The Ink of Your Heart

After years of hearing the wicked stories about Hogwarts, he was finally there. Well, not at Hogwarts, but he'd be there soon enough.

King's Cross is where James Potter currently was, the station where the Hogwarts Express would take off to gift students an unforgettable ten-month experience. Whether that experience was unforgettably good or unforgettably awful depended.

But from what James heard, most people had a delightful school year.

"James," Fleamont Potter's voice sounded from behind James.

He placed his hand on James's shoulder and followed his gaze to the great clock. The clock's hour hand pointed at the fancy 10, and the minute hand indicated that it was seven past ten. Or eight. James couldn't properly see from so far down.

Euphemia Potter gently pushed James's chin back up. "We don't gape, James," Euphemia reminded him.

"But I was thinking!" James protested, shifting his look to his mother.

"Either way, if you keep thinking so long, you'll miss the train," Fleamont reminded him.

James gasped loudly before running inside, accidentally bumping a teenage girl with his trunk.

"Watch where you're going, sod," she yelled.

Euphemia gave her a cross look, but Fleamont just excused himself for James to the girl before walking over to James.

James, upset with his father's submissive behaviour, frowned deeply.

"Why did you apologise? She should apologise! She was the one who saw me coming! She was in the way!"

"James," Fleamont said in the same tone he always did when something clever was about to leave his mouth. He crouched down, which forced James to look down at him, "It's great you're excited. Excellent even. But don't expect it all to be roses and rainbows."

James huffed. He didn't like it when his father said clever things out of the direct context. It was confusing. "What does that have to do with that sod?" James asked, pointing at where that stupid girl had been earlier.

"Absolutely nothing." Fleamont pushed James's arm down. "I'm talking about Hogwarts, James, and life in general."

James threw his head back and sighed exaggeratedly loud. "Dad," he groaned, "we've talked about this a thousand times! Can we just get to the platform?"

Euphemia laughed softly, lovingly rubbing Fleamont's shoulder. "Platform 9¾, here James Potter comes! Behold!" She exclaimed.

"Here I come!" James jumped up with his imaginary Gryffindor sword in the air. A lot of Muggles (probably Wizards too) looked at him strangely, but he didn't care.

James deserted his trunk and sprinted as fast as he could to the wall between platforms nine and ten.

After almost crashing into the wall, James felt at it everywhere, searching for the secret passage. But all he was doing was hitting bricks like a madman. "Come on," James gaped.

Suddenly, James saw his trunk rolling towards the wall, his father trailing behind it. Before James could even ask him what he was planning to do, the wall swallowed both Fleamont and James's stuff whole.

James ran to the spot where his father had been eaten and yelled for him. Muggles were too busy being busy to even notice James's dad had disappeared.

"Where'd he go?" James asked his mum.

"Where you're supposed to be in," she checked her watch, "twenty minutes. Hopefully, he stored away your luggage on the train."

"How'd he do it?" James asked, still confused as to why his father was part of the wall now.

"Simply go for it," Euphemia said with a soft smile as she looked at the wall.

"That doesn't help much," James replied, following Euphemia's gaze.

"You must walk through it like it is a door. We'll go together," she proposed in Hindi. She held out her hand which James took. "On the count of three."

James nodded and took a deep breath.

"One, two, three!"

James ran straight into the wall while protecting his face from the possible damage with his arms. His arms didn't protect much because James never felt the supposed pain. Well, he did because he ran into someone, but it wasn't the wall.

"Sorry, Dad," James grunted as he rubbed his shoulder.

Fleamont laughed warmly before spreading his arms, demanding a hug.

James practically jumped on him and let his short arms reach no further than Fleamont's waist. "I love you, son."

"I love you, too, Dad," James replied.

"Remember that you got accepted into Hogwarts to learn magic, not to joke around."

James rolled his eyes before giving his parents his sweetest smile. He brought his right hand to his chest. "I'll be an exemplary student that you can be proud of, Mother and Father."

Euphemia ushered James over to her and pulled him into an even tighter embrace than Fleamont's. She rocked James from left to right as she planted an uncountable amount of kisses on his face.

"Ma!"

Euphemia planted a last, firm kiss on his forehead before cupping his cheeks and smiling at him. "You're growing up so fast."

"Don't cry, Ma," James said. He knew how sentimental she could get.

"Have a great time. Write to us whenever you can, and have fun. Learn tons. I love you, Jamie."

James kissed her cheek before wriggling his way out of her arms. "I'm going to find a place to sit and make some friends. See you for Christmas!" He called out as he ran towards the train.

A lot of people were mounting, in all probability sharing the same idea as James. He slipped through the crowd of people and peeked in every compartment.

To his dismay, most compartments were either full or occupied by students much older than him. As he had lost hope of finding a suitable compartment, he saw a compartment with two people who looked his age.

James knocked on the window, catching their attention. The first thing he noticed about them was how identical they looked. They had the same grey eyes, the same fierce eyebrows, and the same rosy lips. The only difference between the two was their hair. The girl had long, black hair that curled down her back, and the boy's curls rested on his shoulders.

The two of them exchanged looks before the boy got up and opened the compartment door. "Can we help you?" His voice was thick with an accent James couldn't quite figure out.

"Hi," James said. "I'm James. I was just looking for a compartment. Can I sit with you guys?"

"Yeah, sure," the boy said. He looked at the girl before turning back to James. "What's your name again?"

"James. James Potter," he introduced. Suddenly, both of their faces twisted into one of subtle disgust.

Shit, James thought, do I smell bad?

"What's yours?" James decided to say, starting to feel uncomfortable.

The girl's lips bent into a hostile grin. "Koronis Black."

"Sirius Black," the boy said, imitating an identical grin.

"You're Blacks," James blurted aloud before he could catch his words. Just like most kids, James knew all about the Blacks. They were mean, arrogant, prejudiced pricks that had way too much money. James's father used to be good friends with a Black named Alphard, but that's all James knew. Fleamont avoided that topic strongly.

Nonetheless, Fleamont kept pictures of him and Alphard on the walls, and he still referred to the Black as his best friend.

The Potters had never really gotten along with the Blacks or any 'sacred' pureblood family anyway. Unlike them, they had nothing against Muggles and to them, everyone was equal.

"Yes, which means there's no place for you here, traitor," Koronis said. "Get lost."

"Oh, okay," James muttered. He was taken aback by their biased unkindness. James left the compartment and continued his search with a rotten feeling. He was pissed that those two were so mean to him because of a name and because he now had made more foe than he had friends.

James quickly brushed the feeling away. He decided he wouldn't let his first day suck because of two bullies.

Soon enough, just as the train was about to depart, a couple of fifth-years took James under their wing. Although he was the youngest, he didn't feel excluded, and he had a great time with them. They were all from different houses and backgrounds, which made their conversations much more interesting and fun. Like James, one of them was of Indian heritage. His name was Rahul Patil and he was a Prefect for Gryffindor.

At a given moment, James told them about his interaction with the Blacks, and none of them seemed surprised.

"Good luck, James," Jared, a Slytherin student, told him. "We've got a Black in our year too. Narcissa. She's horrible. They're all entitled bastards."

"If you're lucky they might turn out like Andromeda," Emmeline, a girl from Hufflepuff, said. "She's the sweetest."

