The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

Moony Down

James's eyes glinted as he replied, "I'm absolutely positive that Sirius has our love worked into the relationship agreement. Such passion as ours cannot be overlooked."

Lily said, "I should certainly hope not. True love should never be denied."

James's face twitched in a funny way and he looked across the little dining area, "I should think not," he murmured.

Lily licked her lips and watched him a moment. "Potter, do you ---"

She was interrupted by the bored cashier girl arriving to the table with two plastic baskets containing their food. She put them onto the table, chewing a wad of gum in the corner of her mouth, and she looked at James for a moment, her eyes sort of frisking over him - though he didn't seem to notice the attention. "Can I get you anything else?" she asked him, not Lily.

"Do you have those funny little catsup bags?" James asked, wiggling his fingers to indicate the packets.

The girl said, "We aren't that fancy." She half turned and picked up a red plastic container from another table and dropped it between them.

"Ah, that'll do, yeah, thanks." James lifted the catsup and raised it in a cheers to the girl, and she reluctantly left as James poured catsup over the bed of chips beneath his burger. He looked up at Lily and offered her the catsup. She took it and sprayed her own chips as he chewed, watching her. "So... Do I what?"

"What?" Lily looked up.

"Before she came over with the food, you started to ask me something. You said Potter, do you --." His eyes were curiously searching hers. "Do I what?" He stuffed a couple catsup-soaked chips into his mouth, one eyebrow cocked in amusement, a flicker of a smirk twitching about the corner of his lips as he chewed.

Lily flushed. "I dunno," she lied. "I don't remember."

The Great Hall was decorated fabulously... garlands of silver and gold, strings of faerie lights, and enchanted snow falling from the ceiling... Instead of traditional Christmas trees, there were glistening ice sculptures of evergreen trees that glowed with white light from the inside out, and the tables were made of ice and there was a glistening ice rink across the raised floor where the staff table usually rested. Overhead were six-point stars that sparkled and shined in the flickering lights of hundreds of candles. Professor Flitwick stood by the ice rink, changing trainers into ice skates so students could go gliding across the shiny surface. It was so pretty, it was like a winter wonderland, beautiful to behold, and tinkling carols played loudly and there was dancing and everyone's eyes shone bright with smiles and laughter.

"Oh blimey, Moony, look'it this!" cried Sirius, clutching Remus's hand in his own as he looked about, the wonder of a child on his face, "Oh look'it this! Look'it this!" He gleefully clapped his hands and pointed out all sorts of things. "This is fabulous," he gasped.

Remus allowed himself to be pulled along behind Sirius, dizzy from the cologne scent coming off him and all the other boys and girls that filled the great hall. The food didn't help - such strong peppermint and gingerbread and holiday spices as it were... they smelled so good and yet the sensation of it, compounded with everything else... and Remus felt his face growing flush and his knees ached. But he couldn't give up.

"Bloody hell, this is absolutely the best. Here, look, a table near to the ice skating. Think they got that idea from us, when we did it?" Sirius laughed and pulled Remus along toward the table he's potted, dragging him by his wrist until they'd reached the front of the room - as far from the door as possible, Remus noticed, and he just prayed that he wouldn't have to make a dash for the boys' toilet. Sirius pulled out a chair and cordially sat Remus down in it before sitting in his own, "How's that for chivalry?" he asked, grinning, "Don't ever let anybody tell you your boyfriend is anything short of the best, mate!"