Chapter Text
We’re too busy dancing, to get knocked off our feet,
Baby we’re the new romantics,
The best people in life are free.
Saturday, 1pm
Remus stands in the empty room, taking in his bare surroundings. There is a single bed in the corner, a desk along the far wall, a wardrobe and a few shelves by the window. A small bathroom sits off to the side. It could be worse, he thinks, looking out the window at the view of London below him. He sets his bags down on his bed and decides that unpacking can wait. It’s Saturday, and he doesn’t have a lecture until Tuesday, giving him plenty of time to settle in to his new university halls. He can at least imagine how his room will look. He can stack his books on the shelf by the window, and there’s just enough room above his bed for a poster. Maybe two if he arranges them properly. A knock on his door startles him from his trance, echoing around the barely furnished room.
Remus walks over to the door, unsure of who it could be, and when he opens it, he is greeted with smiles and a lot of excitement.
“Hello roommate!” smiles a tall boy with messy black hair and crooked glasses resting on his nose.
“Hey,” Remus acknowledges him, trying not to laugh as he bounces up and down. He is sharing a hall with two other boys. They each have a bedroom and bathroom, but the kitchen and living space is shared.
“I’m James,” the boy says again. Remus vaguely recognises the name from his enrolment letter. He can’t remember the other name, but he knows it’s certainly unusual.
“I’m Remus,” he replies, nodding his head. A voice sounds behind James and a boy who has been hidden up until now steps out from behind him.
“You do realise that your name means wolf, right?” he says, “I’m Sirius.”
Remus scoffs. He is certainly aware of his name’s meaning, it’s all his dad’s fault, but is more amused that the boy who is commenting on his name is called Sirius.
“You do realise that your name is a star, right?” Remus fires back.
“Y’know, Padfoot,” James smirks at his friend, “The guy has a point.”
Remus decides not to mention the strange nickname, and instead just leans against his doorframe and tries not to laugh. Sirius is shorter than he is, with shoulder length black hair and dark grey eyes that seem to be watching him intently. His phone buzzes in his pocket, and he takes it out to see Lily’s name flash on his screen.
lilyevans: hey, how’s everything going?
remuslupin: all good, thanks lil. i’ll meet you at the café in about twenty minutes.
He looks back up after replying.
“Sorry about that,” he smiles, “I promised my friend I’d meet her for coffee after we’d both settled in.”
“Oh,” James asks, “Do you already have friends at the university?”
“Yes,” Remus explains, “It’s my best friend Lily from back home in Wales. We both got into the same uni, so it made sense to stick together. I’m studying English Lit, and she’s doing Music.”
James’ head whips up to look at him, his face visibly paling, as Remus starts to worry that he’s already messed things up with his new roommate. James glances at Sirius, muttering under his breath.
“Lily, from Wales, studying Music. Remus,” he looks up again, “Just out of interest, what’s your friend’s last name?” Sirius seems to clock something in his friend’s behaviour, and his eyes widen as he hides his snickering behind his hands.
“Evans,” Remus tells them, “Why?”
James begins to regain colour in his cheeks as he blushes furiously, with Sirius howling with laughter.
“I don’t get it,” Remus says blankly. What could possibly be so funny about his best friend? Lily is the sweetest person he’s ever met.
“I am led to believe,” James says carefully, “That Sirius and I went to high school with Lily.”
“And,” Sirius continues for him, “James here had a massive crush on her for most of it, but she rejected him every time.”
As Remus is given this information, something clicks in his memory. Every September, from when they were eleven to when they were seventeen, Lily would travel to Scotland to go to her prestigious boarding school in the highlands. They would communicate via phone calls and texts, and she would tell stories of her time there, of all the students and what they got up to. And, Remus remembers, she would often come to the phone, her voice filled with annoyance as she’s say to him, “Moony, you will never guess what James Potter did today.”
Remus looks back to the boys stood in front of him, a smile creeping across his face as he begins to laugh.
“You’re James Potter!” he chuckles as the boy in question hides his face in his hands, “And you,” Remus continues, pointing at the long haired boy, “You’re Sirius Black!”
“The one and only,” Sirius mutters dryly, “But yeah, I’m assuming Lily came to complain to you every summer.”
Remus nods, as what Sirius is describing is exactly what would happen.
“What a small world,” Remus comments.
“Yeah,” James sighs, “Oh, by the way. We were coming to let you know that we’re thinking of having a party here tomorrow night, but obviously we needed to check with you first, since you live here too. We know a few people from school who go here, so they can bring roommates and stuff if they want.”
