34
The Slug-Covered Halloween
" I'm not going and he can't make me" Sirius said loudly.
" You wouldn't want him to take it out on your grade would you?" Remus asked him.
Sirius sighed angrily.
They had just received invitations to Slughorn's.
He was hosting a Halloween Party for his most 'prized' students and surprisingly, most of the school hoped to be invited. Sirius, however did not want to go and was making it very clear.
" And we need to bring dates, why?" Sirius sighed.
" Like you'll have a problem doing that" Peter said glumly.
He hadn't received an invitation.
" Well no, I just don't want to go" Sirius said.
" You're lucky you have Doe" Sirius told Remus, " You two never even have to ask anyone".
Remus looked at Doe with a small smile, " Maybe you should try being serious with someone then" he told Sirius.
Sirius had a look of horror on his face, " No I don't think so."
" Sirius Black is the ultimate bachelor" Otto Bagman said from a few seats away.
" Don't you forget it" Sirius told him.
Everyone in the vicinity laughed slightly.
" So, Lily" James said turning around to face her.
Lily, who had previously been going over her Transfiguration homework looked up at him curiously.
" Yes James?" she asked.
" So I was thinking that maybe since you and I were both going and seeing as we're Head Boy and Girl, you might want to go with me?" James asked.
" Oh no" Peter said terrified.
" Now he's done it" Remus said with a shake of his head.
" You're mad, Prongs" Sirius said with a sigh.
" With you?" Lily asked.
James nodded, a look of uncertainty on his face.
Lily let in a small breath, " Okay".
Everyone's within ear shot all snapped their heads up to look at her. Jaws were dropping up and down the Gryffindor table.
Lily and James were going to a party together as dates. Many thought the world was coming to an end.
" Lily said yes?" Peter asked in disbelief.
" Bloody hell" Sirius mimicked.
James smacked him hard on the shoulder and turned back to Lily.
" Great, I'll meet you in the common room at seven on Friday" James said quickly.
Lily just nodded, color rising to her cheeks.
Doe eyed her curiously. Lily shook her head, and she figured they would talk about it later.
" I cannot believe you said yes to James Potter of all people" Marlene said in shock the morning of Halloween, during their charms lesson.
They were attempting to turn vinegar into water, and they were trying very hard to get it correct because Professor Flitwick made it very clear that they would all be trying it at the end of the class to ensure they had done it correctly. Doe's still smelled highly acidic.
" I don't know what came over me" Lily said quietly.
" Well he's been very pleasant lately, nice even" Doe told her.
" But it's James" Lily said.
" So?" she told her, " If he's changed for the good, then you should embrace it"
She sighed, "I suppose you're right"
" I am" Doe told her.
She dipped her fingers in the vinegar and flicked some at Doe.
" Watch it Evans" she told her, " or I'll tell James how evil you are"
Lily rolled her eyes at her and turned back to the vinegar.
Later in the evening, Lily and Doe went back to their dormitories to get ready for the party. Doe didn't really feel like going, but Slughorn was very insistent that he didn't like students to miss them.
Doe pulled the dress that she had worn to the ministry Christmas party last year out of her trunk and put it on. Lily was wearing a purple one that she had borrowed from Alice Prewett.
" You look really nice" she told her.
Lily smiled and then her face fell a little, " I'm nervous is that weird?"
Doe laughed, " No, it is a date for you after all".
She smiled again, " Weird huh?"
Doe nodded and wrapped her arm around Lily, hugging her tightly.
They walked down stairs and found Remus and James sitting in chairs in front of the fire, talking quickly about something.
Both of them looked up at them and got to their feet.
Lily stiffened next to Doe. Doe elbowed her to get her to move and she did.
" You look nice Lily" James said, he ran his hand through his hair quickly.
Lily smiled, " Thank you, so do you".
Doe grabbed Remus' hand and led him away from them, giving them some privacy.
" You look beautiful" he told her as they walked out of the common room.
" Thank you," Doe said leaning up on her toes to kiss him quickly.
He grinned when they broke apart and they made their way towards the dungeons. Slughorn's classical music could be heard from down the castle. The door was propped open and they noticed that his quarters had been completely decorated in orange and black. Large Black sheer curtains had been strung up everywhere to create a ballroom.
" Aw Ms. Meadowes, Mr. Lupin, glad you could make it!" Slughorn said happily greeting them at the door.
Remus squeezed Doe's hand.
" Thank you for inviting us, Professor" she told him.
" Two of my most successful potions students? Of course" Slughorn said clapping Remus on the back and walking past them to greet the people who entered behind them.
" Let's get something to drink" Remus suggested and led them to the drink station.
" These are always the strangest collection of people" Remus said observing the strange mixture of years and houses present in the room.
