Party Favor
Dragon Breathrum was Barty's favorite drink. Evan had stashed a few bottles of it away for later. The Weasley Twins stash was quite limited from what they kept hidden back in the day.
The wet air was somehow neutralized by something Lily was brewing with Moonspirit and Breathrum in a cauldron next to the bar. She was just using the ladle to pour herself one of that. He had to give it to her, the girl was the only one who could brew close to Regulus, still, somehow he couldn't expect Regulus to use his gift for potions into making drinks and bar-tending.
Then the sound of Sirius and Alexander making way, having managed to sneak back from Hogsmeade without getting expelled. The harbour was rarely used already, so it wasn't that surprising that Mary, Lily, Dorcas and Marlene had managed to give it such a makeover without getting caught. Lily's makeshift bar made from a rickety table and mismatched cauldrons, and the empty space left for the new stash that would walk in at any moment.
James was perched on a crate looking at her brew the drinks, and they were being orbited by Marlene and Dorcas, who were fighting off the gravity between their lips.
Finally, the clicking of bottles announced the entrance of Sirius and Alexander. Sirius with his hair askew and a manic grin plastered on his face; and Alexander, slightly more composed but no less triumphant. Both fighting for breath.
"Mates. Mattees. And those still under revision." Sirius snapped everyone's head towards them.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Evan turned from a stool by the water.
Sirius' grin widened, Alexander answered "My my. Such formalities Mr. Rosier." "We come baring gifts."
"Moony! Prongs!" Each tossed eight miniature bottles they'd been holding in their hands into the air towards the others. Peter had his wand raised, no doubt ready to stop them from hitting the ground.
"Mr. Black." Alexander drew his wand and pointed it to Sirius, "May I?"
"You very much may." He drew his wand as well. "May I? Mr. Wilde?"
"Quite so, yes."
They waved their wands theatrically, and rows of miniature bottles of different shapes and sizes started coming out of their pockets and their robes, couldn't be below the hundreds, and they started growing back into their real size as well, a little larger probably. They made their way like rows of baby ducks through the air until they found Lily's bar and started piling themselves.
"Curtsey of Rosemerta," Sirius bowed, Alexander added, "and an very drunk supplier that was passed out next to the open cart of alcohol we may or may not have robbed."
A cheer erupted from the students that very clearly needed a breath away from the war. From what Evan had heard, Harry and his friends didn't even hold parties like they used to. Which was just outright wrong, he was supposed to be rich too, what are you going to use your money for if not partying?
Evan settled in with a goblet full of Red Dragon Breathrum, it was the strongest of the Dragon Breathrums, the smoke it expelled smelled like actual smoke, not like the Yellow and Green ones, those smelled fruity, and Evan liked the hit of the Red one. And Barty enjoyed it when he did tricks with the smoke as well.
Barty Crouch Jr., his Barty, was being his. usual whirlwind of chaos, already making his way towards the group Mary Macdonald was talking--gossiping if he knew Mary at all. His laugh was loud and a touch to high-pitched. His eyes sparkled at some joke she told. Unacceptable. Who did she think to was to make him laugh like that? A twist in his stomach pulled him into the crowd, which he hated.
He hated when Barty went around flirting. He knew he was the only one that could handle him and stand him and love him for the twisted ways he functioned in, always had been, always would be. He knew Barty was a flirt, and he knew the allure of his wild charm ended the second his crazy sparked behind his eyes, everyone ran then. Evan would never. It was fun for him, a puzzle, he wanted to figure Barty out, to understand him perfectly.
And Barty knew that, he was the only one who'd cared enough to spent so much time looking at every piece of Barty's chaotic existence and kept going for more. And Barty made eye contact.
Evan walked through the crowd. Back straight, head held high--always.
"I saw a dark little place that would be perfect for..." he whispered into Barty's ear. Swiftly, naturally, ran his hands through his side, and back to his own pocket.
Barty's eyes sparkled.
Lily perched herself on the crate next to James'. She was done with the bar for the night, left enough Moondragon Brew for the night and enough Banshee Shots to knock a werewolf out.
James was telling a story to a few fifth years, Harry's classmates. A smile tugged at her lips, he was so excited when he talked. She lights a cigarette and scans the room. It's still early, Sirius and Remus are still here and not... well... doing each other. Alexander and Mary are gasping loudly at some stories some sixth year Hufflepuff is telling. Marlene and Dorcas are feeling very freed and safe, clearly, because discretion was thrown out the window, they're full on making out behind the bar. Regulus is smoking by himself. Nothing new except for... Pandora.
