1962 ── lily evans

SEVEN

SEVEN

"DO YOU two even know where we're going?" Lennon asked, eyebrow raised as the two boys lead her along a dark street, brightened only vaguely by the flickering streetlights that shone down like honey overhead.

"Not really. Figured we'd just search for something to do. Somewhere to be," Sirius responded nonchalantly, shoving his hands in his pockets in search of a cigarette to smoke.

"Y'know, Len, sometimes you just happen to be in the right place at the right time when you adventure a little bit." Remus offered her a smile before leaning over to snatch a cigarette from Sirius' packet.

Lennon laughed as Sirius let out a groan - she knew cigarettes were expensive, but the majority of people their age depended on them nowadays. She looked up at him hopefully, a charming grin on her lips as she tried to convince him into stealing one of her own. Sighing, he pulled one out, placing one in the palm of her hand to elicit a grateful whoop of thanks. 

"You got a light?" Lennon asked, and Remus pulled out a box of matches, striking one for her. She covered the cigarette, blocking the slow summer breeze as Remus lit the fag.

They continued down the street, which was almost silent in the evening breeze had it not been for the crackling televisions shaking with faux laughter that peeled out of open windows and away into the night. It reminded Lennon of the Evans household, where they watched gameshows most nights of the week, and for a split second, she missed it, the place she'd come to call her second home. 

Smoke billowed from lips, parted only slight to let the grey seep past. After a great deal of searching, the trio almost gave in, having found nothing of note apart from a bar fight at a nearby pub. The spectators had peeled out onto the streets, and they'd stopped to watch, cheering them on from a distance until one competitor had been crowned champion. The other limped away, cradling a bloody nose and feeling lighter without his dignity intact. 

Legs aching from the day's constant walking, the trio found themselves with nothing to do but head back the way they had came. In one last ditch attempt for some excitement, Sirius insisted they stop outside what appeared to be an abandoned corner shop. 

"Watch this!" He called out, stooping to grab a smooth rock that was tucked away at the side of the pavement. With immense precision, Sirius hurtled it towards the shop's window, and the three watched it soar through the air in an impressive arch. It inevitably collided with a satisfying smash, and the window seemed to crack in slow motion, leaving fractures across the still intact glass.

Remus and Lennon watched as the dark-haired boy let out a manic laugh, throwing his head back to show off his defined jawline in the dim light from the street-lamps. Lennon laughed at him, at his excitement and enthusiasm for even the most juvenile of things. Who would have thought simply cracking an abandoned window would bring one boy so much joy?

Giggling, she crouched to collect her own rock, feeling its cool exterior of its surface against her skin. Before she could even stop to consider, she'd thrown her own, watching gleefully as it struck the pane, breaking through the cracks Sirius had left prior and shattering the glass well and truly to pieces. Remus and Sirius jumped back, startled, but soon they tipped their heads back as raucous streams of laughter escaped them. 

"Good aim, Len!" 

Suddenly, as if alerted by the compliment, a light flickered on above the corner shop. Seconds later, a head popped out, balding and bespectacled, and even from several feet above they could see the anger and confusion laced on the old man's face.

"What the fuck've you done? Wankers!" The man roared from above, and the three figures down below were rooted to the spot, shocked that someone even lived there by the rundown appearance of the storefront.

Then, miraculously, as if it had been planned, two men in blue uniforms rounded the corner. Lennon could make out their sparkling silver buttons, and even more intimidating, their large black batons that swung from the belts at their waists. A commotion broke out before they could even process what had happened, or what they should do. The police lurched towards them, yelling and running, batons waving in the air as they hurtled down the road.

"Fuck! Run!" Sirius yelled, and with laughter escaping his lips, he bolted in the opposite direction, followed ever so shortly by his friends, and close behind, the threatening policemen.

Their throats burned as they raced along the street, a mix of the nicotine they'd smoked and the adrenaline coursing through their veins. Still, despite the evident trouble they'd found themselves in, the three couldn't help but see the utter hilarity of the situation, and let out whoops of taunting laughter as they bolted around the corner. The officers were still hot on their tails, and they could hear the pounding of their feet against the solid concrete pavements.

Lennon's hair flew out behind her, dancing in the wind as she hurried along the road. She could hear the sound of Sirius' heavy boots ringing in her ears, oddly similar to that of the police officers, and as Remus overtook her, she could see the long tails of his coat flapping behind him like a cape, mingling around his thighs as his legs carried him away. 

No-one knew how long they ran for before losing the police. Eventually, certain they were safe, the trio tucked themselves away in a side alley, lungs burning and cheeks flaming red from the speed of the chase. They doubled over, leaning against walls and standing on weak legs as they tried desperately to catch their breath.

"Fucking hell," Remus managed out despite his heavy breathing, blinking fervently to rid his eyes of the tears that had formed, a result of the laughter and cold wind that whipped against his face.

"You guys do this often?" Lennon raised an eyebrow, composing herself as she recovered from another fit of giggles.

Despite the severity of a police chase, Lennon had somehow found it exhilarating. The thrill of the race and the possibility of danger had mingled to form a sense of unmistakable adventure for the younger girl, one that she was sure she wouldn't forget in a hurry.

"Not too often. We don't go looking for trouble, Len," Sirius puffed out, combing his hair out of his face with his fingers to avoid it sticking to the sweat that had formed on his forehead.

"Trouble just seems to find you, then?" She teased, leaning against a nearby wall as crossed her arms loosely over her chest, pulling her coat around her for warmth.

"That's a good way to put it." Remus smiled, satisfied with the statement. Straightening up, he pushed himself from the wall and tugged his fingers through his hair, pulling at his two companions' arms.

"I reckon we should get back to the flat. It was a close call, but they could still find us, y'know." He sounded cautious, but Lennon could tell he wasn't all too bothered. Rather, he was still beaming, clearly delighted they'd pulled off their close escape. 

"No worries, Moony. You'll be safe from the law for another day," Sirius joked, wrapping an arm around Remus' shoulder to ruffle his hair playfully, much to his disgust.

Lennon rolled her eyes at the two, following them briskly along the street amidst the cold night air. Despite the risk of the police still fresh in her mind, she felt entirely comfortable as they trundled along the street. She wasn't thinking of the danger they were in, or even the fact that Lily had abandoned her as usual. No. Instead, all she could bring herself to consider was how happy she was to finally have two true friends.