"Do you think this is a good idea? I don't really think this is a good idea. What if we get caught? What if we get expelled? What if-"
"Oh shut up Wormtail!" James hissed. "We won't get caught as long as you shut your mouth long enough so that I can hear if anyone's coming."
"Besides where's your Gryffindor sense of adventure?" smirked Sirius.
Peter looked far from reassured. His eyes nervously darted from the deserted corridor ahead of them to the closed classroom doors to the sleeping pictures on the walls as though any second a teacher was going to jump out at him and tell him he was expelled. "But what-"
"Ssshhh," whispered James as he pulled his friends into an empty classroom on his left. The sound of footsteps and hushed voices growing louder on the other side of the door had the three friends holding their breaths.
Just keep walking. Please don't come in here. Please, prayed James silently, straining his ears to hear whoever it was that was coming closer and closer all the time. It was only after a minute or so that James realised that his prayer had been answered and the footsteps were getting quieter all the time; moving away from them.
"Come on," murmured James opening the door and creeping along the corridor in the direction of the footsteps. He heard Peters' quiet groan that was quickly silenced by a deadly glare from Sirius.
As they turned the corner they saw two people that were clearly adults, probably teachers, wearing long cloaks with the hoods covering their faces. But it was the much smaller person in the middle of these two adults that had caused these three students to sneak out of their beds well past curfew on a cold, dark night. The child was also wearing a cloak but with the hood down so that the boys could clearly see his light brown hair and nervous face. The group were already down the stairs and crossing the entrance hall towards the doors leading to the grounds.
"It's definitely him," said Sirius quietly.
"Where are they taking him?" Peter squeaked, looking as though he was on the verge of giving himself a heart attack.
James and Sirius exchanged a glance. "I don't know but we are going to find out." James took the first few determined steps to follow them.
"I don't think so Mr Potter."
James and Sirius grimaced at the sound of the stern but familiar voice behind them while Peter looked so terrified that James thought it was a miracle he hadn't actually wet himself.
They turned around to come face to face with a very angry looking Professor McGonagall. "Come with me." With half a glance back towards the entrance hall, the boys reluctantly followed McGonagall who was walking at a brisk pace to her office.
When they arrived she shut the door with a snap. "Sit," she ordered as she herself sat behind her desk. As soon as the three friends had taken their usual places on the other side of the desk McGonagall started to question them.
"What were you doing out of your beds after curfew?"
None of the boys answered. Both James and Sirius, having been in this room many times before, were furiously trying to think of a buyable cover story but Peter just looked too scared to open his mouth.
"Where did you think you were going?"
Still none of them answered. James already knew that there was really no talking his way out of this one but staying quiet would at least delay his fate for a little bit longer.
"Did you really think that you would get away with this?"
When she received no answer for the third time, McGonagall glared at all of them and then her eyes rested on Peter who was visibly shaking with fear. Sensing a weak link she changed her tact.
"Do you realise how much trouble you are in?" She asked in a low voice, her eyes never leaving Peter. James realised what she was doing straight away. She knew that him and Sirius could sit there all night without saying a word but Peter….
"We just…..erm….well….errr……we were….."
James looked from Peter to Sirius who rolled his eyes and gave him a defeated look. James decided it was time for him to cut in.
"We were just looking for something to eat. We were hungry," he said simply.
McGonagall looked from James to Peter who nodded weakly agreeing with James before becoming very interested in his clasped hands.
"Again?"
"What?"
"You were all hungry enough to wander the corridors at night again?"
It was only then that James realised this was the same excuse he had used last time they got caught out at night but it was too late to turn back now.
"Well we are growing boys you see professor. We need to-"
"Black, that's enough." With a last look at them all she continued. "I'm taking 30 points from Gryffindor for refusing to tell me the truth and your inability to follow the simplest of rules."
"But Professor-"
"No buts Potter. I will see all three of you in detention at 7 o' clock tomorrow and every night for the rest of this week. This is the last time I catch any of you out of bed after curfew, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Professor."
"Now I will escort you back to Gryffindor tower to ensure that you get there and, this time, you stay there."