The Party (Take 2)
It was late May and exams were no longer some distant dream, they had become very real and very quickly approaching. Summer also happened to be right around the corner. Dorcas had extremely mixed feelings on this topic- on the one hand, no assignments, on the other hand, no Marlene, Mary, or Lily. Dorcas and Marlene were splayed out in the common room revising, just as they had been for the past four hours (despite the fact it was a Saturday).
Dorcas grumbled, “My tea’s gone cold.”
“Why haven’t you got a heating spell on it? Here, I can-” Marlene tried to say.
Dorcas interrupted, “It’s dreadfully hot, don’t bother.”
“You were the one complaining about it.”
“I wasn’t doing anything of the sort.”
“Hmm,” Marlene hummed, “If you say so.”
“How’s History of Magic going?”
“Well.”
“Hmm,” Dorcas hummed, “you’ve been practicing Transfiguration all morning.”
“It’s not my fault McGonagall expects us to transfigure a fish into a watch! Maybe the scales were a decorative touch!”
“It’s terribly difficult, isn’t it?” Sirius chimed in.
When Dorcas looked up to see Sirius all three of his friends were assembled in front of the pair.
“Bugger off,” Marlene spat out. Despite the rift between the two Gryffindor dorms mending these past few months, Marlene had never forgiven Sirius, not for lack of trying on his part. Something having to do with the principle, she said. Marlene had to be the most stubborn girl Dorcas knew, and that was saying something, seeing as she also shared a dorm with Lily Evans.
“Are Mary and Lily around?” Remus spoke up.
“Right here,” Mary popped out of nowhere accompanied by Lily. They had been taking advantage of the warm weather, something which Dorcas was not very fond of.
“We were thinking we’d like a redo,” Remus said.
“A redo?” Marlene’s interest was piqued.
Sirius decided it was his turn, “Our last party-”
“If you could call it that,” Lily taunted.
“Ahem, what I was trying to say was the party went wrong. Partially because you ruined it so early on, of course.”
“I’ll take it from here,” Remus interrupted Sirius before he could say any more, “The party was a bust and no one was going to show up anyways. But we’d like another chance, so we’re throwing another and you’re all invited.”
Lily grinned, “Thank you, Remus. We’ll take your offer into consideration.”
Remus started, “It’s really our-” but Dorcas shook her head, he had said all he needed to say already. He got the message, as it seemed this was their favorite way of communication these days. Studying with Lily as their mediator, nods in the hallways, waves, and grins as the other passes by. Neither of the pair had taken the initiative to discuss what happened when Dorcas brought up whatever illness the boy had. Remus didn’t seem bothered by it anymore, but she was much too afraid to truly talk to him about it again, for fear of rejection. Group meets seemed the safest way to go for the moment. By the time Dorcas was done over-analyzing every interaction she’d ever had with Remus, the boys were gone.
“You alright?” Marlene asked. Everyone here was magical, but Marlene possessed a different power: knowing when something was up with Dorcas.
“Fine. Did you two have any luck with transfiguration?” Dorcas answered and asked promptly.
“We’ve finally got it, here I’ll show you,” Lily declared.
***
After some hours passed, the girls had gone up to their dorm to study in comfort.
“Goblin Revolt?” Mary asked.
“1911,” Dorcas answered promptly, “It would be much too embarrassing to forget it again in front of Remus.”
“You have the most interesting studying motivations, but if it works,” Mary commented.
“Speaking of Remus,” Marlene shuffled, “what was that earlier?”
“Hmm?” Dorcas acted oblivious.
“It was quite awkward, you just stared at him until he left, didn’t even say goodbye,” Marlene supplied.
Dorcas started cautiously, “Well, it’s been like that ever since I brought up the whole illness thing with him.” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a small but distinct change in Lily. She seemed nervous, possibly slightly pale in the face.
“Do you know something?” Dorcas decided it was best to get it right out in the open.
“Me?” Lily had that same oblivious look Dorcas had dawned just moments ago, “No, we always revise together.”
