Chapter Text
Half past midnight and the party was in full swing. Sirius didn’t think the common room had ever been so packed. Just having finished a large bottle of firewhisky, his mind was a blur, and his inhibitions were slowly slipping away. Soon enough, he found his eyes wandering over to the record player by the window where they settled on Moony.
Not surprising. After all, the music was unmatched. What he did not expect, however, was to find Remus already returning the look. He felt his face flush and he shook his head, turning away. He focused his gaze intently on the drink in his hand, refusing to look back over.
“Everyone gather round,” James called out to some of the other 5th years by the fire. “It’s time for a little round of truth or dare.”
“Bloody hell, James,” Sirius said. “What are we, 12?”
James grinned maniacally and Mary plopped down on the nearby armchair, saying “Don’t be a downer, Sirius. Everyone loves truth or dare. It’s about time we spill all our secrets I’d say.”
Sirius swallowed. Lily and Marlene came over, dragging Remus with them, who sat down on the couch opposite Sirius. Emmeline Vance, Peter, Dorcas Meadows, and several others eagerly joined them, filling the remaining chairs and settling down on the thick, wool carpet in front of the fire.
“I’ll go first,” said Mary, excitedly.
Sirius couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Bit overconfident aren’t we?”
“No reason not to be,” she smirked at him. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”
Mary proceeded to go into specific detail about the most creative place she’d shagged someone (The Three Broomsticks bathroom), Emmeline gave Peter a lap dance (Peter blushed the entire time), James gave a rambunctious performance of Mamma Mia, though he of course didn’t know any of the words, and Dorcas Meadows confessed that she used to fancy the Bloody Baron. Then it came to Remus’ turn. He chose dare, unsurprisingly. Ever the mystery man.
“I dare you…” said Meadows. “To do a striptease on the table, to any song of your choosing.” Remus visibly tensed and Sirius’ heart clenched painfully in his chest as he thought of his scars.
“Uh, can I do truth instead?”
The idiot girl sighed impatiently, “Cmon, you picked dare!” she insisted. James grimaced, looking sideways at him.
“Oi,” Sirius jumped up. “Let him switch. It’s a stupid game anyways.”
“Alright, alright. But you have to answer this then.” she said. “Don’t worry,” she added in response to the look on Remus’ face. “It’s an easy one. Okay, how many people have you snogged?”
Peter snorted, “He hasn’t kissed anyone, have you Moony.” James shot him a hard look.
Remus shifted, uncomfortably. Sirius could tell he was trying to act casual. There was a brief pause.
“One,” he replied. Midway to grabbing his drink from the side table, Sirius whipped his head around. Their eyes met for an instant and Sirius frowned, but Remus’ gaze moved along, cool and unbothered.
“Who, Remus?” asked Mary, almost splashing her drink in her enthusiasm. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell us!”
Remus shrugged, nonchalantly. “The summers are long. I’m not always alone you know.” He smirked, sinking back further into the couch.
James clapped him, approvingly, on the shoulder. “Nice one, Moony.”
Sirius couldn’t believe he wasn’t bothered. How dare Remus not say anything. Sirius always told the other Marauders about the girls he got with.
He tried to picture Moony kissing someone. What did she look like? Who kissed who first? Did he run his hands through her hair? Did he like kissing her?
Probably. Moony was even more normal than he’d thought. Sirius got up, putting on a fake smile and shaking his head at James who was currently laughing at one of his own jokes. He filled his drink up to the brim and tipped it back, relishing in the bitter taste in his mouth and the burning sensation that slid down his throat.
He could feel Remus’ eyes on him, probably wondering what his problem was. It wasn’t like sharing mattered in friendships.
“Hey Sirius,” called Marlene, with a giggle. “It’s your turn.”
He stumbled back over and sat down, nearly tripping on Lily on his way.
“Graceful,” Moony remarked, eyes still on him.
Sirius winked. “Bring it on,” he slurred, swinging an arm up behind Marlene on the couch.
She turned to him, cheeks rosy, and exclaimed giddily, “Truth or Dare.”
“Dare, of course,” he replied, basking in the feeling of everyone’s eyes on him.
“Okay, one moment.” She held up her finger, indicating for him to wait, and began chugging the remainder of her drink, a sort of fizzy, yellowish concoction in a bottle. Once she was done, she hiccuped slightly, saying, “I dare you to spin the bottle.”
Sirius raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Lily abruptly burst out laughing. “Oh, you purebloods are so boring!” she said, between fits of giggles. “Just spin the bottle, like Marls said, and kiss whoever it lands on.”
“You muggleborns really get creative don’t you.” Sirius shook his head. “Alright, but don’t be surprised if it lands on you and you end up falling madly in love with me. I am an excellent kisser, I’ll have you know.”
“Kidding,” he added, at the horrified look on James’ face.
Marlene flicked the bottle with her wand, sending it spinning into the air between them all.
Sirius watched as the bottle turned round and round, until it slowed, stopping right in front of…Remus.
Sirius’ heart leaped into his throat and the room suddenly felt 20 degrees warmer. Surely he wouldn’t have to kiss Remus. Right here. In front of everyone. That was not part of the game was it? They knew he wasn’t- well, that he wasn’t one of that sort.
“Spin again, yeah”? He asked, attempting a steady voice. He felt his face already betraying him. Not that he was a queer. It would just be really weird to kiss his friend. To kiss Moony.
He avoided Remus’ gaze and turned to Marlene again.
She bit her lip, a frown creasing her face. “Um, well…we usually play just us girls. As a joke, I mean.”
Remus was glaring at Marlene. Of course. Merlin, he must have been disgusted. Sirius looked to James, who shrugged uncomfortably.
“I say stop being weird and just kiss already,” Meadows said, matter of factly. “It’s the rules.”
”Yeah, kiss you idiots!” Mary yelled, and then had the audacity to whistle.
Sirius wanted to tell them both to go to hell. Remus ignored them.
“Uh, mate. No offense,” he said to Sirius, laughing awkwardly. “But I think I might be sick. I drank way too much.” He pressed a hand to his mouth, standing up, and ran off up the stairs.
“Well,” Mary chuckled. “I can’t tell if he’s actually sick or just-”
“Oh bugger off. He wishes.” Sirius managed, taking a long swig of his drink.
The game continued, and Sirius pretended to watch, but he was quite dizzy. He whooped and hollered as the others did several ridiculous dares and told the most bizarre stories. As the game started to die down, he lost all ability to form a coherent thought, and before he knew it, he was rushing up the stairs and throwing himself down on the cold, stone floor to empty the contents of his stomach into the toilet.