"She also claims that her sisters are the sweetest," Rahul said. "Did you know that Bellatrix Black bullied a boy so badly that he didn't attend for the rest of the year? All because he said the truth: that their family is completely twisted."

"They're pure evil," someone else said. "They're also supporters of You-Know-Who. I've heard they give the children the Dark Mark when they're eleven."

"That's just straight-up gossip," Rahul stated. "But don't worry too much about them, James. You'll make amazing friends and have an amazing year. If anything does happen, you've got us."

That reassured James enough to not jitter for the rest of the journey.

───

After hours and hours, and after the sun had set and the moon had taken its place, the train finally came to a stop. James got off and just as he was about to follow his friends to the carriages, a loud voice boomed, "First-years follow me!"

James turned around and was met with the biggest human he had ever met. The man was about three meters tall and at least one and a half wide. He had a huge beard and black, unruly hair that covered most of his face. His clothes were grimy and his demeanor gawky.

"That's Hagrid. He's the groundkeeper," Rahul informed James. "Real nice bloke. We'll see you at the castle."

James bid his friends goodbye as he walked towards Hagrid, the groundkeeper. A bunch of first-years were gathered around him. In the corner of his eyes, James caught the Blacks. They were talking to some other students who also seemed to be family. They shared the same ebony skin that glistened in response to the light, and the same white hair.

Koronis laughed, which struck James as aberrant. He had this established image of her that she was just plain cruel and didn't enjoy genuine fun.

"Alrighty!" Hagrid announced. "Get into groups of four, and get into a boat! We'll be getting to the castle through the Lake!" He had a very distinguished accent, making James all the more curious about him.

The students started shuffling towards each other, in search of a boat. James just got into the first boat he saw. A few random students joined him, and they introduced themselves. They asked each other in what house they'd end up, and how they felt about it.

"I only knew that I was a witch when they sent me the letter," the girl named Lily Evans said. She was really pretty. She had hair as red as the Weasleys and eyes as green as forests in the spring. She also smelled of flowers and the countryside. "I'm really scared, but I'm excited too."

"You shouldn't be saying that, Lily. The wrong people might hear it," a boy said. James hadn't understood his name, and had reckoned it impolite to ask again. He seemed to be close to Lily, indicating they'd known each other before this.

"What did I say wrong, Sev?" Lily wondered.

"You shouldn't say that your parents are Muggles," the same boy said.

"Why not?" The other girl said. Her name was Marlene McKinnon. That James did remember.

"None of your business," the boy spat.

"Are you also one of those pureblood pricks?" James asked, taking Marlene's side.

"Yes," the boy admitted. "But I'm not a prick. I'm just of pure blood."

"Congratulations, Severus Snape," Marlene said sarcastically, clapping her hands slowly. "You're still a prick."

"Snape? Never heard of that name before," James muttered as he tried to recall all the pureblood families he knew. "Either way, Lily, you can be proud of your heritage. I think it's much cooler to be born a witch from two Muggles than from two wizards."

"Thank you, James," Lily said, flashing him a shy smile.

Severus looked at James venomously. "Where are you from, anyway? You're not from here."

"No, I'm not," James said. "I live near Cambridge. Are you from Scotland?"

"No, I mean your skin," Severus said. "You're much darker than any of us."

"Oh, that's because my mum's from India."

"Ah," Severus said, eyeing James up and down. "That explains."

James frowned, confused as to what his origins have to do with anything.

"That's so cool!" Marlene exclaimed. "I've always wanted to go to India. Have you ever been, James?"

James nodded before telling Marlene and Lily about his trips to India. He told them how good the food was and how rich of culture the place was.

Then Marlene told them about her travels across the world. She'd gone to China, Vietnam, Somalia, The United States of America, and France. As she told them about her next trip to Morocco, the castle came into view, followed by multiple gasps.

Hogwarts was more magnificent than any description or drawing James had ever seen. It stood high and mighty on an island of some sort. Towers piqued against the clouds, and lights danced within the halls. Real gargoyles housed the rooftops, looking down on the students.

James couldn't help but smile at the sight. He couldn't believe it was happening; he was finally at Hogwarts. It was hard to convince himself it was reality. Even though he grew up with magic, it felt like he discovered it for the first time.

The many stairs they'd have to climb to access the castle were already in view, which Marlene complained about. Then they arrived at the river bank, and the boats started to empty. After a few accidental nosedives into the water, the students started their journey into the castle.

Soon enough, they were inside. The warmth enveloped James like a baby. The smell of food caressed his nostrils. It already felt like home.

As they got to the top of the staircase, a figure was already awaiting them. A woman stood there, arms crossed, head held high. She wore a pointy hat and a stern expression. James could already tell she was of major importance; he was going to enjoy toying with her.

The lady introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor, their Transfiguration professor, and the Dean Principal.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, dear students," McGonagall spoke. She eyed them one by one through her glasses before continuing. "In a few moments, you will walk through these doors to be sorted into your house. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin."

As she named the last house, her gaze fell on Koronis and Sirius.

"While you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will give you points, and any rule-breaking will cost you points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points shall be rewarded. Now, the sorting ceremony shall commence momentarily."

She gave them all one last look before turning on her heels and disappearing behind closed doors.

"You see those two?" James whispered, nodding at Sirius and Koronis. "From what I've heard they're horrible."

"Who are they?" Lily asked.

"They're Blacks," James answered.

"Rich, money-sucking, high-class bastards," Marlene added. "My mum has to pay them rent every month.

"Why?"

"The Blacks own this massive estate where most middle-class wizards live," Marlene explained. "Mostly in London."

"What're their names again?" Severus asked.

"Koronis and Sirius Black," James repeated. Before he could add the insult he wanted to, Severus walked up to them without second thoughts.

"What is he doing?" Marlene hissed.

"I think he's going to try and befriend them," James guessed.

"This is not going to end well," Marlene predicted.

"Do I go and get him?" Lily asked, worried.

"Absolutely not!" Marlene whispered. "Rule number one, Lily: as a Muggleborn, steer clear of folk like them. They're nothing but trouble."

James nodded in agreement as their focus went back to Severus.

"Hello," Severus said. He held out his hand for Sirius to shake. All the Black boy did was let his eyes wander over Severus before frowning slightly.

Like an idiot, Severus turned to Koronis, who made the same gesture as Sirius. A pitiful smile clothed her lips before shaking his hand.

"I'm Severus Snape. I mean, I'd ask you your names, but who doesn't know you?"

You didn't know them a second ago, James thought, what a slimy brat.

The twins their friends who stood next to them snickered, probably sharing James's thoughts.

"Is that so?" Koronis said with an enchanting smile. Although Severus was taller than her, it still looked like she was physically looking down on him.

"I think we'll be great friends," Severus said, avoiding Sirius's death glare. "We'll more than likely be in Slytherin and we're both purebloods. We must have a lot in common"

As Severus said that last part, Koronis's face twisted with disgust. "Well, I don't think so. Not only do I not like your face, I also don't like liars."

"I . . . I'm not a liar," Severus said.

Koronis cocked an eyebrows and chuckled. "Yet another lie. I know every pureblood family on the continent, and there's not one Snape on that long list of names."

