Selenophile // Marauders

|84| The Date, Sixth Year

19th of April, 1977

Things were going much better and smoother than any of the years in Riley's life.

Their friend group had grown and expanded into nine people. The plans about the summer hiking program were talked about excitedly. She wrote to her mum once every week and she replied back without any delays which made her relieved.

People knew her and Ralph were dating, some Gryffindors were a bit judgmental. But Riley couldn't blame them for a bit. She was like that before they started dating as well, she understood where they were coming from. But Ralph was sweet, they had fun together, good talks.

Dorcas and Marlene were also dating, but they hadn't told anyone else about it. Riley also didn't tell anyone anything about it, as promised.

Riley walked up the stairs to the boys dormitory of the Gryffindor common room. She knocked on the door. Nobody answered for a long while until Sirius.

"I suggest you don't enter the room right now," said Sirius briskly. He was speaking with the door half open.

"I can literally see everything that's going on in there," said Riley. "What do you do? Go around naked in the dorm? Creeps."

"No! That's not what I meant, Crim!" said Sirius angrily. "It's just very — chaotic — right now."

"Why?"

"Stop questioning me, you're so skeptical sometimes..."

"You know what? Fine. I'm gonna leave you to return back to that gross, chaotic, dorm of yours," said Riley as she turned around.

"You're messier than us!" said Sirius but Riley didn't reply. "Fine, come in, but I should warn you that the chaos in here is very much dangerous."

"Okay, I'm scared," said Riley as Sirius opened the door slowly. Remus was covering his ears with his hands as he kept shouting curses. Peter was lying on the floor, on his stomach.

"Merlin..." said Riley. "This looks like a war zone."

There were bunch of different colored shirts and sweaters thrown on the ground. There was a bouquet of flowers sitting on the chair right beside the mirror.

"CRIM!" said Remus. "For fuck's sake please tell James to shut his fucking mouth up!"

Riley looked around for James but he wasn't anywhere. The bathroom door suddenly opened as James entered. His hair wasn't messy for the first time ever. He was wearing a red shirt, unbuttoned.

"What the hell is going on here?!" asked Riley. "You hair isn't messy, Peter's on the floor, Remus looks like he's dying and Sirius didn't let me in here!"

"I have a date with Evans today," said James shortly. He grabbed a comb. Riley laughed.

"So that's what this is about..." she said. "Seriously —"

"Siriusly." Sirius chuckled. Riley rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, you look fine, except you should button your shirt," said Riley.

"He's been talking about her for hours!" mumbled Peter. "He broke two combs, changed over twenty shirts, and he's angry at us because we told him to shut his fucking mouth up!"

"This needs to be perfect! This could lead to something great! What if he thinks I'm an idiot?" said James worriedly.

"She already thinks that," said Remus flatly.

"Shut up Moony!"

"Prongs, calm down," said Sirius. "You'll be fine."

Riley took a piece of paper and a quill. She scribbled something on it and took out her wand to stick it up on the wall they had created. It was now full of papers and pictures.

"Is that the date for the full moon?" asked Remus.

"No."

Remus stood up and read what was written on it. He laughed and sat back down. Then Sirius and Peter looked at it.

"Wha— what is it? Is it something wrong? Is it something about me?!" said James anxiously and walked over to the wall.

"19th of April, 1977. The day James embarrassed himself in front of Lily for the millionth time... This time on their date."

The four of them chuckled as James ripped the paper in two pieces. 

***

James and Lily had gotten to Hogsmeade. The rest of the people were in the Gryffindor common room. Marlene was eating Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.

"Marls, can we get some too?" asked Sirius.

"No."

"We should be spying on them!" said Sirius said angrily. "Not sitting here with annoying people who are not willing to share their food."

"I have an idea!" said Peter. "We turn into ani— we turn into spies." He then went quiet. Sirius nodded quickly, Remus facepalmed.

"Like a rat, and a dog, and a fox, y'know, we should go in disguises!" said Sirius. Riley laughed. Marlene just looked at them in confusion.

"You guys are actually crazy..." she mumbled. Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Riley quickly left the Gryffindor common room and rushed towards Hogsmeade.

Right as they reached Three Broomsticks, Riley heard someone call her name. She turned around.

"Riley," the voice called again. It was Ralph.

"What are you doing here?" Riley asked playfully.

"I saw you running here so I sorta followed. What are you up to?"

"Spying on our friends," said Riley. She turned around and looked for the three others. Only Remus was there, along with a black dog and a brown rat. "With Moony and a dog... also a rat..."

"Why the dog and the rat?" asked Ralph as he eyed the dog who was now sitting on Riley's foot. Riley lightly kicked Padfoot.

"They are just... good friends."

"Wanna go back to the castle?" asked Ralph sweetly. Riley nodded and the two started walking in the other direction. The dog started following them along. Remus pulled the dog back and put the rat on his shoulder.

"Snuffles get the hell back here!" he said sharply. Riley shot the dog an angry look and he barked.