chapter eight
The four made their way back to the common room together, Remus leaning on Peter, but holding one of Marigold's hand still. She and Marlene swing her remaining one between them, serenading the boys with a terrible rendition of some romantic disco song. The girls cackled and Marigold coughed from the strain, but the boys smiled fondly.
“Alright I’ll leave you two here,” Peter brushed his hands off after assisting Remus into his seat on the grand sofa.
It was a deep crimson color, warm and soft to the touch, but pillowy enough to not sink to much from use. It had grand golden wood details and was usually adorned with gold silk and linen throw blankets. It happened to be Marigold’s favorite in the entire world.
“Where are you scurrying off to?” Remus seethed a bit in pain before laughing lightly at the inside joke.
“Lunch, of course,” Peter answered.
“I’ll bring you two something when we get back!” Marlene promised her friend, who by the time was positively curled up into Remus’ side underneath his good arm.
The fire was lit and roaring, its heat much appreciated by the two ill-feeling teenagers. A thought suddenly occurred to Marigold, that she had not seen Sirius today, nor James but he was less shock, of course.
“Rem, where’s Sirius, do you know?” She blinked up at him from his chest.
“He’s still sleeping I bet, you know how late he stays in bed for,” Remus pondered himself, before feeling a bit guilty. “Yeah I’m sure he’s asleep, he stayed up all night to help me.”
“I’ll fetch him, he can come sleep down here with you,” Marigold pecked Remus’ nose before she hopped up.
She climbed the stairs to the boys' dormitory at a record pace, but immediately attempted to be silent as she opened their door. She scanned the room at spotted James very clearly still asleep in bed. Her eyes drifted to Sirius’.
Only, Sirius was missing. That wasn’t the issue, the issue was the black dog curled up soundly on his sheets.
Marigold, not wanting to wake James but so incredibly intrigued by the animal, crept toward the bed. She surmised that Sirius must be in the restroom or already at lunch. She sat down next to the dog and smiled fondly.
It was a truly adorable thing, soft black hair with long ears and a long fluffy tail. She tentatively ran a hand over the dog’s head, gauging its reaction to touch. The dog sighed a little and nuzzled into her touch. She beamed at this and began scratching behind its ears.
She was growing fonder of the pet by the minute, laying herself down over her friend's pillows to better reach its head. The dog yawned and opened its eyes slowly. Marigold cooed at it as she scratched behind the opposite ear now.
Suddenly it picked its head up fully, glancing down at its paws then back at the girl, seeming shocked. Marigold’s brows furrowed at the human-like action. It suddenly started to back away but she caught it around its neck with one arm.
“Stay here with me puppy,” She hummed, petting it once more. It seemed to work as the dog calmed down and seemed to enjoy the comfort. “Oh, Remus would love you,”
She had very little concern for the repercussions of sneaking a dog around Hogwarts, the cold was causing a temporary lack of judgment.
The dog seemed nervous as she lead it down the stairs, her hand on its head gently the entire way.
“Remy, look what Sirius snuck in!” She alarmed with delight.
Remus sleepy eyes drifted over the girl, his lazy smile quickly shifting at the sight. Sirius in animagus form stood sheepishly next to his friend.
“Oh god, Pads,” Remus stifled a laugh.
“So he has a name already?” Marigold resumed her place next to Remus.
“Yeah, he’s got quite a few actually,” Remus reach to scratch the dog's chin. “Don’t ya good boy?”
The dog rolled its eyes, something that Marigold was able to catch.
“Well come on then, Pads darling,” Marigold patted her lap.
“You sure, a dog on the sofa in the common room?” Remus sat up to convince her otherwise.
“Sirius can always change back,” She hummed, but not before the dog had lept eagerly into her lap.
Remus shook his head and barked out a laugh, Marigold was just as quick as they were troublesome.
The black dog gave her a look, before glancing around the room. He decided the coast was clear enough, and he turned himself back into his normal self. He glared at the woman, though his head remained on her legs adoringly.
“They always call you Padfoot, do they not?” She smirked, messing up his hair with her fingers. “And how come you’re Mooney?”
“That’s uh, that’s-“ Sirius grimaced.
“We’ll tell you later tonight, somewhere more private,” Remus spoke over him.
“Really?“ Sirius’ head shot up from the girl to get a better look at his best friend.
“She knows you're an animagi now, good job falling asleep as Snuffles by the way,” Remus deflected the attention back at him, shy.
“Yeah I don’t know, that rarely happens,” The brunette settled his head back onto the woman’s legs.
“Shall I start your charms essay now?” Marigold decided to drop the subject after privacy had been promised.
“No, you’re sick, I can help him,” Remus disagreed.
“You’re sick?” Sirius grabbed a hand of hers, bringing it to his cheek.
“Just a cold, Siri, I can still do it!”
“No, you two rest up, it’s my homework anyway isn’t it?” Sirius proclaimed as he sat up fully.
“But you’re really tired, I insist,” Marigold reasoned, trying to push him back down. “You two lay down and sleep, I’ll wake you up when I’m done.”
“No way baby, if you’re up so am I,” Sirius stood to stretch and fetch supplies.
“Me too,” Sitting forward, Remus leaned his chin lazily on the girl's shoulder.
It took the three pieces of a single brain cell all but an hour and a half to finish the damned essay. It had exhausted them even more, all the thinking and planning and writing and correcting. Later, when their friends found them asleep they were still in the same position when they finally set the assignment down.
Remus laid on his back, head staring up at the ceiling, his wounded arm above his head, his good one discarded on Marigold’s sternum. She laid on her back in between his legs, her head on his chest, head towards the golden embers.
Sirius was between hers, in turn, but on his stomach with his head pressed into her stomach. He snored softly, mouth open with only a bit of drool on the girl’s dress. Lily and Dorcas snapped a few Polaroids, Marlene, Peter, and James posing in a couple of them even.