His Rose | James Potter

Chapter 10

The Gryffindor common room was alive with the warmth of candlelight, laughter, and a sense of camaraderie as the Gryffindors put the finishing touches on their Halloween decorations. Banners hung from the ceiling, ghost-shaped lanterns floated around the room, and the fireplace crackled with a comforting orange glow, casting shadows on the walls adorned with pumpkins and paper bats. It was the perfect setting for a Halloween feast.

In the corner, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and the rest of their friends were busy decorating, their playful banter filling the air. Rosalyn perched atop a ladder with a determined expression and was attaching balloons near one of the paintings. The height was a challenge, but she refused any help-until Sirius appeared

"You need any help up there, Lyn?" Sirius called, his tone light but teasing. He stood below the ladder, looking up with a smirk.

Rosalyn didn't even glance down at him. "You want to help now? I thought it was time for your beauty nap, Sirius," she retorted, her eyes focused on her task.

Sirius dramatically sighed and crossed his arms, eyeing her with mock concern. "I changed my mind. You're too short to be putting those balloons up there. Let me do it."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Rosalyn replied, shaking her head. "I've got it."

Sirius made a noise of disapproval but began humming to himself, content to wait for her to finish. The sounds of laughter and chatter filled the room as the others continued their work. Then, suddenly, there was a loud crash-a fourth-year boy, carrying far too many boxes, tripped over his own feet. The boxes flew from his arms, tumbling toward the floor where Sirius was standing.

Sirius reacted instantly, diving toward the boxes to catch them, but his quick movement had an unintended consequence. The ladder, knocked off balance, tipped sideways. Rosalyn perched near the top, shrieked as it wobbled dangerously beneath her. Her heart raced as she instinctively closed her eyes, bracing for the fall.

But the fall never came.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the arms of none other than James Potter. Her breath hitched, and she blinked, trying to process how fast he had moved. His arms were firmly around her, and his expression was a mix of shock and concern.

"Rose!" James exclaimed, his voice a mix of panic and relief. "Are you okay? Did you -"

Before Rosalyn could answer, there was a groan behind them. Sirius had managed to scramble to his feet, his face pale as he took in the scene. "Lyn!" he shouted, his voice breaking slightly. "Are you okay?"

Rosalyn, still in James' arms, smiled softly, the shock slowly fading from her expression. "I'm fine," she said quietly, her voice calming. "Thanks to James."

Sirius, who had been looking ready to bolt to her side, let out a breath of relief. He hurried over and pulled her into a tight hug, his hands shaking slightly. "I'm so sorry, Lyn," he said, his voice genuine. "I wasn't paying attention. Those boxes came out of nowhere, and I should've - "

"It's okay, Sirius," she interrupted gently, rubbing his back to reassure him. "I'm okay. Seriously. James caught me."

Sirius turned his head to James, his usual playful grin gone, replaced by a rare, serious expression. "Thanks, mate," he said quietly, his voice thick with gratitude. "I should've been more careful."

James nodded, squeezing him in a brief hug before letting go. "Anytime, Pads. I'm glad she's okay."

Marlene and Lily rushed over, wrapping Rosalyn in their arms, their faces full of concern. "Are you sure you're all right?" Lily asked, pulling back slightly to inspect her friend. "You look a bit shaken."

"I'm fine," Rose assured them, her smile a little shaky but genuine. "Honestly, if James hadn't caught me... who knows? But I'm okay."

Remus, ever the calm one, patted her on the shoulder. "Glad you're safe, Rose," he said with a small, relieved smile. "We can't lose you before the Halloween feast, after all."

The boy who had dropped the boxes approached nervously, his face red with embarrassment. "I'm really sorry, Rosalyn," he said, his voice quiet. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Are you sure you're okay?"

Rosalyn smiled at him, her tone light and forgiving. "I'm fine, don't worry about it," she said kindly. "Just be more careful next time, yeah?"

The boy nodded vigorously, clearly relieved that she wasn't upset.

"Well, now that we've all had our near-death experience for the evening," Sirius said with a wink, his usual charm returning, "how about we finish these decorations? I'm ready for some Halloween fun!"

Everyone laughed, and the tension that had briefly lingered was gone. They returned to their work, each of them more aware of how quickly things could change, but also grateful for the way their friends had been there for each other.

By the time the last of the decorations was hung and the common room was sparkling with eerie light, it was nothing short of magnificent. The Gryffindor common room was ready for the Halloween feast, and as the group stepped back to admire their handiwork, they shared satisfied smiles

Looks perfect," James said, grinning as he surveyed the room.

Sirius nodded, crossing his arms with a smug smile. "Obviously," he said, clearly proud of the team effort. "It's the Marauders' touch."

Rosalyn rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips. "It's definitely a team effort, Padfoot," she teased.

"Well, we all know the real reason it looks so good," Sirius continued, grinning. "It's because of my dazzling presence."

Everyone groaned in unison.

But as the group headed out the door to the Great Hall for the feast, it was clear they were more than just a group of talented decorators-they were a family. And nothing, not even the near-mishaps of the day, could take away from that.