Remus has never been one for parties, but he agrees anyway, not wanting to ruin the other boys’ fun. Besides, it will be nice to meet new people.
“Okay, great,” Sirius smiles, “We’ll see you later then.”
“Yeah,” Remus replies, before heading out to meet Lily. He decides not to tell her about his new roommates. Not yet anyway.
marlenemckinnon created a new group.
marlenemckinnon added marymacdonald and lilyevans
marlenemckinnon named the group roommates <3
marlenemckinnon changed their nickname to marls
marls: okay, roommates.
marls: i need your insta handles so we can all hype each other up
lilyevans: you’re very forward, aren’t you?
marls: yes
marls: sorry
marymacdonald: nah you’re good, i need friends anyway. mine’s @marymacdonald
lilyevans: in that case, mine’s @lilevans
marls: yay!
marls: omg mary why do all your pictures look so professional? are you a model or something?
marymacdonald: thanks, but no, im just studying photography
marls: THAT’S SO COOL! i’ll need you to take some of my photos then…
marymacdonald: ofc lol
marls: THANK YOU ILL LOVE YOU FOREVER
marymacdonald: lily what are you studying?
lilyevans: music J
marls: that’s amazing! im doing psychology. nowhere near as exciting as yours
lilyevans: no its great!
lilyevans changed marls’s nickname to therapist
therapist: AHAHA
marymacdonald: you can help us with all our problems
lilyevans changed marymacdonald’s nickname to rankin
rankin: perfect
lilyevans changed their nickname to missperfectlyfine
therapist: is that a taylor swift reference?
missperfectlyfine: YES!!!
therapist: okay i love you even more now
rankin: istg if i have to listen to you two going on and on about taylor swift i might have to move dorms
therapist: are you disrespecting the queen?
rankin: yes
missperfectlyfine: im going out to meet my friend now, but marlene, you better have converted mary by the time i get back
therapist: im on it
jamespotter and marlenemckinnon
jamespotter: hey stranger
marlenemckinnon: hey! are you good?
jamespotter: yes thanks, me and sirius are having a party tomorrow night, and i was wondering if you wanted to come and bring your roommates and any new friends you’ve made.
marlenemckinnon: you know i never say no to a party. who’s coming atm
jamespotter: me, sirius, our roommate, you and your lot, pete, frank + alice, and alice’s mate dorcas
marlenemckinnon: okay cool! just don’t let sirius put his playlist on, or i will cry
jamespotter: noted. ill see you tomorrow then?
marlenemckinnon: absolutely
roommates <3
therapist: my friend is having a party at his place tomorrow night to try and meet some new people from the uni and wanted to know if we’d come
rankin: so you’re basically asking us if we want to go to a party of strangers and get really drunk two nights before our first day of classes?
missperfectlyfine: i think that’s exactly what she’s asking
rankin: in that case, im definitely coming
missperfectlyfine: i guess im coming too then
missperfectlyfine: i’ll ask my friend if he wants to come
lilyevans and remuslupin
lilyevans: hey, im going to a party tomorrow with some people from uni and i was wondering if you wanted to come with us?
remuslupin: sorry lils, i’ve got plans with the boys in my hall, have fun though J
lilyevans: oh don’t worry about it! im glad you’re making friends
remuslupin: thanks, but you don’t need to worry about me, i can manage by myself
lilyevans: i know, but i love you and i know that you don’t always do well with people, so i just feel like i need to watch out for you
remuslupin: i appreciate it, but honestly, i’ll be okay
remuslupin: and i love you too
lilyevans: i know you do J
Sunday, 2pm
remuslupin and unknownnumber
unknown: hey, is this remus?
remuslupin: yes. who is this?
unknown: its sirius
remuslupin changed unknown to siriusblack
remuslupin: oh hey. is everything okay?
siriusblack: yeah i’m just at the shops, getting stuff for tonight, and i was wondering if you had any preferences with drinks or food and whatnot
remuslupin: oh um no i don’t think so. i’ll have whatever
siriusblack: well honestly, that’s not very helpful because its also what everyone else has said, so im no closer to knowing what to buy L
remuslupin: oh, in that case, i like pringles
siriusblack: excellent taste. although what’s your favourite flavour? because theirs only one correct answer
remuslupin: easy
remuslupin: paprika
siriusblack: WHAT?
remuslupin: im kidding! sour cream is elite
siriusblack: thank god
siriusblack: sour cream pringles it is!
remuslupin: sounds good J
siriusblack: ill see you later then?
remuslupin: yeah
roommates <3
rankin: what are you guys wearing tonight?
