Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I have no ownership over Harry Potter and its wonderful universe. I do own my OC's and story line.

Harry Potter - The Marauders Era

"The Princess Marauder"

June, 1977 - End of Sixth Year

I had successfully managed to stay away from Gideon throughout May and until the end of June since he had N.E.W.T's to worry about. But I had also decided that I was done letting him coax me into this dating deal anymore. He was handsome, clever, and funny, he shouldn't have any problem finding a girl who loved and deserved him. Just not me. So I would wait for him to be done with his exams and then we we're going to sit down and talk about it.

On the last weekend before the summer holidays, the Gryffindor last years decided to throw a farewell party in the Common Room. The finalists asked me to help out with the decorations and re-arranging all the furniture so there would be room for a bit of a dancefloor. Remus and Peter helped with the music selection, the first more than the last since Remus clearly had the best taste in music. Sirius and James helped, obviously, by sneaking firewhiskey and butterbear from Hogsmead into the Common Room.

I rolled my eyes at my reflection in the mirror. James and Sirius were going to end up wasted. I didn't even have to know divination to come to that conclusion. The first and only time they had tried alcohol was last summer when they stole a bottle from my dad's liquor cabinet and Remus and I had enjoyed ourselves quite a lot while watching them behave like complete idiots.

Well, more than usual I mean.

Once I finished tying the straps of my heals, I smoothed down the clinging fabric of my black dress and joined the already raging party. I was surprised by all the couples on the dancefloor, and I also noticed quite a few sixth and seventh years attacking the drinks.

"How much alcohol did Sirius and James smuggle exactly?" I asked Remus when I joined him.

He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching the scene with a mirthful smile, certainly also keeping an eye out for any possible accidents that might require immediate assistance. His attention was completely diverted, of course, by my presence. I was quite proud of the way his eyes roamed over my body, taking their time on the way up.

"I have no clue," he finally said. "To be honest, I think this year's finalists might've taken the celebration a bit over the top. I've already warned the Head Girl that I will not be cleaning up after anyone."

"Mafalda's the Head Girl this year, right?" I glanced towards the skinny re-haired girl dancing in a passionate rhythm with her boyfriend. "I don't think you can count on her cooperation tonight, my love."

His mouth twitched. "Too bad for her because I'm not backing out on my word and neither is Lily."

"Speaking of her, where is she?"

"She snuck out to the Ravenclaw Common Room," he answered with a smirk.

"Seriously?" I was shocked. Lily almost never broke the rules.

"Well, I think it might've had to do with the fact that James is drunk and he was giving her a bit of a hard time."

I scowled, searching for my two idiotic best friends. I found James playing some type of drinking game with the rest of the Quidditch team, including Gideon. Well, at least he was having harmless fun. On the other hand, Sirius was quite openly snogging Vance against a wall.

Bloody fantastic, a Hufflepuff crashing the party.

"Padfoot has no sense of decorum whatsoever," I muttered, scrunching my face in disgust.

"Or taste," he pointed out.

"That too," I chuckled. "Do you know why Vance and I despise each other?"

"Because you two started a mud war in the middle of Herbology on our second year?"

I laughed good-naturedly. "No, silly, because she was completely smitten by you at the time," I corrected. "I think she was jealous of me for always hanging around you, so we sort of never stopped bad mouthing each other, even after she started snogging everything that moved and was moderately cute."

"At least we know she isn't as dim-witted as she looks, if she was clever enough to be jealous of you," he teased, making me roll my eyes.

We were quiet for a moment, until one of my favourite love songs came on. I flashed him a grin, stepping closer his body to encircle his neck. His arms instinctively found my waist as he matched the curve of my lips.

"Dance with me, wolf boy?"

"Always, my love."

We didn't join the others on the dancefloor, choosing instead to stay on our quiet corner. Remus lowered his cheek to the crown of my head with a sigh. He was smiling, I could feel it.

"I can't believe you mixed Elton John into the playlist," I commented, chuckling. "The seventh years would kill you if they weren't pissed drunk already."

"I know you like it."

I smiled, tilting my head up. "Is that all it takes? For me to like something, and you give it to me?"

"If it's within my range of possibilities then yes, that's all it takes."

"You're going to spoil me, love."

"You deserve to be spoiled," Remus said, rubbing his nose on my forehead, closing his eyes. "You deserve to have all of your wishes fulfilled."

"All of my wishes begin and end with you, Remus..." I whispered.

The music changed and the noise was louder than before, but we didn't care. We were in our own bubble, our own safe and precious world, here in each other's arms. Heartbeat to heartbeat.

"So do mine, Aurora..." Remus hugged me closer to him, sighing. "I hate this. I wish I could kiss you right here in front of everyone once and for all..."

"Me too, Remus... so much it hurts..."

"Maybe we could talk–" Remus was abruptly cut off by a very drunk Gideon, who all but ripped me from his arms to pull me into his.

