_waking.in.our [sleep] :: R E M U S.

[James Potter]

Ah, what a blessing the Invisibility Cloak had become.

So when the almost absentminded thoughts of one James Potter as he threw off said cloak, and stuffed it into his canvas bag. The seemingly useless thing had helped him on many occasion; usually on the full moon with his friends. But it also helped at other times, times like these. Pushing the door to the pub open, he barely acknowledged the creepy old guy sitting in the corner before he sat down at the bar, tousling his hair a bit.

"Firewhiskey." came his tired voice from the bar. James sighed and downed the drink after it was given to him. Making a bit of a face, he turned over his empty shot glass with a quiet clink. "Another, please."

He knew that even with a few more of these shots, he wasn't going to even be close to being intoxicated in the time he had hoped. That was the difference between he and his dear friend Sirius Black- On rare occasions, when James did drink, it took several alcoholic beverages to even get him the slightest bit tipsy. It was times like these he wished he was more like Sirius- a full Firewhiskey and he was gone.

"Here." came the gruff voice of the bartender and James nodded slightly, not looking at him. "Thanks."

Another glass was set down in front of him, and the seeker sighed slightly, picking it up and swirling it around in the glass.

'Moony would kill me.' he groused inwardly, but downed some of it anyway. He needed to sneak out and drink on rare occasions like these. Tonight it was to stop thinking about how his father had berated him for playing another prank of Severus- that, and the fact that he literally could not get Lily Evans out of his mind. He was seriously falling for her, and it scared him.

[Remus Lupin]

Remus felt wierd, well just at the idea of being out at this hour at the Three Broomsticks of all places. It wasn't even on the school territory. Surely there was a rule for that, but alas it was probably just a footnote to the rules, therefore just a guideline. But not only did he feel wierd doing that, but he was, following a Mr. James Potter to see what trouble Remus would have to save him from. At the Pub, he saw that Prongs had ordered Firewhisky, its color quite distinguishable from Butterbeer.

Something must be really bothering, uless Lily had said something to make him like this. Lately with James you couldn't really tell what he was really feeling or why, new things popped up and Remus and Sirius hadn't gotten used to it yet. "Should you really be doing that?" Remus asked while taking the stool next to his best friend, ordering a simple butterbeer. Remus had Firewhiskey before, at some party that he was dragged on along to last year, and found out his tolerance was about as high as Padfoot's. Well that turned out to be an interesting night, because he had been, for lack of a better word, un Remus-like.

Unless he was feeling guilty of something that he had done, maybe his latest prank on Snape had made him feel guilty. No. Not likely for his two friends enjoyed that little part of school, though the poor guy suffered all the time. Such a day where you saw Gryffindors torturing Slytherins instead of the other way around, certainly didn't promote their image.

"So what brings you here, Prongs?" Remus asked simply taking a sip of his drink, while he was here maybe he could ask him for advice on a certain female on his mind. It was confusing the hell out of him and he didn't know what to do.

[James Potter]

"Should you really be doing that?"

James nearly jumped out of his skin, and spun around to face Remus with his eyes wide. "Merlin, Moony, you scared me!" he voiced, his hand flying to his heart. Normally, he wasn't this jumpy, but the stress of school and Lily and his dad and the upcoming Quidditch match he wasn't ready for and everything else, plus the fear of being followed made him extremely, extremely tense. But he relaxed somewhat as Remus sat on the stool next to him, rather than beating him over the head with it as he'd feared his friend would do.

Trying to give a light, indifferent smile but failing miserably, James calmed down a bit and stared down at his drink. "No." he confessed, his small smile slipping into a light frown. "No, I shouldn't."

"So what brings you here, Prongs?"

Giving a small sip of his Firewhiskey and making a face, as though realizing for the first time jsut how bitter it tasted, James gave a sigh. "Just worried about Quidditch." he said, partly true. "Couldn't sleep." Turning to Remus with a lightly confused look in his eyes, he asked, "And you? You're not a rule breaker."

[Remus Lupin]

Remus fully expected his reaction, of course nobody suspected Remus Lupin of any wrongdoing whatsoever, not even sneaking out after hours with his best friend to get a drink. It made him internally sigh, how he put his best friends before anybody else, even Lily. Because well, he couldn't take her away from James. Didn't matter how much they got along or anything else. "Sorry." He muttered, taking a seat. There was always something there to trouble young minds, but what was his excuse?

Remus just shrugged, as long as he realized whatever he was doing for whatever purpose, then he was alright.

No way, there had to be more than Quidditch, still Remus didn't push. That was Sirius' job, to pry information and whatnot. He just accepted what was answered to him. "I know. But somebody had to make sure you didn't get in trouble." He said taking another drink. What were friends for if not helping secure safety in troubled situations.

[James Potter]

"Sorry."

