"CAN I STUDY in here?" Claudia asked at the same time as she pulled the invisibility cloak off her, causing three boys to practically jump up into the air from their beds.

Claudia was getting closer to the group of boys day by day. They hung out quite often, mostly at their dorm, much to Betty's liking.

She and Inez came along sometimes as well, mainly Betty since Inez was rather busy all the time for some reason.

Inez seemed a little worried over Claudia, but also grateful that she had finally managed to trust them enough to tell them and actually let them be her friends.

During the short two weeks that Claudia had spent time with the four boys, she had learned a few things, like for example:

1. James and Sirius were a lot smarter than she ever thought they were.

2. Peter was a lot funnier than she ever thought he was.

3. Remus was just as great as she always had thought he was.

"You have got to stop scaring us like that!" James scolded with a hand over his heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Don't be so dramatic, Potter! And by the way, your heart is on the other side of your chest," she chuckled. "Anyways, as I was saying-"

"Of course you can," Remus said with a warm smile.

"Great, thank you!" She smiled as she walked over to Sirius' bed and placed her books on it at the same time as she sat down.

"Why, though?" Peter asked nonchalantly.

"Rude," Claudia said with a chuckle. "It's because Sirius and Betty are so disgusting," she sighed.

"So you just left your roommates?"

"No, I have no idea where they are," she shrugged. "It was just me and them. They kept snogging, so I left," she said with a laugh.

She really had no idea where Inez was, but still she didn't think about using the map.

"I see," James grinned. "And you didn't think about what would happen if you left I presume?"

Claudia grimaced at the thought. "I didn't," she said. "Well, the most I can do now is pray that they stay on her bed."

"Indeed," James grinned. "Well, anyways, where were you yesterday? I didn't see you at all."

"Oh, I wasn't feeling well."

That wasn't a lie. Sometimes Claudia just had bad days. They were a lot more frequent when her mum first died, and they hadn't been happening that often in the recent months, but that still didn't mean that she didn't experience them every now and then.

They were just the type of days when she couldn't leave her bed or do anything.

"Were you sick?" Remus asked.

"No, just a headache," she lied. "Anyways, I've got work to do," she sighed as she picked up her Arithmancy homework and got started.

It wasn't that Claudia was struggling in school at all. She just hated the amount of studying she had to do in preparation for her O.W.L.s. It felt like all she did was study when she wasn't in class, eating, or spending time with her friends.

Claudia was what one would call a high achiever. Maybe it was just in her blood, she did come from a Slytherin father and a Ravenclaw mother after all, or it was just the way she had grown up to be.

It did make sense that she felt that academic validation was a way of making her feel like she was actually good enough in some way, considering the way she was treated.

So, the girl was pretty much addicted to studying, even though she was tired of it sometimes. She wanted good results, even in her worst subjects (Arithmancy and Study of Ancient Runes), and she was going to get them.

"Claudia?" James asked after she had spent at least thirty minutes with her pile of homework. The girl merely hummed in response, not even taking her eyes off of her notes as she did so.

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

"What's tomorrow?" She asked as she finally teared her eyes off of the parchment.

"Hogsmeade," James said.

"Oh, I don't think I'm doing anything," she shrugged. "Betty, Inez and Pandora have all got dates. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, just curious," he replied. "Anyways, do you know who's got a date?" She shook her head as Remus' head suddenly shot up.

"Moony!"

Ouch.

Claudia stopped for a moment as she faked being confused.

Because, for some strange reason, that stung more than it was supposed to.

"Hello? Earth to Claudia?" James said.

"Sorry, which one's Moony again?" She asked with her best attempt at a confused face.

"Remus!"

"Oh my, he's got a date?!" She said excitedly as she placed her notes down and walked over to Remus, who definitely didn't look as proud as a normal teenage boy would in that moment.

She sat down by the foot of the bed with a wide grin as she asked.

"Who's the lucky girl?"

"Oh," he chuckled as he sat up next to her. "Um, Sophia Aster, she's-"

"Oh, I know her! She's in Hufflepuff, right?" He nodded. "She's gorgeous!" Claudia said sweetly as she poked him on the cheek, causing him to smile brightly.