“Maybe you’ve been talking on your own time,” Dorcas shrugged.
“Whatever are you suggesting?” Marlene giggled.
Lily was red in the face, “Oh stop, you know it’s not like that.”
“You really don’t know anything?” Dorcas asked one final time.
“No, I swear,” Lily replied, “I’m awfully tired though, I think I’ll go off to bed.” She seemed angry, but the truth was, Lily knew exactly how to control her emotions when she needed to. When you saw her fuming, it was because she wanted you to know she was fuming. Dorcas assumed it worked with crying as well, as she’d never seen Lily cry- only heard it a few times when she was supposed to be sleeping.
“Alright,” Dorcas stammered. She didn’t like this feeling of uncertainty. At home, when someone was angry, she knew how to calm them down. When they were sad she knew how to hide, because that’s what she liked when she was sad, and when they were anxious she knew to stay quiet, because her presence was anything but calming. The girls surrounding her had wrecked everything up. When Mary was sad, she liked hugs, when Marlene was sad, she just liked company, and Lily, well Lily hid just like her. Despite knowing it was the exact opposite of Lily’s desires, she made her way to the girl’s bed. It was selfish really, Dorcas couldn’t deal with the stress of not knowing just how angry her friend was at her. She’d never had any good friends, best friends, at home, but she figured this was the way friendships end. One mistake and she would be alone, again. So, all term, she had made sure to make none, at least when her roommates were involved. She thought she’d learned with Remus, yet here she was, ready to destroy another friendship.
“Hi,” Dorcas said quietly, peeking behind Lily’s curtains.
“Hi,” Lily replied.
“I didn’t mean to upset you, I’m just too curious for my own good and wanted to fix things with Remus but ended up-”
“Stop,” Lily insisted, “you’re not nosy, at least not any nosier than me.”
“What?” Dorcas asked.
“He didn’t really tell me, I figured it out. He told me not to tell anyone, so I just can’t.”
“Of course, yeah, that makes sense. Well,” Dorcas gulped, “good night then,” looking to avoid causing any more distress for her friend.
“Wait,” Lily requested.
“Hmm?”
“Can you stay?”
“Yeah, I can stay.” Dorcas got comfortable and fell asleep easily, even though this was off from her sleep schedule by hours.
***
By the time Dorcas woke Lily and Marlene were already rushing around the room. Well she assumed it was those two, her eyes weren’t quite as awake as her ears were.
“We need to leave for the great hall in 10 minutes, Dorcas, so hurry,” Lily volunteered.
“Hey, what about Mary? I’m not the only one half-asleep here,” Dorcas countered.
“Yes, yes you are. Mary is one hundred percent asleep, and we’ll have to drag her out anyway.”
“Hey, I heard that!,” Mary groggily interrupts, “I also happen to be half,” she yawned, “asleep.”
Lily raised her hands to the air in retreat, “I stand corrected, now, ugh you two have wasted a precious minute of my time, just get ready!” Lily demanded.
Dorcas’ eyes scoured the room, “You’re uncharacteristically quiet, hmm?”
“Me? I’m fine,” Marlene replied, “just going over a few topics by myself.”
“You may still have to drag me, I don’t believe my feet are working at the moment,” Mary proclaimed.
Somehow they were still able to beat the boys to the great hall. Peter was mumbling something to himself, he seemed to have the same idea as Marlene. She expected to see James and Sirius taking a more public route, practicing charms on their food or something of the sorts, but they didn’t seem worried in the least.
There were many other issues to worry over at the moment and Dorcas decided Remus was not one of them, “What’s up with those two?”
Remus leaned in, “They think they’re invincible, probably are if we’re being honest. They’ve revised a bit for the practicals, but that’s it.”
“The gits ‘ll probably get the highest marks too,” Mary added.
“What were you saying about us?” Sirius asked.
“I only said gits,” Mary returned.
“You lot always use it when referring to us,” James interjected, “it's really quite endearing if you think about it.”
