chapter nineteen
“Morning mum,” James entered, kissing his mother’s cheek before leaning against the counter nearest to Lily, messing up her hair.
“Good morning Jamie darling,” She hummed in response. “When do you think you kids will venture out?”
“As soon as those last three buggers wake up,” he replied, grabbing a fork and attacking the girls’ slice of quiche.
“Hey!” Dorcas protested, pushing his fork away. He succeeded in his mission, chewing the breakfast happily.
“Those last three buggers made it down,” Peter spoke, rubbing his eyes. Remus and Sirius hot on his tale.
“What took you two so long?” Marigold stood on her toes to kiss Sirius’ cheek, whispering in his ear afterward.
“We’ll tell you later,” Remus mumbled behind her in the now bustling kitchen, using a cup of tea as an excuse to pass behind her, his hand lingering on her lower back.
“You kids need help packing the bags?” Mr. Potter offered, leaning in the door frame, not used to eight teenagers in his one let alone the kitchen itself.
“No, we haven’t much to pack anyway,” Marlene mused behind her tea cup.
Fleamont’s eyebrows furrowed in question. James sighed, taking responsibility.
“No one thought to bring sleeping bags, I’m going to take some blankets,” He explained.
“Oh you kids,” Euphemia shook her head amused. “You recall when we were so absent-minded, Flea? God, we used to have fun, huh?”
“Oh yes, when was that? A century ago?” He earned some chuckles from across the room, and a fake gasp from his wife. “Well come get us before you depart, we’ll be in the library,”
The parents left them to it, the eight moving around, fixing themselves more tea, and finding spaces to sit. Marigold and Lily hopped up on the island, and Peter and Remus had taken their stools behind them. James leaned next to Lily, Sirius standing between Marigold’s legs and she draped a sleepy arm across his chest to keep his back close for warmth.
“How come you never use the dining room?” Marlene asked, peering into the connected room painted like a night’s sky.
“That’s for well-behaved, distinguished guests,” Sirius gave, giving the woman behind him a bite of his breakfast.
“And you lot certainly aren’t either of those things,” James laughed, stealing Lily’s tea from her hands for a big gulp.
She didn’t fight him playfully for it, there was no sign of protest anywhere in her. Instead, just a new look in her eyes she’d never given the boy. It was a twinkle of fondness, silent admiration.
“I’m gonna go fetch the bags! One of you can have my seat!” Dorcas stood.
“I think I’ll go help you!” Peter stood abruptly as well, Marlene had flirtatiously placed her hand on his knee.
“Well, you two can’t shake me that easily!” She purred, just to rile up the blonde boy.
“Save me!” He mouthed to Sirius dramatically, clawing at the doorway as she tugged him by the front of his shirt.
“I’ve got to go save Peter from an adoring woman,” He rolled his eyes with no malicious intent, pushing off the counter and taking his sweet time following.
“Need any help collecting blankets?” Lily hopped down, gazing up at James with wide, hopeful eyes.
“Yeah, sure!” He nodded eagerly, hurrying close behind her.
“And then there were two,” Marigold turned her body sideways to catch Remus’ eyes.
“Mhm, there sure were,” He smirked, standing and walking around the island to replace where Sirius had been. He placed his hands behind her on either side and gave a good long kiss. “Are you going to tell me now why it took so long for you to get dressed?”
“Men often have, say, a certain predicament when they first wake up,” Remus alluded.
“And you fixed it without me?” She feigned hurt, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. If Euphemia or Fleamont were to walk in again it would be very hard to explain their proximity.
“Don’t worry, just had to think about boggarts,” He shrugged.
“Hm, okay… it’s a shame though,”
“A shame? What is, that we didn’t ask for your help when you were the one that fled the bed so quickly?”
“No, that you’re boys and not men,” She chided.
“Little tease!” He grinned, picking her up off the island and running with her in his arms to the stairs.
“Lily save me!” She yelled in their ascent up the stairs.
Upon making it up the stairs and into James’ room where they heard all the commotion, Remus finally let her down. The backpacking bags were spread out on the already messy floor, Marlene was sitting cross-legged in the desk chair, Dorcas and Lily perched on the bed with Sirius, James and Peter were busting about filling them.
“Be careful you, my surrogate mother might suspect foul play,” Sirius held no jealousy in his tone, just humor.
“Marigold may be your girlfriend around her, but around mine…” Remus tisked.
“I’m actually Lily’s,” Marigold declared as she stepped over the bags and crawled to lay her head on Lily’s lap.
