ok, so I was really dumb and posted the wrong chapter last week. So sorry if it didn't make any sense!
I also wanted to say, as a proud asexual, fuck JKR. These are our characters now.
"Aaaand game, set and match to Mr. Peter Pettigrew!"
Remus Lupin glanced up in confusion and offence "He won? I…how?"
Sirius Black was shrugging as he leant back in his seat, arms leaning behind his head as he propped his feet up on the stool before him "It's the name of the game Moony," was his simple reply.
"The name of the game is for Peter to win?" Remus scowled, Peter grinned "It isn't even a real game! It doesn't make sense!"
James Potter loudly gasped from his seat beside Sirius "How dare you say GobChessMan isn't a real game! Me and Padfoot worked hard on inventing this last night when we knew you'd be over today!"
Remus stood, folding his arms over his chest as he glared down to the smirking boys "Explain to me how Peter won and I'll gladly take the defeat."
"Well," Sirius began leaning forward to inspect the game board as he stroked his chin in thought.
James continued on for him as he looked over his shoulder "Rookie error there mate," he tutted waving a hand over the board "I would never have picked the letter 'W' for a word as seemingly long as that one."
"And your king!" Sirius exclaimed, gesturing to a chess piece lying in crumbles and swimming in the putrid liquid from an angry gobstone "Totally the wrong move."
Daxia sighed from where she was leant against the doorframe, shaking her head as a clearly irritated and competitive Remus was falling for yet another Potter/Black wind up hook, line and sinker. The duo had literally only come up with the game ten minutes before their fellow marauders were due to arrive by combining Wizard Chess and Gobstones with the muggle version of Hangman in the hope to draw Remus's usually hidden competitive side out.
It seemed to be working as the normally rational one out of the four paced around the old chessboard with one hand rubbing his chin, the other buried in his hair and a deep frown on his face "But…what if…?"
"Oh come on you two, put him out of his misery!" Daxia exclaimed making her presence in the room known. Sirius and James both looked up to her with warning glares, they had a bet on this and neither wanted to lose "It's quite obvious when you really look Moony; your Gobstone exploded on your king meaning Peter's queen was free to steal the letter E allowing him to guess the word 'Elephant' clearly outlined on this piece of parchment!"
Remus huffed once, did another circuit of the board and nodded "Yeah…I guess that does make more sense now."
Sirius and James groaned loudly; with the competitive side not reaching its full potential it meant neither of them won the other's ten galleons. With narrow eyes James sent an uneasy looking Sirius a sideways glance, receiving an urgent shake of the head in reply. Ever since James had guessed about the secret relationship between his two friends on Christmas eve night he had been dying to call Daxia out on it; they didn't have secrets as a rule and this was a pretty big one. He was going mad thinking of all the things he could do to mess with her head only for Sirius to shoot him down.
"I thought you two were here to talk new year plans anyway?" Daxia asked shoving James over so she could sit between him and Sirius. Another pleading look was met with a toned down shake of the head.
"Do we have to go to another pureblood party?" Peter moaned as he moved away from the chessboard, Gobstone liquid seemed to be threatening to spill over the side. With it just being him and his mother at home Peter wasn't used to grand gestures portrayed by the purebloods of the wizarding world and much preferred a more toned down event.
Sirius looked deep in thought as he silently agreed with his pal "I wanted do something the total opposite, really get my mother's nerve up if she heard of what I was up to," he announced nodding slowly "What do you lot say to venturing out into muggle London for New Year?"
As Daxia and James's eyes lit up they all glanced to a thoughtful looking Remus almost like hopeful children. They knew Remus would be the one to find any loopholes if they needed it, he'd be the one with the plan and the one who would know where to get any tickets they needed so close to New Year's Eve. It was just whether or not he thought it was a good idea.
It was almost as though he was keeping them in suspense as he searched through his pockets, retrieving a crumpled looking piece of paper and holding it up for them to see. It was an advertisement for the fireworks display over London Bridge.
"Why do you think I picked this up?"
Mrs. Potter took more convincing. She reminded them of the war, that there would be Death Eaters out there who would choose an event such as a muggle fire display as the perfect opportunity to stage an attack.
