𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈
October 30, 1974.
The flyers were stapled on every dorm room door in Gryffindor. In scrawny writing it wrote:
'Halloween Party, Gryffindor Common Room, October 30 (NOT 31ST), wear a costume!'
Almost everyone from Gryffindor was coming, along with a few strays from other houses. The common room was decorated in orange themed decorations, and Lily had taken it upon herself along with Mary to carve pumpkins for the occasion. James's heart swelled after seeing the hard work she had put in and how proud she was, he thought it was adorable.
The group had dressed up. Yes, the girls actually convinced the boys to dress up. Remus was up for it, and started planning his outfit far in advance. Sirius and James acted as if they hated the idea, but secretly loved coming up with costume ideas. Peter genuinely hated the idea, but followed whatever the other boys said. Bucky wore a costume from the Marvel comics, which none of the group had heard of since they weren't as popular in the UK, in comparison to the US.
As the groups got ready in their dorms, the atmosphere was filled with excitement and adrenaline. The boys were planning a prank to pull at the party, while the girls were planning how Mary was going to ask a guy from Ravenclaw to dance.
"Just walk up to him and swing your hips loads, boys love that!" Marlene gushed, while the girls laughed. The group started prancing up and down the dorm room with dramatic hips swings and pouty lips.
The costumes the group were wearing were diverse and appropriate to each person.
The four Marauders boys did a group costume, naturally. They dressed as the band Queen, with James as Freddie, Sirius as Brian, Remus as Roger and Peter as John. For a group of boys who were supposedly opposed to costume ideas, they went full out. Bucky was dressed as 'The Winter Soldier' from the Marvel comics, with a painted metal arm and a black leather jacket. He kept his hair down and shaggy, and had some of Marlene's black eyeshadow smeared across his eyes.
The girls had decided against a group costume, mainly because they were too indecisive. Marlene was dressing as Stevie Nicks, which came as no surprise to the girls. Kasie was going as Princess Leia from the new franchise, Star Wars, with space buns and a long white dress. Lily was dressing as David Bowie, teasing her hair and painting on a red lightning bolt over her eye. Mary was dressing as Cher, wearing an eccentric outfit and makeup, and straightening her long black hair. Finally, Lani was dressed as Sandy from Grease. She wasn't sure about it at first, but after a heated debate of the girls convincing her that she could impress Bucky in it, and Lani trying to convince them she didn't like him that way anymore, she wore it. Mary curled Lani's hair, added rep lipstick to finish the look, and of course, put on the tight black top and pants. They all looked amazing and took a photo on Lily's muggle device, a film camera.
The boys were out and ready early, to get the music blasting and adding final touches to the common rooms decorations. As minutes passed by, bodies of students spilled into the main common room, many making a beeline for the incredible food table Lani and Remus had planned out. By sunset, the atmosphere was electric, with the stench of aftershave, perfume and firewhiskey filling the air. The girls decided that it would be only appropriate to show up fashionably late, in order to have the most dramatic entrance they could conjure. As darkness fell on the school, the girls made their grand entrance into the room. They immediately caught the eye of Remus, who elbowed the other boys who were standing smuggling firewhiskey from a pocket flask. Lani looked immediately for Potter, taking in his fit physique being accentuated through his tight shirt. James, on the other hand, darted his eyes immediately to Lily, with her fiery red hair and eye-catching makeup. His mouth gaped open while Lily rolled her eyes and walked over to snatch the firewhiskey out of James's hand.
"Evans come on, it's halloween just let us have it this one time-" James pleaded before stopping abruptly as Lily took a swig of from the flask. The group stared at her in confusion as she scrunched her nose in distaste before shaking it off.
"What? It's Halloween!" She said, already slightly tipsy. The group laughed and began passing the flask around. Lani stood uncomfortably, feeling insecure wearing such a tight fitting outfit.
"Hey Lani, you look...' Bucky started before he took in her entire outfit. His eyes widened and Lani blushed profusely.
"Like an idiot I know, I think I'll go get changed." Lani said as she turned around, before feeling a firm hand grab her arm.
"No, I was going to say you look amazing." Bucky said, making Lani and him blush.
"Oh, thanks." She said smiling, before grabbing the firewhiskey and taking a swig, with much more alcohol coming out than expected. She gagged in disgust.
"Wow calm down Lani, leave some for the rest of us." Sirius teased. His hair was big and fluffy since he was Brian May, and had an electric guitar swung across his shoulder on his back. Kasie couldn't take her eyes off him, the rock boy version of Sirius had awakened something in her apparently.
