Chapter 1
December 22, 1975,
6:37 P.M.
James doesn’t know how he found the tiny green basket on the 4th floor, and that it so happened that in the basket, was a letter. James also does not know how he found himself in an empty charms classroom reading the letter- well actually he did, he was curious, always trying to get into people’s businesses, but not in intrusive way, in a liking-to-know-everything-about-everyone way, it comforted him to know how a person would react to a certain type of situation. But back to the letter. It didn’t have a from, or a to, so it seemed that whoever was supposed to receive this letter knew already who sent it. He had read it three times already, trying to find a clue as to who it could be, but it was the same thing everytime:
It’s almost Christmas, you know, the day of joy, and “jolly” times. Honestly I don’t know how people can celebrate a holiday like this, it always brings back memories, of you know, mum, dad, our cousins. I’m glad that I got to stay at school rather than home. Mum didn’t want me to, at first, because you were here, but I managed to convince her. I just wanted to spend one Christmas with you. I’m terrified of what she’s going to do when she finds out that I’ve spent time with you, but it will be worth it. So I was thinking that you could meet me in the Astronomy tower the 25th, at 23:45. You probably have a Christmas party, I know your house is big on parties. But I thought maybe you could sneak out, it will only be for like 25 minutes. Also I know you’re getting my letters because they’re not in the basket so stop ignoring me.
- 12 4 8
The “12”, “4”, and “8” is what confused James the most. Was it a code? Obviously. It was obvious that these were siblings writing to each other, and they weren't in the same house, James had gathered that much, or else why would the letter on the 4th floor. Also, whoever these people are, are supposed to meet up for Christmas. James did not put the letter back, instead, he wrote his own:
Hey. I don’t know who this is, or who you're sending it to. I don’t even know why I’m writing to be honest. This is kind of awkward. Well it’s not, cause no one’s here, but, I’m just writing to someone random. Oh god this is crazy. Anyways, who are you? I feel like a detective not going to lie, like this is a mystery that I’m going to find out. Also, who has a Christmas party?! Cause I want to go! Since whoever you are doesn’t know who I am, I LOVE parties, quite frankly you could say parties love ME, So I would like to know where this party is situated please. That’s it, I have no idea how this is going to get back to you, and I’m not going to sign, since you didn’t, plus I don’t want you to know who I am so that you don’t ruin my investigation :)
- Uh I don’t really know what to put, 1 2 3? I guess we're putting random numbers?
James folded his paper, and placed it in the basket. As soon as the letter was placed inside, it vanished. James looked around to see where it could’ve gone, but it was nowhere in sight. Then he realized that there was probably a spell on it, to deliver it between the two siblings. He gathered his things and walked out the classroom. It was getting late, and Sirius was probably going to bombard him with questions. As he walked down the hallway, he heard someone’s footsteps behind him. He stopped, turned around a corner and flattened himself against the wall, not wanting to get in trouble. The footsteps got louder, and a person loomed out of the corner. James leaned forward, trying to get a look at the student,
“Pads?”
Sirius startled and turned around abruptly, pointing his wand at James. Realizing who it was, he lowered it, relaxing a little bit.
“Oh sorry, thought you were snivellus or something,” He looked around anxiously.
“Oh, uh ok? Wait, what are you doing here?” James asked, finally realizing how odd it was for Sirius to be here.
“Oh uh… just, you know, just out for a stroll in the castle..” James raised an eyebrow.
“Wait what are you doing here,” Sirius asked, looking up at James.
“I- well, I was just-”
“You were just?” Sirius asked, amused.
James rolled his eyes, “I was going to go to the kitchens to get food.”
“On the fourth floor?”
“You know what, I was just leaving anyway,” James backed from the wall and started walking down the hallway, only to hear Sirius’ footsteps catch up to him.
“Not so fast Jamie-boy!-” Sirius said, putting an arm around him.
“I literally told you to stop calling me that”
“-I know you weren’t going to the kitchens-,” Sirius said, ignoring him.
