The Marauders and the Eye of Merlin (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter Seventeen: The Slytherin Common room

Things hadn't changed much when they got back to Hogwarts. Sirius never left her side anymore and always tried to keep her as far away from the Slytherins as possible. She'd chosen not to tell her friends about her parents, she already had enough sympathy from them. She tried to spend most of her free time with Remus, studying and catching up on homework. Lately he was the only one who didn't make her feel like her death sentence had been signed. He would treat her as he'd always done, poke fun at her when she got something wrong, and make her smile, something no one else seemed to be able to do.

She hadn't spoken to Jock since they'd returned to Hogwarts. She would see him sitting at the dinner table with Alexander Gray, whispering urgently, sometimes with Malfoy or Lestrange with them. She and the others had still been trying to work out when the Death Eaters were going to attack. The boys had continued to attempt to enter the Slytherin common room, but unsuccessfully.

She and James were walking back from their potions lesson on their last class of the week. Remus and Sirius had left class early, leaving her alone with James. She enjoyed spending time with James, he would do stupid things to try make her laugh. She loved how protective Sirius was being, and how he made her feel safe, but it was nice to get some space occasionally. Their walk to Potions class was the furthest from the common room, but it did go right past the Slytherin Common room. She and James were just walking past when she glanced down the passageway that lead to the Slytherin Common room and smacked James in the arm, to get his attention.

"Ouch! What -"

"Shut up!", she pulled him closer to the door, so that he could see the door was open.

"It's open... We've got to go get Sirius, and Remus!"

"There's no time", she whispered, "get the cloak out now!"

"Sophie we shouldn't..."

"James! This could be our only chance!", She pleaded, "we need to get in there and find out everything we can. I'll be under the cloak and you'll be with me! Please!"

"Sirius is going to kill me..."

He pulled her into a nearby empty classroom and grabbed the invisibility cloak out of his bag.

"We have to be careful", he told her, "we can't touch anyone and we can't make any noise, or they'll know we're there."

He threw the cloak over them and they stored their bags in the corner of the classroom. James placed a finger to his lips and led the way out of the classroom towards the Slytherin Common Room. As the crept closer she could hear someone talking from the doorway. Bellatrix Black and Rudolphus Lestrange were standing in the doorway, so that there was no room for Sophie and James to creep through.

"I've had it Rudolphus!", Bellatrix was saying, "send her away! Now! I can't stand it anymore!
" "You know I would if I could Baby", he tried to sooth, "but you know why we need her. Alexanders the one who's sacrificing here, you just have to be near her."

"I can't do it!", Bellatrix whined, "why don't you ever take my side! This is just like the other day -"

"That's enough!", Lestrange stepped forwards towards Black, enough for Sophie and James to quickly sneak through the stone door behind them. James held her hand tightly keeping them as close as he could. The Slytherin common room was fairly empty, as most people must have been t dinner. But sitting on the emerald green couch, her arms around Gray, was Stella. Staring up at him as if he was the only thing in the world that mattered.

She and James retreated to an abandoned corner beside the fireplace. The Slytherin common room was located underneath the black lake, which created a green glow over everything in the room. It wasn't warm and welcoming like the Gryffindor common room. The fireplace was cold and none of the furniture was pointed towards it. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it thinking better, instead she elbowed James and signaled to the passageways that must have lead to the dormitory's.