Seventh Year
As they strolled through Hogsmeade together, Althea silently thought that this felt like a date. Logically, she knew that it wasn't but she couldn't shake the feeling that it felt a little more intimate than just a friendly outing. She shook the thoughts off, convinced that she was just imagining it or making it up. The lights in Hogsmeade were dull, and so was the atmosphere. Everything had this muted quality to it, and this air of trepidation. Althea felt like at any moment something bad could happen.
It was silly, she thought, to think that what with Hogwarts being so close and Dumbledore being here. But…Voldemort has been growing bored. I do not think that any of us are truly safe anymore, even at Hogwarts.
She had noticed with a growing sense of fear, the actions that the Slytherins and purebloods in other Houses had taken to displaying. Muggle-borns and half-bloods alike were being tormented daily, and nothing that the teachers could do would stop it. Eventually, she knew that the attacks would escalate and someone would die. She was surprised someone hadn't already, but a few had come close. Anger was growing amongst those who did not support Voldemort, but no one had stepped up to combat the growing threat that the other purebloods – particularly Slytherins – were posing.
The duo ducked into Honeydukes. The various scents of candy and from the flowers scattered throughout the store, caused Althea to promptly sneezed. She turned red, and profusely apologized.
"You're fine, Althea." Remus assured her, "Everyone sneezes."
She didn't answer and the flush on her cheeks deepened. Finally, she said, "Do you think that James would like Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans?"
"Yes, but you might want to buy him a Chocolate Frog or a Cauldron Cake." Remus advised her, examining the shelves filled with sweets.
With the full moon coming up, he had been starting to crave chocolate more and more. Althea hummed, picking up a box of candy and turning it over in her hands. Yes, she decided, I guess I will get James some Every Flavored Beans and a Cauldron Cake. Now what to get Sirius?
She would be the first to admit that she didn't really know the Marauders extremely well, she had only started to talk to them in a friendly manner last year. Even then, she primarily only interacted with Remus. However, she was making an effort to change that. Maybe everyone else couldn't see it, but she could see Lily slowly softening toward James, and she would bet 20 Galleons on it that they would be a couple before seventh-year ended. Heading to the counter, she quickly paid the two Sickles and twenty-four Knuts for the candies and waited for Remus to finish shopping.
"You ready to go Remmy?" she asked Remus after he had bought his candy.
"Sure, where to next?"
Althea frowned, "I don't. How about The Three Broomsticks? I could really go for a butterbeer."
Grabbing their wrapped packages the two seventh-years headed out. The wind was bitingly cold, and little flecks of snow had started to fall from the dull gray sky. Althea shivered. Remus pushed open the door to The Three Broomsticks, holding it open as Althea stepped in. They seated themselves at a booth near the window and Althea looked down at the table, her fingers clenching in the fabric of her skirt, as Remus sat across from her. Now more than ever, she felt like this had the aura of a date. Before she could ask Remus if it was, the door opened and in stumbled the rest of the Marauders and behind them came a sullen looking group of Slytherins with red and gold hair.
"Remus," James said sidling over to the two seventh-years, "how's your day been? Hello, Althea." He waved his hand, "Never mind that. We are going to play the biggest prank on Brian Selwyn."
"Pray tell, why?" Remus asked. "I was under the impression that you were supposed to be leaving Lily alone and not meddling in her love life."
"He stood her up so I figured that that promise was void," James said. "You'll help, right?"
"I feel as if it would be unwise for him to do so," Althea spoke up and James looked at her angrily. "You need to let Lily deal with her own problems instead of trying to step in like some sort of hero. Those two have a close friendship, doing this could jeopardize that."
"I wasn't asking you for your opinion Althea," James snapped. He turned to Remus, "Moony, you'll help, right?"
"James there was no reason to speak to her like that." Remus told him briefly disregarding his question. "In answer to your question, I would love to help you Prongs, we're mates however, Althea makes a good point. I understand wanting to protect Lily, however we cannot do everything for her and to step in for her on this may not be the best idea. She did ask you to stay away from her relationships, and doing this is not exactly honoring her wishes."
James scowled at both of them. "Fine. Don't help a mate out then. I'll see you later Moony."
He got up in a huff, a scowl on his features and stormed off. Althea watched him go over to a table in the corner, gesturing wildly as he ranted to Sirius. Rolling her eyes, she turned to Remus, a forlorn look on her face.