“I was.”
“-So come one tell me, what are you doing here? Ooh! Are you meeting a girl?” Sirius nudged him with his elbow and winked at him.
James rolled his eyes again but was smiling a little. That’s what he liked about Sirius, he always made him smile.
“Ew, as if I would tell you, you’d probably go around the entire school telling everyone that I’m meeting up with a girl that’s not Evans,” James said, smirking.
Sirius gasped dramatically, “ Oh my god!”
“What?”
“Don't tell me you’re over Evans?”
“Eh, I mean, I guess? It’s not that I'm ‘over’ her,” James said, “But a man has got to know which battles they’ve lost, know what I mean?” James said, falling into Sirius arms dramatically, putting a hand over his heart.
“Ha! A man, you? Never would’ve guessed” Sirius said, pushing James off.
“Pads! You wounded me!”
“Eh, you’ll get over it.”
“And here I thought, you were going to propose, that we’d live happily ever after,” he brought his hands to his heart, looking up at Sirius dreamly.
“Yeah I was just about to get on one knee,” Sirius said sarcastly.
“Your right, I should be the one to get down on one knee, be much more fitting,”
“ I think July,”
“July?”
“For the wedding, you know during the summer, no school, nice weather.” Sirius ducked, sniggering, to avoid James hitting the back of his head.
“Well, I have to go back to our dorm, so I’ll just let you walk around the castle, thinking about how you turned down the best husband in the world,” James smirked, pointing to himself.
“Oh honestly, so full of yourself,” Sirius said.
“You’re one to talk,” James scoffed.
“See I think you’re wrong Jamie-boy-”
“God not this again,”
“-I’d be the best husband, I mean I have great husband material,”
“Really?”
“Yeah, you know, all those years my darling mother ‘raised’ me to be the ‘perfect’ husband for one of my own cousins."
“So obviously out of the four of us, you’d be the best husband.”
“Obviously,” Sirius said.
James sighed, “Well then, it’s decided, I think you just marry yourself,” James said seriously.
Sirius nodded, “I agree, much more affordable too.”
“We’re literally rich,”
“Ohhh, right”
They looked at each other before bursting out laughing.
“Anyways, as much as this was fun, I really do have to go.”
“Mind saying where?”
“Kitchens? Don’t know, feeling kind of hungry.” James said with a shrug.
“Ah, finally going there after a nice stroll on the fourth floor huh?”
James sighed dramatically, “You know me so well,” he started making his way towards the staircase.
“Hey! Make sure to bring me back some pies!” Sirius yelled from the hallway.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever."
7:35 P.M.
James made his way up to their dorm. He didn’t know if Sirius was back, he hadn’t taken that long in the kitchens, but he had hid out there a while because he had heard a teacher or a prefect outside, probably checking the corridors to make sure no students were out of bed.
He opened the door to find Moony and Peter playing chess with a bunch of emptied chocolate frogs' and muggle chocolate wrappers around them.
From the look of it, Peter was beating Moons by a lot.
“Hey, so I was going to the kitchens, and guess who I see,” James says, sitting down on his bed watching the two boys concentrate on their next move.
“Castle to E4; uh I don't know? Snivellus?” Peter asked, not even looking up at James.
James rolled his eyes, “No, not snivellus, I saw Pads. Did y'all see him leave, did he tell you where he was going,”
Remus looked up at him, “He said he was going to meet up with you.”
James scoffed, “Really? Is that what he said?” Remus nodded, “Oh that lying son of a bitch.”
“I’m sorry I don't quite understand,” Peter said, still not looking at James, but at Remus, waiting for him to make his move, “I mean, as much as I love this, why are we calling Pads a son of a bitch?”
“Because Wormy, he told me he was going for a stroll in the castle, he practically tried to get rid of me when I bumped into him, so tell me why he would lie to you by saying he’s going to meet me, when in fact he didn’t want to meet me?”