" Only the best and the brightest" Doe said in an impression of Professor Slughorn.
" Those worthy of the wall" Remus said humorously mimicking Slughorn as Doe had.
" He is an odd one himself though" Doe said watching as he downed a glass of scotch before greeting the next students who entered.
" I think he's a little odd, but he's a good person beneath it" Remus said.
Doe looked at him with a huge smile.
He narrowed his eyes, " Wait what did I say?" he asked.
" I love you," she told him.
He grinned, " I love you too" he bent down and kissed the top of her head.
" I'm not complaining" he said, " But why the sudden profession of love?"
Doe laughed, " You, Remus Lupin, see the good in everyone"
He smiled too and wrapped an arm around her waist.
Severus walked over and filled the glass in his hands with butterbeer.
" Hi Severus" Doe said.
He looked up, " I have to stay until at least 9" he said sadly.
" Not having fun?" she asked.
He gave her a dark look. Doe laughed lightly.
" Sorry, I forgot you hate any gathering with more than one Gryffindor" Doe said.
Severus sighed, " Hello Lupin" he said acknowledging Remus.
Remus lifted his glass in acknowledgment.
" I'll see you later, Doe" Severus said wandering back to the group of Slytherins he came with.
" Remind me again why you two are friends?" Remus asked Doe, his distaste for Severus very clear.
" He's not all bad" she assured him.
Doe noticed Lily and James were in one of the other corners talking earnestly, large smiles were plastered on both of their faces.
Sirius was standing by the Hufflepuffs, drink in hand, looking around the room while his date, a sixth year Hufflepuff babbled next to him.
Remus and Doe made their way around the room mingling for a little a while and occasionally chatting with Slughorn, when he came around.
After being there for about two hours, Doe was already bored.
She turned to Remus, whose face which echoed the boredom that she felt.
" You want to get out of here?" she asked him.
His face broke out into a smile, " Thank you, yes"
Doe grinned and led him out of the room. The dungeons were freezing at night. The castle warmed slightly the further they got from the them. On the fourth floor, they noticed an empty classroom. The door surprisingly wasn't locked.
" Come on" Doe said and pulled Remus into it.
" Why are we here?" Remus asked.
Doe didn't answer him. Instead she reached up and kissed him. He smiled and wrapped his hands around her waist deepening the kiss.
Her arms were secured around his neck and his skin felt so warm against hers.
The door to the classroom opened and they broke apart quickly.
Filch entered the classroom, holding Mrs. Norris in his arms. It was the second time that Filch had caught them in an indecent moment at Hogwarts. Doe could feel herself blushing.
" What are you doing in here?" he snapped.
" We were just leaving Slughorn's party" Remus said quickly, slightly out of breath.
Filch eyed him angrily, " Well then you should go back to your common room now before I give you both detentions".
Nodding quickly, Remus and Doe left the classroom and walked quickly towards the common room. Once far enough away, they both burst into uncontrollable laughter.
" Of all the people" Remus managed to get out, " it had to be Filch again"
" So embarrassing" Doe said putting her face in her hands.
Remus laughed again, and then kissed her forehead, " You're beautiful when you're embarrassed, you know that?"
She looked up at him, pouting slightly, " You're ridiculous"
He laughed and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the common room after him.
The next day was Saturday, which to most of the people who had gone to Slughorn's party, was a gift. Most of them had stayed up so late that they needed to sleep in. Lily had gotten back before Doe went to sleep, so she didn't wake her up in the morning. Doe just took a book downstairs and sat in one of the armchairs in the common room. There were few people down there. Just as she sat down, the portrait hole opened, and a disheveled Sirius, dressed in yesterday's dress robes walked in.
He saw her sitting there and sat down in the chair next to her, stretching his legs over the edge.
" Look at you on your little walk of shame" Doe said to him with a small grin.
" Ha Ha" he said, " I'm sorry I can't be as sneaky about it as you and Moony".
Doe's face blushed bright red. She and Remus hadn't ever done that.
Sirius looked up, " Actually come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen you sneaking out of our room"
Doe kept blushing furiously.
" You two have done it, haven't you?" Sirius asked an eyebrow raised.
Doe didn't look up from her book. Her whole face had to be bright red.
" You haven't!?" Sirius asked in disbelief.
Doe grabbed the pillow from the chair and hit him with it.
" Be quiet would you? I don't want all of Gryffindor to know" she snapped.
Sirius made a face, " But you two have been together for two years"
" Were taking it slow, okay?" she said venomously.
Sirius raised his hands in defense, " Do what you want".
She threw him an angry glance.
" Alright Meadowes, calm down." he said.
It was silent for a minute and Doe turned back to her book.
" I still think it's weird" Sirius said quietly.
Doe grabbed the pillow and hit him with it again until he promised he would stop talking about it.