Selenophile // Marauders

|70| Wall, Sixth Year

24th of September, 1976

Sixth year was as boring as possible. Even though it was still the third week or so, Riley just wanted to go back home.

She dreaded the classes, she had no motivation to study or go to the classes. Slughorn had told her that she couldn't attend the Potions NEWTs which made everything even worse.

The only adventure was the full moons which wouldn't exactly count as something positive, considering that Remus didn't enjoy it as much. The full moon was this week, and Remus was moody enough to let everyone know the moon was near.

"Give my fucking book back, Prongs!" he shouted as he firmly took his book back from James.

"I was just—"

"Ugh!" he said and then closed the book quickly.

"Moony—"

"I'm gonna go sleep," Remus said suddenly and went up to the dormitory.

"But it's four o'clock—" Peter mumbled.

"Just let him sleep," Sirius said.

Riley tried to read a book but everything was too loud to focus on the words. The boys kept chattering about irrelevant stuff, and Riley never liked loud.

She took out some parchment and took a pen. 'Dear,' she wrote, but she couldn't exactly figure out who she was going to send the letter to. Not her mum, obviously not. She didn't want to depress her too, she would take her away from Hogwarts. Not Penny, she was too cheerful and she didn't want to read about the latest rumors Vicky had spread in town. That left one person. Ethan.

She didn't have anyone else to talk to, not even one.

—————————————————
Dear Ethan,

Hi, this might sound a bit random but I got so bored over here and didn't know who to write a letter to.

How's everything? I bet you feel better than I do. Can you at least tell me something about the town, something fun?

I miss home, I don't know why though. There's literally nothing keeping me attached to it except mum and you two...

Please reply back. Or don't, I don't know.

Love,
Riley.
————————————————

She folded the letter and put it into her pocket.

"Are you even listening to us?" Peter asked Riley.

"Er— yeah."

"What did I just say?"

"I dunno what you just said I just know that you're acting like an annoying strict teacher right now..."

"No, Wormy's got a point," said James. "You've been acting strange all month."

"So?"

"So? We care about you, and we feel like there's something wrong," said Sirius.

"Nothing's wrong. Everything is fine," answered Riley briskly.

"That's obviously a lie, Crim," said James. "You were late for quidditch practice, you don't even care about classes anymore, you never even owl anyone—"

"Well, I can't owl my dead sister, can I?" Riley snapped. Everyone went silent. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap like that..." she then said quietly. "I couldn't hold it in."

"And— a letter," she said as she took the crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket. "You said I didn't owl anyone but— here, see," she said with a sad chuckle and stood up. She then took a deep breath and opened her mouth to say something but then turned around and left the common room.

***

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

(Turn and face the strange)

Ch-ch-changes

Don't want to be a richer one

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

(Turn and face the strange)

Ch-ch-changes

Just gonna have to be a different one

Time may change me

But I can't trace time

The record player played loud, lively music. The common room was once again very cheerful, very different from the outer world. Riley hadn't seen the head boy and head girl like this before. 

Remus and Sirius were talking to each other, ignoring the loud music. Peter looked very close to Violet Grayson, the girl on the quidditch team. Riley eyed Peter with surprised eyes. 

James was talking to Felicity Jones. It was obvious they were talking about quidditch. Regulus Black had beaten her in the last match, catching the snitch in less than two minutes, also breaking a new record. Slughorn seemed to be so proud, but Regulus seemed sadder than usual. 

Then she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see James standing there.

"Bloody hell!" she said in shock. "Weren't you just over there talking to Felicity?"

"That was a long while ago," James answered briskly.

"No, it was two seconds ago!"

"No, her boyfriend came and they started snogging and I left because it was so awkward!" James said. "Anyways, I have the best idea ever!"

Riley rolled her eyes, knowing it won't be something to keep them out of trouble.

"What the fuck are you planning now?"

"So prejudiced..." James said teasingly. "I don't always get us into trouble."

"True... Remus mostly plans the pranks and he never gets in trouble," Riley said.

"That evil son of a bitch..." 

"I guess that must be what having a good reputation feels like," Riley said. "Something we're very further away from!"

"Oi! I almost forgot to tell you my brilliant idea!" James said excitedly. "We should have a wall!"

Riley stared at James in confusion. "A wall? To hang up our artwork we made when we were toddlers, I assume."

"To keep track of the moons, and to keep other things too," James explained. "Like homework, or little notes to let everyone know about something, or keep in track of things in general."

"Where?"

"You know the empty bed and the drawers in the room because of that mystery boy who left the dorm during first year?"

"What was his name anyway?"

"Cor— Corey? No, that wasn't it... Kevin? It had to be something with a K!" James said thoughtfully. "King— Kingsley! That was his name!"

"Oi!" a boy from the corner shouted. He had dark skin, he was talking to the head boy and the girl, and the other prefects. Riley couldn't recognize him. "Why are you shouting my name?!"

"You're the boy who left our dorm in first year!" James shouted back. "Where did you go?"

"Moved up to the next year's dorm," Kingsley answered. "I couldn't possibly handle that many idiots in one dorm!"

"How come you're not a prefect?" Riley asked. 

"Declined it! McGonagall asked me to become prefect first, but I don't have time to deal with all these people all at once, then they gave the job to Lupin, which I hear now that he quit as well!" Kingsley shouted. "I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt."

———

A/N:

 I update this fic every day yet I get literally no votes or comments :( There were some people who used to comment but not anymore. Anyways, pleaaaaase comment and vote, and thank you so much for 3.3K reads!!