“Dorcas will have herself a girlfriend soon!” Remus reminded.
“Mary and Dorcas, sitting in the tower, K-I-S-“ Marlene began, James and Sirius joining in for the rhyme.
Dorcas threw a pillow at Marlene, ceasing the singing with a laugh.
It didn’t take long to pack the bags, albeit somewhat haphazardly. They went to the library before braving the cold morning, saying goodbyes to the parents.
“If it’s too cold out there you kids run along home,” Fleamont reminded.
“Yes and then you can camp in the living room!” Euphemia clapped her hands.
“Don’t mind her, she’s easily excited in her old age,” Fleamont winked at Lily.
“I hope I will be as fun when I have my own kids,” Marigold complimented.
“Father her children, Sirius!” Euphemia whispered to Sirius as he and James stood closest to her.
He didn’t say anything, just blushed in a very un-Sirius-like manor. James barked out a laugh and hit his friend on his back.
They set out on their exhibition, James, Marigold, Sirius, and Remus with the packs on. They left Peter to be tortured with the affection of Marlene and the singing of Lily and Dorcas. It was indeed a short hike, only taking them around two hours to reach the spot James’ liked.
“Alright, not as cold as I had worried,” Lily declared, shedding her warm coat after their walk.
“Let’s see what you brought us to keep us nice and hot, hm Goldie?” Sirius went through her pack, retrieving the bottles of rum, vodka, and beer.
“What the hell are those?” Peter scrunched his nose at the foreign liquids.
“Muggle alcohol,” Marlene mused, stealing the vodka.
“I thought I’d keep things interesting, and it’s pretty much all I could get my hands on while my dad was at work,” Marigold grabbed the rum. “Here Dorcas, take a pull,”
“What’s a pull?” She laughed, stepping forward.
“Get on your knees, and I pour straight from the handle into your open mouth,” She explained, shedding her pack quickly.
Dorcas obliged, shuddering and grimacing after her generous pull. Sirius got on his knees obediently, smirking up at Marigold.
“Me next, wicked witch, please?” He flirted.
“After this shall we show them how to shotgun?” Lily asked tipping her mouth after a pull from the vodka in Marlene’s hands.
“I think we shall,” Marigold chuckled in agreement, not breaking Sirius’ intense eye contact.
“You girls brought muggle weapons?” Peter fretted.
“No, darling, you shotgun beers,” Marlene laughed haughtily.
“And pitch the tent proper drunk? I suppose we won’t be young forever,” Dorcas scolded without honesty.
“James and Sirius will be, those two will never grow up, I fear,” Lily smirked at James, walking past him to explore the campsite further.
“I’ll grow up for you, Lily flower,” He mused, trailing after her.
“Let them prance around each other, we’ll pitch the tent,” Dorcas pulled out their shelter for the night.
Once the green material had been put together, rather unprofessionally mind you, the afternoon sun was well in its place and the snow covered tree tops began to drip. They put off starting the fire in support of learning muggle drinking habits.
Marlene and Marigold had demonstrated the shotgun process, piercing holes in cans with their wands, cracking the tabs, and racing each other to chug it. The beer was cheap, light crap that working-class blue collared muggles preferred, perfect for this kind of game. Marigold won, crushing the can and burping in a very un lady-like manor.
The boys raced each other, Peter spitting up the foam and Remus winning. Dorcas won against Lily, laughing at the effects of this strange brew.
“Not bad for a non-muggle,” Lily complimented.
“Thank you,” Dorcas grinned graciously.
The afternoon was spent in these juvenile demonstrations of drinking, and playing Peter’s games. The sunset approached faster than any of them had prepared for, Sirius quickly started the fire with Remus’ help. Lily and James swayed in the hammock, laughing over one another and finding themselves extremely physically and mentally close.
Peter, Marlene, Dorcas, and Marigold set up the bedding in the large tent, delighted that it was a magic tent with more room on the inside than one would expect. It was an older model, however, and so only had a kitchenette, restroom, separate bedroom, and living area all of which were straight out of 1960, likely the last time Mr. and Mrs. Potter had gone camping.
“Well perfect, we can even play seven minutes in heaven with that bedroom,” Sirius beamed, proud of himself.
“Or spin the bottle with that empty vodka,” Remus reminded.
“Great, we’ll combine them!” Marigold cheered, exiting the tent to admire the fire and sunset.
