The brisk wind whips my hair behind me as I trudge up the little street in between the dainty rooftops of Hogsmeade. Marigold is right behind me, struggling to keep up, several shopping bags in tow.
"Curse this wind, I feel like I'm going to turn into a bloody statue," she complains angrily.
"I think it's going to rain soon," I say, observing the strange gray clouds in the distance.
"Fantastic! Just what I need! I haven't dressed for this at all!" she huffs as she wraps her coat tighter around her.
"Let's go into Honeydukes then," Emmeline suggests as we pass the small, cramped sweets shop.
"Fine, but after it's the Three Broomsticks or I'm out of this place!" Marigold grumbles.
We walk inside the door. There is a small ring of a bell as the door opens. The immediate smell of cinnamon and pumpkin spice meets my nose, the shopkeepers evidently starting the Halloween festivities early.
I eagerly make for the display of chocolate and caramel sweets on the left end of the room; a shelf overflowing with delicate little plops of candy with chopped nuts and drizzled caramel. I love the succulent look of the decorated little treats; they were almost too beautiful to want to eat.
"Anything I can get for you, dear?" the elderly owner in a brightly color apron asks from behind the counter beside me. She is short and jolly, with graying hair and I give her familiar face a grin.
"Oh no, just looking for now," I answer politely.
"Oh Emmeline, dear! How lovely to see you. And so tall," The owner smiles at Em, who blushes uncharacteristically. "Would you like a chcolate?"
"Oh no, Mrs. Honeyduke, that's alright, you don't have to-"
"Don't be silly dear, have one on me," she beams as she lifts one of the small caramel chocolates out and hands it over to Emmeline.
"You girls, too," she gestures to Marigold and I, and we eagerly take the free chocolates from her with grateful smiles.
"Thank you, it's very kind of you," I say with a grin.
"It's nothing. Tell your father Mrs. Honeyduke says hello, Emmeline!"
"I will!" Em calls back to her as we leave the shop, happily eating our treats.
"Wow, that was so nice of her," I say, as we make our way down the narrow, cobble-stoned street.
"She's such a sweet old lady…I didn't know she knows your dad," Marigold adds, as she uses her teeth to bite off a chunk of her chocolate.
Emmeline shrugs. "My dad is too charismatic for his own good. He helped her and Mr. Honeyduke with some legal issues over the summer," she explains.
We near the warmly lit Three Broomsticks pub. It's butter-yellow windows shine like beacons through the grey misty wind. I notice the owners have put a garland of autumnal leaves in an arch around the double entry doors.
"I'm dying for a butterbeer. And Sirius and the gang are supposed to meet us there soon," I say, gesturing over to the doors.
"Please, let's do go in!" Marigold cries.
As we enter the pub, savoring the warmth that spreads over us from the large fireplace aglow with orange flames, we spot Sirius and Remus already seated in one of the corner booths.
"Hey boys," Marigold says with a smile, as we approach their table. They look up in greeting, Remus already halfway through a frothy butterbeer.
Marigold seats herself next to Remus, and Emmeline follows. I sit down beside Sirius, suddenly acutely aware of his arm laying across the seat just centimeters from mine.
"Hey, Rora," he says with a smooth smile. "Fancy a butterbeer?"
"Please," I answer gratefully as I remove my woolen scarf and fluff my hair. Sirius easily gains the attention of the waitress and gestures for her to bring another glass.
"So what have you lads been up today?" Marigold prompts.
"Well, we went to Zonko's with James and Peter earlier but those blokes were taking forever and a day to pick out their toys so we decided to ditch them for some butterbeer," Sirius explains, taking a hearty sip from his drink. The foam lingers on his chin after he pulls the drink away and I have a sudden urge to wipe it clean, like he had for me last night.
Marigold beats me to it. "Oops, Sirius. You have a little leftover there," she giggles and points to his chin.
Sirius wipes his face, giving a quick sheepish grin, and continues, "Anyways, so we left them at Zonko's and they were meant to meet us here a quarter of an hour ago. But naturally they haven't showed."
"Ah, well it's so cold out, we might as well stay here for the afternoon anyway," Remus interjects mildly. But I know he has no desperate interest in aiding in the pranking endeavors anyway.
The waitress returns and drops down three more glasses of butterbeer for us.
"I for one am perfectly content to join you," I say, taking a long sip of the warm liquid and letting its warmth comfort my throat and belly.
"Hear hear," Emmeline agrees and raises her glass to mine.
"Well I on the other hand have some more shopping to attend to. I need a new dress for the party next weekend," Marigold says indignantly.
"What party?" Sirius and I ask in unison.
"My party," a voice comes from behind us. We all turn around to find James striding over to the table with Peter in tow behind him carrying a whole slew of bags.