James waved it off casually and shook his head a bit. "Don't worry about it, I had it coming. At least you aren't Sirius; he would've tackled me or something and then I would've really been scrambled up." he chuckled lightly and took a sip of his Firewhiskey, noticing Remus ordering a butterbeer. "Good thing," he commented slyly. "Wouldn't want you getting wasted... again."

"I know. But somebody had to make sure you didn't get in trouble."

James offered his friend a cheeky grin, and elbowed him in the arm, gently and playfully. "So Moony saves the day, huh?" he teased lightly, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. Maybe he had been wrong, after all. Maybe he had needed a friend to be with, instead of being alone. He was beginning to feel better already. Remus just had that effect on him most times.

James had been meaning to ask Remus something lately, and what better time than now, when the others were nowhere near? "Hey, Moony, what's been on your mind lately?" he quipped, lifting hazel eyes to his friend's. "You seem to be thinking... a lot more than usual."

[Remus Lupin]

"I imagine he just would have gone after your drink." Remus said with a shrug, sometimes Sirius was hard to track, not that he should be drinking period. He got a little wired up on it when he did, calling for a few odd situations for the guy. He gave his friend a look and then rolled his eyes at his comment. They got him wasted one time, completely smashed a party. Well he coudln't say it wasn't memorable, but it wouldn't have been how he had gotten that particular part of the night done. "Shut up." He said with a nudge.

He only smiled in return, well half-smiled. Sirius was probably off with one of his girls and Peter was sleeping of course and Remus was here. Besides he couldn't sleep either and curiosity had gotten the best of him. Maybe he could prevent James' drinking thing he was about to go one, nobody liked a hangover in the morning. But then the conversation quickly turned to Remus. Great. "Nothing more than the usual." He replied, his blue eyes looking down at the wood that covered the bar. "It's just...Ripley. I don't know what to think." He admitted. She all but held out her heart to him and he didn't know how he felt about her.

[James Potter]

"I imagine he just would have gone after your drink."

James snorted a pulled his drink a bit closer, thoughts of his egotistical friend snatching it invading his mind. "And then I would have socked him in the nose and he would've gotten his own." he cracked with a grin.

"Shut up."

Laughing aloud, James forgot his drink momentarily and shook his head. "You know it was a good time." he said with amusement dancing in his hazel eyes. "If I remember right, I was actually more sober than you AND Sirius." he declared. That was an oddity. When James did drink with Sirius (and sometimes Peter) Remus remained the sober one to drag his intoxicated friends back. But this time, due to the odd absence of their mousy friend, James took control of Moony and Padfoot. It was an amusing night he was sure they'd not soon forget.

"Nothing more than the usual." He replied, his blue eyes looking down at the wood that covered the bar. "It's just...Ripley. I don't know what to think."

James, whom had been sipping his Firewhiskey, set it down with a clink and snapped his fingers. "Ah ha!" he declared with a triumphant smile. "I knew it was a girl, I knew you had a girl wrong with you." Probably not the best choice of words concerning women's rights, but James was known for seeking, not being clever. Blinking over at his friend, his expression grew a bit more serious. "Ripley, huh?" he muttered, thinking back to all the times she'd come to him upset or crying over some nameless boy. Was Moony really a heartbreaker? "Well, do you have feelings for her?"

[Remus Lupin]

Sirius and James were so violent with each other it was like they were siblings. But that's basically all they were, like siblings, and Peter being that younger sibling that always followed you around. Remus laughed a little, he could see that happening, and then they would still be friends, he figured nodding his head in agreement. For now he just shrugged, reluctantly admitting it had been a good time. Now it was only Peter's turn to go experience things while drunk and jump the sac with some random girl. "Your point?" He asked, amused by all this.

"I still don't know how you got me in that state." Remus said, vaguely remembering anything from that night. But James had been sober, which was some miracle, hell must be all but frozen over by now. James' response was fully expected, his friend teasing Remus because he hardly was on that subject. But he didn't show shock at Ripley's name. How many people knew? He felt dumb for once in his life, not noticing these things. "That's the thing. I don't know. I just never saw her in that light before, I mean she's like another one of my good friends..." Remus was so confused by all this that he even considered upgrading to firewhiskey.

[James Potter]

"Your point? I still don't know how you got me in that state."

Giving his dear friend a wry smile, James shook his head lightly. "Now that's a secret." he said, trying to sound mysterious. "But I'll give you a hint - supreme intelligence." Of course, the words 'supreme' and 'intelligence' alone sounded ridiculous when spoken by James Potter, but put them together and he sounded absolutely off his rocker. It didn't fit him.

"That's the thing. I don't know. I just never saw her in that light before, I mean she's like another one of my good friends..."

James thought for a long moment, of Ripley's fiery, outspoken persona, and Remus's reserved, yet caring one. It puzzled him, but he supposed opposites attracted. "Well, think for a moment." he advised, really wanting to help his friend out. "Think about what it would be like to be with her, to love her and dote on her. If the thought makes you happy and you could see it going somewhere, maybe you just didn't notice something there before."