Peter finally looked up at James, his eyes widening, James could practically see the gears working in his head, “He’s seeing a girl isn’t he!?”
“Exacto! Now who? That’s the next question!” James said, excited.
“Hm, who do you think Moons?” Peter asked, returning his attention back to the game.
“Queen to E4,” Remus said with an edge in his voice, taking Peter’s castle.
Peter tutted, “Eh, Moons?”
“Sorry what?”
“Pads? Which girl do you think he’s meeting up with?”
“Ehhh, I don’t know? Why would I know?” He had a coldness in his voice, and he was concentrating on the game a little more than necessary.
“You okay Moony?” James asked, “Did something happen?”
Remus looked up, “No sorry, just you know, thinking about… Eh school? And homework” he said consciously, “Don’t really have time to care about who Padfoot is shagging” he added under his breath, but only James seemed to have heard him.
“Oh ok, well I guess we should just check the map then,” James got up to open the drawer and which they magically locked so that if people came snooping in their dorm, they wouldn’t find it.
“No Prongs! We agreed that we would never spy on each other when we created the map!’ Peter wailed, getting up from where he was sitting to stop James from activating the map.
“Oh come on, don’t you want to know who Sirius is sneaking out with? Hm? No? Moony?”
“Not really no,” Remus said while getting a fag out and lighiting it.
“Merlin Moony, do you mind, at least go down in the common room if you're going to that here, gonna get the whole bloody dorm stinking,” James said.
“Fine, I’ll leave you to spy on Padfoot, but don’t bring me into this, I don’t want to know who he’s sticking his dick in,” Remus got up to leave.
“Fucking hell Moony!” Peter said, while James groaned, “Didn’t have to get graphic.”
“What? That’s what you're trying to figure out right?” he said before slamming the door of their dorm.
“Wow, something definitely happened,” Peter said. James nodded.
Why was Remus so mad? They only wanted to tease Sirius about who he was going out with, he didn’t need to get so angry.
But Remus was always angry, even when he didn’t seem like he was angry. He always bottled things up, it was a bit annoying sometimes, it made it hard to talk to him. He wished Remus opened more to them, that way they could help him, but it was better to not pressure Remus, let him come to you on his own accord.
“Anyways do you want to see or not?” James asked, waving the map in the air.
Peter sighed “Fine, but never. Again. Okay?”
“Yay! Have I ever told you you’re my favorite Wormy?”
“No.”
“Well I’m telling you now!”
“Yay,” He said, in a monotone voice, “Now get on with it."
James cleared his throat dramatically while Peter rolled his eyes, “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” He pointed his wand at the map and watched as the ink started to appear in the middle and spread across the parchment.
He unfolded the map delicately like it was a piece of gold. It was their most prized possession, mostly Moony’s, but they all had contributed in some way.
He and Peter scanned the map for Sirirus’ name.
“There.” Peter pointed at the name ‘Sirius Black’ in a delicate ribbon, hovering in the 4th floor.
“No one else is with him? He’s been there for a while, no?” Peter asked.
“Yeah..”James looked at the map again, why was Sirius still there? “Well that's it I guess, no need for this anymore.” He whispered ‘Mischief Managed’ and watched as the ink disappeared until it was a blank piece of parchment once again.
“So that’s it then?”
“Yeah that’s it, hey go fetch Moony will you, what friends are we if we let him sulk in own self misery?” James said, while getting undressed to put on his pyjamas.
