"You're an unbelievable little git!" Cassiopeia screeched loudly at Remus, "I can't believe you would tell me that! Are you so thick that you can't understand why I did this! After everything we've gone through together you're really going to stand there and say that to me? I'm not some fragile little girl Remus!"

The Marauders observed at the scene in front of them with stunned faces. Never really hearing Cassiopeia Black shout angrily at anyone other than her twin brother, Sirius. No one quite sure what exactly had happened when they walked into the common room, only moments after the initial explosion of anger.

"I didn't mean it the way you think I did Cass." Remus sighs annoyed.

"How the bloody hell else am I suppose to take it Remus John Lupin?" she asks incredulously.

James, quietly leaning over to whisper to Sirius, "Is it really safe for them to be arguing this close to a full moon?"

"If you mean safe for her, sure. If you mean safe for Remus, no bloody way. She's a Black, she's bloody crazy mate." Sirius whispers.

"Should we do something?"

Not responding verbally, Sirius shrugs back, unable to tear his eyes away from one of his best friends and his sister. Ready to jump in at the first sign of aggression from the agitated werewolf.

James was right though; the full moon was tomorrow night, which made Remus much more easily irritated. However, whoever started the argument didn't matter much to him, what mattered most was making sure Cassie wasn't going to be harmed. Even if that meant keeping her from Remus until well after the full moon came and went. Even knowing how excellent she was in defensive spells, and her temper rivaling his, she was his sister and he worried about her safety more than he would ever let on.

"I didn't mean to insinuate that you couldn't –" Remus tried to get out, only to be cut off by a book flying at him which he only barely managed to duck out of the way from.

"I don't want to hear any excuses Remus! Honestly, I expected this from Sirius, not from you!" She shouts, grabbing her bag she turns to look at the rest of them, "I don't want to see any of your faces right now."

Watching her walk out of the common room and into the castle, they turn to Remus with questioning looks.

"What the hell did you say to her Moony?" James finally manages to get out.

"It wasn't meant to be this much of a big deal. Honest." Remus tells them.

"Spit it out Moony. What did you tell my sister? She's not normally so cross with anyone other than myself." Sirius says taking a seat on the sofa next to James.

"I pointed out that, even though she's an animagus now, it might not be the best idea for her to be around me on a full moon." Remus utters sheepishly, looking at the ground instead of his best friends.

"Bloody hell mate," Sirius sighs, "You know you can't tell her things like that. She hates being seen as fragile. Hell she hates that people always underestimate her because she's a girl, you know she's the toughest girl in our lives. Hell, she survived our parents, that's enough proof that she doesn't need to be coddled."

"I know! I know! I just, I don't want her to get hurt." Remus sighs dejectedly, "I don't want to be the reason she has more scars. I don't ever want to be the one to hurt her and I could, if she was there, I could."

"The whole reason that she became an animagus was so she can help you Moony. The whole reason she went through with all the hours of mediation, walking around the safety of our dorm with ears she couldn't quite get back to normal for a few hours, was so she can be there for you." Sirius tells him, "She hated not being able to help you."

"I really messed up this time."

Walking alone through the castle, Cassie had never truly felt as alone as she did right now since she started at Hogwarts. Getting sorted into Gryffindor with her brother was the best feeling in the world for her. She gained a little independence from her family; she gained a new family in lieu of her friends.

Friends that honestly could not be more different, and more similar at the same time; James was as outgoing and loud as ever, never quite understanding the concept of 'inside voice'. Sirius, the eternal ladies man, going right along with James' moronic and not usually well thought out plans, was not going to change anytime soon. Peter, he was quiet, quieter than she ever thought a person could be in her life. He didn't have much to say, and his schoolwork was mediocre at best, but he tried and he was the little piece of awkward mess in the group.

Remus was, he was quiet. Not quiet like Peter, just more reserved. He still went along with the stupid pranks that James and Sirius would concoct against Slytherin's mostly. He cared more about learning, more about his classes than the rest did, but that didn't mean that he was outgoing once you brought him out of his shell. He was warm in nature, caring, giving, always there to lend you a hand and wicked with his Defense Against the Dark Arts skills.

He was in all honesty, perfect to her. He didn't think so, he never would. His lycanthropy darkening his judgment and making him feel unlovable. All of it was false he was loved. He was cared for so immensely that his best friends became illegal animagus' so they could spend the full moon with him and keep him from harming himself or others.

Which brought her mind back to the initial argument. He was perfectly fine with James, Sirius and Peter keeping him company, but Godric forbid she wanted to be there for him. She went through the whole process for him, not that she told him she was doing it mind you. She wanted it to be a surprise. It was, just clearly not well received.

Cassie supposed that she should have seen this coming. He was just so bloody protective of her; even more than Sirius and that was a feat in itself to do it. She understands he wants her safe, but all she wants is to be there with them. Rather be thrown in the face of potential danger than to be sat out of it, worrying her head off in the dorm room.

"Cass?" she hears behind her, turning her head she sees Lily and Severus.

"Hey Lily, Severus." She acknowledges, "What are you two up to?"

"Hiding away from Potter and his ridiculous proclamation of love during lunch honestly." Lily admits to her as they sit on the grass beside her.

"I wish I could say he'll give up, but I can't lie to you Lily." Cassie shrugs, noticing Severus' eyes darken at the statement.

