Waiting For You (A Marauders Story) [On Hold]

Prologue - Through the Years

First Year

'Come on, Lily! We're going to be late for class!' My best friend, Severus, rushed ahead of me, eager to get to his first Potions less.

'Sorry, Sev. I'm coming,' I hurried after him, not wanting to be late on my first day.

We weren't far from our classroom when two other first years shoved past me; one with hair like a shower puff and the other flat against his head.

All my books and quills leaped forward, still wanting to get to class but fell short, spreading across the hallway. To make matters worse, a gust of wind blew through the many archways leading to the courtyard beside us, my loose paper and sending twirling through the air.

One of the boys turned around, his hazel eyes watching me, holding me. He remained staring at me while I bent to pick up my scattered belongings, not bothering to help.

'James!' his friend called out from where he was waiting impatiently in the middle of the courtyard.

The boy gave me a short smile before he turned, running off, leaving me to pick up the mess he'd made.

Second Year

'Come on, Lils. Don't go,' one my best friends, Mary, begged.

'I'm just going to study in the library with Severus,' I picked up my books and paused, glancing at my friends. 'Why do you hate him so much?'

'He's always glaring at us when we're with you. He doesn't like us, Lils, and we don't like him.'

'He's creepy and rude,' Marlene scrunched up her nose.

'He's not creepy or rude! You just don't him like I go.' I really didn't know why they hated Severus so much; he certainly hadn't done anything to them. 'Well, I have to do. I'll see you at dinner.'

I left the Gryffindor common room and made my way down the stairs to the library.

I wrapped my arms around my books and hugged them to my chest. Frowning at the ground as I walked along the passageways, I stopped next to one of the abandoned classrooms.

At least, it was supposed to be abandoned.

Male voices swept out from under the door, roughly four to five, but they were too indistinct for me to pick our what they were saying.

Slowly, I pushed the door open to reveal four boys, all in my year. Considering the noise they were making, I was surprised I hadn't heard it outside.

Three of them were in the middle of the room, surrounded by desks, while another was watching them from the wall with a book in his hands.

They were all facing away and were yet to notice me.

Two of them were laughing and poking at what looked like a wriggling mop hanging from the ceiling. The other boy laughed and clapped his hands in delight.

The mop was yelling at the top of its lungs and struggling to free its legs from the rope tying it to the roof.

Wait...legs?

With a guilty start, I realised that the "mop" was actually Severus.

'Come on. Don't you think you've tortured him enough?' The boy with the book – Remus Lupin – was leaning against the wall watching his best friends but doing nothing to stop them.

'You're right, Remus. We should stop. Come on, let's go down to the kitchens,' Sirius Black grinned and James Potter laughed, clapping him on the back.