The Lights Are Low - Lily POV
Lily should’ve known the party was a bad idea. Let’s be honest, a bunch of drunk, horny teenagers in a room together wasn’t exactly her dream way of spending her Friday night. However, Remus had promised to do her Potions essay, so here she was, with her makeup done by Marlene and a red dress borrowed from Mary, hating Remus more and more every second for making her do this. Honestly, parties are overrated. There are always too many people or not enough people and it feels really awkward. Especially, when you’re the only sober one there.
She didn’t even know why the party was happening. It wasn’t like Griffindor had won any Quidditch matches lately; the school year had only just started; and no one had anything interesting happen to them recently. Maybe it was because they could finally (legally) drink. Whatever reason it was, Lily hated it.
It was still early into the party, so people weren’t completely drunk yet and people were still arriving. The redhead had tucked herself into a corner at the back of Griffindor common room, just watching people interact and drink and dance. Remus had disappeared, which Lily was very upset about. He forces her to come and then doesn’t talk to her? The disrespect.
Some Ravenclaws walk in, then a pair of 7th year Hufflepuff girls. ‘So this is an inter-house party?’ Lily thinks to herself. ‘Remus had better write an amazing essay.’ As if summoned from her bitter thoughts, Remus appears next to her. The scar covered boy had hit a growth spurt over the summer, suddenly making him 6’1 at 16. It was a little scary seeing him at the train platform, but he was still the same old Remus.
“You should drink,” he says. “Sirius bought some Firewhiskey.”
“Where did he get that from?”
“No idea, and I’m not questioning it.”
Lily glares at him before glancing at the bottle in one of his hands. Parties weren’t very fun if everyone else was drunk and you weren’t. But, hangovers weren’t very fun either.
“Maybe later, thanks Rem.”
Remus shrugs before taking a swig of the bottle.
“Your loss.”
“You didn’t tell me it was going to be an inter-house party.”
“You didn’t ask.”
Lily glances back out at the rest of the room.
“If Snape shows up, I’m leaving and you have to do my Charms essay as well.”
She and Snape had gotten into a fight at the end of last year. Snape had called her a ‘mudblood’ so now Lily refused to talk to him. She was also actively avoiding him, which was hard seeing as they were in the same DADA class and he always seemed to ‘forget’ what the homework was. She always told him to shove his homework up his arse. He didn’t particularly like that.
“Deal. He wouldn’t come anyway.”
Marlene comes bounding over to them, clearly already a little drunk. She’s swaying on her feet a little and clinging onto Lily’s arm as if it was her only lifeline. She had a big grin on her face, like she was up to something.
“What did you do?” Lily asks.
“Why would you say that?” Marlene acts offended, a hand flying up to her chest.
“You’re always up to something when you have that look on your face,” Remus points out.
“Fine, Regulus and his friends are coming.”
Remus and Lily exchange glances and the latter opens her mouth to say something when Marlene spots someone across the room and goes bounding over to talk to them.
Regulus and his friends have a complex relationship with Remus and his friends. Lily and Remus both like him, mainly because they all studied together last year for their O.W.L.S. Regulus was a year younger than them but he was moved up a year. It was hard for Sirius, having to see the brother who was the perfect son be in the same classes as him and do better.
Lily glances over to the boy in question, who is standing across the room in jeans and Remus’ shirt. It wasn’t unusual for them to swap clothes, except Sirius was only 5’8, so the shirt was a little big. He managed to pull it off though.
‘So, do you want to tell him?’
Remus’ voice pulls her out of her thoughts.
‘He’s your best friend.’
‘I suppose you’re right. Pray for me.’
‘Praying right now.’