"And no pureblood family would let their son roam around looking like they've used his head to mop grease," Sirius added.

The low hum of snickers filled the hall at Sirius's comment. Severus started anxiously touching his hair and looking behind him toward James, Marlene, and Lily.

"What are you still doing here?" Koronis asked sharply.

Severus huffed nervously before turning on his heels and walking toward James and the rest. His face was red with embarrassment. Their friend, the boy with white braids, shook his head before turning back to the Black's and his sister.

"Told you they're horrible," James muttered.

"She's magnificent," Marlene said, still looking at Koronis with endearing eyes. "I'm on her side. What was her name again?"

"Koronis Black," James said.

"Not only is she cool as hell, but she has an eccentric name too," Marlene remarked. "I don't mind being dependent on her. I'd pay my rent by the minute!"

"She's mean," Lily noted. "And her brother isn't any better. Why do they feel so superior?"

"Because they are," Marlene said. "The Blacks are one of the most powerful and richest houses in England, Lily. Like I said, they sell land to literally the entire wizarding community, and they're in politics too."

"They'll regret ever doing that!" Severus hissed. "I'll show them."

"Show them what exactly?" Marlene asked, turning to Severus. "How to fry chips with your hair?"

"Come on, Marlene," Lily muttered. "That's mean."

"What? That boy wasn't lying," Marlene said. She touched Severus's hair and quickly wiped it off on his robe. "You should really wash your hair."

As Severus's face turned a deeper shade of red, McGonagall appeared again. "We're ready for you."

With the simple gesture of her hand, the massive doors swung open. A wave of chatter and warmth washed over the first-years.

Many mouths hung open as they walked into the hall. Candles decorated every corner, and ghosts popped out from the most random places. Four long tables occupied the space, each one embellished with their house sigil.

There was an obvious separation; Slytherin and Ravenclaw stood on the left side of the huge gap, whilst Hufflepuff and Gryffindor stood on the other.

The most beautiful thing about the room was the ceiling. The fact was, there seemed to be no ceiling. As James looked up, he could see the ink-black sky and the stars scattered across it. He could see the clouds and he could even see the moonshine. Maybe if he reached far enough, he could graze the stars.

It was breathtaking, and multiple students tripped due to their entire focus being above them.

As they all shuffled to the front, McGonagall cleared her throat and positioned herself on the podium.

"Now, when we call your name, please come forward and take place on the stool. But first, a song," McGonagall announced as she stood beside a stool with an old hat.

Behind her was an entire table of elders; some of them older than others. But who caught James's eyes was Albus Dumbledore.

The long, braided beard, the weirdly shaped glasses, the perpetual smile in his expression . . . it was all true. Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of their time, was sitting a few meters from him.

He wore baby blue robes that draped him elegantly and a matching hat that folded into itself. Intelligence and kindness beamed from his face, and authority was evidently his.

James, absorbed in his admiration for his Headmaster, almost tripped when the hat started singing.

Come gather 'round, young witches, wizards,
It's time to find your place,
To learn which house you'll call your own,
In Hogwarts' grand embrace.

I'll sit upon your head tonight,
And delve into your mind,
For within your heart and soul, young one,
Your true house I shall find.

Brave and bold, with daring heart,
In Gryffindor you'll thrive.
For those who seek the noble path,
Through challenge you will strive.

Clever, quick, with thirst to know,
Then Ravenclaw you'll claim.
Where wisdom rules and wit prevails,
The mind becomes your flame.

Loyal, kind, with steady hand,
In Hufflepuff you'll grow.
For those who work with patient care,
Their dedication shows.

Cunning, sharp, with hunger strong,
In Slytherin you'll find.
Ambition burns with quiet flame,
And drives the mastermind.

So place me now upon your head,
Let's see where you belong,
For Hogwarts is your home today,
And here you will grow strong!

As the last note came to a stop, the entire room roared with applause. Students whistled and cheered for the song.

"Now! Let the sorting begin. Elizah Abbott!" McGonagall announced.

A girl with blonde hair and a load of freckles marched up the marble stairs and sat down on the wooden stool.

As soon as the hat grazed her head, it bellowed, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

A roar of applause followed. The yellow table went nuts and welcomed her openly.

A few names went by before the professor called, "Koronis Black!"

Unlike everyone who hurried over to the stool to get it done as soon as possible, Koronis climbed the stairs gracefully with her hands behind her back.

As she sat down, her eyes were glued on something far beyond any student. Her back was painfully straight and the expression on her face was unreadable.

The Sorting Hat took his sweet time with her. The entire time, her eyes didn't deviate from her fixing point. She could've been a statue.

Finally, it announced, "SLYTHERIN!"

She didn't seem content about it, but not displeased either. Not a single one of her thoughts was expressed on her face. It was impressive how straight a face she could keep while people were quite literally chanting her name.

"We've got another Black! We've got another Black," the Slytherins chanted as if the Black's were collectibles.

"Quiet!" McGonagall demanded. "Sirius Black!"

The Slytherin table cheered again, already knowing they'd get to sing again. Seeing how excited they were, James thought that they might as well trade the name of Slytherin for the name of Black.

As with his sister, the Sorting Hat took its time with Sirius. It started to take so long, that even McGonagall and other professors seemed worried.

Just as Professor Dumbledore placed his hands on the table to get up, the Sorting Hat called, "GRYFFINDOR!"

No one cheered.

Unlike his sister, Sirius did not hide his feelings. He frowned deeply as he looked at the Slytherin table, more specifically his sister.

"There has to be a mistake," Sirius muttered, but it was so quiet, he might as well have yelled.

"The Sorting Hat makes no mistakes, Mr Black," McGonagall said. Even on her face, her surprise was evident. "Take a seat at your assigned table."

"But . . ." Sirius didn't say anything else. With a face as demoralized as could be, Sirius sauntered over to the Gryffindor table.

As the Black boy sat down, the Gryffindor students started cheering louder than anyone had cheered that evening. They welcomed Sirius with an open heart, but that didn't change the look on Sirius's face.

Fear. Sirius was oozing with fear.

"We've got a Black! We've got a Black! For the first time ever, we've got a Black!" The Gryffindors chanted nonetheless.

Even after McGonagall had passed the letter O, Sirius still seemed traumatized. He had found a seat at the very end of the table, putting an enormous gap between him and the other students.

"James Potter!"

James gulped as he walked up the stairs and sat down.

As McGonagall put the hat on him, his eyes fell on Marlene and Lily, who held up their thumbs. Both of them had been sorted into Gryffindor earlier.

"Ah, a Potter," the hat groaned. "You bear an unbreakable loyalty. Hmm . . . A bright future ahead I see. I know exactly where to put you . . . GRYFFINDOR!"

James smiled sheepishly as he got up from the stool and strutted over to the red table. Many welcomed him and patted him on the back.

He went to sit between Rahul and Marlene, who smacked him on the back, slamming most of the air out of his lungs as she smiled.

The rest of the list went on. Severus got sorted into Slytherin, to his pride and Lily's disappointment. Naturally, the twins' blond friends from earlier had been sorted into Slytherin.

A peculiar guy who was remarkably lanky and had clear-cut scars traced across his face was sorted into Gryffindor.

