THEY WERE TWO WEEKS into November, and it was finally time for another Saturday spent in Hogsmeade after busy times of revising, practicing quidditch and everything else one could imagine which included watching the first quidditch match of the season and reading books all the time.

Claudia was set to meet up with Remus by the entrance so that they together could head to Hogsmeade where they most likely would get some Christmas shopping done.

However, as she arrived there, something told her that the last thing on their list of activities that day would be shopping.

This was her first thought due to the fact that not only Remus was standing there. No, Sirius, Peter, Marlene, Inez and Betty were all there as well with expectant looks on their faces.

"Oh, what are we up to now?" Claudia asked in an intrigued tone, standing next to Remus who kissed her temple in a way of greeting her.

"Spying on our dear lovebirds on their first date," Sirius whispered, motioning for them all to move to the side so that they could hide from the people in question.

James and Lily.

"We're spying on James and Lily?" Claudia asked in a hushed whisper.

"Yeah," Sirius nodded.

"Isn't that a bit...invasive?"

Remus nodded, "I tried telling them that, love, but they won't hear either of us out."

Peter rolled his eyes, "It's not that invasive. We're just keeping an eye on them for future references."

"And, anyhow," said Sirius. "If they get together, we get together."

"I don't think that's how it works-"

"Their relationship is our relationship," Sirius continued, turning to Claudia and Remus. "Just like your relationship is our relationship."

"Gosh, Rem, I had no idea we were eight people in this relationship," Claudia said sarcastically.

"Neither did I," Remus said, staring at Sirius with a confused look on his face. "But it's good to know...I guess?"

"That's not what I meant," Sirius smiled. "I just meant that...actually, I have no idea what I meant. Take that back!"

"Gladly," said Claudia.

"Well, let's go then I guess," Marlene said happily as she took Inez' hand, something that did not go unnoticed by Betty.

"You're up for this?" Claudia asked.

"Oh, honey, their relationship is our relationship," Marlene grinned. "Let's go!"

The group made their way to Hogsmeade, that after carefully making sure that James and Lily couldn't spot them practically sneaking up behind them, and then they got themselves a table in the Three Broomsticks, where James and Lily were already sitting as they waited for their butterbeers.

"You think they can spot us here?" Asked Peter, peeking at them from the corner the group were sitting in with all their heads covered by old copies of the Daily Prophet.

"Probably," said Betty. "But I don't think they will."

"I can't see for shit," said Inez. "What're they doing?"

"Talking."

"Just...talking?"

"Yeah," said Claudia, turning her head behind the newspaper to look at Inez. "What else would they do this early on?"

Inez shrugged, "Snogging."

"Ew," Sirius said in a dramatic tone. "That's not what I came to witness."

"Then what did you come for?" Inez questioned.

"To either see Prongs embarrass himself or actually charm a girl for once," Sirius grinned. "Mostly for the embarrass himself part, but."

"Well," said Remus. "I for one am bored. Can we do something else?"

"No!" The group chorused.

"Why not? They're just talking! And, besides, I actually wanted to bring my girlfriend on a date of our own, but here we are spying on James and Lily instead. So, can we please go?"

"No!"

Remus sighed, looking at Claudia who too had followed along with rejecting his proposal. "Not even you, Claudia? Didn't you think that this was an invasion of privacy just forty minutes ago?"

"I did," Claudia shrugged. "But now I think that it's fun."

"Don't you want to come with me instead? I'll pay for a butterbeer."

"Save those galleons, darling," said Claudia. "You're gonna need them when I win our bet."

"What bet?" Asked Peter.

"We've got a bet on James and Lily," Claudia grinned. "If they get together before Christmas I win. If not, Remus wins."

Sirius smirked, "Hey, Wormtail, ten galleons-"

"You're not going to win," Remus said in a teasing tone. "No chance in hell."

"Is that so?" Claudia asked a she watched the pair in question from afar. "Then why are they holding hands 15 minutes into their date?"

The whole table gasped as they all dropped their newspapers and gaped at the two, who were in fact holding hands over the table as they laughed about something.

"Oh Merlin!" Sirius exclaimed, causing everyone to head for a deep dive under the table due to the fact that Sirius had been a little too loud.

Peter bumped his head onto the edge of the table, which caused him to let out a yelp as Claudia went to comfort him immediately, and Inez and Sirius fell into a stage of bickering.

"They definitely heard you, you bloody idiot!" The girl exclaimed.

