The Brigade

“Soooo, I did a thing.” Lily said coyly as she plopped herself on the chair opposite Remus. He had been sitting at their favourite table, on their favourite coffee shop on campus, well over thirty minutes into his book, waiting on Lily to grace him with her presence, as per tradition on Sunday mornings.

“Good morning, Remus. Good morning, Lilian!” Remus began in jest, putting on his best Lily impression. “So sorry for being late, how long have I kept you waiting? Oh, just an half hour or so. That’s terribly rude of me! Oh no fuss Lily, dearest. Oh, but I will fuss, Remus, my very best friend, I will actually pay for every muffin and biscuit in this shop to make it up to you! Oh Lily, you really don’t have to. But I insist, least I could do having kept you waiting for this long. Alright, then, I’ll have one of each in chocolate please. Please, treat yourself Remus! Have two! Have three! Have as many as you’d like!”

“Are you done?” She finally interrupted, unbothered and unimpressed. “Can I tell you about the thing I did now?? Because I really need someone responsible to tell me I’m being crazy, and that I need to lay easy on the nights out with Mary.”

“Well, first of all, don’t call him a thing, his name’s James.” Remus offered without fuss, though Lily’s eyes jumped out their sockets at it. “But go ahead, tell me all about it.”

 “WHAT??? How- How do you know already???” She asked, in a whisper that sounded more like a shout, throwing her hands on top the table, maybe in an effort to contain this revelation the little corner where it sat.

Remus smirked, sipping his coffee with the smugness of a man who, unlike his best friend, did not consume a single drop of alcohol the previous night. “I have my sources,” he claimed.

“What sources?? Did Mary blab?? She couldn’t possibly! She’s not up at this hour on a good day, let alone after a night out… Did you end up going out last night?!”

“Ugh. No.” Remus replied disgusted. A drunken Saturday night party was not his idea of fun.

“What then?? Who told you? Oh god, other people saw us, didn’t they? I’m one of these girls now. Two weekends in a row snogging posh himbo rugby players!”

“Well, it was the same himbo rugby player, does that make it more acceptable?”

“No! And stop distracting me, tell me how you know I made out with Potter!”

Remus chuckled, grabbing his phone out of his pocket, opening his texts, and sliding it towards Lily.

She takes a moment to read.

“It was I who blabbed”, she concluded finally. Remus had received a series of texts the previous night that told a bit of a story.

mary is making me take shots

why are you not here to stop me??

rem he’s here!!!!!!!

fuck me he’s still well fit

bloody posh boys and their hotness

why am I like this??

rem he’s being nice

oh no I’m gonna do it again

“Drunk you is fun.” 

“Drunk me is an idiot”, she says covering her face with her hands in embarrassment.

“Hey, none of that. It’s fine, Lily!” Remus reassured her. “Did you have a bad time? He didn’t seem that insufferable when I met him the other day.”

“No, he was nice, actually…”

“Alright, so what’s the problem, still think he might be a murderer, is it?”

“No…”

“Then what? Do you actually like him or something?” Remus teased jokingly, but Lily blushes furiously.

“Oh my god, Lilian, you do!” Remus laughed. “Another posh boy?”

“I know, alright?? But I’m not gonna let it be like other times, it’s just a casual thing!”

“The way your face and hair blend together tells me otherwise, but sure.” He smirked, then, glancing past her, added, “Oh no. You summoned him.”

“What? Who?” she asked, confused, before a boisterous voice gave her all the explanation she needed.

“Remus Lupin!” James called out, striding over with Sirius in tow. As they arrived, James’s eyes landed on Lily, and his expression shifted from casual confidence to something a bit more shy, almost bashful.

“And… Lily Evans!”

“Those are our names.” Remus deadpanned. “Hello James. Sirius.”

“Remus.” Sirius says with emphasis, clearly gloating over remembering him as promised.

“Wait,” James interrupted a bit confused, brow furrowed as he looked between Remus and Lily. “You two… know each other?”

