The Girl Marauder(Book One)

Chapter 5

In the morning, Luna woke to find herself in a comfortable bed, the sheets pulled tightly around her body. With the drapes pulled, the sun that stained the ceiling couldn’t flood into Luna’s eyes, but she burrowed her head into the pillow anyway, mildly enjoying the warm scent it had to it.  Not quite peppermint, maybe something a little more sophisticated, something intoxicating, like a cologne, like Sirius-

Luna’s eyes widened and she bolted upwards, the sleep quickly wearing off as she realized she was in Sirius’s bed. Cheeks burning red as she pulled her legs up to her chest. With a quick check she knew she was in the bed alone, but the fact that she was in his bed at all was a little concerning, when she was sure she had brought her sleeping bag with her.

The floor was cold under her feet as she slipped out of the bed, pulling the bed drapes aside. The other Marauder’s drapes were closed as well, none visible. But then she saw her sleeping bag, and in it, one very-comfortable looking Sirius Black, his face all but completely covered by his black hair.

He was too peaceful-looking for Luna to want to disrupt.

Rolling her eyes, she left the room, knowing she could pick her stuff back up later. She snuck quietly into the Girl’s dormitory, quickly grabbing a new change of clothes. Jeans and a sweater would suffice for the morning. With clothes in hand she left to the bathroom, fully meaning to take a shower. She stripped, trying not to look at herself for too long in the mirror- She had no wish to see her scars, or her own bones poking out against her skin, though the harshness faded a bit with each filling meal she had. 

The hot water felt good on her body, and Luna had no problem lingering under the stream, standing under it comfortably. She scrubbed at her skin as fast as possible, trying not to linger on the scars, her scars, from claws and teeth- Her claws and teeth. Luna scowled at the thought, shuddering as she physically tried to shake it out of her head.

Tonight would be a full moon. The idea was nerve wrecking.

Finishing her shower, Luna quickly dried herself off and dressed, shoving her wand into her back pocket before slipping on a pair of shoes and leaving the dormitory as quietly as possible, wincing every now and then when the wood floors would crack under her feet.

The common room was empty, but Luna didn’t linger there long, instead leaving the Gryffindor house all together. Briefly she remembered she didn’t know the new password, but she tried not to fret- She could ask Remus what it was later, as he always seemed to know such things.

The Great Hall was fairly empty as well, save for a couple students. Luna saw Regulus at the Slytherin table by himself, and despite his overall foul attitude towards her, she almost pitied him. 

She was close to taking a seat at the Gryffindor table when a voice stopped her, and Luna looked up from the table of food to see a large man jogging briskly towards her, smiling pleasantly. Professor Slughorn.

“Hello, Professor.” Luna greeted in surprise. She had never payed much attention to Slughorn’s potion lectures, preferring to just read from the book and be done with it, but he seemed a pleasant enough man.

“Miss Swift.” Slughorn said, taking Luna’s hand and shaking it in a quick manner. “I believe we have not been formally introduced! I apologize for my negligence.”

“No, it’s alright, really.” Luna said quickly, letting her hand drop to her side. Slughorn beamed at her.

“Minerva has told me much about you- And about your uh, condition I hear- So sorry, but is it true, that wer-”

“Professor, with all due respect it’s not something I wish to talk about.” Luna said quickly, peeking over Slughorn’s shoulder in hopes of a possible escape. It was with relief that she saw James, Sirius and Remus walk in, all dressed and very awake. “And if you’d excuse me, I must be off.”