so in love with you // sirius black

chapter 16

    "Fuck. You figured it out didn't you?" Sirius said and if I hadn't just found out that one of my closest friends was a werewolf, I might have noticed that Sirius had just directly spoken to me for the first time in months.

    "I think so." 

    James whispered something to Sirius and they got up from the table, motioning for me to follow them. We exited the Great Hall and the boys led me into the nearest empty classroom. 

     "Explain," I said. And they did.

    "So you're telling me that the three of you became illegal animagi, in your third year, just to help your friend out?" I asked.

    "Uh yeah, we did," James said.

    "That's- that's really cool of you. And impressive." both boys smiled lightly at that.

    The fact that they cared that much about Remus, that they risked so much for him, made me see the Marauders in a different light and made me feel terrible. I've known Remus for a large part of my childhood and I never noticed a thing.

    "What can I do to help?" I said. James and Sirius looked at me surprised.

    "It's better to stay out of it," Sirius mumbled.

    James elbowed him and said, "Remus can go to Madam Pomfrey if he gets injured on the full moon, but we can't risk getting caught. Lily's has been doing some healing for us, and you could as well."

   "Lily knows?" I asked.

  "Yeah, she has for about a month. Remus made her promise not to tell you or Mar." James explained. 

    "We can't let Marlene be the only one who doesn't know." I said.

   "We'll talk to Remus about it," James reassured me.

    I had more questions but the clock struck nine, and I heard students rushing towards their classes.

•••

    I moved to pick up my books and exit the classroom when I heard professor McGonagall calling my name.

    "Yes Professor?" I asked, I had absolutely no clue what this was about.

    "Ms. Collins, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you and your friends tonight in his office."

    Why on earth would Dumbledore want to see all of us? Did the Marauders do something crazy?

    McGonagall seemed to notice my worry and said, "don't worry, you aren't in trouble." 

•••

    "Dumbledore wants to see all of us?" Marlene asked. We were all sitting at the dinner table, and I had just told them about our meeting with the headmaster. "You guys didn't pull some stupid shit did you?" she said looking at each of the four Marauders in turn.

    "It is often our fault," Sirius admitted, "but I swear to Merlin we didn't do anything." Peter, Remus, and James nodded in agreement.

    "Well I guess we'll figure out what it's about eventually," Lily said.

    In a rush to discover what Dumbledore wanted we ate quickly and walked even faster. When we reached the large stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office I realized we didn't know the password. I was about to voice my concern when the staircase swung open on its own accord. I exchanged a glance with Remus, he shrugged, so the seven of us started up the stairs.

    When we pushed the large doors of the office open, I realized we were not the only ones to have been invited to Dumbledore's office. The office was almost bursting. I saw Frank and Alice in one corner, the Prewett twins leaning against the opposite wall, and many other familiar faces were scattered about.