“Let’s get some dinner in us first!” Marlene shook her head, fetching the dinner ingredients. Those were packed by the teenagers themselves, and of course composed of chip bags, candy, and ready-made sandwiches.
They warmed their sandwiches over the fire, ate in contempt, and then went back to their mischief. James and Sirius were in a wrestling match being reffed by Remus. Marlene and Lily were in the hammock nearby, pretending to be the sports announcers. Peter, having just lost to James, sat next to Dorcas and Marigold closest to the flames.
Marigold’s body was indeed well warmed by her beers and rum, she stumbled when she walked, and her mind swam with little sense to the others. Dorcas was a giggly drunk, sketching something of the group’s surroundings on a notepad in her lap.
Petter huffed as he sat down more comfortably on the lawn chair, running a hand through his hair, ignorant to the longing look he’d just been granted by Marlene. Marigold, however, had caught it. Her eyes shifted back to him and she squinted at him.
“Peter, I can’t figure you out,” She blurted.
“Marigold?” Dorcas fretted, ceasing her sketching.
“What do you mean?” He asked, confused in his drunken state.
“You don’t like Marlene? Or you don’t know how to flirt?” Marigold continued, her drunk making her very loose-tongued.
“Oh, that,” He sighed.
“Yeah, that, what is it? What is it?”
“You’re really asking him that?” Dorcas slurred.
“Peter, you see, Marlene is fucking fit, she could have practically any guy she wanted fifth year and up. Most of them glare at you when she flirts in their presence, but she doesn’t care, she finds you incredibly interesting,” Marigold explained defensively.
“Believe me I know,” His own words come out as inebriated mumbles. “I know she’s beautiful, and I know loads of guys are angry at me for getting her attention. But she only finds me fun to flirt with, she likes the chase, she doesn’t want a relationship from me,”
“How would you know that if you’ve never discussed it with her?” Dorcas had been piqued now.
“She’s never kept a steady boyfriend for more than a month, has she? And that’s with the hottest guys at our school, why would it be different with me?”
“Because you can actually stimulate her intellectually unlike those brainless quidditch captains she distracts herself with, and she happens to adore you, she’s told us,” Dorcas indulged.
“Look girls, I appreciate it, but it’s a lost cause,” He avoided their eye contact, sparing a glance to Marlene as she laughed at one of Lily’s silly American accents.
“No it’s not, we can help!” Marigold urged, sitting forward.
“Come on… she’s out of my league in every form and fashion! Marlene McKinnon is the prettiest girl at Hogwarts, she’s one of the smartest witches in our year, she’s beyond hilarious, she’s outgoing and charming and likable in every way…I’m me,” He took his head in his hands.
“Yeah, you’re Peter Pettigrew, the man she wants but can’t seem to get,” Marigold nudged him.
“If the marauders were the Beatles, I’d be Ringo. I’m forgettable, the least attractive by far, and not even that important to the success of our pranks,” He groaned.
“Hey, Ringo Star is severely underrated!” Marigold laughed.
“You’re not any of those things, you’re our beloved friend, and you’re really someone special to Marlene most importantly,” Dorcas comforted.
“But she deserves so much more!” He protested.
“Just think about it, will you? If you really don’t think anything will work out between the two, let her down gently. I promise no one will be mad at you,” Marigold explained.
Peter looked them in the eyes for the first time in their private conversation, looking between them. He nodded slowly and submitted.
“Alright, maybe you’re right, I might let my insecurities sabotage my happiness,”
“But we can’t promise we won’t stick you two together in the games later,” Dorcas teased.
“What games, the spin the bottle/seven minutes in heaven?” He laughed now.
“I WON!” James exclaimed, and Remus lifted his hand in fake celebration.
Lily and Marlene cheered wildly, jumping up and clapping.
“Remus is next!” Sirius breathed hard as he walked around the fire, falling in front of Marigold so he could rest his head against her knees.
“No no way! I’m literally a werewolf,” Remus mused, and the two groups joined.
“How about a kiss for winning?” James leaned his cheek down to Lily.
“You can try your luck with the bottle, Casanova,” She yelled, running into the tent.
The fire was dying now, and they all reiterated to the shelter for further plans. They sat on the pile of blankets and the pillows striped from the bedroom, the empty handle of vodka laying on its side in the middle of their circle. The seating arrangement happened semi-purposely, not that any of them would admit it. Marigold sat between Peter and Dorcas, across from Remus, Marlene, and Lily. James sat between Peter and Remus, and Sirius was between Lily and Dorcas.