Monday, 20th December 1971
Remus spent the last few days leading up to Christmas with Sirius having snowball fights in the grounds, exploring the castle, lazing about in the common room or their dorm and sneaking out at night to set up the back to school surprises in the common rooms of all four houses.
They'd decided to tackle Hufflepuff first and arrived outside the barrel entrance at two o'clock in the morning. Remus reached out with his wand and, mimicking the boy from the previous afternoon, tapped the barrel. Tap tap rat-a-tap. The barrel opened, revealing an earthy passage that sloped gently upwards. He glanced at Sirius, who shrugged at him before leading the way inside.
He crept down the passage behind Sirius, and after a few seconds, it opened out into a bright, low-ceilinged and circular room filled with plant life.
'This is cosy,' Sirius whispered, looking around. 'I think this is my second favourite common-room. Gryffindor is first, obviously.'
Remus was forced to agree. The room was decorated in yellow and black, with highly polished, honey-coloured furniture, and the doors to the dormitories were whimsically round. It was warm and inviting. He would enjoy spending time there, especially with all the plants.
'This bit of wall looks good. Get ready to cover me if you hear anyone coming.'
He nodded and Sirius set to work painting a large mural of a badger wearing a Hufflepuff tie and hat and holding a quill in a meadow of wildflowers. The project took a full two hours, and he was beginning to get nervous that people might start getting up when Sirius finally stepped back to admire the finished work.
'Magnifique,' Sirius said, dramatically kissing his fingers.
'It's perfect,' he whispered. 'Now get out the way so I can hide it.'
Sirius stepped back, and Remus waved his wand in a complex motion of swirls. 'Statuto tempus cabaturium,' he muttered. The mural vanished. It would reveal itself at half-past four on the first of January, just when everyone would be returning from the holidays.
They had one more thing to do before they left. Using the flagrate charm, Remus wrote a message on the wall next to where the mural lay hidden before casting the concealment charm again to hide it from view.
We're the Marauders of Hogwarts
you thought we didn't care
but we broke in to show you otherwise
with just a touch of flair.
The following night they hit Ravenclaw tower. He easily solved the riddle on the door to gain entry, and Sirius painted a mural of an eagle soaring through a library wearing a Ravenclaw tie and hat. Remus wrote his message to Ravenclaw house and then hid both mural and message for later.
We're the Marauders of Hogwarts
and we're just as smart as you
we broke in here to prove it
and we left you with a view.
On Wednesday night, they were feeling a little tired, so decided to do their own house. Sirius painted his mural of a regal lion wearing a Gryffindor tie and hat, with a green and silver snake under its paw, and Remus once again added their note and hid both for later.
YOU ARE READING
Sanctuary
FanfictionIntroducing Remus Lupin, a self-hating, half-blood werewolf who hasn't experienced human touch for six years; Sirius Black, a rebellious pureblood who doesn't know how it feels to be loved; Peter Pettigrew, an anxious halfblood with a dark past who...
