Dec 10th: Caught (Charmus/James) : 3rd floor broom closet

[Remus Lupin]

Remus laughed at Charlotte’s sarcastic words, beaming at his friend as he spoke up. This was nice, it almost even felt natural. He knew he was feeling more for the girl than he felt he should be, he shouldn’t let himself get his hopes up. But this time with his girl Charlotte and James was refreshing, the two of them bantering, “Dear old Dumbles should have known better than to make me a prefect,” he said with a wink to Charlotte. He’d enjoyed the position of course, especially now with James as Head Boy. They’d already pulled off one superb prank, it was only a matter of time before they pulled off another. He’d been scheming with the free time that he hadn’t spent with Charlotte in secret, and while the Medusa’s had been their target last time - it was just too easy to get those girls worked up.

While the start of the year had been rocky, it was nice having James as head boy. While he felt like they’d all hardly spent any time together, as James schedule was busier than his, Remus was appreciating having the spare time he wouldn’t have gotten as Head Boy. Sure he was helping out, but his schedule wasn’t the one that was strained. Quidditch Captain and Head Boy - Remus would have hated being put in a position like that. But James was thriving, and Remus was spending the time he would have spent doing Head Boy duties getting to know Charlotte. To find someone that liked the same things he did, that loved the library like he did, that had more than agreeable feelings about people with his condition - he would have missed out on this if he’d been appointed Head Boy.

He smiled as Charlotte agreed to come and sit with them in the common room, hoping that none of his friends would do anything to make her regret it. Remus followed James off the stairs and up the next set, trying to keep a pace that was reasonable for all of them to walk. “Wow James, I’m impressed,” Remus said proudly, “You even got the name of the book right.” He let out a laugh as he looked between his friend and Charlotte, shifting his bag on his shoulder as they started up the next flight. “If only you didn’t put milk in your tea.”

[Charlotte Fudge]

The quiet Gryffindor's smile - and confidence - grew at the laughter of the pair of blokes. See, Charlotte? You can do this. Just stop worrying that Rufus will find out or that they won't like you. So she laughed in return at their follow-up, doing what she could to keep from being too affected by Remus' wink. The matter of continuing to spend time together in the common room was settled, and Charlotte tried to keep her head on straight as they progressed through the castle. Daisy would be there, more likely than not, and Lily too. Her longtime friends would help make her feel comfortable among the others, and it was a long time coming, really, wasn't this? She was rather startled, however, as James brought up the book Remus had recently lent her. You remembered? The seventh year had seemed rather on another level after returning from the outing on the ice that day, but he'd recalled not just that they'd spoken, but the exact book itself? Remus seemed elated at the knowledge as well, however...

"Did you know that muggle researchers hypothesize that adding milk negates the inherent benefits of tea? Even just a splash means the tea is no longer helping your heart...Mary was going on about it the other day, she's trying to get Madam Puddifoot to put up notices at the shop. The more you know." She finished with a slight shrug of her shoulders and a not-so-hidden smirk towards Remus, although her words had been delivered matter-of-fact; one of the keys, it seemed, to getting along with his friends was to joke around, to poke fun at the others while being able to take jabs yourself. While she and Peter already had a comfortable dynamic, she needed to begin anew, essentially, with both James and Sirius if she was to stick by Remus' side, as she intended. That said, Charlotte hoped that the Head Boy would realize she was mostly teasing - even if she did prescribe to a strict no milk in tea habit herself.

"I'm enjoying the worldbuilding in the novel," she redirected, "and the dragon-lore. The author's creative mind is quite fascinating in that respect. I'm interested to see where the characters take the story, though - rooting for Lessa to chart her own path, of course, but it feels like the men truly just need to...get out of her way." The patriarchal society of Pern, and the treatment of Lessa by F'lar in particular, was making the heroine's quest more of a trial than it needed to be. But without obstacles to overcome, is there as much victory at the end? 

(ooc: okay this research is too current which is why I put "hypothesize," but it's too good to keep out completely XD also goodreads reviews on the book for help)

[James Potter]

"He really should've - most innocent face, most diabolical schemes," James added, bounding off onto the last set of stairs until they reached the proper floor. He had had some success with getting the duo to agree to chill once they arrived, but felt it best to keep Charlotte engaged until then, just in case; he and the others weren't that intimidating once you got to know them, and Remus wouldn't forgive them if they scared the girl off, and he was gaining points with the guy for remembering the book. He shot Remus a wink over his shoulder, slowing down a bit on his climb to accommodate for Charlotte. It's important to you, it's important to me. But his mood darkened instantly as Remus went there and, before he could get a word in, Charlotte was piping up and spewing out facts like she agreed and...

"Oh for f*ck's sake, not you too," James bemoaned theatrically. "My heart is in prime condition, thanks - and even if it wasn't, why would I subject myself to a life spent drinking shite-tasting tea? Life is to be enjoyed, not suffered through, and neither of you is going to change my mind! How dare you use "research" against my lifetime of anecdotal evidence! And she can't spread those - those blatant lies! Fearmongering won't be tolerated, not in my school!"