"I didn't mean to upset him." She frowned.
"It wasn't just you Althea, believe me." Remus told her smiling at her reassuringly. "I'm sure it was because I didn't support him. We cannot…He cannot continue interfering in Lily's life when she's made it clear that the interference is not wanted."
"I realize that, and you realize that. But he does not," Althea said, grabbing her mug of butterbeer from the edge of the table. "He's blinded by what he feels for her that he cannot consider logic."
A stricken expression briefly crossed Remus's face, but it was gone before Althea had time to truly take notice of it. "Yes, in relationships logic must always prevail."
"Well, not always. There are times when logic must prevail, however it has its failings." Althea murmured quietly before taking a sip of her butterbeer. "Emotion and logic have to come hand-in-hand. You can't be completely obtuse, yet at the same time you can't be too logical. If you are, you might be missing what's right in front of you."
After her little speech, the two were quiet for some time. Althea turned to look out the window, avoiding gazing at Remus. Outside she could see that a light dusting of snow was starting to cover the ground but that didn't hold her focus. Her attention immediately switched to two people arguing quite loudly. A familiar redhead in Gryffindor colors, and a much paler boy in the colors of Hufflepuff. The redhead was gesturing wildly, an upset expression on her face. While the boy maintained a calm façade.
The Hufflepuff must have said something because Lily started to visibly shake with anger and Althea noticed the redhead's hand twitch toward her robes as if searching for a wand. Quick as a whip, the Hufflepuff whipped out his own wand pointing it at Lily in what Althea considered to be a rather threatening manner. Althea was sure that Lily could handle this on her own, but her protective instincts outweighed her logic. With a hurried, "I'll be right back Remmy", Althea walked out of The Three Broomsticks, walking over to Lily and wrapping an arm around the redhead's shoulder her eyes narrowing at Bryan Selwyn, as she whipped out her own wand.
With a flick of her wrist, his wand flew out of his hand and into Lily's outstretched one. "Is everything alright?" Althea asked thinly veiled anger in her voice. She narrowed her eyes at the Hufflepuff, "I'll be sure to Dumbledore about this incident."
Bryan snorted. "Like he'll believe you over me, Morgan. I am a Hufflepuff prefect, and an outstanding student. Now, please give me my wand back."
Althea glared at him, but did as he asked. She couldn't very well keep his wand without getting into trouble herself. Giving the two ladies a cocky smile, the Hufflepuff then turned to walk away. Althea watched him go, anger bubbling in her chest. Heaving a sigh, Althea turned to Lily a sympathetic expression on her face.
"Don't look at me like that," Lily frowned, crossing her arms. "I don't need pity Althea, I didn't like him that much anyways."
"Sure, you didn't sweetie," Althea answered, wrapping her arms around Lily in a hug. "I thought he stood you up?"
"He did. I decided to come here on my own, and then ran into him. He had given me this excuse that he was bogged down with homework." Glaring at the ground she muttered, "Clearly that was not the case."
"Aw, Lils," Althea sighed. "Well who needs boys, anyways?"
Lily pulled away from the taller girl rolling her eyes. "Sure, sure. And how are you and dear Remus?"
"We're friends, Lily as I've told you many times before." Althea reminded her friend sternly. Her eyes widened, "I have to go Lily! I left Remus in The Three Broomsticks."
"Actually, I'm right here." He said from behind the two girls and they whirled to face him, Althea's cheeks going pink. "I happened to glance out the window and saw the commotion. Are you two okay?"
"We're fine Remmy," Althea said beaming.
Lily chuckled, "Everything is fine Remus. Althea disarmed him, before he could do any real harm." She sighed, "Oh well, I didn't like him that much anyways."
Remus didn't argue with her just smiled and asked politely, "Would you like to join Althea and I? I believe we were going to head to Zonko's next, weren't we?"
"That or a bookstore," Althea confirmed with a nod of her head.
Lily looked between the two of them, "Oh I couldn't possibly intrude on your date, but thank you for the offer."
At the word "date" Althea's eyes bulged and she looked down, desperately fighting a blush. Remus looked around uncomfortably, shuffling his feet. Waving at them, Lily bid them adieu and walked away. The two were left in an awkward silence, and Althea didn't know what to say to Remus to suddenly make everything better.
"Zonko's then?" Remus asked.
"Sure," Althea squeaked.