stain ☾ remus lupin

THIRTYSEVEN

Professor Slughorn nodded as his robust figure crossed the room with wand in hand, "That is what I said dear, and I meant it. No foolish pranks this time between you two. I will return soon. A spell will be placed over the door."

"What?" James exclaimed as the last preposterous sentence sunk into his mind, but the door clicked shut without any sort of answer from the man.

The pair turned to each other instantly before their gaze shifted at once to the folded piece of paper that was innocently placed on the windowsill beside the owl that had unknowingly delivered news of a large amount of drama. When James's eyes strolled back to his flaxen haired friend, she simply nodded to signify she to wanted to know the content of the note.

As James crossed the room and picked up the paper to skim his eyes across it numerous times with a shocked expression, Freya stood on her tiptoes in her converse in order to see the writing from behind James's shoulder.

Horace — No time to explain. School has been attacked it seems. Chaos on first floor. Calling for backup. Leave Potter and Bradberry in whatever room you are in for detention. Lock and protect spell. Taking them back to their tower is too risky. Please come down to help. — Minerva.

Freya's mouth opened as she scanned the hastily written note with astonishment. It was no doubt to her that the backup the woman mentioned was the Order of the Phoenix, and she numbly wished that since the two were honorary members, they would be permitted to help rather than stuck in some empty room for an unspecified amount of time. James seemed to be thinking the same thing, and as another bang echoed down the corridor, he sighed.

As soon as the deep exhale of breath sounded from the boy, he sat up instantly, and his glasses slid down the brim of his nose in the process. His eyes widened underneath the lens. All the while, the only word that escaped his lips was a loud mutter of, "Padfoot!"

The girl stared back, "What?"

"He's out there," James pointed to the window, "Merlin knows Moony can defend himself, it's a bloody full moon! But Wormtail and Padfoot . . . If the school is really being attacked they need to be warned. No one knows they're out of bed."

Even more worry than before coated over her azure eyes as she nodded in agreement.

"How do you propose we get out of here?" The girl questioned as James unsuccessfully tugged on the doorknob. They were indeed locked in, and although anyone else would have thanked the Professor for his attempts at protecting them, the two friends were filled with a bitter feeling.

"Back up," James replied, and before Freya could even step back, the boy ran straight into the door with all his might, but it still did not budge.

Typically, Freya rolled her eyes, "Great going. Now if you don't mind."

James jumped to his feet with a groan at the impact and backed away from the door just in time.

"Expulso!" The young witch shouted and the door burst off the hinges and fell to the outside corridor's floor with a crash.

The girl immediately dashed across the surface of the oak door and into the hall. "Now, there's a real reason to have detention. What are you waiting for?"

"Well now that the bloody door is on the floor I can't leave you in here!"

"You're mad if you thought I'd stay," Freya spoke in response and waved her hand to get him to follow her into the corridor.