[Remus Lupin]

Remus was curious, but not that much to actively pursue the information he seeked. But he nearly choked on his drink, "supreme intelligence", and he wasn't a werewolf. "Switching my drink while I wasn't paying attention is not supreme intelligence" Remus noted, finishing off his butterbeer and asking for another one. Well it had to happen sometime, he couldn't be innocent his whole life.

James told him to think and he just thought, are you serious. Thinking was what he did, otherwise James and Sirius wouldn't be students anymore. Taking another sip he thought about it. But it was difficult, he had never been or done more with her than just talking nad laughing and whatnot. And with somebody like Lily, they'd flirt to high heaven and whatnot. The impossible happiness was blocking his view. But could he see himself with her? "I don't know. I mean I like to hang out with her, but that's all we've ever done." He wanted to smack his head on the bar. "It's not like you or Padfoot who know whats its like to be with different types of girls." He added.

[James Potter]

"Switching my drink while I wasn't paying attention is not supreme intelligence,"

James passed him a somewhat dour look and let himself pout just a bit. "Yeah, well... for me and Sirius it is.." he muttered, surpressing a smile. That was Remus for ya; the epitome of good and righteousness and intelligence and whatnot. Sure he and Sirius were good at heart, but because of their prank-pulling and girl-gathering past some people weren't so sure.

"I don't know. I mean I like to hang out with her, but that's all we've ever done." He wanted to smack his head on the bar. "It's not like you or Padfoot who know whats its like to be with different types of girls."

For the second time that night, James waved once hand non-chalantly. "Moony, being a ladies' man is not all it's cracked up to be." he confessed with a light frown. "It may be for Padfoot, but you jump around so much and try to remember so many different names your head spins." At least, that's what it felt like for him. He'd rather be committed. To Lily.

"Is there someone else you have feelings for, maybe?" he questioned. Maybe Moony was dwelling on another girl so much that he felt guilty for Ripley's attentions.

[Remus Lupin]

Remus shrugged lightly in agreement. He had a point. Generally they came up with an idea for a prank or some plan and he worked out all the bugs and such, because otherwise their operations would not run so smoothly and effectively. But as nobody was perfect, Remus was just innately brilliant as such because of his other downfalls. Innocence radiated off him standing next to James and Sirius. Though people didn't know that he wasn't exactly so, well at least when James spiked his drink or switched it.

Remus had always wondered what it would be like to have girls just throw themselves on you, but then again he didn't because he'd rather have one good relationship that little flings at midnight every week. Then it becomes difficult to figure out your feelings, which happened nonetheless and whether you liked it or not. His next question had him think quickly, so there wouldn't be an evident pause. "No." He muttered, it was true, he figured that he'd gotten over Lily, just being a friend and flirting and odd things happen to occur. But then again he wasn't so sure.

"It's just that Rip acts so differently around me now, like she's scared i'll say 'no' any minute. It's just...wierd." He added, getting the subject off the idea that Remus liked another girl, one that was inevitably off limits.

[James Potter]

"It's just that Rip acts so differently around me now, like she's scared i'll say 'no' any minute. It's just...wierd."

A frown marred James Potter's no solemn expression, as he surveyed his friend. it actually didn't seem to him like Remus like Ripley even a little bit. Worrying his bottom lip with his teeth, James let a sigh pass his lips and then lifted his drink to them. SOmething was definitely up.

After sipping and swallowing, James turned to look at him once again. "Well, mate, to me it doesn't even sound like you like her as any more than a friend. Or maybe you just feel rushed, and I know you hate being rushed."

[Remus Lupin]

Remus didn't know what he felt, it wasn't like he'd ever been in this situation before. Usually it was the other way around, only Remus could never bring himself to share his feelings as Ripley had done. He felt like their friendship was at stake to whatever he responded with.

"I guess your right. I don't, but still." He thought for a second trying to put it so he got the point. "The way she put it, it's basically like if you just handed your heart over to Lily and she completely rejects it." Remus said, hoping that would never happen to the poor guy, but he'd understand if he put it in those terms. "I really don't want to do that to her."

[James Potter]

"I guess your right. I don't, but still. The way she put it, it's basically like if you just handed your heart over to Lily and she completely rejects it."

James visibly blanched, feeling the hypothetical wound pierce straight through him, even though that's all it was - hypothetical. "Merlin." he muttered. "Never going to happen." he said quickly, hoping to recover. Remus probably knew by now, that most of the time James used his cockiness or humor to cover up, Sirius was known to do the same thing. Lily rejecting him... he'd actually never thought of that before.


"I really don't want to do that to her."

James nodded in understanding. "I get it." he said honestly with a small smile. "But see, if you figure out that you don't like her and date her anyways, you're going to hurt her worse because she'll end up feeling pathetic and stupid. But I think before you do anything you need to figure out if she is what you want right now."