I have to say I have had a BALL typing this…no, I am not stopping. I had thought about it…but my characters will not leave me alone…and I love them too much to abandon them…and yes…a few more notes are left to be sung…
Oh please…if I was JKR I wouldn't be so stressed about medical bills…and I would have a pony…
"CHEERS!!" all the Marauders yelled in unison as they slugged back their glasses of firewisky.
This was about the 20th toast they had made since they had gone back to Lily and Mina's common room to celebrate after the show. Sirius had snuck in a few bottles of his favorite poison of choice, Odgens. He had also managed to sneak in Niobe as well, who voiced no complains about the firewhisky…it was a celebration after all. Cindy, Peter's girlfriend, couldn't stay, but she had gone along with them as far as the portrait door. It was the first time they had all really met Peter's girlfriend. She was sweet and seemed to really care about Peter. Mina could see that Cindy was good for him.
The Marauders were all lounging together by the fire. Peter was sprawled out on the loveseat. Mina was snuggling up with Remus on one end of the larger couch, while Lily was sitting on James's lap on the other end. Sirius was holding court from the easy chair and Niobe was camped out on the floor leaning against the side of the chair. Sirius had offered her the easy chair more than once. Niobe, who was thoroughly tipsy at this point, kept refusing, saying she preferred the alternate view point, confusing the hell out of Sirius and causing Remus to crack up.
Lily was in a mischievous mood. She had been thoroughly enjoying torturing James by wiggling around on his lap every few minutes. But she felt that now was a good opportunity to get some payback from a certain someone who had spilled the beans about her middle name to James. She gazed at the opposite end of the couch with a diabolical smile.
"Hey Mina, do you realize you are one of the only Marauders who didn't sing tonight?" Lily said with a blatantly false innocence.
Mina, who had been comfortably leaning against Remus, sat up strait "Oh no you don't. Uh, no way…I am not THAT drunk." She stammered
James, who had been thoroughly enjoying Lily's mood up to this point, spoke up with a smirk "Yeah, the rest of us had to go through it, it's your turn now."
"B-b-but…I can't sing!" said Mina, who realized with a sinking feeling that she was outnumbered.
Lily smirked "Come on, it's not that hard…it's not even a big audience…it's just the group of us"
Mina looked at Remus for help. Remus, who couldn't help but smile said "Sorry luv, but she won the dueling contest remember? I am not getting in the middle of this one."
Mina crossed her arms and pouted "Some help you are" she muttered
Remus laughed and put his arm around her "Come on…I'll even play for you. Sirius, are you up for being a back up singer again?"
Sirius had been spending a good portion of the evening staring and trying not to touch Niobe. This had not been easy considering he was surrounded by happy couples snogging like crazy. He was about ready to snap and was extremely grateful for the distraction.
"I think I can help my big sis actually sound good" Sirius said with a smirk
Mina glared at him "You must want to die young little boy…" she said reaching for her wand.
Remus snorted and stopped Mina's wand hand "I thought we discussed this…no killing our future children's godparents."
Mina sighed "Fine!" and she put her wand away. Remus and she suddenly realized that the whole room had gone silent at that last comment.
"What?" they both said in unison
"You guys are having kids?" Peter said with shock, the others nodding
"Not right at the moment" Remus quipped
Mina laughed "Guys, we just got back together an hour ago…you think we somehow got pregnant on the walk between here and the hall?"
Sirius grinned "Well…"
Mina glared "Shut it…Now!"
Niobe slapped Sirius' leg from her seat on the floor "Get real Sirius…even with the legendary werewolf stamina, it would be pretty hard to accomplish getting pregnant while walking here" she said in a slightly tipsy voice
Remus suddenly found every eye in the room on him. He turned 12 shades of red and covered his face with his hands.
"Really…" said Mina with a grin "Legendary stamina you say…hmmmm…this is going to get interesting…" she said as she sat on his lap, causing the whole room to bust up laughing.
"No fair trying to distract us…" Lily said "You owe us a song!"
Mina rolled her eyes "Fine…fine…what am I supposed to sing?"
Remus grinned and whispered something in her ear. She grinned back as she stood up and faced her audience, grabbing an empty bottle for a microphone as Remus started playing…
M - What would you think if I sang out of tune
Would you stand up and walk out on me
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
Everyone laughed at the silly faces she was making as she sang into the bottle…and they all joined in for the chorus…
C - Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Mina grinned and walked over to Sirius for the next bit, still using the bottle as a mike…
M - What do I do when my love is away
S - Does it worry you to be alone?
