𝙥𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙦𝙪𝙖 ➪ 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖺𝗎𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝐹𝑂𝑈𝑅𝑇𝑌 𝑁𝐼𝑁𝐸

➪ ZIGGURAT ➪

"ROOM OF REQUIREMENT?"

"Yeah," Remus nodded, stepping down the few steps, and heading to where Loki stood in the middle of the room. "Anything you require, it shows you."

"You've certainly outdone yourself, Moony," Sirius clapped his friend on the back.

He stared around the room. The trio were in the middle, standing in a space circled by easels covered in a white sheet. The three of them stood beside a sizeable wooden table, where painter's palettes, other canvases of varying sizes, and dozens of paintbrushes were strewn all over it. Behind each easel were stools, covered in paint to some degree. And behind each of those were canvases on the floor and the walls, and every single one was blank.

"You look like you're in heaven, Princess." Sirius hummed, his attention turning to the girl. "I never could understand why people like art so much." His fingers ghosted over a clean painter's palette.

"It's like self-expression, right?" Remus looked from Sirius to Loki. She turned to him with knitted eyebrows. "Or not. Um, I don't know much about art."

"It's okay. I suppose you're right. Some people do it as a form of expression, but I don't." Loki picked up a paintbrush and twirled it betwixt her fingers with ease, examining it closely. "I see it for what it is. Art. And I go with the flow, just allowing ideas to bubble and burst in my head before I can put them on paper."

Sirius pulled a stool from behind the closest easel and sat down on it. Remus copied his actions, and the two watched her run her fingers over the mess on the table. She smiled softly to herself, tucking the paintbrush in her hand behind her ear. Loki grabbed a canvas and held it up.  Remus and Sirius stared at her in confusion as she spun it around in her hands despite it being half her size.

"Are you going to use it?" Remus asked. Loki jumped, having forgotten they were there. "Sorry, love." Remus chuckled.

"Maybe," Loki turned back to it with a hum. "I feel like I'd be ignoring you, though." She went to place it back down, but Remus quickly got up from his seat and prevented her from doing so. "Remus."

"I did this for you," he spoke.

"I still haven't done anything for you, though," Loki looked away. A guilty frown crossed her face.

"Pfft, you don't need to do anything," Sirius spoke up from his chair. "Gifts are a nice gesture and all, but spending time with you is better." He strolled over to Loki. "I get enough gifts today, anyway. And I don't particularly want any more."

"I almost forgot about all your admirers," Loki gave the boy a half-smile. "They probably have better gifts anyway." She spoke absentmindedly, turning back to the canvases. "But anyway. Now you've let me see this; I'm probably not going to want to leave," she laughed, "so is there anything you wanted to do?"

"I've got a quick errand to run," Remus spoke up, his hazel eyes on a watch on his wrist. "But I'll be right back." He glanced up at Sirius, and the boys had a silent conversation. Then he looked back to Loki with a smile.

"I wanted to stay here with you, anyway," Sirius hummed, resting his arm on her head.

"Alright, then," Loki flushed, glancing back at Remus. "I'll make sure Sirius doesn't get in any trouble while you're gone."

"I can really feel the love, Princess," Sirius huffed, pouting at the girl.

➪

"THIS FEELS SUS."

Loki narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the Gryffindor boys walking slightly ahead of her. They exchanged a look, concreting her suspicion further before they glanced back at her. Remus and Sirius shot her matching innocent smiles. Loki bit her lip but continued to follow the taller males. All she knew was they were taking her to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"You trust us, right, Princess?" Sirius spun around, now walking backward. He peered down at the girl with a smile.

"Of course," Loki replied without hesitation.

"Cool," he nodded, turning back.

"Wait! Why?" Loki grabbed his sleeve. He looked back at her. "What do you two have planned?" Remus glanced down at her but looked away when they made eye contact. "Remus. Come on. Just a hint?" She pouted at him.

"Uh-oh, Remus, she's making the puppy-dog eyes," Sirius chuckled. "Come on, Princess, it's a surprise. We can't tell you."

Loki stopped making the expression and turned to Sirius in defeat. She sent him a glare and huffed. Sirius laughed it off, swinging his arm over her shoulder and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Don't go acting like you hate me, Princess," he smiled. "Come on. We're almost there." He pulled her onto the staircase, which began to move almost as soon as they got on. "Now, before you begin thinking we threw you a surprise birthday party, I am pleased, but also very sad, to say that we are not."

The staircase stopped, and the trio stepped in front of a portrait on the wall. Loki recognized the lady in the painting immediately as the woman dubbed 'The Fat Lady'.

"Acromantula," Remus spoke clearly.

The Fat Lady nodded and swung open, revealing the way inside. Remus went in first, and Sirius guided Loki in right after him. As they walked through the passageway, Sirius bent slightly and whispered in her ear.

"Entirely."

"What?" Loki queried just as quietly.

"Not entirely for your birthday."

Loki's eyes widened, but she didn't have time to respond before the pair emerged into the Gryffindor common room where a party was going on. Loki, now terrified, looked around at what was going on. There were several members of the other houses there, all dancing, chatting, or eating. The decorations were varied shades of reds and pinks with white thrown in, and a banner that read 'Happy Valentine's' hung from the ceiling.

Lily spotted the trio near immediately and quickly rushed to greet them. In the few moments Loki had before Lily arrived, she turned to Sirius.

"Come on, everyone just thinks it's a Valentine's Day thing," Sirius spoke, feeling her gaze on him without turning, instead waving at James.

"I don't do well with parties of any sort," Loki muttered, wrapping her arms around her torso as she nervously glanced around the room.

She spotted Nicolas with his back turned, standing with Max and Lydia, the latter of the two looking slightly puffy-eyed. The blonde was smiling with Nic, and chatting and waving her arms as if dismissing something he said. Nicolas scratched the back of his neck, awkwardly looking around guiltily. She bit her lip and wondered if he would be willing to take her back to their Common Room, or if Remus and Sirius would allow her to so soon.

"Loki! I see these two successfully convinced you to come!" Lily greeted with a grin. "Happy Valentine." She winked.

"Uh, thanks," Loki smiled. "How was your day with James, by the way?" She asked, hoping to change the topic. And her plan was a success, as Lily quickly got into every single detail about the day.