Disclaimer: After all this time? Always. Always will I never own this franchise. Darn it!
Written for Battleships.
Prompt: First Encounter
Word count: 718
"Are you awake?" whispered the eleven-year-old boy, rolling over onto his stomach as he peered into the darkness. There was a rustle of blankets and Sirius Black muttered, "Lumos" as he raised his wand.
"Yeah, I am. I just can't sleep. I'm too buzzed," replied Sirius, blinking as the light reflected off of James's glasses.
"What do you say to a tour of the castle?" asked James in an excited rush, and Sirius leapt up in response, a wide grin on his face.
"Merlin's month-old glitter pyjamas, yes!" Sirius danced as he hauled James up to his feet as they poked Peter and Remus out of their sleep. The four boys wrapped the darkest blankets they had around themselves and trooped down quietly to the Common Room. It was deserted at two in the night, and not a soul was in sight.
The fire crackled merrily, and James straightened his back, stretching his fingers as he said, "Okay, so from what I saw on our way from the Potions dungeons to the Common room, there are a couple of staircases and corridors that lead to Merlin knows where. We also have the option of going down to the kitchens and hanging out with the elves first. Or we could try and climb that tree at the back of Hogwarts, with the weird branches and what not-"
"For your information, that tree with the weird branches is called the Whomping Willow," came a sharp retort that cut James off, and the four boys froze midway to turn out and face a red-haired girl glaring at them from behind the sofa.
Peter started whimpering immediately while Sirius looked at the girl frantically, a slight wariness creeping into his posture. James simply frowned at her, heart pounding from the momentary shock, but otherwise remained unfazed.
"Well, I'm sorry if I hurt the tree's sentiments. We'll be sure to drop a flower or two at it while we're out," snickered James as Sirius stifled a royal snort. Who is she, wondered James, watching the kaleidoscope of expressions on her expressive face. Her luminous green eyes widened at his retort, then narrowed into slits and now she rolled them in an exaggerated display of contempt.
"Do you have any idea how potentially dangerous it is to go about after hours? Snooping around without any teacher? And near the Whomping Willow, of all things?" the girl hissed angrily back at him, her hair settling around her shoulders as she gesticulated wildly in amazement at their audacity.
"Remus, will you please tell Miss Firehead here that teachers never take us to the interesting parts of the school? And please, pray tell her to explain why she is so obsessed with a bloody tree," James threw her a look as he crossed his arms showily across his chest in rebellion.
"I have a name, thank you very much. And I happen to like it. It's Lily. Lily Evans," she replied snootily, arms akimbo as she gave a look to Remus, daring him to do as the raven-haired boy had said.
James grinned as she told her name and drawled, "The name's Potter. James Potter." He watched as she bit back a smile at his reference to that famous Muggle spy. Yes, lady, beat that, he thought triumphantly as she reddened, speechless for a retort and continued, "We're going anyway. You're free to join us if you want."
Her amusement rapidly vanishing, Lily snorted and picking up the book she was reading, made her way back to her dormitory as she remarked, "Be my guest to get your butts whooped by the Whomping Willow. I refuse to be party to your juvenile pranks." She tossed him a look and shut the door firmly behind her.
It was Remus who shook James out of the dopey grin on his face and the spectacled boy shrugged, "Oh, don't bother about her. Let's go!" as he skipped out of the Common Room.
It was about two hours later that four very bedraggled boys dragged themselves back into the Common Room, their shirts ripped in places, and twigs and leaves sticking out of their hair. James Potter climbed up the stairs, the last of them all as he paused near the girls' dormitory and growled reluctantly at the door, "The Whomping Willow sends its regards."
A/N: Hi, lovelies! I am writing this from under a sea of blankets and am super buzzed about this collection. This has had no beta, fyi.
The cover art is copied in all honesty from Google.
Thoughts are more than welcome. And reviews are highly appreciated!