"Kids, you can't cling to the past. Because no matter how tight you hold on, it's already gone." - Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother
"I still can't believe you are Head Boy," Marlene said accusingly with a scrunching of her nose. "Dumbledore is off his rocker." She nodded at the nice badge pinned neatly to James Potter's chest.
James snorted adding another helping of pudding to his plate. "Maybe," he agreed with the blonde, nodding his head. When he had first received the news with his regular school letter, he thought there had been some kind of mix up.
Charlie got another slice of pie and turned to Remus. "Are you okay with it? I mean, you were a prefect first. Don't you have some type of dibs?"
Remus gave her a wicked grin. "Have less responsibilities than James Potter and watch him struggle to get onto children for doing shit he did and still refrains from doing as a grown ass adult?" He mocked a chef's kiss.
"Prick," James muttered under his breath in between bites.
Remus gave him a suggestive look. "I hate you," James said through a mouthful of pudding.
"No, you don't," Remus answered with a confident laugh.
"Red," Sirius interjected, looking up from his dessert, pointing his fork at the redhead. "You're being unusually quiet."
It was true. Lily had barely spoken five words since McGonagall had removed the stool and the sorting hat from their place at the front of the great hall. She just sat there staring at the place where she had sat six years ago, thinking and hardly touching her food.
How has it been six years? She thought to herself. She hadn't even realized anyone was speaking to her until Marlene nudged her foot under the table.
"What?" Lily asked, shaking the daze from her head.
"What's up with you?" Marlene asked, her eyebrows coming together in concern.
The redhead only shrugged.
"Lily," Remus prodded.
"Just sad," she whispered, not taking her eyes from her plate.
Charlie leaned forward. "Sad about what?"
"I just can't believe it's been six years since we started Hogwarts. I can't believe it's our last year. Sometimes, I want to go back and do it all again. Not even to redo my regrets, just to live it all again." Saying the words out loud caused tears to sting Lily's eyes.
Nobody answered her; at once, they all understood. It was exciting and thrilling to be so close to freedom, to be the oldest in the school. But, it was also terrifying. All of the mixed emotions was enough to send swirling sensations in the pit of each their stomachs.
Charlie was the first to clear her throat. She didn't have a high capacity for feeling sad these days, as even the slightest bit of sorrow had the ability to send her into a deep spiral.
"But, we still have this year, and you know it'll be absolutely wicked."
Lily peeked up at her through her curtain of red hair with a small smile. "Yeah," she agreed.
"Yeah," James echoed, lightly nudging her with his elbow. "I have a whole year to abuse my power as Head Boy."
Lily's eyes flashed. "You will not."
James grinned. "There she is." He winked, which caused Lily's cheeks to flame.
Charlie casted her eyes downward feeling a swift kick to the gut. You broke up with him for that reason, she internally reminded herself.
As dessert was finished, Dumbledore made his way to the tall podium at the center of the elevated stage. The remnants of food disappeared from the tables at once.
He cleared his throat and had the students' attention at once. "Welcome back," he greeted. "I look forward to another wonderful, educational year here at Hogwarts, and I know you do as well. There is a matter, however, I wish to discuss with all of you."
He paused and a small murmur broke out in the students.
"Lord Voldemort," he said and the students went deadly silent. It was not lost on any of the six that Charlie visibly shuttered with a memory they couldn't see. "The Ministry wishes I wouldn't discuss this with you because you are still children, but I think you have the right to know. He has risen in power, as many of you know. He will get stronger before this ends, there is not doubt about it."
Another round of murmurs broke out, tones dusted with concern.
"But, Hogwarts is safe. We take extreme measures to insure the safety and protection of these walls and your precious lives within them. You should know that those protections are being tested, maybe even at this very moment." The students shifted in their seats uncomfortably, and the younger students looked down right terrified.
"He will not succeed in breaking through. Your safety comes first. I've asked older students– prefects and our Head Boy and Girl–to take extra shifts along with teachers and aurors from the Ministry.
I tell you this, not to scare you but to reassure you that you are protected here. I will not lie to you about what is out there– it's very dark magic. But, we will do everything in our power to keep you safe."
