Chapter Text
“Alright, Prongs. We’re all set for the party, and people have started showing up.” Sirius glanced in James’s bedroom and found him standing by the window. He raised an eyebrow. “For a guy who is about to have his dream stag party before marrying his dream girl, you don’t seem too happy.”
James sighed, uncrossing his arms and turning back with a small smile. “Sorry. I just got a little lost in a sad thought.”
“Well, might as well get it out before the party.” Sirius leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. “Let’s hear it, then.”
James grimaced. “I don’t know that you want to.”
Sirius raised an eyebrow. “I’m your best man. You absolutely should tell me.”
Jame sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Remus should be here.”
A weight fell in Sirius's stomach, and he looked away. Remus should be there. They’d been saying it for four years now–well, no, they’d all been thinking it, but no one had been saying it. It was Sirius’s fault that Remus wasn’t there. Sirius, who had the bright idea to tell Severus Snape about the knot at the base of the Whomping Willow, and for some unknown reason, the idiot decided to go see what a real werewolf transformation looked like. If that wasn’t bad enough, he told the entire school what he had seen, and Remus was expelled as a dangerous beast.
Remus had missed out, and it was all Sirius’s fault.
Sirius looked up at James again. “He should be. He would have loved this.”
“I’m sorry,” James said, running a hand down his face. “I’m not still holding it against you, but I just keep thinking that he would be here otherwise.”
Sirius nodded, swallowing down the dry ash that seemed to have filled his mouth. “He would be. He should be. We could try to find him again.”
James shook his head. “If he’s even still alive, he doesn’t want to be found.” James walked over and clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go celebrate."
Sirius let out a long breath and then plastered on an almost real smile. “Wormtail’s pretty excited for the stripper he hired. Apparently the guy’s pretty popular.”
“Where did Peter find a male stripper?”
“Huh.” Sirius shrugged. It was odd, considering Peter was the only purely straight one out of the group of them. “I’m not sure.”
“Oi, Wormtail.” James called when they walked into the living room. “Where did you get the stripper?”
Peter beamed. “He was recommended by a friend.”
James and Sirius exchanged a look. “Who?”
“Barty Crouch. He got his number after he saw him at another stag do. Passed it along to me when I mentioned looking for yours.”
Sirius groaned. “Why do you hang out with him? Crouch is terrible.”
Peter shrugged. “I like him.”
The party started out well. Sirius had charmed loud music to play in every room. The drinks were plentiful, and by the time the stripper knocked on the door, Sirius was already feeling the buzz from the drink.
Frank opened the door, as the rest of them herded James into the seat of honor in the living room, shoving a crown on his head that Sirius had charmed to throw glitter over him. Sirius heard him before he saw him, but there was no mistaking that voice, even if he was masking the soft Welsh lilt that Sirius had grown used to.
“I hear there’s some balls on the loose here. Good thing I’m a Keepe–” Remus froze when he saw them standing there, James in a crown, with Sirius and Peter. His bravado seemed to fall the longer he looked at them, seemingly shrinking in the quidditch kit that he wore as a costume. “Shit.”
“Remus?” James stood up and walked forward, not even a sway in his step. Sirius was almost surprised, given how much alcohol they had been shoving in his hand all night, but he had sobered up pretty hard himself when Remus walked in the door.
Remus smiled weakly. “I should have known when I was asked to dress as one of the Arrows for this. Who other than James Potter would have a stripper double as a quidditch player.”
James didn’t hesitate but wrapped Remus in a hug. Sirius saw Remus flinch, becoming more statue than person in James’s arms. Remus backed away as soon as he let go. “I should go. I can get you your money back, or I might be able to get someone else to–”
“Please don’t leave, Moony.” James’s voice was low, and if it wasn’t for the extra hearing his animagus gave him, he might not have even heard it. He definitely didn’t miss the way Remus flinched at the nickname.
“James, I can’t stay.” He took another step back. “You can’t possibly want me to dance for you.”
“If it will get you to stay, I’ll let you dance as long as you’d like.”
“James–”
“Or, I’ll pay you double to just stay and talk to me.”
Sirius could see Remus wanted to refuse, like there was something pulling him back out the door again. He must have really needed the money, though.
"Alright, fine." He shifted nervously. "I'll stay."
"I'm really glad to see you, Remus."
Remus sighed. "I am too, James."
James moved to kick everyone out, leaving Remus standing where he was. Remus looked up, and his eyes finally came to rest on Sirius, and Sirius wondered if Remus was happy to see him too.