AN: I just had a though about the Marauders and how they spent their evenings and I wanted to write it down so here that is I guess

Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the Harry Potter universe


Inside the Gryffindor Common Room, on a Thursday night in late April, 1975, four young boys were gathered around the roaring fire, playing chess.

I think it is important to note how each of these four boys were positioned around the fire, playing chess, as one might say that posture and how one naturally holds themselves might say something about who they are.

Sat in the middle (and on the edge) of the plush red sofa was a boy whose back was straight and who held his chin up – not necessarily high, just as though he came from a background of wealth (which was far from the truth, but beside the point) – and he looked rather elegant. His hands were on his lap, fingers intertwined, and his brow furrowed in concentration – most likely planning his next few moves in the game.

On his right lay another boy. He was sprawled in a seemingly uncomfortable position, as he kept shifting himself every so often as though he couldn't lie at ease – although perhaps that was due to his (losing) situation in the chess game. As of now, his body was twisted; one arm was dangling over the arm of the sofa, the other behind his head, propping it up. His legs were folded back at the knee, and if one was to compare him to a letter, the letter 'Z' might spring to mind.

Next we move on to the boy on the floor, who sat cross-legged and focused intently on the chess game. His face was contorted in what one might perceive as anger, although if one knew him well, they would know he was trying desperately to make sense of the thing in front of him – of course, his friends knew this, and were exploiting him with experienced moves and tricky strategies that a player who was new to the game (such as himself) wouldn't understand until after the game had finished, and the play had been explained in thorough detail to him. However slow this boy may be though, his presence in the group was much needed – he had an innocence that the other three didn't possess, which made him an invaluable asset (as they needed the faux purity to get away with the mischief they got up to).

Beside the plush red sofa and adjacent to the fire stood a high-backed old-fashioned arm chair, which held the fourth and final boy. This boy had the elegance of the first one and the sprawled-ness of the second. He lay across the body of the armchair, his upper body bent gracefully backwards over the armrest furthest from the fire (closest to the sofa) and his legs were crossed with poise over the opposite. His eyes were closed and his mouth parted slightly – it looked almost as if he were asleep – but when the boy on the floor called his name, he graciously came up from his sore-looking position (to which the boy sprawled inelegantly on the sofa proclaimed loudly that he had abs of steel).

After the chess game finished, the boys would make their way up to their shared dormitory, and assume similar positions while they chatted about mundane subjects, although occasionally planning a harmless (but entertaining) maraud – which, incidentally, was what led them to come up with their group nickname – The Marauders.

For now, however, the four fifteen year olds were content idly playing chess and sporadically teasing each other.