“Right,” Mary snorted.
“Anyways,” James cleared his throat, “Have you given any thought to our proposal?”
“Hmm,” Lily replied, “we really need a bit more time to think it over.”
“Two weeks! You’ve had two weeks!” James shouted, exasperated. A few stares came from around the hall, but everyone was much too anxious to spare him more than a second-long glance.
“Relax, James, she’s only joking, we’ll go to your party,” Dorcus supplied, before James could continue.
“Oh,” his face went slightly red, “We’ll see you there then!” It didn’t seem like Lily had bruised his ego too badly though, because within fifteen seconds he had turned back to Sirius to discuss whatever they were before the interruption.
From across the table Remus questioned her, “Ready for History of Magic? It’s our first.”
“With your help,” Dorcas grinned, “I think I’m ready to take an OWL on it.”
“I’m not sure we’re there quite yet, but I’ll be here to help when the time comes,” he replied.
“So we’re okay then?” Dorcas hesitantly asked him.
“What do you mean? Of course we’re okay,” Remus replied, brows furrowed.
“Of course,” Dorcas smiled a bit wider for him. She wasn’t sure if boys were just incredibly stupid or if she was just incredible at overthinking. Either way, Remus and her were okay, so it didn’t matter anymore.
***
“There were no decorative scales!” Dorcas cheered.
“I was actually a bit surprised, but who am I to mess with luck!” Marlene sang.
“It’s not luck, Marls, you practiced for weeks straight,” Dorcas insisted.
Mary added, “I was there as well, you deserved it Marley.”
“We all did amazing, but I’m just glad we’re finished with exams!” Lily piped.
“Thank god,” Mary confessed, “I thought they would never end!”
Marlene frowned, “I’m going to miss you all over the break.”
“Uh uh, none of that, we still have a few days together, that’s train talk,” Lily demanded.
“And,” Mary offered, “we still have a party to go to tomorrow!”
“Ugh,” Lily groaned, “don’t remind me.”
“Hey, that was my cheer-up-reminder, no need to dampen it with self pity,” Marlene smirked. Marlene knew just what to say to cheer Lily up. There was no way she’d let her own reservations ruin their last moments together. Dorcas swore Lily believed the only reason she was put on Earth was to please others. She really shouldn’t be talking, seeing as she was quite the people pleaser herself, but they had different motivations. Dorcas was afraid if she didn’t please everyone, they wouldn’t love her, which was a whole different breed of messed up in the head. Lily, on the other hand, just didn’t think she was allowed to do things for herself, ever. She was hoping to work on that, but it turned out particularly hard to help Lily with something she couldn’t even fix for herself.
***
With a few weeks to get the word out, it already seemed this party was going to go much better. The boys were quite popular, for first years of course, and everyone in Gryffindor Tower was buzzing about it.
“Green or yellow?” Lily questioned Dorcas.
“Hmm?” Dorcas replied before she got a chance to turn around and see the dresses Lily was displaying.
Before she got the chance to decide Mary offered, “Green, I’m already wearing yellow.”
“I agree,” Dorcas backed her up.
“What are you planning to wear?” Lily asked.
Dorcas started, “Well I’m deciding between my red dress and some jeans with this floral blouse.”
“You have muggle jeans?” Marlene almost almost accused Dorcas.
“Er, yeah,” Dorcas replied.
“How come I never see you wearing them?”
“Suppose I never felt like wearing them,” Dorcas shrugged.
“You must let me wear them!” Marlene squealed.
Dorcas began, “I’m not so sure we’re the same si-” but before she could finish her sentence Marlene had darted across the room and snatched them from her bed.
“See, they fit fine!” she said after practically jumping into the jeans.
Dorcas eyed her, and the pair was slipping off of Marlene’s thin frame like a towel when you didn’t tie it around yourself quite well enough.
“You have a belt, don’t you?” Mary intervened.
“It’s over on my bed,” Dorcas replied.