They reminded her they were of age, that they hadn't had the chance to do anything for Sirius's birthday and that she and Mr. Potter had been invited to the Prewitt's. James put on the golden boy act while Sirius turned on the puppy dog eyes, Remus promised he would keep them out of trouble and Daxia and Peter put on the most innocent smiles they could muster.
"We're even going to invite our auror friends," James informed her and Mrs. Potter raised an eyebrow.
"You mean you have friends outside of these loons?"
Sirius placed his hand over his heart with a cheeky grin "Ouch mum, right where it hurts."
James looked offended "Course I do!" continuing when he noticed the looks his friends were giving him "Sure they're their friends too but…course I do!"
"And they're aurors? Like actual, qualified aurors?"
James scowled defiantly as his mother laughed at him "If you'd call Dex McKinnon, Dorcas Meadowes and Emmeline Vance 'actual, qualified aurors' then yes."
Mrs. Potter chuckled as she reached up and ruffled his hair "Oh you do fall for a good winding up James Potter," she tutted "I hope you aren't this gullible around school or I won't be believing all these stories of the marauders running the school business anymore!"
James rolled his eyes. With him, Sirius and Daxia being so in tune with one another it was only his mother who was able to get him in such a manner "So you're saying we can go?"
"You can go," she confirmed, laughing loudly as five marauders all jumped to hug her in celebration "As long as you're careful!"
Sirius winked as they all let her go "You know us mum, always careful!"
Mrs. Potter had rolled her eyes as she shooed them away, making them promise they would actually be careful and not go looking for trouble. She had borrowed them copious amounts of parchment while she sat back in her seat and picked apart their handwriting ("Oh please don't write like that in your N.E. boys, the examiners won't be able to understand a word!") until they finally decided to leave her alone to her work (each one giving her a hug before they left her office).
"I think we should go and see Lily and Adiya to invite them," Daxia mused as she finished off her letter to Emmeline, folding the parchment over.
"Since when did James have such girly tones to his voice?" Remus teased without looking up from where he was folding up his letter to Benji.
As James huffed and shoved his laughing friend's shoulder Daxia chuckled "Come on guys it gets us out of the house doesn't it? I'm pretty sure the house elves are sick of us making a mess," she said eyeing a spot of ink Sirius had spilt on the carpet.
James shrugged innocently as he tried to hide the smile itching to stretch across his face "I think that's a great idea."
Lily and Adiya were looking over their potions work when the knock at the door echoed throughout the house. Petunia was out house-hunting with Vernon so it was the only time they could get some of the homework they had been given just before the holidays done without someone spotting them and tutting loudly.
"Lily dear! Your friends are here and they seem to have multiplied!"
"Multiplied?" Lily called back to her mother as both she and Adiya got to their feet, a broad grin stretched across her lips when she noticed who was crowding her hallway "Remus! Peter!" she greeted pulling the two boys into separate hugs "People who invaded my house a few days ago!" she turned to Sirius (who irritatingly reached across to ruffle her hair), James (who sent her a grin) and Daxia (who was too busy being hugged by Mrs. Evans).
"What are you guys doing here?" Adiya asked from beneath Remus's arm.
"Lovely welcome Tink, thank you for your hospitality," Sirius shot back as he dodged away from Adiya's retaliating punch "Is Petunia and her boyfriend here by the way?" he continued with a question and a glance toward Remus and Peter as Mrs. Evans lead the way to the kitchen (obviously determined to fatten them up yet again).
"No," Lily scowled, warningly ignoring the attempt of an innocent grin Sirius was sending her.
"Anyway," James began as they all sat at the kitchen table "We came to invite you two out with us for New Year."
Through her blush (which hadn't gone unnoticed by her friends or her mother) Lily coughed awkwardly as she chewed on her bottom lip "Are you sure James?" she asked quietly glancing around the confused faces all looking her way "I mean, a pureblood party…me?"
"Hey!" James said as his jaw tensed and he frowned "If we were going to a pureblood party they'd be lucky to have you in attendance okay?"
She smiled softly as she rolled her eyes at him and his anger "Thanks James," she said reaching up and squeezing the clenched fist he had lying beside her arm on the table "So you aren't going to some pureblood party? A Potter, a Lestrange and a Black not joining the elite members of the wizarding society at the time of year where they compete more than ever?"
