The Marauders: Year One (female)

8. Just Quidditch

Remus shoved her way into the portrait hole, past the Prefects and other first years. She stared around at the large common room in wonder. The main colour of the walls and upholstery was red, there was a roaring fire in the fireplace, lion posters all over the walls, cushy sofas and armchairs, and best of all, a large bookcase by a window seat looking out onto the grounds. Rain lashed against the glass, making the Common Room seem cosier by comparison. She headed straight for the books and plunged into a particularly thick one on Transfiguration.

Olivia, Fabian, Gideon, and the other first years looked at her in awe. Sirius sniggered. 'Oi, bookworm!' she called. 'I'm tired as Merlin, so come on, hurry up and let's see the dorms! You can do that later.'

Remus sighed and reluctantly set the book down, promising silently to return to it later. She jumped a little as Sirius called her again.

Olivia led the five girls over to a set of stairs, and Fabian and Gideon took the three boys over to another. 'Now,' Olivia said. 'These are the girl's dormitories, and those are the boy's dorms. Should any boy attempt to climb up to the girl's dormitories, well -'

She paused as Fabian shoved forth Mason McKinnon. Go on, try,' he whispered wickedly to Mason. Olivia looked at Fabian and sighed, shaking her head.

Mason swallowed nervously, looking at Olivia, who said nothing, looking resigned, as Mason began to ascend the stairs. He had almost reached the top, when, the stairs folded and formed a slide, causing him to fall back violently, shrieking madly as he went. The first years all laughed, as he stood up, looking thoroughly disshevelled. Lillian dusted him off.

'And that's what happens when a boy attempts to enter the Girl's dormitories without permission,' said Olivia wearily. 'You do this every year,' she snapped at Fabian, who grinned.

Fabian led the boys up to their dormitory, and Olivia took the girls. She walked up several flights of stairs, until the very top of the tower, where there was a clean, bright, little room, with five beds done neatly by the House Elves, presumably. Remus cast an eye over her roommates. The room wouldn't be clean for much longer. Already she could see mischief swirling in Sirius and Jamie's eyes. Petra was slovenly, and Frankie didn't look like she was very organised either.

'There's your baggage,' said Olivia cheerfully, pointing to their cases underneath their beds. Remus was grateful to see that her bed was by a window. Sirius was next to her, and Petra was on her other side.

'I'll leave you to it, just be in bed before ten.' Olivia left the room, hurrying to her own dormitory.

Remus sat down heavily on her bed, and rubbed her tired feet. Her joints were sore; the full moon was only four days away. Then she would have to leave the comfort of Gryffindor tower, and rough it in the Shrieking Shack, turning into a hideous monster beneath the moon, ripping her own skin open.

The other girls had begun to unpack their belongings. Sirius and Jamie threw socks at each other, until there were no more left. Sirius crawled about the room, looking for her socks.

'Bloody hell!' she complained loudly. 'Those were all the socks I had left for this term. Jamie, help me.'

Jamie looked about, but couldn't find any more. Sirius had managed to salvage about three pairs of her socks, but that wasn't nearly enough to get through the term.

Remus looked over, after folding her socks neatly and placing them in the top drawer of her chest of drawers. 'Accio socks,' she said quietly, using magic that was at O.W.L. level or higher. She had practically memorised her spell books, as well as the additional books she'd got from the second hand bookstore.