𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 | remus lupin

𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

"Oh, I don't know. I'm not exactly in a dancing mood, you know."

"Nonsense, it's always a dancing mood. Please? For me?" Winnie cursed her weak will and her inability to say no to her closests friends these days before hesitantly nodding and taking his hand.

The two of them entered into a waltz easily, drifting to the music and picking up with the others already dancing. They moved with the ease of two purebloods who grew up ballroom dancing.

They had barely made it a turn around the floor when Sirius abruptly stopped and stepped away from her, a wild look in his eyes that Winnie easily read to mean mischief.

"Oh don't you dare," she warned, trying to get him to start dancing again.

"I'm sorry Winnie—"

"Don't you dare."

"—But mischief awaits."

And with that, he disappeared. Winnie stared at the space he once stood in disbelief. She looked around frantically trying to find a way off the dance floor when her eyes caught Remus's.

The boy looked caught off guard seeing her, looking around her for Sirius. He made the split second decision to rush towards her and stepped into his spot. He took her hands and began the dance, just barely moving them out of the way of another couple dancing.

"Sorry," he said, once they got moving. "You looked uncomfortable standing there alone and it looked like they were going to run into you and I guess I could've just moved you out of the way but I started dancing and—"

Winnie cut off his rambling with a laugh, repositioning her incorrectly placed hands. Unlike Sirius and James who danced with practiced ease, Remus moved with the grace and coordination of a newborn deer.

"Thanks, Remus. I appreciate you."

Remus once again flushed pink.

"I'm sorry Everett couldn't make it," he said. "I know you'd been looking forward to seeing him."

"Yeah," she said, glaring over his shoulder at Sirius who was chatting up some boy across the room. "But it's okay. I've got you and the others to have fun with. I understand it wasn't his choice."

"Well, regardless, I'm glad you still came."

"I am too."

Right when she said that, she saw James walk up to Lily, who had reappeared.

"Oh, not again James."

Without looking, Remus raised an amused eyebrow and laughed. "Is he trying to talk to Lily again?"

Winnie nodded with a roll of her eyes. "She doesn't look very happy about it."

"Lily's never happy when James is around," Remus joked, clumsily trying to spin Winnie.

Winnie laughed and tried to spin Remus instead, a hard task when he was a good head taller than her. He humoured her attempt and ducked his head under her raised hand.

"Maybe she'll warm up to him someday," Remus said, not looking very convinced on the idea.

"I'd love to see that happen. Now, do you think I could lift you?"

The two had gotten so immersed in their conversation and attempts at overly advanced dance moves, they didn't notice when everyone started cheering, shouts of 'happy new year!' filling the air.

"Oh! We missed it!" Remus exclaimed.

"Nah," Winnie said. "Time waits for us."

Before Remus could go on a long rant about magic and time, Winnie gave him a tight hug and stepped away. "Thanks for the dance, Rem," she said and left, rushing to make sure Lily hadn't fallen victim to her brother's lips.

///

Winnie slept in until noon the next day.

After lying in bed and dozing for another hour or so, she made her way downstairs, surprised to find James lounging around.

"'Lo," she greeted with a yawn, dropping down on the chair opposite him. James didn't look away from the Snitch he was playing with, just nodded.

They siblings sat in silence doing their own thing for a while before James finally caught the golden ball, closing it.

"Any resolutions?" James asked.

"New Year Resolutions? That's awfully American of you," Winnie joked.

"Shut up." James rolled his eyes. "I think I have a few."

"What are they?" She asked curiously.

"Well, I want to pull off more pranks, score ten more goals than last year, and maybe—maybe start being nicer to Snivellous."

"Oh," Winnie replied, eyes wide at the last one. After she realized what he said, she laughed. "You might want to start by not calling him Snivellous."

They siblings laughed for a moment at the name before James agreed.

"What's with the change of heart, anyways?"

James pondered for a moment. "I mean, we've always been awfully rude y'know. And he's been a right git back, but I don't know. It might do well to leave him for a bit. Besides, I don't have time for him this year. This year will be our year, Elowen. We're going to be legends."

Winnie was glad at her brother's sentiment and wondered if Lily would appreciate it. She decided not to say anything, let her brother change for him, not for Lily. Instead, she shifted her weight and raised an eyebrow.

"Legends?"

"Legends," he confirmed. 

_____

Not going to lie, the more I write, the more I dislike my own writing, but what can you do? Oh well. 

Regardless of how I feel about it, I hope you guys liked this chapter! I'm posting it the night before my New Years Eve, so many of you might end up reading this tomorrow on the actual New Years Eve. 

What are your resolutions? I don't have any thing year, but maybe I should add 'become a legend' to the list. 

Anyways, happy readings!