The Marauders: Year Four

Rubbish and Monsters

Rubbish and Monsters

Sirius clutched the Marauder's Map in his fists as he led the way through the castle. They snuck down the stairs - Remus not near as good as James was at avoiding the creaky steps so that they'd attracted the attention of Peeves the Poltergeist who had spun about over their heads, "Loony Loopy Lupin! Sneaky Snoopy Sirius! My favorite students! What Marauding Madness are we up to tonight?" He clutched his ankles and grinned at them.

"No good, as usual, Peeves," Sirius replied, reaching the next landing and turning back to watch Remus's slower progress.

"But do you solemnly swear it?" Peeves asked, a true creature of habit.

"Yes, Peeves, we solemnly swear we are up to no good."

"Very well." Peeves spun and spun some more and when Remus reached the landing, he cackled and blew a raspberry in his face, then zipped away up the stairs to get into no good himself, a successful mission, for within moments loud crashes were coming from down the corridor.

"Bloody poltergeist," muttered Sirius.

Finally reaching the floor they were headed to, Sirius nodded for Remus to follow him. He tapped the Map to show Rey that Mrs. Norris was down a side corridor not far away and held one finger up over his lips to show they needed to be very quiet. Remus nodded and followed along as Sirius waved for them to go forward down the corridor to the grand staircase.

Sirius nodded for them to go down the stairs and Remus followed...

Soon they were in the dungeons, going the opposite way from the Potions classroom and (thankfully) Slytherin common room. When Sirius had dragged him down the dungeons stairs, Remus had gotten a sinking suspicion that they were going to seek revenge on Severus Snape (although he wasn't even sure whether Severus had stayed at Hogwarts for the holiday or gone home - he hadn't noticed whether he was in the Great Hall at dinner). He'd been ready to argue with Sirius and been trying to decide how to go about forcing him to go back to Gryffindor Tower, when they'd turned the opposite way.

Remus didn't think he'd ever gone this way.

They passed cells - empty cells, grant, but eerie enough to make Remus inch closer to Sirius so that he nearly pressed into his back as they passed the barred doors into dismal little rooms...

"...jingle bells... smells... Slytherins... Mopsus... suck my --"

Remus peered into the cell that held the suit of armor, which leaned against the wall singing random words from Sirius's song. "Figures of all the parts of the song it remembers in full, it's got to be that line," Remus said.

Sirius grinned.

"Are you locking me up in a dungeon cell? Is that what you're doing?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sirius turned, walking backwards a few paces, grinning at Remus, "Would you like that?" He's eyes flashed suggestively.

Remus felt his neck and cheeks go very hot. "You'd never --"

"I might."

"Shut up."

Sirius laughed and sang, "Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains..."

Remus hit his shoulder and Sirius turned 'round to walk properly, but he slowed so they were walking side-by-side and he grappled through the dark for Remus's freehand - his right, as his left was holding up his lighted wand.