Limerence | A James & Lily Story

Maraudering

     "Marauders," Sirius declares one Saturday afternoon. "I have some terrible news that needs to be brought to light." His booming voice echoes through the library, earning him a sharp look from Madam Pince, a warning gleaming in her eyes.

     "Can you make your declaration, whilst not smearing my essay?" Remus demands, glaring at Sirius. Sirius quickly removes his elbow from Remus' History of Magic essay, now smeared beyond recognition.

     "Can we have this discussion outside of the library, so we don't have to whisper?" Peter suggests in a hoarse voice.

     "I second, Wormy," I chime in, vocal cords already strained from all the hushed talking.

     "I have to study," Remus says without looking away from his pile of textbooks.

     "For what?" I demand in a hoarse whisper. "We don't have any test coming up. There's literally nothing to study for."

     "N.E.W.T.S.," he says like it is an obvious answer.

     "Bloody hell, Moony! It's October!" Sirius exclaims, obviously as flabbergasted as I am over how someone could start studying for an exam that is still eight months away. There's a reason him and Lily became such good friends.

     "OUT!" Madam Pince roars, coming out from behind the bookshelves. We quickly gather our things and race from the library, not wanting a second more with a pissed off Madam Pince.

     "Thanks," hisses Remus, stuffing the last of his books into his bag.

     "To the seventh floor!" Sirius declares, fist raised in the air as if he is about to march into battle. 

     The three of us eye each other, but go along none the less because we have been putting up with Sirius Blacks' antics for almost seven years now. We silently climb the stairs behind Sirius, as he leads us to his chosen destination. We reach the seventh floor, slightly panting from all the stairs, and come to a stop. Sirius paces back and forth three times in front of the familiar blank wall.

     After the third time, a black, iron door etches itself into the wall. We all stare in awe, never mind how many times we've seen it, and enter the hidden room. A fire place is lit in the corner emitting a warm and homey feel to the room. There's a large circular table in the center of the room adorned with four chairs and several stacks of books.

     As we edge closer to the table, I see perfectly stacked pieces of parchment, several new quills, and four ink pots. Sirius smiles down at the supplies before him, rubbing his hands together. Remus glances at me and arches an eyebrow questioningly. Yeah, like I know what goes on in the mind of Sirius Black.

    "Er, Sirius?" Remus prods, eyeing the supplies. "Did you bring us here to study?"

     "What?" demands Sirius, jerking his head towards Remus. "Fuck, no!"

     "Weird sacrificial cult ceremony we need to know about?" Remus suggests, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

     "You may have weird hobbies outside the four of us, Moony," Sirius says in his smartarse way. "But, I have brought you four gits here to plan."

    "Plan what?" Pete asks. 

     "Oh!" Sirius exclaims dramatically, throwing a hand to his chest in a signature Sirius Black way. "We are not the same four boys who entered these hallowed halls six years ago! Why are we not the same? What happened to us?"

     "We grew a few inches, hit puberty, and are no longer little twats," I say slowly. "What's your point?"

     "A prank, my good men!" Sirius exclaims, throwing his hands into the air. "We have yet to a pull a big prank this year! We've had our head up our arses, and it is already October! We've let the time slip away!"