Disclaimer: For the last time, I don’t own Harry Potter! So, can you please stop asking now?

 

Author’s note: This is the second of my MWPP series, which consists in writing specific, strong, yet short moments of their sixth year. Why sixth year? I really don’t know, it’s just an obsession of mine. And there’s so much to write! I urge you to read and enjoy… and REVIEW!

 

 

 

Perfect

By Abigail

 

 

 

 

 

“Oi Potter! Watch out!” James was able to dive quickly and narrowly avoid being hit by an angry Bludger. He spun in midair for a few seconds, and then steadied himself, feeling slightly dizzy.

 

“That’s it! Get down here, all of you!” Captain Marlene McKinnon yelled from the ground, for the tenth time that day.

 

James rolled his eyes stubbornly, and steered his broomstick downwards along with the rest of the team, who were all giving him very disapproving looks.

 

“Oh come on! Why are we stopping?” he heard Fabian asking with exasperation once they hit the ground and walked lazily towards their captain. “We’ve barely played for two straight minutes!”

 

“Let her be, she’s worried,” Regina replied, in her usual gentle voice. It made James want to punch her square in the face. “If we don’t win the next match we won’t have the slightest chance of-“

 

“Winning the cup,” James finished her sentence angrily. “We’ve already been informed of that, thank you, Regina.”

 

Regina glared at him from his right, and clearly was about to answer something back, when Marlene came stalking towards them, in towering rage.

 

“What the bloody heck is wrong with you, Potter?” she yelled at James, when she was closer. “You’re not paying attention. I’ve seen that Snitch flying past your very ear two times now! Yes, Potter, I’ve seen it, and I’m practically blind!”

 

She lifted her glasses in a would-be menacing way.

 

“Give it a rest, Marlene, I’m exhausted!” James replied dismissively, trying not to mind Regina’s glare. The truth was, he did feel exhausted. He had never played so poorly in his life and he was sure he had never been in such a bad mood. He didn’t know what exactly was wrong with him.

 

“Exhausted from what, exactly? ‘Cause from what I’ve seen you’ve just been hovering in mid air since the beginning of the practice!”

 

James ignored her, pretending to be really interested in his fingernails.

 

“And you, Prewett!” she snapped turning in Fabian’s direction and making him flinch a bit.

 

“What did I do this time?” he asked, scandalized .

 

“You’re… you’re not covering the right hoop!”

 

“Well, I can’t be at three places at once! No one has made a move towards that hoop, why would I cover it?”

 

“You’re supposed to be hovering over all three hoops!”

 

“You try it then, it’s not as easy as it seems!”

 

“Can we call it a day?” Artemus asked cautiously from behind James, making Marlene’s eyes flash dangerously and turn quickly in his direction.

 

“Oh… right, sure! Go ahead, call it a day! Call it a week, if you must! Or a year, maybe!” She turned sharply around and made her way towards the dressing room, swearing madly under her breath.

 

Fabian let out a low whistle. “Lost it, that one has,” he muttered disapprovingly, and then followed suit. James made to walk towards the dressing rooms too, but he was called back by a soft and inquiring voice.

 

“James?”

 

Recognizing the voice, he turned around with exasperation, and found himself an inch away from Regina’s pretty, almost doll-like face. “What?” he spat, his eyes flashing, silently warning her not to make his day any worse.

 

She let the rest of the team walk ahead and then asked glumly, “Why are you behaving like this?”.

 

James, who was completely taken aback by the unexpected question, gaped at her for a few seconds before reacting. “What do you mean like this?” he replied aggressively.

 

“Like this. I thought you had a nice time on Saturday … but clearly you didn’t?”

 

James restrained himself from rolling his eyes just in time. He should’ve known this was coming.

 

He and Regina had gone on a date last weekend, and it had been terrible. He didn’t know why he had asked her out in the first place. No, no… he did know. It had been Sirius’ idea, actually. He was always trying to make James have fun and forget about… other stuff. He had advised him to ask someone - anyone - out, and James, merely because he didn’t want Sirius to go on and on about how he was losing his marauder touch, had reluctantly taken his advice. Regina was the prettiest girl he could think of, and he had known it would be easy, since she seemed to blush every time she caught a glimpse of him. But he shouldn’t have done it anyway… Sirius and his mad ideas. They always got James in sticky situations.

