The Marauders: Year One | #Wattys2016

Fancy a Swim

Fancy a Swim

Regulus was sitting at the Slytherin table next morning, quite happy looking, and Sirius watched him from Gryffindor, distracted from eating his sausages and toast. James laughed and waved his hand in front of Sirius's eyes. "You with us, Sirius?" he asked, smirking.

"Sorry, what?" Sirius realized he'd missed half a conversation and looked about at his friends.

"Remus was just suggesting that we show him the Secret Room today so he can add it to the map," Peter supplied between shovelling food into his mouth.

Remus waved his fork as he talked, "I mean, since there's not a lot else to do. I'm really excited to see this room. It sounds brilliant."

"Yeah, sure," Sirius nodded, "That sounds great. Maybe we can figure out what the bloody hell went wrong with the potion while we're up there."

"Yeah," James said excitedly. "Rey can take a look and see what he thinks."

Remus looked uneasy, "Guys, I don't know if it's a good idea. I mean, what would've happened if Sirius got stuck -- you know, as Snuffles," he said looking around.

Peter snickered. "I still can't believe they called you Snuffles."

"It's a perfectly dignified name," Sirius said, puffing himself up.

James said, "Yeah, you should've seen his ickle little collar with the lovely charm on it." He held his hand up to mime the dog tag's location at Sirius's neck. "Wish I took a picture of that one."

Remus looked about them, "You aren't listening to me."

"You're being paranoid," replied Sirius.

"I'm not - you've already gotten stuck once..." Remus started, but he was interrupted by the screeching of the post owls as they came soaring in through the high windows and began to descend on the tables. James grinned seeing Bubo coming swooping towards him and held his hands up for her to land on his arm.

Sirius caught a flash of familiar black feathers out of the corner of his eyes and spotted Adolf across the Great Hall, just fluttering to a landing at the Slytherin table. He sat up straighter, his eyes widening, watching as the owl hopped up to Regulus and delivered a package, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. Regulus grinned and patted Adolf and untied the pack from his ankles before the owl took off with a friendly nip at Regulus's thumb. Sirius watched as his brother unwrapped the paper and started sharing what looked like bits of pistachio fudge with his mates 'round the table as he read a note that had been included. Sirius felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. The pistachio fudge was his favorite, something that Walburga only made for special occasions, and it made his tongue ache for the taste of it as he gripped the table. If Mother had sent Regulus a care package on his first day, she must've heard that he'd been sorted Slytherin already.

James elbowed Sirius. Sirius blinked, coming out of the jealous trance he had been drawn into watching Regulus with the treat from their mother. "I - yeah?" he asked, looking over at James in confusion.

James was holding up a small box. "Mum sent us each a box," he said, smiling. Sirius took his box, stunned, looking around as Remus and Peter were both opening iden tical little boxes to find homemade butterbeer lollies. James grinned, "These are the best," he said, sticking one in his mouth. "You're going to love them. Wait 'til you try it."

Sirius opened his box up to find the lollies wrapped up in maroon tissue paper and a little note on a parchment, Dora's scripty handwriting across it - Have a marvelous term! Dora Potter. Sirius's heart swelled with gratefulness and he quickly snatched up one of the lollies, nearly completely forgetting about the pistachio fudge and his brother.