She had been joking but James, Daxia and Sirius all scowled "I think we've suffered through those awful events long enough," Sirius said as both Remus and Peter shrugged, neither of the remaining members of the marauders had been invited to the lavish parties thrown by the elite pureblood families (unless it was at the Potter place of course).
"So we've decided to venture into muggle London!" Peter grinned waiting for Lily and Adiya to exclaim their thoughts of it being such a good idea, the rest of the marauders all looking at the two girls with similar expressions on their faces.
Instead Adiya raised an eyebrow "Muggle London? Seriously?"
As Peter cast a questioning look towards his friends, his shoulders rising and falling in a confused shrug, Sirius narrowed his eyes "Don't think we can survive out there eh Bell?"
Adiya smirked "I definitely think that…unless you can tell me what cider is made out of Black?"
As Sirius scowled James spoke up before an argument could break out between his friends "We thought it would be fun," he defended "My parents are headed out to the Prewitt's place and we wanted to do something all of us could do together. Y'know… because…y'know…" he said with arched eyebrows, glancing over to where Mrs. Evans was preparing them cups of tea and hoping his friends knew he was referring to the ever potential threat of the Death Eaters becoming more and more powerful "We never know."
Lily was smiling as her mother turned and began handing out mugs "You don't mind do you mum?" she asked, James grinning triumphantly.
"Mind what dear?" Mrs. Evans asked as she took the spare seat beside her daughter, Daxia flopping down beside Sirius once she was done marvelling over the kettle.
"Me heading out with my friends on New Year's Eve? You're off to the Dursely's this year aren't you?"
Either not noticing or choosing to ignore the sour looks on Daxia, Adiya, James and Sirius's faces upon hearing the news of where she was going to be spending the New Year Mrs. Evans thought over the request "For the fireworks in London? You don't think there will be any trouble down there do you?" she asked, though Lily had been able to keep the news of the impending wizarding war away from her mother's ears there was no stopping her hearing about any muggle issues in the news.
"Of course not mum!" she exclaimed, encouraging her friends to agree with me "Plus we already have the tickets… please?"
Mrs. Evans smiled softly knowing her youngest daughter would rather sit at home on her own than spend time with Vernon Dursley and his family "As long as you stay safe love," she said not wanting her daughter to miss out on spending more time with her friends.
As the gang of teenagers all sent her grins and words of appreciation Lily leant over to give her a hug, James looking over her shoulder to send Mrs. Evans a look of reassurance "I'll look after her."
Once they had finished their tea and caught Mrs. Evans up on how they were all doing at school, especially since it was the first proper time she had spoken with Remus and Peter, they had washed their mugs and followed Lily and Adiya outside.
"Just fancied a walk," Lily had said though each of the marauders had the sneaking suspicion that Petunia and her oaf of a fiancé were due home any moment.
"What is that?"
Adiya chuckled as she noticed Sirius was looking up to an electricity pylon "And you think you're going to fair okay in muggle London," she tutted allowing Lily and Remus to explain and laughing at the looks of amazement of everyone else in the group's faces "You do muggle studies!"
Daxia pulled her tongue out to her friend "It's different learning about things than it is seeing them up close!" she defended as Lily led them into, what looked like, a child's park "Oh hey! I know what those are!" she exclaimed rushing toward the swing set.
They remained in the park for the rest of the day. The boys took advantage of the snow still lying in parts of the area while Daxia, Adiya and Lily all had competitions to see who could swing the highest. Lily told them stories of how she would come to this very park before she realised she was a witch while Daxia and Sirius questioned her about her muggle upbringing (until she mentioned how she hadn't expected the two of them to be studying for their exams during the Christmas holidays of course).
They laughed and marvelled over their different upbringings (though Daxia, Sirius and Remus not elaborating too much), planned New Year's Eve and threw too many slushy snowballs.
"I guess we'll see you in two nights' time," Lily smiled once her friends had walked her and Adiya back to her house.
"Indeed you will," James replied tucking his hands into his pockets as he nodded "And we'll-" they all winced as his sentence was cut off by a shriek from inside the house. It seemed Petunia had found Lily and Adiya's school textbooks laying around the living room and wasn't too happy about it.
"See you!" The friends all exchanged before the two girls rushed into the house to save their possessions while the marauders and Daxia all headed toward the alleyway they had apparated into before they were also spotted.
"Y'know what New Year's Eve is for?"