M - How do I feel by the end of the day
S - Are you sad because you're on your own
Mina jumped back to the center of the room…
No, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Peter surprised everyone by jumping in and singing with Mina, who laughed and shared the bottle microphone with him…
P - Do you need anybody
M - I need somebody to love
P - Could it be anybody
M - I want somebody to love
James grabbed Lily's hand and sang the next line…while Mina only had eyes for Remus…
J - Would you believe in our love at first sight Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
M - Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
J - What do you see when you turn out the light
M - I can't tell you but I know it's mine
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Peter and James both jumped in and sang…
J P - Do you need anybody
M - I just need someone to love
J P - Could it be anybody
M - I want somebody to love
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Sirius sang the next line waving his bottle around…
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Everyone laughed and then joined in…
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Yes I get by with a little help from my friends
With a little help from my friends
Mina gave an elaborate court bow to the rousing applause of her friends.
"Thank you, thank you very much…you've been a wonderful audience!" Mina said laughing as she plopped right back on to Remus's lap.
James turned to Niobe "It's your turn now kiddo" he said with a smirk.
To everyone's surprise, Niobe went quiet "I don't sing…" she practically whispered
Remus gave her an understanding look "If you don't want to we understand…but remember, you are among friends…"
Niobe looked around a bit nervously "It's just…I haven't in a long time…he didn't like it when…" her voice trailed of as she hung her head down as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders…then she felt someone take her hand in theirs. She looked up to see Sirius giving her a warm smile while holding her hand.
"It's your choice…not his…I'd like to hear you sing" he said quietly and squeezed her hand in reassurance.
Niobe gave him a small smile as she let go of his hand "I do know one song. My mother used to sing it…" She sat next to Remus and whispered something into his ear. Remus gave her a look as if to say 'are you sure?' She smiled and nodded. Remus started strumming…Niobe started singing in quietly melodic voice
Sunshine go away today He tells me I'd better get in line How much does it cost, I'll buy it
I don't feel much like dancing
Some man's gone, he's tried to run my life
Don't know what he's asking
Can't hear what he's saying
When I grow up I'm going to make it mine
But these aren't dues I been paying
The time is all we've lost, I'll try it
But he can't even run his own life
I'll be damned if he'll run mine, Sunshine
Niobe's eye had glazed over as she was singing and they could see the tears forming in her eyes. Sirius, who had never heard the song before, felt each word she was singing as if it they were shots to his chest. He took her hand again, not just for her reassurance, but for his own as well. She looked up at him with a penetrating look on her face that he had never seen before…it was as if she was inside his head, singing with him and letting him know that she knew…and understood. And Sirius realized she truly did understand…she knew what it was like to grow up in a home where you were hated and reviled for your very existence…his own eyes started to fill up with tears as she kept singing…
Sunshine go away today Working starts to make me wonder where
I don't feel much like dancing
Some man's gone he's tried to run my life
Don't know what he's asking
The fruits of what I do are going
He says in love and war all is fair
But he's got cards he ain't showing
How much does it cost, I'll buy it
The time is all we've lost, I'll try it
But he can't even run his own life
I'll be damned if he'll run mine, Sunshine
Niobe then grabbed Sirius' other hand and smiled warmly back at him, eyes shinning with hope, as she sang the last verse…
Sunshine come on back another day
I promise you I'll be singing
This old world, she's gonna turn around
Brand new bells'll be ringing
Sirius' eyes shined as he smiled at Niobe, who was smiling back at him. After Remus strummed the last cords, the rest of the gang burst into applause, making both Sirius and Niobe jump. She tipped him a wink as she stood up and gave a small bow. Sirius started clapping and whistling.
Lily jumped up, practically knocking James off the couch, and shouted "I feel the need to move…I know, let's play a game!"
James jumped up from the floor "Great!" Then he turned to Lily "Uh…what are we playing?"
Mina jumped up "I know, let's play Lava tag!" Lily and Remus both cheered while the others looked puzzled.
Mina laughed "It's really simple…" She flicked her wand and the cushions and pillows landed in random places all over the floor. "It is the same thing as playing tag, but your feet can't touch the floor."