"Eventually he'll have to give up." Lily stubbornly says. "Enough about Potter. What are you doing out here alone? You're usually with one of them these days."

Groaning, Cassie turns to look back out at the lake. "Remus and I are having a bit of a disagreement about a certain topic. There was shouting, and I may have thrown a book at him."

Lily sputters, "You – you threw a book at him?"

"I wasn't going to at first, but it was there and I was angry. No one has ever said the Black family wasn't a violent bunch. I just hide it better than the rest of them do." Cassie shrugs.

"You can study with Severus and I if you would like to." Lily offers.

Looking over at them, the friendship she can see becoming steadily more rocky and less concrete than it was when they first started school together, she declines with a shake of her head.

"Not today, I need to be alone with my thoughts right now. Another day, it's been too long since we've properly gotten together." She tells them sincerely.

With a quick goodbye she watched them vanish out of sight as they head towards the library.

Remus sighed pathetically as he walked around looking for Cassie. He hadn't meant to upset her, or well he supposes he made her angry more than anything. He only wanted to keep her safe, it was bad enough that Moony was practically begging him to claim her as theirs. As their mate. Which she was he realized early on, from almost the moment they had matured enough for him to realize exactly what his feelings were about her.

It was a slippery slope with her though; Sirius being both her twin and his best friend made the situation all the more difficult. He had to worry about creating a rift in his friendship as well as an overprotective brother.

He was hesitant to admit that he had feelings other than platonic friendship between them; he couldn't offer her anything being what he was. His lycanthropy would pose enough problems with him trying to get a job after they graduated from Hogwarts, and Merlin forbid she wanted to have children with him. He couldn't even picture himself being a father to anyone, how could he be when he turned into a monster every month.

She had looked past all of that though, she had accepted him as soon as they had finally told her. She hugged him tightly that day, promises of never abandoning him and always being there to take care of him were murmured in his ear. The only hint of anger was at them because they kept it from her for so long.

He always thought she had already known, but she never alluded to it otherwise. Remus knew she was too smart to not have figured it out; she was just patiently waiting for them to tell her. It just took them four years too long to do so.

He never imagined that she would go the same route his mates did. Never imagined she would become an animagus for him. She did though, she went through it all just so she can help him and he practically shoved it back in her face.

The thought of hurting her came back to him, what if she was small in her animal form? What if he lost control one night and hurt her? He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he ever harmed her during a full moon.

Spotting her sitting alone under a big tree by the lake he hastily made his way to her before she noticed him and took off. His pace slowing when she looked up at him, not saying anything she motioned for him to join her.

Smiling at her slightly, he sat down. The silence wasn't uncomfortable. It never was with them, they could sit in silence together for hours just enjoying the presence of the other.

"I'm sorry I threw a book at you." She tells him quietly.

Taking her hand in his, "I'm sorry I treated you like you were too fragile to help. That it seemed as if I don't want you there on the full moon."

"I hate not knowing how you are during the full moon. I hate being left behind, knowing how awful you're going to feel the next day." She expressed to him, squeezing his hand a little tighter.

"I won't be able to stomach it if I harm you, but I – I want you there. Moony wants you there." Remus hints subtly at her. Both hoping she will understand what he means and hoping she won't.

Her head shoots up to look at him, "Does that mean...what I think it means Remus?"

Looking at her, her beauty. The Black family hair, curly and dark on her head is thrown into a messy half up, half down hairstyle, framing her porcelain-skinned face. Her large grey doe eyes shining up at him with thinly veiled hope. She was truly the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, inside and out. She was so kind, nurturing despite the household she came from, protective of those she loved, and bloody brilliant at potions. Men of all ages paused to watch her when she walked by, the air of confidence she had was addicting.

"It does." He tells her, "I've known for some time. I just haven't been able to tell you. Sirius, well he doesn't, they don't know either."

Giggling a bit, "You truly are an amazingly silly man, Remus Lupin."

Leaning into his body a bit more, "I've been wanting to tell you I fancied you for quite some time now. I admit, though I'll deny it if you ever tell anyone, I was scared to tell you. Scared that it would ruin our friendship. You're my best friend Remus, first and foremost."

Pulling away from her, he clutches her face gently in his large hands turning her to look up at him, her eyes looking up at him with pure, almost innocent, love shining through them. He sighs, leaning his forehead against hers, "I can't offer you what you deserve. You deserve the world and I can't give it you. People will talk, you'd have to endure the judgment that comes with being with me."

"I don't want the world Remus, I want you. My vault at Gringotts means nothing compared to you. I don't want a large mansion, I don't want fancy jewelry. I don't need any of that. I want you. Plain and simple, Remus." She tells him, her hands reaching up to hold his.

Giving in to the desire to kiss her that has been coursing through him since last year, he leans down, lightly placing his lips against hers, as if she might change her mind.

Feeling his hesitation, she shifts a bit, pressing her lips more securely to his as her hands go to his neck, gently playing with the hair that falls there.

Her touch on his neck enough to give him the confidence he needs, the kiss turns from innocent to full of pent up passion. His hand on her neck, tilting her face up a bit more while his other hand travels down her back pressing her further into his body.

Pulling away after a few moments, his breathing erratic as his senses are filled with her scent and her taste on his tongue. "It's always been you."

Smiling brightly at him, happy tears in her eyes, "It will always be you, Remus."