Remus Lupin. The name sounded like one of a fairytale.

When everyone had been sorted, McGonagall took a seat behind the professor's table. Dumbledore, with a beard as long as James was, got up and stood behind the altar.

"Dear students, it is such a delight to welcome you for another year of magic and learning," Dumbledore said. "I would like to share some thoughts with you. I suspect the roasted chicken will be excellent tonight. Let the banquet begin!"

James could cry from relief. With his rumbling stomach, he couldn't bear to listen to an unnecessarily long speech. He was happy that Dumbledore kept it brief.

Like there was no tomorrow, James filled his plate with whatever that was in his reach. Everything was immaculate. Dumbledore hadn't lied; the roasted chicken tasted heavenly.

"I feel bad for him," Marlene said suddenly. She was looking at her left. James followed her gaze. She was looking at Sirius, who was sadly playing with the single potato on his plate. "Should we talk to him?"

"He was a dick before this," James reminded them. "There's no reason to feel bad for him."

"Oh, Merlin," Marlene said, ignoring James. "I think he's crying."

"Oh, that poor soul," Lily mumbled. "I mean, James, he's separated from all of his friends and family. I can't imagine how lonely he must feel."

"Well, it's hard not to be lonely when you go and sit where no one else is," Marlene remarked.

"And it's not the end of the world," James said. "He'll still live in the same castle as all of his darling friends."

Marlene hummed, agreeing with James before digging into her plate, and James followed her example.

As they ate, James noticed Lily's lingering glances toward Sirius.

"Lily," James mumbled with a mouth full of beans, "let it go."

"I can't just sit here . . ." Lily took her plate and went to sit with the Black.

James shook his head as he pushed his beans down with some pumpkin juice. Lily's heart was too big for her own good.

Lily went to sit across from him. He looked up momentarily and said something James didn't quite catch.

Lily smiled at him, indicating that Sirius hadn't just insulted her bloodline.

Sirius nodded, muttered something, and went back to pushing his potato around.

Lily took a breath before saying something else. Sirius looked up and looked ready to plant his fork into Lily's face.

Instead of doing that, he dropped his fork and buried his face in his palms. He and Lily engrossed into a conversation. James noticed Sirius' wavering looks at the Slytherin table.

Koronis was doing the same thing as her twin brother. She wasn't eating and kept staring at her plate indespair as her friends were whispering words to her that she was more than likely ignoring.

"Are they really that upset about a house?" James huffed. "I wouldn't mind sitting at the Ravenclaw table. They really are entitled people."

"Don't think it's that simple," Rahul muttered, casting an eye at Sirius and Lily. "Sirius might be in a lot of trouble with his parents. I feel for the boy."

"But why?" James asked. "It's just a house. Besides, Gryffindor is much better than Slytherin."

"That's exactly what the Blacks think about Slytherin," Rahul continued. "If you're not in Slytherin, you're not as good as the rest of the family."

"That's bullocks," James noticed.

"It is," Rahul agreed. "Poor boy."

Lily didn't show any sign of coming back to James and Marlene. They seemed to hitting it off quite nicely. She would fill his plate with small portions of all types of dishes, forcing him to eat. Sirius would keep flashing a certain smile that differentiated heavily from his smug one.

Maybe he wasn't all that evil. James wanted to know what they were talking about. After much discord in his head, he got up with his plate (knocking over a dish of carrots in the process).

"You too?" Marlene exclaimed as James hastily picked up the carrots and threw them back on the dish. Getting no answer, she too got up and followed James. James went to sit next to Lily which forced Marlene to sit next to Sirius.

"Oh! We were just talking about you two," Lily said as the two newcomers sat down.

"Hopefully not too negatively," Marlene said lightheartedly.

Lily laughed shortly and the two boys huffed momentarily.

"So, uhm . . . What's up with you and your sister?" James asked directly. "She seems pretty upset that you're not in Slytherin."

"Yeah," Sirius mumbled. "I'm not supposed to be here."

"Says who?" Marlene huffed. "It's just a house and a colour at the end of the day. Your parents will get over it."

At the mention of his parents, Sirius looked at Marlene with that same disgusted expression, although James felt like the disgust wasn't directed at Marlene.

Sirius huffed. "Yeah."

"And Sirius speaks French!" Lily announced rather excited, trying to lighten the air.

"Oh, really? I can say a few words, you know." Marlene scratched her throat before speaking in gibberish.

Sirius let out a distinguished laugh, indicating how poor Marlene's French was.

"Even my house-elf has a better pronunciation than that and he can't even say hello," Sirius said with a smile.

"But you understood what I said?" Marlene asked.

"Yeah, you—"

"But why would your parents be mad at you for being in a different house?" James asked suddenly, still stuck on the previous subject.

The three students peered at him with confused looks.

"Mate, let it go," Marlene sighed.

"Yeah, let's not, James," Lily added.

"What?" James said, feeling rather attacked. "I'm just curious. Are your parents actually going to get mad?"

Sirius's jaw clenched and the light in his eyes dimmed. "My cousin got sorted into Hufflepuff and that was an entire drama. But . . . Gryffindor? I'm done for."

"But, what's the worst thing your parents could do? Scold you once?" James continued.

Sirius looked at him funnily. "Scold me? Once? You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," James dared.

Sirius cocked an eyebrow and cracked a smug smile, identical to the one on the train.

"What's the worst punishment your father has ever given you?" Sirius asked.

"Uh . . . I couldn't leave my room for the entire day because I used my mum's wand," James said, trying to remember when that had even happened. His parents never really punished him, only in exchange for James's good behaviour. Which he had (sometimes).

Sirius shook his head as he smashed his potato under the pressure of his fork. "Consider yourself very lucky."

"Can we not talk about parents?" Marlene inquired. "This is getting really depressing, and I want to hear more about Sirius' sister."

"Sorry," James mumbled. Just as soon as he brought his fork to his mouth, Marlene, Lily, and Sirius went back to chatting.

James wanted to come over as annoyed because he hadn't gotten the answer to his question, but he couldn't help but laugh at Sirius' jokes. The boy was really funny.

Soon James learned he had a thing or two in common with Sirius. They both loved Quidditch and pranking every walking thing. James had a feeling he and Sirius would be good friends.

Consequently, he learned more about Koronis. She liked to dance and she hated reading.

Apparently, their parents referred to them as Satan and Jezebel. But Sirius, with no exaggerating, claimed that Koronis was much worse than Jezebel herself. She loved to manipulate people into giving her what she wanted, and it was mostly without fail.

She was the most cunning, deceitful, little cunt you could find (those were Sirius' words, not James'), and Sirius loved her for it. "You lot don't get to call her a cunt, though, or I'll make my owl gouge out your eyeballs."

"How lovely," Marlene remarked.

James found it hard to believe that a little girl of eleven had the capacity to be described so negatively by her twin brother. He had a feeling Sirius was dramatizing Koronis' character. James wanted to know what she was like for himself.

His eyes travelled to the other side of the room, reaching their destination; Koronis. Even for her pale complexion, she was unusually pale. The food on her plate had been untouched, and it seemed like her friends had given up on comforting her.

She didn't even look upset; she didn't look like anything. She seemed to be somewhere far lost in thought. James wanted to get up and maybe pat her on the back or laugh at her. He couldn't quite decide.

