Secrets and Moonlight || Professor Lupin

Chapter 33: Better than Fire Whiskey

 Ella and Remus spent the next two hours engrossed in a bubble entirely their own, completely oblivious to the fact that the pub around them had grown considerably more busy since they arrived. They talked about anything and everything, bouncing from topics like their favorite books and their pet peeves to unique ways they grew up. When things wavered on being too heavy, Remus shared some of the more daring pranks he and his friends pulled back in their Hogwarts days, including a rather infamous glitter bombing they played on Severus Snape.

"And he couldn't just magic the glitter away?" Ella asked with a bemused raise of her brow.

Remus laughed and shook his head. "See, that was the beauty of it. James charmed it so that the glitter multiplied it anytime Severus tried to be rid of it. He served as the unofficial Gryffindor mascot for weeks." 

Ella laughed so hard that her sides ached, unable to wipe the image of her potion master sparkling in shades of burgundy and gold after being glitter-bombed during his morning shower. "I might be going out on a limb here, Rem, but I think your marauding days could explain Snape's dislike of you," she quipped between breaths. 

"Marauding?" Remus queried. The very mention of word seemed to instinctively tug a nostalgic smile across his face. 

Ella drank another mouthful of fire whiskey before leaning in closer on her elbows, positioning herself so that Remus was able to think of little else but the sugary smell wafting from her skin. "You know, a pack of young boys bumbling about in search of chaos they could unleash or people they could annoy?"  

"Darling, I think you're confused about the type of marauding we got up to." 

"Enlighten me, then." Ella challenged, her eyes shining brighter than they had all evening. She gazed up at him through her lashes with feinted innocence, enkindling flames in the pit his stomach to rival even the strongest of fire whiskies. There was an intensity about her in the firelight of the pub that was disarming; Remus was certain Ella would have him weak in the knees if he wasn't already seated. 

Remus finished the last mouthful of his second whiskey, sending heat blazing down his throat that began burning away at his inhibitions. He used what little resolve remained to try and keep his eyes trained on Ella's face. The way she pressed forward closer to him had revealed the top of her small breasts and a golden chain that glittered enticingly between them. Godric, Helga, Merlin, all, he begged silently, please don't let her find me perverted.

Remus cleared his throat to steady his voice before he explained, "We pillaged the castle for it's secrets, which made us masters of mischief in our days. The pranks we pulled—though a bit juvenile —were all meant to be humorous. There was nothing nefarious or dark about them, we weren't capable of such things...not then at least."

Remus' gaze cast down on his empty glass, momentarily breaking away from the enigmatic force that had their finger tips dancing caresses across each others skin in the firelight of the now crowded pub.