Accomplices

Chapter 4: James Potter

September 1st, 1975

I walked into the Gryffindor common room behind the 1st year group I was with. The tall brunette boy in the front had addressed himself as Marcus Lee, the Head boy. He spoke to all the first years and appointed them to the direction of their rooms where they would be staying. Once he was done with his explanation, the kids scurried off to find their rooms and I was left confused as to what I was to do. I would like to think that I wouldn't be housed with an 11 year old but I also didn't know what Dumbledore had in mind.

Thankfully, Marcus noticed my helplessness and walked over to me. He flashed me a kind smile, dimples sinking deeply into his cheeks as he grinned.

"You're Astrik, right?" he asked.

I nodded, doing my best to give my friendliest smile but I mostly just felt uncomfortable. I always felt like this on the first day of missions. New environments and trying your best to blend in was nerve-wracking.

"I'm Marcus," he stuck his hand out for me to shake, "though you already probably knew that."

He looked down, a bit embarrassed. His smile reminded me of Noah's, kind and shy. However, that was the only thing that resembled Noah. His hair was a dark brown and was swept to the side across his forehead. His brown eyes smiled back at me as he looked at me and I began to notice the wrinkles near his eyes when he smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" I smiled back.

"The pleasure is all mine" he rubbed the back of his neck as his lips turned into a side smile.

The way he looked at you with puppy eyes and a soft smile nearly made you want to melt in front of him. Was he always this nice and happy? I couldn't help but giggle at the thought of what he was like on a daily basis.

"I, um" he started shuffling towards the stairs, "have a request from Dumbledore to show you to your room. It's not with the rest of the 5th years, it's actually at the top of the tower."

He turned up the stairs and I followed behind him closely. Every so often he would try to make attempts at a conversation only to stutter slightly and struggle through it. I appreciated the effort and thought. At the top of the staircase, there was a single door that looked like many of the others we had passed on the way here. Marcus stood to the side and gestured for me to open the door. So I did.

Upon opening the door I noticed the size of the room first. It was larger than my room back home. At the center of the room there was a large bed with red and gold sheets. On one side of the room there was a bookshelf filled to the brim with books of different sizes that extended from one end of the wall to the other. On the other side of the room was a large bay window joined with red and gold pillows and right next to it was a large desk. Lastly, at the foot of the bed was the trunk with my luggage in front of it and my owl Onyx on top.

"Bloody hell" Marcus said from behind me, staring at the room.

He looked at me and seemed to panic.

"Oh!" he stuttered, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to curse. It's just, your room is brilliant!"

I raised a brow, and smiled at him. Was my room that special or something?

"You have no roommates, so you'll be staying here by yourself," he informed me, "if you need anything you can ask Emma Torrent. She's the Head girl. Or if you wish to speak to me, I'm right up the other staircase. I won't be allowed up here anymore. The charm does a really good job at keeping boys away from coming up here."

"Wait, what?" I was confused, "How'd you get up here?"

"Oh! That reminds me, this," he took off a small gold chain from around his neck and handed it to me, "is now yours!"