Meanwhile, with each endearing insult Sirius threw at his beloved sister, Marlene seemed to fall deeper and deeper in love. "Can I meet your sister anytime soon?"

"You're not like her, are you?" James asked Sirius, dismissing Marlene's question. "No offense to your sister but she doesn't seem really nice."

Sirius laughed at that. "My sister is the kindest person you'll ever meet. She's a real sweetheart. Kinder than me, if I'm honest. A tad bit insensitive, but she means no harm."

"You're kind of contradicting yourself there," James noticed.

"Well, Koronis is like a riddle you shouldn't even consider solving," Sirius said. "As Blacks, we have to maintain a certain appearance to the outside world. My father calls it a persona. Koronis just tends to mix her personality and her persona up sometimes. It's not her fault."

"I don't mean to instigate anything, but your sister was very mean to Sev earlier . . . Could you maybe tell her to not exclude him in the Slytherin house? Severus was already nervous enough about this whole Hogwarts thing. I don't want him to end up with no friends," Lily said.

"I can't promise you that he and my sister will become the best of friends," Sirius said, "but I'll tell her to leave him alone."

Just as Marlene was about to speak, more than likely about Koronis, who was her new obsession, Dumbledore scratched his throat, silencing the entire room.

"Dear students," Dumbledore announced. His eyes twinkled, not with light, but with pure curiosity and enthusiasm.

James had always admired Dumbledore. Not only was he the strongest wizard of this generation, he was also surprisingly humble. Unlike the Blacks or truly any Sacred Twenty-Eight family, he used his resources to help those in need, not to exploit them for his sake.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," the headmaster said. "I expect you ate generously and conversed vastly. Now, I require your utmost attention. There are some rules that need to be appointed. First of all, as the name indicates, the Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all."

Dumbledore proceeded to list an annoyingly long list of restrictions, which prompted James to break every single one of them all the more.

The headmaster proceeded to explain how the lodging system worked, and about the school stuff. Students started to get up one by one, and the first-years followed the voices exclaiming they were head-boy or -girl.

───

Funnily enough, Sirius was one of James's dorm mates.

The circular dorm was very cozy-looking. An ambient light illuminated the room. The trademark red of Gryffindor was plastered everywhere; the bedsheets were crimson, so was the carpet, the neatly folded clothes on each bed had hints of it, the curtains, and even the doorhandles too.

There was a furnace in the middle of the room descending from the roof and disappearing in the floor, probably connected with the furnace of the second years.

The tower was made up of seven floors of dormitory. Each year had their assigned floor. The top floor was for the first years, given they were younger and 'fuller of life' to walk all those stairs.

Four beds were pushed against the wall opposite of the entrance. On the left side of the room was a door which likely lead to a bathroom.

The lanky guy with the cool scars named Remus Lupin was already unpacking his bags when Sirius and James arrived. He offered them a polite smile and a greeting before turning back to his clothes.

"Shotgun!" Sirius exclaimed as he threw his stuff on the bed closest to the window, right next to Remus's bed.

Their trunks were already placed at the foot of their beds, and James noticed his trunk was at Sirius's bed. "You mind if we sort out our trunks tomorrow?"

"That's good with me," Sirius said, a bit distracted. He was staring out the window. James wondered what he was looking at, that is if he was even seeing something; it was ink black outside.

"What are you looking at?" James asked.

"None of your business," Sirius snarled.

James shrugged and threw his stuff onto the bed closest to the bathroom. He sighed deeply as he fell onto the soft bed. He zipped his backpack open and immediately a golden ball zoomed out. Just as it was heading for Remus, it hit an invisible facade which forced it to bounce back.

"You're Remus Lupin, right?" James said, playing with his Golden Snitch. It was a real snitch, but James's father had magicked it into staying in a one metre radius.

"How did you know?" Remus asked as a frown crowned his eyes.

"Sorting ceremony," James said shortly, his eyes still focused on the Snitch that was avoiding his grasp.

"The scars. Are they real?" Sirius asked curiously. He suddenly didn't seem as interested in the window anymore.

"Uh . . ." Remus started, completely distraught by the question.

"Of course they're real, you idiot," James said. "Who draws scars on their face for the fun of it?"

Sirius sighed and rolled his eyes. "Well, I know they're real, you idiot. I was making small talk. He was supposed to say yes and tell us how he got them. So, Remus Lupin, how exactly did you get your scars?"

"Uhm . . ." Remus started, obviously uncomfortable. But the two other boys didn't seem to acknowledge the red cheeks and stuttering as signs.

"Let me guess!" James exclaimed. "Did you fight a bear? Or did a bird attack you?"

"Or was it a person?" Sirius suggested.

"Oh, well . . . A dog attacked me when I was younger," Remus said timidly. "I stepped on its tail."

"You stepped on its tail?" Sirius asked, disbelief lacing his words together before bursting out in laughter.

James threw a pillow at Sirius's head for his inconsiderate reaction. "Remus just shared a very traumatic and personal event with us, and you're laughing about it? Very immature, Sirius."

"As we say in French, je te demande pardon, Remus," Sirius cited, earning puzzled glances from both his roommates. They had no clue what he had said.

"I don't care what language it is, please never say my name like that again," Remus laughed awkwardly, obviously unsettled by Sirius' French accent.

James burst into a fit of laughter as Sirius stared at Remus with a frown.

"Your name sounds better in French, anyway. Everything sounds better in French," Sirius stated, seemingly offended on behalf of the French language.

As Sirius started rambling in French, constantly dropping Remus's name in a French accent, the door of their dorm swung open.

A small boy with a face was as red as the walls walked into the rooms. He had dirty blonde hair and beady blue eyes.

"Peter!" James exclaimed as he waved a quill at the newcomer. Peter froze at the stimulating welcome.

"H—how do you know my name?" Peter asked.

"All of our names are on the parchment that's hanging against the door," James said, pointing at the open door. "Yours was the first one. Peter Pettigrew."

"Ah," was all Peter said as he walked up to the last free bed. He had left the door open, and Sirius gave James a confused look.

James hadn't taken Peter's short responses well either. Why was the newcomer being so hostile? Did he not like them?

Multiple people walked past, occasionally tossing a glance in their dorm room. Some stared longer, watching Sirius with prying eyes.

At some point, Sirius got up and closed the door. "Look. I'm already in deep trouble when I get home, so the three of you are going to make this stupid mistake worth the while until I'm put in the Slytherin house.

"Why would you want to go there? Slytherin sucks," James acknowledged.

"Whatever," Sirius continued, brushing James's remark aside. "So, can we stop being awkward and get to know each other? Like would you seriously rather read a book than get to know us?"

"Reading is a delight that not enough people experience," Remus said. He was spread on his bed with a thick book leaning on his pillow.

"Are you reading for those people? I didn't think so. Talking to me is a delight that not enough people have either! Embrace it," Sirius noted, his words laced with playfulness but also a hint of genuineness.

"You're crazy," James stated, shaking his head.

"I agree," Remus said, still not looking up from his book.

"My parents agree as well," Sirius said, flashing James a smug smirk. Sirius sighed loudly as he threw his head back. "So, what are you? Do any of you have siblings?"

