The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

Honeydukes

"Yes Professor," McGonagall said, though she would certainly fret - whatever Dumbledore's suggestion may be.

Peter Pettigrew was leading the way through the tunnel that led from Gunhilda of Gorsemoor to the mysterious candy-filled storeroom, the other three following close behind him. "Blimey, that's a load of stairs," complained James when they'd come to the bottom of the long staircase.

"Just wait until you're going back up them," Peter warned.

James groaned.

Remus followed along, looking about, clutching the parchment that held the drawings of their map, taking notes and counting their footsteps to see just how far they were going to reach the storeroom. James had brought along the invisibility cloak and wore his watch so that they could keep track of the time and wear the cloak back to Gryffindor Tower if it was past the time they were allowed to be out and about the castle. The last thing they needed was another run-in with Argus Filch.

"I can't believe you did this yourself!" Sirius exclaimed, slapping Peter on the back proudly, "Good one, Peter."

"Yeah, mate, good one!" James echoed.

It was precisely the praise Peter had hoped to hear and he puffed up at the sound of the words ringing in his ears.

They reached the little stairs that led to the trapdoor in the floor that led into the storeroom Peter had found and Remus finally rolled up the parchment and tucked it into the pocket of his robes. They clustered about on the stairs, their ears as close to the door as they could get them, and stood, waiting - listening. There was not a sound to be heard in the room above them, so Sirius, the bravest and most reckless of them, shoved it opened heartily.

The storeroom was dark, as was the little window that Peter had been able to see through the last time he'd been there. No sign of passersby filled the glass this time, and no light filtered through the snow that framed the window. Sirius waved his still-lighted wand about as he climbed out of the trap door and had a look about. He was quickly followed by James, then Peter and finally Remus, who entered a bit more reluctantly than the other three.

"All these boxes are filled to the rim with candy," Peter said, going to one and opening it up. Inside were scorpion pops and another box beside it held sugar mice.

James peered inside a box and found pumpkin pasties. He licked his lips eagerly and reached in for handfuls of his favorite sweet.

Remus, who had bent low to examine one of the boxes more closely, stood upright. "Wait," he said urgently, turning to face the other three just as Sirius was about to bite into a jelly slug, "Don't eat anything. It's stealing - we're in the cellar of ---"

But before he could say where, the big purple door at the top of the stairwell burst open.

"Nox!" shouted James, thinking quickly.

"Stupefy!" a deep voice called from the stairs.

"Nox," hissed Sirius, throwing himself to the floor behind some of the crates. Remus and Peter did the same, plunging the storeroom into darkness, save for flying red sparks that flew overhead, bursting against boxes that broke open, spilling chocolate frogs and pepper imps raining over them.

"Stupefy!" the deep voice shouted once again.

There was a scurry of limbs and the slamming of the trap door. "Colloportus!" Remus shouted quickly, aiming his sparks at the trap door. "C'mon, run," he commanded the others and before waiting for an answer, they ran pell-mell away from the door through the dark, stumbling over one another, painting, clutching their sides.