 

Anyway, he and Regina had walked across Hogsmeade holding hands, buying half of Honeydukes in the process, and then gone for a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. They had laughed and talked about everything there was to talk about: Quidditch, school, music, family… and James had hated every part of it. Regina was just way too… nice.

 

“I had a good time on Saturday,” he said nicely, since tears were threatening to escape her eyes. I just don’t like you. “I just don’t think it could… work, you know.”

 

Regina stared at him with watery eyes. “I see,” she said plainly. James smiled in what he thought was an encouraging way, but she didn’t smile back. C’mon, James thought desperately. It isn’t that bad!

 

“I don’t understand you, James,” she whispered after a few seconds, in a barely audible tone. “Why don’t you just forget about her?”

 

James frowned at what his ears had just heard. “What did you say?” he asked, blushing slightly.

 

“Nothing… I didn’t,” she replied quickly and she walked past him, drying her tears with the back of her hand and leaving a tight knot forming in James’ chest.

 

***

 

Barely an hour later, having taken a bath and feeling not a bit more cheerful, James walked into the Great Hall and spotted Remus Lupin sitting alone at the Gryffindor table, immersed in a giant book. He walked up to him and sat down heavily at his side, but Remus didn’t notice his arrival. Actually, his food seemed thoroughly untouched, which hinted clearly that he had forgotten all about the world around him. James, who was in desperate need of someone to talk to, took a peek at the book’s title, in order to weigh how much effort it would take to detach Remus from its pages. He immediately felt his stomach drop.

 

Enemies of Blood, by Voldemort. He was surely not expecting that.

 

“Why in Godric’s name are you reading that bloody nonsense!” James spat indignantly at his friend, making him jump a few inches and close the book immediately. They stared at each other for a fraction of second, James glaring dangerously at him. Then Remus spoke, his voice quivering a bit, not having recovered from the sudden fright. “For Godric’s sake, don’t do that, James!”

 

“I’m sorry,” James replied sternly. “Moony, why are you reading that?” he pressed on, his voice lowering significantly.

 

Remus took a big gulp of pumpkin juice, and then cleaned his mouth with the back of his hand. “Peter left it lying on top of his bed this morning,” he explained, still a bit jumpy. “I merely thought, you know… sometimes it’s important to take a peek inside the evil minds… so you can never doubt of who is right.”

 

The answer made James go temporarily speechless. He stared avidly at Remus for a few moments and then grinned slowly. “Nice thinking,” he said, and Remus smiled back. “I know,” he answered briskly, diving his fork hungrily into his Yorkshire pudding.

 

They ate in silence for a few minutes, and then Remus spoke again, in a would-be calm voice. “There’s a whole chapter on werewolves.”

 

James turned to look sharply at him, but before he could reply, Remus continued. “You won’t believe the things he says, he just talks on and on about what being perfect means-” His voice cracked slightly. “According to him, I’m just as imperfect as anyone can be.” He laughed hollowly and James felt his stomach contort painfully. “Anyway… you should read it sometime.”

 

He smiled forcedly at James, who could feel anger bubbling up inside of him. As if anyone knew what being perfect meant. Only a true idiot like Voldemort would presume to know such a thing. As if there was anything less perfect than Voldemort himself in this world, anyway. Heartless git. James dreamt that, when the time came, he was going to make Voldemort swallow and hopefully choke on his own words.  “I don’t think… I don’t really think you should read that,” he said slowly, considering his words carefully.

 

Remus shook his head, still trying painfully to smile. “It’s okay, James, I-”

 

“No, seriously, I don’t think anyone should read it,” he went on, through gritted teeth. It was reckless to leave such a thing lying there where anyone could take hold of it and get mad ideas, or feel miserable, for that matter… How could Peter have left it lying there in Remus’ sight? Then a frightful thought crossed his mind. How could Peter even have such a thing? “Where did Wormtail even found that book, Moony? They certainly don’t have them at the library, do they?”

 

Remus shook his head. “Hogsmeade,” he clarified, taking another major gulp of juice. “They sell them at a bookstore there, the one hidden in that dark alley. It’s not exactly against the law to sell them, you know.”

 

“Yeah, I know. But why would he buy it, anyway?” James asked stubbornly. Peter was definitely the kind of person who would never be able to read a book like that without having horrible nightmares.

