Remus Lupin

“Ever the gentleman,” Hestia sighed, laughing. “But you don’t need to get me a drink. Although, now that you’ve brought it up, I wouldn’t object to one if you were to insist.”

“I really don’t like to insist. So thank you for not making me.” Remus bowed slightly his head, chuckling. “Another drink’s coming, then. Any special requests?”

Hestia smiled graciously. “How about whatever your favorite is. You seem like the sort of person who has good taste all around, if you don’t mind me saying. You’ve got me for company, after all,” Hestia quipped with a giggle. “If that’s not good taste, I don’t know what is.”

Mary giggled, before sobering her face to try and match Remus’s faux-serious expression. “Tell you what, Remus, if you promise to dance with me if an ABBA song starts playing tonight, I won’t be disappointed in you. Deal?”

“Oh. Ah. Mhm.” Remus shut his mouth once he realized that at the moment eloquence was clearly eluding him. “Ahem.” He cleared his throat and tried again. Mary’s offer had caught him off guard and he could feel heat rising to his cheeks. “Yeah. Sure. Deal,” he replied, poorly trying to sound nonchalant and confident. 

Mary smiled, finding Remus’s temporary lack of poise endearing more than anything else. “Deal,” she said, extending a hand for Remus to shake, “Good to know you wouldn’t deny a girl a dance on her birthday.”

“No, I didn’t. From what I could see they weren’t worth my time and talent. And tonight has confirmed that tenfold.”

Remus just hummed softly in response to Vera’s answer, not sure he could reply without sounding sarcastic. “Mhm.” After a moment of silence he tilted his head slightly to the side. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you perform,” he mused, somewhat curious. “Do you ever sing in public?”

“Not at school,” Vera replied, scandalized, “I’ll play the piano and sing a bit at family functions and my mother’s odious ladies luncheons sometimes, but those are always at home.”

“Of course. Mother had me training in piano and voice from a young age,” Vera answered almost flippantly, as if the answer should have been obvious.

Of course Vera could sing. And play the piano, too. Of course. Remus nodded slightly in response and, after a few moments of silence, he said, “You could join the Choir, then. Did you try?”

“What about Elvendork?”

“Mhm. Yeah. I guess it could work,” Remus replied, chuckling softly. “Can we go back inside now? I’m starting to get a little hungry.”

“I’d be very disappointed, that’s all,” Mary replied with a shrug, “I don’t think I’d do anything.”

“You know, that’s the worst feeling, knowing that you are disappointing someone. Someone you like,” Remus commented, shaking slowly his head. “Tell me, please,” he said, trying to look serious, but with a glint of amusement in his eyes and a smile tugging at the corners of his lips  ”What can I do to avoid that?”

“Actually, it would be a right shame if you didn’t. We can’t have one of the least finest moments of my life be in vain, can we?”

“Although I’m afraid that particular anecdote will have to wait for a time I’m better capable of telling it. Sobriety gives it a touch I can’t quite replicate in my current state, I’m afraid.”

“I’d really love to hear that particular anecdote,” Remus said, chuckling softly as he repeated Hestia’s words. “Sober and less sober. You know, for a proper comparison,” he joked. “But it’s okay, you’ll tell me whenever you prefer. Now, I think, I owe you a drink, right?”

“I try,” Mary replied along with a cheeky shrug, before her expression changed into one of confusion. “What, you don’t like ABBA? I didn’t realize you had such poor taste, Remus,” she added, only half-joking.

“I believe I didn’t say that,” Remus pointed out, smiling amused at Mary. “Are you putting in my mouth words I never spoke?” he joked in return. “And even if I didn’t like them, what would you do?”

“Oh, I’ll make sure to mention it to them soon,” Vera responded, although she planned to do no such thing. It’d be much more fun to let them go on thinking they’d done well and then watch them embarrass themselves all over again at their next concert.

“I’m sure they’ll appreciate a fair comment.” Remus doubted that was going to end well, but he kept his opinion to himself. “Can you sing?”

“Talented singers know,” Vera corrected, “It’s not exactly like the Hogwarts School Frog Choir is the grande opera house. It doesn’t seem like there’s an incredibly high standard for admittance after the audition.”

Remus furrowed slightly his eyebrows, not surprised by Vera’s judgmental words but still not really liking them. “Maybe not. Maybe not all of them. It was a group performance, after all. Moreover it’s just a school club and not the grande opera house,” he replied, his voice calm. “You could try and tell them, though.” 

“Unfortunately.”

“Oh... Wow... How?” Remus laughed. “Sorry. I shouldn’t laugh, should I?”

“Just my natural intuition, I guess,” Mary joked right back, before her hand flew to her chest in faux-offense, “A stalker? Me? The only person I can rightfully see myself stalking is Benny Andersson from ABBA. Sorry to disappoint you.” She paused. “Well, actually I’d probably stalk all of ABBA. But that’s beside the point.”

"You’re truly gifted,” he pointed out, joking and chuckling, but with a tinge of sincere affection in his voice. “You, mhm.” He nodded. “ABBA? I didn’t know that. But... All of them?” Remus’ chuckle turned into a full laughter. “That’s impressive. And ambitious. And maybe even a little scary? Should I be scared? Should they?”

“Oh, sod off, I’ve gotten better at moving people with levitation spells,” Sirius replied, huffing out a laugh. “I wouldn’t say no to tea and biscuits, and I think Peter is already there.. so we better hurry.” Throwing his arm around Remus’ shoulders to nudge him in the direction of the Castle.

“I’d ask what kind of beer but, um…” Mary glanced around her, not seeing a lot of options. “I think there’s only the one, I’m afraid.” She grabbed two beer bottles and handed one of them to Remus. Chuckling in response to her friend’s comment, she used her wand to snap off the bottle cap. “Of course I am. You boys are always running around, getting up to god knows what. It invites curiosity, Remus.”

“I’ll take it. It’s even my favourite. How did you know?” Remus joked, smiling as he grabbed the bottle of beer from Mary’s hand. “I suppose it does. Curiosity is a good thing, isn’t it? Or at least it usually is,” he mused, chuckling softly. “The others are going to be ecstatic to hear we have a fan. Or is it a stalker? An aspiring recruit?” he playfully teased.

“You are lucky I didn’t feel like trying conjuring one,” Sirius replied, with a mischievous smirk on his lips. “It would’ve made for a funny picture.” He stood, inspecting Remus with his gaze. “Are you hurt? Can you walk, or should I levitate you back?” he asked, the first question with genuine worry and the second with teasing.