the cadence of part time poets

Chapter 29: Float Me to the Moon

And I'm blinded by the neon,
Don't try and change my tune;
'Cause I thought I heard a saxophone,
I'm drunk on the moon...

- "Drunk on the Moon" Tom Waits, 1974

Thanks to the hubbub of move-out, no one noticed four boys meandering down the campus street in the warm summer air. Curfew wouldn't start for hours and though they wouldn't be present for it, the whole school was looking forward to what everyone called 'The Final Feast', a great dinner provided by the school for making it to the end of the year. For them, the plan was to meet Stan outside of the school's eastern gates, where they'd pile into the back of his car and make the long drive to the concert. There they'd have the time of their lives for a single evening before squishing into the sedan and making the trek back in the wee hours of the morning. According to Simeon, if all went well they'd return to school with plenty of time before their buses were scheduled to depart for the train stations. Then they could sleep in the car or on the bus or train, and no one would be the wiser.

After leaving the Shack behind, they returned to their dorm room one final time to drop-off Lily's camera and ensure that everything was tidy for their inspection. The day before Remus had experienced mixed feelings as he watched each of his friends pack their lives into a few measly trunks. Their dorm hadn't felt so empty since their first week and without Sirius' stereo or James' football posters hanging about, the room felt distinctly cold. Remus' corner had stayed rather bare all year apart from the constant stack of books by his side table, but after seeing the empty room he had silently promised himself that when he returned to Hawkings the following autumn, he would hang up something that claimed the space as his own. Lee could probably find him a few cool posters, or even a busted-up lava lamp. The others would definitely get a kick out of that.

"You don't think Lily will see this as us leaving her out again, do you?" James asked, staring down at the pavement as they made their way to the eastern gates.

Sirius shook his head, exasperated. "Who cares? She already forgave you for pulverizing Snivellus."

"I didn't actually hit him," James grumbled, "but I also don't fancy spending another year as 'Undesirable #1'. Do you?"

"There's only four tickets anyway," Remus said, amicably. "And we didn't tell the girls, so just keep your lips to yourself tonight and there won't be any problems."

As Peter and Sirius began to laugh, James flashed Remus an irritated smile. "What's it going to take to get you to stop being so vicious, Moony?"

"Stop calling me 'Moony' and we'll talk."

"Don't be so put-out, Potter," Sirius said, "if you really want a kiss I'm sure one of us can do it. Don't think Lily will mind that as much."

"Oh yeah? Come here then, Black. Put your money where your mouth is!"

With a hoot, Sirius streaked away and James gave chase immediately, cackling as he ran after him. Peter joined in too, and after finding himself suddenly giddy in the early night air, Remus burst into a run after his friends. Soon all four of them were sprinting down the street, yelling and hollering at the top of their lungs like the yobs they were. They passed other kids, dodging each of them as they mulled around out front of dorms, carrying books and other things that needed to be returned to the school before everyone left for home the next day. Among them were Cass and Deacon, pushing their dorm's telly up the street on a large cart.

"Where's the party boys?" Cass called, as they all flew past. Remus turned around mid-run to shout back at him.

"Ask Sim!"

Cass shook his head at them, smiling, while Deacon leaned up against the cart for a break. Remus waved at them before turning around and running headlong into Peter, nearly taking them both to the ground.