The Secrets of the Marauders

Two

Harry's eyes were still wide, but "Sirius" wasn't looking there. The boy in front of him just ignored any answer that might have escaped Harry's mouth as if it was a rhetorical question. Harry was beginning to think that it had been.

And he wasn't James. James was his father. This must have been some kind of practical joke... A random boy who looked about his year had just run up to him and demanded where he had been and had called him by his father's name... Ok, either this kid genuinely didn't know his name (doubtful... he was famous, unfortunately, that was if his scar was anything to go by - it was kind of hidden under his fringe though) or something happened whilst he was gone.

The boy ignored Harry's gaping mouth, sighed, exasperated, took hold of his left arm and began to drag him down the stairs. Taken by surprise, Harry almost tripped up and fell down the last six steps. Quickly he got back his footing and tried to keep up with the boy and not fall face first.

This boy was quite fast, as Harry was still in shock and was still trying to keep up with him. Harry managed to keep up down five flights of stone stairs, partially ignoring the babbling of the portraits, before the boy finally came to a stop and let go of his arm. Then the boy began right into a corridor.

Harry hastily followed him. The boy had now gained a normal pace, and Harry was now able to keep up with him. The boy was slightly shorter than him, now he realised.

The Second Floor had five different entryways: one through the portrait on the Second Floor on the Grand Staircase; one in a narrow hidden stairway in the middle of the many stairs leading to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom on the Third Floor; another portrait just a little further along from the entrance to Herbology, and Harry couldn't remember where that headed - all he remembered was the password; the other end of the outside entryway to Herbology; and finally at the end of the many twists and turns of the Second Floor corridor, which they were currently in.

Harry didn't say anything - just followed the boy to what he figured out was somewhere on the Second Floor. He looked about Harry's age, but Harry couldn't be sure as he had only seen his face in full detail for about five seconds and hadn't even uttered a word to this boy yet.

Eventually they came to the end of the corridor and the boy opened another door, where they came out on the halfway landing of the stone steps leading down to Herbology. The boy lead Harry up the steps until they reached the Second Floor Reading Room. They then went right, past Professor Flitwick's Charms classroom and onward.

The scene of the second floor was full of tenacious life; some portraits were seemingly nocturnal because they were fast asleep and some were chatting to themselves, like the others had been in the Gryffindor Common Room; The Grey Lady swooped past and curtseyed to some third-year Ravenclaws; Professor Flitwick had just come out of his classroom and was heading to the Third Floor; the students surrounding them hurried along, almost unnerved by where they had to be next; Slytherins jeering, as usual, at various Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Muggleborns, including Gryffindors especially. Every now and then a student - or even Professor - appeared, apparently their face having been swallowed by a book, though they still seemed to know where they were going. The crowd practically parted as they came through, as though they both were some sort of celebrities. Ok, in truth, Harry was, but this boy obviously had no clue who he actually was... Perhaps he was just stupid. Perhaps everybody else knew who he was but the boy and now the boy thought they were all serving him like House Elves - nevertheless Harry had never even gotten this much praise before... It was like they were kings.

The boy in front of Harry did a few posh waves and "Thank you"s and "Thank you very much"es. Eventually as they passed through the crowd mingled into normalcy again, and the two of them carried on their way.