Five years later, a scream pierced the night. Molly bolted up. She looked around. None of her roommates got up. She threw on her dressing gown and ran to the common room. Sherlock was right behind the door. "Good, you came down. I was going to wake you anyway."
Molly sighed. He'd been doing that a lot over the years, running to wake her anytime something happened. But his was real. No one ever screamed like that.
"Let's go get John. " Sherlock headed to the common room door.
"Sherlock! We can't! We'll get another detention. " Molly grabbed his arm and pulled him back. He turned to face her and set his hands on her shoulders.
"Molly. This was real. Have we ever heard a scream like that around here?"
"It could be a joke. Someone wants to get us in trouble, maybe. Or someone scared their roommate."
"Molly…"
"What?"
"Listen."
Patter, patter, patter, patter.
It sounded like shoes walking past. Suddenly they stopped.
Sherlock held a finger to his lips and walked toward the door, before swinging it open. Sebastian Moran was outside. Molly knew him. He was in one of her classes. He was always attached to Jim, it seemed.
"What are you doing up?" Molly stuck her head out the door.
"Getting some air. Is that a crime?" Sebastian rolled his eyes. Sherlock stepped out.
"Actually, yes. It's against the rules."
"Ugh. Holmes. What the hell are you doing up?"
"Heard a scream. Thought I'd investigate."
"And what makes you so special you can go out at night?"
"Nothing. But it takes a fair amount of wit not to get caught. Hope you've gotten enough for the night."
"Sherlock…" Molly tried to pull him back inside. He shook her off.
Sebastian shook his head and turned to walk away. Sherlock grabbed Molly's hand and pulled her out of the common room.
"Sherlock, we're going to get in trouble. Again." Molly tried protesting, but Sherlock ignored her. Finally she gave up. Once he got his head wrapped around something, there was no going back.
They started walking, quietly, following Sebastian, hiding in the shadows when he stopped. While letting him get a lead, Molly whispered, "What about John?"
"Go get him," Sherlock said, eyes locked on Sebastian. "Head to the bust of Severus Snape by the Slytherin dungeons. I'll meet you there if I can't get a good tail on Moran. Judging on which ear the sound hit first, the sound came from somewhere in the direction of their rooms. We can investigate. John told me the Gryffindor password is 'night wing'. Hurry!" Sherlock turned and sprinted off.
Molly sighed and headed toward Gryffindor tower. She opened the common room door and ran up to John's room. She shook him awake. He jumped up.
"Molly! What's going on?" John stood up and wrapped his dressing gown around himself.
"I'll explain on the way. Come on!" Molly and John ran toward the Slytherin dungeons. By the time they got there, John knew that Molly and Sherlock had heard a scream, Sherlock was tailing Moran, and they were to meet him to investigate.