Chapter 14: ── 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻

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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

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OLIVIA IS HORRIBLE AT keeping secrets, as the marauders are soon realizing. In fact, she's so bad at it that as soon as Sirius saw her face he knew something was up. However, what she lacked in the ability to control her facial expression, Olivia made up with her stubbornness. No matter how much Sirius persisted to get an answer out of her, Olivia was tight lipped.

"Just fess up already, Liv," Sirius tried to convince her. "I know you know where they are."

Olivia ignored him as she continued writing her mood down on the notebook she and James kept to track the progress of her pregnancy. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "The smirk on your face says otherwise. James is either with you or he's with me, and he's not here right now. I know for a fact that you know where he is so just blurt it out."

She shrugged, grabbing her bag as they started walking towards the Great Hall. "Look, idiot 2, I'm not idiot 1's keeper, alright? Contrary to popular belief, I don't actually spend every waking hour with him."

Actually, now that she thinks about it, that was a lie. She rarely ever get to spend a few hours without James tailing her around. And usually, it's only when he has quidditch practice. Even in prefect duties, their schedules are perfectly aligned with each other's.

"Well, you see, it's my birthday today and I woke up completely alone."

"Sad," she commented.

"Usually, I'm with my best mates, you know, the three other idiots I'm practically glued to the hips with that if we exchange faces, nobody would realize," he continued. "But this morning, I was completely alone and that can only mean two things."

Olivia raised an eyebrow in feigned interest. "Do tell."

"It means they're either preparing a nice surprise that will get us all emotional or they're preparing a spectacular prank that I won't be able to shake off till next week," he says. "And knowing my brothers, it's the latter."

"Sounds like a you problem, to be honest," she responds. "And absolutely nothing to do with me."

"But you're a marauder, you're part of the fam, and you obviously know something," he insisted. "So just tell me so that I can prepare."

Olivia faced him, raising an eyebrow. "Look, Black, I'm pregnant, I look like a bloated fish, I woke up running to the restroom to vomit my guts out, I need to pee at least five times every damn minute, and for some reason, my feet are sore. Do you really want to be pissing me off?"

"I'll tell you what they're planning," Lucas butted in before Sirius can respond, catching up with the two.

Sirius turned to the child that seems to have adopted James and Olivia as his parents. "You know where they are?"

Lucas grinned, one that suspiciously looked like James'. "Of course."

"And you'll tell me?"

"Sure."

Sirius lit up like a christmas tree at the child's words. "Really?"

No," Lucas smirked.

Sirius' smile dropped. "You little shit."

"Language," Olivia chastised above Lucas' laugh.

"You really are Prongs' kid, aren't you?"

Lucas beamed proudly. "Definitely."

"Don't sound too proud, Lucas," Olivia jokingly says.

As soon as the trio stepped into the Great Hall, the light flickered off and so came the panic of the people inside the hall. Olivia wasn't sure how they were able to do it so well considering that they had managed to cover the giant windows so absolutely no light came inside. She couldn't see a single thing. Beside her, she could hear Lucas giggling knowingly and Sirius sighing defeatedly, knowing that the cause of the power outage came from the three boys he called his brothers. He knew he had no choice but to go through with the spectacular prank they had in store for him.

Everyone was panicking, chatting among themselves and trying to cast the lumos charm, including the four professors present, but whatever spell the marauders had used, nothing seemed to work.

It was the loud sound of a tune that got everyone to stop talking. There was still no light, but the tune was lively, one that Sirius insisted Olivia listen to only a few days ago.

"For fuck's sake," Sirius muttered to himself, also recognizing the sound.

"This is for our brother," came a voice that echoed around the hall. "Happy 17th, Sirius."

"Mr. Lupin!"

Olivia felt a hand graze her arms. By the feel of the callous fingers, she knew exactly who it was. It may sound ridiculous, but the light touch left a trail of goosebumps on her skin and caused shivers down her spine. She could practically hear his smirk at her body's reaction to his touch as he breath near her neck, and she had no doubt that he had done it purposely. She knew because he had pulled the same stunt that night. And everyone knew how that night ended. He knew exactly the effect he had on her, and he wasn't afraid to keep proving it.

He had praised her body with his touch, caresed every inch of her skin. James had worshipped her that night, and she had ended up waking up on his bed completely naked, something she doesn't usually do.

As soon as he had touched her, he was gone, and the next thing Olivia heard was the gasp beside her as a near freezing bucket of what Sirius thought to be water was dropped on his head. Olivia quickly grabbed Lucas and pulled him away from Sirius knowing what was coming next.

A horn was heard, making almost everyone jump from their seat and suddenly a spotlight was on Sirius who was covered with a gooey orange liquid. However before the boy can recover from the freezing temperature, something white that looked suspiciously like glue was once again dropped on his head. It just got worse and worse from there. First came another bucket full of eggs, then flour, then the pink glitter that Olivia was sure he'd still find in his hair forty years from now, then came the rainbow feathers.