 

Remus shrugged dismissively. “Who knows, maybe he’s plotting on how to purify Hogwarts all on his own,” he replied seriously, and then gave him a lopsided ironic grin. James smiled sardonically back.  “C’mon, James, he probably felt curious. You can’t tell me you’ve never felt curious about it.”

 

James hesitated. “Well, yeah, I have…” he replied, shaking the suspicion away. “Yeah, you’re right...” If Remus was joking so openly about it, then it definitely meant there was nothing to worry about.

 

“I’m always right,” Remus stated cheerfully as he thrust a spoonful of pudding into his mouth. “So, how was Quidditch practice?” he asked, after giving a tremendous swallow.

 

As a response, James grimaced and groaned in an exaggerated manner. Remus chuckled. “That bad, huh?”

 

James nodded miserably. “As bad as it can get.” He sighed loudly as he remembered how dull Quidditch had become. And how dreadful he had become at it. “I don’t even enjoy it anymore, specially since McKinnon appears to have gone mad, you won’t believe her.”

 

“I’ve known she’s insane since the moment I met her,” Remus replied earnestly. “But I thought she was a good captain.”

 

“Not anymore, she’s not,” James declared flatly.

 

“If you say so,” Remus said, giving him a highly amused look that annoyed James deeply.

 

Just then, Sirius arrived at the table, looking handsomely tired and bearing an irritated look that would frighten anybody who might not know him well. Remus and James exchanged significant looks, while he elegantly ignored them as he glanced up and down the table, action that suggested he was about to mention something not allowed to be heard by potential eavesdroppers.

 

When his inspection of the surroundings was over, he fixed his eyes on James and spoke in a casual voice that didn’t match his expression. “I may be wrong… but why do I get the feeling you did not have a nice time last Hogsmeade weekend?”

 

James grinned slightly at him. “I may be wrong but… why do I get the feeling you bumped into Regina on your way over?”

 

Sirius continued to survey him carefully. “I certainly did,” he spat. James noticed Remus shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “And do you know what I heard, just on passing, that is?” Sirius said.

 

James shook his head roughly, trying to look as innocent as he possibly could. “I heard Regina crying loudly and stating you’re a… what did she say exactly?” Sirius screwed his face in mock concentration, shaking his hair out of his face unnecessarily. “You’re a git.”

 

Remus turned to look sharply at James, but James did not dare to look back. “So what I’m wondering exactly, my dear Prongs, is why she would say such a thing about you,” Sirius finished, clearly trying not to look unnerved by the fact that a plan of his own had gone so abysmally wrong.

 

“It didn’t feel right, that’s all,” James replied, feeling he’d rather go through another five Quidditch practices that same night than having to endure Sirius’ questioning. He knew Lily’s name would pop up in the conversation sooner or later, and he was certainly not in the mood to talk about her. He hoped that was enough of a reason for Sirius to end the conversation.

 

But Sirius seemed far from thinking the conversation was over. He was currently gaping disbelievingly at James. “What do you mean, it didn’t feel right?” he breathed. “You only laugh that openly at Snivellus, and I don’t remember seeing him around you at the time!”

 

Next, there was a silence, in which James digested Sirius’ words slowly. He found them incredibly untrue, since James was always laughing and his friend knew it. Sirius seemed to become aware at how thick the comment had been, because just then, before James could answer anything back, he spoke again, this time smiling in a way that gave him a small feeling of foreboding. “Tell me one thing that isn’t perfect about Regina Baccus.”

 

James’ stomach gave a tremendous leap as he came face to face with his friend’s demand. Was there anything not perfect about Regina Baccus? She had the perfect eyes, light brown and gleaming. She had the perfect nose, small and straight. She had the perfect hair, long, wavy and black. But she’s not Lily.

 

I dare you to answer with the truth, James Potter. The unexpected thought came so suddenly he could have sworn it was not his. He frowned slightly at Sirius, who was beaming silently at him in return. “See? There’s just nothing you-“

 

“She chews with her mouth open,” James interrupted hurriedly with the first thing that came into his mind, praying to sound believable.

 

“She does NOT,” Remus spat immediately, startling his two friends and making their heads turn quickly in his direction. He blushed and looked down at once. “I’ve seen her… she has never… I mean… she doesn’t… she just…”

 

Sirius smiled amusingly and gave James a meaningful look. “She does not, Moony?”

