❃.✮:▹ ◃:✮.❃
Summer holidays 6th year
❃.✮:▹ ◃:✮.❃
"ARE YOU sure your parents will think I'm not stuck up?" Eloise insisted for what must have been the millionth time. The girl was clad in an orange and red dress with bell sleeves and a raised waistline. Considering that Eloise didn't actually own any dresses or skirts save for her school uniform and a few formal gowns, the girl had borrowed the dress from Marlene. Now the two girls were nearly the same height but the curves that Marlene had, Eloise didn't and vice versa, resultedng in an ill fitting attire.
Remus glanced down at Eloise and bit his lip to stop himself from laughing, the way Eloise had even tied her hair partly up. The boy gently took hold of Eloise's elbow, stopping her. The girl raised a brow at him and he undid the clip before shoving it in his pocket. "You look amazing, Elo," He pulled her along. "Besides, they have met you many times before."
The couple trailed down the cobblestones that formed a crooked path which led to the chipped green front door of the house where the Lupins resided. Small wildflowers were busy peeking their way through the stones, but the flowers which demanded the attention were the ones on the trellises on the wall. The stony surface hardly visible from underneath the large flower patch.
"But then I was your friend and not your girlfriend," Eloise waved up and down at herself. "I'm amazing but not really daughter-in-law material."
Shaking his head, Remus threw his arm over Eloise's shoulders and buried her into his side. Remus curled Eloise into his chest and rested his chin atop her head. "Never thought I'd see the Foxtail worked up over parents."
Eloise shoved Remus away with a huff. "Well I have to do this well because I can't get back at you with my parents," Eloise muttered, and before Remus could give any sign of pity, Eloise took the brass knocker and made their presence known.
It was Lyall Lupin who opened the door. It was always interesting to see just how much Remus was the spitting image of his father, from their eyes down to their posture. Lyall had sandy brown hair like Remus and brushed it to the side nicely, he had the same and frame as Remus. But the biggest resemblance must have been the way the two men's lips curled up identically.
"Hey Dad." Remus surpassed Eloise and the two men shared a warm hug. After the tight embrace that made Eloise's stomach twist, the two pulled apart.
Lyall Lupin peered down at Eloise. "Hello Eloise, it's good to see you again." The man rested a hand on Eloise's shoulder and he pulled her inside as she greeted him back. The Lupin looked around outside to ensure there were no dark presences nearby.
In the midst of Eloise's greeting, Hope Lupin came bounding towards her son with her gardening gloves still on. The mother and son greeted one another happily, but if Eloise hadn't known better she could have easily thought Hope to be Remus' ancient aunt or perhaps even grandmother. Disease had eaten away at the woman and left bags under her eyes, canyons in her skin, desert patches on her head and a good amount of silver in her hair.
As Hope's sparkling youthful eyes settled on Eloise, it was as if the ghost of Judy Prewett possessed the girl as years of etiquette training came surging back. A very un-Eloise smile crossed the girl's features, one which Remus had only seen her wear around her parents and her sister.
"Hello Mrs Lupin," She said smoothly, causing the three Lupins to share a few glances.
The trio laughed and Eloise frowned, but wasn't given the chance to speak as Hope grasped the girl's hands. "Oh no need for such formalities dear," Hope grinned. "Now I'll let you both get settled, an after we can have some fresh brownies that I made."
☆——⍟——☆
With a thud, Eloise's bag landed on the floor of Remus' bedroom. The brunette spun around and dropped back onto Remus' bed, which had been charmed to become a double bed rather than a single. The patterned material of her dress fanning out over the covers under her.
Remus smiled at her and picked up her large canvas bag and put it on top of his dresser. The bag itself contained enough clothes for the weekend, which was the amount of time that Eloise would spend at the Lupins.
"Don't fucking say it," Eloise groaned from the bed. She threw her arms over her face, the sleeves aiding her in hiding her face.
A chuckle came from Remus and he took a seat next to his girlfriend. "I told you so." He wore a shit eating grin and reserved a bone chilling glare from Eloise. He shrugged innocently.
As Eloise's glare faltered slightly a realisation struck Remus. Eloise Matilda Prewett was laying in his bed. The best friend he had fancied for years was sprawled out over Remus' childhood bed and there were no roommates who could burst in at any moment.
