"Lily! Brilliant to see you here!" Slughorn boomed, he moved as if about to put an arm around her shoulder, but unfortunately it seem that both shoulders were now taken. Remus Lupin held her awkwardly on one side, while James clung to her confidently on the other side, tracing patterns on the bare skin of her arm. He swooped down to murmur in her ear.
"You look beautiful tonight."
Lily just rolled her eyes. She had been reasonably proud of her appearance up until now. Her hair was slightly wavy and it swung elegantly around her shoulders and back when she moved. Moving wasn't really possible in the shoes that had been forced upon her with Mikaela Simpson, the girl who had let her borrow the silky, strapless, knee length, blue dress she was currently wearing.
She didn't care about how she looked anymore, she was more focused on how to get James off her and back over to Milly.
"Shouldn't you be with your date?" she whispered to them coldly as Slughorn gestured to them to follow him so he could introduce him to his friends.
James just smirked. "Milly will live." he said, winking down at her. "You should be thanking me, Evans. I'm just helping to keep you warm...that dress doesn't look like it would be doing that job." he said, his smirk growing bigger.
Lily blushed, looking away, turning her attention instead to the man Slughorn was currently introducing them to.
"This is Tarin Decolor." he told them.
Lily did her best to hold back her shock when he eyes fell on the man. It became clear to her immediately that he was certainly not human. His gently, elegant manner, his pale skin, his slightly pointed teeth and his pale grey, almost white, eyes all brought her to the obvious answer. Slughorn's friend was a vampire.
James and Remus shook his hand, James arching an eyebrow at him while Remus simply continued his search for an escape root.
Tarin looked down at his hand after grasping Remus's. His lip curled and he whipped away the sweat on his robes. He smiled down at Lily, outstretching his pale hand.
"This is Lily Evans." Slughorn announced proudly. "One of the best potions students you will ever see."
"Stunning." Tarin said, bringing her fingers up to his cold lips.
James glared at him, tightening his grip around her shoulders. "I think I fancy something to drink, don't you Remus? Let's go Lily."
Lily wasn't about to argue. She let James guide her over to the table supporting a large, crystal bowl of punch, accepting the cup he forced into her hand.
She arched an eyebrow, looking down at it's contents cautiously.
James just rolled his eyes at her. "Yeah, Lily. I poisoned your punch." he replied sarcastically, glancing over his shoulder at Tarin. "He's bloody watching you!" he murmured angrily.
Lily looked at James in surprise. "So?" she asked him, struggling free from his arm and Remus's.
"So he's a vampire." Remus said, taking a sip of his punch. "Do you honestly think he's going to come over and suck her blood out in front of everyone at the party, Prongs?"
James shook his head. "Well, no...but what about afterwa-"
"You really think Slughorn would invite somebody who's going to kill someone?" Lily asked him, rolling her eyes.
"You never know with him." Remus said, his eyes fixed on somebody slowly approaching the table. It was not Tarin. This man was far older, his dark eyes were bloodshot and his dress robes were a faded grey. He made his was towards them, a glint in his eyes as he approached Remus.
"You were watching me." he said to him, a smirk curling on his face, revealing rotted teeth.
"Perhaps." Remus replied, shrugging.
Lily arched an eyebrow, shocked by the casual tone of his voice.
The man let out a cruel laugh. "Perhaps." he repeated, stretching out a thin, old hand. "Felix Vorace."
"Remus Lupin." Remus replied, taking his hand, a look of disgust on his young, scared face.
"Lupin?" Felix said, his eyes lighting up. "You don't say..."
Remus pulled back his hand, looking coldly at the man. Felix returned this gesture with a frown.
"What's wrong, young Remus. Don't you like me?" he asked, his face growing slightly red.
Remus shrugged. "It's a bit early for me to decide what I really think of you, don't you think?"
"Respect your own kind!" Felix said angrily, grabbing Remus by the collar of his robes, knocking glasses and plates of the table when he slammed Remus against it.
Lily inhaled sharply, taking a step back. James on the other hand, was quick to pull out his wand.
"Oi, you put him down." he commanded Felix, pointing his wand at him.
Felix looked around, people were starting to stare at him. He let out a low growl and propped Remus back up again.
"Thank you." James told him coldly, placing his wand in his pocket, his fingers still wrapped tightly around it's handle just in case Felix attempted to strike again.
He didn't. He turned around, and walked away, murmuring something inaudible under his breath as he departed.
