The Secrets of the Marauders

Three

The common room wasn't much different from when he was in it last - about twenty minutes ago. Following behind Peter as discreetly as possible, Harry noticed Remus in front of Peter, who had his head in his hands and was grumbling about why these dunderheads were his friends, and James and Sirius in front of Remus, talking about something hilarious as they were laughing their heads off. Harry couldn't help huffing in amusement a bit as they ascended the spiral staircase to the dorms, perhaps it was contagious, or perhaps it was just him.

James opened the door to the sixth year boys' dormitory with a creak and immediately began going round all the beds in the circular room, picking out the names on the headboards. Sirius went over to his own bed on the far right, pulled out his trunk and began rummaging through it. Remus shook his head at both of them and went over to his bed, second from the last on the left side of the room, grabbed a book from his bedside table and opened it on a page near the middle, taking out the bookmark as he did so. Peter, however, had turned around and was now gazing at Harry cautiously.

Harry looked away stubbornly, still contemplating the subject of Peter Pettigrew. He thought about his betrayal, him being as cowardly as could possibly be for a Gryffindor, all the way to how he acted towards him. By the way Harry deciphered Peter was staring at the back of his head, he seemed confused, afraid and intrigued all at the same time - but mostly afraid. It was almost as if Peter realised what he had done - or rather, was going to do wrong. It was almost as if Peter knew him, which couldn't be possible - unless he wasn't as stupid as he let on and he had noticed he resemblance to his parents already. No. Definitely not. If anything, Remus would be the first to figure that out, not Peter.

"A-ha!" Sirius exclaimed. Harry looked in his direction, it looked as though whatever he was rummaging for in his trunk before, he had found. It turned out to be a large piece of parchment, which he started to unfold. Before Harry could take anymore interest in the parchment, however, his attention was stolen.

"Hang on," Said James suddenly from the other side of the room. "It doesn't look as though they've made you up a bed yet, mate."

Harry knew James was talking to him, and turned to his father with an almost guilty look on his face. Remus' gaze followed, looking at James strangely.

"What do you mean? Has Harry not even been enrolled?"

Sirius looked up from the parchment he was looking at.

"Doesn't look like it." James replied, giving Harry an almost scrutinizing look. Eventually, he wrenched his gaze from Harry and began inspecting every single inch of the four poster. "Do you not have a trunk?"

"Uh..." Harry trailed off. The truth was, his trunk, along with his possessions, were in the fifth year boys' dormitory next door - only nearly twenty years in the future.

"Why so secretive, mate?" Said Sirius, going over to Harry and patting him on the shoulder. "Got something to hide?"

Yes. "Uh... no. Not at all. I just-" Harry's voice suddenly broke off without his consent.

Sirius broke the tension by laughing. "I'm just joking, mate."

Remus put his book down, open, faced down, his bookmark still laying listlessly on the bed. "Leave him alone, Sirius," He said. "I'm sure he's terrified as it is, you know, a new school and all - meeting us."

Don't I know it... Harry thought, his shoulders slumping as he breathed in relief.

Remus went on, a spark in his eyes, and a hopeful expression was plastered on his face. "Let's go and talk to Dumbledore, surely he would know about any new students?"