A Marauder's Love Story

Chapter 2

I slid open our compartment door and was immediately greeted with curious looks from Gabriela, Kyle, and Blake.

"Where did you go?" Gabriela asked.

I grimaced slightly and quickly explained the whole story to them.

I could feel Blake and Kyle stiffen as soon as I said James and Sirius's names. I saw Kyle's hand clench when I said that Sirius had caught me.

I quickly ended my story by giving Kyle the message James had told me.

His eyes narrowed in response, "He thinks he's so ruddy brilliant... I'd like to see him try and replace us."

"You and I both know he's too obsessed with beating everyone to do anything to jeapordize our chances of winning," I said quietly wanting nothing more than to change the subject.

I looked to Gabriela and she gave me a knowing look and then glanced over at Kyle and Blake nervously. They were both still scowling and sitting tensely against the window, not looking at me or Gabriela.

Suddenly Blake sat up and a smile slid across his face. "We're here," he said quietly glancing over at me and Gabriela.

We smiled and nodded, as we stood up and reached for our trunks in the overhead compartment. Blake and Kyle stood to help us, reaching up and pulling down our heavy trunks carefully.

The train began slowing down before it finally stopped. We slid open the compartment door and made our way outside towards the carriages.

Most of the carriages were half full so Gabriela and I separated from Kyle and Blake to go find a different carriage.

We saw one towards the end of the line with its door still opened, and walked towards it quickly.

As I stepped into the carriage I felt myself stumble. A hand suddenly grabbed my wrist and hoisted me up into the carriage.

"You know that's twice now, that I've saved you," I heard Sirius Black say as he sat back down in the carriage.

I rolled my eyes at him and turned to look at Gabriela hesitantly.

"We might not be able to find another carriage," she said sourly, giving them a glare. I could see the reluctance in her eyes as she pushed her trunk under the seat and sat down next to James.

He smirked at her, as she scooted as far as she could away from him. Remus, who was sitting on James's other side reading a book, glanced up at her and nodded smiling slightly. She rolled her eyes at both of them before turning her gaze towards the window.

"You could always walk to the castle," Sirius muttered as he glared at me from his seat next to Peter.

I narrowed my eyes at him as I pushed my trunk under the seat and sat down. I turned away immediately and kept my gaze out the window, as we made our way towards the castle.

Gabriela and I didn't say one word to them and ignored them the whole time, which made the ride fairly quiet.

James and Sirius were the only ones that really talked, while Remus read his book and Peter just listened and watched them silently. They talked about the most random stuff, which I have to admit was actually quite amusing.

As we started to near the gates to the castle, rain began to fall lightly from the sky. It fell heavier and heavier, and within minutes it was pouring as thunder and lightening cracked through the dark sky.

I turned away from the window as the sound of thunder suddenly shook the air.

I shuddered and I could feel my face go pale. Thunderstorms and heights...were my biggest fears.

I looked at Gabriela's wide eyes as she stared at my stricken face knowingly. I glanced at the others briefly, who all seemed relaxed and completely oblivious to me.

Remus was leaning against the window casually still reading his book. James was sitting back in his seat, reading over Remus's shoulder and looking out the window occasionally. Sirius was sitting back in his seat too, his eyes were shut and his head was lolled to the side slightly. I glanced at Peter who was gazing out the window, seemingly mesmerized by the storm.

I watched enviously as a clap of thunder shook the carriage and no one seemed to notice. Not even Peter, who's face was pressed up against the chilled glass.

I could feel Gabriela's eyes on me. My eyes darted to meet her gaze and I saw her smile weakly but encouragingly. She turned to look out the window and then she quickly turned back to look at me.

Her brown eyes had lit up and her smile was hopeful, as she fidgeted in her seat anxiously. "We're close," she whispered softly.

I smiled faintly and turned hesitantly toward the window, swallowing hard and digging my nails deeper into the seat.

In the distance I could see the castle growing nearer and nearer. Dark gray clouds loomed over the its huge towers and the tall narrow hoops on the quidditch pitch.

I sighed deeply, slight relief slipping through my body. We were almost there, and soon I would be sitting in the nice, warm great hall with Gabriela, Kyle, and Blake, eating tons of food.

I stared out the window watching the rain pour down from the sky. I felt my body begin to relax as we got closer and closer to the castle.

A slash of bright light cut through the deeply shadowed sky, as a flash of lightening lit the night. A half a second later, a deafening rumble pierced the air, shaking the carriage again.

My eyes widened in shock as I sprang back from the window in terror, and collided into something.

I felt it jump in surprise and then I heard someone's rough voice in my ear say, "What the bloody hell are you doing?"

I pulled my face out of my shaking hands to see Sirius glaring down at me.

I felt my body shake as another flash of lightening cut through the clouds followed by another loud tremor that shook the carriage. A soft whimper escaped my mouth and I turned away from the window completely to see Sirius staring down at me still in surprise. He raised his eyebrows questioningly at me.

"I- I don't- like storms," I managed quietly.

"Don't like storms?... You're terrified of storms," Gabriela corrected, watching me cautiously.

Sirius's face softened and he nodded glancing out the window.

I flinched and dug my nails deeper into the seat as more lightening and thunder filled the air. He glanced at me again and then I felt someone's hand wrap around mine, pulling it off the seat and intertwining my fingers with theirs. I looked down to see his hand tightly wrapped around mine.

"Try not to squeeze my hand off, love," he whispered in my ear. I relaxed slightly and smiled faintly as he squeezed my hand gently.

Another clap of thunder had me squeezing his hand as tight as I could. He chuckled quietly and pulled me closer to him. I leaned against his side as I felt him put his arm around my shoulders.

"Thank you, Black," I whispered softly.

"No problem, Brighton," He whispered back.