologise." She threw Sirius a look. Remus nudged Sirius. He cleared his throat.

"Right..erm. Sorry about that once again Jones," he sent her a. "Although you did make a neat sight swooning in my arms," he joked but Remus shook his head.

Next to Kelsey, Astrid was nervously shifting on the spot.

"So you're a werewolf.." she eyed Remus.

He let out a tired sigh. "I'm a werewolf."

Remus motioned for her to sit down on the bed in the corner of the room and she did. He took a seat next to her while the other two watched. He explained everything to her. Right from being bit at a young age to how his friends found out to how they became animagi for him.

Kelsey was still in disbelief.

"I'm like really offended by how low you three thought of me," she continued glaring at Astrid primarily.

"It wasn't our secret to tel-" Astrid began but Sirius cut her off.

"Please. If you were half as smart as Evans, you would have figured it out ages ago," he scoffed.

"Evans knew?!" Still trying to process everything she got up and started pacing the room. "I can't believe I didn't see it," she muttered under her breath. Sirius was right.

"So all those times, I saw you looking like the walking dead..with bags under your eyes..that dried blood on your chin!" she cried. Remus nodded with a sad smile.

Kelsey's heart hurt. She took in her friend: Star student with a mischievous glint; the brains behind the four. He was always there for his friends, getting them out of trouble. In the last few months, she had started seeing him as a close friend too but now she felt ashamed.

Holding back a rising sob she rushed over to him in a single stride and threw her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, holding him tightly. Not knowing how to respond Remus patted her back lightly, holding on for a split second.

"It's okay, I'm fine," he whispered back. She pulled back halfway to give him a look before he added, "..mostly that is. I got the boys". That brought out a chuckle from her.

Sirius watched the scene as his best mate and Jones held on to each other a little too long for his liking. His left hand unconsciously clenched into a fist. On top of the guilt he felt for stunning Jones, this was only adding on to the gut-wrenching feeling in his stomach. He cleared his throat loudly and gave Moony a deadpan stare. With a chuckle, he let go.

"So we're alright?" Remus asked once more to clarify. She swatted him back on the arm playfully.

"'Course Moony," she laughed softly, brightening up. Sirius felt a little sick.

They all decided to start making their way back to the castle through the connected tunnel of what she learned was the Shrieking Shack to save time. Kelsey grabbed her small purse that was lying on the floor and followed the group towards the exit.

"So all this while, you've been helping him as Padfoot?" she asked Sirius who puffed up his chest a little and nodded. Her view of him changed a little that day. But she wouldn't tell him that. Not yet.

"That's like really dope of you," she said matter-of-factly before scowling. "But don't think this means I forgive you." She huffed and shuffled forward also ignoring Astrid to who tried to get in a word.

"It'll be fine. She'll come around," Remus held Astrid's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Blushing a little, Astrid looked at him. "You think?"

"You forgave her for that other erm- prank," Remus said a little pink in the ears. "She'll come around. I'm sure."

Astrid watched Kelsey give Sirius the stink eye as he chased after her down the tunnel leading back to Hogwarts. This wasn't how she had expected the fake double date to end.

"Remus, are you coming?" Kelsey looked back with a smile at him. Remus bit back a smile and hesitated for a moment.

"It's okay. Go on. We still have the final part of our plan to carry out," Astrid whispered to him, and she nudged him forward.

Standing a little taller, Remus let go of Astrid's hand and joined Jones, deliberately throwing an arm around her shoulder and leading her down the tunnel. For the final nail in the coffin, Remus drew her closer and whispered something in her ear making her squeal and giggle.

"Let's go, Sirius," Astrid physically ushered him behind them so that he wasn't left burning holes into his friend's back.

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"Remus, are you coming?" Sirius mimicked in a girly voice. James held back an amused grin watching the result of a jealous Padfoot. All four boys were back in their dorms.

"Padfoot," Remus said in a warning tone rolling his eyes at James.

"Why? Got your fill of the lady loves today have you? That quite the shuffling between Astrid and Jones," Sirius mocked. "I wonder how you keep up."

This prompted James to raise an eyebrow silently at Remus who just mouthed 'Later'.

"What has gotten into you these past few weeks Padfoot? First Prongs and now me?"

The werewolf stood up suddenly. He knew full well what was up. In fact, Astrid and he had planned for this exact scenario.

"Do you like her?" Sirius got straight to the point.

"It's not any of your business, is it?" Remus smiled secretively, purposely egging him on.

"It is!" Sirius shot back.

"Oh? And why would that be?"

Wormtail and Prongs were moving their attention between the two like watching the court during muggle tennis.

"BECAUSE!!" Sirius suddenly took a few steps forward, almost bumping into Moony's chest on purpose, his chest squared too. He was trying to size him up.

He pictured Remus with his arm thrown around her shoulders. He pictured Prongs under her, while she squealed carefreely. He pictured his own lips on her two years ago: the moment he had been trying to recreate with countless other girls. He pictured every moment of satisfaction he got from sticking it up to Benjamin Macdonald.

And lastly, he pictured them together one day: he would tug her into him roughly and she'd spout something feisty. Then he'd smirk and kiss her and she would melt into him. That's how he imagined their next kiss. He couldn't wait.

It all had to do with her.

"Because.." Sirius croaked. "..I think I like her." Just as Sirius said it out loud, he plopped down on a bed with his head in his hands.

How in the name of Godric had that happened?

All at once, his three friends burst into laughter.

"Prongs you owe me ten knuts," Remus said smugly, putting forward his hand.

"Bugger. I thought he'd go on till after Christmas at this rate," James mumbled and opened his side drawer to shill out the money.

Sirius watched in shock before getting up so fast the blood rushed to his head.

"YOU ALL KNEW?!" he cried.

"Well, yeah. It was pretty obvious mate," Prongs shrugged.

"A blind person could see it," Wormtail added as an afterthought.

"And none of you thought to tell me," Sirius was offended. His friends continued to guffaw.

Wormtail fell back on his bed with a content sigh. "So now you can finally stop those pranks and tell her how you feel."

"What?! Never!" If anything Sirius was more determined than ever now. All he had to do was make her confess to him too.

"B-b-but Padfoot you have to!" Wormtail exclaimed. "Jones keeps looking at me in class and running a finger across her throat. I don't know what it means but I think it's a threat. I'm still on her shit-list!" The pudgy boy was really desperate.

Sirius chuckled. "Pfft. You'll be fine. I really think she would have done something by now if she had to."

"Yeah, Wormtail. Listen to him. He's a master in all things Kelpie related," James snickered.

"Nevermind that. She's still pretty mad at you," Remus reminded him.

"Don't worry I have just the plan," he fell back on his bed with a goofy grin. "Tell me boys..I think it's time the Marauders came back with a blast don't you think?"

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