'You are what?' Remus asked, in shock even after all these years - hearing James's and sirius's latest prank.

'That just sounds... wrong.' Remus said with disgust.

'It will work out and it will be funny. So are you in Remy?' James asked.

'No. I have got a thing-'

'You can just say if you don't want to come, you know.' Sirius said feigning hurt.

'He has got a thing.' Said lily.

'Evans?' James turned around swiftly. 'Have you been stalking me?'

Lily ignored him. 'Remus, you are expected to be down in ten minutes for the meeting.'

'Oh, yeah. Thanks for the reminder, lily.' Remus said.

But lily had already walked away.

Remus told the three of them to not go with the plan to which they ignored him, then he raced back to his dorm.

He reached the meeting ten minutes late, not sure what to do.

'So as headboy, i-' Chris, the seventh year was saying '-think that we need to bring more spirit in this gloomy place and by that I mean we need to organise a party on Halloween.'

The eight prefect's were sitting on wooden chairs while the headboy and headgirl explained their plan to have a party on Halloween.

'But we already have a feast. I mean what else do you want?' A burly Slytherin dude asked.

'What do you think about it?' Remus whispered to lily.

'I think it's a good idea, though - nott is right - we already have a feast. We can just add music and a dance floor.' Lily said.

'Yeah, it's not like they will allow us to bring booze to the party or anything.' Remus shrugged.

There was a pause while the headboy was explaining something boring and even the headgirl was in disagreement.

'So what exactly is up with you and Dorcas?' Lily asked.

'We are friends.'

'And how is that going to work out?'
'What, are you saying that exes cannot be friends?' Remus asked.

'I didnt-'
'We are friends aren't we?' Remus asked.

'I guess, yeah.' Lily said.

'And we dated once, right?' Remus said.

'I get your point. I am sorry and I shouldn't interfere in your personal life.'

Remus shrugged but didn't talk to her anymore.

She had struck a nerve. Remus definitely wanted more than friendship but what lily had said was true. This friendship pretence wouldn't work for long.

He knew that he could just ask lily whether Dorcas had any feelings for him but that would mean Dorcas would know that he had unresolved feelings for her.

He knew what he had to do now.

And he did, as he found himself sitting in the regular booth in three broomsticks drinking a firewhiskey.

Though, he himself told James and Sirius to not drink in mornings, when he got tensed up he found himself doing the same.

And with a subtle glance he saw Dorcas doing the same in a corner.

He didn't have any idea what to do but several ideas crossed his head.

Maybe he could just confess his true feelings.
'Hey, Dorcas. I can't do this anymore. I love you. I really do. I don't feel right without- nah that's just cheesy. But I do love you. Yeah, it's true.'

And maybe Dorcas would reply something like
'I do too.'

or 'Fuck off, you idiot.'

Or maybe he would tell her something like
'This friendship thing isn't working. Maybe we should just stay out of each other's lives.'

At that Dorcas would probably reply something which would range from

'Okay, sure.'

to 'Thats just an indirect way to tell you hate me. You are a mean dude.'

to 'I don't fucking care.'

He was just adding the swearing part. Dorcas didn't swear that much. Much.
He pondered over the various things he could tell her and the various rejections he could possible get.

At one point it became so ridiculous that Remus imagined that he got up to her and started kissing her. And she kissed back. And then they got married after graduating and living happily ever after.

When the scenarios stopped forming he looked over at the corner.

Dorcas wasn't there.
He didn't know whether he had imagined her there being drunk or whether she actually was there.

He heard the sound of a door closing and the whiff of a coat.

Maybe that was her.
Maybe it wasn't.

He looked back at the corner and there she was again.

Her image flickered and vanished after a while. He realized that he was too drunk to think properly.

He paid the bill and walked over to the door and closed the door behind him just as Dorcas climbed up to her seat, who had hidden under the table as soon as she had spotted Remus.
***