My Marauders // J.P. , R.L. , S.B x OC

Ch. 10, Stars Above

They stumbled out of Slughorn's office and his classroom, the heavy doors slamming shut behind them with a resounding thud each time. As they stepped into the dimly lit, stony corridor, Calliope turned to Sirius, tilting her head to look up at him, "Where to?"

He hummed in thought for a moment, weighing his options. "Since I don't care about curfew and Moony has prefect duties tonight, how about we take a nice long walk to the Black Lake? We can sit out there for a while. Does that sound good?" Calliope released his hand, which she had held since she had dismissed his overthinking.

She nodded fervently, "You have an amazing brain," She pointed to his head, her warm fingertip grazing against the dark beauty mark on his pale forehead.

Sirius grinned, a mischievous look in his eyes. "Not the first time I've gotten a compliment about how good my head is," he replied with a playful wink. With a spirited gasp, she jokingly nudged his shoulder with hers.

"I do not need to hear about your affairs," Calliope chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Modesty is definitely not your strongest suit," she teased, gently nudging him with her shoulder.

Sirius feigned a hurt expression. "I'll have you know, I'm a model of humility among wizards," he replied with mock seriousness.

Calliope rolled her eyes playfully. "Sure, Sirius, whatever you say." He gently retook her hand, intertwining their fingers as they made their way through the corridors of Hogwarts, "Shall we go?"

"Yes, please," Calliope says.

As they made their way out, they were careful not to get caught. Students were prohibited from being outside the castle, except for the courtyards, after eight o'clock. Since it was only seven-thirty, they blended in with the other students drifting toward the large arched doors, although most of those students were heading inside.

Once outside, Sirius and Calliope took a deep breath of the cool evening air. The sky was painted with the vibrant hues of twilight, and the grounds were bathed in a soft, golden glow.

"Ready?" Sirius whispered, squeezing Calliope's hand.

She nodded, her eyes bright with excitement. "Ready."

They slipped into the shadows, moving quickly and quietly toward the Black Lake. The gentle lapping of the water and the distant hoot of an owl were the only sounds that accompanied their footsteps. As they reached the edge of the lake, Sirius found a secluded spot beneath a large, ancient tree.

Sirius spread his cloak on the grass, and they both sat down, leaning against the tree trunk. The moon was starting to rise, casting a silvery sheen over the lake's surface.

"This is perfect," Calliope murmured, gazing at the serene waters.

"It's beautiful at night, isn't it?" Sirius asked, turning his head to gaze at her mesmerized expression.

Calliope leaned her head on his shoulder, a contented sigh escaping her lips. "It really is. Thank you for bringing me here, Sirius."

He smiled, wrapping an arm around her. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the stars appear one by one in the night sky. Eventually, Sirius turned to Calliope and said, "The sky is so clear tonight, and the stars are shining so brightly."

"They're gorgeous," Calliope added, as they both stared up at the night sky.

"Do you see that cluster of stars?" he asked, pointing his finger toward the sky. "Right there, just past the moon?

She nods her head against his shoulder and hums in agreement.

"That's Orion–" Sirius begins.

"What? I thought you were terrible at astronomy! Didn't Rem write both yours and James's essays?" Calliope asked, a suspicious glint in her eye. She lifted her head, no longer resting it on Sirius's shoulder.