A/N: Alright, in order for you to understand this fanfiction, I must tell you my insane theory about the marauders. And here it is.
Sirius, was in love with James, who was definitely in love with Lily. But Remus was in love with Sirius. It's a giant circle merry-go-round of craziness. And this fanfiction was spurned from that. If you don't like slash, don't read this. If you like happy endings for all, don't read this. But if you don't mind. Please Please take a gander and leave some reviews. :)
"So, how far have you gone with her?"
Sirius asked James as they both sat cross-legged on the floor, looking through one of Sirius' many risqué muggle magazines.
James didn't think he would ever understand Sirius' obsession with the girls in those magazines. Even though Sirius' type was easy to understand and James knew them well. They were the girls that got too drunk at the party, were simply looking for fun, didn't really have a real plan for their lives, usually blonde and couldn't tell you who the minister of magic was.
Well, except for Marlene. Marlene McKinnon was the first smart girl Sirius had ever dated. She was good for him, she challenged him. She gave him hell, and she told him when he was being an arrogant sod and James was under the impression that she just might really love him. But of course, Sirius never kept a good thing going for very long. James wasn't exactly wasting time planning the wedding or anything like that.
He rolled his eyes, flipping a page trying desperately to see what pleasure Sirius got from the pages. There was just something so boring about the girls in those magazines, the way they looked up at you as if you were SUPPOSED to want them. Where was the chase? Not to mention, the muggles had their own type of magic called airbrushing.
"When's Moony getting here?" he asked in a bored voice, half to distract the other boy and half because he was just curious.
Sirius let out a groan, one that James' was very used to hearing. It was the groan Sirius saved for frustration. Which, now that James thought about it, wasn't too far off from the groan he saved for disappointment.
"You're deflecting." Sirius quipped, annoyed.
"I'm ignoring." James countered in a flat tone. He stood up then, pacing the room, magazine in hand.
"These girls are so…." he started, trying to find the right words to describe his lack of interest.
"Sexy?" Sirius provided for him.
Sexy. Yeah. Sirius was deaf, dumb and blind if he didn't know what James found 'sexy' by now.
He couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head as he continued to flip through pages for something semi-entertaining.
"I was going to go with stationary." He flipped open to the last page and surprisingly his eyes were pleasantly pleased this time, if only for a moment.
"This one's kind of nice though." he mumbled as he tossed the magazine back to Sirius.
Sirius glanced down at the magazine, and the disappointment flooded his face. He was looking down at a fairly average red-head girl wearing pink lingerie and a girl next door smile.
There was that disappointment groan that James had come to know and love.
"Is that a joke? Does everything have to be about her?" He closed the magazine, as James fell back onto his bed.
"I like red-heads." James shrugged, looking up at his ceiling. And right now, he missed a particular red-head.
"Don't we all know." Sirius rolled his eyes, clearly unforgiving, "In any case, you've brought us back to the original question. How far have you gone with her?"
"Why does it matter?" James groaned, sitting up again resisting the urge to throw something at him. He was annoyingly persistent.
"Because it does. Just answer the question."
"Merlin Sirius, alright." he closed his eyes for a second, and then slowly sat up looking at him.
"We haven't exactly gone beyond kissing. Happy?"
Sirius stared at him for a long moment, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.
"No…of course that doesn't make me happy." But James could see the smile forming, and it made him angry.
That stupid little smirk. Who was he to judge him? "I'm perfectly okay with waiting. I can wait for her."
Sirius snorted, "Right, and how long is that going to last?"
James sat at up then, hot anger building in his stomach. He was so sick and tired of the constant battle between Sirius and Lily.
"It'll last for however long it needs to. Why are you so jealous?"
Sirius' eyes snapped up to meet his.
"I'm hardly jealous of you."
"Well what then? Short of jealousy, the only other thing I can think of is I stole your girl."
"That can't possibly be a real statement, potter."
James rolled his eyes, blowing out a breath. "So I'm Potter now? I've lost prongs privileges?"
Sirius shrugged, "You're the one who had to go and pick the only red-head in the whole damn catalogue."
"Why do you hate her so much? She's perfectly nice to you, and Remus and Peter don't seem to have a problem with her."
Sirius glared up at him, shaking his head. "Remus and Peter don't have as much to lose."
James' stared at him for a moment, and then slowly shook his head from side to side.
"What does that even mean?"
"Figure it out."
"Sirius-"James started, but was cut off by the sound of the window sliding open.
"Hey, Heard there was a party."
Sirius and James both looked up to see their other best friend Remus, sneaking through the window, lopsided grin in place as their fourth friend Peter, scrambled in behind him.
"Hey Moony," James smiled, a true smile because he was truly happy to see him. Remus was always a good buffer when he and Sirius were having a fight. Maybe the evening wouldn't be completely terrible with Remus around.
"Wormtail…did you bring the entire contents of your room with you?"James asked gesturing towards the enormous bag he'd brought with him. It was almost bigger than Peter was and was making him tip at an awkward angle.
"You are aware it's just one night?" Sirius questioned, stowing the magazine underneath James' bed.
