𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐂𝐊𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄, james potter

³¹, WHERE WE GO

  Salem didn't give up so easily, but James just shook his head and wedged his arms between Sirius and Salem, and with a bit of struggle, picked the redhead up.

  "Put me down!"

  "What are you—!"

  Salem halted her thrashing, brushing her unruly hair out of her face to see Lily had been the one to stumble upon the group.

  "They're rubbing off on you."

  The redhead's expression turned to pure annoyance, crossing her arms as James refused to put her feet back on the ground.

  "They are not."

  "Are too," Lily teased with a grin, "Come on, before the boats leave without us."

  Sirius scrambled up from the floor, quickly returning to the safety of Remus as James let Salem down. The girl huffed, pushing her hair back, before grabbing her trunk. Remus informed the group that Dottie and Peter were already waiting for them and that they should hurry, and they filed out rather quickly.

  But as Salem reached the portrait hole, she faltered.

  Once she left, that was it. Never to see this room again.

  "Don't want to leave?"

  Salem turned, smiling gently at James.

  "Not really," She mumbled, letting her eyes dance across the decorations of the common room.

  "You found your home, too, didn't you?"

  "Yeah," Salem nodded, gently grabbing James's hand, "But you're coming with me, so it'll be alright."

  James simply squeezed her hand in response.

⥊

  Dottie Fitzgerald, Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, and Marlene McKinnon boarded a boat after agreeing they'd meet up at the Hogwarts Express. The next boat that came along housed Sirius Black, Lily Evans, James Potter, and Salem Gerard.

  "Who'd you ride with your first year?"

  "You, Moony—"

  "Not you," Sirius laughed at James, "Gerard."

  "Dottie," Salem attempted to remember, "Um. . . Dorcas, and Alice."

  "Stay friends with them?"

  "You four were lucky," Salem smiled at James, "Not likely that you meet your three best friends for life at age eleven."

  "Well," Lily sighed, "I think you're just as lucky."

  "How so, Lils?"

  "You found your friends for life at age seventeen."

  Sirius grinned at the girl's comment.

  "Well, you're a bit concerted, aren't you?" Salem asked, making both James and Sirius laugh as the boat lurched into motion, "I have, though. Can't imagine a life without you lot anymore."

  James just smiled, scooting closer to the girl and wrapping a gentle arm around her. 

  "We can't imagine one without you either, Sal."

  The rest of the boat ride was relatively silent. Salem's head rested on James's shoulder as they floated across the Black Lake, and none of them had any mind for anything other than the sight behind them.

  Hogwarts was just as beautiful as Salem remembered. The castle alight with candles and starlight, reflecting with dancing details on the dark water. It was simply a building. But the people inside, students and teachers, the traditions and classes, her favorite courtyard and tree, the kind creatures and magical plats— that's what made it home.