She was looking uneasy, paler than usual. She seems on edge. Something.
Remus grabbed her arm softly from behind, "alright?" he muttered.
"Yeah, yeah, just a little tired from all that brewing." She turned to him with a forced smile. Then stood up, "I'm going to talk to Pandora."
Remus nodded and let her off the hook. He wasn't paying much attention, Sirius was just about to start showing off his tattoo's to the Weasley twins, and that meant he had started pulling his shirt around to show skin, and Remus would never take his eyes off Sirius showing skin.
Pandora's usually sharp gaze was off, clouded somewhere. She kept darting around the room. Hugging herself discreetly.
"Pandora? Doing alright?" She stood next to the blonde girl.
She gave a bit a bit flinch but smiled at the redhead. "Everything is fine Lily." She was quick and solemn, "Enjoying the festivities is all." Strained just slightly.
"It's just... Nothing I guess, you seem a little tight," Lily wasn't looking at her, just by her side, both looked at the party, at everyone mingling, dancing. Mary taking a brunette Raveclaw boy to the dance floor when an ABBA song from their time started playing. "You can talk to me Pandora. If there's anything on your mind."
She turned to Lily, and only then Lily turned to meet her eye to eye. She hesitated, it was a prophecy or a vision surely, it's the only thing that gets Pandora in such a state. "It's nothing, truly. What is prophesied will come to be, that's all."
"Was there another prophecy?" Lily inquired. Careful as she could, Pandora was peculiar about who she shared knowledge with, it was dangerous and Lily knew better than to force her. But information was power, and Lily knew they could use as much as possible to end this war for good.
"Yes." She was barely audible generally, talked low, but it was bordering being inaudible due to the music and the cheers.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No, just, promise me you'll keep it to yourself until it starts." Pandora extended her pinky finger. It was something Mary taught them muggles did. Something like an unbreakable vow, except you don't die if you break it. It was just your word, but you had to keep your word. It was the apex of trust, a pinky promise. Lily gave in."The prophecy said I would be taken by him... the dark lord."
Blood fell from Lily's face. She felt her face going pale.
"You can't say Lily, you can't do anything about it, it's prophesied already. I won't be killed I think. I wrote it, but promise you won't show it until it starts Lily." She gave her a small piece of parchment, the prophecy written on it.
The dark lord shall seek the oracle.
The blindness lifted.
The way cleared by the star.
The wise man will have failed.
The dog walks down the gallows.
The star will lead to the hollows.
"A prophecy cannot be changed Lily." It had to. Wise man failed? Dog down the gallows? The oracle? This was people surely, people Lily could probably pinpoint in this party. But then again, she promised Pandora, and a prophecy once spoken, couldn't be changed. Pandora's prophecies were a curse. And Lily understood. So she couldn't do anything but reach to hold Pandora's hand. Squeezing it hard and fast.
Regulus dangled his feet above the water, he was at the furthest part of the underground harbour, where the boats left to the lake. Where everyone would leave him alone.
There was a loud cheer that clearly meant Sirius started stripping himself to the music, stripping their family name of honour again, as he often did. He took a long drag from his cigarette and gave another scan to the party, Dorcas had coerced--as much as one could coerce Regulus, into staying until the party died down or she took off with Marlene. She argued it was good to socialize and crap like that. Since when did Regulus need new friends? He had three friends, a complicated relationship with a friend of his brother, and an even more complicated relationship with his brother. He also enjoyed the occasional smoke with his brother's boyfriend, yes they didn't talk, so?
But his quick scan of the party was stopped by the unsightly look of Alexander Wilde smiling at a Ravenclaw boy. A cute one. He was leaning against the wall next to him with a dumb smile on his face. The name of the boy he was talking up escaped him, but the fact Alexander flashed a wink at him didn't.
Alexander was usually a beacon of energy, an natural center of attention. Never stayed in the same place too long, but no, his hand was laying on the Revenclaw's forearm. He was hovering a finger into his palm, surely going on about some cliché line on palmistry. He was a flirt. Regulus knew, he'd told him all about it, played with his hand as well--as a demonstration, obviously. He traced the lines in Regulus hand, explained how his life line was crooked, how his love line was deep and straight and cut through the former one. And Regulus couldn't say it wasn't a goddamn good line, because he had him gulping back saliva during the demonstration before breaking in laughter. Long before they tried it.