Peter nodded and walked out the door, and into the Common Room. As if on queue, the basket in which he had found the letter appeared on his bed with a whoosh, with another letter inside. James looked at the door, making sure no one walked through, before grabbing the letter and opening it:
First of all, who the fuck are you to say that you’re going to figure out who I am? And wow! You are full of yourself. I will not be telling you about the party because then you will most definitely figure out who I am, and quite frankly I would very much not like that. Second of all, you are not a detective, for one, that’s a ridiculous thing to say, and two, how do you know about detectives? Because only the weird Muggles have those, so I am going to find out who you are. Third of all I seriously doubt that parties love you, because parties cannot love anything, they’re not a person and don't have feelings. And lastly, did you put the letter back in the basket!? Because that was very important and the person should have had that letter delivered to them! Also do not ever write to me again, I am warning you. Also, do NOT tell anyone about this,
-12 4 8
James read the letter and scrambled to his desk to get a piece of parchment, a feather, and ink. He started writing:
Okay, so you seem a bit mad, honestly I don’t know why, I’m just writing to you, it’s not like I committed a crime or something. And just because I know about detectives, does not mean that I’m Muggle-born or half blood, I could just have Muggle-born friends, or, I could just be cultured. So you have not found out anything about me in fact, you probably moved backwards. And how do you know about detectives? I have caught you! Also, I don’t see why you can’t tell me where the party is, it won’t tell me anything since each house probably has a party, but fine, I’ll just go to mine, and I will be the star of the show. Also can we go back on you calling Muggles weird? What’s up with that? Muggles are not weird. This is making me think that I’m writing to a Death Eater. Holy fuck are you a Death Eater!? Probably not, you seemed pretty sweet in your first letter, which no, I did not put it back, but you could just rewrite it right? Onto your next point, I’m not even going to say anything about how parties feel nothing. And spoiler alert, I will write to you, so you better get use to this, I’m very stubborn you won’t get rid of me that easy,
-1 2 3 ♡
James folded the letter, he heard footsteps and Peter and Remus’ voices in the hall. He hurried up to his bed, and dropped the letter in the basket. It disappeared just as soon as Peter opened the door.
“Uhh hey, Moony…” He said, catching his breath.
Remus looked at him skeptically.
“Uh hey?” He went to his bed and changed into his pyjamas, “James what are you doing?”
James realized that he was standing in a really awkward position, with both his legs on the ground, but his elbow was on his bed, making him lean practically at a 90 degrees angle.
“Oh eh,” he shot up, and put his hands on his waist, trying to act innocent, “No…thing” he said slowly, “Uh, what are, uh, you doing.”
“Going to bed.”
“Right, uh me too.”
“James, are you okay?” Peter asked.
“Yeah! Just you know, going to bed!” He got in bed and closed the curtains so fast that he thought they were going to rip.
“James? Are you sure you’re okay?” He could hear Peter right outside his curtains.
“Yeah, yeah I am, sorry, just tired, and, thinking about…” there was a pause, “Pads? Just wondering when he’s going to come back, you know, so he doesn’t get in trouble.”
He could hear Peter nod, but Remus spoke first, “Being caught what? Shagging someone in a random classroom?” He scoffed, James could hear him rummaging his drawers for something, he wished he could see them, but he was scared the basket was going to appear again, “Yeah he’ll definitely get in trouble with that.”
“What’s your problem Moony?” James heard Peter say, frustrated.
“I have no problem,” although there was a hint of jealousy in his voice, “Like I said, Black can shag whoever he wants”
“Oh so it's ‘Black’ now, not even Sirius? Are yall fighting? Cause if you are you two better get your shit together before bringing me and Prongs down with yall.”
James felt guilty about not intervening, but Pete was right, he hated when Sirius and Remus fought, it just felt like the Marauders weren’t really Marauders.
“We're not fighting,” Remus mumbled.
James peaked through his curtains, Peter had his back to him, and Remus was sitting on his own bed, face down.
“Did you know that Pads wasn’t meeting up with anyone tonight.” Both Remus and Peter startled, looking over at James who had opened his curtains a little bit so they could see him, “Cause if your jealous, or anything,-”
“I’m not jealous!”
“I never said you were, but if he, I don’t know, goes after the bird you fancy, then we can understand while you're mad at him.”
“I don’t fancy anyone!” Remus snapped, then frowned, “Wait what do you mean he’s not meeting up with anyone? What is he doing then?”
James shrugged, “Don’t know, but he was all alone, and he’s been there for a long time.”