Lily grimaced, her mouth twisted in a way that said, “Isn’t this just brilliant?”

James blinked, still a little stunned. “Remus, I told you I was trying to meet a red-haired girl, who was beautiful and charming – which Lily here surely is”, he added with a wink towards her, “and you didn’t mention you happened to know one??”

“Oh, you said red-haired goddess, and my mind just couldn’t picture it,” Remus deadpanned, throwing Lily a look of faux innocence.

“Bastard.” She muttered with a smile that contradicted it.

“Love you too.” He said smiling, blowing her a little kiss.

“So”, Sirius started asking having been spotting the interaction, “are you two…?”

Remus and Lily’s expression turned to disgust as soon as they realised the implication.

“No, gross!” He complained.

“Alright, I wouldn’t go with gross, Remus”, Lily said complaining. “But… no, gross.”

“So, then…?”

“We’re friends.” Remus explained.

“Well, tell them properly!” Lily complained. “We’re friends, he says, like it’s bloody casual. I’m your best fucking friend!”

“She’s my best fucking friend.” Remus deadpanned, towards James and Sirius, whose wary expressions had turned into delighted and curious smiles. 

“That’s brilliant!” James exclaimed excitedly. “Sirius here is my best mate too! And he tells me you’re in class with him, Remus! Small world, eh?”

“More like it’s a small campus, really.” Remus muttered dryly, but James was undeterred.

“Can we sit with you guys?” James asked, his gaze flickering to Lily with more than a hint of eagerness.

She shrugged with a small smile. “Yeah, sure.”

“Though we actually haven’t ordered yet,” James added, a bit flustered as he glanced at the bustling coffee shop. “Any recs?”

“They have good pastries, usually, but I haven’t seen what they have in today yet.”

“Oh. Would you like to go and order together, maybe?” James asked Lily, flustered and sweetly, the couple of them looking like little kids with a crush.

“Sure,” she says nodding her agreement.

“Will I get to order together?” Sirius throws at James mockingly.

“No. Sit and I’ll bring you something.” James says dismissively, clearly delighted he’ll get to spend some seconds alone with Lily herself.

They make their way to the line and Sirius sits down at the table where Remus is left still laughing about James and his crush.

“Would you like to order together?” Remus repeats with a grin, unable to resist.

“Pathetic, isn’t he?” Sirius rolled his eyes affectionately. “Positively smitten.”

“Well, you lot have a reputation for being positively smitten by every girl on campus, so...”

“Not just girls, Moonboy.” Sirius corrected with his ever-present smirk. “And that’s all my doing, not James’. You don’t have to worry about him.”

“Moonboy?” Remus scoffed, without acknowledgement of anything else. “Are you trying to be annoying?”

“Doesn’t roll off the tongue does it?” Sirius shrugged, pretending to ponder. “I’ll think of a better one.”

“I have a perfectly good name that my dear parents gave me. It’s weird enough, and I kind of like it, so maybe go with that.”

“I do like Remus, but if we’re going to be friends – which we are by the way”

“Are we?” Remus asked with a doubting cocked brow.

“Yes.” He responded with no room for questioning “And I don’t take friendships or nicknames lightly, so…” He warned with a white pearl grin. “Better get used to it.”

*

The following morning, a good fifteen minutes after Flitwick’s lesson had already started, Remus heard the not-so-subtle sounds of Sirius Black deciding to come in to class for a change. Remus glanced toward the door of the auditorium, meeting Sirius’s shameless grinning gaze and then promptly returned his attention to the lecture.

Though his attention wouldn’t be kept for long. Sirius had decided to settle himself a row behind him, and Remus could feel his eyes on the back of his head. And soon enough, he could hear him too.

“Psst, Remus”, he whispered, leaning forward. “Hey! Moony.”

Without turning around, Remus sighed. “I thought you were going to think of a better nickname.”

“Ah, so you’re not entirely against the concept of a nickname, then?”

