Going Home
James was currently lying on the front row of benches as he waited for his friends to arrive. Professor McGonagall was looking at him with fond annoyance but didn’t tell him to stop taking up all the seat space. Very soon Marlene, Lily, Dorcas, Mary and Alice glided into the Great Hall that was set up in a whole school assembly manner. The tables were gone but the benches were moved to face the stage where the staff table normally was.
“James, you’re such a dork.” Dorcas chuckled fondly, moving his outstretched legs and sitting down.
He sat up and tried to find his boy friends.
“Don’t get your man titties in a twist,” Mary started. “They forgot there was a whole school meeting, and are getting dressed.”
“But I literally saw Frank and Peter before I got down here, they were half dressed!”
“Oh those guys are talking to St Nicholas, apparently he was alive when chocolate was invented or something.” Alice said, plaiting Marlenes ponytail.
James gasped and looked at Dorcas. “They’re more of a dork than I am.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Mr Head Boy.”
“Don’t use my brilliance as a bullying mechanism, jealousy isn’t a good look on you, Dorky.” James emphasised.
“Is Dorky jelly of Jamie?” Sirius snickered as the four boys sat in the remaining space.
Dorcas rolled her eyes and messed Sirius’s hair. “Shut up princess.”
“Oh here we go again.” James heard Remus mutter as Sirius looked offended and went on about how he was anything but a princess.
“Do we know what this assembly is for?” Peter asked.
Frank shrugged, “Maybe that awful protection speech. That was so awkward in fourth year.”
James laughed loudly and slapped Frank on the back. “Yes! Minnie teaching us how many children are deemed acceptable is something I’ll never forget.”
“We had this Norwegian hippy come in and teach us sex ed in third year.” Remus giggled. “She had fucking diagrams and even started undressing in front of 16 thirteen year olds. Marls, remember the trauma, you turned so red.”
Marlene sighed happily at the memory. “Ahh yes, my gay awakening. She had nice boobs.”
Lily wheezed a weird noise and sat on James’s lap to hit Sirius, getting his attention. “That happened to Padfoot, tell them.” She demanded.
“Bon dieu,” He groaned. “We may or may not have had this really fit blond guy with the deepest voice I had ever heard tell us how to have sex. Like, he full on thrusted his hips to show us how to do it and… I wanked myself so raw when I got back to my dorm.”
Everyone laughed but Sirius didn’t look embarrassed at all. “Lily shaved every inch of her body ‘because she felt like it’ then stopped after the guy left. He was there for three weeks.”
This made everyone laugh even harder, Lily turned her head into James’s neck and hide her face in shame. James just laughed louder but hugged her tightly. Running a hand through her hair and kissing the crown he lifted her chin and smirked when she had extremely red cheeks.
“Oh Redhind, you so wished he would make your hind red.” Mary joked, making Lily’s face even redder.
Putting a protective arm around his girlfriend, James faked a cross expression. “Enough teasing, we need all our attention for when Dumbledore demonstrates how to put a condom on a banana.”
Someone from behind him kicked his back and told him to stop being inappropriate, it turned out to be a year four sitting with a bunch of first years. James immediately felt guilty and started apologising, telling the first years it probably wasn’t that.
The hall quieted down and Lily moved from his lap to the spot next to him. Dumbledore walked out and smiled warmly at the joint schools.
“Thank you, I wanted to start this assembly by congratulating James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Our Champions please stand.” The Hall erupted with celebration as the three boys stood.
Remus looked nervous and waved shyly to the crowd, he was met with a loud applause but some students were glaring or booing, James and Sirius raised the bird at those students with a scowl. Then Sirius blew kisses to the crowd and James smirked and pumped his fist in the air, a group of students standing at the back whooped and waved a homemade sign that had his name and a painted picture of his face on it.
Dumbledore gestured for the boys to come up to the stage and ease the crowds excitement. “You boys completed the tasks with bravery and courage, very few have survived what you were made to face, with that I commend you, and gift Remus and Sirius with a cup. Not the Triwizard Cup, that is still Mr Potters-“ students cheered and clapped- “instead you shall have to do with these miniature versions. They are exact replicas but smaller. Please, congratulate Mr Lupin and Mr Black.” Dumbledore gave Remus and Sirius smaller Triwizard Cups with a shake of their hands. James clapped loudly and cheered for his friends.
