Puffed

Chapter 9

The Three Broomsticks was buzzing as Lucy and her friends—Lily, Adeline, Marlene, Alice, and Dorcas—settled around their table. The warmth of the pub and the smell of butterbeer filled the air, but the peace didn't last long. As soon as the Marauders strode in, James's eyes immediately landed on Lily.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite person in all of Hogsmeade!" James grinned, making his way over to their table with exaggerated confidence.

Lily groaned, clearly anticipating what was coming next. "Potter, go away."

"Lily, don't be like that. We're practically meant to be together!" James said, leaning on the back of her chair.

Marlene smirked, muttering under her breath, "Here we go again."

"Shut it, McKinnon," Lily shot back with a smile that barely hid her annoyance. Adeline and Dorcas snickered as they pulled Lily's chair away from James's grasp, all of them thoroughly amused by Lily's frustration.

Peter, meanwhile, had spotted Alice and Frank. "Hey, Frank! Alice!" he called, making his way over to them, sparking conversation while James continued his relentless flirting.

While all this chaos unfolded, Remus and Sirius slid in beside Lucy.

"Hey, Lucy," Remus began softly, a genuine smile lighting up his face. "How are you? Managed to survive this madhouse so far?"

Lucy smiled back, a hint of a blush touching her cheeks. "Barely. But I've had good distractions. I just finished The Chronicles of Narnia again. They always make me feel like I'm in another world."

Remus's eyes lit up. "Oh, I love those! The way C.S. Lewis weaves the story, it's incredible. Which one's your favorite?"

Before Lucy could respond, Sirius, looking bored with all the book talk, leaned in with a dramatic sigh. "Alright, enough about books, Moony. Let's get out of here before James somehow gets hexed by Lily again."

Remus gave a resigned smile, but Lucy laughed softly. "He's persistent, I'll give him that."

Sirius stood up, offering his hand to Lucy with a playful smile. "C'mon, let's go before they drag us into this mess."

Lucy hesitated for only a second before taking his hand. "Alright, but where are we going?"

Sirius grinned and helped her up. "Anywhere that's not here."

Remus followed, not wanting to be left behind. Outside, the crisp autumn air hit them immediately. Lucy, now realizing she hadn't brought her coat, shivered as the cool breeze wrapped around her.

Both Remus and Sirius noticed instantly. Without a word, Remus began shrugging off his jacket, but Sirius was quicker.

"I've got it, Moony," Sirius said, stepping forward and gently draping his leather jacket over Lucy's shoulders. Their eyes met briefly over her head, the silent tension clear between them.

"Thanks," Lucy said softly, pulling the jacket tighter around herself. "It's really warm." She smiled up at Sirius, a shy blush tinting her cheeks.

"No problem, love," Sirius replied, his voice low and smooth. "Wouldn't want you catching a cold."

Remus watched the interaction, the knot in his stomach tightening. He quickly forced a smile and said, "So, Lucy, you were saying something about Narnia? Which book is your favorite?"

Lucy brightened, oblivious to the tension. "Oh, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for sure! I love the way the wardrobe becomes this portal to a whole new world, where everything's magical and different..."

As she spoke, Sirius stuffed his hands in his pockets, listening but not quite as interested in the book conversation. He gave a sideways glance at Remus, who was invested in what Lucy was saying. For a moment, Sirius considered teasing Remus about being the teacher's pet, but something about the way Remus was looking at Lucy stopped him.

"Well, I haven't read it," Sirius interrupted lightly, grinning. "But it sounds like a good escape. Maybe you can explain it to me sometime."

Lucy laughed. "I'd love to!"

The walk continued, but both Remus and Sirius were too aware of each other's presence. Sirius threw a casual arm over Lucy's shoulders, acting as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "We should do this more often, you know," he said with a wink.

Remus rolled his eyes but couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in his gut. Lucy, however, just smiled, feeling warm in the company of both boys, unaware of the growing tension.