"Hey, Prongs? Why are you starring at the ceiling?" Sirius asked James. James was starring intently at the ceiling as if it contained the answer to all of his problems. The four Marauders were sitting in the seventh year dormitories. James always visited the three others there during their free periods, as he no longer lived there. He lived with the Head Girl, the fiery Lily Evans. The two shared the Head's Tower, the highest point of the castle, on the eighth floor where no one except the two's best friends could reach them. The tower was decorated in red and gold, Gryffindor house colors and had a common room the two shared. They also shared a luxurious bathroom, which was large and had many different types of soaps. The marauders knew James was pleased at the prospect of "accidentally" walking in on Lily while she was bathing, and Lily's friends knew that Lily knew about this and always locked the bathroom door with a variety of magic and muggle ways.
"Prongs, mate? Are you even listening to me? I realize that the ceiling is a very pretty color white…" said Sirius glancing at the ceiling. Remus, the third marauder turned his attention from the thick book he was reading to the ceiling also. "Eggshell, Padfoot; the ceiling is eggshell white," Remus told the co-leader of the Marauders.
"Oh, is it? I never knew," said Peter, the doormat of the four.
"Oh course you never knew Peter; you never know anything!" said Sirius harshly.
"Stop criticizing Peter, Padfoot. James, why are you still staring at the ceiling? It's not that interesting, and if you think it is, I know of a book that will certainly make you wet your trousers!"
At the term "wet you trousers,' James snapped to attention. Not seeing anything interesting, James spoke, "Oh, I thought Snivellus had wet his pant…. Oh well… What were you asking Moony?"
"WHY THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU STARING AT THE CEILING?"
shrieked Remus, losing his patience and composure.
"Geez, you don't have to scream, said James efficiently, "I'm staring at the ceiling because it's a popcorn ceiling…"
Again the Marauders looked up at the ceiling and sure enough, it was bumpy as if it had be given a popcorn finish.
"And… James?" Remus asked perplexedly. All four head were upturned to the ceiling. "See those bumps over Peter's bed to Sirius' bed?" Peter's bed was next to the wall farthest from the door and Sirius' was on the left of Frank Longbottom's bed. James bed used to be between Sirius' and Frank's but after he move out, his bed had been removed and the others spaced out so there was more room in between them. Remus' bed was between Peter's and Sirius'.
"Yes James, what about the bumps?" Remus asked this patiently, acting counselor like, Sirius and Peter had turned their heads from the ceiling and stared at James as if he had lost all of the sense he possessed.
"Look at the,' James voice horse and dreamy, "they spell out her name…."