Until My Dying Day

[7:32 AM February 8, 1975. Fifth Year.]

"You're going on a date with who?" asked Sirius, choking on his porridge.

"You're going on a date?" laughed James.

"Yes," Remus said, taking a bite of jam slathered toast. "I have a date with Narcissa, this afternoon, in Hogsmeade."

Peter looked at Narcissa, who sat over at the Slytherin table, surrounded by other fifth year girls, who sat straight and ate delicately. Her platinum blonde hair fell to her shoulders, which were covered by black and silver satin robes, cut to cling to her thin frame. Her pale pink mouth pursed as she chewed, giving her already snooty air a touch that brought it straight over the edge.

"Why would she go on a date with you?" Peter asked, looking back at Remus dubiously. "She's so pretty."

"She's a fucking snob!" Sirius exclaimed, throwing up his hands.

"She's your cousin, Padfoot," Remus said, reaching for more toast.

"All the more reason for you to stay the hell away from her! She's one of the Black women! They're all crazy bitches! What do you think she'd do if she found out that you're a--"

"What's all the ruckus?" asked Lily, sitting down next to Peter. Remus noted that Calandra, who sat at Lily's left instead of at the Ravenclaw table, was especially dolled up this morning, pale blue robes accenting her curves.

James was always too eager to answer Lily's questions. "Moony's going on a date with Narcissa."

"Narcissa Black? The Slytherin?" Lily asked, addressing Remus, careful not to look at James, always afraid of encouraging him.

Remus nodded. "I asked her yesterday."

James took a large bite of bacon as he spoke. "How the hell did you ask her without us knowing?"

He shrugged. "I ran into her in the library while you two had detention with McGonagall and Sirius was taking a nap. I asked if she wanted to go out for ice cream or something and she said yes."

"No offense," Cal started, holding a cup of tea to warm her hands. "I'm sure that you think she's great, Remus, and she's your cousin, Sirius, but she's a," she gestured vaguely. "heinous bitch."

"Thank you!" Sirius threw his hands up again, this time in relief. "At least someone understands that she's not a nice girl!"

"I didn't know you liked blondes, Remus." Lily smiled.

Remus turned slightly pink, not enjoying this examination on his love life. He'd never really had a love life to talk about before then and wasn't enjoying the attention he was getting. Narcissa had always sort of fascinated him, a proud girl, who always seemed to know what she wanted. Tall and slender, with beautiful hair that laid in sheets on her shoulders, she was undoubtedly beautiful. He'd wanted to ask her on a date for ages, but had continually chickened out.

The day before, however, something had just snapped. Narcissa had been reading a book on the human psyche and the difference between the Wizard psyche and that of a muggle, leaning against the bookcase, one delicate ankle crossed behind the other. Her long fingers turned the pages so gracefully that Remus just watched her, staring like an idiot.

"Do you need something?" she had asked, coolly.

He jumped a bit, startled. "Oh, I... uh..."

Her index finger had snaked up her cheek, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Yes?"

Remus gulped. "Would you like to go out on a date? In Hogsmeade?"

"What? Tomorrow?" She hadn't sounded as disgusted as Remus thought she would have, just surprised at his sudden slew of speech.

"Yes?" He felt himself starting to break out into a cold sweat, but tried to ignore it.

"Alright," she said, shrugging. "Two o'clock sharp, in front of Permafrost. And," She'd given him a quick look up and down. "leave your friends behind. I don't want to date my cousin."

And with that she'd gone, slipping the book into her bag, leaving Remus drooling in the middle of the aisle, the weight of his first date settling in.

Sirius' sharp voice pulled Remus out of his musings. "There are plenty of other girls you could date! Nice, clean, sane girls! Like Lily! Look how pretty."

Lily smiled, turning oddly pink at the sudden compliment. "Well... geez..."

Cal looked childishly hurt, a shade coming over her eyes, but only for a moment. "Lily's only got eyes for one anyway."

"Really?" chirped James, not bothering to hide his interest. "And who might that be?"

"Don't you know? She--"

Lily delivered a stealthy elbow to Cal's ribs. "It's Gregory Burks."