 

“Yeah, I mean… no,” Remus’ hands were twisting madly in his lap. “Mouth perfectly closed.”

 

“There you have it, James,” Sirius said, without taking his eyes off Remus. “Perfectly closed.”

 

James laughed warmly. “You’re not brainwashing me, Padfoot. Give it up. She deserves someone better than me.” He patted Remus softly on the back, and his friend, blushing furiously, gave him a resigned look. Remus was saved the trouble of answering back by Sirius, who seemed to be getting bored from the conversation already.

 

“D’you know, Prongs? I reckon it’s time for you to start having a bit of fun. You know sometimes, some things are quite unreachable. You’ve just got to focus on what you can achieve.” He gave him a wise look, and then served himself some pudding. “Anyway, I’m starving. I’ve been working on that Potions essay all afternoon. Can you believe Wormtail hasn’t finished it yet? I’m surprised smoke hasn’t started to come from his brain.”

 

“Maybe we should bring him some food, he’s probably starving too,” Remus said, disappearing behind the book once more, still blushing, and obviously thankful for the abrupt change of subject.

 

“No need for that. If he’s hungry we’ll know. You know him, his mother could be under the attack of an angry Acromantula and even so he would come down to dinner… “I need strength”, I bet you anything that would be his excuse,” Sirius replied absentmindedly, his answer being so long he looked quite exhausted after finishing.

 

But James wasn’t even bothering to keep up with the conversation. Something had caught his attention. Lily Evans had just sat on the other end of the table, talking cheerfully to none other than… Regina. A tight knot formed in the pit of his stomach. Since when were they such close friends? He gave Sirius an inquiring look, but his friend was currently immersed in his goblet of juice, and didn’t look back. James sighed loudly and then locked his eyes on Lily, noticing miserably that she was looking just as… perfect as ever.

 

 

***

 

Remus walked into the deserted dormitory and lowered himself onto his four poster bed, feeling rather exhausted. It was only two more days until the full moon, and he was already starting to feel the influence of it. But, contrary to what he normally thought, he wasn’t looking forward to it at all, not even knowing he would have the Marauders with him as usual.

 

 

He was hoping against hope some miracle would occur while he was asleep, making him skip one full moon… just one. That was all he asked.  Because he was currently terribly annoyed –if not angry- at one of those Marauders, and if he didn’t get rid of the feeling by the full moon… well… the stag would have to come face to face with an angry wolf. And that was certainly the last thing he wanted. To seriously hurt a friend just because of some misunderstanding was simply not a possibility… less so if his friend didn’t even know they were having a misunderstanding.

 

He wasn’t even sure if his condition worked that way. The truth was that, while being a wolf, the real Remus pretty much fled from him, and when he woke up next morning he could hardly remember bits of the night. Still, something told him he couldn’t take any chances. The wolf was definitely a dangerous and murderous thing.

 

He looked out of the window, wondering if he was mistaken to feel this way. He didn’t know if it was James himself that bothered him or… the fact he had asked her out. It was as unfair as it could possibly be. It wasn’t James who kept track of everything McGonagall said in class just to help her afterwards, when she repeated for the tenth time she hated Transfiguration. It wasn’t James who blushed every time she walked by, it wasn’t James who cheered loudly every time she scored during Quidditch matches… But it was at James’ sight that she blushed… it was to him she explained all about Potions so that he wouldn’t flunk, it was at him she looked longingly…

 

Remus heaved himself up and closed the curtains savagely, making the bed shake with violence. He sighed loudly and then pressed his knees hard against his chest, his heart pounding fast, as he fought against the mad impulse to run and punch James and… make him feel only a bit ashamed of breaking Regina’s heart and not even being authentically sorry about it.  If he couldn’t see just how perfect she was, then he couldn’t have a complete heart.

 

Just then, the sound of the dormitory’s door being opened snapped Remus out of his angry thoughts. He watched the silhouette of a lonely figure walking around the room. He immediately recognized the messy, unkempt hair. He threw himself flatly on the pillow again, and closed his eyes forcedly in an attempt to keep James from noticing he was there. Yet, for the time being, James seemed too busy searching for something and throwing things all around to notice.

 

After a few minutes Remus heard footsteps towards the door and sighed with relief. But the door did not slam shut, as he was expecting. Instead, his curtains were thrown open and he heard the voice he was least wanting to hear.