Coming to the rescue, Mary tied the belt to Marlene’s waist so the jeans cinched at her waist.
“Perfect!” Mary marveled.
Marlene grinned, “See, I’m always right, they look amazing on me!”
“You can keep them,” Dorcas conceded, “they’ve never looked that good on me anyways.” Lily gave her a quick glance but she just picked up her dress to change in the bathroom.
The party was, in fact, packed.
When the girls arrived in the common room, James quipped, “Do I need to check you ladies for any contraband?”
“Hahaha, you’re so funny, now can we go enjoy ourselves?” Lily sighed.
“Of course,” James replied to her insult with a smile.
While Mary and Marlene made their way straight to the dance floor, Lily and Dorcas decided starting off the night on the sidelines might be a smarter approach.
“Look,” Dorcas started, pointing to a figure across the room, “there’s Remus, we should go say hi.”
Lily slowed her pace, forcing Dorcas to follow.
“You know, I’m sure you would’ve looked amazing in those jeans as well, didn’t have to give ‘em up,” Lily proposed. Dorcas just shrugged. “I mean it, and besides, they don’t even fit her.”
“Oh, I’m very aware of that,” Dorcas replied.
“It’s really nothing to be embarrassed about,” Lily sighed in defeat, “now come on let’s go greet Remus like the nice guests we are.”
Remus was dressed in his normal get up: anything baggy.
“Having fun?” Lily had to raise her voice to be heard over the music and chatter.
“The party’s only started,” Remus replied.
“Plenty of time to get into trouble,” Lily laughed.
“Are you calling me a trouble-maker?” Remus faked shock.
Dorcas teased, “I wouldn’t exactly call you not a trouble-maker.”
“I’m truly quite offended,” Remus tried.
“You love us really,” Lily grinned.
Remus replied with an eye roll, “Of course.”
Dorcas wasn’t comfortable with such a casual use of the word. She’d muttered it to two people in her entire life: her mum and dad. Even then, it was half-hearted, cause you can’t say ‘no, I don’t love you’ to your parents. It wasn’t that she didn’t, but she’d never had the time to decide. You’re born and suddenly there are these people taking care of you and loving you so you must love them back, right? She decided at that moment that she loved the people around her.
Dorcas professed, “I love you both.”
“Aww,” Lily hugged her friend, “I love you too!”
“I guess it's a night of confessions,” Remus marveled.
“Well it’s about to be a night of dancing,” Lily sang as she grabbed the other two’s hands and steered them towards the dance floor, or the middle of the common room.
“I don’t even know how to dance,” Dorcas groaned.
“Me either,” Remus echoed.
“Ugh, you two,” Lily shook her head, “just move your hips, sway to the beat.”
Dorcas tried, and it didn’t feel natural, but Remus was making just as much a fool of himself and they were in a sweaty pit of people who didn’t care one bit, so she continued.
Marlene somehow made her way over to them in the mess, “Let loose a little!”
“I am,” Dorcas argued, “I’m dancing, it’s a miracle!”
“Oh come on,” Marlene teased, placing her hands on Dorcas’ hips so she could move them a bit more. Dorcas blushed heavily but let Marlene do as she pleased, cause for some reason Marlene’s hands felt right on her hips. They danced all night, and Dorcas couldn’t even think to be embarrassed when the crowds thinned, cause who could be embarrassed while dancing with Marlene Mckinnon?
“This will be the first and last time you ever hear me say this, but do you think we should get to bed?” Marlene suggested.
Dorcas looked around and saw most everyone was gone, but for some sixth and seventh years along with the first year boys.
“Oh, yeah, good idea,” she smiled.
Marlene led them to their dorm. There was no discussion, but Dorcas knew it was one of those nights where she’d be bunking with Marlene. They’d been extra quiet getting ready, the other girls were already in bed, asleep or not.
“Dory?” Marlene asked, somehow not rustling the sheets at all.
“Yeah?” Dorcas replied.
“I’m really going to miss you.”
“Me too, Marls.”