Remus looked at Peter before crossing their dorm and opening the drawer with the map inside. James looked at Peter anxiously. Peter just shrugged back, and walked over to Remus.
“I solemnly swear that I am up to good”
James watched Remus open the map and scan it for Sirius’ name.
“Oh shit”
James threw a glance at his bed before joining the two boys around the map.
“What’s wrong?”
Peter looked at him unbothered, “Nothing, he’s in Professor Slughorn’s office, so he probably got caught, but no one else is there, so I guess he wasn’t meeting up with anyone.”
Peter walked over to his bed, “Anyways, night mates,” he said before closing the curtains.
“Night” Remus responded before ‘Mischief Managing’ the map.
“Yeah night Wormy”
“I don’t understand” Remus looked up at him.
James was trying to read Remus’ emotion, he seemed relieved but anxious at the same time.
“What? Why he’s all alone? Trust me, me neither” James started making his way to his bed.
“Well you talked to him right? Did he not tell you where he was going?”
“No, he said he was ‘walking around the castle’ which is obviously a lie, so I thought he was meeting up with someone and just didn’t want us to know about it.” James frowned realizing what he just said. Sirius always told him everything, a fancying a girl wasn’t going to stop him, so why did he not want James to know what he was doing. To be fair, James had also lied, but that was different.
“Exactly, so what’s he doing? And now he’ll probably have detention, so he won’t-” Remus was interrupted by a whoosh from behind James curtains.
“Uh.. I’ll- Uh I should probably go to bed, yeah, I’ll, uh talk to you tomorrow okay? Really Sorry!” He practically ran to his bed and closed the curtains, seeing the familiar green basket with a new letter inside.
“Ehh, James? Are you okay? What was that?”
“Oh! Uh nothing! Just a- Uh potion, that exploded, I was experimenting!”
“Oh okay? Goodnight I guess?”
“Night Moony!” James called from the curtains. He let out his breath, before taking the letter and opening, with a strange feeling in his stomach of excitement:
Wow. You are really ridiculous, you know that? Also I’m extremely offended that you thought I was a Death Eater. And probably more offended that you called me ‘sweet’. First of all, I think Muggles are weird in a fascinating way you weirdo. And you haven’t caught anything so I don’t know what’s up with you. Second of all, you are being very mean, taking out a letter from my basket, reading it, and not even putting it back. I mean who does that? And why do you want to write to me? What’s so interesting about me? ALSO, can we talk about the heart??? Like what’s up with that?? It seems very sarcastic, and I do not appreciate it. And honestly you’re being dramatic saying that I won’t get rid of you, trust me I will. I will do everything I can for you to not discover who I am, and for you to stop talking to me,
-12 4 8
P.s. You look ridiculous with your ‘1 2 3’
James tried not to laugh, before getting his paper and starting to write again:
Sorry I accused you of being a Death Eater, at least I know that you’re not with them, that’s good. And I’m sorry about the letter, I still have it, so I can still put it back in the basket if you’d like. I just don’t know how the spell works, so I don’t know how it will get back to them. Sorry if I seemed mean, didn’t mean to, although your letter was really funny, I tried not to laugh so my friends wouldn’t hear me. My heart is for my undying love for you ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡, I love you ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ It’s not at all sarcastic, trust me. And trust me I will do everything in my power to keep you ♡,
-1 2 3
P.s. I do not look ridiculous with my ‘1 2 3’, you’re the one that looks ridiculous, Mr./Ms. ‘12 4 8’
P.s.2. Are you a boy or a girl?
Proud with himself, (he had added even more hearts) James folded the letter and put it back in the basket. With another Whoosh, it was gone.
He laid down, pulling the covers. He thought about ‘12 4 8’, it was a little odd calling them that, but it was all he had. He wondered who they were, what house they were in, although that didn’t really matter. Unless it's Slytherin. But they didn’t sound like one.
Eventually, he fell asleep, not hearing Sirius come back in.