Losing Game/// James Potter

Chapter 3

After arriving at Hogwarts, the group of 5 strolled into the Great Hall in marauders style. James had his arm wrapped around Elsie's waist protectively. Remus was walking next to Elsie with a book in his face, while Peter was next to James eating a cauldron cake. On the other side of Remus was Sirius, who was twirling his wand in one hand when he shouted, "It's great to be back. We know you missed us!"

The group was met by a combination of laughter and eye rolling as James specified, "especially you Minnie. We know you missed us the most." He winked at Professor McGonagall as Remus slapped both James and Sirius in the back of the head.

"Thank you Mr. Lupin. Someone needed to do that," Professor McGonagall announced sternly while placing her hand in front of her mouth and holding back a snicker.

They sat down in their usual spots at the Gryffindor table. Remus sat down next to Peter, across from Sirius, James, and Elsie. With everyone being seated, the first years were sorted and Dumbledore gave his annual welcoming speech. She usually loved hearing what the wise man came up with, but Elsie's mind couldn't help but wander.

She looked around the hall, noticing how faces she's grown up seeing have slightly changed over the summer. A room full of once young, hopeful students were now being distorted by the fear of oncoming war. She shook the thought out of her head as she realized that the headmaster was finished and that people were already eating.

James and Sirius were having a conversation with Peter, while Remus was still reading, occasionally glancing up once in a while.

"I finished that book you told me to read yesterday," Elsie started up a conversation with Remus.

"And what did you think?" He placed his book down, carefully folding over the corner of the page he was currently on.

"Well, I never expected you to be such a romantic!" she giggled, "but it was too predictable for my liking."

He raised his eyebrow slightly grinning, "How so?"

"The two main characters fell in love at first sight! I mean it was just so unreal. That's not how love works!" Elsie exclaimed a little louder than intended. The people surrounding her looked up.

"What are you two on about now?" Marlene McKinnon curiously asked them.

"Well, little Tibbles here is very passionately arguing against the idea of love at first sight," Remus explained while leaning his elbows on the table.

"She's right! It's not love, it's seeing someone remotely attractive and thinking about how you want to shag only them for the rest of your life," Marlene agreed while pointing her finger accusingly.

"Marlene, is that your idea of marriage? Shagging someone for the rest of their life?" Alice chuckled.

"That's absolutely correct," she puffed her chest out proudly. Sirius immediately looked up at her smugly, getting ready to tease the blonde girl.

"Oi McKinnon, if that's what you think then why don't I just propose to you now?" he sent her a wink and placed his infamous smirk on his face. Marlene flipped him off.

Lily, who was sitting across from Marlene, changed the topic, "Anyways... where did the name Tibbles come from?"

Without spilling Remus' secret, Elsie answered, "Well, my patronus is a kneazle, which is pretty much a type of magical cat." She stopped for a second so she could place a piece of chicken in her mouth. "And Remus here explained how Tibbles used to be a popular cat name," she finished.

"Yes, that makes sense... but you do realize Tibbles was a popular male cat name, right?" Elsie's eyes widened at Lily's words as the rest of the group began to snicker.