Party
Marlene sat on the stairs at James' house, surrounded by strangers chatting and drinking.
One couple next to her were snogging, and kept almost falling into her. But Marlene remained, watching Dorcas from across the room.
It felt strange, seeing Dorcas Meadowes in the Potter's house. But Dorcas had strolled in, chatted to various people and was now standing with a beer in hand, laughing at something Sinistra had said.
Marlene's grip on her drink tightened, ans she felt an anger blossom.
A giggle suddenly came from next to her, and she turned to see a very drunk Peter beside her.
"You look sad", Peter pouted, the buttons on his shirt half undone.
"I'm not sad."
He laughed, "Well you look it", then held out a hand for her.
She took it, and suddenly he was running upstairs to one of the bathrooms. He winked before opening the door, revealing Lily and Remus sitting in the bathtub. Alice, Kingsley, and Xenophilius were sat on the floor. Books and ink surrounded them all.
"Welcome to our humble abode", Peter grinned, grabbing a blunt from Xenophilius and lighting it.
"Is this some sort of book and smoke club?"
Kingsley glanced up, "We're writing a short memoir."
Marlene glanced around the room, accepting the cigarette from Peter, "Why?"
Remus shrugged, his eyes still on the book in his hands, "Because Sirius wanted to do shots and we needed an excuse to escape that disaster."
"No, Remus", Lily kicked him, "Because we have meaningful things to say; our thoughts, our words, our lives are passing through time like insignificant specks, but literature is a short immortality. We may forget tonight, but what we write will live on."
She paused for a moment, and slowly frowned, "Okay. I'm too sober for this, I need a drink."
Lily hopped out of the bathtub, and headed downstairs.
Marlene sat down on the floor, "Meadowes is here."
Peter has climbed up to the window sill behind the sink and as he opened it, turned to her, "James invited her, said he likes her fervent attitude towards quidditch."
"You have a crush on Meadowes?" Alice asked, ripping a page out of Chaucer, which Remus was now trying to wrestle from her.
"Merlin, no", Marlene groaned, leaning her head against the cool, tiled wall, "I hate them."
Alice nodded, as if she understood, and leaned towards Kingsley in a whisper, "Just like my Narcissa."
Kingsley laughed, lighting another blunt.
Peter leaned out the window, glancing at the back garden, below, "Hey Marlene, Meadowes is out here."
Marlene shot to her feet, climbing over the sink to reach the window sill. She looked out into the dark garden, spotting Dorcas with Pandora.
"What are they doing?" Marlene narrowed her eyes, watching as the two sat together by one of the bushes.
"You seem like a stalker, Marlene", Kingsley commented.
"I am not. I'm just curious. Meadowes is literally standing right by the fence to my house, maybe they know I live there somehow."
Alice snorted, "You think she’s breaking into your house?”
"Well, I don't know! That's why I'm trying to see!"
Lily opened the door, slamming it shut behind her, “Okay, I'm ready to write now."
She joined the three on the floor, Remus peering over the tub to watch them.
"Update", Marlene called out, "James is now with them. With a glass of water. I have no clue what's going on."
Peter squinted, sticking his head out the window, "I think Lovegood threw up."
"Oh."
"She did?" Xenophilius stood up, clammering up to the window, "Dora!" He yelled, "Are you okay?"
All three turned to the bathroom window.
Pandora held her thumbs up before proceeding to wave.
James yelled back, "What are you doing up there?"
"We're writing!"
He frowned, "At a party?"
Dorcas was staring at Marlene, a small smirk on their face.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Marlene shouted to them.
Dorcas' smirk grew, "Were you watching me?"
"No!" Marlene answered, quickly, her cheeks growing red.
Peter turned to her, "Well, you were."