Memento Mori - Sirius Black

Chapter 24

December 1st, 1975.

"Rock, papers, scissors, go!" Was heard in a whisper-yell across the hall. There was no light except that of a few candles that flickered in and out in the middle of the night.

A groan followed and a valid complaint came with it, "See, now, that's not fair. You showed yours late,"

"I didn't," replied Peter with such outrage that it could only be fake. "Marauder honor, arsehole,"

"If you call that honor..." Remus shot back, getting angry, his furry little problems attitude coming up, and Sirius feared for Pete's life. So much so that he signaled to James to do something. James shrugged, not wanting to get involved and as if telling Sirius this one was his to deal with. He checked the map for like the hundredth time that night to make sure they were alone. The last thing he needed was another detention. Then, he looked back up at his friends.

"Let's just do it again, mates," Sirius offered, putting his hands in position when he heard a loud thunder rattle the castle and decided this was kind of urgent to be wasting their time on this.

James nodded repeatedly, but that only got him a glare from Remus, "Such hurry when you're not the one risking your neck, Prongs,"

Sirius couldn't help but laugh. James had stayed out of their little game to agree who would be the one to go in but got dragged into it anyway.

"I already told you, you bastards," James said looking at the three of them in the eye, "You left me alone to deal with the snakes on Halloween... Now you're up,"

"Oh, please," Sirius said taunting him, "You just were five minutes alone with Greengrass, which I didn't hear you complain about,"

James, like every time that the subject came up, sighed, "I told you already. Only one holds my heart. And it's definitely not some Slytherin chick,"

They heard another thunder outside the castle and knew the lightning that they couldn't see but had been there seconds before was what they had all been waiting for. For weeks now. And Morgan Gaunt would kill them if they didn't finish her transformation tonight. Maybe she was already up and ready, out in the forest. But if she wasn't... If she was still asleep and they didn't do anything about it... They'd be rotten cadavers in no time.

But that meant getting inside the Slytherin rooms and none of them was eager to have to go and wake Morgan up. She wasn't an easy person on a normal occasion, imagine if you woke her from her sleep. So Rock, Paper, scissors it was. They should have drawn a stick because this was taking forever.

They went again. While James looked, happy to sit this one out. All different things on their hands. Again. But Sirius was early. Again. And Remus was complaining all over once more. Then the bargaining began. But no accord was reached.

They were about to go again but James, who had taken the map from Sirius, opened his eyes in alarm and whispered urgently, "Slytherin prefect six o'clock,"

They heard footsteps coming from exactly the other direction of what James had said and practically had to go Rock, Paper, Scissors again just to see who would smack him in the head.

Peter, James, and Sirius, fast as an arrow, pushed Remus in the direction of the person nearing and went to hide around the corner of the hall, but were still close enough to listen. Sirius cursed. They always ended up in this same position. He also cursed Morgan for making them do this and for making it ten times harder when she decided to take James' cloak from them last night, claiming she had important business to conduct. She had declined to let them in on it. Classic. So whoever ended up going into the snake's pit would have to just pray that he got in and the cost was clear. Being four in the morning, the odds were with them.