Hello again :) Before you read on I just want to apologize for the shortness of this chapter. It's just a little filler from Remus' POV. But a short chapter is better than no chapter right? Anyway, don't worry because things really start kicking off in the next chapter because the group will be returning to Hogwarts! :D I hope that will make up for this because in all honestly I'm really no that happy with it -.-
Anyways, enjoy!
P.S. I want to thank the people who reviewed the last chapter, I got rather teary eyed :')
Disclaimer: I own nothing... Still
Perfectly Content
Chapter 8
"Prongs, I thought you said you knew where this place is!" Sirius carped from the back of the group where he was walking with Ren and Remus.
The five teenagers had been walking for the best part of an hour and a half. Now under normal circumstances they probably wouldn't have been complaining, but with the scorching hot sun frying each of them, they were beginning to grow tired of walking through the crowded roads.
Remus took in the busy London street and sighed.
"I said I knew the general area." James attempted to reason, turning to face them from his position at the front of the group.
"And is this the general area?" Ren asked.
"I have no fucking idea."
Ren, Sirius and Peter all sighed as well as Remus this time.
"Oh for the love of Merlin." Ren mumbled, suddenly breaking away from the group. "What is it with men and asking for directions?" Remus heard her say to herself as she stalked towards a woman sitting on a nearby bench.
The boys watched as Ren asked the woman for something, and although none of them could make out the audio of the conversation due to the hustle and bustle of the people around them, Remus knew she was asking for directions.
They watched as the woman started pointing back down the way they came while explaining something to Ren.
"So apparently we're heading in the complete wrong direction." Ren said upon returning to the others.
"Nice one Prongs." Sirius quirked, earning him a punch in the shoulder from James.
"So where do we need to go?" Peter asked.
"Back down that way, take a couple of rights, a couple of lefts, something like that." Ren said, shrugging.
"That sounds promising." Remus said with a smirk.
"Well it's better than Christopher fucking Columbus over there leading us Merlin knows where!" Ren argued, pointing at James.
"Oi!"
"She's got a point Prongs. Your sense of direction has never been anything special." Remus said, turning to James.
"Yeah, remember that time when-" Peter began, only to be cut off by James.
"Okay! Okay, we don't have to go into this."
"Oh I think we do Prongs."
"No Padfoot, we don't! We've established that I'm shit with directions, not let's move on."
"Fine, fine, if you insist." Sirius said, grinning at his friend.
"Look, I vote we find any pub and have something to eat." Remus inputted.
"I'm with Moony." Sirius said.
"Same."
"Me too."
Everyone turned to James and watched him, expectantly. He shrugged.
"The game's probably over by now anyway." He said, nonchalantly.
The group set off again, attempting to follow the directions Ren had been given, however half an hour later they were still no closer to finding a pub in which they could eat in.
They were all slowly melting away. The sun was beating down like a furnace and there was no breeze to lighten its fiery breath.
Jackets had been shed, and Sirius had even gone as far as to divest himself of the t-shirt that had been clinging to his body with sweat. It now rested over his left shoulder.
Remus turned his head from his spot Peter and the topless Sirius. Ren was a meter or two behind the boys, having stopped to light a cigarette. However she hadn't started walking again and was now cleaning her sunglasses with the corner of her shirt, cigarette in mouth.
"You alright, Ren?" Remus called out to her.
James, who had taken the lead, stopped and turned around, as did Peter and Sirius. They all watched as she replaced her sunglasses on her nose.
"Well in actual fact I think I'm dying. But don't worry, I'll do it quietly." She called back. Peter and James chuckled.
"Why don't you take a leaf out of my book and take your shirt off?" Sirius asked, smirking. He walked over to her before Remus could stop him.
When he stopped in front of her, Ren looked up at him with a raised brow, clearly unimpressed. "Okay, that's a no then?"
"What do you think?" Ren asked rhetorically. Sirius chuckled.
"Well let me carry you then."
Ren's eyebrows furrowed, indignantly.
"Excuse me?" She asked.
"Come on, if you're dying I insist." Sirius said. Ren looked conflicted, as if she was tempted by the prospect of not having to walk anymore. "Come on. You know you want to."
Ren sighed.
"Fine, but only because I'm dying." She said. Sirius let out a triumphant grin.
"So how do you want to do this? Over my shoulder? Bridal style?-"
"Will you two get a fucking move on? We're all dying as well but you're not offering to carry us!" James yelled impatiently. The look both Ren and Sirius shot him was priceless. Remus couldn't help but laugh.
"Piggy back?" Ren asked, turning back to Sirius.
"Piggy back it is!" Sirius said. "Wormtail, hold this will you?" He threw his shirt over to Peter before the boy could answer.
"Right, bear with me." Ren said.
Remus watched her move so she was standing behind Sirius and place her small hands on his bare shoulders, cigarette still between the fingers of her right hand.
He registered the slight smirk that played over Sirius' lips at Ren's touch. "Ready?" She asked. Sirius steadied his legs and moved his arms so he was ready to catch her.
"Ready."
"Okay… One, two-" Ren paused. "Three!"