"What?" says Sirius incredulously "Since when did we decide to have a party?"
"Since last night." James says, as he squeezes on the other side of me on the bench. I am now wedged between him and Sirius, and I can feel my leg pressed firmly against Sirius's thigh. Peter pulls up a chair and sits at the end of the table.
"And how did you know about it before me?" Sirius asks Marigold, looking a bit betrayed. He doesn't seem to mind the sudden lack of space.
"I was with James in the Common Room last night and he asked my opinion," explains Marigold with slight raise of her head. "He thought some of us seventh years could use a bit of fun, what with all these insane N.E.W.T. study sessions and all, and I quite agreed."
"It will be the party of the term if I have anything to do with it," James grins. "At least until springtime."
"Aren't you a bit busy with your girlfriend to have any time for party planning?" Sirius asks bitterly.
James expression is stern but his ears redden slightly as he curtly responds, "Padfoot, for the last time, Evans and I are not-"
"Oh so its Evans again? Not Lily?" Sirius interjects, his eyes challenging James. The rest of the table is quite still now. We all want to know the truth at this point.
"For you information, Lily and I aren't exactly speaking right now, so," James avoids all of our eyes.
Having the sneaking suspicion that that had something to do with their row after the Qudditch match last week, and feeling somewhat responsible for this gossip ring, I attempt to alleviate the awkwardness, "James' business is his own, mates. Let's not ruin this day, eh?"
But James and Sirius don't seem convinced. Peter is looking on with apprehension and Remus is staring at the pair of them on either side of me, a look of concerned focus on his face.
"Evans is Head Girl, and we meet weekly for rounds and meetings, that's all," James says evenly, not taking his eyes off Sirius. "Our relationship is strictly business,"
Sirius snorts incredulously, taking a deep drink, his brows furrowed and eyes dark. James is looking increasingly angry by the second. I feel quite vulnerable sitting in between them, as if they might break out into a duel right over my head.
"Right, whatever you say, mate," Sirius says, and begins to rise from the table.
"You're not leaving?" Peter asks worriedly.
"Relax, Pete, I'm just going outside for a smoke," Sirius replies as he takes a pack from his pocket and exits the pub. James is stony faced, staring into the dregs of his butterbeer. Emmeline and I exchange a glance and Marigold clears her throat.
"So where are you going to have it? The party?" Remus asks, finally breaking the tension. "Certainly not the Common Room?"
James raises his eyebrow and gives Remus a disbelieving look. "You think I'm that daft, Moony? Of course not."
"Then where?" Peter prompts, looking quite excited by the prospect of a party.
James takes a quick look around before answering, and leans in slightly. We all mirror his gesture.
"The Boat house by the lake, decided this morning," James says, his voice barely above a whisper, but his eyes alive with energy.
"What?" yelps Marigold. We all quickly shush her and James, looking mildly annoyed, gives her a warning glance.
"But that's impossible!" she hisses, looking worried.
"Well that's the fun of it, isn't it?" James smirks as he leans back.
I glance to my side at Remus's expression. He is contemplative, but seems to approve.
"I like it," he says, hands stroking his chin. "But how will we get everyone out of the castle unnoticed?"
"Everyone?" James says, raising his eyebrows even more. "Who said everyone is coming to my extremely exclusive event?"
We all exchange confused expressions, waiting for James to continue.
Remus rolls his eyes. "Oh here we go,"
"No my lambs, only a select few will be joining us in this night of debauchery," James folds his hands neatly on the table.
"I helped pick out the guest list!" Marigold interjects, excitedly bouncing up and down in her seat. Peter follows her movement with a furtive glance.
"Who, then?" Emmeline probes.
"Well all of us here, obviously," James starts. "And then a select few Gryffindor and Ravenclaws seventh years. But no Slytherins, naturally,"
"What about Huffepuffs?" Emmeline asks.
"Pfft, please. Do you really think we'd invite that lot?" James laughs sardonically.
"Don't be cruel, they are a nice bunch!" I say. It was true, I never had trouble with Hufflepuffs and in fact quite liked most of them.
"Yeah, come on James don't be such a prick," Emmeline says. "Invite some Hufflepuffs."
James stares at her incredulously for a moment. "I cannot believe the lapse in judgment you're having right now. What's in that drink?" He grabs the butterbeer out of her hand and squints into the bottom.
"Oh come off it, I'm being serious." Emmeline says. They all argue for a moment about this Hufflepuff dilemma, Peter agreeing with James and Marigold defending Emmeline on the grounds of the fit sixth year Quidditch captain.
