Serendipity (S. Black)

FORTY-FOUR

"What's tonight?"

"A strategy meeting," he answered vaguely, grinning as he examined the leaf. "So this spell can heal cuts?"

Lily nodded, but she wasn't deterred from her own curiosity. "What's the meeting for?"

"Lilyflower, you're not a Marauder, so I can't disclose that information to you." He winked and stood, rumpling his hair out of habit. "I will say that it has to do with an annual event coming up in the next few weeks, but that's all I can share without risking my life."

Lily brushed off her skirt as she stood, her mind whirring until she landed on what must be the event. "Halloween?"

James drew a finger across his smiling lips, all but confirming her suspicions. The realization didn't exactly surprise her. Believing April Fool's Day was too obvious and cliche for mischief, the Marauders generally picked their best prank for the last day of October. "My lips are sealed. I didn't tell you anything."

A loud crash interrupted their conversation and Lily backed away from him, a deep blush creeping up her neck. Now she noticed how close they were.

James frowned momentarily at her behavior, then laughed when he saw the source of the commotion.

"All right there, Blondie?"

Eva picked herself up off of the bottom step, rolling her eyes. "Maybe you could suggest a ski lift at that prefect meeting of yours."

"Maybe you could learn how to walk," he retorted.

The blonde shrugged playfully. "Nah, I've survived this long. Have you guys seen Sirius?"

"Room of Requirement," James supplied.

"Okay, I'll try. What did he want there?"

"The place where he likes to go," James said. "Just think that, and I think it should work. Probably. Don't quote me on it, though."

Eva nodded and slipped out of the common room, a smile on her face at the thought of James and Lily finally getting together. Finally. It wasn't happening, not yet, but the wheels were in motion.

After a few minutes of dodging students and another unfortunate tumble down a set of moving stairs, Eva found herself standing in front of a wall on the seventh floor. She bit her lip, hoping it would work.

I need the place where Sirius likes to go.

A tall black door materialized, and she gripped the big handle, pushing it open and closing it gently.

The room looked oddly familiar, although it wasn't a place she had ever seen before. Then, with a jolt, she began to recognize pieces of it. A roaring fireplace reminiscent of the one in Gryffindor Tower. A couch she knew belonged in the Potter basement with a gold and scarlet banner draped over it. A small window similar to the one in his apartment. A Bohemian Rhapsody poster was tacked to the far wall.

She was so caught up in her surroundings that she didn't even think to look for Sirius. Then, the soft tinkling of classical music reached her ears, and she spotted him in the corner, his back to her, hunched over a piano.

"Sirius?" She asked softly, hoping not to startle him. He only flinched slightly, then turned around, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Oh. Hey." The two hadn't spoken for two weeks beyond a passing hello. She half expected him to just turn around again, but he bit his lip and moved over on the bench, making room for her to join him. She sat so that their shoulders were brushing. Sirius began to play something faintly familiar on the piano, speaking as he did. "Who told you I was here?"