The Clockwork Locket || SIRIUS BLACK

The Worst Birthday Part II

The smell of baking pumpkin was thick in the air the next morning and preparation for the Halloween Feast was in full swing by the time the Marauders made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Professor McGonagall could be seen Transfiguring silver spoons into live bats while Professor Flitwick Charmed them to float above the House tables, the winged creatures flitting around the dull, cloudy sky the magical ceiling depicted. Hagrid would periodically lumber into the Hall, rolling pumpkins the size of the giant man's torso in front of him and handing them off to Professor Vector, who then used her wand to carve designs into the pumpkins' flesh.

Many students had not yet awakened – which had been to the Marauders' benefit, as there was less chance of their conversation being overheard. And they knew just what their subject was going to be about that morning – or rather, whom.

"What time does Alderfair usually wake up?" James said. His knee bounced in agitation, and he cast yet another impatient look to the doors of the Hall.

"She'll come down when she's ready, James," Remus said, taking a calm sip from his tea and trying to act as if he weren't just as anxious as his friend.

Sirius gave a light snort. "I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't show at all." He paused in the midst of biting into his toast when all three cast him annoyed looks. "Oi, I'm not saying it in a bad way!"

James stabbed at his eggs. "I bet half that rubbish isn't even true. That Skeeter woman will make up anything to get people to read her tosh."

Remus was surprised. "You know her?"

The other boy nodded slowly. "She's fairly new, from what I've heard. She was an intern for the Prophet's gossip column a few years back when she graduated Hogwarts, but she didn't get any recognition until she wrote some rotten article about the corruption of Aurors – she tried to go after my dad during all that, so that's how I know about her, from him."

"She sounds vile," Peter grumbled into his goblet.

James nodded in agreement. "Shame people actually believe what she writes, though," he said darkly. "And the popularity of the story is only going to make things harder for Alderfair."

Remus shifted uncomfortably, wishing he could find Cassie and see how she was handling everything. They had been too wrapped up in planning their next prank at dinner last night to see her leave the Hall, and by the time they had managed to read the article, she'd already disappeared to her dormitory for the night.

They fell into silence and continued to eat as a trio of fourth-years came and sat in close proximity to them, near enough so they could listen to their whispering, and they all froze when they heard the topic of their discussion.

"Terrible, isn't it, about that Muggle attack?" one girl said. The boy and girl sitting with her both nodded. "I wonder what the Minister is going to say about it; this seems like a big case."

"I just hope the Aurors catch the bastards who did it," the boy grumbled. "Those people are demented for doing something like that."

"Isn't William Alderfair that one fifth-year's brother?" the other girl asked. When the two nodded, she tossed back her platinum hair in obvious disdain. "How sad. I would be ashamed if I had a brother like that, the little—"

"D'you really wanna finish that thought?" James said loudly, turning to stare at the three.

The girl with the platinum hair immediately flushed, though her expression remained indignant.

"I never took you for a Death Eater sympathizer," she shot back. James's expression turned dark, but Sirius intervened before things got ugly.

"Oh, stuff it, Blondie," he said, quite rudely. She gaped at him while her friends just stared. "Go sit somewhere else and keep your irrelevant comments to yourself."