Daxia huffed as she ran a brush through her hair, inspecting her make-up for the last time as she leant closer to the mirror "I dunno James… marking the beginning of a brand new year?" she replied with an eye roll, frowning as her curls began to frizz instead of straighten. No matter how many times Lily tried to teach her the charm she'd come up with to help Daxia control her mane of curls she could never pull it off as well as her best friend.
"Kissing!"
Daxia snorted a laugh as she turned her wand to her hair "And you're really going to kiss Evans in front of all of our friends tonight?"
He frowned, Sirius was in the shower and there was no one to stop him "I dunno Lestrange, are you gunna kiss Black in front of all our friends tonight?"
He immediately regretted it as Daxia paled, her lips pursing as she glared to him through the mirror. He was glad of the reflective surface; he'd rather look a basilisk in the eye than an angered Daxia Lestrange "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing!" he squeaked as he ran a hand through his hair "Y'know, I assumed you wouldn't wanna kiss Remus again so by the powers of deduction I picked Sirius?"
He was thankful as this seemed to satisfy her, turning her attention back to the wand attempting to control her curls "Speaking of Sirius is he still in the shower?" she asked turning away from the mirror to look up to where James was looking for his jacket.
"No he isn't," Sirius announced as he entered the room in just a towel "Jeans, a shirt and my leather jacket?" he related the words which had been on his and James's lips and minds constantly since the previous night.
Daxia shrugged "I reckon you'll look out of place in your dress robes," she teased "Just wear what you picked out yesterday…I thought it looked good and it was Lily-approved."
"Right," he nodded, they had worn muggle clothing before but never to an event which would be packed with muggles where they would have to fit in the best they could "And you're wearing…that are you?" he questioned, his words catching in his throat as his eyes roamed over Daxia's outfit. She was wearing a short dress which showed off her slim legs perfectly "I, um, I mean…" he sent a smirking James a scowl "Won't you be cold?"
Daxia shrugged "I'm sure I'll manage."
It felt like ages before they were finally ready.
Mrs. Potter gave them each a kiss on the cheek while Mr. Potter made them promise to not get too drunk as he handed them the muggle money he had been out and gotten exchanged for them. The couple waved the trio off until they were out of the gates and passed the many protective spells cast around the Potter home.
The Leaky Cauldron was, once again, packed by the time they arrived.
"You lot took your time!" Peter exclaimed when they joined their friends, this time gathered around a booth near the door, and accepted a welcoming shot of Firewhiskey from Lily.
There had been no time for more teasing or greetings as Remus handed them their tickets, ushering the group out of the door.
As, with James and Peter at their heels, Remus, Lily and Adiya lead the way Daxia and Sirius hung back behind Emmeline, Dorcas and the Longbottoms. Threading her arm through his, as his hand nestled in the pocket of his leather jacket, Daxia leant her head on his shoulder.
"I really like that dress by the way."
She chuckled at his mumble "I dunno, I might get cold," she teased looking up to him as she placed her other hand into the pocket of her denim jacket.
His eyebrows twitched as he glanced down to her "Well, maybe I could help with that?"
She rolled her eyes as she nudged him with her hip "That depends entirely on how many of our friends you've told about us?"
"Hm?" he replied staring forward to where Dorcas was messing around with and teasing Frank Longbottom, an innocence written on his face Daxia knew he used whenever he was trying to avoid getting into trouble.
She narrowed her eyes "James said something to me earlier."
"I am going to kill him," he groaned loudly as he allowed his head to drop back against his collar "He guessed, I told him not to say anything, kill him not me."
"And here's me thinking Marauders looked out for one another," she tutted as they watched their friends veer off toward a lively looking pub, set back from the others in the row in front of the Thames "Yet Sirius Black will willingly throw James Potter under the bus when it comes to secret keeping!"
Sirius came to a stop as each of the rest of their group disappeared into the pub "So you aren't mad?"
"We share a dorm with these people Black, they were bound to find out some time!"
He grinned as she broke away from him and, sending him a grin of her own over her shoulder, bounded on high heels toward the bouncer guarding the door "And I would never throw James Potter under any bus thank you very much!"