Dumbledore then moved his hand and his very own Triwizard Cup was now on the table. His headmaster smiled fondly at him and James beamed. “And for our winner of the 1978 Triwizard Tournament, I regift James Potter with the Triwizard Cup. Congratulations Mr Potter.” And the crowd elated again. James shook Dumbledores hand and took his cup, holding it above his head like he did with every quidditch cup Gryffindor had won, and appeasing the students.
A camera appeared in the champions faces and the man gestured for them to come together and smile. James was in the middle with his always handsome smirk, with Sirius’s arm around his neck who was laughing, Remus was on his other side, smiling a shy toothy grin. The camera flashed and the cameraman put a thumbs up.
“Thank you boys, please take your seats.” Dumbledore said with a chuckle.
When they went back to their seats, Marlene who had already seen and touched the Triwizard Cup a million times, made grabby hands at it. James rolled his eyes but handed it to her anyway.
“You could put a barrel worth of firewiskey in here!” She gushed.
James chuckled and took back the cup. “I might hold you to that.”
Dumbledore got the hall to be quiet and smiled sadly. “This, unfortunately, is also the last day our esteemed guests stay with us. We will send them off the way they deserve after we discuss everything.”
Everyone gasped and James looked at Lily grievously. “I forgot it was your last day, Lilyflower.” He whined.
“Let’s not think about that yet.” Lily whispered with tears in her eyes, she kissed James’s nose before turning back to the front.
“It has come to my attention, that many of you are wondering if the news about Stephan Arnoldi headmaster of Durmstrang is true.” Dumbledore said to the crowd, many students nodded but some turned sour. James felt Remus stiffen and he put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It is true. Arnoldi is a death eater who was using his Champion to gain followers and power, but fortunelty, Mr Lupin did not win the Tournament and therefore Arnoldi failed.”
Mutters filled the air and Remus stiffened even more. Sirius took his hand and kissed the knuckles.
“You aren’t a death eater Remus, I know what you’re thinking.” Sirius scolded softly. James nodded and squeezed his shoulder.
“But everyone else might,” Remus whispered miserably, so only the two boys could hear. “I just got outed as a werewolf and everyone knows werewolves are on the dark side of this war. I am a literal liability.”
Before James and Sirius could butt in and tell Remus how wrong he was, the room went silent again. “With that said,” Dumbledore grinned as if it were amusing. “I will finish this on a high note and say that the feast is ready! Dig in before your trips home!”
When James blinked, he was sitting back at the Gryffindor table between Lily and Remus and across form Mary and Dorcas. The table was covered in fancy food that only appeared on special occasion. James licked his lips and took three large pumpkin pasties, a large spoonful of salad and feta.
“This is my last day and you’re eating instead of smothering me with love and affection?” Lily teased, her chin on her fist and a cheeky smile.
James freezed, his forkful of lettuce and feta almost in his open mouth. Instead he put it down and pulled Lily in for a hug. She hugged back with a giggle and put her chin on his chest, looking up at him with her mesmerising eyes.
“You’re so lovely Lily.” James whispered, caressing her forehead with his thumb.
Lily smiled sadly and kissed him. Pulling back she had tears streaming down her cheeks which made James start to fuss. “No sweetheart, no need to cry, we can send letters until we graduate! Then we can live together and-“
He was stopped by Lily kissing him again. “I love you, James Potter.”
“I love you too, Lily Evans-soon-to-be-Potter.” He joked seriously, he had been making that her surname until she was finally a Potter.
“What if I want to keep my maiden name, then you’d have to be James Potter-soon-to-be-Evans.” Lily said, James could only grin.
“Then I’ll be James Potter-soon-to-be-Evans, as long as I marry you then I’m happy.”
He felt a napkin hit his face and he turned to see Peter glaring at him.
“Enough being in love, are you gonna eat all those pumpkin pasties?”
James chuckled and pushed his plate towards his friend.
“Help yourself Wormtail.”
——
It was a rush in the guest common room as Durmstrang to Beauxbatons alike hurried around trying to find lost possessions.
“Accio right slipper!”
“Accio slap watch.”
“Has anyone seen a brown kitten?”
“Accio Toblerone.”
“This is what happens when you don’t pack the night before.” Remus told a group of 6 year Durmstrang students who asked him for help.
“I got that, thanks wolf.” One of the boys snapped. They walked off and Remus wished he had agreed.
“What happened there, do you need me to bash anyone again? I’m wearing rings.” Marlene strolled over, showing off her gemmed fingers.
Remus shrugged. “Not now, maybe on the boat I’ll be in need of a bodyguard.”