missperfectlyfine: i don’t now tbh. probably nothing special since its just a casual thing
missperfectlyfine: it is casual, right?
therapist: ohhh. i know the guys who are hosting it, and no party of theirs is EVER casual. like, ever.
missperfectlyfine: oh
rankin: im sure you’ll look great lils, no matter what you wear
missperfectlyfine: aww thanks
therapist: anyway, i just need to know
therapist: mary, whats a rankin?
rankin: ahaha he’s a photographer
therapist: oh that makes sense
missperfectlyfine:
he’s this guy
therapist: AHAHAHA is this mary now
rankin: no
missperfectlyfine: yes
rankin: i have no words
therapist: you don’t need any, just a camera
rankin: and something to attack marlene with
9pm
remuslupin and lilyevans
lilyevans: remus john lupin
remuslupin: yes mum?
lilyevans: we’re both at the same party
remuslupin: we are indeed
lilyevans: this is your roommates’ party, isn’t it?
remuslupin: yes
lilyevans: you knew that this was that party i was coming to, didn’t you?
remuslupin: i did, yes
lilyevans: well for some absurd reason, when i entered the room and asked who was hosting the party, i was pointed in the direction of JAMES POTTER AND SIRIUS BLACK!!!
remuslupin: is that so?
lilyevans: meaning that your roommates are JAMES POTTER AND SIRIUS BLACK!!!
remuslupin: i am aware of that, yes
lilyevans: wait
lilyevans: YOU KNEW?
remuslupin: i knew what?
lilyevans: YOU KNEW THAT YOU WERE ROOMMATES WITH JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER AND SIRIUS ORION BLACK, AND THAT I WAS COMING TO THEIR PARTY, AND YOU DIDN’T THINK TO TELL ME??????!!!!!
remuslupin: that would be correct
lilyevans: i hate you
lilyevans: i despise you
lilyevans: with every ounce of my being
remuslupin: fair enough, although i think the real point for discussion is that james’ middle name is fleamont and sirius’ is ORION?
remuslupin: man that’s funny
lilyevans: this conversation isn’t over
lilyevans: as punishment, i may just have to find whoever is in charge of music, and ask them to play a certain song, and force you to do a certain dance
remuslupin: LILY NO NOT THE DANCE
remuslupin: WE WERE EIGHT! IT WAS TEN YEARS AGO!
lilyevans: are you saying that you don’t remember the dance moves? because i have video that i’m sure will refresh your memory
remuslupin: that’s not what im saying lily!
lilyevans: so you do remember…?
remuslupin: …maybe
lilyevans: come on, just this once, then we’re even
remuslupin: fine, but if anyone asks, im very, very drunk, because i don’t want people thinking that sober remus goes around doing things like that.
lilyevans: deal
siriusblack and jamespotter
jamespotter: are you seeing this?
siriusblack: seeing what?
jamespotter: remus and marlene’s friend doing a dance routine to hall of fame
siriusblack: by the script?
jamespotter: yeah
siriusblack: hang on, i want a closer look
siriusblack: um prongs…
jamespotter: yeah?
siriusblack: that’s not any old friend of marlene’s
jamespotter: what do you mean
jamespotter: WAIT
jamespotter: OH NO NO NO NO NO
jamespotter and marlenemckinnon
jamespotter: MARLENE
marlenemckinnon: what
jamespotter: why did you invite that red headed girl
marlenemckinnon:
this girl?
jamespotter: YES! THAT VERY VERY ATTRACTIVE GIRL
marlenemckinnon: um because you told me to invite my roommates?
jamespotter: WELL DID YOU PAY ANY ATTENTION TO HER NAME?
marlenemckinnon: of course i did, she’s my roommate and my friend. how stupid do you think i am?!
jamespotter: WELL CLEARLY VERY STUPID IF YOU DON’T REMEMBER ANYTHING THAT ME AND SIRIUS TOLD YOU ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL!
marlenemckinnon: hold on, what makes you think i don’t remember anything you’ve told me
marlenemckinnon: wait
marlenemckinnon: james
marlenemckinnon: you don’t mean to tell me that the lily evans that i’m sharing a boarding hall with is the SAME LILY EVANS FROM HOGWARTS? THAT YOU WERE COMPLETELY IN LOVE WITH FOR SIX YEARS??!!
jamespotter: THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IM SAYING YOU IDIOT
marlenemckinnon: LMFAOHSNSJCKJSFCDKJYS
marlenemckinnon: THIS IS BRILLIANT
jamespotter: NO ITS NOT
jamespotter and siriusblack
jamespotter: mate im screwed
siriusblack: yeah you are