Silent Screams | J. POTTER

4 | gryffindor parties

Romi had spent the next month trying to figure out where she could go to turn and be away from anyone she could hurt. Another full moon came and went - thankfully - with no incident.

Remus kept trying to tell her that it wasn't her fault but she wasn't having it. It was her fault.

She entered the Gryffindor common room to be greeted by thumping music and loud conversations.

"Ro, there you are," someone greeted and she looked around in confusion. "Oh, sorry," they apologized. The air rifled in front of her and out popped James Potter.

"What are you doing?"

"Hiding," he explained.

"From who, exactly?"

"Sirius," he explained, "He's mad because interrupted his attempt at flirting with some Ravenclaw. It was a shotty attempt to. In fact, all of his recent endeavors have come up empty handed now that I come to think about it."

"Fascinating," she nodded, "Have you seen my brother?"

"I think he's in our room," James explained, "Something about having to study. The kid won't even rest on Halloween. It's ridiculous really."

"Agreed," she replied, "I'm gonna go talk to him."

"Oh, hey," he said and she turned to face him with a raised eyebrow, "Take this up there, would you? I think I saw Lily and it's rather hard to ask her out when she can't see me."

"Actually, I think if you pretended you were a ghost, you'd have a better shot."

He sucked in a breath, "That was a low blow, Lupin. Real low."

"You'll get over it," she informed him before reaching forward and taking the invisibility cloak. "Have fun," she suggested.

"Always do," he replied.

"See, I would agree but then Lily will say no and then you get all moppy," she reminded him as she started to walk away. "I'd hardly call that fun."

His nose wrinkled at this, "See, that was unnecessary."

"Doesn't make it any less true," she replied before making her way up the stairs.

Romi entered the boys dorm with a huff. The place was a wreck as per usual. She had tried to get them to clean up but they never did. She dropped the cloak on the cleanest desk after contemplating where to put it for a moment.

She approached her brother's bed and opened the curtain without a second thought. Both Remus and Sirius looked up in surprise and Romi immediately turned around, covering her eyes with her hand. "Oh, Merlin," she muttered, "No, no, no, no..."

"Shit," Remus muttered and she heard rustling which was followed by a thud. "It's not what it looks like."

"No, I'm pretty sure it's exactly what it looks like," she countered. "I never wanted to see that much of either of you. I didn't even know a person could bend that way!"

"You're making it worse," he informed her.

"There is nothing worse," she countered. "At least when you walked in on me and Danny we were just making out! This - I don't even think this is on the same plane as that!" She pressed her fist to her forehead, "Oh, Merlin...it's seared into my brain and not going away."

"Stop talking," Sirius requested pleadingly. She could hear a metal noise and she was hopeful that that was their belts and not something else.

"Do you guys have your clothes on?" she inquired.

"Yeah," Remus answered and she turned to look at the two.

She didn't even know where to begin.

"James is looking for you," she explained simply, opting for a more neutral approach. "He thought you two had gone off to cause trouble without him. Not sure he was too far off but I'm sure if he knew what you were up to he wouldn't want to join. Or maybe he would, I don't-"