Most of my day was spent anxiously waiting for the night. As nervous as I was about sneaking out, I couldn't help but feel excited. James had met up with me after breakfast and told me to meet them in the common room at midnight. He had also said I couldn't mention it to the girls. I didn't plan to anyway as I knew they would try to talk me out of it.
"I think that Slytherin boy is staring at you, (Y/n)," says Lily.
She tilts her head in the direction of the Slytherin table in front of us. My eyes scan the students until I notice an attractive guy staring at me. When our eyes meet, he smirks and his friends laugh.
"He looks like a jerk."
Marlene looks back and waves at him, "Oh, he definitely is. He's hot, though."
"I'm gonna go get ready for bed now," I say, standing up.
James stands up and follows me closely. There's a slight bounce in his step as he leans down to whisper, "Are you ready to see Hogsmeade?"
"Yes, but shouldn't you be fawning over Lily right now?" I ask.
He tilts his head in confusion but quickly nods, "Right, I'll see you tonight."
I shake my head as he gives me a goofy salute and runs back to the dining hall. Ever since Remus told the Marauders I had agreed to sneak out, James has been clingy. I find that I don't seem to mind it as much now. It's nice having friends here.
The Fat Lady ignores me when I tell her the password, "Why are you back so early?"
"I ate my dinner, and now I wish to rest."
She narrows her eyes, "You're the girl that's been hanging out with those troublesome boys."
"I suppose I am," I say, sighing in annoyance.
She still refuses to let me inside, "You all must be up to something."
"We aren't. Now, can you please let me inside?" I ask.
"Naughty girl, you should stay away from those heathens."
The Marauders themselves stroll up, and Sirius throws an arm around my shoulders. He smiles up at the portrait, "Heathens? Is that what you really think of us?"
"My, I truly am offended," James says, resting a hand on his chest.
The Fat Lady finally opens the door, "Go on then. Get out of my sight."
James gives her a mocking bow as we pass through the entrance. The door slams shut behind us, and we all laugh.
"Naughty girl," James says, wagging his finger at me.
I roll my eyes, "Shut up."
Remus sits on the couch, and I sit next to him. James jumps over the back of the couch and slides in between us, "You two have gotten rather close."
"Are you jealous?" I ask, with a teasing smile.
James blinks a few times, "Yes, actually."
I roll my eyes and rest my head against the couch, staring up at the ceiling. I can feel someone staring at me, so I look ahead of me to see Sirius sitting in a chair. His eyes are focused on me, but he seems to be in deep thought.
"It's rude to stare."
He blinks, "Sorry, I was just thinking."
"About what?" Peter asks.
I begin to feel curious as well. Although I haven't known them long, even I can tell he's bothered by something.
"Family matters," he says dismissively.
The boys all share a knowing look, and I feel a bit annoyed. I've never liked not knowing something, especially when everyone else seems to know.
"Is everything alright?" I ask.
Sirius smirks, "Are you worried about me, love?"
"And you just ruined the moment. Well done, Sirius," says Remus.
The common room entrance opens, and a large group of Gryffindors walk in. The students split up into their own groups, and I see Lily walking my way.
"(Y/n)? I thought you were getting ready for bed?" Lily asks.
"I am, but I stopped to chat for a moment."
She nods, "Let's get to our dorm, I have some muggle face masks for everyone to try."
I bid the boys a farewell and follow the giddy ginger upstairs. She giggles along the way, "You missed it, (Y/n). Addie was asked out by a Ravenclaw boy."
"Really?" I ask, ignoring the small pang of jealousy.
"Yes, they're going on a date next weekend when we go to Hogsmeade."
We enter our dorm, Marlene and Addie sit on the floor with bright blue sheet masks on their faces. I laugh at the sight, "You look like Smurfs."
"What is a Smurf?" Addie asks.
Marlene wears a confused look as well, and Lily laughs. "It's a muggle thing."
The confused girls nod, and we join them on the floor. Lily hands me a sheet mask. The package is in Korean, but I recognize the small cartoon character on the front of it.
"Koya," I say with a smile.
Lily gasps, "You know BT21?"
"Of course, I'm a huge fan of BTS and other K-pop groups."
"Pure-bloods don't usually care to interact or know about muggle stuff," Lily says.
I adjust the mask on my face and shrug. "My mother raised me differently, I lived most of my childhood how a no-maj would."
"No-maj?" Marlene asks.
"Muggle. Sorry, I forgot the slang is different here," I say.
Addie holds up a mirror, examining her reflection. "How long are we supposed to wear these?"
"Fifteen minutes," Lily answers.
~~°°••°°~~
After our face masks had finished, we chatted for a while. Lily had started to yawn, and that's when the girls decided to go to sleep.
I pull my covers over my head and check my phone. It's time to meet the Marauders downstairs. So I quietly sneak out of the dorm, grabbing my Gryffindor sweater along the way. I had thought about changing out of my sweatpants, but decided not to.
My Converse thud quietly as I sneak down the stairs. When I turn the corner to enter the common room, someone jumps out. I swing my fist at them out of fear, and they jump back with a laugh.
"Not the face!" James yells, still laughing.
I sigh, "You almost gave me a heart attack."
"And you almost broke my pretty face."
I roll my eyes at him, and the other Marauders join us. Peter looks around at our group, "We match."
He was right. We're all wearing Gryffindor sweaters, sweatpants, and Converse. Everyone's shoes are a different color, though. Peter wears yellow, Remus wears brown, James wears red, Sirius wears black, and I wear sage green.
Sirius smirks, "Let's get going."
I follow the boys through the portrait, ignoring the judgy look from the Fat Lady. She lets out a scoff, "Naughty girl, I had hoped you'd be smarter than this."
James pulls out a folded paper, and I notice it's blank. Remus notices my concerned look and nudges me, "Just wait."
James hovers his wand above the paper. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
I watch in amazement as words begin to appear on the paper. James opens it to reveal that it's a map.
"This is the 'Marauders Map' our very own creation. It allows us to see everyone in the castle and where they are," James says proudly.
He suddenly turns serious, "But you must promise not to tell anyone about it."
The Marauders each stick an elbow out, touching them together. They watch me intently, and I slowly touch an elbow to theirs. James nods, "This is a Marauders promise, the strongest promise you could ever make."
"Okay," I say, slightly unsure.
James nods, "You must solemnly swear to never speak about this to anyone."
"I solemnly swear to never speak about this to anyone," I repeat.
The boys drop their arms and smile. Peter nods to me, "Good, now let's go to Hogsmeade."