Looking anxiously out towards the door of the pub, I see the silhouette of Sirius's tall form, still out in the cold. Biting my lip, I take the opportunity to slip away in the distraction of the bickering,
"Gonna just get another butterbeer," I lie as I sneak off towards the front of the pub, but none of them seem to notice me leave. I squeeze though the now crowded room until I finally make it out the front doors and look to my right to find Sirius standing there, halfway through his cigarette and leaning against a wooden pole, his jacket collar upturned to shield his face from the wind.
"Hey," I say to him. He turns and gives a weak smile in surprise.
"Hey,"
"I have something to tell you," I step forward to his side.
"Oh?" His dark brows raise slightly.
"I feel a bit responsible for this whole…Lily situation," I begin, eyes downcast.
"How do you reckon that?" he asks, confusion dotting his grey eyes as he surveys me curiously.
My mouth is moving before I can stop it. "Well, I told Remus that I overheard her talking about seeing James over the summer in the dormitory loo, when really she didn't specifically say it was James, it could have been anyone, and now I've gone and blabbed it around and made a thing out of it and I'm afraid I've made it seem like something it probably isn't and now you and James are fighting and-"
"Rora, stop." Sirius interrupts, reaching his index finger to my lips. My breath catches and my cheeks being to flush with warmth.
"James and I aren't fighting. He's just temporarily being a prat," Sirius says simply. "This is hardly your fault. We're best mates, we would have found out eventually," Sirius assures me.
"But that's the point, there's nothing to find out about," I say pleadingly, brushing his hand away.
Sirius purses his lips and throws his cigarette butt to the ground and stamps it out with his leather boot. "But there is, James just hasn't admitted it yet,"
"You don't know that though," I try to argue. But Sirius cocks his head and shrugs.
"I think I know my best mate. He's hiding something. Now, shall we return?"
I sigh in defeat. He didn't seem like he was going to listen.
"I suppose," I mutter and follow him back inside the pub as he holds the door back open, directing me inside.
When we reach the table, the lot of them are still arguing over the Hufflepuff situation.
"But Bleasdale is a git, he doesn't void McNibbons at all,"
"He plays a wicked guitar, James, he could provide entertainment,"
"But he never stops playing it at the end of the night, do you really want to hear Hey Jude until three in the bloody morning?"
"Let's cut our losses here-"
"Bleasedale is not a loss,"
"Oi!" Sirius gets them to quiet. They all turn round to stare at us standing at the head of the table.
"Back from your dramatic exit?" Remus mumbles and Peter smirks. Sirius glares at them and takes his seat again, and I follow suit.
"Now, as I can tell, Hufflepuffs invitees are on the table?" Sirius says, brushing off the comment. "I vote we invite the Hufflepuffs. But I get full charge of the firewhiskey supply and let them sort out the snacks, deal?"
Sirius stretches out his hand to James, who looks begrudgingly amused. Sirius raises his eyebrows expectantly, and James reluctantly shakes his hand.
"Then it's settled. We, and our special guests, will meet at the bridge at half past ten next Saturday evening." James says reluctantly. And with that he rises, grabs the Zonko's bags from Peter and saunters off towards the door.
"Where're you going so fast, then?" Emmeline calls after him.
"Lot's of planning to do, I expect. And a girlfriend to see," Sirius says with a hint of sarcasm in his voice as the door to the pub closes behind James with a strong gust of freezing wind.
"Sirius, I told you-" I begin to say.
"Only joking, Rors," he says with a smirk as he returns to his frosted butterbeer, which had only dregs remaining. But I suspect he is only placating me.
"Anyway, I think I'll head back to the castle to sort out that firewhiskey order," he says, dropping a few coins onto the table for his tab. "Are you lot coming?"
"Well I'll be needing to stop by the robes shop, obviously!" Marigold says indignantly, beginning to collect her things. "Em, you coming?
"Yeah, sure why not," Emmeline shrugs. "I don't want to go back just yet,"
"Count me out, I think I'll head back too," I say, not much in the mood for more shopping.
He looks to Remus and Peter, who says, "We'll be here for awhile. We'll see you later."
"Okay, see you later then," I say, turning to put my coat and scarf back on. Sirius does the same and we exit the pub into the freezing air. We walk in silence for a bit, passing the idyllic frost-bitten window displays of the village. The sun is not yet low on the horizon, and the streets are teaming with excitable students carrying overflowing bags full of their souvenirs.
"So you're coming to the party, I'm assuming?" Sirius asks carefully, his eyes watching the frozen ground as we walk.
"Of course," I say with a small laugh. "What else would I be doing?"
He laughs. "I suppose, we do offer the best entertainment around, us Marauders."
"I can't deny it," I say. "Though I am curious to see how this one pans out."
"I'm leaving it up to James," Sirius says.
"To be honest, I have no bloody clue how he's going to get us all out to the Boat House in the freezing dark without being seen." I say.