The four boys exchanged glances. Peter wrinkled his nose. "The Hufflepuff quidditch captain?"

"Yes," said Lily simply. "He's very good looking and sweet and he bought me a chocolate frog once."

James' eyes bugged behind his glasses and Remus feared that they might smoosh against the lenses. Peter seemed to have the same worry as he stared at James' paling face and balled fists.

Calandra cleared her throat. "So, Remus has a thing for snobs."

Remus shot her one of his rare glares. "Don't call her that."

An airborne biscuit smacked him between the eyes, forcing them to cross momentarily. Sirius, the thrower, shook his head rapidly. "I can't believe that you're defending her!"

"I can't believe that you're being so unfair! I like her, Sirius. She's smart, she's gorgeous--"

Calandra interrupted. "People have been telling her that she's gorgeous for so long that she's actually starting to believe it!"

"I think she's pretty," Peter interjected.

"And that is exactly what's wrong! All of you boys are just inflating her ego." She took an angry bite of bacon.

"Exactly!" Sirius slammed his hands down on the table.

"Calm down, both of you," said Lily gently. "Remus has the right to date whomever he likes."

"Thank you, Lily," Remus mumbled, thumbing the end of his nose awkwardly.

"I'm actually very happy for you, Remus. It's about time one of you branched out and got yourself a girlfriend."

Remus opened his mouth to correct her, but James spoke first. "It's not for a lack of trying, Evans."

Lily blanched at this and took a sip of tea, making a small slurping noise as she did so. Peter scrunched his nose and watched as Cal tapped her round nails lightly on her sturdy porcelain teacup. Sirius inspected the table, grumbling to himself about how it just wasn't right for Remus to be dating his 'bitch of a cousin'. Remus closed his eyes and inwardly groaned. It was going to be a long day.

[1:48 PM. Hogsmeade]

Chocolate covered pretzels, raisins, peanuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, wafers, malt balls, caramel, coffee beans, tiny balls of pure dark chocolate, rice shaped pieces of milk chocolate, chocolate magicked to never melt, chocolate frogs, chocolate truffles with chocolate syrup centers, all piled into multiple bags of varying colors. Lily's canvas book bag was filled to the brim and the witch who worked at the counter of Honeydukes was slumped against the wall, exhausted from ringing Lily up.

"Lil, do you really need all of that?" Calandra asked, stealing an almond and popping it in her mouth.

"Of course I do! How am I supposed to be 'the girl who always has chocolate' if I haven't got any chocolate?"

They continued out of the store, Lily with her bag filled to bursting and Cal with one simple everlasting raspberry-lemon lollipop in the pocket of her robes. A tall, dense looking blonde boy slunk past them, listening as the pretty brunette girl to his right chattered away about how great he was.

"Well, well," grinned Cal. "There goes Gregory Burks, your lover. I don't know why you didn't mention the fact that he bought you a chocolate frog because he sat on the one you were about to eat."

Lily shot her a dirty look and started walking in the opposite direction. "Shut up, Calandra."

"What? You aren't even going to say hi?"

"No, I am not going to say hi!" she said in a harsh whisper. "Now, let's go buy some new quills."

[1:58 PM.]

It was, of course, a cold February day. The tip of Remus' nose had turned fairly red from standing in front of Permafrost Ice Cream Shop for the last hour, even though his hands were sweating something fierce inside his pockets. He'd only meant to be a few minutes early, but as he had sat in the Three Broomsticks, listening to Sirius and Peter hit on Madam Rosmerta, trying to get her to give them a discount on their butterbeers (James had been unusually quiet), he simply couldn't seem to keep still. Having fidgeted for a good thirty five minutes straight, Remus finally decided to get up a wander around. But after he saw Narcissa in the window of Gladrags, picking out a bright white muffler, he couldn't wait any longer. He had ended up back at Permafrost Ice Creamery in record time and was now just waiting for Narcissa to show up.

He checked his watch for what seemed to be the millionth time, groaning softly when it told him that it was still only 1:58. Narcissa didn't even have to be there for another two minutes and girls loved to be fashionably late, didn't they? Remus hoped not. He didn't think that he could handle waiting around for much longer.