"Yeah, I think my mum would have a conniption if ALL of my friends started moving in." James said, still eyeing the large bag.
Remus laughed, shaking his head. "Peter and I brought some supplies."
"Supplies?" James inquired eyebrow raised. "No explosives right? Last time my dad went ballistic."
Peter laughed. "No explosives." He dropped the bag on the ground, unzipping it easily.
He pulled out several bottles, one after another.
The first, Ogden's old fire whiskey.
That was James' usual request, and then Single Malt Whiskey, Knotgrass Mead and finally Berry Ocky Rot Wine.
Sirius snorted. "Well, cheers."
"Cheers, indeed." Remus grinned.
"Where'd you get it all?" James asked curiously, while Peter puffed out his chest in pride.
"Broke into my dad's liquor storage." He said, already reaching for the bottle of fire whiskey.
"Good one, Pete." Sirius nodded, reaching into James' desk drawer and pulling out four shot glasses.
"Well, let's do this thing." He said tossing one each to Peter, Remus and James.
Once Peter had poured them all a decent shot, Remus lifted his bit, and smiled.
"To the first boys' night of the summer."
"Here, Here." Sirius muttered, raising his glass as Peter mimicked him.
James just watched them all, as they downed the first shot of the night and he held his own first shot, still full, in his hands.
Sirius glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow.
"You're not going to drink with us?"
James looked up then, shrugging a little. "I..I don't know. It..it doesn't seem like such a good idea just now."
All three boys stared at him as if they thought he was going to grow an extra set of ears at any moment.
"But Ogden's is your favorite." Sirius said with a little pout.
"I know…it's just…"
"Oh god. You didn't." Sirius cut him off, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. "James." He said firmly.
"Please say You didn't."
James looked up at him with guilty eyes. "You should've read her letter, Sirius. She had a really bad night with her sister."
"You did." He said disappointment lacing his voice.
"What did he do?" Remus asked, filling up his shot glass again, sounding confused.
"He invited Lily to our boy's night." Sirius practically growled.
Remus downed his second shot, shrugging. "Okay. So we'll make it a guy's night plus one girl. It's just Lily."
Sirius glared up at him, shaking his head slowly. "Not. Helping. Moony."
Remus threw up his hands in surrender. "Okay. Sorry, I surrender if you stop looking at me like you want to kill me."
Peter shrugged. "Well maybe she won't show up."
There was a light tapping at the window and Sirius groaned.
"Yeah, Peter, maybe she won't show up." He mimicked tossing a pillow at him, causing peter to spill his second shot all over himself.
James hurried to the window, sliding it open for the red head girl outside.
"Hey." She smiled a little. "Can I come in?"
James puller her inside easily, wrapping his arms around her, holding her for just a moment.
"Are you alright?" He asked pulling away from her to try and decode just how bad her family issues had gotten.
She shrugged a little, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm alright, I just, you know. Summer's are hard."
"I know." He said softly. "Well, you're welcome to stay. You can have my bed for the night, I'll sleep on the floor, no problem."
She smiled a little, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "You're the best."
Sirius faked gagging for a few minutes, directing everyone's attention towards him.
"Oh. Sorry. Must be the alcohol. 'Lo Lily." He said softly.
Lily blushed, hiding behind a curtain of her hair.
"I'm sorry. I know I'm sort of ruining boys night…but um…" She shrugged a little bit. "I'll…I'll try to blend in. What're we doin?" She said smile still plastered on and then she spotted the alcohol bottles. Her smile slowly faded.
"Oh…" She sat down on James' bed, biting her lip. "It's that kind of boys night."
James put his still full shot glass down on the bedside table, moving over to sit next to her. He took her hand and used the other one to brush her cheek.
"You don't have to drink. I won't either." He gave her a crooked, reassuring smile.
"Like hell you won't!" Sirius exclaimed angrily, glaring over at him. "It's boy's night !"
He let out a sigh, glaring over at Sirius. "I just don't think it's appropriate with Lily here…"
"Why not?" She cut in, turning to look at him. "I don't mind. Really, I'm invading. Go ahead. It's alright."
James squeezed her hand for a moment, looking at her, uncertainty in his eyes. "Are you sure? I don't…I don't mind not drinking with you."
"Evans doesn't drink?" Sirius asked, raising a brow. "Afraid you'll get all smutty with one of us if you do?"
Lily looked up at him, eyes sparkling the way they sometimes did. "Is that a challenge, Black?"
Remus and Peter both snickered into their recently poured glasses of wine.
"Hardly. " Sirius scoffed, "I'd drink you under the table."
"You wanna bet on that? I can hold my alcohol." She said softly, reaching for the bottle of Ogden's. She shook it around a bit and then raised the bottle to her lips, taking quite a large sip. She swallowed, eyes closed, shifting slightly. "I never understood why people called it a good burn."
"Lily, you don't have to do this, he's just being a prat." James said, taking the bottle from her.
She shrugged, pulling it back from him. "It's fine. I want to."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "It's your funeral, Evans." He muttered
Peter clapped excitedly. "Let the games begin."