It was a light kick against Remus' ribs that awoke him from his realisation, he looked down at Eloise with a raised brow and she rolled her eyes. "Honestly Moonsy, what have I said about frowning?" She pushed herself up to her elbows and showed off her dimples. Remus looked down bashfully before Eloise leant up further and pressed a chaste kiss to his chin, then a little lower, and just a bit lower.
Eloise found herself pulling back to ask if it was alright, but didn't get the chance as Remus tugged her closer. Thus the witch continued her attack of Remus' neck. Eventually she pulled back and gazed at her flustered boyfriend who had grown redder than his Gryffindor scarf which was draped over a chair in the corner of his bedroom.
"What? Never gotten a love bite?" Her teasing tone revealed she didn't actually think that, but then she noticed Remus settling his gaze on his twiddling fingers. "Really? I always assumed Buckthorn..."
"No, I saved myself for you Foxy." He grinned and swooped closer to Eloise' who pushed him away with a hand to the forehead.
The brunette shook her head. "How old-fashioned of you Moonster," Eloise got off the bed and pulled down the hem of her dress. "Can't say the same for me," She flicked her bouncy hair over her shoulder. "After all I am a modern witch."
"Perhaps you'll rub off on me--" Remus grew even darker and he choked on his spit as he realised what he had just implied. "I didn't mean to--" He groaned and hurried his face in his hands.
Meanwhile Eloise was nearly pissing herself as she laughed, she wiped away a fake tear. "Randy Randy Remy..." Mischief glistened in the darkest parts of Eloise's eyes. "I'll have to pass that on to Peeves."
Sheer terror struck Remus and he jumped to his feet and reached for Eloise. "No wait, please don't!" Eloise in turn used her much quicker reflexes to dodge Remus' hands and smirked before blowing Remus a kiss.
☆——⍟——☆
The brownies that Hope had made were quickly scarfed down after which they had enjoyed the simple classic dish of pasta with tomato sauce. A record player played a vinyl of Tom Waits. Lyall and Remus gathered the plates to wash them, leaving the two women.
Eloise smiled at one of the pictures on the mantle. Upon noticing that, Hope smiled and walked closer to the younger woman. "That was my childhood house in Cardiff."
The witch raised a brow at Hope. "You're Welsh?"
Hope smiled and nodded. "Yes, but I am afraid that I haven't lived there in a very long time," As Hope spoke, Eloise had to admit she noticed a faint accent lacing the woman's words. "I must admit I miss it dearly.
Raking her brain for something Percival Prewett used to say, Eloise smiled as she remembered . "Cenedl heb iaith yw cenedl heb galon." At the old proverb and the language, Hope let out a content sigh. A nation without a language is a nation without a heart.
"I haven't heard that language in a long time..." Hope sighed, her callused fingers gently caressing the picture frame. "Where did you learn to speak Welsh?"
"My father taught me, he used to talk to me and my siblings in Welsh every time we went to visit nearby muggle towns or villages," Eloise perched herself on the brown rough couch in the living room. She stared up at the lightbulb. "My sister, Molly, never cared much for it, but me and my brothers used to speak it often."
Hope took a seat in her armchair where some needles stuck out of the armrest, a discarded embroidery circle at her feet. "My parents didn't allow me to speak Welsh, I haven't heard it in over a decade..." The Lupin woman looked over to the archway into the kitchen. "It's the most beautiful language in the world.'
A grin played on Eloise's lips. "Well obviously I agree," She chuckled and Hope joined in soon enough.
From the kitchen Lyall smiled as he heard his wife laugh. "You and Eloise..." Lyall shook his head and sighed. "I always thought you two would become a couple one day, though I must say I started losing hope after the ordeal with..." Lyall trailed off as he tried to recall the name of Remus' last girlfriend.
"Aurora Buckthorn," Remus informed as he charmed all the pans back into the cupboard.
"Ahh yes," Lyall snapped his fingers. "But, I'm happy you're with her," Lyall rested a warm hand on Remus' lanky shoulder. "She's good for you."
Remus stared into the living room where he saw Eloise and his mother engaged in lively chatter. "She's too good for me, I don't deserve her," Remus muttered. He peered down at his feet.
A frown and pang of guilt overcame Lyall. "Remus..." He coaxed gently.
"It's true though, if people found out what I am," Remus jabbed a finger into his chest as his voice cracked. "Then she would be ruined. I can't do that to her."