"You're on time," said a cool, sophisticated voice. "Early, even."

Remus looked up jerkily and saw Narcissa standing in front of him, smirking lightly. Her arms were crossed just under her bust, pushing her breasts up ever so slightly over the low collar of her robes. Remus gulped.

"O-Of course I'm on time. I asked you, remember?"

"Yes." Her voice was clipped. "Shall we continue inside?"

"Yeah, sure. But, if I may ask, why are we going for ice cream on a freezing day like this?"

"What?" she asked, eyebrows raising. "You've never had baked ice cream?"

"Baked ice cream?" he asked, hoping he didn't look like too much of an idiot.

"It's to die for," she replied.

"Brilliant." He opened the door for her, watching as she stepped through easily, as if on air.

Permafrost was a cozy ice cream shop, decorated in lavender and white, with loveseats and chaises and candles that hung in the air. It smelled sweetly of vanilla and cherries. At the moment, there was a large, crackling fire going, which Remus found questionable until he looked at the counter which, in large blinking pink cursive, read "Permafrost: Never Melting Ice Cream".

There was a small, round witch behind the counter, stark white hair pulled back into a bun with a violet ribbon that matched her apron and the décor of the store. Her round, red face was lined in deep wrinkles, which seemed to get deeper as she grinned at Narcissa and Remus.

"Oh! New love, new love. What can I get for you two sweethearts?"

Remus felt his face flush, but Narcissa seemed unperturbed. "Two baked peach ice creams and two hot cocoas."

"Of course, sweets. Coming right up." She signaled to the window that looked into the kitchen, motioning the order to another elderly witch.

Shifting uncomfortably between his feet, Remus looked up at the price list. Dating, it turned out, was much more expensive than he had expected.

"That'll be three galleons and 7 sickles, love." The woman said, directed at Remus.

He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out four gold galleons and set them on the counter with a muffled thud.

"Keep the change," he mumbled.

Narcissa didn't bother to hide her surprise, one of her infrequent smiles twisting thin lips. "Well, let's take a seat."

She led him over to a royal purple loveseat, sitting down gracefully, crossing one ankle behind the other. Remus plopped down next to her, making a wave in the cushion.

"You look," He swallowed harshly. "beautiful."

"Mm. Yes," she said simply.

People have been telling her that she's gorgeous for so long that she's actually starting to believe it.

The spherical witch hobbled over to them, carrying two white porcelain plates in one hand and two mugs of matching china, filled to the brim with steaming cocoa, in the other. She handed them both one plate and one mug, smiling wider as she waddled off again.

Remus stared down at his plate, where what seemed to be a mountain of baked meringue sat next to a silver spoon. He felt his palms start to sweat, a small voice in the back of his head telling him over and over again that he could not touch that damn spoon without burning a hole right through his palm.

"The ice cream is inside the baked meringue, along with a large piece of spiced cake and a few slices of peach," Narcissa explained, taking a dainty bite off of her spoon.

He nodded and took a long sip of the steaming chocolate, blinking for a moment longer than necessary. Shit, he thought scathingly. I can't just sit here and not eat this... But I can't pick up the spoon and let it roast through my bloody werewolf flesh!

"Is something--" Narcissa started, irritated. She was interrupted, however, by a few loud bangs and yells from outside. There were a sparse bright flashes of yellow light, followed by more shouts. Remus took the opportunity to set the plate and cursed spoon down on the floor, along with his mug of cocoa, and rush outside.

[2:03 PM]

"How is it that you've spent the last three years sitting at the same table with him, eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner within a few feet of his grinning face and you're just now getting all giggly about it?" Lily asked, munching on a chocolate pretzel, looking at a rather garish red feathered quill.

"I don't know. He's gotten more attractive recently. I mean, he's not the same little Sirius who I used to watch blow things up in Potions..."

"But why him? I mean, of that group Peter is definitely the cutest."

"Peter is the cutest," she agreed. "He's small, with big eyes, and cuddly. But you wouldn't date him."

"I might."

"Date Peter Pettigrew?"

