The Heartbreak Prince || Sirius Black

4. Butterbeer Woes

The Ravenclaw Tower was silent.

The night sky shone bright with stars. Gusts of air soothingly passed through the castle grounds and its tall turrets while the sound of sighs and snores emanated from the tower's dreaming occupants.

It was the perfect opportunity for an escape.

Andrew slipped out of his bed and quickly changed into a sweater and a pair of jeans. After putting on his shoes, he quickly snuck down the stairs and opened the common room door. He looked around in hope of seeing the Gryffindor waiting for him—only seeing an empty hallway.

"Sirius," he whispered, carefully closing the door. "Sirius!"

Rustling captured his attention.

The air near the stairs began to shimmer to reveal the mischievous boy pulling off an invisibility cloak, an object that never leaves the Marauders' side. James claimed it was given to him by his father as part of a family inheritance.

The Gryffindor was dressed in all black shirt covered by a dark bomber jacket—the lining covered in fur—as well as a pair ripped jeans and boots. His skin almost seemed to glow from the starlight. He looked like he stepped out of a muggle fashion magazine.

Sirius gave him a wicked smile. "Ready?"

"Of course."

They gathered under the cloak and began to descend the stairs. They tried to stay as quiet as possible as they passed Filch, Mrs. Norris, and the occasional ghost. They stopped near the corridor that led to the One-Eyed Witch statue.

The Marauders, as they explored every crevice of the school, had discovered that the founders had implemented multiple secret pathways that extended from the school to the outside grounds—Hogsmeade being one of the locations.

After discovering them, the boys became obsessed with finding them all. Many were cut off due to decades of rot and erosion, but the few that remained were useful for their troublesome actions and ideas.

They had even created a way to guide them through to the tunnels.

A magical pamphlet with an exact depiction of the grounds as well as a tracker to warn them of anyone who may walk by. 

"Do you have the map?" the Veela asked.

The Gryffindor shook his head. "James has it tonight, but I'm sure you know the prefect rounds."

"You would be correct. Okay," Andrew began, leaning towards his friend. "Johnson and Alderton are patrolling this hallway, and they should be here . . . now."

As if on cue, two Hufflepuffs appeared at the end of the hallway, holding each other's hand as they did. They didn't even look up when Sirius made a noise at the sight.

"Woah," Black said, surprised. "I thought prefects couldn't date each other."

"We can't," the Ravenclaw verified, "but we don't have the heart to tell our superiors. I mean, look at them! They're adorable!"

They hurried down the hall and stood in front of the statue.

With a quick Dissendium, the witch's hump opened up to reveal a stone slide that led them to the passage. With a bit of adjustment, they traveled down with ease—leaving them with a near straight shot to the Honeydukes cellar.

The tunnel was not made for comfort. The walls were too narrow, and the ceilings were too low. Sirius had to duck down to avoid hurting the top of his head as they followed the twisting path to the shop.

The Veela shivered as a cool breeze traveled through him, adding to the freezing water at their feet. Sirius seemed to notice and whispered a warming charm for the two of them. They were both relieved to reach the end—the entrance waiting for them.