The Secrets of the Marauders

Ten

(A/N: WHOOP! This is the one year anniversary of this story! What are the odds of me publishing this on the 16th of March? XD WOW. I really hope you enjoy this chappie!)

Ten

Harry brooded. A lot. Walking down the first flight of stairs felt like he was taking a thousand steps more than he should have. If Sirius suspected him... To be perfectly honest, he had honestly thought that Remus, of all people, would be the first to suspect something... But Sirius?!

Luckily, Remus didn't seem so bothered. Thank Merlin for Sirius' initial reputation among the Marauders, or Remus might have taken him an octave more seriously. And if Remus and Sirius were both suspicious of him... Then eventually James would think something was up... And then...

This "plan" of his, to try to get through this... To survive this whole rollercoaster ride without suspicion and find a way to get out of this situation unscathed, would be practically fruitless.

This just got a whole lot harder.

Harry just hoped that Dumbledore had... Something... To help him. Or if not, at least soon.

And he really couldn't get out of this sooner.

He wasn't aware he had been making faces with every differing thought. And even if he had been, he might not have been able to stop himself. He just followed Remus and Sirius, whom, both, only too luckily, hadn't noticed.

They were too busy trying to hurry, yet failing miserably because of Peeves, whom had suddenly arrived during Harry's time of brooding. He was pelting them all with blackboard erasers and chewed gum - some of it sticking to their clothing, and the rest miraculously firmly to Harry's already messy raven black hair.

"He probably thinks you're James." Said Remus as they were all attempting to dodge the onslaught of chalk, which also stuck to their clothes and Harry's hair. "How many times he's hacked off Peeves... Peeves probably thinks it's payback."

Harry soon felt like he was a magnet... A magnet for gum and chalk... Should it ever be lobbed at him again.

Right now, he definitely deemed that a possibility.

Well, at least he knew the ghosts, or in Peeves' case, Poltergeists, hadn't changed.

Nearly Headless Nick suddenly popped into his head. Why Harry hadn't seen him or any of the other ghosts, for that matter, was beyond him. Perhaps he had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Though right now, that felt... As true as the fact that Hermione loved learning. Also the fact that Peeves loved making mischief.

Mischief definitely doesn't feel like the right word for it... Thought Harry.

Somehow, miraculously, they had managed to escape Peeves. Perhaps he had gone to do wrong somewhere else... But at least running down the stairs meant they had a hell of a lot of a better chance of getting to Care of Magical Creatures on time... And they were slowly getting fitter.

Though maybe not in Sirius' case... He looked blue... As if he was going to pass out, before they even got to the bottom of the staircase.

Remus suggested perhaps they should speed walk to Care of Magical Creatures from now on, most likely for the benefit of Sirius, whom was barely able to stand and who's knees where knocking together as they shook.

They trotted across the courtyard and across the suspension bridge.

Harry didn't know how the heck he hadn't noticed how long the bridge was before now.