"You really think so?"

"Yes!"

"Shit," said Sirius. "Let's just check, okay? We can't be sure."

Marlene, who was in the closest spot to the two, carefully stood up, and for a mere few seconds the group assumed that James and Lily hadn't heard them, until Marlene spoke:

"Guys...? They're gone."

"What?!" Sirius questioned, him too standing up and helping Inez and Betty to do the same as Claudia jokingly kissed Peter on the head as if he was her injured little child and Remus stayed on the floor in a stage of questioning his own existence just a little bit.

"They're gone," Betty frowned.

"Really?" Claudia asked from where she was sitting on the floor, her and Peter looking up at their friends with curious looks on their faces.

"Really," Sirius nodded, deciding to let James and Lily be for now. "Let's go do something else!"

And so, the group left to other activities. Well, that was with the exception of Claudia and Remus, who stayed behind and ended up having those butterbeers they had planned, amd then they went to get some Christmas shopping done.

Claudia bought most of her gifts, including the ones for all the boys and Remus' parents, and then the two headed back to the castle and Remus' dorm all content and warm.

However, as Claudia basically collapsed on the boy's bed, she spotted the map laying there on her side. So naturally, out of pure curiosity, the girl picked it up and spent a few minutes of just looking at people's names drifting through the halls.

But, after a while, she came to find two names that were in a very famous spot together.

"Remus?" Said the girl to the boy who was playing with River who had apparently managed her way inside the Gryffindor tower. "You might wanna look at this."

"What is it?" He asked, leaving River's side on the floor and then sitting himself next to Claudia on the bed.

"Look," the girl said, pointing to the two names with a wide grin on her face.

"No way," Remus said, sounding fairly surprised on the tone of his voice.

"They're-"

"Let's not jump to conclusions, yeah?"

Claudia chuckled, "Remus?"

"Yeah?"

"What do we normally do in broom closets?"

"We're in there all the time," the boy smiled. "It's practically our second home at this point. We've hidden in there, we've looked for cleaning equipment in there after egging Filch-"

"Scratch that. What do most teenagers at this school do in broom closets?"

"They...snog."

"Exactly," Claudia grinned. "So...how would you feel about a little revenge for last time?"

"Last time?"

"Do you recall weeks ago, when you and I were simply just hanging out a little in a broom closet, and two certain individuals decided to interrupt us. Oh! And all the million times before when that has happened."

Remus' smile only widened, "Sounds like the perfect idea, Lame."

The two made their way out of the dorm, down the stairs and all the way to the broom closet that at that point was pretty much theirs, and then they - with huge smirks on their faces - bursted the door open, only to find two people in there with their lips connected in a sweet and gentle kiss.

James and Lily.

James gaped as Lily screeched, "Oh my god!"

Claudia laughed, "Revenge sure is sweet Remus, isn't it?"

"Sweeter than syrup," Remus grinned.

"What're you doing?!" Lily asked, taking a fair distance from James who honestly just seemed proud by now.

"Yeah, what are you doing?" The boy asked as he adjusted his glasses.

"Payback, bitch!" Remus and Claudia chorused, not even glancing at one another as they high-fived.

"What the fu-"

"Don't mind us!" Claudia exclaimed. "Get back to...yeah, whatever you were doing. Actually, don't do it in front of us because that will probably traumatise us but...oh, and by the way, Rem! Pay up!"

The girl held her palm out to Remus, who simply rolled his eyes and dug out some galleons that he handed to her.

Galleons she would put back in his wallet later on, but he would never know that.

"Bye!" Claudia smiled, grabbing Remus' hand and dragging him away as he sent a small little awkward wave to James and Lily, who were staring dumbfoundly at the two without saying a word.

"So...what does this mean?" Lily asked quietly.

"What do you want it to mean?" Asked James.

"I..." Lily trailed off, only to jump slightly as Sirius ran towards them after having bumped into Claudia and Remus who told him the news. Sirius then hugged them tightly before they could even process anything.

"Best late birthday gift ever!" Sirius exclaimed, rocking the pair - who were struggling to breathe - back and forth.

And then, without it making sense to a giddy Sirius, Lily spoke:

"I want it to be you and I."

And, against all odds, James Potter had finally gotten the girl.

END OF PART XIII
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and so it goes - part xiii.

let's go to a wedding!

and let's make another awful discovery...

only three parts left besties <3

it's almost over...