Cursive Conundrums

xxvii

James avoided his dorm for the rest of the day.

He didn't know what to say to Remus and Sirius—he was annoyed, sure, but couldn't be overly angry with them. After all, if it were either of them he'd be curious too, and they didn't actually blast his bed or invade his privacy.

And then there was Peter.

James had no idea how to make things right with Peter, the boy's emotions were so sporadic, it was always difficult to gauge his reactions.

He slipped into the dorm only once a couple hours after dinner to change and grab his cloak and the map.

He was at the Slytherin portrait hole at eleven o'clock sharp, and Regulus came outside in a button down and trousers.

James reached out underneath the cloak and grabbed Regulus's wrist, dragging him under.

"I hate when you do that!" Regulus scowled, "scares the shite out of me."

James ignored him, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Hi."

"Hi." Regulus smiled, "where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise." James replied, lacing their hands together, "come on."

He pulled him along, stopping infront of the one-eyed witch statute.

"Dissendium."

He tapped his wand onto the stone and a slit opened in her hump.

"James, what the fuck?" Regulus stared.

"Come on!" James urged with a laugh, tugging on his arm, "it'll be fun, I promise."

"This isn't some secret ploy to murder me is it?" Regulus looked into the dark passageway.

"Just go." James rolled his eyes pushing him forward.

"Fine." Regulus stepped through the stone, "but so help me, James, if you murder me I will haunt you."

"Yeah, yeah," James laughed.

"Where does this let out?" Regulus asked, lighting his wand.

"Can't you just let it be a surprise?" James pouted.

"I didn't even know this existed." Regulus said, "how many are there in the castle."

"So far, we've found seven." James replied.

"They all lead to the same place?"

"No, different places." James said.

The tunnel eventually came to an end with a ladder and a trapdoor.

"I'll go first," James whispered, climbing up and pushing through.

He then signaled for Regulus to follow before throwing the invisibility cloak over the both of them.

"Is this the cellar of Honeydukes?" Regulus whispered.

"Yeah," James grinned, "come on."

They went up the staircase and out the back door into the night air.

"There's a passage in Hogwarts that leads to Honeydukes!" Regulus said in shock as they stood in-front of the store, "since when?"

"Since always I suppose." James said, "come on, it's just up that hill."

"The shrieking shack is up that hill."

"Yeah, come on!" James laughed.

"Are you mad?" Regulus scoffed, "it's haunted!"