The Marauders Rise (II)

The Christmas Party

December 24, 1973

On Christmas Eve, the party in the Gryffindor common room is at the height of its rush. Fast music is playing off of a wireless in the corner, and several students are congregated in the center of the room, dancing and laughing. Off to the side, a large keg of butterbeer is placed and continues to refill itself. The door to the portrait hole opens, and FRANK and ALICE step in, their arms filled with food from the kitchens.

FRANK: Got it! The house-elves never fail to disappoint.

FABIAN: (walking over and helping with the food) I almost thought you were McGonagall for a second.

ALICE: No, didn't you hear? McGonagall's gone!

FABIAN: Really?

ALICE: Yeah. She and Dumbledore got called off on some Ministry matter.

FRANK: Awesome. (He raises his voice to the whole room) Hey, everyone! McGonagall and Dumbledore left the castle! We're partying all night!

The general mass of Gryffindors applaud the news. Off to the side, REMUS pours a glass of butterbeer. LILY walks over to him.

LILY: (grabbing his cup and taking a sip) Hey.

REMUS: Hey.

LILY: I've been thinking about you a lot, you know. I can't get you out of my head.

REMUS: (smiling) Me, too. But you know that I'm friends with James. If he finds out-

LILY: So what if he does? What does it matter?

REMUS: It feels like I'm betraying his trust.

LILY: Remus, come on. Potter doesn't have any control over us. Do you like me?

REMUS: Of course I do.

LILY: Then come dance with me.

LILY takes REMUS' hand and leads him to the center of the room, where they begin swaying to a waltzy tune. Off to the side, JAMES, SIRIUS, and MARLENE are playing a game of truth-or-dare.

JAMES: Ok. Dare.

MARLENE: Umm- I dare you to- (she grabs an empty cup from the floor) -balance this on your head.

JAMES: Easy. (He takes the glass and carefully perches it on his head).

SIRIUS: Come on, keep it there!

JAMES tries to continue balancing it. Just as it is about to fall off his head, he quickly pulls out his wand and casts a Levitating Charm to keep it from falling.

MARLENE: That's cheating!

JAMES: There's no rules, here, Mar.

MARLENE: Whatever. Who's turn is it?

They continue to play, and the music on the dancefloor becomes slower and more emotional. REMUS and LILY continue to slow dance.

LILY: I really like you, Remus.

REMUS: I like you too, Lily.

LILY: I want us to have no inhibitions. I want us to- to not care about what other people think. Do you get what I mean?

REMUS: (nodding) Yeah.

LILY: Because I've spent the last few years continuously worrying about what everyone thinks of me- being Muggle-born, being a Gryffindor, being good at school- and I hate it.

REMUS: Lily, you're talking to a werewolf. If anyone understands how you feel, it's me.

LILY: (smiling) Oh, yeah?

REMUS: Yeah.

REMUS and LILY kiss once more, locked in each other's embrace on the dancefloor. From the side, JAMES glances over and sees them, the smile draining from his face. He stands up and heads over to them.

SIRIUS: (getting up) James, wait-

JAMES: Get out of my way-

SIRIUS: You don't want to do this, trust me-

JAMES continues forward. Without thinking, he pushes REMUS to the ground and begins to tackle him.

REMUS: What the hell, man?

JAMES: I asked you for one thing! I thought I was your friend!

LILY: James! Get off of him, stop it-

They continue to wrestle each other. JAMES, being stronger, manages to pin REMUS to the ground. A crowd soon begins to form around them.

JAMES: After everything I did for you this year? This is how you repay me?

REMUS: It wasn't supposed to go this far, but- but it did. And I'm not ashamed of it!

JAMES: You're dead!

LILY: Stop it, you two, that's enough!

LILY grabs JAMES' shoulders and hoists him off of REMUS, who, after seeing how many people are watching them, quickly makes his way to the portrait hole.

JAMES: Yeah, you better run!

LILY: Remus, wait!

LILY calls after REMUS, but he leaves the common room. Enraged, LILY grabs an empty bowl from the food table and hurls it at JAMES.

LILY: (screaming) YOU are an ARSE!

JAMES: Just calm down! You don't understand, all right? He deserved that-

LILY: Deserved it?

JAMES: He betrayed me! Friends stick by each other, all right? Friends who turn on each other don't deserve-

LILY: (furiously) He is ten times a better person than you will EVER be! YOU don't deserve to be friends with HIM!

JAMES: I asked him to help me out! To get you to talk to me! And he kissed you- behind my back!

LILY: (laughing coldly) That's where you're wrong, Potter! I kissed him! And I thought I made it clear how I felt about you, but I guess you still haven't gotten the message. So let's see if this makes it through that thick skull of yours: I HATE you!

LILY leaves the common room in tears, following REMUS. JAMES, humiliated, escapes upstairs to the dorm room. MARLENE makes to follow LILY, but SIRIUS catches her arm.

SIRIUS: Don't. We better let them work this out themselves.

MARLENE: That was some serious stuff. Maybe we should have done something-

SIRIUS: Maybe. But what's done is done. (He turns to address the crowd) Don't worry everyone, just- go back to your partying, everything's fine-

Slowly, the music begins to play again and the party begins to come alive. SIRIUS pours a glass of butterbeer for MARLENE, but they are too concerned for their friends to have any fun.