DISCLAIMER: I am not now, nor have I ever been JK Rowling, and therefore, any and every character, place, object, or spell you may recognize does not belong to me. I have no money (don't look at me, I have to buy a dress for a quince!) so don't bother suing me! ON WITH THE STORY!
Chapter 11: One for All
So that was how if went that night. The night that almost went to hell. But somehow it morphed into one of the best nights of their lives, despite so many obstacles. And they were together, all of them together.
To people like James, who knew the depths of the evil that surrounded the castle walls, nights like that Christmas Eve blew his mind. It just gave him proof that no matter how much darkness there was in the world, there would always be good somewhere. Even if that good was only a couple of friends dancing and making snow angels. No matter what it was--all that mattered was that it was there.
----
A week later, after Christmas had passed joyfully and loudly, it was New Years Eve. And on that snowy day, Lily Evans could be found sitting in the Library, watching snowflakes fall with joy. A book, left unread, lay open in her lap, and her head was in her hands.
Like most people that day, Lily was reflecting on the year that was coming to an end. She had decided that the theme, was friendship. The Marauders, those boys that she had always held so far away from herself and her friends, had somehow pushed there way into her life. And just like that night in the Owlery with James; she couldn't imagin life without them. And it almost made her sad, that she had lived so long at this school without knowing them, without ever giving them a chance. Just because of that stupid inkbottle...
The Marauders were not who she had believed them to be. They were not playboys, and pranksters. Jocks, and intellects. They were most definitly not labels, because no one label could describe any of these boys. They each had so much under their skin, that Lily was only beginning to understand.
Sirius Black was the "ladies man". He strutted, he flirted, and he dated as many girls as he could. That was who Lily had always percieved him as. But he hadn't been such a flirt as of late, and he could be serious--no pun intended of course. He just exuted a flair of elegance that most could never dream of, and Lily sometimes found her self just mesmerized by him. He was the epitome of class, and "old-magic". But Lily could'nt help but notice the darkness in his gray eyes, how they had flashed when she had asked him if he was going home for the holiday... Lily sighed, knowing that this was just another part of Sirius Black that she would not understand for a time.
Remus Lupin was the Prefect, and the smartest by far. He looked somewhat peaky constantly, and he spoke in a deep, gentle voice. This was the extent of what most people chose to find out about Mr. Lupin. But Lily and her friends knew better. Yes, Remus seemed to be the boring one of the group. But when you really spoke to him, spent time with him... he was an enigma. His clear blue eyes did not do his sould justice, and his sandy hair did well to hide his premature streaks of gray. There was just something about the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. It was as if he was saying, "Yes, you have no idea who I am." And it was maddening.
And Peter Pettigrew; well even there, there is more than meets the eye. He wasn't just Sirius and James' spaniel. He had a free mind, and he often attempted to join in the witty banter of his comrades. But, like a spaniel, he was extremely loyal. That was one of his main attributes. If he was on your side, you knew that he would be a great ally; not for his talents--which were few and far between--but for his loyalty. Although you could say that the loyalty as driven by fear, or even self-loathing... But no matter. He was loyal to the Marauders, and there was no getting rid of him.
When you take one Marauder, you take them all.
----
Up in the sixth year Gryffindor boy's dorm, Remus sat reading a large maroon tome. Sirius was lazily charming his socks to dance in a conga line down the stretch of the dirty floor. Peter, of course, was watching fascinated, and eting a dwindling pile of Chocolate Frogs. James, was outside on the Quidditch pitch, despite the snow and the cold, to get in one last run for the year.
"Whotcher Moony?" Peter asked simply, prying his eyes from Sirius' sock congo line. Remus looked up, tiredly, and sighed.