"Yeah," Remus chuckled awkwardly.

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Claudia exclaimed. "If you need any help, come to me okay? I am a girl after all."

"Okay, thank you," he replied with a faint smile.

But, somehow it felt wrong. Going on a date with a girl who was perfectly sweet and beautiful, but finding no interest in doing so.

In all honesty, Remus would prefer to spend his Saturday lazying around with Claudia. And his friends, of course.

"What are we doing, James?" Peter asked.

"Well, that's where I was going with this," the boy sighed. "I'm also going on a date."

"What?!" Peter groaned. "Then I'm all alone! And who are you going with anyways, since it can't be Lily?!

"What has gotten into you today?!" James said defensively. "And no, it's not Lily. It's Mary Macdonald. She's in love with Gideon Prewett, I'm in love with Lily, they're going on a date, thus we are going on a date so we can spy on them together."

"That's pathetic," Claudia snorted, causing Remus to laugh. "Sorry."

"That's not true!" James exclaimed.

"If you say so," Claudia said sarcastically as she and Remus laughed. "Look, Remmy agrees!"

"I'm not even gonna try," James sighed as he shook his head. "And that's a horrible nickname, by the way!"

Claudia gasped dramatically. "It's better than Moony," she said teasingly.

"That's not true and you know it!" James yelled.

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is!"

"No it's-"

"Can you two please stop bickering like children," Remus laughed, causing the two to grow quiet for a second before James spoke again.

"You're just jealous you haven't got your own nickname," he said with a smirk.

"Oh, please. I'll do just fine without one, trust me," she said.

"I don't think you will, I think you're jealous!"

"How could I possibly be jealous?!"

"What should we call her, lads?" He asked.

"How about Claude?" Peter proposed.

"Oh, please don't," she groaned. "My aunt used to call me that and I absolutely hated it."

"Oh, sorry," Peter said, but she only shook her head.

"Don't be, I didn't mean it like that."

"Well I like it!" James grinned, causing Claudia to roll her eyes.

"How about Lame?" Remus suggested. Peter and James stared at him in confusion as he did so. "Her name means that in Latin, I think. Right?"

"How did you know that?" She asked.

"Pretty boy over there is learning Latin like the true nerd he is," James explained.

"Oh," she said impressed. "Well, it is the meaning of my name. Another reason to hate it."

"I like your name," said Remus. "It suits you"

"So you think I'm lame?"

"No!" He said with repeated shakes of his head, like he always used to do. "It's a pretty name, and you're a pretty girl."

Claudia smiled at him as she felt a small blush creep up on her cheeks. But, she still didn't know what that meant nor did she allow herself to have those thoughts, especially since he was going on a date the next day.

"Oh, please Remus, you're such a flirt!" James laughed. "I still like Claude more! Lame makes it sound like she can't walk," Claudia rolled her eyes, and even so a small smile came upon her face.

"And with that said, how about you and Claude do something, Wormtail?" James asked.

Operation jealousy in check.

Peter didn't say anything as he looked back and forth between all three of his friends, so eventually Claudia was forced to break the silence.

"That sounds good! If you'd like, Pete, of course. We could eat in the kitchens or something," she suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds good," the boy answered with a sweet smile.

"Perfect!" Claudia said with a smile, and in that moment Sirius came into the room, looking a bit disheveled.

"I just had-"

"Stop!" Claudia exclaimed. "Best friend in the room!"

"Oh, didn't see you there, Claudia," he grinned. "Thanks for leaving by the way."

"Yeah, yeah," she said as she walked over to his bed and collected her things. "I'm off!" She announced as she headed towards the door.

"Already?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," she responded as she caught the cloak from James. "Can't exactly focus in here, now can I?. Well, bye then, see you tomorrow, Pete!"

"Bye, Claudia!"

"Bye, Claude!"

"Bye, Lame!"

__________________________________

a/n:

btw just wanted to say that when claudia used magic outside of school back at the ball it wasn't detected since there were so many wizards there!

also, both nicknames suck but lame is there for a reason and claude is just because i couldn't think of anything!!