She jumped and Sirius grabbed her long legs. She wrapped them around his waist and her arms hung loosely around his neck. "Whew, that went well." She took a drag from her cigarette then offered it to Sirius who accepted. She pulled it away and the two of them blew out puffs of smoke.
"We're good Prongs." Sirius called to James. The two of them rejoined the group and the hunt for the pub continued.
"You know," Ren began as they walked, her legs swinging as Sirius walked. "We could have just gone to my Parents pub. At least we know where it is."
Sirius let out a bark of laughter as James turned back to the two of them.
"No, I'm going to find this pub if it's the last thing I do." He said, more to himself than anyone else.
"Well it's been nice knowing you Prongs." Peter said. The group, minus James of course, all laughed.
James suddenly stopped dead. He was staring straight ahead of them, down the busy street. Remus followed his gaze and found what James was staring at.
A pub.
"HA!" James shouted, punching the air in victory.
"Yes but Prongs, is that the right pub?" Sirius asked.
"Who cares? The point is that I've found a pub.!" He took off for the pub at a run. Ren laughed and detached herself from Sirius' back.
"Come on! Race you!" She exclaimed, and shot off after James. She was faster than Remus had expected.
"Come on then lads. Can't be beaten by a girl can we?" Sirius asked with a grin before giving chase. 'Fuck it.' Remus thought.
"Come on Wormtail, we might as well."
And with that, Remus began to run. He made very little sound as he ran, just the huffing of his breath. He weaved his way through the crowd and soon caught up to Sirius, his slim legs powering him on.
He glanced at Sirius who was ahead of his by about a meter. Ren was directly in front of his and Remus heard her let out a loud cry of laughter.
Suddenly, Sirius lunged for Ren. Remus watched as he scooped Ren up and threw her over his shoulder, all while still running towards the pub.
Remus couldn't help but grin at the typical Sirius behaviour. Trying to be as hands on with a girl as possible in the hopes of winning them over. Little did Sirius know, Remus had received an amazing Handjob from the very girl he was trying desperately to win over.
All his efforts were for nothing. Ren was Remus' "Um-Friend", and Remus could only imagine the look on Sirius' face if he ever found out.
Sirius slowed when he reached the wooden door of the pub. James had already hurried indoors as Remus joined Sirius and Ren, who was still slung over Sirius' shoulder. "You alright, Ren?" Remus asked her, panting slightly.
"Oh yeah, just enjoying the view." She said as Peter reached them, clutching his side.
"Is-" He paused, catching his breath. "-Is Prongs already in there?" He managed to choke out.
"Yeah, come on." Sirius said, disappearing through the door.
"Is he going to put Ren down?" Peter asked.
"I doubt it." Remus said, before following them in.
The interior of the pub was surprisingly modern, not like the traditional theme of The Dozing Dragon. The tables were all painted white with matching chairs and each table was topped by a fake white rose in a small, glass vase.
There were also large booths lining the walls and opposite the entrance was a large, Muggle television attached to the wall. A group of men were gathered around it, shouting and jeering at the screen.
"Moony!"
Remus turned to his right and saw James, Sirius and Ren sat in one of the booths. He shuffled along the plush seating and found himself next to Ren, who gave his a large grin and a discrete squeeze of his upper thigh.
After Peter had joined them, a fresh-faced woman who looked to be in her early thirties hurried over to them and handed each of them a menu before removing a pad and pen from her pocket.
"Hi, welcome to The George Inn, can I start you off with some drinks?" She asked, politely. As James opened his mouth, Ren beat him to it.
"Can we have five cokes please? All with ice?"
The woman nodded and scribbled the order down.
"I'll be back shortly with your drinks and then I'll take your food orders." She said and tottered off. James had turned to face Ren with a raised eyebrow.
"What?" Ren asked, nonchalantly. "I just thought if your ordering skills were anything like your sense of direction we'd have been here all day."
Sirius sniggered behind his menu and Remus had trouble suppressing a grin. Five minutes later the waitress returned with their drinks. Once she had handed them out she took their food orders before disappearing again.
Conversation started flowing amongst the group and in what seemed like no time at all, their meals arrived.
"So Ren, are you excited about Hogwarts?" James asked as he cut a piece of gammon away from the huge slab of meat on his plate. Ren looked up from her stake and ale pie.
"Very." She said, grinning. "I wish I knew more about it though. So I knew what I'm getting into."
"Have you not read Hogwarts: A History?" Remus asked, placing his knife and fork down and picking up his glass.
"Have I read what?" Ren asked, turning to him.
"It's this book about Hogwarts-"
"-Yeah Moony must have read it about a dozen times." Sirius said.
"A dozen more times than you then?" Remus quirked. Sirius only grinned.
"Would I be able to get a copy in Diagon Ally?" Ren asked. Remus nodded in response.
"Of course." He said causing Ren to smiled at him.
"So Prongs," Sirius began after he had swallowed a piece of gammon. Of course both Sirius and James had instantly chosen the same dish; gammon and chips. "What's the situation with the Quidditch team this year?"
"Well since Lara and Sam both left last year we're defiantly going to have some new blood." James said after swallowing a large chip.
