Mischief Managed Year One: Mayhem of the Moon

Chapter Twenty-Seven- The Shrieking Shack

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Much like the last secret passage, they had to work hard to reach their destination. Remus and Peter were both out of breath and even Sirius was slowing down, his stamina not up to par with James like usual, for reasons Remus didn't want to ponder on.

What none of them could have expected was where the passage led to. Remus went first like last time, as he was the "mastermind" who found the passage. He cautiously entered through a loose floorboard into some sort of open area above that smelled overwhelmingly of sugar. It took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the warm glow coming from a few lit lamps. For one horrible second, he thought they were caught red-handed and Remus nearly shouted at the others down below to run for it and save themselves.

Then the wonder set in once he realized there was no adult to bust him. Remus nearly shouted out for another reason. He hopped back down and couldn't wipe the smile off his face, which grew at the questioning looks the others gave him.

Realizing what above them must truly be wonderful beyond their imagination, James and Sirius both fought to go up second. While they were fighting Peter took advantage and up he went, his muffled shrieks of glee echoing from above. James and Sirius wrestled each other to the ground both wanting to go next. Realizing this may take a while Remus shook his head at them and smiling climbed back up into Honeydukes.

"Blimey," Peter whispered beside him, the two of them turning this way and that to ooggle at rows upon rows of every kind of candy imaginable. Finally, James emerged the victor and nearly fell back beneath as the weight of the fantastic discovery crashed upon him.

"Hurry up, Sirius," he whispered.

"Bloody git! Whose fault do you think it is I'm las...Good Gryffindor!" he shouted in amazement.

"SHHHHHHH!" they all hushed him.

All of them froze, in what would have been comedic fashion, had they not been terrified they had just woken up the owner of Honeydukes who was rumored to live in his store as most inhabitants of Hogsmeade did. When they were sure they hadn't, they combed the aisles hungrily with their eyes. Remus had to convince them all, himself included, not to steal anything.

"This is incredible. Remus, you truly are brilliant! Isn't he bloody brilliant?"

"Sure is."

"Absolutely."

Remus felt his face get hot again but realized it wasn't altogether a terrible feeling bubbling deep inside him.

"It was just dumb luck," he responded quietly, wishing they'd go back underneath the cellar door before they got caught not only up past hours, but outside of the castle!

"And oh-so humble too."

"A right polite chap, he is."

"Hey while we're here, let's go look around Hogsmeade."

Fortunately, only Sirius was rash enough to suggest such a thing because it took all three of them to talk him down.

"But I want to see the Shrieking Shack!" Sirius whined loudly once they had left the shop with armloads of candy, which James did indeed pay for. Remus popped a piece of amazing chocolate into his mouth from the candy bar James gave him, assuring him he deserved it.

"Mmm, what's the Shrieking Shack?" Remus asked after another mouthful, the ecstasy of the heavenly chocolate making him forget his manners.

"Oh, you know that shack that was built late last summer, the one Dumbledore dumps the worst behaving ghosts into, don't know why that doesn't include Peeves. But apparently, they throw lots of fits all the time but especially at the full moon, all throwing some sort of occultic party or something," Sirius explained amused, and the last bit of chocolate in Remus' mouth seemed to turn to ash as he struggled to swallow it.