❁ BOTANY; r.lupin

17.

"The Black Lake"

SUNDAY COULD'NT HAVE come any faster for Janice Price; she didn't feel prepared in the slightest for her romantic date with the brown eyed boy. Lily had lent her a pretty blue summer dress to wear and Emmeline had helped her do her hair. She looked rather lovely. 

"You'll be bloody fab, darling," Marlene grinned as she spun her best mate round in their now empty dorm. 

Jan laughed but stopped her, holding both of her hands, "I'm really blooming nervous, Marls. What if it goes horribly wrong?"

"It wont," she stated plainly but began ratching around for something, "Take the notebook. I'll leave mine open."

Marlene was a genius. The simple solution was to take one of the notebooks that the girls used to communicate over summer and when Lily and Em fell asleep. All Jan had to do was write something and it would show up in the other.

She placed the notebook in Janice's small bag (which had an expanding charm on) and looked back up at her, "Sorted?"

"Sorted."

"Brilliant. Now off you pop."

Jan smiled and opened the door to their bedroom, taking in a deep breath as she placed her hand on the railing and took small, cautious steps down the stairs. He was already there when she reached the bottom; Remus looked simply adorable. His legs were covered in black chord trousers and he was wearing a Bowie t-shirt. He was all smiles when he spotted Janice. 

"Well, don't you look pretty as a picture," he said as he put his hand on her arm and guided her to the portrait hole. 

"Thanks, Rem," she chuckled. He held his arm out for her to take as they entered the corridors and she gladly wrapped her arm around his own - in his other hand was a woven picnic basket.

They spread out the blanket so they were facing the beautiful view of the lake, Remus unpacked the various treats he had gotten from the kitchens. "You didn't need to do all of this, Remus, seriously."

"I know, I know but i wanted to. I mean, I would have a good time watching paint dry as long as I was with you but I thought this would be nice," he said as he poured her a glass of pumpkin juice. 

Jan simply smiled graciously in return and took a sip of her juice. The two started on some of the food and chatted about music, books and their classes. It would be safe to say that the pair were having a splendid time in each others company. 

Just as they began to tuck into some of the marvellous cakes on display, Remus' faithful companions came bombarding over into their direction. Sirius stopped the other two and they all began miming different things.

"Are we playing charades?" Jan turned to Remus and the boy laughed. 

James soon realised that the other two were also flapping their arms around like goons. He paused them angrily and did a sniffing action. He then turned to Sirius and put his long hair in front of his face as Sirius squatted down slightly.  James then silently howled like some sort of dog or wolf. Remus paled and grabbed his jacket, "Shit, J. I'm so sorry but I've got to go."

"What? Now? Why?"

"I can't explain, you're just going to have to trust me."

Jan stared up at him in awe, "But-"

He cut her off by kissing her forehead quickly and he walked backwards towards the boys, "I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

Janice opened up her bag and frantically pulled out a quill and the notebook, she wrote 'Remus left. Bring firewhisky.' 

Marlene (accompanied by a bottle of firewhisky) soon arrived and the girls drank while they scoffed the remainder of the food that Remus left. 

"It was so weird, Marls. It was going great then the boys showed up and flailed around and he just ran off."

"Maybe it was an emergency," Marlene suggested as she put another cupcake in her mouth.

"But I don't get how he would've understood that from what they did. It was insane." Jan threw herself down onto the blanket and stared up at the clear sky through the trees. "What if he just doesn't like me and that was some sort of excuse for him to get out of the date?"

Marlene joined her friend on the blanket and turned to face her, "He wouldn't have asked you if he didn't like you, J. What's not to like?"

"You have to say that because you're my best friend."

She raised her eyebrows, "Do you even know me at all? You know I don't have to say anything but the truth."

Jan breathed a laugh and sat up, holding out a hand for Marlene, "He doesn't get to just leave me without explanation, I deserve better."

"He really upset you didn't he?"

Janice leant her head on Marlene's shoulder and let herself cry. 

If they were tipsy before, Janice and Marlene were bladdered now. They stumbled into the castle carrying all of the picnic gear and an empty bottle of firewhisky: they giggled, then shushed each other, then began giggling again. When the girls made it to the common room - thankfully without being caught - the boys were sprawled across the sofas. 

Remus sat up quickly at the sight of Jan, "I really am sorry, J. We'll continue it another time, yeah?"

"No it's fine, I get it. The lads come first," she smiled sweetly, "Why don't you just take them out instead? Im sure Sirius would've loved those sandwiches."

He tilted his head to the side, "Jan, come on. I've said I'm sorry."

She scoffed, "Sorry my arse, Lupin." Janice dumped the picnic basket onto the sofa beside him and Marlene began to lead her towards the dorms. 

"For the record, I think we're better off as mates. You disappoint me a lot less," she said before trodding up the stairs behind Marls.