The Marauders: Year Two | #Wattys2016

Firewhiskey

Firewhiskey

That evening was a particularly chilly one, and the common room was a mess of shivering younger students jostling to get closer to the fire. Since the elder students had gone to Hogsmeade for the day, the common room was delightfully accessible for the first-and-second years. James and Sirius managed to squish together onto the chair closest to the fire, and Peter lay on the floor at their feet, biting his tongue as he worked at writing an essay from notes that Remus had lent him from Defense. He had to keep careful watch over the parchment, that a spark from the fire didn't land upon it and burn it up, as had happened to him once the week before. (Sirius had had to leap up and use the aquamenti charm on Peter's Transfiguration homework while Peter rolled, squealing in terror, under the little couch.)

Remus was across the room, bundled up in several jumpers and working on Charms homework with Lily Evans at the table. Ali Prewett sat next to Lily, elbowing her now and again for some help out with her homework, too.

"Sorry I keep bothering you," Ali said after she'd interrupted Lily and Remus several times, "It's just that, Lily, you remind me of my sister, Molly, a bit," she explained shyly.

"No worries," Lily replied with a smile, "I'm happy to help."

"Me, too," Remus answered, for he'd been helping answer Ali's questions, too.

Ali smiled and turned back to her work.

Suddenly the portrait hole burst opened and in tromped some of the older students, laughing uproariously. "That git is going to be in big trouble if McGonagall sees him like that," giggled one of the fifth year girls. "Can't imagine how he managed to get a hold of a bottle of Firewhiskey anyway. He's underage, isn't he?"

"Think so," said one of the girl's friends, her eyes twinkling. "I imagine he wooed it out of the bar mistress with those eyes--" she sighed dreamily.

"Probably!" laughed the second girl, "That sounds like him. But he won't be able to woo the anger out of McGonagall when she finds out he's been drinking Firewhiskey! Not that he will - friends with the Head Boy and all..."

James was about to ask who was getting in trouble for drinking Firewhiskey when he got his answer - a very noisy answer at that. Derek Bell, hanging over the arms of Bilius Weasley and Alex Tinnamin, stumbled on through the doorway, barely held on his feet by his friends. He was singing in a booming voice. James looked 'round at Sirius, who had lowered the textbook he'd been reading to look at the three of them coming in the doorway. Derek was quite obviously intoxicated.

James raised an eyebrow, "Well then."

"HULLO GRYFFINDORS!" shouted Derek boisterously, "What are you lot up to up here? Being all quiet in our absence! You need'ta learn and have a lit'l fun!"

"Isn't that the Head Boy with him?" muttered one of the first years in surprise, looking 'round at the three boys struggling through the portrait hole.

Lily's eyes darted to the girl who had said it, and then back to Derek, Alex, and Bilius. "What have you lot been up to?" she asked solemnly, "Certainly looks as though it's been no good, whatever it is."

"Oh it's been plenty good," slurred Derek.

Alex Tinnamin said, "Glad somebody thinks so." He tugged on Derek's arm, trying to keep him balanced as Derek tripped over his own two feet. Luckily, Alex was a strong boy or else Derek's weight would've crushed him.

Lily stood up and put her hands on her hips in a sassy manner, "You lot have been drinking, haven't you?"

"We lot have not," Bilius replied, "Him, yes. We, no." He pulled Derek his way to relieve some of the weight he was putting onto Alex.