1962 ── lily evans

FOUR

FOUR

"WHAT DO you girls fancy?" Sirius asked as he lead the group into a rather rough-looking pub a few streets away from the meeting hall.

"Whatever you're having," Lennon spoke cooly, leading three of the boys to a table nearby and slipping casually into the alcohol-stained seat.

"You sure a little girl like you can handle a pint?" James teased, wiggling his eyebrows mockingly at her.

"Make it two," she hissed, sending a glower in the direction of the bespectacled boy. Sirius let out a loud snort of laughter as James stuck his tongue out childishly at her.

"And you, ginger?" Sirius directed the question obviously at Lily, who blushed somewhat at the nickname. Lennon rolled her eyes, wishing she didn't act so ditsy around these boys she hardly knew.

"A baileys, please," she mumbled, tucking a long strand of vibrant hair behind her ear. Sirius raised an eyebrow, looking far less impressed than he had been with Lennon, but James nodded accordingly. 

"That's more like it," he called out, winking in Lennon's direction before wrapping a long arm around Lily's petite shoulder with ease.

Remus slipped out of his chair, looking disgruntled at James' boldness with the younger girl, and followed Sirius to the bar. Pausing for confirmation, he quickly counted the heads in the booth. "Five pints and a baileys?"

As if telepathically, the two girls stuck their thumbs up in unison, agreeing silently that the order was correct. The pale boy nodded unsurely, as if perturbed by their coincidental movements, and he and Sirius left in the direction of the bar.

Shortly, they returned, placing a tray full of mugs filled to the brim on the table before them. Eagerly, each of the group swept their drinks off of the tray, and in sync, they clinked their glasses in celebration of yet another successful meeting. The group split off without another word then, all at the same table still, but conversing separately. 

Lily immediately swivelled in her seat towards James, and he faced her too, looking cocky that he'd bagged female attention so easily. Lennon observed them briefly, Lily's fiery locks twirling around her thin fingers childishly. As she tore her eyes away, almost jealous, she found Sirius waiting patiently to talk to her, eyes watching her intently.

"What made you come tonight? We know you're only young, right?" He raised an eyebrow, his hand wrapped carelessly around the frosted glass containing his lager on the table.

"We're 17. Not that young. Besides, we care about the cause. I do, anyways," she said,
eyes flickering sideways towards her best friend, who was sitting, giggling into the back of her hand at the older boy's pathetic attempt at a joke. For once, she began to doubt her - she'd never known Lily to become so enamoured with a boy so quickly, and she found it almost perturbing.

"So I saw. Surprised me, truth me told. I was intrigued, and I figured if anything, I wanted to be your friend. Your hearts in the right place, little lady," Sirius spoke, amusement laced in his voice as he ruffled her hair. She pulled a face and huffed as she fixed it back into place, tucking a few long, brunette strands lazily behind her ear.

"You didn't bring me here for sex, I hope, because I'll wholeheartedly disagree, thank you very much," she said abruptly, another glance at her friend making her wonder if the group of boys were sleazier than she'd first anticipated. Perhaps it was just James, she wondered, who was crawling all over Lily, much to her disgust.

"Sex? God, no, not really my type," he teased, although she sensed some discomfort in his tone. "As I said, Lennon, friends. You spoke well tonight, and I appreciate it. I think you supplied some bloody good encouragement for half the old codgers that usually turn up. Young blood does us good."

Lennon felt her cheeks heat up, a pale red tint creeping up onto her skin. She hoped the darkness of the pub's flickering, dim lights had disguised it, but she couldn't be too sure. All the same, she was beyond flattered at the compliment, and she instantly felt a burst of admiration for Sirius.

"Thank you. It was Lily too, of course," she said, taking this as yet another opportunity to glance over at the ginger. "But we'll be back next week, of course. Even with the trek across the city from our houses."

"Will you get back safe when we all leave? Perhaps we ought to walk you back. It's pretty late out for girls like you two," Sirius' brows furrowed as he watched the petite girl before him gulp down a mouthful of lager. He was sure he saw a twinge of disgust cross her face but chose not mention it, deciding it best to save her from humiliation. 

"I'm sure we'll be fine. Your company is lovely, of course, but I'm sure we'll be quite alright. Always are," Lennon said confidently, choking back another sip of her drink.

"I'm not so sure. Even big boys like us get attacked sometimes. Eh, Moony?" Sirius said, nudging the scarred boy harshly with his elbow. Startled, he twisted in his seat, an eyebrow quirked in inquisitive confusion. 

"We can't let these little ladies walk home alone, right?" He repeated himself, sure that Remus would catch his drift and agree.

"I didn't get these scars for nothing, love," Remus teased, seeming far too lighthearted about the subject as he pointed out the few scars that scattered his pale face. Lennon couldn't stop her mouth from falling slightly agape, and Sirius, certain he'd convinced her, looked more than pleased. 

"So we'll be walking back with you then, yeah?"

Wordlessly, Lennon's head bobbed up and down in agreement, hands moving up to cradle her cheeks, much to the amusement of every boy surrounding the table. Laughter spilled from their mouths like the liquid did from their glasses as they stumbled out of the booths, downed their drinks and made slowly for the exit.