The Marauders Rise (II)

Patrol Watch

January 28, 1974

Late at night in the upper corridors of Hogwarts, NARCISSA and LUCIUS are on Prefect patrol watch, walking by the light of their wands.

NARCISSA: What does Pandora think we're gonna find on these patrol watches, anyway?

LUCIUS: Who knows what first-years get themselves into at one in the morning.

NARCISSA: We've done this at least a hundred times and we've seen no one-

LUCIUS: -except old Sluggy sleepwalking in the library.

NARCISSA: Merlin's beard, I remember that! That was so creepy!

LUCIUS: And remember when-

Suddenly, an echo of footsteps are heard down the hall.

NARCISSA: Shh! Did you hear that? (She points her wand down the hall).

LUCIUS: I don't see anything.

NARCISSA: I thought I- there! I saw it!

LUCIUS: What?

NARCISSA: Watch it be those Gryffindor brats- we're gonna catch them this time- (She sprints down the hallway towards the sound of the footsteps).

NARCISSA: Where are you? Lumos maxima! (The entire corridor is suddenly ablaze with light, but there is no one to be seen. The Marauders, under the Invisibility Cloak, press themselves against the wall. NARCISSA stops just feet away from them, but they remain completely invisible to her).

LUCIUS: I told you. It's probably just that new caretaker's cat prowling around-

NARCISSA: Yeah, whatever. (She extinguishes the light).

LUCIUS: Come on. I want to show you something.

NARCISSA: (smiling) What?

LUCIUS: Just follow me, come on.

LUCIUS takes her arm and guides her down the hallway and up a flight of stairs. Soon, they arrive at the top of the Astronomy Tower, where several stargazing instruments glow in a golden light. At the end of the room is a huge archway with a magnificent view of the night skies.

NARCISSA: (breathless) It's amazing.

LUCIUS: I always like coming up here. (He begins to fiddle around with some of the instruments) Makes me wish I never dropped Astronomy.

NARCISSA: Same. (She walks over to the archway and gazes over the Hogwarts grounds).

LUCIUS: Where do you think we're gonna be, a few years from now?

NARCISSA: Is that a joke? We're already seventh-year Slytherin Prefects, and that's about as high as you can go in this world. There's nowhere to go but down, from here.

LUCIUS: Come on, be serious.

NARCISSA: (resting her head on LUCIUS' shoulder) I don't know. I feel like we can make a life for ourselves outside of this place. But it's not going to be easy.

LUCIUS: What do you mean?

NARCISSA: (looking him in the eyes) You know what I mean. There's a war coming, and we're going to have to choose a side. And we both know the future that Bellatrix sees for you.

LUCIUS: But none of that matters. I told you that I'm not gonna let anything come between us. And I meant it.

NARCISSA: I know. I know. (She takes his hand) We just have to be safe, all right? I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you-

LUCIUS: Nothing's going to happen to me. I'm right here.

NARCISSA smiles and rests her head on his shoulder once more. They watch as a snowstorm begins to form outside.