Loquacious\\ Harry Potter Marauders

Four\\ Imbroglio

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."
- William Shakespeare

Adelaide's footsteps were softer than a cat's as she padded across the hall, despite her black boots. She shrugged off the shoulder of her black t-shirt and rubbed her legs through her light black jeans. It was warm inside the castle and her entirely black outfit meant she was almost sweating.

Finally, she came to a stop outside the portrait.
"I don't know the password, but-"
"Password."
The fat lady in the painting interrupted her. Adelaide sighed in exasperation.

"Look, lady, I have to find my friend, it's important. Please just open up?"
She begged. The lady looked her up and down contemptuously.
"I can't let you in without the password. You could be an imposter."
The Fat Lady argued.

"Fine. Suit yourself. To be honest I'm surprised you even fit in that painting, you old hag."
Adelaide snapped. Seven years at Hogwarts, seven years, and she still couldn't believe that Dumbledore allowed paintings this much power over students.

Huffing, she sat down and leaned her head against the wall, crossing her feet over her long, thin legs.

It was only about five minutes later when a loud chorus of laughter filled he air, followed by a grumpy "fuck off, Prongs." Adelaide sat up quickly and faced the Marauders, who were coming up the stairs.

"What in Christ's name are you doing up here?"
James demanded of her. It had only been yesterday when they had threatened each other in the library, and Adelaide had snapped at Lily in the bathroom after trying to hex Moaning Myrtle.
"Christ doesn't exist."
Adelaide replied simply as she pushed herself to her feet.

"And if you must know, I'm looking for Lily Evans."
She explained further. The boys' eyebrows practically shot off their faces.
"What do you want with Evans?"
James asked.
"Can I talk to someone other than you, please?"
Adelaide snapped. She turned to the boy furthest to the right.

"Remus. How'r you doing?"
She smiled pleasantly.
"Okay thanks. Little tired, all the studying takes a lot out of me. But besides that, I've been just fine. You?"
He asked, talkative. The two of them weren't exactly friends, due to differing on certain things, Adelaide being a Slytherin and Remus' affiliation with the Marauders.

"Good, I'm glad. I've been.. Fine, actually."
She didn't want to go into detail about how not fine she had been recently.

James was sighing consistently and rolling his eyes, Peter was nervously glancing between Remus, Adelaide and James, but Sirius' attention was fixed on Adelaide. His grey blue eyes were thoughtful and glittering. Adelaide glanced at him, saw him staring, looked away then looked back.

"You alright Black?"
She asked him. Sirius seemed to snap out a dream, shaking his head quickly.

"Fine. What are you doing here?"
Sirius replied, although he looked as if he didn't care. Adelaide looked him up and down with a blank expression, thinking about how hard he was to read. Unless he was with his close friends, she had never been able to decider what he was thinking or what his next move was. It both fascinated and infuriated her.

"I told you already, I'm looking for Lily Evans."
"Why?"
Peter asked with a frown.
"It's none of your business! Enough of the god damn questions, please just one of you go get her for me!"
Adelaide groaned as she lost her temper and glared furiously at the four boys that stood in front of her.

A painting behind her tutted in disapproval, causing Adelaide to spin around and bark a loud "shut up!" at it. The painting, of a group of old men, huffed and muttered amongst themselves as they eyed her distastefully.