So much for being welcoming.

    You have to take the offensive when you're outnumbered. No way around it. 

The longstanding disagreement between the two old friends seemed to be furthered by Charlotte's clear taking-of-sides, and it was all James could do to keep himself from overstepping and saying something that he shouldn't, given how terribly un-public their relationship was. Like how it was grand to see Remus finding a partner who agreed with even his most insane ideas, or how he and Lily could take them in a tea-making challenge any day...You like each other. Ruff will get over it, but not if you keep things a secret for much longer. For the better, thankfully, by the time they were exiting the stairs, Charlotte had picked up the dialogue on Pern, and he had to give a rueful chuckle. "Bet the same could be said for most things, eh? We can be a...hindering people. Most times it's without meaning to be, I wager, but still."

[Remus Lupin]

Remus had never questioned Dumbledore when he was appointed to be a Prefect, nor had he questioned Dumbledore about James’ appointment as Head Boy - even if he had wanted to. Personally, Remus found that he thought their Headmaster quite liked their pranks. Why else would he have given them run of the school? It was no surprise that their Headmaster seemed to favor the Gryffindors, with choosing both a Head Boy and Head Girl from the same house. The Gryffindors had the run of the place, and while he did sometimes feel bad for those in the other houses, he also loved it.

He couldn’t stop the shite eating grin on his face as Charlotte launched into a tease to James. He hadn’t heard of this muggle research, but it was wonderful and endearing to listen to her tease one of his best mates. Her smirked back at her at the closure, not at all surprised by the reaction she drew from James. He could be almost as dramatic as Sirius could. “Hey now, it’s not shite tasting tea. I’m beginning to think you just like milk and not tea,” Remus joked, giving his not-girlfriend a grin. Truly though, why ruin a good tea with milk? If you didn’t like the taste of tea, there was plenty of other beverages that one could drink.

Charlotte redirected the conversation back to Pern, and his smile only grew as they continued down the hallway towards the Fat Lady’s Portrait. Anne McCaffery was one of his favorite authors, her world building extraordinary. But Charlotte was also right in saying that men needed to get out of Lessa’s way. He nodded along with James words, smirking as he added, “Right? Men can be the worst. Screw the patriarchy.” He stopped outside the door to their Common Room, giving Charlotte's hand a squeeze, "Let me know if they get to be too much," he said before he leaned in to whisper to her. “I had a wonderful time with you tonight.”

[Charlotte Fudge]

While Charlotte expected some sort of reaction from the Head Boy as she took Remus's side in the argument - not solely because it was what he believed, by-the-by, she knew where she stood, but it was nice to show someone else something that they had in common - she had not expected such nonsense as what was thrown around. James's words rather threw her for a loop, confusion plain on her face until she looked back to Remus to see he was all grins. Joking - joking. He does believe in research, he’s not the sort who would dismiss facts so blithely.

    Best forewarn Mary, though, if you see her before he does.

Nevertheless, she chuckled as Remus rebutted him, smiling back as she recovered from that bout of overthinking. If you're going to truly be with him, you've got to relax around his friends. They don't mean you any ill. Charlotte could almost hear her best friend's voice in her ear reminding her of the good intentions of the rambunctious group, but still did hope that she'd be welcomed into the common room by Daisy and not entirely thrown into a night with "the boys." Even if the two she was with did not seem to take offense to her commentary about the men in the novel, instead surprising her by affirming the truth to life not so covertly hidden within the story. 

The Fat Lady was upon them then, and she slowed to a stop with Remus, doing her best to ignore James's presence in the corridor as her companion drew himself closer. She smiled at the words, whispering back a hurried "I did too - I'll be alright, promise," before speaking to an amused painted woman in a pink dress. "Audere est facere," she spoke, clear and confident as she desired to appear to those awaiting inside...

to do is to dare

[James Potter]

The look on the girl's face was almost enough to send James into a bout of laughter that would've cut his argument short. Remus knew full well that he was exaggerating, and if Charlotte was going to survive in a marauders-heavy environment, then James was doing what he could to prepare her by giving an example, right? The argument was just for argument's sake, anyway, and he exchanged a grin with Remus as the bloke teased him back. "Still counts as tea," he declared congenially, rounding the final turn and seeing the Fat Lady in all her glory. The portrait was a character indeed, and as he noticed the slowing of feet of his fellows, James fell back, making eyes at the portrait, nodding towards the couple, just in case she hadn't noticed the sweet nothings flowing between them.

Right, well - not so much sweet nothings as a little exchange not meant for his keen ears, but still.

Charlotte spoke again in her soft full voice to gain them entry to the Tower, and James let the pair go on ahead, coming in behind them with a skip in his step. For inside was bound to be a group of people he loved, and with Remus and Charlotte having the combined confidence to be with them in such a public setting - he felt for them, truly, having a sibling not understand another's needs was the pits, and he was nervous himself about coming face-to-face with Petunia Evans eventually - how could the night turn into anything other than something wonderful?