There were nods from the professors behind him, even if they seemed a little stressed. Some older students, the group of seven included, had an uncanny feeling of bloodlust coursing through their system at the moment. Ready to defend their school. Ready to protect those who couldn't protect themselves.
Dumbledore smiled. "Enough of the heavy," he chuckled. "Welcome to Hogwarts. It will always be your home. It will always be your safe haven. I hope you have a wonderful term and the sweetest dreams tonight. Off to bed."
Lily and Remus hopped to their feet ready to steer the first years to the common room. James followed suit, already forgetting the shiny badge pinned to the front of his robes. The other four moved away from them and started for the door, eager to avoid the crowds of wondering first years.
"Meet you lot in our dormitory," Sirius called over his shoulder, his hand pressed to the small of Marlene's back as to not lose her in the crowd.
They all but sprinted up the stairs, dodging the new Ravenclaws as much as they were dodging Gryffindors. Marlene and Charlie followed behind Sirius and Peter as they arrived in the boy's room.
Their trunks were placed nicely on the beds they had been using for almost seven years now. Sirius felt a pang of sadness realizing this would be his last time living in this room.
Charlie pushed Remus' trunk aside to sit on the edge of his bed. "So, what's on the agenda tonight?"
Sirius rummaged through his trunk before pulling out three bottles of liquor. "Get drunk so we don't have to deal with the fact that we're getting old?" He suggested with a knowing grin.
"Done," Marlene agreed readily snatching a bottle from him and going to join Charlie.
It was almost an hour before the other three joined them. After they had shown the first years where to go and discussed the logistics of the castle and the common room with them, they had had a brief prefects meeting. James was loosening the tie from his neck when he stopped in his tracks, staring at his friends before him.
Charlie and Marlene were laid out on the stone floor, each of them having shed their uniforms. Marlene seemed to have stolen some of Sirius' clothes, and James wasn't sure whose clothes Charlie had stolen, but they weren't his. It annoyed him that it sent a twinge of jealousy running through his system. They were both giggling with cigarettes between their fingers and an empty bottle of alcohol beside them.
Sirius was also laughing, a half drunk bottle of fire whiskey in his hands. Lily giggled at him having removed the tie from his neck and tying it around the top of his head, leaving it to dangle over his shoulder. Peter on the other hand was attempting to take drags of his cigarette in between hiccups.
"You lot can't be left alone at all can you?" Remus demanded with a laugh. He pulled the outer part of his robes off, feeling rather warm.
"Remus!" Sirius gleefully greeted. "My favorite wolf friend!"
Remus snorted with a roll of his eyes.
Sirius suddenly turned to Marlene. "Shh! It's a secret!"
"It's only been an hour," James laughed, walking forward to join them.
Charlie sat up. "But, a lot of alcohol," she informed him, finishing with a hiccup. "You all have a lot of catching up to do."
James snorted. "Gimme a sec, Riggs."
Remus and Lily joined them on the floor, both rolling their eyes at their friends, but Remus still reached for Sirius' bottle. "Excuse you!" Sirius objected, clutching the fire whiskey to his chest like a prized possession.
Remus rolled his eyes once again. "What else do you want me to do?"
"Get you own," Sirius stuck out his tongue.
Remus sighed and got to his feet. "Wait!" Charlie interjected, jumping to her feet.
"Yes?" Remus arched an eyebrow, eyeing her warily.
"I want some too," she laughed, leaning against him.
She followed him to his trunk, swaying on her feet once she came to a stop. Remus reached out to steady her. "You good, Charlie?"
"Duh," she answered with a giggle.
Remus suddenly made note of the black sweatpants she was wearing that were rolled up at her ankles and the grey jumper that was several sizes too big for her. He arched an eyebrow. "Are you wearing my clothes?"
She look down at the clothes she was wearing as if she had forgotten before looking back up at him and saying, "Yeah."
He gave her an amused look. "Um, why?"
"Well," she explained, lifting her hand. "Sirius has a girlfriend, so I didn't want to intercede there, as you can imagine." She ticked off a finger. "Even though Peter hit a growth spurt, he is still shorter than me." She ticked off another finger. "And, James is my ex-boyfriend, so you can see why that wouldn't be a good idea." She ticked off a third finger.
