All in the Family

Chapter 14: Nicolas Flamel

The scarlet plush carpet and gold trimmed furniture would have given it away, but Frank still easily deduced they must have landed in the Gryffindor common room even without that.

They were obviously in one of the towers, the view from the window showing the Whomping Willow in the distance and Hagrid's hut smoking mereily in a late afternoon sun. He'd always had a guess this particular house was opposite his own side of the castle, though he spun in a curious circle how remarkably more roomy it seemed, he'd been picturing medieval weapons upon all surfaces, and all the suits of armor to hang around in here.

Usual occupants of this place of course made themselves right at home, the four Marauders instantly claiming cushioned seats by the fire, though Black made a face as he lounged sideways across his, feet dangling near Potter's face. "Not as much fun when there's no competition for them."

Potter shoved the trainers away and seemed completely at ease with this, stating, "better than Guffin telling us off again for taking 'his' spot. Honestly, every time Percy's mentioned I think of that inflated Head Boy who thinks he owns this place."

"Which I still say is the reason not one person in the common room blamed you for getting the chair stuck to his backside," Pettigrew snickered.

"Down a chair, up a win," Lupin agreed as he slouched in his own nearest the fire and looked ready to take a nap.

Evans was resting on the girls stairs with a put out expression in place, evidently she'd tried to go up to her room to get away from all this for a moment but of course all of those were still blocked off.

Regulus was at the tables far away from everyone again, digging his pinky nail into the wood. Frank, finally decided he was curious enough about this one and went over to sit next to him, Alice following in surprise.

"I don't think we've ever been properly introduced-" he tried to begin politely.

"Did you realize that the third or fourth time we went jumping around," he muttered back without looking up. He was digging his nails into the wooden surface of the table and seemed completely transfixed on his task of carving something into place, without magic, which was odd in itself.

"Well to be fair, after all being shoved in a closet together, I think proper hello's were a thing of the past anyways," Alice said with chipper.

Regulus gave a small bit of laughter in agreement for that before using his other hand to wave vaguely. "These seats may not be sat next to a fire, but they're free."

"Thanks," the two said peaceably.

Awkward silence only hung though, as Regulus was being friendly enough but clearly not up to anymore of a conversation, so Frank summoned the book to him which somehow fell as if it had been stuck to the ceiling for whatever reason. Then he glanced up and saw that the house-elves had yet come through for a nightly cleaning, including unsticking many papers waded up to the wall with spit. He decided to use his wand to flip to the right part and continue.

The chapter itself certainly started off with a bang, not only promising more information of Nicolas Flamel being the chapter title, but a vivid nightmare that would give anyone the creeps. Then a tiny moment of joy in hearing of Quidditch practice for the Marauders, and then everything was ruined with Wood's announcement.

Not one of them could come up with why it was actually a good reason for Snape to be refereeing anything, let alone a Quidditch game. Though the idea sent Black into mirthless tears considering the only time he'd ever seen him on a broom before, even Evans was aghast at why he'd be doing any such thing.