Lyall took both of Remus' shoulders into his hands and stood in front of his son, who was starting to tower over Lyall. "Remus, it was her choice to become your friend, it is her choice to love you. It's okay to accept good things," Remus opened his mouth to protest, but didn't receive the opportunity. "Even if we don't think we are worthy of them, especially then."
"Should we play Monopoly?" Hope suggested with a bright dazzling smile.
Inwardly Eloise cringed, her mind drew a blank at the name. From the context it must be a muggle game, but the rules or what the game actually entailed were lost to Eloise. "Monopoly?" Eloise asked softly.
However the Prewett did not receive an answer as Hope Lupin rose to her feet and retrieved her son and husband from the kitchen. Lyall took an old cardboard box out of a cupboard in the living room, meanwhile Remus and Hope cleared the dinner table.
"Moony," Said boy glanced back at his girlfriend as he sat down at the table. "How the hell do you play this?"
"You had a muggle studies class about this game." Remus smiled teasingly at Eloise who glared at him.
Eloise sat down next to Remus. "Well I was either sleeping alone or with someone," Despite her serious tone Remus laughed. "I don't know how to play this or what it even is," She hissed.
Quickly enough Remus unfolded the board and showed her the cards, money, pawns and squares. Despite not understanding the game at all, the Lupins and Eloise played with merry laughter. When Eloise was the first to declare bankruptcy, her face did turn sour, but otherwise she had enjoyed playing.
☆——⍟——☆
The last two days of the summer break had been seized by Lily. The redhead had decided that she wanted to go out with her friends. The group had originally always consisted of Lily herself, Alice Fortescue, Dorcas Meadowes and Marlene McKinnon. In the summer of 1977, Eloise Prewett and Quinn Chang were also invited. Luckily with much persuasion, Quinn was allowed to join.
And so the six girls sat huddled together around a small campfire in the forest near Quinn's house one week after Eloise's weekend at the Lupins. Dorcas and Eloise had one blanket draped over their shoulders whilst the rest each had their own blankets. Alice passed out her freshly brewed chamomile, honey and lemon tea.
"When I was younger I would come here often," Quinn whispered softly, her hands were clamped firmly around her red polkadot mug. "I hoped I could visit the stars one day."
A the not pure-blood witches, Lily and Marlene shared a look. "Muggles have been to the moon," The pure-bloods looked at Lilt and Marlene with wide eyes and open mouths. "Five years ago we last went there, the first was Neil Armstrong."
Dorcas frowned. "But how did they get up there?" The girl craned her neck to look up at the crescent moon that peeked out from behind two clouds. "Brooms can't fly that high."
"A rocket," Marlene answered, which only further confused the other witches. "It's a sort of capsule that allowed them to go that far."
The pure-blood witches didn't seem convinced and so Lily promised to show them pictures her parents had taken of the tv that day. It was quite amusing to Lily and Marlene sometimes, the wizarding world was convinced they were superior to the muggles--even the ones who believed in treating muggles equally-- and yet the wizarding world was stuck in the past. Just a month ago Arthur Weasley had asked Lily how a phone really worked. Whilst muggles were reaching out to the galaxy and exploring the planet where they lived, the wizards and witches were squabbling about how to stay hidden or wether muggle-borns were allowed to go to magic schools or become Minister of Magic.
"Alright, well then I want to travel to the moon one day," Dorcas declared with a shout. The black haired girl held her mug up and clinked it with the mugs of her friends. "Mark my words, I'm going to the moon." The girls clapped, cheered and laughed at Dorcas. Small embers flew up into the night sky and shone bright on Dorcas' dark skin. "I'll be the first witch on the moon!" The Ravenclaw was definitely smart enough to do so.
Marlene grinned. "To the first woman on the moon!" She held out her cup and the rest followed suit.
"Oh, I'm taking all of you with me, I only want a female team with me. Blokes have only let me down in life," Dorcas grinned, then eyeing Alice, Lily, Quinn and Eloise. " As you all know."
Whilst most of them laughed at the jab, Quinn shifted around in her seat. "Well, Pete has never let me down."
"Just wait," Eloise clapped Quinn's shoulder. "Boyfriends will let us all down, besides I love him but he's still Peter," With a cheeky grin she looked back at the others. "Little Peter, he's sweet but yeah..."
The comment Eloise made was a harsh one, harsher than she had intended or imagined it would be. She loved Peter, but she also needed to tease people and occasionally be mean to her friends. Besides she had already had a few shots of fire whisky and gin, her brain was already on the border of tipsy and warmth. But still it caused the sober Quinn who was only an acquaintance of Eloise to frown.