He snorted. "Glad to be your last resort."
She stuck out her tongue, and he laughed before turning to dig through his own trunk looking for the stash of alcohol he had packed. He pulled out some rum with another bottle of fire whiskey; he tucked them under his arm before taking Charlie's hand, uncertain that she could walk back without stumbling over her own feet.
"Lily!" Charlie exclaimed as she sat back onto the stone floor. "Catch up!"
Lily sipped at a drink from a glass that she had grabbed. "I am."
James smirked. "Goody two shoes," he muttered.
Something flashed in Lily's eyes. "Am not!"
He arched a questioning eyebrow.
"Who gave you a viscous bat boogey hex third year? Who got Severus sent to the infirmary fifth year with a charm none of you could accomplish?"
James shrugged, unable to admit defeat because he was having too much fun teasing her to stop. Lily made an annoyed noise before grabbing the bottle of fire whiskey that Remus had brought over. James watched in astonishment as Lily yanked the cork out and began downing the harsh liquid with ease.
"Uh, Lily," the raven haired boy said nervously watching the liquid empty the bottle at an alarming speed. Even Charlie, in her drunken state, became nervous for her friend.
Lily finally came up for air, the bottle missing a third of its liquid. "Ah!" She gasped.
"You're crazy," Charlie stated, eyebrows coming together.
Lily ignored her. "Fuck off, Potter," she said to James, handing him the bottle with a smug smile.
He took it wordlessly staring at her, mouth agape with surprise. "I stand corrected."
Charlie rolled her eyes and looked back at Remus, who looked like he was thinking the same thing as Charlie. Which, of course, he was. The only people that didn't know of Lily and James' feelings were Lily and James.
"You're gonna get drunk," Peter commented simply, still hiccuping.
Charlie turned to her other friend. "Mar–oh, gross!" Marlene had found her way onto Sirius' lap and in forgetting they had an audience, were in the midst of a serious snogging session.
"Oi!" Remus complained. "Take that shit somewhere else!"
They didn't seem to hear. Charlie leaned up and snagged a shoe from Peter's trunk, before any of the others could ask what she was doing, she lobbed it at the happy couple.
"Ow!" Marlene complained, pulling away from Sirius, as her head took the majority of the hit.
"Go to a fucking closet or some shit," Charlie demanded. "Nobody wants to see that."
Marlene rolled her eyes but shifted off of her boyfriend; Sirius couldn't look more unembarrassed if he tried. "You lot weren't paying attention," he shrugged.
"I'm gonna go vomit," James scrunched his nose.
Charlie patted her own stomach. "If I don't keep this feast and alcohol down, I blame you two."
Sirius rolled his eyes at their melodrama, running his fingers through his hair. "What do you all wanna do? We could do our game of truth or dare a little earlier this year."
"No," Peter complained. "Hic! You always pick on me."
Sirius mocked offense. "I would never."
"Spin the bottle," Lily suggested, her words beginning to run together.
James arched an eyebrow. Charlie shook her head and said, "Uh uh. I'm not kissing any of you."
"A little late for that, Riggs," James reminded her.
She paused. "I'm not kissing anymore of you."
"I'm offended!" Lily objected, the alcohol seeming to be in full effect now. Charlie snorted.
"Truth or dare," Sirius insisted.
Peter slouched against the stone wall and suggested, "Sleep." His eyes drooped dangerously.
"Light weight," Remus muttered. The argument continued over what to do, but it mainly just turned to incoherent badgering between friends.
Charlie began to feel the effects of alcohol as Peter did, who was already asleep against the stone. She leaned against Remus sleepily, and he shifted her into his lap, so she could lay down properly. He snorted as he watched her eyelids begin to flutter almost immediately as he absentmindedly played with her hair, smiling at the purple she had put in it. It was so Charlie.
She watched the colorful shapes of her friends that had become blobs in her hazy vision. She could hear the arguments continue with their playful banter. Charlie felt wonderfully content and drunkenly happy as she drifted off to sleep.