Everyone watched, some laughing, some smiling and some shaking their heads in disappointment due to yet another morning the marauders had ruined with their pranking. But no one was going to deny how most was happy to see Sirius finally getting a taste of his own medicine. The professors seem to be frozen, namely Mcgonagall, Dumbledore, Amara, and Flitwick.

When Sirius thought it was finally done, he reached to remove the ones on his eyes before he opened them, looking both amused and exasperated, but as soon as he opened his eyes, another was dumped on him, this time it was whipped cream. And to top it all off, a birthday cake charmed to float had also been dumped on his head.

"Fuck you three, to be honest," Sirius said loudly, knowing the three other boys could hear him. A few feet away from him, Kat was starting to turn red from excessive laughter as she took multiple photos of his current look.

"We hope you had a very eggcellent, and glittery morning, pads," came James' voice. "But the fun's not over yet."

Just as the words left James' mouth, three more spotlights opened, shining on the three men wearing the most ridiculous outfit Olivia had ever seen. It was tiny, barely leaving much to the imagination— she can't be blamed for the fact that her eyes had swept over James' body more times than she cared to admit because that boy is seriously ripped. They wore a matching two piece ensemble containing a tiny silver sequined skirt and a tiny silver sequined top that barely covered their man boobs paired with the tallest pair of heels she has ever seen as well as the thickest make up on their faces she has ever encountered. They looked so ridiculous that Olivia couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"You can dance, you can jive," Peter started, singing rather awfully. "Having the time of your life!"

"See that boy," Remus continued, just as awful as Peter was. He made sure to point at Sirius as he sang boy. "Watch that scene. Diggin the dancing queen!."

It was James' turn and he didn't disappoint, singing perhaps even worse than his two companions. "Friday night and the lights are low. Looking out for a place to go, where they play the right music. Getting in the swing."

Everyone was laughing now, some ogling. They looked so ridiculous that no one was able to stop themselves.

"You come to look for a king. Anybody could be that guy," Peter sang again, making sure to be as ridiculous as he possibly can. "Night is young and the music's high, with a bit of rock music."

"Everything is fine," Remus continued, tugging his skirt lower as he did so. "You're in the mood for a dance, and when you get the chance."

It was time for the chorus, the boys made a point of jumping on the table -a feat most women were incredibly impressed with seeing the height of their heels. The three all pointed at Sirius, moving their hips - albeit awkwardly, but confidently - as they did so, singing in unison. "You are the dancing queen, young and sweet. Only seventeen. Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine."

Everyone was almost rolling with laughter at this point. They couldn't believe how the three manly men of Gryffindor were so willingly doing the ridiculous performance. There was a moment of silence as the three pointed at Sirius, waiting for him to sing the next lyrics.

Looking around to meet the expectant look on everyone's faces, a smirk slowly made its way to his face as he too jumped on the table - a rather messy affair considering he's still covered with different substances.

"Dancing queen! Young and sweet, only seventeen. Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine!" He belted out at the top of his lungs. He was so out of tune that Olivia can see some first years covering their ears, but the boys were too busy laughing and making a fool of themselves to care.

"POTTER, LUPIN, BLACK, PETTIGREW," and so came the shrill voice of no other than Minerva Mcgonagall, causing the four to look at each other before they seem to have come with the decision that it would be a good idea to start running now.

James shot her a cheeky wink as he ran past her, a very angry Mcgonagall hot on their heels.

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LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Olivia and Kat found themselves in the Marauders dorm room, which as Kat mentioned more than once, was as messy as you expect from four boys living together.

However, the women were only there for one reason - well, two reason in Olivia's case - and that was to watch Sirius be frustrated over their own prank, one that isn't as creative or spectacular as the Marauders' but enough to warrant a deep sigh from Sirius and a playful glare aimed at the two.

"Did you really wrap everything I own?" Sirius asked the women, exasperated.

"Yes," was Kat's giddy answer. "And you're not allowed to use magic to unwrap them, or else I'm going to be very mad at you."

Olivia didn't really know the story between the two, but she knew there was definitely history there. History that Sirius seems to be trying to get back and one that Kat was still hesitant about. Nonetheless, it meant that Sirius often followed Kat like a lost puppy waiting for scrap bones to be thrown to him.

"How long did you get detention for?" Olivia asked as she moved to James' side of the room.

"Two weeks," Peter responded as he slipped on a Gryffindor jumper. "But it was worth it."

"What are you doing?" James asked, watching as Olivia popped his trunk open, pulling out multiple shirts and jumpers. He had been too busy in awe with her bump seeing as she had removed the disillusionment charm as soon as she arrived. They tend to be itchy and uncomfortable.

"I'm raiding your closet," she answered. "My clothes are getting too tight."

It probably has to do with the fact that Olivia's very pureblood upbringing demanded that she wear nothing but the best and so most of her clothes are perfectly fitted to accentuate her body.

It was also a wonder to the group how big her bump was increasingly getting. It was still fairly easy to hide and she only looked bloated rather than pregnant, but it was definitely bigger than most ten week old baby bumps. It was something James had already approached Madame Pomprey about, which he got the answer that each pregnancy was different. It's very likely that Olivia was just having a big baby, but James insisted they look over it in their next appointment.