"He's a nice guy, Calandra. If he stopped hero worshipping James and Sirius, he'd be a real catch. Although, Remus is the most attractive of the 'Dream Team'."

Calandra smiled. "Remus is handsome enough. Thin, well built, beautiful amber eyes, that bum..."

("What?!" interrupted Lupin, choking on his tea.

Lily sighed. " Not to mention, he's smart as anything and incredibly sweet. And loves chocolate."

"But he's got a sick mother who he has to visit every month and he seems to get the flu and the drop of a hat. A weak immune system is not the sort of thing you want to pass on to your children. Now, Sirius..."

"You're already planning to have children with him?"

"He's got everything you want in the father of your children. He's cunning, courageous, sweet... when he wants to be."

"And dead sexy?" interrupted Lily.

"Well, yes. Of course. And our children would inherit those traits."

"Little Sirius Jr. and Siriusa and Sirius-Bob?" Lily asked, stifling a laugh.

"Fine, fine. Mock me if you must. We're still missing one. I, personally, find James rather gawky."

"James is not gawky!" Lily snapped. It took her a moment to realize what she had said. Her face became a blazing shade of red and her shoulders slumped slightly in shame.

Cal broke into a smile that threatened to split her entire face. "What did you say?"

"Nothing!" Lily threw the quill back into its bin with a bit too much gusto and gathered up her bag, slinging the strap over her shoulder.

"Lily Rosaline Evans! What did you just say?"

Lily wrinkled her nose and shook her head fiercely. "Nothing!" She groaned. "I should never have told you my full name!"

"Did you just defend James Potter?"

"No!" She started scrambling outside, stuffing her mouth with a handful of chocolate covered peanuts.

Up ahead, the door to the Three Broomsticks opened and Peter, Sirius, and James marched out. Peter and Sirius were laughing and jabbering about something and James was looking shiftily around. Lily spotted them and looked, panicked, back at Cal.

"Cal, please shut up! For the love of anything, shut up! He doesn't need any encouragement!"

"Oh, I won't say anything. I'll be good, I swear."

The two of them walked casually past the three boys, both intent on ignoring them. Five strong fingers suddenly wrapped gently around Cal's wrist, and Sirius pulled her close enough so that he could whisper in her ear.

"Stick around. I guarantee that James is about to make an ass out of himself." His voice was soft, but just as jovial as ever. She could hear the smile in his words and couldn't help but gulp down the lump in her throat.

"O-Okay, then," she muttered, mouth feeling very dry.

He let her go, grinning as usual. Cal took a moment to regain her senses, but quickly noticed that James was venturing further and further from the group, darting gaze getting worse.

Lily, who had been talking to herself for the last ten paces, realized she was alone and turned around.

"Cal!" She whined, sprinting forward, heavy bag bouncing on one hip. "What's going on?"

"Never fear, Miss Evans," answered Sirius. "This will be well worth hanging around for."

"What is he talking--" Lily started, but was cut short.

"SIMIA COLLUM CAUDA!" shouted James, followed by a bright flash of yellow light that sprouted from his outstretched wand.

It was a huge beam that sparkled and fizzled in an arch that ended on Gregory Burks' neck. The hex forced Gregory's head to bob forward. He held the point of contact with one large hand. Abruptly, a huge lump appeared between his index and middle finger, one that got larger and longer by the second.

"What is that?" Cal asked Sirius, voice low.

"Monkey tail, I'd imagine," he chuckled. "Horribly unimaginative, though. He got detention for using that same hex on some third years a couple weeks ago."

The door to Permafrost a few stores down swung open and Remus ran out. He noticed Sirius, Peter, Lily, and Cal and ran over to them.

Peter twitched his nose at him. "Back so soon?"

"Silver spoons," Remus said succinctly.

"Ouch," Peter said, not looking away from James and Gregory.

Gregory swung around, face still dumbly passive.

"Who did that?" he grumbled.

"I did!" beamed James, looking idiotically proud.

Gregory narrowed his eyes at James, taking in his stature. James, standing at five foot eight, weighing no more than a hundred and thirty pounds, with his glasses and messy hair, didn't seem to be much challenge to the six foot three, two hundred pound quidditch captain. But the monkey tail slapping the back of his neck was rather annoying.