“That’s certainly not what I said” Remus replied, resolute, yet fighting a smile.

“Well, I’ll try it out for today and think on it, but I think Moony’s a winner, don’t you agree?”

“Did you decide to interrupt me to try out the name then?”

“Not only.”

“Then what did you want, Sirius?” Remus decided to get to the point. “I know you’re not used to the concept, but we’re in class, I’m not supposed to be whispering to the back row during it.”

“A swot, just as I suspected”, Sirius observed, sounding both amused and faintly impressed.

“Anything else besides insults?” Remus asked unimpressed.

“’s not an insult! Swots are sexy.” Sirius replied smoothly, while Remus did his best not to fluster. “Anyway, we’re throwing a Halloween party, night of. You should come.”

Remus raised an eyebrow and turned slightly. “We?”

“Yes, James, Pete and I. Back at ours. Going to be the best night of the year, and I don’t say that lightly.”

“Is it one of those ridiculous parties your little brigade’s known for?”

“Do you mean epic, infamous, everyone-wants-an-invite kind of party hosted by The Marauders—the most fun group of people you’ll ever meet?”

“No, that’s not what I meant at all.” Remus stressed, letting out a small laugh despite himself. “And you’ve got a little name for yourselves, do you?”

“Yep. And it’s a brilliant one.”

“Right. And here I thought you were fooling everyone into thinking you’re the coolest people on campus.”

Sirius’s grin widened. “We are. And we’re throwing the coolest party, so go on, say: thank you for inviting me Sirius, I know everyone wants an invite and not everyone gets one, so I’ll obviously be there.”

Remus ignored him entirely, asking instead, “Lily’s going to be invited as well, I’m assuming?”

“’Course. James’ obsessed.”

“I might be dragged to it, then.” Sirius threw him an exasperated look at that, to which Remus only responded with, “Best you’ll get out of me, I hate parties.”

“C’mon Moony” Sirius insisted. “It’ll be a bit of fun! You look like you need a little adventure.”

“What’s that supposed to mean??” He demanded, indignant.

“Nothing bad… Just, your uni life seems a little… sheltered, and I think you’d take well to a bit of fun. I’m happy to provide it.”

“I don’t need ‘a bit of fun’, I’m doing fine, thanks”, he complained.

“Alright”, Sirius said, throwing his hands in the air defensively, “but if you change your mind…”

“I’ll come as my best werewolf.” Remus couldn’t help but joke, and a far too loud chuckle burst out of Sirius. The glare from Flitwick made them both sit up straight.

“Coming ‘round on the nickname, are we?” Sirius asked, still grinning, in a low whisper so as not to be caught again.

“Not particularly.”

“I think you will, though, Moony.” He said with a smirk. “I’m starting to think you’ll take to it very well.”

*

“I cannot believe you convinced me to come.” Remus muttered as he entered the crowded house, which was decked out in full Halloween regalia. The Marauders’ house was a large off campus townhouse, much too good for three uni students to be living in it, but alas, those were the ways of the rich and posh. Throughout the two floors and large yard, ghosts, skeletons and cobwebs adorned every wall and ceiling, and a fog machine blanketed the floor in an eerie mist.

Lily, who had also been invited to the infamous Marauders party by none other than two-time snogger extraordinaire James Potter, was the one who finally cracked him and dragged him along with her.

“You’ll thank me later,” Lily replied, already pulling him towards the bar area set up outside, which, with two bartenders working it, seemed more like it belonged in a pub than a backyard. “They’ve got fancy shit at the bar, you’re gonna love it.”

“Posh fuckers”, Remus observed.

“Indeed, so take advantage!” she urged, grinning.

Just as Remus was pondering the silver lining that was fuelling his fancy whiskey tastes on the Marauders money, a voice called out over the din. “Hey!! My two favourite best friends!”

James had made his way through the crowd to enthusiastically greet them both.

“Got him to come, then, Lily?”