"And seeing as I'm carrying your child, I figured I had the right to steal your clothes."

James just let it go, not wanting to argue with her logic as she picked through his clothes. He had changed back into his trousers and a plain white shirt, which though Olivia would never admit it out loud, looked breathtakingly good on him. Quidditch sure did James Potter wonders.

Stop it, she scolded herself, shaking the thought away. Her hormones were slowly but surely clouding her vision. She stood up and headed to the bathroom to change her shirt.

"You'll both be at the party right?" Remus asked the women knowing that parties weren't exactly Olivia's preferred scene.

"Of course, they'll be there." Sirius said, speaking for the two. "Or I'll drag them by the ear myself."

Kat rolled her eyes at the boy's dramatics before giving Remus a soft smile. "We'll be there, Rem."

Olivia couldn't help but breathe in the scent that surrounded her. She didn't know how to describe it, but the best description she could come up with was the smell of lemon flavored aftershave with soap and a hint of what she knows to be very expensive perfume. It smells like James all over, and weirdly enough, she didn't mind it.

From the other side of the room, she hadn't realized that James had been watching her. The way his shirt framed her small body and loosely hung from her shoulders was surely doing something to him.

"We better get going," Olivia says. "I want to nap before the party."

"Do you want me to walk you to your dorm?" James asked Olivia to which Olivia shook her head at.

"It's fine. Kat's staying with me, anyway."

Just as the two were about to leave, Sirius' voice can be heard from inside the bathroom. "Really?! You even wrapped my soap?"

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ONE THING WAS FOR SURE, the Marauders knew how to throw a party. Kat had been pulled by Sirius to the dance floor, leaving Olivia with her juicebox. Peter's God knows where, but Olivia was just happy her dress was loose enough that she didn't really have to use the disillusionment charm.

"Here's your chocolate cake, madame," Remus jokes, handing Olivia the plate he was told to get for her.

"Thank you, servant."

Remus too got himself his own slice, quickly taking a bite before chasing it down with firewhiskey. "So how have you been?"

Olivia shrugged. "Fine. My boobs are getting bigger though."

"That's normal when in the first trimester," he says. "Your body's blood volume starts to increase to meet the developmental needs of the growing fetus. This may cause the veins on your breasts to become larger, bluer, and more visible. Your breasts will also continue to grow in size."

Olivia just stared at him in shock. "What pregnancy book did you swallow?"

Remus smirked. "The one you and Prongs don't have time to read."

Olivia only smiled. She may always complain about the marauders and their need to cause chaos wherever they went, but Remus will always have a special place in her heart. Remus was already talking to her and doing his assignments with her in the library before she even got pregnant with James' child, a fact she'll always be grateful for. Most may assume Remus is the behaved marauder as if there's such a thing, but Olivia knows different. She knows for a fact that he had been the one who came up with Sirius' birthday's elaborate prank, and most of their other pranks. He's a marauder for a reason. Remus hides his mischief with his wits and silence.

"Speaking of, where's Prongs?" He asks.

Olivia rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her grape flavored juicebox. "Why does everyone just automatically assume I know where idiot 1 is?"

Remus simply raised an eyebrow in question, as if asking do you not?

"He's by the speakers," she sighs defeatedly. "Talking with Evans."

Remus notices the frown that took over her face. "You're jealous."

Olivia choked and sputtered on her cake, causing Remus to run his hand on her back as she chugged her juicebox. When she finally regained her breathing back and wiped her mouth with the back of her palm, the look of pure disbelief took over her face, making Remus chuckle. "Now why would you think that?"

The boy shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, I don't know. Probably because for what feels like the first time since you entered his life, his full attention is not on you."

"Potter and I are not together, Rem. He can spend as much time with Evans as he wishes."

"Oh really?" He plays along, not quite convinced. "So the sight of them dancing doesn't bother you at all? No sinking stomach or heavy heart?"

Olivia looked up from her cake, seeing that James and Lily had moved to the dancefloor, slow dancing along with the others. The smile on his face says it all. There's nowhere he'd rather be than where he currently is, and though Olivia shook her head at Remus, she couldn't deny the heavy feeling that had formed in her chest.

However, when she turned back to Remus, she saw that he wasn't even looking at James and his redhead companion. Instead, he got his eyes focussed on Sirius and Kat, watching as the two swayed wrapped around in each other's arms, a faraway look in his eyes.

Perhaps Remus was able to perfectly describe the feeling because he knew it well.

𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:

Yes, I know Sirius was already

turning 18 in 1977, but this is

a fanfic and I really wanted to

write that scene hehe.

So I realized that I've been

neglecting Peter's character a

lot, and the only reason I can

give is because I fucking hate

Peter Pettigrew, but I realized

that older Peter isn't the same

as younger Peter. He wasn't a

tag along, he was their friend

and that's why his betrayal hurt

them so I'm definitely going to

try and include him more.

IMAGINE JAMES, REMUS AND PETER LOOKING LIKE THIS:

WHILE WEARING THIS: