"Why would you want to do that?" Remus said, having overheard her. Benefits of supernatural hearing. He reached across to gently clink his glass of...something smoky and black and bitter...against hers, eyes smiling. "We had one in the lake at school. Terrible for the swim team." Was he joking? Could he be joking? Oh, maybe.

"You look lovely," he added, the smile in his eyes managing to touch his lips. He might have felt like he was being torn in two directions at once, but he could hold it together for his friends. He always had. "Here's to parties."