Whimsical {James Potter}

Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Dancing Grandpa

Just as it seems Remus' birthday happens, James' is already appearing. Though he loves a little bit more of a celebration, so the Gryffindor Tower has become host to a relatively small party. Lily Evans has ensured that no alcohol has been snuck in through the guests, but she hardly has the cunningness to prevent it from being snuck in by her friends prior to the beginning of the celebrations.

Which she is late for.

But that's currently at the back of her mind.

Cressida grins madly, skipping in front of Elias with a parchment in her hands. She waves it in his face, counting on other students to move out of the way behind her. Elias grins knowingly. "I told you," he sings.

Cressida twirls, holding the parchment to her chest. The delight bubbles out of her. "You're amazing," she declares. A near-perfect score in Transfiguration. Something she hasn't been able to achieve all year. James' help should have gotten her to this position – she'd been a great student in the class up until this year and James' top marks and her abilities were not being reflected. But she isn't staring and daydreaming when Elias is tutoring her. "I owe you big time."

"You owe me a butterbeer," he bargains.

Cressida holds her hands in surrender, stuffing the paper into her bag. "That sounds like a good deal. I can't do this weekend since the last Quidditch match is on Sunday and James has us training all Saturday but next weekend for sure."

"Oh, well of course," Elias splutters with a grin, feeding off her hyper activeness. "Even if you weren't on the team, I'd be there because I'm the head cheerleader."

They lapse into a fit of laughter. Cressida swings back around to walk straight as they reach the stairs, only three flights below the seventh floor. Classes had finished for most students about an hour ago but as soon as she could, she went to find Elias while the others headed to the tower so she could share her achievement with the one she knew would celebrate the most with her.

"Hippogriff," she says to the Fat Lady who swings open the door with an eye roll. Cressida almost berates her for the attitude but realises why as soon as the door opens. What was meant to be a small gathering of mainly Gryffindors has turned into the party of the century. "Fuck me."

Music from an unknown source blares some unidentifiable tune yet people manage to dance to it.

"At least James won't realise I'm late," she sighs through an airy chuckle as Elias eyes off the scene as she does. "Hell, I probably won't even see him all evening at this rate."

"Capaldi is probably throwing a fit," Elias muses, hardly bothered by the party himself. Out of the crowd, a swaggering Sirius emerges with a drink in hand which looks somewhat like pumpkin juice at least.

"Capaldi is currently on a date with Goldie Burnes," he divulges with a wink in Elias' direction. He momentarily purses his lips in a frown before taking a quick sip of his drink. "Only cost a few galleons to get her to agree."

Cressida snatches the drink out of his hand, bringing it to her nose and takes a long sniff. There's the unmistakable whiff of firewhiskey that tingles the back of her throat. "Don't let Lily near this. In fact none of the drinks should be spiked."

Sirius snatches it back. "And they aren't," he assures her. "The only firewhiskey here is hidden up in our room and you have to know where it is to find it." His eyes harden, turning back to Elias. "You didn't hear anything."

Elias holds his hands in surrender with a nonchalant smile. "Firewhiskey isn't my thing, and I don't care to have this party ruined." Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he leans forward on the balls of his feet. "Might be my last if we don't win the Quidditch Cup."