Behind Gregory, there was a collective gasp. A group of six teenage girls (all sixth and seventh years), who had just walked out of Gladrags, all had their hands over their mouths at the sight of the huge tail wagging out of the nape of Gregory's neck. Their massed gaze looked from the tail to James, whose wand was still pointed at the object of their worship.

There was sparse time to react, but Sirius grabbed Cal by the back of her robes, Peter pulled Lily, and Remus took a large step back, just in time to miss the giant group of girls who pounced on James.

The sound of hexes, slaps, punches, kicks, and girlish screams--most of which came from James--were unavoidable. Bright streaks of florescent light, the loud popping of various new appendages, the fizzing noise of one very strong feet singeing curse, all coming from one cluster of angry teens.

A few of the professors came running out of the Three Broomsticks, prying the pack of hormonal berserkers off of poor James, who was huddled in a fetal position, twitching from the various hexes and newfound bruises. The girls were taken aside by a fuming Professor Sirin, the potions master, whose long, wrinkled face was beet red and the veins in his neck stuck out as he started giving them a decent sized lecture.

Professor McGonagall was the one to finally get the tail off of Gregory's neck, shaking her head and clucking her tongue.

"Incredibly foolish," she muttered. "But you did nothing wrong, Mr. Burks?" She shook her head again as Gregory mumbled a no. "Then I deeply apologize on Mr. Potter's account. He will be severely punished."

Professor Pallas, the arithmancy teacher, put James' nose back to right after one of the girls had hexed it to resemble that of a kitten. She now had him by the average sized ears--she'd rid him of the white furry bunny ears, also--and was tugging him along, giving him a lengthy, rambling scolding. As she pulled him past his friends, he gave Lily a wink.

"It's all for you, Evans," he murmured, loud enough for the five of them to hear, but not quite loud enough for Professor Pallas to hear him over her own babbling.

Lily's bright green eyes became very wide and she bit down hard on her lower lip. Her hair whirled around her as she spun to look at Remus, Peter, and Sirius.

"You tell James Potter that I loathe him. I detest the very air he breathes and I hope that he... rots in hell!"

Peter and Remus both looked very taken aback by this outburst, but Sirius remained calm, even merry.

"But, even you must admit that it was funny as hell to see him with bunny ears."

The corners of her mouth twitched upwards. "I will treasure it forever. Thank you."

Sirius looked over at Cal. "Aren't you glad that I told you to stay?"

"It was brilliant," she said, pulling the lollipop out of her pocket and popping it into her mouth.

"Sorry that your date was cut short, Remus," Lily said.

"Oh, er..." Remus wrung his hands. "That's alright. It wasn't going that well anyway."

Sirius got the look he always used when he proved a someone wrong. His facial expression barely changed, but his back straightened and there was a small glint in his eyes, an inner gloating.

"Tough luck, mate," he said.

"Don't worry about it, Moony." Peter smiled and shrugged. "She would have just used you for expensive food and cheap sex, anyway."

Remus, Sirius, Lily, and Cal all stared at him, jaws dropped.

"We have to work on that whole 'comforting' thing, Peter," said Lily, restraining a laugh.

"What wasn't comforting about that?" he asked.

Remus shook his head and starting walking back towards the Three Broomsticks. Lily smiled lightly as she followed behind him, silently offering him a truffle, which he accepted, turning pink around the edges. Peter looked up at Sirius, noiselessly asking what he'd done wrong. Sirius shrugged and ruffled the smaller boy's hair. Peter shot him a glare, smoothing his sandy hair back into position, wandering to the Three Broomsticks with the other two.

Cal twirled the lollipop in her mouth, speeding her steps, trying to catch up with Lily.

"Why are you walking so fast?" asked Sirius.

"Oh!" She spun the lollipop nervously. "I just walk fast. That's all."

"Ah," he said, nodding. "Run away from the creepy pup who keeps staring at you."

"I'm not run--you keep staring at me?"

He smiled. "Well, it's not often that a Ravenclaw spend three years with a pack of Gryffindors. How do you get away with it?"

