10
The Celebration:
" You did not" Doe said shaking her head at Sirius.
" Yes I did, you just don't remember because you were six" Sirius said proudly.
" So were you!" she said raising her hands in disbelief.
They were all sitting around a table at the Lively Portkey, enjoying their Saturday night, and Sirius was trying to convince everyone that when they were little he had managed to get ahold of his uncle's wand and start a fire in the park.
" Well you certainly wreaked havoc when you got to Hogwarts" James said trying to appease them both and end the argument.
" That he did" Remus agreed.
Sirius grinned widely and kicked his feet onto the table, " We all have a destiny" he said with a wink.
Doe shoved his feet of the table, seeing as they were almost touching her drink.
" Oh stop being so moody Meadowes, we're supposed to be celebrating our success here" Sirius said quickly, ruffling her hair.
" I'm not being moody" she said with a slight pout.
" Ignore, Sirius" Lily said quickly, " he's already tipsy".
" You bet I am" Sirius said happily taking another sip from the cup in front of him, " I have just made it through the most difficult training program at the ministry, I want to celebrate".
Sirius jumped up from the table and walked over to the dance floor where a couple of girls who were standing off to the side. They all watched as he began talking to them and had them smiling and dancing with him within seconds.
" He's got talent" James said observing the scene.
" It's a gift" Peter agreed.
Lily and Doe met eyes for a second and rolled their eyes together.
" It's an overrated gift" Remus whispered in Doe's ear.
She turned to him, brandishing a huge smile.
Doe pulled her chair closer to him, so she could hold his hand.
" You know the one thing I do miss about Hogwarts?" Remus asked bluntly.
She turned to him and fluttered her eyelashes suggestively, " Madam Pince?"
He rolled his eyes, " Yes, Doe. I hate to be the one to tell you this but I am harboring a secret love for Irma Pince".
Doe smiled graciously, " Well you never know, that could be why you spent so much time there"
He sighed, a smile spreading on his face, " Yes that's it, in fact I ought to leave now and go confess my undying love for her"
She clutched his hand tighter, " Okay, I'm done. What do you miss about Hogwarts?"
He smiled, " I just miss being around you all so much. Whether it was in class or meals, we always saw each other".
" I know what you mean" She told him.
It was something that all of them had had to come to terms with. They spent most evenings and weekends together, but their jobs kept them all so busy that they didn't get to see each other as often as they all wanted too.
" But that makes our time more special" Lily said joining the conversation.
" Plus we can do so much more outside of the castle" James agreed.
Remus nodded, " No, you're all right, I was just being nostalgic"
" It is strange that we're not there right now though," Doe said, " It doesn't seem like fall without Hogwarts"
" It doesn't" James said reminiscing slightly. He took a final sip from his glass of firewhiskey, and emptied it.
" I'll go replenish everyone's drinks" Doe said taking out her wand and conjuring all of the glasses to follow her to the bar.
The stools of the bar were littered with young witches and wizards. Doe made her way in between two of the seats and put the glasses down on the table.
" A few refills of firewhiskey and a butterbeer over here when you get a second" Doe called to the bartender, who was refilling the shelves with his wand.
" Sure just give me a second" he called back.
Doe stood there looking at all of the different bottles of liquor lining the shelves.
" Doe Meadowes is that you?"
She turned around to see Xenophilius Lovegood.
" Xeno! Hi, how are you?" She asked happily.
Xenophilius had been a Ravenclaw but had been a good friend, they were potions partners their entire third year.
" Very well, thank you. Just missing Pandora a little. How about you?" he asked.
" Im great," Doe told him, " How's the Department of Mysteries?"
Xenophilius shrugged, " Mysterious. They don't really tell us much about anything, I don't know if I'm going to stay"
Doe frowned, " Oh I'm sorry, do you know what you do want to do?"
Xeno thought for a moment, " I think I might like to try a career in journalism"
" Really, like writing for the daily prophet?" she asked him.
" Maybe I ought to start my own" he said, " something a little less traditional"
" Heres your drinks!" the bartender said refilling them with his wand and placing the butterbeer in front of her.
Doe raised her wand and watched them float next to her.
" I think that's a great idea, Xeno" she told him, " You'd be good at that, you don't get caught up with the quibbles of the majority"
" Quibbles" Xeno repeated, " I quite like that. Maybe I'll name it the Quibbler"
Doe laughed, " Sounds extremely appropriate, I'll see you" she told him.
She brought the drinks back to the table and sat down.
In her absence, the conversation had turned to Peter's lack of dates and she watched Peter turn bright red at James' words.
" Well theres this girl in my Department, she's a blonde, I could set you two up" James said.
Peter blushed furiously, " Oh, I don't know about that".
" James, Peter can get his own women" Doe said sitting down.
Peter through her an appreciative glance and avoided James' eyes.
" Yes, it's his business" Remus agreed.
James held his hands up, " I'm just trying to get Wormtail a bird,"
" I appreciate it" Peter said quietly and then he looked up, " Look at Sirius" he said with a shake of his head.
They all looked up and saw that Sirius was dancing with both of the girls from earlier, one on each arm.
He saw us watching him and winked.
" He certainly knows how to have fun" Lily said with a slight shake of her head.