A Marauders Riddle

The Ball

Dedicated to SophyHaes for being the first to vote on my last chapter! Thanks!

Day of the Ball

With the Marauders

The Marauders (excluding Peter) and Regulus were waiting at the foot of the stairs leading down into the Great Hall, which had been transformed into a winter ballroom. They were waiting for their dates, who were taking an age to arrive. The boys talked among themselves, not looking at the stairs. Gasps made them look up. Their jaws dropped. Their dates came down the stairs, elegantly. Their dresses just emphasised their inner beauty. The girls reached the Marauders and Regulus. After getting over his shock, Regulus held out his arm to Poppy with a smile. Sirius did the same to Tris. Remus just took Charlie's hand uncertainly. Chloe and James looked at each other for all of five seconds, before their lips touched.

The music started up and Dumbledore and McGonagall waltzed out on the the dance floor. The two Regulus took their dates on to the floor, closely followed by James and Chloe.

As the night wore on, Poppy started to get anxious. She was constantly thinking of Charlie and Abraxas' plot. She glanced at the dessert table, where Remus and Charlie were eating rather ungracefully, just to reassure herself that they were still there. She began to walk towards the werewolves, but was stopped by a cool hand on her arm. She looked up to see Regulus. She gave him a small smile and a kiss, then carried on walking towards Charlie and Remus.
"Charlie!" Poppy said, reaching them. "I need to tell you something!"
Poppy felt eyes on her and turned to see Bellatrix glaring at her across the room.
"Never mind," Poppy said, cowed by Bellatrix's glare.
She turned back to Regulus and the two started dancing again. McGonagall and Dumbledore glided off the floor and then the Weird Sisters came on to the stage.

Half an hour later, Charlie and Remus slipped out of the hall to get some air, unnoticed by anyone. The two walked out into the Hogwarts grounds.
"I never noticed the swing on the Whomping Willow before," Charlie said excitedly.
Remus blushed, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. As they reached the Willow, Remus waved his wand and the Willow froze. The wooden swing was suspended from one of the branches at the height of Charlie's chest.
"Can you give me a leg up?" Charlie asked.
Remus, blushing harder, helped Charlie up on to the swing. He went behind Charlie and started pushing her shyly. Neither were aware of a pair of grey eyes watching them.

Watching Remus and Charlie, Sirius felt jealous. He and Tris never did anything romantic like that. There was a slight rustle in the bushes next to him and he jumped violently as Poppy's head appeared in midair.
"It's James' invisibility cloak," Poppy whispered.
Sirius stuttered out a question.
"I have my ways," Poppy muttered back.
She pulled the cloak back over her as Remus stormed towards the bushes.
"What the hell are you doing, spying on us?" Remus asked angrily.
Sirius sheepishly crawled out of the bush and stood up, but didn't answer. He didn't notice Remus' fist flying towards him until he felt a searing pain in his nose.
"Bloody hell, Moony!" Sirius exclaimed.
He swung his fist towards Remus and soon they were engaged in a furious fist-fight. Poppy came running out of the darkness with Chloe, Tris, James and Regulus hot on her heels. Somehow, everyone ended up either screaming at each other or physically fighting. Amid all the commotion, no-one noticed a pale figure sneak out of the darkness and press it's wand to Charlie's throat. No-one noticed Charlie and the figure Apparate away.

The next morning, half the school awoke to hangovers, either from alcohol or sleep deprivation, and the news that Charlie Fawkes had been kidnapped.