"That's a new keeper and chaser then, right?" Sirius questioned, to which James nodded.
"You need a chaser?" Ren suddenly asked. Both boys looked at her.
"You play?" James asked her. Ren nodded.
"Have done all my life?" She said.
"Well it all depends if you're in our house." James told her.
"Your house?"
And so began the house conversation. The boys told her about Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. They told her of the origins, the stereotypes, the common rooms, which caused James and Sirius to happily declare that they had successfully snook into each one ("Gryffindor's is defiantly the best!" Sirius announced).
Ren seemed to drink it all in, asking questions whenever she could.
"So you better be in Gryffindor with us." James concluded, placing his knife and fork down.
"She's sat on a dragon," Remus said. "I'm pretty sure she's got the bravery down."
"You've sat on a dragon?!" Peter asked, perplexed.
"My Dad used to work on a reserve with them." Ren told him. "Hey Sirius, what's that?" She added, pointing over to the bar.
When Sirius turned away, Remus watched as Ren swiftly pinched a chip from Sirius' plate. Sirius turned back just in time to see Ren popping it in her mouth, grinning as she did so.
Remus was now laughing at the look on Sirius' face, as were Peter and James.
"Did you just…" Sirius trailed off, pointing at his plate. Ren shook her head.
"No." She said, innocently.
"Yes you did."
"No I didn't."
"Yes. You. Did." Sirius said, placing his knife and fork down and beginning to tickle her sides.
Ren began to wiggle and squirm away from him, giggling as she did. Remus found that she was now almost on his lap in an attempt to get away from Sirius, her laughter now uncontrollable. "Come on," Sirius said between tickles. "Admit it!"
"Fine! Fine!" Ren choked out. "I stole a chip!" She was now hiding behind her knees, trying to hide from Sirius. When Sirius heard her surrender, he ceased tickling immediately.
"See, that's all you had to do." He said with a cheeky grin as he resumed eating.
Ren's back was now against Remus' chest and Remus could feel her breathing heavily, trying to catch her breath.
"Was that really necessary?" She asked between pants as she shuffled off of Remus.
"Oh of course-" Sirius began, however he was interrupted by a petite girl arriving at the table. She had dirty blonde hair that fell to her shoulders and dark blue eyes.
She stood in front of the group and gave them a tentative smile.
"Erm, hi." She said, quietly. "I'm Zoe, and I was just wondering if-"
"What a beautiful name you have Zoe." Sirius said with a smirk. Remus rolled his eyes before he could stop himself. "I'm Sirius by the way. Would you like me to accompany you outside so we can speak privately?" Sirius said, raising an eyebrow at the girl.
Sirius' confidence and arrogance never failed to amaze Remus. He noticed Ren rolling her eyes and had to suppress a chuckle.
"Not you." Zoe said suddenly, taking the whole group off guard. "Him." She added, nodding towards someone.
Remus, Ren, Sirius and James all turned simultaneously in the direction she had nodded in and found themselves staring at Peter. He looked just as shocked as the others.
"Peter will you shift your head? I'm trying to see who she meant." James said, craning his neck in an attempt to see behind Peter.
"So you're Peter?" Zoe asked, not seeming to register the four bystanders as she gazed at Peter. Peter stared back for a moment but managed to get a hold on himself.
"Uh, yeah, hi." He said with a small smile.
"Look, I know you're with your friends, but I was wondering if you wanted to come for a walk with me? Just around." Zoe said in a hushed tone. Ren, Sirius, Remus and James all turned back to her and stared at her in disbelief, failing to hide their shock.
For a moment, Peter seemed just as in shock at the others but he snapped out of it and turned to his friends.
"Would you guys mind?" He asked them.
Remus found he wasn't able to answer. Neither it seemed, were James or Sirius. Ren looked at each of the three boys before piping up.
"No they don't mind, Pete. You guys go ahead." She said with a smile. Peter grinned at her and shuffled out of the booth. He then joined Zoe and the two of them disappeared through the door.
Even after Peter's departure, not one of the boys could say a word. "I'm guessing that doesn't happen very often." Ren said.
"If by very often, you mean never in history, then yes." Sirius managed to say.
"Well there's a first time for everything." Ren said after a pause.
Remus met James' eyes and the bespectacled boy just shrugged before going back to his meal, and Remus did the same. Only Sirius remained still.
"I'm still slightly confused as to what just happened." He said, slowly.
"Well Padfoot, to put it simply, you just lost a girl to none other than Wormtail." James said as he finished his meal.
"I know that!" Sirius said, turning to James. "What I don't get is how it happened."
"Now that I can't answer." James said.
"Come on Padfoot, let it go." Remus said as he placed his knife and fork neatly on his plate.
"Yeah, hurry up and finish your food so we can get going." Ren added. Remus turned to her.
"Why are you so eager to leave?" He asked.
"Well if James is going to be leading us back we should get a good head start so we can get back before tomorrow."
"Shut up."
Thanks for reading :) Sorry if there were any mistakes btw, still no BETA :S. Please, please, pleaaasssseeeeeeeee review. They get me in the mood to write :3 I'll hopefully have the next chapter up ASAP.
Evie x