"He'll manage somehow," Sirius says. "As long as he quits being a git,"
"Well I'm sure he will," I say warningly. "We all really do need a good mischievous night after all this bloody N.E.W.T. revision," I respond, though I am slightly skeptical.
"Because we don't get enough mischief already, now do we?" Sirius's face breaks into a large grin, lighting up his gray eyes with playfulness.
I mirror his expression and continue, "Oh, I'm going to miss you lot when the year is done. How will I survive without your regular doses of miscreant rebellion?"
"Who says you have to?" he says, a genuine look of surprise on his face.
"What do you mean?" My eyes narrow slightly.
"Well, who says we can't see each other after we graduate?" Sirius continues pointedly.
"I suppose you're right." I say. "I just assumed we'd all kind of…go on with our different jobs and lives, I suppose."
"We'll keep in touch. I know it. You've been too good a friend to lose, Aurora." There's no hint of a joke in his voice when he says this. He staring straight at me. I'm caught off guard.
I smile to myself the wind picks up and my hair is whipped forth even more. We are ascending the cliff-laden path up towards the stone courtyard now, the entry doors just barely in sight.
"Oh god, curse this weather. I'm freezing," I try to warm myself by rubbing my arms.
"Here, take my scarf," Sirius unwraps his gray and black striped scarf from his neck and takes out his wand and with a wave it's wrapped snuggle around mine. "Let's go inside the castle before we die of frost bite."
Once we get to the common room, Sirius sheds his jacket and plops down immediately on one of the large couches. I settle myself beside him and warm my hands by the fire.
"Wait, weren't you going to figure out the firewhiskey?" I ask, watching as he makes himself comfortable.
"Oh, yeah I will. All I have to do is ask my cousin to supply us through a portkey, and we're set," he said nonchalantly, lifting his legs to rest them on the table in front of the fire.
"So what was all that back at the pub about getting back early to plan?" I accuse with a laugh.
Sirius smiles sheepishly and turns towards me. "Well…I wanted to get away from that lot for a while. Can be a bit smothering, don't you think?"
I narrow my eyes skeptically as I give him a smile and shrug.
"And here I thought you were just being bitter about James,"
"He can do whatever he pleases," Sirius answers evenly. "I just wish he'd be honest with us, we've only been his best mates for six bloody years,"
I sigh. "Look. Give him time. If, and I mean if, there really is something between him and Lily, he'll find the right time to tell you,"
Sirius stares into the dancing flames. "I would hope so, but like he said, perhaps they've had a falling out,"
"Or you hope they have?"
"Maybe he's still in shock that she actually is giving him the time of day?" Sirius says.
"Or shocked that she let him get in her knickers?" I joke, pleased when I see his mouth break into a surprised laugh.
"I love it when you're vulgar," he teases and we laugh together for a moment.
The corner of his mouth is now angled into an almost shy smile, his eyes downcast with a contemplative expression. I have never quite seen Sirius like this. I wait with my breathe practically held inside, unsure of what he'll say next.
"You surprise me all the time, you know that?" His sharp eyes have returned to meet mine.
"You do too, Sirius. You're one of my best friends here." I give him a small smirk, surprised at the thought. But it really was true. "Don't let that go to your head,"
He laughs. "Of course not. We all know that's James' job, being the Bighead Boy and all."
I laugh with him as I stare into the fire. I am suddenly aware that we are alone in the common room. All the other students are undoubtedly still in the village and anyone younger seems to be off exploring on this free weekend.
I direct my gaze back at Sirius, and find him staring intently back at me. I bite my lip slightly. He's suddenly leaning closer and closer. I'm so close to his face I can make out his light stubble across his jaw, his slightly chapped lips.
"'Rora…" he whispers slowly. I'm so still I can't speak. His hand softly reaches up to the crook of my back as his face gets nearer and nearer. I can feel his breath on my lips.
I am seized by the moment, completely unaware of my surroundings or how we even got to be in this position. But as soon as I have time to register what's happening, we're jolted apart by a loud noise.
James has entered, looking flustered and almost manic. He is carrying a long piece of parchment and is striding forward with the look of urgency.
"Change of plans!" he cries manically, his wand out.
Sirius clears his throat before asking, "What do you mean?" He hastily unlocks his arms from around me and we shift hastily apart on the couch.
James doesn't seem to notice our current state as he walks over to a desk in the side of the common room, surveying his parchment. "Boat House idea is out. It's too obvious. I've thought of something…better."
He gives us an expectant smirk, waiting for our response.
"What, in the last ten minutes?" I exasperatedly say impatiently, partially annoyed at his insistence but mostly at his consistently awful timing. I awkwardly turn away from Sirius to face James.
"Well, where's it going to be, then?" Sirius asks, looking equally as peeved.
James licks his lips and says with a devious smile,
"The Shrieking Shack."