"Nope," James said, popping the p. "I'm a wonder child."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Sirius asked, an eyebrow raised. "Is that what your parents called you to convince themselved you weren't a 'lucky' accident?" As he said 'lucky', he made quotation marks with his fingers.

"Uh, no?" James said, throwing Sirius a conceited smile. "They couldn't have any children, but then they had me!"

"What a glee story!" Sirius exclaimed sarcastically, making jazz hands. "How about you lot?"

Sirius nodded at Remus and Peter, who were installed on the other side of the room. Remus seemed to be preparing himself for bed, and Peter seemed too shy to even move.

"No siblings," Remus said swiftly.

"Is that all we get?" Sirius moped. "No sad or glee story to share? Are you also a wonder child?"

Remus chuckled briefly. "I don't want to bore you, my lord."

"My lord?" Sirius repeated, a surprised smirk clothing his lips. "I like the ring of it. From now on, you all are to call me lord Black. Everyone who isn't me is condemned to eternal slavery and suffering!"

Remus frowned and Peter's anxiety seemed to intensify greatly.

James stood up on his bed and lifted his wand. "We, the peasants of dorm 106, hereby officially declare a rebellion! We shall not abide by these abusive laws! Do you stand with me, sir Remus Lupin and sir Peter Pettigrew?"

Peter's eyes lit up and he let out a nervous giggle before pulling out his wand. "No more of this!" He squeaked.

"I might have to side with our lord Black," Remus announced. "You peasants reek too nasty to be roaming about freely."

Sirius jumped up too, pointing his wand to James. "Join me, sir Remus Lupin. We shall have both of their heads!"

"To war!" James declared. As a war-cry left his mouth, he picked up the nearest pillow and threw it at Sirius.

Sirius dodged it successfully. He rolled off the bed to get next to Remus. As he got to his feet, he had to crease his neck in order to meet Remus's eyes. "Wow, you're very tall."

"I've been told so before—ouch!" Remus exclaimed before being attacked from the back. Peter had slain him violently with his stuffed animal.

"Yes, Pete!" James exclaimed, throwing his fist in the air.

"I will avenge you, my fine sir Remus!" Sirius declared before using his wand to direct a pillow with flying force to James's face.

Too stunned by the speed, James's reaction was delayed. The pillow hit him hard on the face, forcing him onto the wall. A few feathers flew off in the process.

"I think you might've killed him, my lord," Remus said, a hint of concern in his voice.

James groaned as he slowly slid down against the bathroom door. His left hand was gripping onto the right side of his chest.

"Your heart is on the other side," Peter said shyly.

The anguished creases on James's face relaxed. "Oh," he said. He switched sides and went back to suffering.

As he fell onto his bed, James mumbled, "Not even in my final hours shall you be my lord. Never!"

With his final words, his eyes squeezed shut and his tongue hung out of his mouth.

Sirius cheered and held up a hand to high-five Remus. "I'm so amazing!"

Remus laughed at Sirius's excitement. "All the glory be to you, lord Black."

Sirius grinned before turning to Peter. "Sir, do you continue your rampage or will you abide by my command?"

Peter dropped his wand and rose his hands. He dropped to his knees and bowed his head. "I am yours, my lord."

"Aha!" Sirius exclaimed as he fell onto his bed and kicked back his feet. "Victory is mine!"

───

"What time is it?" Sirius asked.

The four of them were gathered around James's trunk, which was stuffed with all kinds of sweets and treats. James was sucking on his fifth lollipop that evening. Peter was eating all the red-colored candies, claiming they were the sweetest, and Remus had been nibbling on chocolate frogs the entire evening.

"Why are you asking?" James asked. "You haven't touched any of the candy."

"Those things aren't good for you," Sirius muttered. "My mother says they're filled with acid that bites away your teeth and eventually your brain."

"My teeth are still here and I eat candy all the time!" James revealed his chocolate-stained teeth and his blue tongue.

Sirius rolled his eyes. He got up and walked over to his bed. His back faced his three dormmates.

James got up with a groan. He was full and his stomach felt queasy. With heavy steps he sat down next to Sirius and looked over his shoulder. "What are you doing?"

Sirius ignored James as he put on a silver watch. The time was indicated with roman numerals which James couldn't read. The hands of the watch were curly, thin, and black. Way too fancy for James.

"My dad would never trust me with such a fancy watch," James laughed. "Your parents must trust you heaps!"

Sirius shrugged nonchalantly as he got up. He fetched a sweater and put on his shoes.

"What are you doing?" Remus asked.

"Nothing," Sirius said swiftly as he walked over to the door.

"You know there's a curfew, right?" Peter said. "You'll get into serious trouble!"

"Why are you leaving?" James asked.

"That's none of your concern," Sirius hissed as he opened the door. "Now just shut up before you wake up the entire castle."

Sirius shut the door behind him.

Speedily, James jumped up and ravaged through his trunk until he found what he was looking for: a dusty cloak.

"C'mon!" James said, motioning for Remus and Peter to join him. James threw the Invisibility Cloak over his back, covering his entire body except his head.

"What're you—JAMES!" Remus yelled out.

James grinned. He had been waiting for this moment, although he didn't expect it to happen this soon. He had spent nights imagining how cool and amazing his friends would think he was for having this cool gadget: a cloak that dissolved you into nothingness.

"Where did your body go!?" Peter exclaimed. His hands covered his mouth in disbelief.

"I'll explain later," James giggled, unable to hold back his pride. "Come quick! It's big enough to hold all four of us."

"All four of us?" Remus repeated.

"We're going to help Sirius sneak out," James informed them. "C'mon now!"

Still stunned, the two boys concealed themselves with James beneath his Invisibility Cloak.

Peter kept uttering his shock beneath his breath as the boys rushed down the stairs. At first it was hard to coordinate, but when they reached the final floor, they figured out some sort of synchronicity.

James caught a glimpse of Sirius shiny, black curls as they disappeared behind a corner. James encouraged the other two to quicken their pace.

They came to an abrupt halt when they heard two voices disputing.

"It's midnight! You should be in bed, Sirius," a female voice spoke. Judging from the red P plastered on her chest, she must have been a prefect.

James crouched down, and Remus and Peter followed.

"But I don't feel very well," Sirius whined. He was slumping and holding onto his stomach. "I need some fresh air."

"Then open the window in your dorm," the prefect replied. "Shoo now, before you get yourself into trouble."

Sirius rolled his eyes, let out a final, exasperating sigh to accentuate his annoyance, and turned on his heels to march towards the dorm.

"C'mon," James whispered, encouraging the other two to follow.

They walked up the stairs and caught up to Sirius at the floor of the third-years. Without warning, Remus stretched his long arm and grabbed Sirius by the ankle.

A high-pitched cry slit through the staircase before being roughly muffled by Remus' hand. Sirius, clueless to his captor's identity, kicked Remus in the knee. James winced for Remus, who crumbled with stifled, painful whimpers.

"Oh, Merlin!" Sirius panted, slamming his hands on his mouth. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

"I'm fine. Thanks for the concern, Sirius," Remus mumbled as he managed his clumsy self onto his two feet.

"We're here to help you sneak out!" Peter squeaked from beneath the cloak.

