The New Marauders

The sercet is out and a Double date

The Great Hall was abuzz with the usual morning chatter. Plates clattered, conversations overlapped, and laughter rang through the air as students dug into their breakfast. Edward sat at the Gryffindor table, glancing nervously around. Beside him was Sophie, her hand casually resting on the table between them. A few of their friends, James, Nate, Sam, and Luke, sat nearby, talking about the day ahead.

But today, the atmosphere felt different.

It didn't take long for the whispers to start. Edward noticed a few sideways glances coming from the other Gryffindor tables, followed by the unmistakable sound of giggling from a group of girls further down. His stomach tightened when he realized what was happening.

James noticed too, nudging Edward. "Looks like your secret's out, mate."

Edward groaned, sinking lower in his seat. "Great. Just what I needed."

A loud, high-pitched voice cut through the air, and suddenly, one of Edward's more enthusiastic fangirls stood up, her face a mix of disbelief and betrayal. "You're with her?" she demanded, staring daggers at Sophie. The entire table turned their attention to them, and Edward felt his face heat up.

Sophie raised an eyebrow, unfazed by the girl's outburst. "Problem?"

The fangirl wasn't alone. A few more girls joined in, their expressions filled with irritation. One of them scoffed. "I can't believe it! You could do so much better, Ed!"

Edward, trying to keep calm, just sighed. "I don't really think it's any of your business."

James, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying the show, smirking as the fangirls glared at Sophie like she had stolen something precious from them.

The commotion at the Gryffindor table caught the attention of a few students at the Slytherin table. Among them, Ethan Brookes, always looking for an opportunity to stir up trouble, spotted James and Edward. With a sneer, he called out across the hall, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Hey, Potter!"

James rolled his eyes, already predicting what was coming next.

Brookes stood up, his smirk widening. "Still haven't got yourself a girlfriend, huh? Maybe take some lessons from Edward. Seems like he knows how to keep a girl interested." His group of Slytherins chuckled along, watching eagerly for James' reaction.

James sat up straighter, glaring at Brookes from across the hall. "Shut it, Brookes," he said coolly, his hand casually reaching for his wand.

Brookes laughed, clearly not taking the threat seriously. "What are you gonna do, Potter? Cry about it?"

James raised his wand, his eyes narrowed. "I swear, Brookes, one more word and I'll hit you with a Bat-Bogey Hex so bad you'll be sneezing feathers for a week."

The laughter from the Slytherin table quickly died down. Everyone knew that James didn't bluff when it came to his spells, especially with all the Weasley tricks he'd learned from his mum. Even Ethan Brookes, for all his bravado, seemed to think twice.

"Fine, fine," Brookes muttered, sitting back down, though his smirk never fully disappeared. "No need to get hexed over it, Potter."

Satisfied that the confrontation was over, James turned back to his food, shaking his head. "Why does he always think he's clever?" he muttered to Edward.

Edward grinned, relieved that Brookes had backed off. "Probably because no one's managed to bat-bogey hex him yet."

Nate leaned over, smirking at the whole exchange. "You know, the day Brookes does get hexed will be the best day ever."