The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

A Broken Bit of Mirror

A Broken Bit of Mirror

"Is that what you came all the way down here for then?" Lily asked, confusion in her voice, "To steal a broken bit of glass?"

Sirius tucked the piece of the mirror carefully into James's bookbag. "It's not just a broken bit of glass," James snapped at Lily. "We told you that you wouldn't understand what we were down here for, so shut up."

Lily crossed her arms over her chest.

"Let's get out of here," begged Peter, "Before somebody comes back."

The others agreed and hastened to the door, James being very careful not to let his bag hit anything on their way. Lily was still annoyed. "How is that shard worth risking your education over?" she demanded, "It can't be worth anything."

"Shows what you know," snapped James.

"It's worth an awful lot," Sirius said, "If you know what you're looking for, that is."

Lily crossed her arms, "And since when is theft excusable at any rate?" she demanded, tapping her foot on the dark green carpet, staring at the boys accusingly. She was so angry, she almost didn't register the sound of Peter's terrified squeak as he pointed frantically at the door.

Before Lily knew it, James had grabbed hold on her and yanked her down to the floor behind the couch they stood near. Sirius had flattened himself so quickly the air had been blown right out of his lungs and Peter crouched awkwardly, sweat beading up on his forehead, as the sound of the Slytherin common room door creaking open reached their ears. James's eyes were wide, imploring Lily to stay quiet as he raised his free hand to his lips in a motion for her to stay silent. She didn't need to be told twice. From what Severus had told her of the other Slytherin students, Lily was in no way inclined to be caught snooping about their common room.

"Bloody old codger," said a gruff voice that none of the Gryffindors recognized, "Maybe he'd still have both his eyes if he didn't go on interferin' in everybody else's business like that."

"Yeah," agreed higher voice. "Where's he get off accusing my mother..."

"Accused about the whole house, you know," said the first voice. "I have a right mind to skive off Dark Arts."

"Not like he isn't teaching things we already know," agreed the second.

The voices were coming closer, and Sirius pressed as hard as he could to the back of the couch. Peter's lower lip trembled and sweat poured over his brow. Lily held her breath and could feel the nerves running through James's fingers, which were twined about her own. The two Slytherins continued their discussion of Professor Moody as they passed the couch, their legs coming into view of the four crouching Gryffindors and headed on up the stairs without so much as a glance at the floor.

"I could bloody teach a more interesting Dark Arts curriculum," said the first boy with a scoff, "Like to see the hair on old Moody's head stand up if he knew half the magic I can perform!" There was a scuffling of their feet on the carpet and then the slamming of a dorm room door.

The Gryffindors relaxed - which entailed poor Peter Pettigrew toppling right over onto his side on the carpet. Lily realized she was holding James Potter's hand and dropped it quickly as though it were filthy (which it probably was). Sirius rolled out of his hiding place and hurried them to their feet, "C'mon," he urged them, "Let's go. We've gotta get moving... If they're back then any number of Slytherins could be on the way." He waved them off toward the door of the common room and all three of the others rushed so hard they were tripping over each other on their way out into the corridor. "Quickly - quietly -" he prodded.