The redheaded nodded, adding, “I can be persuasive.”

“Oh, I know that.” James offered slyly, and Remus decided to aim towards the bar as quickly as possible.

“Alright, then.” He said towards Lily. “If I’m gonna make it through the night, I gotta get a drink. You want something, Lils?”

“I’ll get it!” James exclaimed excitedly, and the three of them finally started ordering their drinks.

Remus had just about enjoyed the first sip of his whiskey (Japanese, no less), Lily already sitting with James chatting a few steps away, when Sirius spotted him.

“Well, well, well,” Sirius teased, joining him by the bar. “Look who decided to grace us with his presence, and already seems to be enjoying himself?” He said pointing out the drink in Remus’ hand.

“I’m here for Lily,” Remus replied, raising his glass. “I was tasked with keeping her from making regrettable decisions.”

“Good enough reason!” Sirius replied easily, before giving him a once over. “Though, where’s your costume? You’re messing with the integrity of a Marauders event! That’s sacrilegious!”, Sirius protested jokingly.

“I am in costume.”

“What costume?” Sirius complained, taking a look at his attire. “You’re wearing a jumper and corduroys. Cute jumper and corduroys, but my point stands. What are you supposed to be? A snotty poet, I bet?”

“Nope.” Remus explained with a sly smile. “I’m a werewolf on a half-moon. So just a man, really.”

Sirius’s grin grew wider as he raised an eyebrow. “You think you’re so funny, don’t you?”

“Not particularly.”

“Well, I think you’re funny,” Sirius replied with a smirk, eyes crinkling with amusement. “I’m glad you made it.”

“Well, in truth, I was dragged by Ariel over there, but I seem to have been abandoned.” He said, glancing towards his appropriately red-haired best friend, in her mermaid attire, taking shots and giggling with none other than “it’s just a casual thing” James Potter. “Abandoned and failing miserably at my chaperoning already.”

Sirius chuckled. “She’s safe with James. Told you, he’s completely smitten. He’s serious about her—and I know serious when I see it.” He winked, earning an eye roll from Remus.

“Seems I’m not the only one who thinks they’re funny,” Remus teased, “though, how many times a day do you make that particular joke?”

“Barely any,” Sirius lied, looking far too pleased with himself.

“Sure,” Remus replied, shrugging. “I assume it’s mostly so you can beat people to it?”

Sirius’s face lit up as he laughed. “Look at that, Moony, you see right through me.”

“So we’re sticking with Moony, then?” Remus raised an eyebrow, but he was already fighting a smirk.

“It’s a great nickname!” Sirius defended. “I’m great at giving nicknames.”

“That coveted gift.”

“And it suits you.”

“Oh, does it?” Remus replied sarcastically, smirk on his face. “And what, pray tell, makes you think so?”

“It’s cute, funny, it’s got character…” Sirius said shamelessly. “And I can see you smirk anytime I say it, so c’mon, admit that you kind of like it!”

Remus shook his head, trying his best to suppress said smirk. “Hardly had enough alcohol to do a thing like that.”

“I can certainly fix that!” Sirius exclaimed, moving into action. “Hey Fab!” He called towards one of the bartenders. “My friend here needs The Potion.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Remus complained but went with it anyway.

Turns out while Remus might’ve not liked the sound of that, he quite liked the taste of it, whatever it might be, and, after several The Potions were consumed by the two of them, conversation and laughter was flowing quite more easily than he had anticipated.

“And so, there we were,” Sirius recounted, barely able to get through the story without laughing. “the three of us crammed into a laundry cart, Peter insisting that we’d blend in at the fancy hotel”

“Wait, that’s insane—so they just wheeled you around like that?” Remus choked out through his laughter.

“Oh, absolutely. Until we tipped the cart over and got kicked out by security.” Sirius was laughing, one hand on the bar for support. “Not even close to the stupidest thing we’ve done though.”

Remus shook his head, chuckling. “You’re maniacs.”

“Fun maniacs, though, right?”