It was bright in the pub, people chattered and laughed loudly as Sirius pushed through the crowds to catch up with Daxia. She was leant up against the bar, her arms crossed before her and her left foot tapping slightly to the background music as she grinned up to the young barman. Beside her Marlene Branson was pointing out which drinks she thought Daxia would like.
"Ah here you are!" Marlene greeted him as he reached them, leaning with his elbows beside Daxia's arms. It seemed Marlene, Dexter, Mary and Benji had all headed straight to the pub rather than stopping off at The Leaky Cauldron first "Have you decided what you're drinking tonight Black?"
Sirius frowned as he glanced at the strangely named beer pumps lining the bar "They don't have Firewhiskey?"
"Y'know," the barman began arching his eyebrows toward Daxia "You two aren't the only ones to request that tonight…where do you normally drink?"
Sirius scowled "Anywhere but here," he cut in as he shuffled closer to Daxia, Marlene regarding the situation with amusement on her face.
The barman finally glanced up to the tall, intimidating looking teenage boy and immediately backed down with a shrug "So what can I get you folks?" he asked, keeping his eyes on Sirius as Lily and Adiya joined them at the bar.
Not picking up on the situation Lily grinned up to her friends as she shuffled in between Sirius and Daxia "I would definitely recommend the Coors beer or a vodka tonic," she said brightly, the barman disappearing as Sirius sent him a nod "Wait, what did you do?" she asked suspiciously, folding her arms as she glared up to Sirius.
"He's just looking out for his lady," Marlene chuckled, receiving her drinks from the other barman, nudging Daxia with her elbow as she turned away to head back to where their friends were gathered at the back of the room.
Both Daxia and Sirius rolled their eyes as Lily arched her eyebrows and the barman placed a beer in front of Sirius and a vodka tonic in front of Daxia.
It was odd for them both to join their friends in celebrating the beginning of a New Year. When they were younger they were used to their parents either planning the most lavish and expensive party they could or dragging them to another family's lavish and expensive party. They were used to being shunned into the other room to play with the other children or, later on in their lives, ignored and talked about as though they weren't there. Even at a Potter gathering they had felt left out; no matter how hard their surrogate parents tried they couldn't stop their guests from stealing uneasy glances toward the Black boy and the Lestrange girl. They wore tight, itchy and uncomfortable dresses (for Daxia) and robes (for Sirius) while sipping on drinks they didn't particularly enjoy and making forced and uneasy conversation.
The muggle way seemed to be the total opposite. Strangers bought them drinks and drew them into nonsensical conversations filled with laughter. Their friends seemed genuinely happy for them to be there as Frank Longbottom and Dex McKinnon spoke with Sirius about his interest in motorbikes while Dorcas and Alice gave Daxia advice on becoming an auror (obviously mentioning their good looking trainer with giggles on their lips and blushes on their cheekbones). No one seemed to care when Sirius curled his arm around her waist (though they did exchange knowing smirks) and instead of icy glares they received hugs and looks of warmth.
Plus muggle alcoholic beverages did taste nicer than what they were expecting.
The night sped by them, so differently to their family parties it was almost like time worked differently in muggle London, and the barman from earlier was soon ushering them outside for the countdown and to watch the fireworks.
Daxia ducked beneath Sirius's arm as the chilly air hit her, a slightly tipsy Lily slung an arm around James's back and their friends crowded around them as the gathering of muggles they were right in the centre of began counting down from ten.
"Do you know what muggles do once they reach one? To ring the new year in?" Daxia asked as Sirius took a sip from his beer bottle and shook his head. She shrugged, replying "They kiss." in a nonchalant manner just as the people around them reached two.
With a small smile he glanced down to her fondly as their fellow party goers exclaimed their welcomings to the new year, nudging her chin up with the arm curled around her shoulders he tugged her closer to him as he pressed his lips to hers "Happy New Year Dax."
Beside them James Potter was grinning as he turned to face Lily Evans, he was planning on cracking some witty line about joining the masses as he nodded toward Frank and Alice Longbottom and Dexter and Marlene snogging their way into nineteen seventy eight. Instead he watched in amazement as she curled her fingers around his lapels and pulled him in closer "Evans what…I mean…"
Clearly sick of keeping her feelings about the Quidditch captain, the arrogant toerag she'd been determined to avoid, to herself Lily Evans pulled James Potter closer and celebrated the new year by kissing the shocked and amazed look right off his face.