Rebel Rebel

1

As Rebel Rebel faded out, drowned by cheers and whistles David Bowie left the stage, leaving the screaming audience to start slowly filtering out of the Newcastle City Hall.

   "Let's find a pub!" Lily shouted over the crowd towards Remus and Sirius as they made their way to the exit.

   Their ears were still ringing with noise as Remus, Sirius, James, Peter, Lily, Mary, Marlene and Dorcas found a warm pub a few streets over and sank into chairs by the fire. Remus was still reeling from having seen David Bowie live in concert, the effects from the joint he had shared with Mary and Sirius before the concert had long faded and he didn't even roll his eyes at James and Sirius giggling at the football on the television.

   Lily and Mary came back from the bar with trays of drinks and Remus downed half his beer impressively quickly. Peter was bouncing his leg excitedly and his pint nearly overflowed, Sirius was beaming as he took a deep drink of alcohol and fell back into the armchair beside Remus.

   It was Friday the 16th June 1978. Less than a month away from leaving Hogwarts for good the eight of them had snuck out of school and apparated to Newcastle for David Bowie's 1978 World Tour.

   Sirius, gorgeous Sirius, dressed tonight in black jeans, his favourite Queen shirt and his famous leather jacket, had bought everyone tickets. James and Peter had never been to a concert before, something they had always been jealous of Sirius and Remus for. In 1977, during the Easter holidays Sirius and Remus had snuck into a Pink Floyd concert shortly after they officially started dating.

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   Two hours later the eight of them stumbled out of a nightclub still pounding with music and sat down by the waterfront, sharing a half full bottle of some disgustingly strong whiskey.

   "Do you think McGonagall will notice we're all gone?" Mary asked, the sequins on her dress catching the light from the boats out on the water.

   "Probably." James said, accepting the bottle from Marlene and wincing as he took a swig. "You lot are lucky, me and Lily have to be back at school at eight in the morning for a bloody meeting tomorrow."

   "Cry me a fucking river Mr. Head Boy." Sirius replied, grinning.

   "We should probably find somewhere to sleep." Remus pointed out, slipping a cigarette between his lips and glancing around before lighting it with his wand.

   So James and Sirius took charge, leading the way along the quay to find some sort of hotel or B&B that would accept them for the night. Remus and Lily brought up the rear, sharing a second cigarette.

   "James was pretty good at the karaoke, wasn't he?" Remus said, smirking.

   "Yeah, he was alright." Lily replied.

   "C'mon Lily you are so into him."

   Lily blushed and shoved Remus.

   "It is a bit ironic that now he's stopped asking you out, you like him." Remus teased.

   "Oh fuck off Remus, it's not like I'm in love with him."

   "Would you like me to get him to take off his shirt and sing I Saw Her Standing There again?" Remus asked. Lily snatched the cigarette from Remus' fingers and threw into the churning grey waters below. Remus laughed and stopped to light a third, marveling in how ordinary things could be with his friends as the world was falling apart.

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   They only managed to find a place with two rooms free so the boys settled themselves on the floor of their room with some bottles from the minibar after they said goodnight to Lily, Mary, Marlene and Dorcas.