Remus took a sip, feeling warmth creep up his neck, and tried to be casual. “I’ll give you that one”

“High praise from you,” Sirius replied, eyes gleaming. “Closest thing to a compliment I’m getting I’m sure.”

Remus did nothing but smile and sip his drink.

“So,” Sirius began leaning against the bar with an easy smile, “are you having fun? Best party you’ve been to in what, years? Ever?”

Remus shrugged. “I mean, the fake fog’s a nice touch. Really adds to the atmosphere.”

“Pete’s idea.”

“I like Pete.” Remus pondered. “Favourite Marauder.”

“You’ve barely talked to Pete,” Sirius pointed out, rolling his eyes.

“Exactly. That’s what makes it special.”

“You’re such a sarcastic bastard!”

“Sorry,” Remus replied, though he didn’t sound sorry at all.

“No, don’t be!” Sirius said, a little too quickly. “It’s great.”

Something in his tone made Remus blush. He looked away, trying to play it off, but Sirius had already noticed and was clearly delighted by it. Before he could think of something clever to deflect, they were interrupted by Marlene, who appeared beside them, wearing a wide grin.

“Ahh, so this is why you’re not on the dance floor yet! I’ve been wondering,” she declared towards Sirius, looking over at Remus approvingly. “I’m Marlene!”

“Hi! Remus.” He responded.

“Oh, the Remus!” She realized aloud, before ogling Remus once again. “God, he wasn’t lying… you’re so fucking cute!”

“Thanks?” He questions awkwardly, hating so much attention on him all the sudden. “And who wasn’t lying?” He asks confused, after processing her full words.

“Nobody.” Sirius is quick to interrupt. “Don’t listen to her, she’s probably already drunk, and she’s gay, so really, what does she know about boys being cute?”

Marlene gave Sirius a fake-offended look. “Wow. That’s homophobic.”

Remus raised an eyebrow at Sirius, then turned back to Marlene. “So I’m not cute, then?” he teased, feeling bolder thanks to The Potion.

Sirius, for once, seemed lost for words, a flustered smile tugging at his lips. Marlene grinned, nudging him. “Ohhh, I like him, Sirius. Not like that, though, Pads here is actually right, I am solely into women, despite my rambunctious history with him.”

“Okaaayyy.” Sirius interrupted, cheeks slightly pink. “Didn’t you want to go dance? Let’s go dance! Do you mind Moony?”

“No, not at all. Have fun.”

“Alright, alright!” Marlene chuckled, patting Remus on the shoulder before she let Sirius drag her toward the dance floor. “See ya, Moony!” she called as she disappeared into the crowd.

Remus watched them make their way to the dance floor, Sirius being pulled along, reluctant yet smiling. He tried to act nonchalant, but he found himself watching Sirius’s easy, confident movements, his infectious grin lighting up the space. Once again - and Remus blamed it all on The Potion - he couldn’t help but feel a little captivated.

*

Remus couldn’t be certain how they had ended up here. Towards the end of the party, with plenty of guests already home, Pete had gone on a spiel about a Hogwarts University Halloween tradition. Apparently, there was a legend about wizards and witches, that used to populate the school grounds and how they now haunted the lake that surrounded the oldest building on campus. Supposedly, if you want good luck on your exams for the year, you must swim with the ghosts on Halloween night, for a blessing.

It was the most ridiculous thing Remus had learned in a while, and the first time he heard it, which, after already attending Hogwarts for two years, convinced him it was most likely a The Potion induced hallucination, and not an actual tradition.

But alas, his semi-sober reservations convinced no-one, and here they were, walking towards the Black Lake.

“What are we going to do?”, Remus asked Sirius, as he followed James, Lily, Peter, Marlene, and several other people - Fabian the bartender included - climbing towards the highest part of the lake shore.

“What do you think we’re going to do?” Sirius said smirking.

“We’re not going to jump! That's so tall! And who knows what’s at the bottom??”

