Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything, while I own nothing. Sob.

Anyway, this is my first proper R/S fic, hope it's not too cliche, I am trying to be original lol.

Reviews are love. Hope you enjoy :)

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Remus Lupin knows he is a generally awkward person. He isn't the only one - everybody who knows him knows that he is awkward. His parents know, his teachers know, his classmates know, and his friends - they probably know better than anybody else.

Possibly the most awkward situation he can think of is one that others seem to find the most fun - parties. And, even though it is his birthday and he can think of nothing he'd love more than to curl up with a mug of hot chocolate and a book, his party is well underway. There must be fifty people smashed into the Gryffindor common room, and Remus doesn't even know who most of them are.

"C'mon Remus!" Peter cries, slinging a drunken arm about his shoulders - which is no mean feat, considering Remus is almost a head taller than him. "Just have one little drink, it's your birthday mate!"

Peter shoves a little plastic cup into Remus' hand, and he eyes it suspiciously.

"What exactly is this?" He asks, sniffing it dubiously.

"I dunno, something Prongs is giving everyone. Doesn't taste too bad."

Remus can almost feel his lips pursing in disapproval as Peter downs the rest of the unknown substance from his own cup. How? He thinks, desperately. How on earth can you just stand there and drink something when you don't even know what it is? Especially when James concocted it, and there's obviously alcohol involved - there's no possible way it could end well. He tilts his own cup from side to side, watching the liquid with distaste.

"Are you going to drink that, Moony?"

He looks up and sees Sirius making his way purposely towards them. His hair is in a mess, and has somehow managed to lose his shirt - but still has his tie perfectly fastened about his neck.

"Er, well, actually-"

"I'll take that as a no, then," Sirius grabs the cup and unceremoniously pours the entire contents down his throat. He coughs.

"Padfoot! That was meant to be Moony's birthday drink," Peter chides, swaying slightly and glaring indignantly somewhere over Sirius' left shoulder.

"Oh, come off it, it's not like he would have drunk it anyway."

Remus sighs. There's no point even pretending to deny it.

"REMUS!" James bellows from the other side of the common room, making everyone jump. "You haven't drunk anything! What travesty is this!"

"I-"

"No! I don't care, Moony" James lurches towards his three friends, four cups in his hands sloshing amber liquid onto the carpet. He passes a cup to Sirius, one to Peter, and finally, deliberately, pushes one into Remus' unwilling hands. "I don't care" he repeats. "You are going to drink that, because it is your birthday, and you have to."

"But-"

"No! On three, marauders!"

"One," Sirius says, smiling wickedly and raising his cup. "Two.."

"THREE!" James yells, throwing his head back and downing his drink.

Remus takes a tentative sip, and pulls a face.

"James, what is this? It's disgusting."

"You didn't drink it!" James cries. "You- he didn't drink it! Make him drink it!"

"Drink up, mate" Sirius says. He grabs Remus' hand and forces the cup up into his face. Remus blanches at the smell, but finally gives in and gulps it down. He makes a sort of gurgling, choking noise, and lapses into a terrific fit of coughing.

"Good man!" Sirius says, clapping Remus on the back. "Prongs, get another round for the birthday boy!"

If there's one thing, Remus muses, that he hates more than parties, it is alcohol. First there's the horrid taste, then the dizziness and disorientation, then the throwing up. And, of course, the headache the next morning that Sirius and James mucking about making lots of noise won't help at all.

"No," he says, smiling ruefully. "One's enough for me, I-"

But James is already there, pushing another cup into his hand, spilling about half of it down Remus' shirt front. Well, he thinks, at least that means there's less for him to drink. He looks at his friends' expectant faces and sighs.

"You're not going to leave me alone until I drink this, are you?"

"Nope!" Sirius says, cheerfully.

Remus rolls his eyes, and pours the foul liquid in his mouth. His eyes water, and he can feel his face squinching up in distaste, but he swallows it.

"That was the last one. No more. That is truly, just awful."

"Ah well," James says. "That's still two more than last year, we're definitely making progress here."

"Definitely," Sirius agrees. He pats his stomach and looks around expectantly. "Merlin, I'm hungry. Are there any snacks left?"

Remus suddenly recognizes an opportunity for escape.

"Um, no," he says, praying he doesn't sound too hopeful. "But I could go and raid the kitchen?"

"Brilliant!" Sirius cries, his eyes lighting up. "This man.. brilliant. Let's go."