The New Marauders

Spending time together

It was a rare quiet afternoon at Hogwarts, the kind where the castle seemed to breathe slowly, basking in the soft golden light filtering through the tall windows. Most students were outside enjoying the sunshine, but James Potter and Mia Longbottom had managed to find a cozy spot at the top of the Astronomy Tower. It was their spot, one they had stumbled upon during their third year, and now, two years later, it had become their go-to place when they needed to escape the bustle of the castle.

James leaned against the stone railing, the wind ruffling his untidy hair. He watched Mia, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, her back against the wall, a soft smile on her face as she looked out over the expansive Hogwarts grounds.

"Nice view, isn’t it?" James said, his voice light, but his eyes were on her, not the landscape.

Mia glanced up at him, catching the playful tone in his voice. She shook her head with a small laugh, then looked back out at the grounds. "Yeah, it is. Hard to believe we only have two more years of this."

James moved closer and slid down next to her, resting his arms on his knees. "Don’t remind me," he groaned. "Feels like yesterday we were sneaking around here trying to avoid getting caught after curfew."

Mia grinned at the memory. "You mean trying not to get caught after you convinced us to steal from the kitchens?"

"Details," James said with a wave of his hand. "It was for a good cause. Those house-elf cakes were worth it."

Mia rolled her eyes but leaned her head back against the wall, a peaceful look settling over her features. "I’m going to miss this place when we leave."

James’s expression softened. "Yeah, me too. But we’ve still got time."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the wind gently swirling around them. The warmth of the afternoon was soothing, and for once, James wasn’t thinking about Quidditch or classes or the responsibilities of being captain. He was just…there, with Mia, and that was enough.

"So," Mia said, breaking the silence, her tone casual, but there was a hint of mischief in her eyes. "What’s it like being Captain Potter? Does it go to your head, or are you still humble?"

James smirked. "Oh, it’s gone straight to my head. Haven’t you noticed the way people look at me now? It’s the broom—Firebolt 3000. Gets ‘em every time."

Mia laughed, a sound that made James’s grin widen. "Right, of course. It’s all about the broom."

"You know," he said, nudging her shoulder lightly, "if you ever want a ride on the Firebolt 3000, I might be able to pull some strings. Special privileges and all."

Mia shot him a look, amused. "Is that your idea of impressing someone?"

"Is it working?" James asked, his grin never faltering.

Mia rolled her eyes again, but there was a softness in her expression. "You’re impossible."

James looked at her, his grin fading slightly, but in its place was a look of quiet admiration. "Yeah, but you put up with me."

Mia’s smile faltered just for a moment, her eyes meeting his in the stillness of the afternoon. The playful banter had faded, and something unspoken hung between them. It wasn’t the first time they’d found themselves in this kind of moment, where the air felt charged, and James felt like he was balancing on the edge of something important, something he hadn’t quite figured out how to say.

Mia shifted slightly, looking down at her hands before glancing back up at him. "I guess I do."

James chuckled softly, though his voice was quieter now. "I’m lucky."

Mia smiled again, a bit shy this time, and they fell into silence once more, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that felt full of meaning, the kind that didn’t need words to feel significant.

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting a warm glow over the grounds below, James reached out and gently took Mia’s hand. He didn’t say anything, and neither did she, but she didn’t pull away either. They simply sat there, hand in hand, watching the sun set over Hogwarts, content in the quiet, shared moment.

In that small, peaceful bubble of time, it felt like nothing else mattered but the two of them.