Prompt: Jily solving a mini crime together
The door opened and shut, but James didn't look up from where he was working.
"What is all this?"
"I'm trying to work out who did it."
"Still?"
"Obviously. This isn't some petty squabble. I don't know who could have done it."
"Do you have any suspects?"
He nodded, and gestured to the wall beside his bed where he'd tacked up photos and clues he'd discovered along the way.
"Doesn't this all seem… I don't know, a little much?"
That got his attention. "Evans, I can't let this go. Even if everyone else has moved on, I have to know who did it. Okay?"
"Okay," she nodded, "Need a partner?"
He stared at the evidence laid out in front of him. Then, something dawned on him. Something that made the whole case fall into place.
"I've got him!" he shouted, startling Evans from the pensive silence she'd fallen into.
"Him? You figured out who did it?" she sounded apprehensive.
"Yeah. I've got him."
Together, he and Evans sat in a darkened dorm room. Normally, he'd have tried to push his luck with her, but not now. Not when something so dire was at stake.
The door pushed open, and with a wave of his wand, James flooded the room with light.
"Ah hah! I've got you!" he exclaimed victoriously.
Sirius blinked, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the sudden light.
"What are you on about?"
"I know it was you. You can stop denying it now."
"I don't know what you're talking about, mate. You're not making any sense."
"Mate?!" he knew he sounded slightly hysterical, but he couldn't help it, "You're going to do what you did, and still call me mate?"
"This is what you're on about? How did you even come to your brilliant conclusion? With the help of your little assistant over there?"
"Leave her out of this," James snapped, "I know it was you. No one else had the motive or opportunity to do it."
Sirius started to protest.
"The evidence please," James intoned, holding his hand out. With a satisfying smack, Lily set the stack of parchment containing his theories in his hand.
"It couldn't have been anyone else. They all have solid alibis. Remus Lupin was tutoring third years in the library," he pushed a sheet of parchment towards Sirius. It read:
I, Remus J. Lupin, was tutoring third years in charms in the library on the night of the alleged incident. I claim full innocence.
Signed, R.J. Lupin
P.S. this is honestly ridiculous, Prongs.
"That's your evidence?" Sirius questioned, throwing air quotes around the word evidence.
"He also has a list of witnesses who will vouch for his whereabouts," James informed him, sliding forward another sheet of parchment containing witness statements and their signatures, "Also, Remus wouldn't do that to me."
Sirius eyed the parchment incredulously.
"And the prosecution has also ruled out Peter Pettigrew."
"Oh, it's the prosecution now?"
James held up a hand to silence him. "Pete was redoing his potions project since, as you may recall, his potion exploded in class."
Sirius snickered, remembering the unfortunate orange substance that had exploded from Peter's cauldron. "What, no evidence?"
James slid another piece of parchment forward.
"Are you kidding me?!" Sirius exclaimed.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Evans lean forward to glimpse the offered piece of evidence.
"What is this, mate?"
"As you know, there isn't really a way to record the marauder's map. So I looked at it, and sketched out my findings." James thought it was rather well done, all things considered. He'd done his best to copy the drawing of the Hogwarts castle, but had forgone labeling every student– instead scattering dots here and there, but kept the focus on one larger dot labeled 'Peter Pettigrew'.
Evans giggled from behind him.
"He also has signed testimony of his whereabouts, as well as witnesses corroborating his story." He placed down another sheet of parchment with Pete's statement:
I, Peter W. Pettigrew, was in the potions dungeons at the time of the crime. My presence there was required because of my potions disaster in class the day before.
Signed, P.W. Pettigrew
P.S. I am positive pads did something to my potion to make it that color.
"Well?" James asked, returning his attention to his main suspect.
"Well, what?" replied the accused.
"Well, anything you'd like to admit to now?"
"I don't see how this flimsy bit of evidence proves that it is somehow me."
James sighed, "With Pete and Moony accounted for, the only one left is you. You're the only one who also would have been in our dorms at that time. Frankly I can't believe you've betrayed me like this."
"I can't believe you think it was me!"
"We parted ways after dinner. I had practice, so I ran down to the pitch. I know where Pete and Moony were at the time, but your time is unaccounted for. Then I came back from practice, went up to the room, and it was just you there," James laid out the bare facts for his friend.
"Think, mate. Really think. When you came up to the room, I was there. But was I alone?"
"Of course you were! You were just sitting there pretending to read while…"
He looked up slowly, shaking his head.
"No, it can't be. No… " he muttered, more to himself than anyone, "No. You?"
Evans finally looked up and met his eyes, the very picture of a guilty woman.
"Evans?" he whispered.
"Yes!" she broke, "Yes! Okay it was me. But in my defense, I was waiting for you to get back from practice, but then it ran late–"
She was interrupted by Sirius's cry: "Vindication!"
Evans leveled a glare at him, "You said you wouldn't say anything."
"That was before I knew I was the one standing accused! It could have been an open and shut case, except for Evans' womanly wiles over here," he nodded in Lily's direction.
"Ew. Gross. Never say womanly wiles to me again," she told him.
"You noticed almost immediately when you walked in the room. But one snog from this one over here," he gestured to Evans again, "And you're a man possessed! No focus. Ridiculous."
Evans giggled, but fell silent when he swung his gaze over to her.
"But mate," Sirius continued, gesturing to the evidence scattered around the room, "Was all this really necessary?"
"Of course it was!"
"You need to get a grip, Prongs. All this," he gestured around again, "for a biscuit?!" his tone was incredulous.
"They are my FAVORITE biscuits. That my mother only sends from Greece once a year! And only if I have managed to make it all month without a single detention. Needless to say I haven't had them in forever."
Evans and Sirius both laughed.
"Don't think I haven't forgotten about you, you little thief," he said to Evans, pointing a finger in her direction.
She sidled up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I'm sure we can find a way to make it up to you," she whispered, "after all, you have been so good all month."
He swallowed hard, "You better."
"Are you kidding me?" Sirius exploded from where he still stood, "You were ready to bring down the wrath of god when you thought it was me, but this one bats her eyelashes a few times and all is good?"
"She does more than just bat her eyelashes," James told his friend, without looking away from Evans, "Now, get out Pads."
"Yeah, get out Pads," Evans echoed, pulling him by the hand over to his bed.
Sirius threw up his arms in resignation, laughing as he left, "Well played, Evans!" he called over his shoulder.
The only response was the slamming and silencing of the door.