"Want to go get a soda to wash that down?" Bucky offered, Lani nodded. She grabbed a cup of lemonade, and chugged in gratefully.
"So, are you some sexy fighter or something?" She asked Bucky while referencing his costume. She was also slightly tipsy from the amount of firewhiskey she had swallowed, and lost all filters in the process, resulting in her calling Bucky sexy.
"Oh, well, yes I suppose. I'm 'The Winter Soldier' from Marvel Comics, they are really big in the US. Stevie and I used to pretend he was Captain America and I was his sidekick 'The Winter Soldier'. Steve was actually the one who convinced me to chose this outfit, but I feel kind of stupid now since no one knows who he is." Bucky explained, his tone softening at the mention of his best friend.
"Well I think it's badass and that's all that matters right?!" Lani said, slurring her words. Bucky laughed.
"Yes, that's all that matters. Let's go back to the others though, I can hear 'Tiny Dancer' coming on." Bucky intertwined his fingers through Lani's, and ran into the middle of the room where the majority of the group were.
James was in a corner, attempting to flirt with Lily, before she ran off to greet her best friend, Snape.
"What is that pratt doing here?" James boomed, as he ran over to Sirius, immediately causing the members of the group to look over as Lily and Snape awkwardly hugged at the entrance.
"Snivellus, what in Merlin's name are you doing here?" Sirius said, while making his way through a pool of people. Most of the group followed behind him, also annoyed that the boy from Slytherin had arrived. Behind Severus, Regulus appeared with a few of his mates. Sirius's anger rose and boomed, "And what the fuck is he doing here?"
Regulus put his hands up in protest while laughing with his friends. "What? So I can invite you to Slytherin parties but I can't come to one you're hosting? Contradicting much?" Regulus sneered back, before pushing past Sirius and joining the crowd. Sirius was fuming causing a vein to pop out in his forehead. Though Kasie found his anger weirdly attractive, herself and Remus took a few moments to calm him and ensure he wouldn't cause any more of a scene. The group then turned back to the original elephant in the room.
"I think it would be best if you left." James said sternly.
"I invited him guys, if you kick him out you kick me out." Lily said, looking pleadingly yet sternly at the group. The group hated Snape; James, Lani and Sirius were the leaders of this, but they loved Lily with every fibre of their being, though they often questioned what she saw in the creep. James sighed.
"You're lucky you're pretty Evans because you're stubborn." James sneered.
"I don't need to base my worth on my appearance, Potter. C'mon Severus." Lily said as she dragged her awkward greasy hair friend through the crowd to the snacks table.
"Well, what's a night without a little drama?" Remus said enthusiastically, hoping the group wouldn't lose their spirits.
"You're right, this night is for you Remus! Another round of firewhiskey shots, anyone?" Lani offered. The group cheered and made their way behind the stairs to take a swig.
The night went on, many songs were sung, much firewhiskey consumed, and many laughs were had. Remus had met a Ravenclaw guy, and was talking to him throughout the night, though trying to hide out from everyone else. Mary had spoken to the Ravenclaw guy she had been crushing on, and came running to the group to announce they snogged. James had been talking up every red haired girl in the room, and the man had a clear type. Lily stuck around Severus all night, while Marlene and Lani had decided the way he looked at her was beyond creepy. Sirius and Kasie had gotten a tad drunk through the night, and snogged on the couch in front of the sofa. Regulus had been trying to annoy his older brother, but Sirius was too drunk and lovestruck to notice. Peter had done what he usually did, and stayed around the food table the entire night, speaking to stray students who were as socially awkward as himself. Lani and Bucky had stayed by each other's side through the party, and had one too many drinks between them. They were laughing and unknowingly flirting all throughout the night, but neither of them had acted on it.
"Want to go back to the lake? It should be our spot now!" Bucky shouted over the music.
"Yeah, let's get out of here before Marlene starts munting, she looks like she's about to go any minute now." Kasie laughed, as they ran out of the common room. As they entered the cold hallways, their ears rang with the silence after hours of Queen blasting in their ears. They walked quietly through the moonlight lit halls, straying clear of Filch's cat. As they made it outside, they inhaled the smell of fresh air, which was a change from the stench of sweat and perfume which had filled their nostrils for hours. They made their way down to the lake by skipping, then falling and rolling down. They belly laughed, finding amusement in each other's clumsiness. After they calmed down, they sat in silence, looking out onto the still lake.
"You're in love with James...Potter, aren't you?" Bucky asked, in almost a whisper. Lani looked at him in shock.
