STARS | r. lupin (1)

CHAPTER FIVE

GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM WAS FILLED to the brim with students from all houses. The colours of red and gold filled the room along with an unhealthy amount of alcohol. Sirius Black was being carried above the students heads back and forth across the room like some kind of celebrity.

"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!" the students chanted like their life depended on it. Althea Dubois was not one of these students.

She stood by the side of the room, clutching a bottle of strong alcohol and leaning coolly against the wall.

"Why did I think this was a good idea?" she asked to no one in particular. Her friends being absent to join the mindless crowd, she was all alone.

"I don't know." a deep voice replied from behind her. She turned around to see James Potter, someone she expected to see glued to Sirius' side all night.

"Why aren't you following Black around like a puppy?" she asked. The question itself wasn't meant to be so rude, but Althea being as intoxicated as she was didn't see any difference. Luckily, James just laughed it off.

"'Cause I don't want to be the one he vomits on." Althea giggled uncontrollably. And he raised an eyebrow at her.

"I didn't think you were the giggling type." he said, grabbing the bottle from her hand and taking a swig.

"I'm not, I'm just really drunk." she shrugged casually, taking the bottle back from his hands. "You barely know me anyway."

"It seems you know Moony, though."

"Moony?" she looked at him in confusion.

"Oh, sorry, Remus."

"Oh, yeah. Not too well though." she replied, to which he raised an eyebrow and laughed.

"We'll see."

"You know, you're acting surprisingly sober for someone who has a reputation for being a drunkard."

"Just not in the mood." He said as he took another swig from her bottle.

"If you're gonna lie, at least have the decency to get your own bottle." she glared. Suddenly she realised he seemed a little bit sad. Poor posture, eyes on the ground and a very severe lack of cheesy jokes. She tipped her head gently to the side.

"Wanna do something fun?" she grinned. He looked up.

"Look, I'm flattered, but-"

"Not like that!" she hit him playfully. "A drinking game. Loser has to climb on the table and declare their love for the winner."

She almost told him that she, too, was drinking to forget, but bit her lip to stop the words from coming out. It seemed that she wasn't nearly drunk enough yet.

"You've got yourself a deal."

*

"Okay, okay," Althea giggled uncharacteristically. "Loser of this one has to... go to Honeydukes through one of the secret passages and get us some lemon sweets. I'm starving."

"Lame." he shook his head, but then paused and considered it. "I am pretty hungry though."

"Three shots of vodka each." she held up two fingers and poured some tequila in their glasses.

They drank like their life depended on it. And it just might have, if Filch had caught one of them. As she finished her shots, Althea fell off the chair.

"You really can't hold your liqueur, can you?"

She pulled herself off of the ground, "No, sir!" she giggled again, then gasped loudly. "You know what I should do?"

"I don't think you should."

"But you haven't even heard it!" she pouted.

"I don't need to."

"I'm gonna dance on the table." she grinned and jumped up. "Woah. When did it start spinning?"

"I don't think you should get up." he chuckled, leaning on the table.

"Noooo this is a good idea." she slurred. She jumped up onto the chair and climbed onto the table, listening to the music and swaying softly. Nobody was staring (after all, that kind of thing wasn't uncommon), until she tugged her shirt off.

The last thing she saw before she was pulled off the table was James' wide eyes.

"Okay, time to go." he grumbled, but he was still smiling, as if this was all some huge joke.  He pulled her up the stairs and into his room.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to sessude me." she frowned, "Sedude-- no, desusse-- no. Seduce? Seduce me!"

"Okay, calm down." he put her down gently on the bed, turned around and took off his shirt.

"Um, I don't want to-"

"Don't worry." he handed her his shirt, "Put it on." she stared at it, then down at herself.

"Shit, I forgot I was only wearing a bra." she giggled and pulled on the shirt. "Thank you. You're a good person." she nodded enthusiastically.

"You're welcome. Just be careful on your way back to Ravenclaw Tower."

She thanked him again and walked out, using some of the passageways to avoid Filch and the teachers. She fell on her bed and closed her eyes.

"She's so cute when she's drunk." she heard a soft voice say, followed by a snort.

That was the last thing she heard before she drifted off.