'I wasn't sure you actually were gonna show up' James said.

'I wasn't sure you were' Brenda smiled. 'But here we are.'

James smiled back.

'Where do you want to hang out?'
Brenda asked.

'Your call.' James said.

'I am not sure that's a good idea. I mean you must know several places more than me.' She said.

'Yeah but all the places I know are probably crowded and more hip. I would prefer secluded any day.' James said.

'Well, follow me - then.' She smiled.

'Okay.' He grinned.
***
'Well, how much do I owe?' Peter asked.
'Seven hundred galleons.' Parkinson said.

'No way. I can't give that amount of money in such a short time.' Peter said.

'You have the weekend.' Parkinson said.

'I need more time than that.'

'Should have thought that before, shouldn't you?' He snarled.

'I can give two hundred within Sunday.'

'Yeah that will do. Why don't you give up your hands and legs as well?' He scoffed.

'Look, I like you, pettigrew. But you know this is business.'

'Fine, I will see what I can do.'
***
'Listen Sirius, we have been fooling around enough. I need a definite answer for once.'

'Okay?' He asked.

'I really like you. There, I said it. Now once and for all, can you just give me a straight answer. Do you like me or not?' Marlene asked.

'No. I don't.'
'Oh. Well, I clearly was getting the wrong signals—' Marlene started dejectedly.

'Ask me again if I like you or not?'
'Why? You said you don't.'

'Just ask me.'
'Fine do you like me?'
'Yes, I do. I was just making you experience one billionth of what I felt when you kicked me out of your life.'

'If you are still hung up over that then why do you like me?

'Does it have to make sense?'
'No.' She came closer.

Sirius made the final move and pulled her into a kiss.

'Btw I wasn't really worried about that. I kicked Oliver's ass within a few weeks.' Sirius whispered.

'Don't ruin the moment.' Marlene shushed him.

Sirius made a face at her.
'Am I your boyfriend now?' Sirius asked.

'I guess so. Feels odd. Sirius black is my boyfriend. I feel like a slut.'

'I feel so honoured.'
***
'Want to dance?' Mary asked.
'I don't know.' Remus said.

'Come on' Mary took his hand and pulled him out of his chair. 'It will be fun.'

'The music is so loud here.' Mary commented.

'Yeah, they really need to work on their volume. Quality's good though.' Remus said.

'Remus, you aren't dancing.' Mary said.

'No, I am not.'

'Why not?'
'I am not really the dancing type.'

'Well, what did you expect to do in a club?'

'Drink? I don't know, really.'

***
'Hey, is lily evans here? She was supposed to be at the prefects meeting today.'

Dorcas looked up from her essay to found two bright blue eyes staring at him.

'I don't think she is. She could be in her dorm though.'

'Oh, do you know which dorm it is?'

'Yeah, considering I live in it.'

'Where are my manners? I am Luke Yorkshire.' The guy introduced himself with a million dollar smile.

'Dorcas Meadowes.' Dorcas smiled back.
***
'This is pathetic. Let's bail.' Said Remus.
'No, you are pathetic.' Said Mary.

'Come on, what do you want me to do?'
'Can we talk outside for a moment?'

Remus closed the gate behind them.

'Why are you behaving so awkward with me?'
'I am not.'

'Is it because of Dorcas? Do you feel guilty that we are spending time because she is fine with it.'

'No it's not because of her. I am just not in the mood. I am worried about peter.'

'Why what's wrong with peter.'

'I saw him exchanging cash a few days ago with Parkinson. And it seemed suspicious.'

'Did you talk to him?' Mary asked.
'No.'

'Well, what do you think it is?'
'I don't know but it sure doesn't seem nice.'

'You should go talk to him. See if he's in any kind of trouble.'
'You sure?'

'Yeah.'
'Listen, I am sorry for the crappy night. I will make it up to you, I promise.'
***
James and Brenda were sitting on the terrace of the astronomy tower.
'I love stars. My best friend Sirius is named after one. Intact his whole family is named after constellations.'

'Bet he tops in astronomy class.'

'No, but he tries to.'
'Really? Who beats him?'

'Lily Evans.'
'Oh.'

'I heard you two had a thing going on.' Brenda said.
'Nah, I used to crush on her. Publicly. But not anymore.'

But why now? What changed?' she asked.

'I stopped hoping.' James said a faraway look on his face, gazing at the stars.
***
Flashback

'Who's Ian?'
'My boyfriend.' Lily said.

'Ian who?'
'Ian kerkovich'

'Ian kerkovich who?'

'Ian kerkovich, my boyfriend.'

'Lily why do you do this to me?'
'Do what? I am living my life. Go live yours.'

'I hope you mean that. Because I am tired of getting rejected from you.'
'Finally?'

'Very funny.'
'I tend to be.'

'I hope you clean Ian's diapers properly.'

'Get a life, Potter.'
***
'You look beautiful.' Said James.
'You don't look bad yourself.'

They leaned in and shared a kiss.

'I really like you.' said James.
'Me too.'
***
'Pete. Just tell me, what that was about?'

'You promise you won't say anything to anyone? Not even James and Sirius.'

'Sure. What's up?'

'I started betting a while back. And I am in deep.'

'Let's just say if I don't pay seven hundred galleons within Sunday night, I don't know what's gonna happen to me.'