 

“Moony! You’re going to sleep already? C’mon, the night is young and it’s Friday! No classes tomorrow, mate!”

 

Remus couldn’t help but groan, as he opened his eyes heavily, wishing he was really asleep. “I’m tired,” he replied, trying hard not to sound rude.

 

James raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re tired?” he asked disbelievingly. “Ah, come on, get up. Sirius is going to fetch us some butterbeers from the kitchen!” He lifted the Invisibility Cloak he was holding in one of his hands. “It’s party time, old Moony!”

 

Remus hesitated for a few seconds. As tempting as the word “butterbeer” was, the fear of bumping into Regina downstairs and finding out she still didn’t glance back was currently attaching him to the bed.

 

“I’m sorry, Prongs, but I’m not in the mood,” he replied dully, giving him a pleading look. But James, who continued to survey him in silence, clearly didn’t have any intentions of leaving. Then Remus had an idea he was sure would work. It always did, anyway. “Full moon’s close… I’m already feeling tired, you know.”

 

James stared at him and then clicked his tongue. “Now Moony, I know you’re just using this full moon crap to escape form partying  - I wish I knew why’d you do that in the first place -but hey, if you’re not in the mood, well, I can’t force you to drink a cold and tasty butterbeer, right?”

 

Remus gave him fleeting look and James smiled slightly. “I think I know what’s wrong with you,” he said plainly.

 

Remus’ heart gave a tremendous leap at this, but before he could answer anything back, James had sat on the edge of his bed, and Remus had to restrain himself from groaning again.

 

“It’s that book you were reading yesterday, isn’t it?” James asked, nodding wisely. “I told you not to read that, I knew it would bring you down.”

 

Remus gaped at him for a few seconds, completely taken aback by the statement. But he reacted fairly quickly and then screwed his face to look as though James was painfully right. “Oh, yeah,” he lied. “Yeah, it’s that book. It’s awful.”

 

The truth was, the thoughts about Voldemort’s book had fled from his mind yesterday, the minute he found out James had dumped Regina. It was true, they did hit him harshly at first, and they still did when he was stupid enough to remember them, but he knew Voldemort wasn’t right. He knew he was just a madman who was making a ridiculous attempt to grab power over wizarding kind. It didn’t worry Remus that much, actually… he knew most people weren’t thick enough to believe in him.

 

“Yeah, it probably makes you sick,” James told him knowingly, still nodding. A tight knot formed in Remus’ chest as he looked as his friend’s expression. It was full of compassion… it was full of… understanding. “But you shouldn’t let it affect you. I mean, Voldemort just can’t claim he knows what being perfect means. No one can, actually.”

 

“You really think that?” Remus asked inquiringly, forgetting for a second he was mad at him, and not even regretting the fact he was egging the conversation on.

 

James turned to look sharply at him. “What d’you mean?” he asked quickly, lifting his hand up to his hair and messing it distractedly.

 

“I mean,” Remus replied, sitting up straight in the bed once again. “D’you really think nobody can say what perfect means?”

 

James frowned openly at him. “Remus, I’m afraid that book might have given you mad ideas. It’ll be best if you didn’t-”

 

“No, James,” Remus cut him off, fighting back an amused smile… James and his strange paranoia. “It’s nothing like that. I’m merely asking… can you tell me, honestly that is, that you’ve never thought of someone as perfect?”

 

His question was followed by a very long silence, in which James locked his eyes on his lap, which had disappeared after being covered by the Invisibility Cloak. And then, as Remus waited patiently for an answer, anger seemed to lift slightly from his soul, as he realized he had been rather harsh to think such horrible things about him. Looking at it from another angle, well, James’ heart was quite complete, but destined for a single person… a person who didn’t even glance back at him when he blushed silently in her presence.

 

“I think-” James started, but his quivering voice didn’t let him continue.

 

Remus remained silent and gave him an encouraging look. He wanted him to answer, so that the anger could lift completely, and they could enjoy a full moon light without the stag getting even a bit hurt.

 

“Of course I sometimes brag about knowing what perfect means,” James said, his expression growing steadily more cheerful, and his cheeks growing steadily redder. “I don’t bounce about writing books trying to convince people to think…er… Evans is perfect, though.” He said the last words in a barely audible tone, but Remus was able to hear them perfectly well. He laughed heartily. It wasn’t quite the answer he had been expecting, but it was still deep… in James’ own way. An odd feeling of satisfaction swept over him. It was the first time James had managed to talk so openly about his real feelings for Lily, not trying to cover them up with the usual “I just want her to go out with me” stuff.