Peter looked puzzled "How come you can't touch the floor?"
"Because it's Lava and you would burn up!" Lily said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Cool!" said Sirius as he jumped up. He got an evil grin on his face, then whacked Remus on the back of the head…hard "You're IT!" and Sirius bounded across the room
"You are toast!" Remus shouted…and the game was on.
The gang was having a blast running around the room like five year olds, jumping from cushion to cushion and from one random piece of furniture to another. Peter had fallen into the Lava first and was out. Soon it was down to just Niobe and Sirius. Niobe was It and was chasing Sirius like a mad woman around the room with the other cheering her on. Mina smiled at Remus and whispered something into his ear. He smiled back and nodded. Niobe and Sirius were passing the high velvet curtains with Niobe closing in. Remus gave a small flick of his wand and the curtains fell, trapping Niobe and Sirius as they tumbled into each other beneath them.
"Oof!" said Sirius as he fell on top off Niobe under the curtains. They looked at each other and realized they were in a rather suggestive position…their faces inches apart. Something in Sirius finally snapped and he crushed his lips against hers. Niobe responded passionately, wrapping her arms and legs around him as she kissed him back just as passionately. Sirius felt like he was falling into her…and he panicked.
He pulled back "Niobe, I'm sorry…I don't…I…"
Niobe's eyes filled with tears. She couldn't even look at him. She jumped up pulling the curtain off them and ran out the portrait door. Sirius untangled himself from the curtains and stood up only to see five wands pointed at him. The Marauders all had their wands out and were glaring at him.
Mina took a step forward and with a firm tone said "Fix it…now!"
Sirius ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He looked at his friends, and then he looked at the open portrait door for a moment. Then a soft smile came to his face as he came to a realization.
He looked back at his friends with the same smile. "I'll be right back" and he took off like a bolt of lightning out the portrait door after Niobe.
"About bloody time" grumbled Mina, The she turned to the group and smiled. "This is going to be interesting…
"Niobe! Wait! Stop!" said Sirius as he finally caught up with Niobe in the hallway
Niobe stopped but didn't turn around "Don't worry Sirius…I'm fine"
"Please listen to me…I didn't mean to…" Sirius pleaded
"I know!" Niobe snapped, stopping Sirius in his tracks "You didn't mean to lead me on, you didn't make me fall for you…"
"Niobe…" Sirius said desperately
"It's FINE!" she shouted, still not turning around "I know…we are just friends…I"
"YOU ARE NOT MY FRIEND!" Sirius shouted, causing Niobe to whirl around in shock
"You are not my friend…" Sirius said again quietly as he walked up to Niobe "You haven't been for awhile now." He reached out and gently took her face into his hands. He was looking at her with a look in his eyes that she had never seen before. Then he smiled and her breath caught in her throat…
"You…you are my world…you are everything to me" he said softly
Niobe looked at him in amazement. Then slowly her face lit up like the dawn breaking…and she smiled at him with shinning eyes "Who would have thought…" she said softly
Sirius smiled back "Yeah…who would have…"
He leaned down and went to kissed her gently. But Niobe never gave him the chance. She grabbed him and kissed him like she was on fire. Sirius suddenly found him up against the wall with Niobe pressing up against him, kissing him with a fervor that was slowly turning his mind into pudding. He pulled back for a second…
"Whoa, um…it is after curfew…this is probably not the best place…uh" he stuttered as he held her off.
Niobe looked at him and raised an eyebrow in such a perfect imitation of him that he had to grin at her. She then gave him an evil grin back "Sirius…if you do not kiss me right now, I swear to god I am going to kick you ass so hard you will have to open your mouth to wipe!" she said sweetly
Sirius cracked up and pulled her to him "How could I resist such a lovely request from my most delicate girl" they both laughed and then Sirius kissed her…as requested
Finally…I have had a lot of people ask me when Sirius was going to get a clue…this is for them…they are a unique couple and I am going to have some serious fun with them down the road…a kind of James Bond and Q on acid with lots of steam…teehee…and for you die hard Remus/Mina fans, believe me, they are going to have a few adventures of there own…I mean, they have a wedding to plan…shoot, did I type that out loud? -grin- reviews and requests are not only wanted but needed…I love a good challenge…like who should get what school awards when they graduate?...have fun
dye