Safety From a Distance

Safety From a Distance

Chapter 4

©PrincessLesse 2003

"Jamesie, why are we having a dance?" Padfoot asked of me while we were sitting in the Common Room. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eyes.

"To put us through unbearable torture. I'm not pleased. Well, that's a lie, I'm very much pleased."

Sirius waggled his eyebrows at me. His grin became devious. "I knew you weren't just having a flame, it's a full-blown fire! For a fiery red-head!"

I narrowed my eyes at him and then rolled them.

"Anyhow, I've no idea why'd Dumbledore would schedule this dance."

"You might know if you went to those Prefect meetings once in a while," Sirius said skeptically.

He wisely let me change the subject.

"Dumbledore probably had some reason or another at wanting to have a dance. I mean, it's been a while, but perhaps it's to keep us here to stay safe," I said vaguely. I did know of the uprising of a wizard who thinks he's more powerful than even Dumbledore. I couldn't quite

remember his name.

As if reading my thoughts, Padfoot said, "That seems plausible. No one is more powerful than Dumbledore. But, I don't see why he'd think anyone would want to go home. I mean, it's not as if we have a break or anything!"

I nodded. I did have a vague idea why, but I wasn't positive.

"Mayhap he thinks that our parents will want to take us out of Hogwarts, for their fear that perhaps it'd be safer if they were with us," I said, voicing my opinion.

Padfoot nodded, then Peter came into the Common Room looking happy.

"Listen, mates, listen to how my drawing ability has gotten me something!"

I glanced at Wormtail, and then I glanced at his right hand. It looked so articulate, and that was a flaw to him, I suppose. His two hands were a bit different from each other.

"Well, what did your artistic ability land you?" Padfoot asked. I've never seen Wormtail grin as much as he did when he was being praised about his talents.

"McGonagall came up and asked me if I'd like to do the backdrop for this dance coming up!"

Padfoot voiced my puzzlement. "Why the bloody hell do we need a backdrop? Not that it's not brilliant you've been recognized, Petey! Really, that's incredible!"

I nodded my enthusiastic agreement. "Yes, truly smashing!"

Peter only grinned the merrier. "Isn't it, though? As for the backdrop bit, she decided we should take pictures! A lot like the Muggles do!"

My face paled and I noticed that Padfoot's did, too.

"P-pictures?" I asked shakily. I *hated* pictures! Peter only grinned that devious grin of his more.

"I know, that's why I've decided we should all look smashing for them, give the ladies a run for their money!"

Padfoot groaned. He was probably thinking along the same lines as me. Either Peter was very vain, or we were too vain and just really didn't want to take pictures. I was going for the latter.

"I hate pictures; they always catch me at my worst! My pictures blink constantly, and then they don't grin. They just make these half-smiles that look completely daft!" Padfoot protested.

"Yours? Unless it's a black and white picture, my glasses shine, and my eyes are so wide! My mum never criticizes me as much except on my pictures. Anyhow, I refuse to smile!" I exclaimed.

"You both are insufferable gits!" Peter said, frustrated. He rolled his eyes at us. I don't see why he cares, anyhow.

"Girls *love* pictures! Especially when they've got to get all dressed up for them! Don't you understand that they'll be so happy it won't matter if you're comfortable?"

Peter did have a point. I mean, girls did love pictures!

"You know, Wormtail? You are incredibly right! Girls love pictures! And if I take these pictures with a grin, she may think I'm dashing!" Padfoot said, then smiled charmingly at me and winked.

"So Prongs, what'd you think Lily would say?"

I grinned. No point in telling them something I've actually no idea about.

"Sod off," I told him jokingly. Padfoot smiled, and then draped an arm around Peter, who started to get that quirky grin on his face.

"Come, Wormtail, let's leave Prongsy to his thoughts. He's being constipated."

Peter started laughing hysterically, and I laughed with him and yet felt indignant.

"The word you're looking for, Padfoot, isn't 'constipated' it's 'contemplative'!" Peter corrected him.

Padfoot looked nonplussed. "Who am I to bother with big words? Anyhow, what does constipated mean?"

Wormtail stopped laughing long enough to tell him that it was when someone couldn't take a shit. Then we both started laughing at his expression.

~*~

When I walked into the Great Hall, I could see that the High Table was missing a couple of its usual occupants. I went to go sit by Remus, who was looking rather sullen.

"What's the matter, Moony?" I asked him when I sat down.

"Samantha," he said simply.

My eyes opened wide. Then I spilled my pumpkin juice in nervousness.

"Bugger!" I swore when I spilled my drink. Then I asked, "Is there something wrong with Sam?" Sam was his sister who had graduated from Hogwarts two years ago.

"No, quite the contrary. She's coming to teach at Hogwarts."

My mouth dropped open. Sam? But that was fantastic! I said so, as well.

"No, it's not!" he protested vehemently. "She's coming to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts!" {A.N. Perhaps it's just the stigma that's with that job...}

"What? We have a teacher--"

"No, we don't. Professor Roquemore quit today. He said he was tired of 'snot-nosed brats'. Good Riddance, I say, but did they really have to get my sister?" Moony half vented, half pleaded for it not to be true.

"Shouldn't this be wonderful?" I asked hesitantly.

"No, because I don't want her authority over me, and to the point she'd be able to do something about it!"

I stared. I wasn't used to Remmy being so childish.

"Don't you remember when she was here? She was horrible! I mean, I adore her and such, but in school she was a pain!"

I laughed. Samantha was always there to thwart our cunning plans until we found the secret passages to get around her. She was a hell of a Prefect.

"Whatever you say, Moony! We're older and wiser! Plus, we've got animagi on our side, as well as the Marauder's Map and an invisibility cloak," I said cheerfully.