Sirius unhanded another shriek. Gripping at his chest, he stumbled away from Peter's voice. "What the fuck! Why am I hearing Peter's voice?"

A door swung open, revealing a bush of blond curls and a pair of droopy eyes. "Quiet it down, will ya? It's like mid—oh. Sirius. I mean Black. Sorry for bothering you. Never mind. Could you just turn it down, please? Take your time, of course."

The boy quickly shut the door before Sirius had the chance to reply. All he did was throw a cocky smile at the now shut door before turning back to Remus.

"So, what? Did you follow—AAAARGH!"

James quickly threw the cloak from their backs to reveal them. "Tada!" He stretched out his arms and shook his hands festively. Peter did the same, giggling at James's lavish actions.

Sirius cursed in French as he regained composure from the sequential mini heart attacks. "Are you guys crazy?!" He hissed. "That ogre downstairs probably heard us!"

"Wow, now!" James held up his hands in surrender and backed away. "No need to bust my knee too. You okay, Remus?"

"Never better," Remus, crumbled on the floor, reassured James with a cheeky smile.

"Sorry for scaring you," Peter said. "I forgot that I was invisible."

Sirius's eyes narrowed and fell on the Invisibility Cloak. What was now becoming his signature grin loomed on his face as he cocked his head in disbelief. "Is that a real Invisibility Cloak? Where did you nick that from? Knockturn Ally? What are joyous folk like yourself doing down there?"

"I didn't nick this." James pouted, thinking about how much cooler it would have been if he managed to steal it from someone and get away with it. "I got it as a gift. It's a family heirloom. Used to be my Dad's."

"So, what? You came to give this to me?" Sirius asked, eyes widened with amazement. "I promise I'll get it back to you without a scratch!"

James frowned. "Hold on . . . We're coming with you."

"Yeah!" Peter exclaimed.

"Uh . . . No?" Sirius jested. "What I'm going to do is none of your concern! What if I'm going off to snog some chick's lips off? I don't want you around to see that!"

"Whose lips are you so afraid for us to see? McGonagall's?" James blurted out.

"Ew." Peter physically shuddered at the vivid thought.

"Remus, you're my ally. Help me out here!" Sirius implored. "Tell James I can go alone!"

"Sorry, Sirius," Remus, who was still recovering from his fit of laughter, replied. "My curiosity is peeking."

Sirius groaned and rolled his eyes. "Fine! Whatever! I'm already late."

Peter and James exchanged beaming smiles before high-fiving each other excitedly. "Roadtrip!" James gushed.

───

"Where are we going, Sirius?" Peter speculated as they crept through the obscure corridors.

They had successfully managed to walk past the prefect that had sent Sirius back to his dorm and were now trying to find their way through this maze of a castle.

Being four under this cloak was starting to make James feel cramped. Everytime he suggested to walk freely, Remus reminded them of Peeves the Poltergeist who was prone to rat them out.

"I need to be at the Great Hall," Sirius answered as they walked past the painting of three woman for the third time. "I swear, I remembered the way but these stupid stairs keep moving!"

"Just keep going downwards," Peter suggested. "The Great Hall is on the ground floor."

They followed Peter's advice and took every flight of stairs they could until James swore he felt a cramp in his calf.

Sirius hit the back of James's lower leg, making him bend over in pain. "Your cramp will cease to be now. You're welcome."

"Guys! We're here!" Peter uttered as he pointed at a remarkably small painting no bigger than Peter's tiny hand. "I remember this painting."

"So, why are we here anyway?" Remus asked.

Sirius's eyes drifted away and he pursed his lips, wondering whether he trusted his three roommates enough to enlighten them.

"I'm meeting up with my sister," Sirius said.

"Why?"

"Can I not want to talk to my sister?"

"You can always talk to her tomorrow," James remarked.

"Leave him be," Remus said. "He doesn't need a reason to want to talk to his sister at such unreasonable hours."

"Someone who understands," Sirius noted, obviously discarding Remus' sarcasm. "I just need to make sure she's not pissed at me or anything. I won't be able to sleep otherwise."

"Is that her?" Remus asked, pointing in the darkness.

"How can you even discern anything? It's so dark," James stated with squinted eyes.

Sirius prompted the three of them to move closer. With hushed whispers and muffled steps they ventured into the darkness.

Abruptly, a flame flickered to life, indicating another presence. The four boys stopped dead in their tracks and held their breaths like statues.

The torch didn't shine on the owner's face, infusing all the more excitement into James's system. The flame rotated around, surely searching for something.

"Sirius?" A girl's voice whispered prudently.

"Nix!" Sirius pushed the cloak off of him and ran over to the blazing torch.

The torch was placed in a sconch, scarcely illuminating the corridor. James now recognized the slick ringlets that bounced on her shoulders and the intense gray eyes.

Apprehension halted Sirius to a stop before his sister. They peered at each other for a little while, acknowledging each other's appearance before Koronis thrusted her arms around her brother.

Sirius followed suit. He dug his fingers into her, and plunged his head into the fold of her neck.

"I wish I had a sibling! I'm so lonely," James mumbled as he sat cross-legged, watching the Black twins embrace one another. "Do you have siblings, Pete?"

"I got five sisters," Peter said as he sat down on his knees. "But they're not witches."

"You're Muggleborn?" James inquired.

Peter nodded shyly. "Or my mum cheated on my dad with a wizard."

"That's an interesting take," Remus said, nodding. "You guys want to get a closer look?"

The two other boys nodded. So on their tippy toes, they closed the distance between the twins and them.

"She's really pretty," Peter acknowledged. "She and Sirius really do look alike."

"You find Sirius handsome, Pete?" James asked sarcastically with a mischievous grin. "Is that what you're trying to say?"

"What? No! Not in that sense . . ." Peter said quickly. "I just meant that . . ."

"Beauty is a subjective aspect, but I must say Sirius and Koronis are objectively striking," Remus said. "They look like they came from a painting."

"Could the both of you stop arse-licking them yet?" James sighed.

"You're just bitter because Koronis was mean to you on the train," Peter commented.

"Not!" James hissed.

"Totally are," Peter spat back.

"Uh . . . does this blanket have a sound barrier?" Remus asked. "'Cause I think she heard us."

Hearing that made Peter and James's squabbling come to a rapid stop. Their heads moved upwards in synchronisation and Peter audibly gulped.

Koronis was staring straight down at them, her face slightly scrunched with a hint of disgust. Her arms folded over one another, resting on her torso. Sirius stood in the background, pinching his nose in disappointment.

James's eyes locked with hers, although she didn't visibly know that. His heartbeat intensified the longer their gazes were anchored, which set him off. Just as he was debating whether to reveal himself or slowly withdraw, Koronis muttered a quick goodbye as she took her torch and disappeared.

On their way back to the dorms, Sirius didn't say a thing; either he was pissed with the three boys or with his sister given her cold departure.

James wondered what the two had talked about. Their entire conversation had been in French, which consequently meant that James was clueless and forced to squeeze the information out of Sirius. Now was not the time; the atmosphere was so tense James was afraid he'd choke on his words.

Luckily, there was Peter to soothen the tense atmosphere, who discussed the numerous breakfast options they'd have tomorrow morning with a sincerely intrigued Remus.

