One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 108

{{drama because why not}}

When Gwen wakes in the morning she has a distinct feeling that something is amiss.

She sits up and scratches her head, blinking across the room at where Dorcas and Marlene are fast asleep amongst the blue blankets. Gwen was never the first to wake up.

She reluctantly gets out of bed and heads for the shower, her mind still heavy from her conversation with Dumbledore. She'd run into James on her way back to the common room and his way out to Remus. He'd said that they would come get her if there was a problem.

As her mind shifts towards the full moon, the intensity of her bad feeling only grows. She hurries to finish up her shower, hair still wet as she rugs on her trousers. She throws her blue sweater over her shirt, forgoing shoes other than her slippers despite the look she knows she'll receive from Flitwick if he spots her.

Dorcas and Marlene are still asleep, like the rest of Ravenclaw. Like the rest of the castle. Though just as she scurries towards the large door to the common room, it flings open. Pandora and Xenophilius stumble in, soot covering their faces and hair standing on end. Pandora smiles sheepishly, explaining quickly, "It's not what it looks like!"

Gwen merely quirks a brow, eyes sliding to the flushes cheeks of Xeno. He smiles dreamily and says, "Pandora was just experimenting with spells. I was just helping."

The Veela nods, offering a faint smile. It quickly disappears when Xeno says loudly, "I almost forgot!"

Pandora cuts off her boyfriend before he says anything to brashly, looking at Gwen sympathetically as she says, "James is looking for you."

"What for?" She wonders plainly, her alarm not present in her voice. Pandora winces slightly and mutters, "um...it sounds like your boyfriend has gotten into a fight."

Pandora and Xeno nearly fall over as the Veela brushes past them, hurrying down the winding stairs of the tower. She slips and bangs her elbow against the wall, but doesn't stop, just keeps on running down the corridor and to the next set of stairs. She sees a familiar figure in the distance and calls,

"Peeves!!"

The poltergeist whirls around from where he's painting a lewd image on the walls, cheering,

"Why it's Witty Whitlock!"

She's panting by the time she's reached him, waving away the moldy peanuts he offers her from his pocket. Peeves smiles, the bells on his hat tinkling.

"A riddle!" He begs, "Please, Witty! A riddle!"

Gwen nearly curses. She couldn't get by him, not without caving to her poltergeist friend. She sighs and recites quickly,

"Who has a neck and no head, two arms and no hands?"

Peeves crosses his legs, floating just out of her reach while he ponders her question. He lets out a gleeful cheer before singing, "A shirt!"

Gwen nods quickly, flashing a smile before asking hurriedly, "Where is Sirius?"

"Oh," Peeves laughs wickedly, "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

The Veela blinks up at him, asking kindly, "Please, I need to see him."

Peeves sighs sadly and nods, replying simply, "Infirmary."

Gwen's eyes nearly pop from her head and she moves to go around the floating creature. He stops her and reminds in his singing voice, "Don't forget our swim in the toilets this week, Witty!"

"I won't!" Gwen says loudly, finally scooting past him and practically flying down the stairs until she skids to a stop in a corridor just around the corner from the hospital wing. Her jaw drops and her blood freezes at the sight.