Those words would be one of Eloise's many regrets later on.
"What can I say? The single life is great!" Marlene cackled, earning her a whoop from Dorcas. "I can snog and shag anyone I want, why would I ever wish to limit myself to one person?"
"Because you love them?" Alice interjected.
Marlene seemed to ponder on Alice's answer for a moment before shaking her head. "Nah." The fire roared and grew for a moment, instinctively all witches reached for their wands. Then the breeze laid to rest once more and the fire shrank. One by one the girls uncurled their fingers from their wands.
The tense air however lingered, each of the girls looking around. Suddenly they all grew very aware of their position alone in the woods. Lily sighed and rubbed her hands together. "It's not fair," She muttered.
"What isn't?" Alice inquired, the brunette grasped a few flowers and busied herself with twisting the stems into a circle.
"Life," Lily stared into the flames and appeared to be ready to challenge the flames themselves. "This war is not fair, just because I come from not magic parents I'm worth less? Just because I'm a woman I'll be harassed and payed less. My dad has worked in the mines his entire life and his work goes unnapreciated by people in suits. It's not fair," Lily grunted, she racked a hand through her hair. Her fingers got stuck in a few knots and she hissed.
"The world wasn't made fair," Quinn sighed sorrowfully.
To that Marlene frowned. "Yes it was, then some gits decided they were better than others and we got the short end of the stick."
Eloise remembered how her dad had brought her and her siblings to a miner's protest when she had been younger. The best memory she had of that day was two the women had all sang a song together. Despite not being a singer, Eloise opened her mouth.
'As we go marching, marching
In the beauty of the day
A million darkened kitchens
A thousand mill lofts gray"
Hearing the familiar song Lily smiled and joined in.
"Are touched with all the radiance
That a sudden sun discloses
For the people hear us singing
Bread and roses, bread and roses"
It didn't take long for Marlene to join in.
"As we go marching, marching
We battle too for men
For they are women's children
And we mother them again
Our lives shall not be sweetened
From birth until life closes
Hearts starve as well as bodies
Give us bread, but give us roses"
Now Alice, Dorcas and Quinn did not know the song so instead of joining in they rose and with smiles started to spin around the fire. Alice plopped the flower crown she had made onto Lily's head, effectively messing up Lily's bangs and her singing.
"As we go marching, marching
Unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing
Their ancient call for bread
Small art and love and beauty
Their drudging spirits knew
Yes, it is bread we fight for
But we fight for roses too
As we go marching, marching
We bring the greater days
For the rising of the women
Means the rising of the race"
Marlene and Dorcas wrapped their arms around one another as they danced. Meanwhile Lily briefly stopped singing to duplicate her flower crown a few times before giving each of the girls a flower crown.
"No more the drudge and idler
Tender toil where one reposes
But the sharing of lives glories
Bread and roses, bread and roses
Our lives shall not be sweated
From birth until life closes
Hearts starve as well as bodies
Bread and roses, bread and roses."
With a polaroid camera that belonged to Marlene, Quinn took a photo of her new friends and smiled to herself as the picture developed. After all unmoving pictures never failed to blow her mind.
"Thanks for inviting me, this is fun," Quinn said lowly as she stared at her feet.
Lily threw an arm over Quinn's shoulders. "Of course! Next year Mary will also come with us, so then it will be even better."
One by one the girls trickled into the tent after extinguishing the fire. There they did a few too many shots and danced to Queen's 'Killer Queen'.
As Lily washed some of the dishes whilst the rest went off to bed, Eloise approached the redhead. "Lily?" Said girl made a 'hmmm' sound as she dried off a plate. "Can I ask you something?"
Frowning Lily turned around. "Of course..." She crossed her arms and studied Eloise's face. After all, Eloise Prewett was not known for asking for permission.
"When did you decide to go out with Prongs?" Eloise asked as she kicked off her large wooden heels. "I mean I love the git, but you weren't really keen on him. Then suddenly you two were snogging and somehow you two are still together a year later."
There wasn't an immediate answer as Lily gathered her thoughts. For years James Potter had been an arrogant jerk who seemed adamant about making Severus Snape's life living hell. Then Severus had called Lily a mudblood and everything changed as the Marauders stood up for Lily.