 

“See, there’s where I’m getting at,” Remus said. “I sometimes brag I know what it means too, but only to myself, that is.”

 

Just then, the door slammed open once more and in came Peter, talking madly under his breath.

 

“Perfect, just perfect,” he spat, clearly not noticing their presence.

 

James and Remus burst out laughing immediately at how ironic the interruption had been. Peter turned to look harshly at them. “Oh, what now?” he asked, turning his head in an attempt to get a sideways peek at his back. “Did Sirius paste one of those enchanted sings on my back again?”

 

“Not at all,” Remus answered, frowning warningly at James, who seemed to be about to have a fit of giggles.  Peter laughed nervously. “It’s just that last time he did it people laughed at my back for hours until I finally realized what it was,” he answered in a would-be calm voice, but sounding quite miserable all the same. “Are you sure he didn-”

 

“Cut it out, Wormtail,” James replied, rolling his eyes with indignation. “Your back is completely clear.”

 

Wormtail gave them a resigned smile and then walked up to his trunk, and, as if in imitation of what James had done earlier, started to throw things all about, still whispering madly under his breath. Remus threw an inquiring look at James, to which James just shrugged in response.

 

“What are you looking for, Wormtail?” he asked after a few seconds.

 

Wormtail let out a small shriek and then turned to look sharply at them, as though he had completely forgotten they were there, bearing a look Remus couldn’t figure out.

 

“Er… a book, actually,” he replied, smiling uncomfortably. “Just a book.”

 

“A book?” Remus said, while he and James exchanged significant glances. “Can you tell us which book, exactly?”

 

“A large, leather bound one,” Wormtail replied, his voice cracking a bit. “I doubt you’ve seen it.”

 

“Oh c’mon, try us. What’s the title?” James asked quickly, smiling innocently in a lopsided way.

 

“Oh, I don’t really remember,” Peter said, his hands now twisting madly inside his pockets. “Enemies of something, I believe.”

 

“Enemies of cheese, maybe?” James spat at once.

 

 Wormtail shook his head, and Remus had to make a big effort not to laugh.

 

“Enemies of poetry?”

 

Wormtail shook his head roughly again.

 

“Enemies of… love!” James pressed on, throwing both his arms up in mock celebration. “That’s it, right?”

 

Remus couldn’t restrain himself any longer and he smiled, while Wormtail seemed to be growing increasingly nervous. He turned to look at Remus desperately and gave him a pleading look, but Remus didn’t feel in the mood to stand up for him. He was too proud and fulfilled about his and James’ conversation to care for Wormtail, at least for the time being

 

Finally, after sighing loudly, Wormtail spoke, in a barely audible tone. “Enemies of Blood,” and then, at the look on their faces, continued in a hurried and high squeak. “I was just curious and I thought I could do a bit of reading on-”

 

“It’s okay, Wormtail, we believe you,” James said amusedly. “Remus has it.”

 

Wormtail sighed with exaggerated relief. “I was afraid somebody might have found it and you know… gotten mad ideas.” There was a pause in which he grinned maniacally at them. Then he headed straight for the door, stopping suddenly just as he was reaching the hall. “In the meanwhile, James, Sirius is going berserk. He can’t go and fetch the butterbeers without the Invisibility Cloak, you know.” He exited the room and closed the door behind him.

 

James looked down as his lap once again and smiled. “He’s right,” he said quietly and then eyed Remus carefully. “Are you coming?”

 

Remus considered his offer for a split second, and then stood up slowly, giving his friend a faint smile. James beamed at him in return. “I tell you what, Moony,” he said, getting up as well. “We’re both going to talk to someone perfect today.”

 

Remus’ stomach contorted nervously and he shook his head harshly in reply.

 

James patted his shoulder in a fatherly manner.

 

“Oh c’mon Moony. Let’s make it a dare then,” he said, his eyes gleaming malevolently. “It should be easy after the tenth butterbeer, anyway.”

 

A Marauder dare is always accepted and never broken. Rule number five. Remus knew there was no way he was escaping now. “Oh, alright, then.”

 

“Is it a dare then?”

 

“It’s a dare.”