Junior Cottontail ❁ 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐧

March 31st, 1978

"Do I really have to go?" Aster whines as she sits on Lily's bed in the Gryffindor side of the castle. Lily's currently standing in front of her full length mirror, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dazzling, off-the-shoulder, emerald green dress that reaches down to her ankles, and adding a few last minute touches to her hair that she threw half up in a loose bun while the rest cascades down her shoulders. "I mean, the whole thing is optional, right?"

"Aster, for the last time: you have to attend." Aster rolls her eyes and falls back onto Lily's bed, letting her hair sprawl out around her and her dress to ride up. Lily watches her from the mirror, her eyes slightly narrowed. "Fix your dress. We look like we're about to shag." Aster groans as she yanks the front of her dress down to cover everything it's supposed to. Lily rolls her eyes. "Professor Slughorn is throwing this party as a last hurrah before Easter break." She stops adjusting her hair so she can focus all of her attention on Aster through the mirror. "It's essentially a late Easter party." Lily's expression softens slightly. "Which makes you the guest of honor, as much as you hate the spotlight." Aster huffs and groans at the mention of this.

Slughorn throws the same 'Easter party' every year 'in honor of Easter break' but the Marauders and the Harpies all know that it's really just Slughorn's way of celebrating Aster and the fact that he got to teach the future Easter Bunny and all that crap. And every year Aster whines and begs Lily not to attend. Every year Lily still forces her to attend, knowing that it'll look worse on Slughorn than it would Aster if she didn't. The only plus side Aster has ever found when it comes to any party for the Slug Club is that she can drag Remus along with her as her date (assuming it's not a full moon--in which case Aster complains to Lily the whole time about a headache so she can leave sooner) and they can spend the night together in a mutual discomfort and agony. It was all laughs on the other Marauders' end until Lily started dragging James to them as well.

"Well screw being the guest of honor. I'd rather spend the evening in my pajamas eating that edible cookie dough you taught the House Elves how to make while reading those horrible muggle magazines you brought Sirius that one year that he's got stashed under his bed." Lily rolls her eyes. Aster sits back up but hunches her back to further aggravate Lily. She succeeds in doing so when Lily's eyes narrow at her again and she crosses her arms over her chest. Aster smirks and continues to sit hunched, daring Lily to say something. "Hell, I'd rather spend the whole night snogging Snivellus then attend some stuffy party where most of the attendants will be purebloods." Lily scrunches her nose. Aster contemplates her statement before doing the same. "Alright, I wouldn't go that far." They start giggling. "But still." She crosses her arms and lifts her head, jutting out her chin. "I don't want to go," she stresses for the umpteenth time that evening.

"I don't care," Lily reminds with a cheeky grin. "You are going to attend the dance, Elizabeth Aster Bunnymund, or I will feed you to You-Know-Who." Aster groans and collapses back on the bed. Lily can faintly hear Aster mutter 'yes, mum' under her breath. She shakes her head and goes to say something else when there's suddenly a soft knocking on the door. She glances up, her cheeky grin turning into a flashy smile. "Come in!"

The door slowly swings open to reveal Remus in his dark blue suit and matching tie on the other end. He uses one of his hands to cover his eyes, keeping him from seeing anything he shouldn't, while he uses the other to hold a small bouquet of flowers Hagrid helped him pick, all the while he's flashing the girls a charming smile. He's currently unaccompanied by James, who would be Lily's date this evening, all because Remus is the only one smart enough to work around the slide charm on the stairs leading up to the girls' dormitory. Aster giggles softly as she takes in his awkward appearance. Lily shakes her head lightly, her smile lighting up.

"Remus, if we weren't decent, I would've put a sock on the door or simply told you not to come in," Lily chastises.

Remus slowly lowers his hand from his eyes before letting it fall at his side. "O-oh," he stumbles out. Aster bites her lip to keep from laughing as she and Lily share a look. "Sorry." He clears his throat. "Didn't know if you thought I was Alice or Marlene or someone." Lily shakes her head.