“Seaweed, murky depths, Nessie herself?” Sirius teased. “She lives elsewhere, Moony.”

“Rocks! Sharp rocks, ready to pierce heads on impact. We might die, Sirius!”

“We're all going to die one day.”

“But that day is today!”

“Nonsense, we’ve done this before. And James has swum in this area countless times, he knows the lake well, it’s safe.”

“Countless times? Why?” Remus asked disgusted.

“For his Ironman training.” Sirius replied very nonchalantly. “Did it last year the madman.”

“That makes sense somehow.”

“Indeed”, Sirius concurred. “And he’s the most trustworthy man in the world. And he’s jumping, he’s gotten Lily to jump, do you think he’d risk her?"

Remus grimaced, but he could see James at the front, already holding hands with Lily, the happy smile that hadn’t left his face all night.

“That’s a good point”, he concluded.

“I am known to make them.”

“On occasion.” Remus stressed. “You’re supposed to add on occasion, to show humility. If only faux.”

“I’m not one to fake anything.”

“At the moment, I’d quite rather you were faking our deaths, instead of making us jump to them.”

“You're scared.”

“Well, yeah!”

“And that stops the greats?”

“It's stopping this great!”

“Come on, it'll be fun! It'll be a thrill. Something stupid, something bad for you. Just something different.” Sirius began impassionedly, stopping the climb to face him. “Isn't this the point of being young? It's your choice, Moony. People can live a hundred years without really living for a minute. You climb up here with me, it's one less minute you haven't lived.”

Remus considered him for a beat. “I must’ve had so much alcohol to say what I’m about to say.”

“Yes!” Sirius claimed with excitedly. “And not that much, I was watching you. Let's go, hurry!”

“Why were you watching me?”

“Don’t try and distract me, c’mon let’s go, we don’t want to miss it!”

As they reached the top, Remus peered over.

“High. We are very high.”

“I've been higher.”

“I meant distance from the ground.”

“That, too.”

They took positions beside James and Lily, both of whom looked back with surprise when they noticed Remus. “Remus! You’re here!” Lily laughed, giving him a quick hug.

“Well, I was supposed to chaperone you, you mad woman, and now we’re both going to die,” Remus replied.

“This is totally safe, Moony!” James reassured. “Nobody’s gonna die on my watch.”

Remus glanced at Peter, who stood at the edge with an expression of grim determination. “Then why does Peter look petrified?”

“Oh, Wormy’s just a little afraid of heights,” James answered offhandedly.

“This was his idea!” Remus shot back, completely baffled.

“He likes to conquer his fears.” Sirius assured.

Peter gave a solemn nod. “I am one with my fear,” he declared in an intense whisper.

Remus turned back to Lily. “When we both die, Lilian, they better make that fucking documentary, I'm telling you”, he said, his utmost serious face, but Lily just burst into giggles.

“All right, you lot ready?” James called, and the group positioned themselves along the edge, Remus sidling up beside Sirius, who was sporting a glint of thrill in his eyes, and that stupid, stupid smirk.

“You trust me?” Sirius asked softly.

Remus took a deep breath, contaminated by whatever mischievous nonsense these Marauders put in their drinks, a smile working its way onto him.

“You jump, I jump, Jack.”

Without a second’s hesitation, Sirius grasped his hand, and they leapt together, the cheers of their friends fading into the wind. Time seemed to stretch in the exhilarating, weightless descent, and when they finally hit the water, the cold shock jolted Remus to the surface, where he gasped, both in relief and in laughter.

“Oh, thank God!” he spluttered, wiping water from his face.

Sirius emerged beside him, laughing breathlessly. “You did good, Moony!”

“Once in a lifetime experience!” Remus replied. “And by that I mean I’m never fucking doing this again.” He said with a laugh, and Sirius responded with one of his own.

“I don’t believe that, actually.” Sirius grinned, looking at him with a hint of mischief. “I think this is just the start of our adventures, Moons.”