The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

The End of Term Party

The End of Term Party

Remus curled himself up on his bed, back against the headboard, a book across his lap. He stared down at it very hard. It was Valentine's Day all over again, as he was trying to ignore James and Sirius getting ready to go meet their dates. Sirius, of course, was going with Marlene McKinnon, and James had managed to talk a third year Hufflepuff girl - Shirley Cross - into meeting him there. Even Peter was going, though he wasn't going with anyone, just to enjoy the party. "They'll probably have loads of great sweets there," he said to Remus, trying to talk him into going, "Are you sure you'd rather stay up here, alone in the dorm?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Remus replied, not fancying going anywhere that would be nothing but a grand excuse for Sirius Black to slobber all over Marlene McKinnon's face in public. He'd much rather read all night and pretend there wasn't a party at all.

Sirius was staring in the mirror, messing with his hair, as James polished his glasses and Peter laced his trainers. When they were all ready, they stood in a row by the door, looking back at Remus, who didn't even glance up. "Bye Rey," called Peter in a friendly tone. Remus nodded and half-waved. Sirius ducked out the door without saying anything at all and James sighed and looked back at him, "If you change your mind, you know where the Great Hall is," he said.

Remus nodded, "But I won't. Bye, you lot."

The moment the door closed, Remus sighed and laid back on the cushions, closing his eyes.

The Great Hall had been decorated with Ravenclaw insignias in honor of it being them who had won the House Cup. The walls were lined with buffet tables and the center of the Hall reserved for dancers. The three boys snuck in through the wide doors and looked about, getting an idea of the lay out. Peter spotted the table of food and rushed over - the food was officially his date, it seemed. Marlene McKinnon and Shirley Cross were waiting in two different directions so ames and Sirius looked at one another. "Well, good luck mate," Sirius said.

James nodded, "Thanks. You too."

They split up.

As James walked across the room toward Shirley Cross, he looked around for any signs of LIly and Severus Snape, but he couldn't see them. He stepped up to Shirley and smiled as he approached her, "Hey there," he said awkwardly, and he smiled and stuck out his hand for a handshake.

She stared at it a moment, then laughed and shook his hand, "Hey, James."

They chatted, mostly about qiuidditch and how much he enjoyed playing chaser over seeker, and she started telling him about the gobstones club she was a part of and he nodded and answered at all the right places, but he wasn't really paying as much attention as he should've been.

Lily and Severus met up in the Great Hall. She was wearing a white dress that hung just to her knees that was covered with a white lace, and Severus's jaw nearly fell off when he saw it. He hurried over to her, "Wow, Lily, you look amazing," he said.

She blushed and smiled, "Thanks, Sev."

He tried to kiss her again, like he'd done the last time they'd talked, when he'd invited her to this thing, and she dodged it again the same way. He looked disappointed when he pulled back from pressing his mouth to her cheek but before he could say anything, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the Great Hall. "C'mon," she said, "There's loads of snacks and drinks. We better get in there before Peter Pettigrew eats them all."

Severus didn't seem to fully get the joke - well, not being in Gryffindor, he wouldn't, would he? She thought - but he followed after her anyway. Emmaline Vance was just inside the door, looking frustrated, not able to find her date, who was supposed to be meeting her and she caught LIly's wrist as she entered the Great Hall, asking if she'd seen the boy. While they were talking a moment, Severus went to get a couple cups of the punch and he came back a moment later with it and held one up to Lily, sipping his own.