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[Chapter Thirty-Two: Wristbands]

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          "Padfoot, do you think Lily would like it if I wore a red tie, like her hair?" James asked while rummaging through his trunk for fancy clothing.

"Sure," Sirius shrugged, James smiled as he pulled out a red tie. "She'll like it even better if you wear an all red suit, maybe even with red slacks."

"Really?"

"No, not really Prongs." Remus said from the other side of the room, he was reading a book that would let out defeating moans every few seconds—he had taken it from the restricted section in the library. "You'd look ridiculous in a suit like that. Just wear a normal suit, if she wants you to get a tie that'll match her hair she'll let you know."

"I guess you're right, Moony," James mumbled, placing back the red tie and pulling out a black one.

"You guess . . ." Remus scoffed, low enough for only Peter to hear—the pudgy boy snorted. Remus looked up—down to his friend, and smirked. His book let out another demeaning moan. James and Sirius looked at the Remus and Peter in curiosity, ignoring the book they had grown accustomed too—and James was about to ask something when Sirius stood up.

"I —"

"Have rabies?" Peter interrupted. Sirius' face contorted to both annoyance an confusion.

"No, I —"

"have an STD?" Remus guessed, Sirius turned to him and was about to say something but the taller boy continued; "It's about time you got one, especially with the number of girls you go around with. But than again, I thought you and Aspen had a thing going on." Remus gasped, "Did Aspen give you the STD?"

"What? No! I —"

"owe Prongs six galleons?" James spoke. "Because I can confirm that's true. Pay up, my friend."

"I don't owe you six galleons, I don't have an STD, nor do I have rabies!" Sirius screeched to his friends who were trying their best not to burst out laughing. "All I was going to say is that I—"

"Love Marlene McKinnon more then I love Aspen Lee?" Asked a new voice, walking into the boys' dorm room. They all simultaneously looked over to see Marlene standing in their doorway, Peter immediately used a pillow to cover his chest—which was bare without a shirt. "If so, then awe! I love you too, Black!"

"I don't love you, McKinnon!" Sirius yelled, exasperated. Marlene smirked and then gasped as she faked offense.

"Well then, that was very unexpected. At least you could've told me in private rather than in front of your friends. You've embarrassed me, Sirius Black."

"Merlin's beard, I can't even remember what I was going to say!" Sirius grumbled in frustration, sitting back down.

"Poor lad," Marlene coed, patting Sirius on the head as she passed him on the way towards Peter who kept moving back farther into his bed. "Hello there, Petey, my favorite male friend. Can I ask a favor of you my dear rat pal?"

"Wh—"

"Great!" Marlene smiled as she clapped her hands together. "I need to borrow your tuxedo for the ball, where is it?"

"I need to use that for the—"

Marlene didn't listen to the boy as she was already looking through his clothing where she luckily found the tuxedo hung up and straightened. She grabbed a tie out of James' hands and began her leave. "Thank you so much, boys! If you ever need homework answers, come to me."

"Me too?" Sirius called.

   "Nope!" Marlene replied, Sirius grumbled and leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms.

"I needed that for the ball!" Peter pouted, dropping the pillow as he stood up.

Sirius scoffed, "Why would you need a tux? You don't even have a date."

"Yeah I do!" Peter announced, however he quickly regretted it for a whole of two reasons. One; he was never supposed to tell anyone he had a date, or even expose he had a girl in his life, for that matter (which he already failed to keep.) Two; all his friends just whipped all of their attentions to him— like a bunch of vultures spotting their prey.

"You have a date?" Remus asked, surprised by the news. Sirius sat there with his mouth wide open in shock, it was like he just heard he was going to be a father. When James noticed Peters expression as he observed his other friend's cruel reactions, he stood up onto his feet and cheered.

"Congrats, Wormtail! We are very proud of you, do we know the lucky lady?"

       "N-no," He stuttered, his voice rising as he answered the messy-haired boy. Not suspecting a lie from their friend, Remus and James nodded and went back to what they were doing—not caring a slightest as to who it was. Sirius did not do as his friends did as he watched his smaller friend fidget under his gaze. He was lying. He was lying a lot lately, Sirius just didn't care enough to ask. Maybe he was just lying about this girl? He remembered Peter mentioning earlier that year he had a certain blonde Hufflepuff friend, perhaps she actually stuck around.

     Wanting to change the subject, Peter announced. "I need a new tux. Does anyone want to come with me to Hogsmeade to get one?"

      "Seeing as I need a new tie, I'll go with you," James nodded, standing up. Sirius copied his best friends actions.

    "Since I'm bored and starving, I'll go too."

       "What, are you going to eat some of the clothing at the shop?" Remus asked, also standing up with his friends.

      "No, at least, I wasn't. Because of you, I now wonder what clothing tastes like."

      "It tastes like nothing mixed with your own body salts." Remus informed, his friends looked at him as if he had two heads. "What? It was common sense. Fabric should taste like nothing, and since you wear it—it gets contaminated with your body salts and that leaves you with clothing mixed with you."