It was unseemly behaviour of a Slytherin. Regulus thought as he was heading over. His legs moved by themselves, he could swear it on his Black honour. It wasn't him. But it was preposterous to watch a Slytherin of a sacred bloodline fraternizing like that with some Ravenclaw boy. It was one thing when it was with other Slytherins, but he couldn't just allow it, surely that's how they ended up with Snape as head of the house, all the better Slytherins were dead, but he was going to change it and bring rigour back to his house. The one left.
Before he knew it, or what to do, he was standing behind Alexander, clearing his throat.
Alexander was driving his finger up the Ravenclaw's hand.
"Anything you need Regulus?" His hand wasn't stopping and his eyes weren't off the Ravenclaw's.
"You seem to have found yourself a... fine distraction. Ravenclaw? Interesting choice."
"I don't suppose you have any pressing business, Reggie? 'cause I'm about to." He winked at the boy. Disgusting. He laughed at it, like it was even a good line.
"You're dishonouring our house."
"You have no idea all I'm about to dishonour." He reached the Ravenclaw's neck.
Regulus turned away with an annoyed huff. It wasn't worth it to see what he heard was happening behind his head. The knot in his stomach and the great desire to puke it out was enough. Seeing it would make him do it, and he couldn't lower himself to that, not with so many people around, not with people around. So he compromised and asked Evans for a packet of cigarettes to chain-smoke by himself in a dark corner, she asked no questions, and he felt the smoke in his lungs cover the knot enough to keep going forward.
"ALRIGHT," Hermione was drunk. She had never been drunk before. She was having a fucking good time. "Help me get it straight then..." She had fallen into Mary's claws, and was sitting in a couch they conjured somehow, not very well, she might add, it was different colours and sizes every section, but they could sit on it. Peter Pettigrew who she still couldn't believe was there right now was on her other side. She had decided to call him Pete and forget about it. It was for the best. Hopefully. She'd already defended them to Ron and Harry, so she had to keep defending them now, she couldn't make exceptions, but he hadn't done anything. IT WAS FINE.
"Right," Mary went over it again. "Sirius and Remus have been boyfriends since last year, well, started goofing around last year, but started out as boyfriends towards the end of the semester. Marlene and Dorcas have been together for years. Two to be exact. Barty and Evan who no one knows the specifics but they're fucking. Constantly. Attatched at the hip too. Those are the couples."
"Now the actual gossip," Pete kept the ball rolling, "so there's James and Lily, he's been pining over her for years. She's just turning his way a little."
"There's Alexander and Regulus," Mary pointed at Regulus in a corner, sulking. And Alexander in another corner, making out with Gale Spindlewheel the Ravenclaw chaser. "It's complicated with them, they kind of had something going on before you know... the time travel. But it seems to be over now that we're, now."
"What about you two? Is there anything like... you're the last two standing?"
"No!" "Merlin no!" They both jumped away from the couch. Hermione cackled a little, it was the alcohol! She would never say something like that.
"I'm a free spirit." Mary settled back down. "And Wormy has sworn off dating Gryffindors after Dessy."
"And even if I hadn't, we're just... it's not. Doesn't make sense." Pete added.
"Exactly," Mary explained, "Sirius and Remus make sense, they're both damaged and protective of each other, they fit perfectly, made for each other. James and Lily make sense in an opposites attract kind of way, she's smart and responsible and James is kind and sporty, it's an odd match but perfect fit as well, the nerd and the jock. Then Alexander and Regulus worked because he got on his nerves, was a great pain in his ass but knew which buttons to push when, he knows Reggie, and Regulus likes someone that challenges him. Same with Barty and Evan, fire and gasoline. And Marlene and Dorcas is your classic tomboy-femme duo, a ying-yang type groove. But we just don't fit. It'd be like you and Ron, you just act like his mother and clean up after him, and he acts like a kid and keeps doing that like you're his mother, it's just dysfunctional you know?"
Hermione blushed. It was the Firewhisky!
"Don't tell me you like him!" Pete giggled.
"I don't!"
"She does." Mary pursed her lips and started moving her head up and down, "she does!"
"I may have a crush on him. But that's it!"
"Keep it at that girl, you don't want a relationship with that boy. You need someone smarter, sharp, you know? On your level." Hermione hoped she would remember that tomorrow, because tonight, she just saw Ron take a shot of Firewhisky and if she was fucking up, she was going for it big time.