"Well, I was reading. And trying to block out Sirius' stupidity, and misuse of magic." he said, his deep voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Hey! I resent that!" Sirius cried, feigning hurt feelings. "I will avenge my honor, die you lycan villan!" he yelled, letting out a war cry and charging at Remus with a pillow outstretched. Sadly though, for Sirius, Remus had heightened reflexs from the past full moon, and already had his wand out by the time Sirius had begun his valiant charge. And so, Sirius was sent dancing like his forgotten socks, out of the dorm. It goes without saying that the door slammed shut behind him and was immediately locked.
Sirius was now left outside in the Commons, with nothing but his wand, and a dancing complex on New Year's Eve. For you see, Sirius wasn't quite as brilliant as Professor Slughorn believed him to be, and so he did not realize that he could free himself from the infamous conga line he was now making all by himself.
So, what was an oblivious Sirius Black to do? Why, start a New Year's Eve, House-wide conga line, of course!
----
This was the state Lily Evans found the Gryffindor Commons in when she returned later on that night. A hexed Sirius having a grand ol' time at the head of an enormous conga line, that included most all Gryffindor, even the tiny First Years and the gangly Fourth Years. And Remus, the only Prefect in attendence, rolling on the floor laughing incredibly hard and pointing at the sight.
So, what was a confused Lily Evans to do? Why, join the conga line, of course!
----
With less than an hour left in 1976, things were pretty much the same as when Lily first entered the party. A little more Butterbeer of course, and Sirius was no longer hexed--though he was still dancing. Despite this, Gryffindor Tower wasn't in any terrible stat at this point. But that would probably change by midnight.
Lily was sitting comfortably on one of the squashy orange couches near the fire, sipping a Butterbeer that had thankfully been supplied by the Marauders. I probably should be trying to calm down these students. Lily mused. After all, un-authorized parties were technically against the rules that, as a Prefect, Lily was supposed to be enforcing. But on holidays, and days of Quidditch victories, even McGonagall looked the other way.
"Li-Lill-ieee?" a slurred voice called out to her. She looked up to the flushed and disheveled Gideon Prewett, and grimaced. They hadn't spoken for ages, ever since he had broken up with her. And being with him, was not how she had planned on ending 1976, or starting 1977 for that matter.
"What do you want Prewett?' Lily said coldly, angling her body away from him.
"I want to apo-logice." he said drunkenly. It was obvious that he hadn't been drinking Butterbeer. "Youse see, I been thinkin' that I was'n arse. A BIG FAT ARSE!" he screamed, swinging his arms about. Lily groaned and stood. But before she could walk away from him to find Raina, he grabbed her waist from behind, and pulled her roughly to him. Through her kicking and flailing, she could be heard saying one thing over and over again.
"I hate you!" she finally screamed. When Gideon heard this, even in his drunken stupor, he stopped, and held her at arms length. his eyes narrowed, and his face became contorted.
"What did youse say?" he questioned slowly, barely stuttering. She pulled his arms off of herself, and spoke again, now more quietly, but with her green eyes burning.
"I hate you." she said. He shook his head in disbelief and scoffed, swaggering closer to her again. He whispered in her ear, and she shivered, disgusted.
"I don't need youse, babe. No one would ever love you, slut." he said, pulling his arms around her small frame. At his words, Lily snapped. She spun around in his arms, slapped him, and stormed away.
Well... at least she tried to storm away. But she ended up running right into a tall figure, whom she promptly kissed just as the great Gryffindor clock struck midnight.
Two guesses on who it was.
----
And so, that was their first kiss. They played it off quite well, and tried to brush it off as just a desperate measure to get away from Gideon Prewett. But somehow, even as they gave their excuses and tried to fight their deep blushes, neither of them believed what they were saying.
The cogs were turning, and you can't stop time.
----
"Yes, she caught my eye, as a wanton boy. She could see from my face, that I was flying high..."
-James Blunt, Back to Bedlam (Clean Version has different lyrics)
A/N: Hope you liked it, sorry it took so long. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing (for those of you who are so kind as too... I'm making cupcakes for newcomers!)
Well, love and happy readings;
Maia