     "I'm just going to blame this on your werewolf-ness," Sirius jested his friend. He walked facing his three other friends, making him walk backward. He could hear Remus mumble something but didn't care enough to acknowledge it.

     "Do you think Lily is downstairs?" James asked hopefully, scanning over his casual outfit of sweatpants and a black t-shirt. None of them cared to get dressed, the only one who tried was Peter who simply placed a shirt on his once-bare chest.

"Wendy told me that they were going to Hogsmeade today to buy dresses," Remus said. He stopped in his tracks causing Peter to run right into him. "Maybe we should go tomorrow, or later tonight—just so we don't accidentally see them or their dresses if we go."

"No, we go now," James said, walking faster and more determined. "Maybe I can get a sneak peak of her dress color and find a tie that matches!"

"I'm too hungry to wait," Sirius whined. Remus sighed and looked at Peter who only shrugged.

"I'll do whatever you guys are doing, and it seems you're outvoted Moony—so let's go, it's time to go shopping!" He clapped in glee.

"Never do that again," Remus said with a dangerous tone. Peter nodded and scattered away to his friends who were already out of the Gryffindor common room.

After being patronized by McGonagall immediately after they entered the common room, they took fifteen minutes to get to Hogsmeade. All because Peter decided he needed to use the bathroom once they left the castle, leaving them to have to go back because you never leave a friend behind. At least, that was what Peter told them when he was afraid to go past Peeves the Poltergeist alone.

"We could go to Madam Puddifoots and then to Gladrags Wizardwear once we're finished eating, to save some time since they're next to each other," Remus suggested. The other two boys nodded but Sirius did not.

"Isn't Madam Puddifoots a tea shop? Would they have food?"

"Of course they would have food, Padfoot." Scoffed Remus as if he heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. "Teas just the main theme of the shop, now let's go. It's getting dark and Hogsmeade, when it's dark, is like the dark alleys of London."

"Alright, if you say so."

ツ

"Don't give me that look, I swear to god I thought they'd actually have food," Remus grumbled to his friends. James was in hysterics at the whole situation, one minute their werewolf friend was patronizing about their stupidity—himself believing that the teashop sold tea and food—the next they were searching for a new place to eat at after the only food they could find on the tea shops menu was crackers to crumble into whatever tea they bought. Sirius was in glee, glad that he was right and Remus was wrong. Peter was betrayed—how could his best friend betray him like that? Especially about food!

"I told you it was a tea shop," Sirius said, pointing at the boy who was about seven inches taller than him. "I was right, you were wrong. Deal with it Moon-Moon."

"You never said anything about it being just a tea shop," Remus said, clenching his teeth at the despised nickname. "You only asked if there was food, I assumed that there would—I apologize for bringing all of your hopes up."

"You're making this whole gloating in your face thing hard," James pouted, he accepted the taller boy's apology . . . Peter nodded in agreement with James as he crossed his arms—he was truly angry at the werewolf, but he had to side with James. Why? That was just his nature.

Sirius smirked, "Can we go to Three Broomsticks, then? Since I'm the only one here with a large sum of accessible money," The boy started to gloat, getting a disappointed head shake from Remus. "I guess I'll pay for everyone fire whiskeys."

"Sure, Padfoot, sure," Remus rolled his eyes, patting his friend on the arm. James smiled happily, however, not taking offense . . he was excited to drink some fire whiskey. James hadn't been allowed to drink them either ever since he began dating Lily, apparently they rot your teeth as much as they do your mind. Peter only shrugged and followed, looking around the area in paranoia with every step he took.

Once inside the shop, they took a seat inside a booth that was beside a large window. Remus wanted to sit somewhere darker, to calm his full moon-caused a headache but was outvoted by the boys who wanted to watch the store called Coraline's Dress Shop where Peter swore he saw Marlene trip into.

Quite literally did the girl trip in, her foot jamming into a step she hadn't seen causing her to fall to her knees. Peter then watched as she was helped up by a man with wild-blue hair—none of the boys believed him as they didn't see what he saw. Besides, who in their right minds had blue hair?

"Four fire whiskeys please," Sirius ordered, the lady writing down the order gave him a raised eyebrow and held her hand out, clearly asking for some identification to state that he was indeed of age. Did he not look it? Once he handed over his wand, she hinted for the tracing spell (which broke the year before when he turned seventeen) but found nothing happening. Though, of course, the boys were not in the clear as famously fake wands had been going around the school of Hogwarts. Sirius placed on a charming smile, "It's genuine, sweetheart, fake wands are far too bland for my taste."

"Mhm," grumbled the lady, flipping her notepad closed and placing it in her apron pocket. "I'll be back with your one fire whiskey. I'll get you boys some nice foamy butterbeer." She then added with a childish voice, clearly teasing the boys—in her mind, not even Remus could pass as overage. Despite almost being eighteen three months later.

"Jokes on her," James said, glaring towards the kitchens where the lady left to. "I like butterbeer more then I like fire whiskey."

"You tell her, Prongs." Remus said with a shake of his head. He was sitting with his elbows on the table, his face in his hands as he tried to massage whatever he could to relieve the headache pain.