“I’m the fittest bodyguard you’ll ever get, Moonypie.” Marlene teased, messing his hair.
Remus pushed her off in frustration. “Gerrof, I’ll call for you if you’re needed.”
“Oh you’re in one of those moods.” Marlene raised an eyebrow.
“I guess, just leave me alone.”
“I’m sure Paddywack will be down to entertain you soon.”
Remus only groaned while Marlene cackled. They had their luggage already on the boat and all they could do was wait for everyone to finish and the Durmstrang vice Headmaster to get his head out of whatever toilet it was in. That guy was odd.
—
Another hour passed and the guest rooms were completely immune of student items. It was like they had never been here.
“Follow me to the courtyard, keep up or you’ll be left behind.” Filch grumbled as if he couldn’t think of anything worse. Igor laughed and both schools followed the ground keeper outside.
“Hey you.” Sirius whispered skipping next to him as they went down a corridor.
“Hi.” Remus smiled, Sirius grinned and kissed his cheek. This earned a groan from behind them.
“So prude and so homophobic!” Sirius gasped, the students behind them grumbled and one girl even apologised.
Remus took his boyfriends hand and swung it between them. “How are you feeling?”
“Not any better than you are. My darling boyfriend is going to be living on the other side of Europe for two months and all that can be passed between us are dirty letters and used lingerie.”
Remus stifled a laugh but they made it to the noisy courtyard in time for him to chortle.
“Idiot.” He pushed the shorter boy away just as James came sprinting up and pulling them in for a group hug.
“The next two months are going to be sooo boring without you guys. Can you just ask your Headmasters to let you stay and do exams here?” James whined.
“We can still send letters, it won’t be that bad.” Remus sympathised, James rolled his eyes and flicked Remus’s brow.
“As if that was meant to be reassuring! It’s not the bloody same.”
“I see the Head Boy is being patriotic towards his school as always.” Alice teased as she and Frank came up to hug the guests goodbye.
James turned red and groaned in annoyance. “I love Hogwarts! All I’m asking is for my dear friends to stay and love Hogwarts with me!”
"Are Frank and I not good enough for you?” Peter questioned.
“No Wormy, Frankenstein, I love you both so much I’d marry you, but we could achieve so much more if we had more boys in our dorm.”
Peter narrowed his eyes. “You’re making this sound so weird right now mate.”
“As much as I’d gladly snog each and every one of you, my heart is in the clutches of Lily Evans-soon-to-be-Potter.”
“How poetic Prongs.” Sirius chuckled, taking Remus by the elbow and leading him away from the group.
They went to a secluded corner, Sirius looked around a bit before pulling Remus into a snog.
“We haven’t even left yet and you’re already kissing like you missed me.” Remus whispered sadly after they pulled away.
Sirius looked on the verge of tears. “Moony-mine, I already miss you.” And then the tears started to fall and Remus kissed them away as they came.
“We’ll talk everyday I swear, then we can live together till our dying days. I promise I want that life, it sounds so perfect.”
Sirius giggled through the tears and pulled Remus into a tight hug.
“Z’e are le’ving soon dor Beauxbatons. De hors’s are most re’dy.” Headmistress Arquette yelled, her wings glistening in the sun.
“We have to go soon, mon amour, I’ll think of you every minute.” Sirius sounded desperate, pulling him closer.
Remus kissed his face and caressed his dark hair. “We’ll be fine, I love you, I love you.”
Regulus appeared behind Sirius and waved at Remus with a tight smile.
He put a hand on his brothers shoulder and tugged it gently. “Nous devons y aller maintenant, Sirius.” We need to go now, Sirius.
“No Reggie I can’t leave, leave without me.” Sirius mumbled into Remus’s uniform.
Regulus laughed and pulled harder on his shoulder. “As much as I’d like to stay too, we must go.”
Sirius nodded and pulled back a little if only to look over Remus’s face. Sirius held onto the sides and kissed him fiercely.
“Owl me, I’ll reply every time.” He whispered, leaving with his brother after Remus nodded.
“We’re going as well Moony.” Marlene said with red eyes. Remus took her outstretched hand, as if it was the only thing anchoring him and pulled him towards the large viking ship.
“Hurry up, get on. We have things we need to do.” The vice headmaster yelled as everyone went into the ship. Remus turned to see the Hogwarts students waving maniacally as the guests boarded their transport. He waved back before the vice headmaster grabbed his shoulder and pushed him through the door.
Remus and Marlene sat on one of the comfy couches next to a large window and watched as their view turned dark blue.