Once arrived at the dorm, James attempted conversation with Sirius, but the latter abruptly shut James off by kicking off his shoes, heading straight to his bed, and concealing himself in his sheets. The three others followed his example and readied themselves for bed.

"Goodnight," Remus said as he tucked himself in his sheets.

"I had a really great time," Peter mumbled, followed by a yawn. "Sleep tight."

"Night," James mumbled. Lying on his back with his arms resting on his chest, he stared at his bed's wooden canopy.

It was hard to fathom the reason behind Sirius's sorrow, and even harder to let the bloke go to sleep in his depressing state.

"Oi, guys," James whispered, even though there was no one in the room who couldn't know. "I've got something bloody wicked we could do."

"What is it?" Peter asked, excited.

"Lads, we're going to do something so extraordinarily stupid that people will call it art," James said, proudly.

Remus sat up straight, blanket wrapped around his shoulders. "Which would be?"

"A prank so crazy and innovative that it'll leave everyone dumbstruck," James answered.

"Ooh! I love pranks!" Peter exclaimed.

James turned his head toward Sirius, who resembled a sad pile of blankets. In truth, James hadn't planned his first prank for before October, but Sirius's gloom made him feel like that deadline needed prompt reducing.

Although Sirius didn't seem to acknowledge that. Was he asleep or was he just ignoring them?

Nonetheless, James continued. "It must be something big, something no one will forget."

"Something that will make them watch their backs without cease," Remus suggested, "wary of the creeping danger that is us."

"You evil mastermind," James said. "I couldn't have described it any better."

"We can be the Fright-awakening Four!" Peter suggested.

"That's too wordy," James said.

"Uh . . . Oh! How about the Fab Four!" Peter said. "My sister Alicent always uses it, she says it means to be super cool."

"I admit, that has a nice ring to it," James said, "but until Sirius shows signs of life, I guess it'll have to be something like the Tantalizing Three."

"No! Sirius must be part of it!" Peter said.

"Come now, my lord Black," Remus stated. "Prithee, reveal thyself, that we may know thou livest."

The silence following must've articulated Peter and James's confusion, because Remus chuckled before saying, "I read plays sometimes."

"I like watching plays" Peter said. "They use very fancy English."

"So, what does thou say, Sirius?" James asked.

"Verily, I say this: hie thee hence, and vex me no more," Sirius grumbled from beneath his sheets.

"What did he say?" James asked.

Remus chuckled pitifully as he lay back down, his bed creaking in the process. "He wants to join us."

Peter and James uttered exclamations of triumph as Sirius jumped up and regarded Remus with livid eyes. "That is not what I said!"

"Shouldn't have spoken very fancy English then," Remus said innocently.

"What's done is done!" James yelled out before Sirius could oppose them anymore. He scrambled out of bed and searched for a peace of parchment, ink, and a quill.

Peter climbed out of bed (with his bedsheets), and with anticipation observed James as the latter dipped the quill in the glistening liquid and scratched into the parchment.

"We, the peasants of dorm 106, hereby officially establish and recognize the formation of The Fab Four," Peter read while James was still jotting down. "By this declaration, we affirm to shirk our last name and its responsibilities and to embrace our identity as a Fab Four as long as we venture these corridors. Signed, James."

"You sign, Pete!" James said, handing the little blond the quill.

When done, Peter took the parchment and the quill to Remus's bed. Remus accepted and signed the paper with both his name and a lot of inkblots.

Peter went to Sirius's bed and shook him. "You must sign too!"

"No," Sirius said.

"Please!" Peter squealed.

"I won't do it," Sirius decided.

"Yes, you will," James spoke.

"No, I won't," Sirius repeated.

"C'mon," Remus said. "Don't be a buzzkill."

The heap of blankets moved, and Sirius's head popped out, eyeing Remus maliciously. "The fuck's a buzzkill?"

"You," Remus shot back.

Sirius rolled his eyes. Just as he was about to disappear into his sheets, Peter pushed the soft feathers of the quill into Sirius's face. "Please sign."

With venom dripping from his gaze, the Black regarded the three of them successively. His eyes lingered the longest on James, who encouragingly shook the sloppy document.

"Promise me that no one will ever find out I'm a part of this," Sirius said. "If you get caught, you do not mention my name."

"That's not fair!" James stated.

"Deal!"  Remus said almost as quickly, forcing James's comment to the side.

"I have your word, Remus," Sirius accentuated as he took the quill. With fancy curls and precise curves, Sirius added a block of text, stating his demand, and finally signed.

"S.O.B.," Peter recited. "As in sob? Crying?"

"No, you fool," Sirius said. "It's my name. Sirius Orion Black."

"Fancy," Remus said with an approved nod. "Just as your fine self."

"The Fab Four it is, then," Sirius sighed. He threw the quill on Remus's bed and lay back down, this time with his head outside of his mountain of sheets. "Although the name is a bit lame."

"I suppose it's mandatory for all great groups to start with a jackass name," Remus reassured them. "The Beatles used to be the Quarrymen. Not bad, but not as good as The Beatles."

"Who on this green earth are the Beatles?" Sirius asked.

"Beetles?" James wiggled both his index fingers respectfully on each side of his face, trying to demonstrate a beetle biting. "The insects?"

"You guys don't know—oh," Remus said, confused at first before he remembered who he was talking to. "You"—he nodded at Sirius—"you and your family hate Muggles, so probably everything that includes them. And you"—he then looked over at James, not knowing what to make of him—"I don't know why you wouldn't know them."

"I know Muggle music," James protested. "My Dad loves listening to this band named The Flamingos. I guess Muggles are fond of animals."

"Too clear things up," Sirius suddenly noted, "not every Black wants to kill Muggles and people like you." Sirius's eyes swiftly fell on Remus and then on Peter. "Sure, my cousin Bellatrix and my parents wouldn't mind, but I am not like that. Nix—Koronis isn't like that."

A silence fell. The sudden topic had made Peter uncomfortable, causing him to avoid eye contact and wiggling himself back and forward.

Remus, a bit harder to discern, had a slight grin on his face, either of amusement, pity, or disgust.

"Don't worry," James said, breaking the silence. "We know."

"Otherwise me and Pete would be dead by now," Remus stated, his grin widening. "Which we are not, by the way."

"He could always choke us in our sleep," Peter said, dead seriously.

Sirius frowned deeply, probably opting whether to take that statement as sincere or as a joke.

Remus and James's eyes locked at the same time, and after a moment the two brunettes burst out in laughter.

James bent over, clutching to his stomach as laughter kept rolling out of him and Remus without end.

"What's so funny?" Sirius snapped.

"I—I don't even know!" James admitted between laborious breaths.

Peter, confused, couldn't help but chuckle as if their laughter was infectious.

James's laugh intensified as he realised he was laughing for no solid reason, forcing him to double over and fall to the ground.

"Merlin!" He cried out as a painful sensation crept to his stomach.

The two other boys started laughing too. Peter quickly found himself on the floor with James, rolling in his blankets, and Sirius was kicking his feet in the air.

If possible, they would've laughed until the sun had risen and the rooster whistled his morning song.

Thus, when fatigue forced him to close his eyes, James knew that the next seven years were going to be the best seven years ever.