"What the hell is she doing to my tux?" Peter suddenly yelled, startling the boys. They looked towards where he was looking, outside the window, to see Marlene wearing Peters tux from inside the dress shop, rubbing it up and down a stone wall.

"She looks like she's dry humping the wall —from the back," James peered, squinting his eyes as he tried to see what she was doing. Even though he had glasses, his vision was still shite.

"What you boys looking at?" Asked a new voice right by Sirius' ear. Sirius jumped and whipped his head over to see Aspen standing there with a bag on her arm, wearing an unusual confident grin. Wendy and Lily stood beside her. The other boys weren't as scared as he was, more happy to see their significant others. Well, besides Peter, he only sat there awkwardly as he had no significant other.

"You scared me to death!" Sirius breathed, clutching to his chest. Lily had already slid into the seat beside James and Wendy climbed from the other booth over and sat onto Remus' lap seeing as Peter took up two seats.

"Well you're not dead, are you?" Aspen asked, ever since her hour with Timothée the saint—she had been gleeful. Somehow, as side effects to that glee, she had grown less worrisome than usual. The sun was brighter and she actually had motivation to stay out. It was saint-like.

"I was exaggerating," Sirius grumbled, trying to act annoyed, though clearly, he had an amused grin. Aspen, not noticing this, went wide eyed and was about to apologize before Lily spoke up—noticing her friend's discomfort.

  "No, you're being dramatic, Black."

"No I'm not!" Sirius whined, turning to the redhead. Before Lily could retort, Remus smacked Sirius upside the shoulder.

"Shut up, my head hurts. Now be a gentleman and let Aspen sit down, you arse."

"Right," Sirius said with a light blush tinting his cheeks. Aspens own cheeks blushed due to being put on spot, once Sirius moved over—she sat down. Lily elbowed James and pointed to the pair who were both blushing and they smirked mischievously, James tapped the table in Wendy's view and pointed to the pair—Wendy elbowed Remus to like how Lily elbowed James. By then, everyone knew of the blushing pair beside the pair themselves and Peter who was watching Marlene with his tux.

"What is she doing?" Peter asked, making everyone's attention turned towards him again.

Wendy, already knowing, stated, "Itching her back."

"Ohhh, that's why she looks like she's humping the wall?" James asked, Lily gave him a look to which he innocently smiled too. Peter nodded unsurely and the lady came back with the drinks, surprised by the newest arrivals.

"Why do you children always seem to pop up?" The woman grumbled. "There are too many of you. We need a new plague—would you ladies like any drinks?"

Ignoring the woman's previous statement, the three girls told the women what they wanted—meals and all. The boys did the same, and the women nodded and began walking away. Before she was far enough, she turned again looking straight towards Wendy and Remus. "No PDA in this shop, either off his lap or out of this shop."

Wendy scrunched up her nose and Lily kept in a snort as Wendy scooted off of Remus' lap into a small corner that she somehow managed to fit in. The woman smirked victoriously, happy no one put up a fight, and walked away to place in the order. "She's grumpy," Aspen mumbled, moving her bag under the table after taking the eye of a sketchy man across the shop watching her. "poor lady, she's probably being overworked."

"Or she's just an arse on the regular," Yawned Remus who then got whacked on the shoulder by Wendy.

"Don't play her so kindly, Remmy," Wendy huffed. "She's not an arse, she's a bitch."

"Apologies," Remus grinned, taking a sip from his drink. Sirius shook his head at his grumpy friend and looked at Aspens bag that was under the table, by his foot.

"Is that your dress?"

"Yes, it is," Aspen nodded. She then used her foot and placed it in front of the bag, out of his view. "no peeking."

Sirius pouted, and that was when James took his chance to speak to Lily. "Can I see your dress Lilyfl— Lils? I wanna see what color it is so I can buy a tie that matches."

lI love the thought," Lily started, pulling out a second smaller bag from the large one she already had. "but I already got you one. But no getting it until the day of the ball."

James scrunched up his nose and Sirius laughed his bark-like laugh and pointed at his friend. "You tried, and you failed."

"You two are ridiculous," Aspen smiled, amused by Sirius' behavior.

"At least Remus and Peter aren't asking to see our dresses." Lily said, sighing.

"I don't date either of you so I don't really care." Confessed Peter as he continued to watch Marlene, who was now speaking to the very wacky blue-haired man.

"Good to know," Lily said, she then looked at Remus but Wendy spoke for the aching boy.

"He knows that by tonight I'm gonna give in out of excitement and show it to him."

"Yup," Remus agreed, popping the 'p.'

"Good to know, now I'm going to stop telling you my deepest darkest secrets." Aspen said, leaning back—teasing Wendy who took it seriously and frowned. Aspen laughed and shook her head, allowing her friend to continue believing her statement.

"I guess we're all now ready for the ball," Lily observed and all of them nodded beside Peter.

"Actually, I still need to get a tux. Marlene took—oh my god! What is she doing? Are- Are those scissors?!"

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AUTHORS NOTE:

I love Marlene sm

posted: June 12, 2018
word count: 3,077