The Slytherins had been making fun of her again. That pompous prick Lucius was sneering and jeering, rallying up his little gang and talking about her parentage. Amelia had always ignored them, ignored because she only fought back when they couldn't know if it was her.
Being in Hogwarts was good cover for pranks. They were always the ones to be suspicious and, even if it wasn't theirs, didn't deny doing it. And Merlin, would they have to run tomorrow. If she could get out of the broom closet.
They had shoved her inside, locked the door, and she was stuck in there, with no light, for the past hour. Amelia did not like the dark. She would've actually rathered dementors then the dark. So, right now, she was clutching one of the said brooms, shaking and calling out for help.
She doubted anybody would answer since this was the almost empty seventh floor.
"I'm locked in here!"
Was she going to be stuck in here the rest of Seventh Year? Miss the train? Tomorrow was the Hogsmeade trip what would she do then-
"Is somebody in here?" Click, creak, and the door was open and light shone into the closet. Amelia scrambled to get up and launched herself towards the shadowed person who had opened the door.
Remus looked down and laughed, "Amy? What happened?"
Amelia looked up and detached herself quickly, brushing off her uniform, "I-I… Slytherins. They are going to get it tomorrow, I'll have to stay instead of going to Hogsmeade-"
"Just for payback, Amelia, you're starting to sound like Padfoot-"
"Did somebody say my name?" Sirius popped his head out from behind the door, smiling widely, "Amelia! Fancy seeing you here. You know, we were just strolling down the neighborhood-"
"Prongs and Padfoot are stashing all of their supplies up here. I joined because they need somebody to supervise them."
James strolled in on cue, leaning his elbow on Remus, "You know, we could use some help-"
"No, actually, I can't help, you see, I've been stuck in there for a long time and my legs are sort of not attached to my body right now. I need to go. So I'll catch you blokes later," she waved and started slowly towards the staircase, Remus following nervously, "Amelia… I've been meaning to ask you… would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me? I mean, if you are still planning on unleashing your wrath on the Slytherins-"
She stopped him with a light kiss on the cheek and grinned, saying softly, "They can wait. I'd love to."
Fluffy snow covered the roofs of all the houses and stores in the small town. The air was filled with laughter and voices and warmth from inside.
Remus and Amelia walked behind the three other Marauders and Lily, who were heading straight for Zonko's. The joke shop wasn't as full as all the other stores, but there were still many notorious troublemakers, and when the Marauders walked in, it was like gods had entered the store.
The wizard at the counter knew them by name.
Zonko's was a joke shop and a novelty shop all the same. At this time, winter, there were snow globes with actual cities in them, tap dancing teddy bears, Pygmy Puffs, all those presents for Christmas time.
Amy was marveling, thinking of what she could do to the Slytherins with any of these things, even though she already had enough supplies. But one thing caught her eye and she picked it up, examining it. It was one of those little bears, a Memorandum Bear it was called.
A deep, midnight blue, and so soft. It wasn't activated to move yet, the spell not set like the ones running around on display. Remus came up behind her and plucked another one off the shelf, "These are new."
"Yes, they are," she murmured in response and smiled. This would make a good edition to her collection of stuffed animals, but she had already used up her Galleons in Honeydukes, except for just enough for butterbeer. Plus, it was blue.
She put it back begrudgingly, walking towards the door of the shop, "I'm going to get a butterbeer, want one Remus?"
A muttered agreement, and Amelia plunged into the cold air, tucking loose cinnamon curls behind her ear.
The butterbeers were burning through her gloves, giving her frozen fingers relief from the ice. She sat on one of the many stone ledged surrounding the village, setting Remus' drink next to her while she blew on hers.
A very ruffled looking boy jumped out of Zonko's and immediately spotted Amelia, smiling and walking towards her, snow crunching under his heels. There was a Zonko's tote in his hand.
"Thank you for the butterbeer. I can pay you back-"
"No, don't. It's okay. I don't need any more Galleons right now."
He frowned but dropped the subject, taking his butterbeer and sipping it cautiously.
Amelia looked up. Snow wasn't falling, but the sky was still blue, yet slightly cloudy. The cold in the air made everything seem better. Cooler and sharper and-
"So… I don't know how to exactly make a good transition to this… I got you this, since I saw you seemed to like it… I-I'll just," he pulled one of those little bears out of the bag, who was now active and rubbing it's eyes from sleep.
Amelia gasped and gently took it, whispering appreciation.
The bear sat in her arms and looked up, opening its mouth and saying, "You are beautiful." She looked up at Remus, surprised, and he was burying himself in the butterbeer, red to his roots.
"I… I just wanted it to say something-"
Some spurt of Gryffindor courage overtook her and she gave him a quick kiss, holding the back of his neck. And she pulled away just as quick, sputtering, "I'm sorry, I just-"
He continued it, slow and sweet, pulling her closer. Warmth so much more intense then the butterbeer spread through her and she sighed, closing her eyes. "I'm not."
Throughout the rest of the day, they held hands, hugged each other close, and spent the night in front of the Gryffindor fire, Amelia snuggling the bear close.
This was for ReadytoFinallyLive. A very good request with FLUFF!