"Oh," she sighed, theatrically. "Is that the only reason you've been staring?"

"No."

"No?" She let go of the lollipop, allowing it to bob dumbly in her mouth.

"No." His nostrils flared. "You know, I have this friend and he likes your friend."

"Is that right?" She smiled. "Why aren't they dating?"

"Because he's an idiot and she's--"

"In denial."

"Maybe they just need a shove in the right direction?"

"From a few of their meddling friends?"

"Sounds like a good plan to me." He paused. "Would you like a butterbeer?"

She pulled the lollipop out of her mouth, clutching the stem with such force that the tips of her fingers became white. "I'd love one, if you're paying."

Calandra sipped her tea, watching the faces of Harry and Lupin. Harry noted that Lupin's ears were still tinged pink from Cal's comment about his rear.

"My father really did that?"

"Yes, he did." Cal nodded.

"But why? My mother obviously wasn't impressed."

"James rarely let trifling things like that get in his way."

"James rarely let anything get in his way," muttered Lupin.

As though on cue, the door creaked open. Lupin looked up, brow furrowed. Harry followed his glance and slumped in his chair when he saw Professor Snape striding inside. His greasy black hair fell into his eyes as he glanced around the room, lip curled in distaste.

Who invited him?

Calandra's hand flew to her wand. Lupin caught her wrist instantly, having anticipated this reaction.

"Cal, don't," he ordered sharply, determination set in his stare.

"What is that iniquitous bastard doing here?" Her voice was strained and she refused to take her eyes off of Snape. "Why the hell are you so calm?"

"He's turned, Cal. He's on our side. He's a member of the Order."

"Turned? That greasy little--"

"Not in front of Harry, Calandra."

"Oh, don't mind me," said Harry, shaking his head. "I don't like him much either."

"Harry, don't speak that way about your professor," Lupin grumbled.

"Professor?" Cal's gaze shot to him. "Professor of what, Remus?"

"He's the potions master."

"Jesus! I understand Dumbledore hiring you, werewolf with a heart of gold and such, but Severus Snape? He was at the top of You-Know-Who's regime. Head bootlicker or some such."

"Not anymore. He's turned, Calandra. You're thirty six years old! A grown woman. Don't do something... James or Sirius would commend."

She closed her eyes as the low, smarmy voice sounded from behind her.

"Miss Adwen." Snape sounded exactly like he did when addressing a particularly dumb Gryffindor student.

Calandra got to her feet, face void of much expression. In her heeled boots, she was the same height as Snape. She smiled haughtily. "That would be Mrs. Bradridge, Professor Snape."

He lifted an eyebrow at her. "You got married?" A short, wet snort escaped him. "To another dog-man, I suppose? Hopefully a smarter one."

She tensed. "Show a little respect for the deceased, Severus."

"You've got a little reunion going there, don't you? Potter and Lupin. All you're missing is a rat, an oaf, and a filth--"

"Now, now, Severus," interrupted Cal, tone impossibly even. "Not in front of the boy. You wouldn't want him to think that his Potions Master was a complete prick, would you?"

Snape glared at her, blinking as little as possible, as though afraid she'd snap while his eyes were closed. "You haven't changed a bit."

"That's a lie." Her voice lowered to the point that Harry had to strain to really hear her, which, he supposed, was the point. "If you had spoken to me like that twenty years ago, I would have hexed you until you threw up your own liver," she paused, thriving in the tension in the silence. "and then I would have made you eat it."

He paled, which Harry found to be quite a feat. "Yes, well. Do take care, Mrs. Bradridge, was it?" His words were dripping with contempt. He shot her one last glare before walking away.

She slid back into her chair gracefully, picking up her tea once more, and taking a sip.

Harry stared at her. "You all hated him, didn't you?"

Lupin cleared his throat. "I would like to go on record as saying that I never condoned nor condemned the hatred of Severus Faustus Snape."

"That being said," stated Calandra. "Yes. Well, Lily never did. She had every reason to, but she was positive that he was a good person deep down."

"Lily always tended to see the best in people. Even Severus..."