Lily's friendship with remus actually grew and then suddenly Eloise was being kind to Lily and helped the redhead with defence against the dark arts on more than a few occasions. Upon growing closer with Eloise, Lily started to see how dorky and kind the Marauders were. Not long after Lily noticed how difficult Sirius' home life was and how Remus struggled with his lyncropathy, and as she saw that, she couldn't deny how good James was for his friends and how much he cared. But then James started to change, he stopped bullying and although he continued to hit on Lily, it was dialled back. So maybe Lily opened her heart and mind to the idea of James as a friend.
Then James took Sirius in and Lily fell for James. When they lingered on the cliff before jumping, James had talked about his friends and looked at his new tattoo, not once did he actively make a move on her then. Lily had initiated the kiss and James had been mindful of her and allowed her to take the lead. Ever since James continued to grow and prove himself to Lily, wether that was done by saving William Weasley or attacking Lord Voldemort himself.
"He grew, he is a good person now..." Lily smiled in memory. "And I love him for it."
Eloise nodded slowly and scooped up her heels from the floor. "Well, name a child after me and you two will be my favourite couple." With that the brunette waltzed to the other room where the others were already blissfully snoring.
Meanwhile Lily glanced down at her hand that was still decorated with the thin silver ring she had gotten at Valentina and Fabian's wedding.
☆——⍟——☆
Alas all good things come to an end and two days passed by in the blink of an eye. The first of September arrived cloaked in rain and King's Cross station dotted with aurors. Everywhere you looked there would be two aurors, hands on their wands and eyes ever watchful.
The Marauders entered the train quickly and sprinted to claim their compartment, the compartment that they had been using since their first year. Faded initials carved into the small table served as a reminder of the fact.
With James being appointed Head Boy, Remus still being a prefect and Lily being the new Head Girl, the two friend groups decided to share the Marauders' compartment. Peter, Marlene and Eloise sat on one side whilst Sirius, Alice, Frank and Dorcas claimed the remaining seats. The group had started playing uno and happily ate their snacks.
Eloise had half a chocolate frog dangling from her mouth when the train screeched to a halt. Effectively, Eloise, Peter and Marlene were catapulted out of their seats and onto the laps of their friends.
Protectively, Sirius' fingers curled into Eloise's shoulder and he pressed her against his chest. The chocolate frog hopped away.
"What do you reckon that was?" Marlene asked as she scrambled off of Alice.
Frank carefully stood up. "I'm not sure." He opened the compartment door and looked down the train. He found a few other students similarly confused, but no reason as to why they had suddenly stopped.
"Maybe there was a technical malfunction?" Alice offered, rising to her feet to stand beside her boyfriend who instantly gravitated his lanky frame towards her.
"We should take a look," Eloise decided, she and Sirius stood up together with him still holding on to her.
Dorcas jumped up to tower over Eloise. "No, we should just wait here, we do not know what is going on." The gravity of her words settled on the rest. Eloise opened her mouth to argue, but fell short when the train picked up speed again.
The teens all started to reclaim their seats when Lily opened the compartment, before anyone could ask any questions the girl spoke. "It was a Death Eater and an auror, they were fighting on the tracks, but we've passed them now."
Truthfully everyone at Hogwarts had seen how the school was growing more and more secure from the war outside. Sure there were budding Death Eaters attending school, but they were no real threat to the other students yet. It was inevitable, the securer Hogwarts grew, other places just had to grow more dangerous as a result.
Eloise and Alice peered out of their window and use enough they saw someone on a broom flying near the train through the storm. Alice gulped and tucked her dark hair behind her ears.
a/n:
oh my sweet precious babies who i want to make happy. the scene where elo meets remus' parents as his
girlfriend has been in my head since forever and i like how it turned out. btw i 100% see david thewlis as
lyall, cuz like he's a great actor and a good remus apart from the fact that he and gary were a bit too old
for the role which took away some of the tragicness of their story. the people who know the song the girls
sang, i love you, and if you got the reference of the movie pride i love you even more hahaha.
and for any mary fans, don't worry she'll become a good friend of the rest soon enough. i made her
two years younger than the rest so that's why no one but lily really knows her.
if any of you have any suggestions for plot points whilst they are at hogwarts be sure to share
because i'm always looking for some minor story points for a chapter or two.
here's eloise's dress
and here is a picture i edited of the gals on the trip. quinn is in the corner on purpose because she's a bit awkward and doesn't know the rest all that well.
funny post
date published:16 september 2022
word count:4497