"Here you are, my beautiful princess! I was looking all over for you!"

Gideon's cheeks were coloured and his eyes red. When he dipped to kiss me, his breath reeked of firewhiskey, making me nauseous. I pushed him back, ducking away from his eager lips.

"Ugh! Back off, Eon. I'm not kissing you when you're this smashed."

His grip was vicious as he refused to let me escape. "Aww why not? It's just a wee bit of alcohol! We're young, we deserve some fun!"

"Prewett, she said to back off," Remus hissed.

"Piss off, Lupin, this is none of your bloody business!" Gideon spat. I tried to wriggle free from his arms but he had the strength of a bolder. "Your pathetic constant meddling between me an Aurora is really starting to get on my nerves! She is my girlfriend!"

"She is not your girlfriend and even if she was it wouldn't give you the right to dismiss her wishes," he spoke sharply, clenching his fists, "and she wants you to back the hell off."

"No, she doesn't! She wants to come dance with me, don't you Aurora?"

"No, I don't! Let go of me, Gideon!" I snapped, shoving him more vehemently but without avail. God, his breath was making me sick. I hated the stench of alcohol. It was one of the reasons why I didn't drink more than a couple butterbeers myself.

"Just a second ago, you were quite pleased dancing with him so why can't you do the same with me?" His face twisted into an angry scowl as his voice rose. We were starting to attract attention.

"Remus isn't drunk!"

"Even if he was, you wouldn't mind!" he snarled. "I bet he can touch you however he likes that you don't push him away how you push me!"

My blood went cold but it didn't lessen my anger. Being wasted could only work so much as an excuse and, by the way he was talking, I was starting to question whether he was really drunk beyond common sense, or if he was just pretending.

"Don't talk about Remus like that! He's my best friend!"

He sneered, "Some best friend he is! He looks at you like he wants to rip your clothes off and fuck you ten different ways in the middle of the Great Hall!"

I sucked my breath in, divided between outraged and embarrassed. Before I could give him a piece of my mind, though, the arms trapping me suddenly let go and Gideon was thrown off his feet with a loud crash. Everyone in the Common Room froze in shock, even Sirius stopped snogging Vance to stare at his friend, jaw dropped. I blinked in surprise, looking from Gideon's stupid and drunk whining form on the floor, to Remus. He was furious. No; past furious – he looked almost feral. His shoulders were shaking and his lips curled into a snarl.

"If you ever dare speak about Aurora in such revolting crass manner in front of me ever again, I swear to god I'll do more than punch you, Prewett!"

Gideon stumbled onto his feet with a grimace and reached for his wand in the back pocket of his pants. His hand stilled mid-air when four other wands were suddenly at his throat. He looked at me, wounded, but this time I wasn't moved.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Sirius warned.

"There's four of us and one of you," James pointed out.

"You best lower your wand," Peter threatened.

Gideon pursed his lips, never breaking eye contact with me. "Aurora...?" he tried in a strangled voice.

"Your chance is over, Gideon," I replied coldly. "I told you: they always come first."

"But he punched me," he spat through gritted teeth.

"After the way you spoke about her, I would've done the same," Sirius said darkly.

James nodded. "We all would."

"I might be wasted but you people are mad." Gideon lowered his wand, shaking his head. His eyes flared with sadness. "I really do like you, Aurora. I'm sorry if I'm not enough for you."

His words were a stab of guilty to my stomach. Even if he was acting this way tonight, Gideon was such a sweet and nice boy. If I was any other girl, I would've been more than happy to give my heart and myself to him. But I wasn't. Nor was I mine to give to him. I watched him slouch on his way up the stairs to the dorm rooms, Fabian rapidly following after sending me a well-deserved nasty scowl.

Instantaneously, I was washed over with relief. I felt ten thousand times lighter, as if a huge weight had suddenly been lifted off my chest. Turning to a still fuming Remus, I teased him with a smirk, "I didn't know you had such a mean right hook, Moony."

Sirius barked a laugh. "Yeah, mate! You've been holding out on us!"

Remus snorted, his stiff shoulders finally loosening up. He rubbed his face before pinching the bridge of his nose. "My dad signed me into self-defence classes when I was younger because my mom was worried about a couple of boys from our street who were bullying me."

"Really?" I cocked an eyebrow, eyeing him in an entirely new light. His mouth twitched into a smug grin.

"Well, I'm glad he did!" James exclaimed, cracking his knuckles. "Gideon was asking for them. You were miserable."

I rolled my eyes. "He's just a lousy drunk that's all."

"I don't mean only tonight, you've been miserable since you two started dating," he corrected.

Sirius nodded soberly. The muscles on his arms twitched when he crossed them over his chest. "I agree with Prongs. He wasn't the lad for you."

"Right," I chuckled nervously, exchanging a quick look with Remus before we returned to the party.