Chapter Seven - All About Lily, Nomomom
{ Charlotte Evans }
"Potter, we are going to get caught!" Charlotte snapped, pulling her coat tighter around her. It may have been spring, but it was still bloody freezing, with or without the sun for warmth. Considering it was nearly 10 pm, the chill had worsened, and the weather was enough to make her regret trusting James Potter.
He had come to her about an hour ago while she was reading in the common room, insisting that their 'meeting' would take place somewhere more comfortable than the Gryffindor Tower. Charlotte had been okay with that. What she hadn't been okay with was him not telling her where this 'comfortable venue' was.
She had assumed, perhaps hoped, that it would be a warm place, maybe with a fire. So far, she could barely feel her toes, and her nose was likely as red as Lily's hair.
Potter had told her to dress warmly, and she had taken his advice to heart. Jeans, two shirts, and the thickest woollen jumper she could find, all hidden within her long brown coat. And yet, here she was, shivering in the biting wind while Potter seemed completely unbothered, casually strolling down the corridor as if it were a mild summer evening.
He wore jeans and a coat, but underneath, he had only a thin cotton shirt. Charlotte knew it was thin because through it, she could see his abdominal muscles far too clearly for her comfort. She had blushed when she first noticed but refused to tell him why.
"Well, yeah, if you keep yelling, we will," James remarked with a quiet laugh, glancing at a piece of parchment he had been holding since they left the common room. Every time Charlotte tried to see what it was, he quickly tucked it away, heightening her curiosity. If it was just a piece of parchment, why was he being so secretive?
"Hello, love," a voice whispered suddenly in her ear, and a faint breath brushed against the back of her neck where her scarf didn't cover. Instinctively, she spun around, wand raised, a scream daring to rip from her throat.
Her wand poked into someone's chest. She looked up, meeting stormy grey eyes that were filled with amusement. It was Sirius, of course, smirking cheekily at her, even as she kept her wand pointed at him.
If he didn't wipe that infuriating smile off his face soon, she would not be held responsible for the hex she might throw his way.
"James, Charlotte," Sirius greeted them both with a nod, winking at Charlotte before stepping beside James and ruffling his already messy hair. James scowled, attempting to smooth it back into place—a lost cause if she ever saw one.
"Bloody hell, Sirius, you prat," Charlotte gasped, leaning against the wall to catch her breath. "You scared me half to death!"
Not that they could know, but sneaking around the castle so close to curfew wasn't exactly in her comfort zone. Every whisper or echo from the corridor sent a fearful chill down her spine, one that had little to do with the cold.
She hadn't been joking when she told James that the most rebellious thing she'd ever done was 'borrow' a broom. She had lasted thirty minutes before returning it, too worried about the consequences. She barely got a chance to fly it before sneaking it back into the Gryffindor Quidditch shed.
"Only half?" Sirius replied smugly, winking again.
"I'm warning you," Charlotte said lowly, her wand still out and pointed at him. Though she had no intention of hexing him, the boy was seriously testing her patience. His smug, flippant responses were infuriating.
"Both of you, be quiet." James hissed in a low voice. He was feeling along the brick wall near them, stopping only to send them both a heated glare that had Charlotte lowering her wand immediately. "The entrance is around here somewhere…"
"What entrance?" Charlotte asked, watching James press his hands against the dull bricks. After a few moments, one of the bricks gave way, and suddenly, the wall disappeared, revealing a darkened archway where there had been only stone.
"That entrance," Sirius said with a laugh, clearly amused by her awed expression.
Charlotte stared at the newly revealed pathway, utterly stunned. She had never heard of secret entrances at Hogwarts, but of course, if anyone knew about them, it would be these two.
"Bloody hell," she breathed, stepping forward to peer into the passageway, raising her wand and whispering, "Lumos." A soft light bloomed at the tip of her wand, casting flickering shadows along the brick walls.
From what she could see, the tunnel stretched endlessly into the darkness. Even if she sent out a Lumos Maxima, she doubted it would reveal the end.
"Pretty cool, huh?" James asked, his voice laced with excitement.
"'Pretty cool' isn't exactly how I'd describe it," Charlotte replied, though she couldn't help the small smile creeping onto her face. As much as she disapproved of rule-breaking, there was something undeniably impressive about this.
"How did you even find this?" she asked, still staring down the darkened tunnel.
"Ah, but that would be telling," Sirius teased with a wink.
"Of course," Charlotte muttered, rolling her eyes. First their ridiculous nicknames, now secret tunnels. Couldn't they ever just give a straight answer?
"At least tell me where we're going," she demanded, exasperation creeping into her voice.
"Hogsmeade," Sirius answered, rubbing his stomach dramatically. "I'm starving."
"You're always starving," James said with a laugh, lightly punching Sirius on the shoulder.
"I have the appetite of a dog," Sirius responded with a wide grin, earning another playful punch from James.
Charlotte blinked, her brow furrowing at the odd comment. Appetites of dogs? Code names like "Prongs"? These boys had a strange dynamic, and she wasn't entirely sure what to make of it.
"Does this tunnel go all the way to Hogsmeade?" Charlotte asked, trying to make sense of it all.
"Not quite. Just far enough that we can Apparate the rest of the way," Sirius explained.
Charlotte stopped in her tracks, staring at him. "Apparate?" she repeated, her voice laced with trepidation.
"Yeah…" Sirius replied slowly.
Without another word, Charlotte turned on her heel and started walking back toward the castle.
"Oh, come on," Sirius called after her, quickly catching up. "If you can't Apparate, we can do a side-along."
Charlotte whirled around, glaring at him. "It's not that I can't. It's just…" She trailed off, clenching her jaw.
"Just what?" Sirius pressed, his brow furrowing.
Charlotte took a deep breath, staring at the floor. "The first time I tried, I got splinched," she muttered, the memory making her wince.
Sirius' smirk faded instantly. "Oh."
"Yeah. Oh." She crossed her arms over her chest. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of that painful experience. She had the scar to remind her of it—an ugly, jagged line down her back that no charm or potion could completely erase.
Sirius exchanged a glance with James before stepping closer. "Charlotte, I'm a fantastic Apparator. I promise, you won't get splinched. You can trust me."
She hesitated for a moment, looking between them. Despite their usual teasing, they both seemed genuinely concerned. With a reluctant sigh, she nodded. "Fine. But if I get splinched, I swear, I will hex you into next week."
Sirius grinned. "Deal."
"Not that I'm not excited for this little adventure, but where exactly in Hogsmeade are we going? And why?" Charlotte asked, her exhaustion beginning to seep through.
"Three Broomsticks," Sirius replied. "It's tradition. Every Tuesday, we go out for a drink."
"And since you're stealing Prongs away," James added, "we thought it would be better for you to join us."
"Prongs?" Charlotte repeated, confused. "Is that supposed to be you, James?"
James shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eye. "That's a story for another time."
"Right," Charlotte muttered, rolling her eyes. "This just gets stranger by the minute."
As they reached the end of the tunnel, James stepped forward, examining the stone wall. "Alright, here we are. Time to Apparate."
Charlotte's stomach twisted. This was it. With one last, apprehensive glance at Sirius, she reluctantly stepped closer. He held out his arms with a grin.
"Just wrap your arms around me," Sirius said, clearly enjoying her discomfort.
Charlotte sighed, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "This is ridiculous," she muttered under her breath.
"Hold on tight," Sirius whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her neck. She clung to him, determined not to let fear get the better of her.
And then, with a sharp crack, they were gone.