Shut Up, Padfoot!

31

"I had a nightmare the other night. Scared the hell out of me," James said.

I huffed and fell onto my back. Remus lifted his hands from his lap and I settled my head atop his thighs. I picked at the hangnail on my ring finger and listened to Prongs.

"Did you have sleep paralysis?" Wormtail asked.

"I- What is that?" Prongs questioned.

"Dunderhead," Padfoot insulted lightly.

Sirius grasped my ankles and relaxed into the cushions. He dropped them back into his lap. I shifted myself so I was comfortable.

"Quit that," Moony ordered.

He slapped my hand to stop me from pulling the hangnail any further. Furrowing my brows, I smacked his shoulder in response.

His hand made a plap! sound on my forehead. I flinched in surprise but it didn't hurt. My mouth gaped as I glared up at him.

"When your body can't move and.." Peter began.

My hand shot out as I gripped Remus' double chin.

He let out a little 'ah!' and he giggled. I laughed loudly, my feet knocking into Sirius' hip. Moony's eyes creased into crescents as he gazed down at me with his skin trapped between my fingers.

"Oh, yeah. I definitely had sleep paralysis. It was this weird kid with Slytherin robes.." Prongs' voice droned on and I lost registration of the conversation when I'm busy laughing.

"Why is there so much skin?" I chuckled.

"Mate, look at yours," he retorts.

He grasped the skin under my jaw and pinched it in the same manner as I did. He burst into laughter at the sight of me.

"You have way more than me," I defend.

"No, I don't. Padfoot, doesn't she have more?" He called.

My hair fell in my face as I laughed out with the hold on my skin. Remus's own snickers made me just as more amused as the seconds went on.

"Padfoot? What do you think?" he asked again.

"Padfoot?" he repeated.

Our laughter died down as we looked down the couch to see Padfoot with a completely serious expression. My eyes made contact with Moony's in confusion.

We let go of each other's chins and waited for Sirius to respond.

"Pads? What's wrong?" I questioned.

He stared at James blankly and the other Marauders remained just as silent.

"Didn't you say Tom Riddle had Slytherin robes and dark hair?" Padfoot asked.

My heart sped up at the mention of the name and a shiver went down my spine. I pulled myself up and I held the back of the couch.

"Why are you asking?" I demanded.

"I think-" James began.

Whipping my head towards him, I noticed the fear on his face. His gaze locked with mine and his lower lip trembled slightly.

"I think I saw him in my nightmare."

My chest constricted and the skin on my palms grew sweaty. His hand shook as he ran it through his hair, his glasses falling down the bridge of his nose and propping themself low.

He what?

"You're not messing with me, are you?" I asked, terror edging on my tone.

"I'm not," he confirmed.