Limerence | A James & Lily Story

Secrets

     I watch as the shimmering, silver material cascades down my disappearing body. I had never lost my awe for the fabric's ability to hide me from sight. I glance over to see Sirius and Peter making the same face as we all vanish from sight. Peter stands in the middle; Sirius and I hunch slightly to not expose our legs.  

     "Ready?" I ask. They both nod at me giving me the go ahead. I quietly open the door to our room, and we all ease out the door, shutting it carefully behind us.

     I take a deep breath looking at the stairs below us; this is always the hardest part. We make our way down the steps one at a time, careful not to send each other tumbling. I celebrate silently when we make it to the bottom. 

     We practically tiptoe through the common room, trying to reach the portrait hole as quickly and quietly as possible. I watch Lily talk to Marlene in a quiet conversation, and I notice the worry lines stretched across Lily's forehead. I feel a twist of guilt knowing she's worried about us. The guilt deepens knowing we've asked her to keep a very large secret from her best friend. 

     I shake the thoughts from my head and push us through the portrait hole. Once we are out in the corridor, walking is made slightly easier. We make our way to the secret passageway that has become so familiar to us in the past few years. 

     When we are in the safety of the tunnel, we shed the cloak, and I pull it through one of my belt loops for safe keeping. The walk to the shack is a brisk one as we silently make our way towards Remus. 

     "Do you think he's transformed yet?" Sirius asks slightly out of breath, pushing his long hair from his eyes.

     "Dunno," I shrug. 

     As we crawl into the filthy building, I stash the cloak in its normal hiding place for safe keeping. I listen for the sound of clawing or howling, but it is silent inside. 

     "Moony?" Sirius calls out. 

     "Are you crazy?" I demand, shoving his chest. "If he has transformed he can't hear us."

     "I'll go check," Peter nods. Before either of us can comment, Peter's body contorts into that of a rat's. He scurries up the stairs, his small claws making scratching noises against the wooden floors. We wait patiently and quietly as Peter checks the upstairs bedroom. 

      SQUEAK. SQUEAK. SQUEAK. Peter's rat form comes rushing down the stairs frantically squealing as he does so. The bedroom door burst open at the top of the stairs, releasing a cloud of dust and debris with the small explosion. A large werewolf throws himself from the room, against the wall of the hallway. 

      "Fuck!" Sirius cries. The werewolf turns it's unnatural shade of green eyes on us; an aggressive snarl rips through its teeth. More squealing fills the small room. Peter is warning us to get out. We have to get out. 

     "Sirius, go now!" I yell, pushing against his side. A howl so shrill echoes through the shack, it raises goose flesh along the lengths of my arms. "Go, go, go!"

     Sirius and I push through the door leading into the downstairs bedroom, just as clawing sound begins on the stairs. We push a chest of drawers against the door to buy us a small amount of time. 

     A sound like nails on a chalkboard sounds as the dresser bounces against the door. "Change, James!" 

     I watch as Sirius shrinks slightly, and his bones contort into that of a large dog's. Another howl sounds, and I allow myself to change as well. Just as my vision is beginning to clarify and the noises around me become sharper, the piece of furniture falls to the floor and a large crack appears in the middle of the door.