The Great Hall was abuzz with whispers and curious glances as Remus, Sirius, and James walked in together one morning, each sporting a rather conspicuous set of hickeys on their necks. They exchanged amused looks, clearly aware of the stir they were causing but choosing to play it cool.
As they made their way to the Gryffindor table, the murmurs grew louder. It wasn't long before Peter, already seated and wide-eyed with curiosity, piped up.
"Alright, what's going on?" Peter demanded, his eyes flicking between the three of them. "You all look like you've been attacked by a swarm of love bites."
Sirius grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Ah, Wormtail, if only it were that simple."
James smirked, adjusting his collar in a futile attempt to cover the marks. "Let's just say it was an... eventful night."
Remus, the most reserved of the trio, merely shrugged, though the faint blush on his cheeks betrayed him. "It's not what you think, Peter."
By now, their arrival had attracted the attention of the entire Gryffindor table—and beyond. Students from other houses craned their necks, trying to catch snippets of the conversation. Lily Evans, seated a few places down, couldn't resist joining in.
"Really, Potter? You, Sirius, and Remus all show up with hickeys on the same morning, and you expect us to believe it's nothing?" Lily arched an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
James shot her a playful wink. "Jealous, Evans?"
Lily rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her curiosity. "Who was it, then? You can't keep something like this a secret for long."
The boys exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of amusement and secrecy. Sirius leaned back, enjoying the attention. "Let's just say it was someone... special."
The rumors spread like wildfire. By lunchtime, the entire school was buzzing with theories and speculation. Some said it was a group of Beauxbatons students visiting for the Triwizard Tournament; others suggested a mischievous charm gone wrong in the Astronomy Tower.
Later that day, during a free period, the trio found themselves cornered by many of their friends. One of them, a girl named Marlene, folded her arms and stared them down.
"Come on, spill. We've heard every possible theory, but none of them make sense. Who was it?" Marlene demanded.
Remus, tired of the endless questions, finally decided to put an end to the mystery. "Alright, alright. It was one person. Someone who... well, knows how to keep things interesting."
Sirius and James nodded in agreement, their eyes sparkling with the shared secret. The group looked more intrigued than ever.
"And who might this 'someone' be?" Marlene pressed, clearly determined to get a straight answer.
James leaned in, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "That, dear Marlene, is for us to know and for you to keep guessing."
With that, the trio walked away, leaving behind a trail of frustrated and curious students. As they turned a corner, they exchanged grins, satisfied with their little game.
Back in the common room later that evening, Y/N found herself cornered by the boys, each one still sporting their respective hickeys.
"You three are impossible," she laughed, shaking her head. "You know the whole school is going crazy trying to figure out what happened."
Sirius wrapped an arm around her shoulders, grinning. "That's the fun part, darling. Let them wonder."
Remus smiled softly, pulling Y/N into a hug. "At least we know the truth. And that's all that matters."
James nodded, his eyes twinkling. "Here's to keeping things interesting."
As the four of them settled into the cozy common room, the rest of Hogwarts buzzed with questions, none the wiser to the truth behind the trio's mysterious marks.