"What? Wh- Why would you think that?" She slurred her words, because of both her nerves and her drunk state.
"I see the way you look at him, he's the first one you look to in any situation." Bucky said while not taking his eyes off of the lake.
"I do not! Give me one time I have ever done that." Lani objected.
"Today. When you arrived at the party I looked to you straight away and you looked to James. It's fine I don't care, I just know." Bucky's face heated up, and his heart pounded.
"You looked, to me? What about Marlene or Lily? They are much prettier than me." Lani went on, her head spinning from the party and the information she was hearing.
"I mean, yeah you're my...best friend Lani. Marlene and Lily are pretty but you, you're my best friend." Bucky internally cringed at himself, cursing the firewhiskey and butterbeer he had.
"Oh, right. Yeah you're my best friend too. It's weird how we have only known each other for two months but you're still my best...friend." Of course, Lani no longer liked Bucky, or at least, she wouldn't admit to the fact her crush on him had only grown, so she had no right to be upset at the casual friend zone she received.
"Sometimes, I see you as more than a friend." Bucky said as he looked at her for the first time since they had sat down.
"Like a best friend?" Lani asked, causing her to immediately curse herself for pushing the friend zone harder on herself.
"Well....no more like a-" Bucky began as he started to lean his head in. "Like, a girlf-"
"Bones, Barnes, can you help me get Marlene to our room? She is chundering everywhere!" Lily shouted from the top of the hill. Bucky sighed, and closed his eyes as Lani looked around at Lily.
"Yeah we will be right up!" She shouted back. "Bucky, what were you saying, I missed the last part?" Lani began again, hoping to bring back the moment.
"Uh, nothing. Just that you are, my best friend." He said while standing up, sighing heavily.
"Oh, ok. Uhm...alright let's go help Lils with Marlene then I suppose?" Lani said as they awkwardly got up.
"Yep." Bucky hated himself, one more minute and he could've told Lani everything he was feeling. He cursed Lily's kindness and Marlene's inability to keep alcohol down at that moment, but followed his best friend up the hill regardless.
Lani's head was spinning, probably a mixture of hormones and butterbeer if she was being honest. What was he trying to tell her, she didn't know. All she knew was that Bucky didn't feel the same way and only saw her as a friend. Great! She thought.
They helped Marlene up to the dorm, and walked through the now dead party which would need immediate clean up. Once Marlene was in bed, Bucky and Lani headed down to help the rest of the group clean up the cups and food that was lying around before McGonagall would find it in the morning.
Kasie and Sirius were grinning and cooing at each other like the lovesick teenagers they were, while Lani and Bucky looked on individually in spite and jealousy.
"Where's Moony?" James asked.
"Who's Moony?" Mary asked.
"Oh, Remus. It's his nickname while he's in...his other form." James explained. "I'm Prongs, Sirius is Padfoot and Peter is Wormtail, cool right?!" He said, while the other girls laughed at the pure dorky-ness of the boys.
"Well to answer your question, here comes 'Moony' now." Kasie said as she spotted him emerging from behind the stairs with the cheesiest grin.
"Where have you been?" Sirius asked. In truth, he hadn't really noticed he was gone, Sirius had been...busy snogging senseless.
"Oh, I was with someone. They're really nice, I snogged them too." Remus announced, earning a 'woooo' from the group, making him blush.
"Who is the lucky lady?" James asked. Remus felt his heart drop, knowing it hadn't been a girl.
"Uhm....it wasn't." He said quietly.
"Wasn't a what?" James asked, confused.
"A...girl." Remus said with his head down, and his face went pale. Only Remus would announce he wasn't straight and a werewolf all in the one week.
"Oh, a guy then?" Lily asked, trying to understand.
"Yeah." Remus said, his heart pounding and ringing in his ear. There was a short moment of silence before Sirius broke it.
"James, Peter, you owe me 5 galleons, I told you from First Year!" He boomed, making everyone laugh and James and Peter rummaged through their pockets for some money.
"You knew?" Remus asked, shock whipped across his face.
"We all knew, please Remus it was always obvious you liked both!" Kasie said, earning more laughter from the group. Remus smiled as they came into a group hug.
"I love you guys, thank you for accepting me and this party, I hope we get to live on for another 80 years together!" They all laughed and made a pact on the spot, to stay together until they were old and grey.
(2655 words)
(author's note: i know that most of the costumes in this chapter such as Sandy from Grease and Leia from Star Wars came out after 1974, i just wanted to add them :P thanks for reading this longer one! ily all)