Chapter 5- Sneaking Out
Sirius lay, his eyes closed, in his four-poster bed. He waiting for the signal that all was well. Out of the darkness beyond his eyelids, came a light hissing. It was just as if someone were releasing air from between their teeth.
Sirius slipped out of his covers and silently stood, then strode over to James' bed, where he kicked solid air, that winced lightly. Sirius grabbed the air by his ankles and slid the invisibility cloak over his head.
James and Peter smiled at him. None of them were quite sure how this one piece of fabric covered the three of them. James and Peter motion for Sirius to follow and the darker, taller boy nodded in understanding.
When they were a safe distance from the fat lady, (who had no idea why she had swung open) Sirius heard James' deep voice ahead speak. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." And then he heard him add, "Lumos."
The light came quickly from James' wand, but did not escape the security of the cloak. Sirius looked over to see the pride and joy of his Hogwart's years. 'The Marauder's Map' gleamed in the dim enchanted light of James' wand.
James began to slowly lead the other two boys. Sirius had tried to lead the group once. He had been caught by Smidgen, who had them in detention for three weeks. He hadn't tried since.
When they reached the front hall, the boys came to the closest window, which Peter opened and began to climb out. "Peter!" Sirius hissed, grabbing The stout boy by the shoulder.
Peter looked at his friend, quite surprised, and then a look of realization came over him, and he suddenly disappeared. Where he had once stood, a rather large garden rat had appeared, and scurried up the drapes and out the window. Sirius sighed then grimaced at the task ahead. He thought hard, and imagined himself as a large black dog… It only worked when he imagined it first.
Sirius was suddenly a scraggly young dog, and with quite a struggle, he hopped over the windowsill, and out into the night. He heard the window close behind him, and knew that James had come out.
It was too difficult for James to climb out as his chosen animal, and so he usual just continued with the invisibility cloak until they arrived at Remus' 'summer home' as the boys liked to call it. So, the three, (James invisible, and the other two as animals) made their way over to the Womping Willow, which had grown surprisingly fast in the last five and a half years.
Peter froze the thrusting limbs and the other two boys quickly jumped down into the hidden entrance beneath the roots of the tree. Sirius, James and Peter made their way through the hidden passageway. When they came to the house on the outskirts of Hogsmead, James took off his cloak and stashed it in a corner.
"Why do you insist on wearing that thing even when no one but Sirius and I could see you…?" Peter said, once again a person, and not an animal.
"He's just a showoff." Sirius said, as soon as he was himself as well. "Thinks that invisibility cloak makes him a god." He poked, playfully. "If only Evans thought that too, eh, old boy?"
"Come on, fellas…" James smiled. "Lets reek some havoc."