The (Not So) Strange Mixture

"One Horny-Ass 17th, Huh?!"

Warnings: Mention of war/Tom Riddle, Arguing, underage drinking/drugs, A LOT of sexual situations/conversations/and references, and questioning about kinks and sexual preferences.

Early March, 1977

James and Lily went out that Saturday. They went for dinner in Hogsmeade, and clearly, they enjoyed themselves. They were smiling and laughing when they returned to the common room. The others, however, were nose-deep in this "Tom Riddle" search. "Apparently he's an orphan!" Marlene scoffed. "No way!" Peter objected. She slid over Riddle's school record, showing Remus and Peter. "That man has no heart, him being an orphan checks out!" Sirius joked. "That's cold" Alice shrugged. James tossed his coat over the sofa, sitting down beside Peter. "What did we find?" Lily asked, standing next to Sirius, reading over his shoulder. "Riddle was born on December 31st, 1926, Dad was a muggle and mother was a pureblood!" Dorcas recited. "So he's a half-blood with pureblood ideals?!" James clarified. "Yep!" Frank scoffed. Lily rolled her eyes, taking the papers from Sirius. "And he's an orphan, Dumbledore wrote personal notes on his files, and went to Wool's Orphanage after Mummy dearest passed during childbirth!" Sirius added. "No wonder he's so bitter" James chuckled. "Thank you!" Sirius agreed, pointing to James.

"Dad told me he had records of trying to get the Dark Arts position at Hogwarts, said the Ministry always keeps records on the staff of the school!" Remus informed, resting his elbows on the table. "Yeah, my grandma told me about that once, said this weird posh boy tried to get the job right after graduation, I pieced two and two together!" Marlene shrugged. Lily looked back at her friends, setting down Riddle's files. "So this half-blooded orphan who had no connection to the Wizarding World except for Dumbledore is now trying to outnumber and diminish the people he should be protecting?!" she repeated. Marlene licked her lips, nodding sarcastically. "Uhm, seems that way yeah!" Remus answered. Lily scoffed again, tossing her arms up in annoyance. "Alright you know maybe this research thing wasn't the greatest idea!" James suggested. "James what else were we to do?! Sit around and wait?!" Sirius snapped. James shrugged, holding up his hands in defense. "Alright! Everyone relax!" Frank stepped in. The group fell quiet, all facing opposite directions from each other.

"I know this is stressful...the uncertainty of it all...we don't know who this Riddle character is, don't know who his supporters are, and don't know who's working for him and who isn't!" he began. Alice crossed her arms, looking back at her boyfriend. "We know he can control people so that they do terrible things without being able to stop themselves..." he continued. Sirius shut his eyes tightly, trying to not think of Regulus. "We're scared for ourselves, and your family, and your friends...and every week, news comes of more deaths, more disappearances, more torturing...the Ministry of Magic's in disarray-they don't know what to do-they're trying to keep everything hidden from the Muggles, but meanwhile, Muggles are dying too!" Frank scoffed. The group faced him again, all frowning in fear and unease. "I know there's terror everywhere nowadays...but things like this prove that there are people worth fighting against, and it's not for us to prove-but the people above us! That's who's work this is!" Frank reminded.

"He's right" Remus mumbled. He stood, rubbing the back of his neck gently. "All this working ourselves up will get to us eventually" he sighed, resting his hands on the table. Frank nodded, rubbing Alice's shoulders. "We should leave it to the big man himself..." Remus finished. "Dumbledore" Mary whispered. Remus nodded, crossing his arms. "Maybe we should go to him, help him out by telling him what we know?" Peter offered. James nodded, thinking about the choice. "I think that'd be good...so we don't hold it all in" Dorcas agreed. "Agreed" Lily added. Sirius sighed, rubbing his eyes, tiredly. "Anybody else got an idea on how to distract ourselves?!" Marlene asked, opening her arms dramatically. They all went quiet for a moment, thinking. Until Lily smiled. "Well...Remus does turn 17 in a few days" she smirked. Mary gasped, turning back to Remus excitedly. Suddenly they were all smiling brightly. "No-No No we're not using my birthday as an excuse!" Remus objected. "Yes we are! We're throwing a rager!" Marlene corrected. Sirius gasped, jumping up excitedly. "We haven't thrown a party in ages!" he squealed, rushing over to Marlene. They held hands excitedly, giggling at each other.