Moony nodded sullenly. Next thing, Padfoot plopped down beside us.

"Did you hear the incredible news? Batty, old Roquemore is leaving!" I could just hear his thoughts of 'Finally! I was running out of ideas!'

"Yeah," Remmy grumbled. "To be replaced by my sister."

Sirius' eyes opened in shock.

"Wha...?"

"Exactly," Moony growled, then he started at me.

I shrugged. No point in worrying about it, I had more important things on my mind. I'd worry about Sam when she got here.

Moony then stood up and stalked out of the Great Hall. He really was being a bit childish about this, but I wasn't one to complain. Especially if it'd make me a hypocrite.

"I wonder what's eating him. It can't all really be about her coming to teach here," Padfoot said, voicing his thoughts.

I nodded. Padfoot was right; this wasn't like Moony at all. Moony was usually a bit more articulated in voicing his woes.

Padfoot then shrugged and grabbed a roll.

"I'm going to do homework," he said as he stood up. I glanced at him quickly, and his look clearly stated he was up to something mischievous.

"Want to come along?" he asked me.

I grinned and nodded. "Sure," I said and also grabbed a roll. We walked out of the Great Hall and ran up to the dormitory. I grabbed my invisibility cloak and he grabbed the Marauder's Map. We were still adding new passages as we discovered them. We had only made the map

at the beginning of this term.

"C'mon, Prongsy! We've got a whole night, let's go!"

I complied, and we walked to the Common Room, trying to look inconspicuous.

When we were sure no one was there, Padfoot pulled out the map.

"All right, Dumbledore is in his office, Roquemore isn't here, the rest of the teachers are in the Great Hall, everyone else of importance... Moony is in the owlry, Peter is in the library, and Lily is in her dormitory."

I coughed as I choked on my roll. Lily? What was she doing on the map? We never had to worry about her before!

Padfoot saw my stricken look. "Remember how the map is enchanted to show who we need to see and who we want to see? I knew you wanted to see Lily, so..." Padfoot trailed off.

I started laughing and punched him in his arm. "Damn sod."

Padfoot grinned crookedly. We made our way out of the portrait hole. We wouldn't use the invisibility cloak until we truly needed it.

"You know, I'm positive I could sense clean air by this statue of Helga Hufflepuff by the Arithmancy classroom," Padfoot muttered as we made our way to the second floor corridor.

"When you're being a great, big, scruffy dog?" I asked uninterestedly. I glanced at him, and he raised his eyebrow at me. Something I was infinitely jealous of. I've tried, even practiced in the mirror! I can't do it!

"Oh, it's all right, Snuffles! I understand that being a dog does have its upsides," I said, then I patted his head.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't do that," he said under his breath. I laughed and said, "What, so you don't want me calling you Snuffles?"

He glared at me until we reached the statue. I made Padfoot put on the cloak when no one was looking, and transform underneath it. When he did, I saw the air shimmer as he shook off the cloak. I grabbed it and put it in my pocket. We couldn't be too sure of the happenings in Hogwarts. Although, if one were to think about it, I suppose it was completely pointless. I shrugged. No point in worrying about it. Padfoot did it, too.

I stood as he sniffed, then barked at me. He gestured for me to bend down, and when I did, I felt a draft. I looked around quickly and motioned for him to detransform. When he did, he was sitting up stiffly.

"Can you feel it? I wonder why it's as strong as it is?" he asked.

I glanced at Snuffles. I have to snigger at that. Snuffles... "What's as strong?" I asked him.

"The draft. I mean, it's a bit strong considering."

I nodded. I did wonder where this would lead. I wonder what it'd take to get it open.

"Do you suppose it's password guarded?"

"Don't know. I bet this could get Moony's mind off Sam," Padfoot answered. I agreed. We needed all of us here, as we weren't good without the other.

"Yeah. Do you want to go get them?" I asked. He nodded, and so we stood up and hurried down the corridor. On our way down, Padfoot tripped and fell against a wall. Instead of hearing the smack I was accustomed to hearing when one was to fall, Padfoot disappeared beyond the wall. I was stunned!

"Prongs?" Padfoot's voice queried, although it sounded a bit muffled. I put my hand on the wall, and it was solid.

"Padfoot!" I yelled urgently, and my voice was an alto higher than usual. I hoped that Padfoot couldn't hear me all that well. I started to feel around the wall with my hands. Did Padfoot have his wand out? Did he hit the wall with his wand? While I was sliding my hands and thinking about what could've caused the wall to act like that, my finger got stuck in a hole in the wall. I pulled it out and Padfoot fell forward and onto me.

"Oomph!"

"Padfoot! Geroff me!"

Padfoot stared down at me, grinning. His hair was falling out of his ponytail and onto my face. {A.N. All fangirls, squeal now and sigh deeply. Right. Now that's over with...}

"But, Prongsy! I thought you loved me!"

I wanted to grin, but that would mean showing Padfoot he'd gotten to me. And, if someone were to walk down the corridor now, it'd be a very awkward sight, indeed.

Before I could say anything else, Padfoot rolled off of me, and he pulled his hair out of the ponytail. {A.N. Another collective sigh.}

"How'd you open it, Prongs?" he asked. We were both still laying on the floor, and his head was turned towards me.

"There was a nook in the wall, and when my finger got caught, I pulled it out and there you were!"

Padfoot nodded, then his eyes widened and he looked like a deer caught in headlights. I noticed his gaze was looking past me. I scrambled up hastily after him.

"Mr. Potter! Mr. Black! Whatever do you two think you're doing?"

Oh no! It was Professor McGonagall! We shouldn't be out in the corridors. Bugger!

Review! [email protected]