Maraudersmumu - I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

{ alecto tag dump }

CHERYL BLOSSOM (RIVERDALE)

{ remus tag dump }

Where: The Hogwarts University library Who: Open to all

Leaning back in her chair, her thoughts far away from anything to do with the pile of coursework in front of her, Mary sat up when she became aware of another person approaching the table she was sitting at. A quick glance at the clock told her that it was long past clocking out time for most.

"What are you still doing here?" She asked with a small smile. "Everyone's usually gone by now."

where: Ye Olde Curiosity Shop who: open

Narcissa wandered through the aisles of the curiosity shop, an object catching her attention. Slender fingers collected the bookshelf stopper in the shape of a snake. It looked expensive yet there was something else about it... something magical perhaps. Excitement sparked in her blue hues. Her attention was pulled away from the antique as she felt someone at her side.

The blonde turned abruptly to the person. "Do you know it's rude to sneak up on someone?" Fingers clench around the snake book stopper in a possessive manner.

LET HER DO IT!!

my youth is yours

Narcissa’s lips twitched, the barest flicker of amusement threatening to break her practised poise. She tilted her head, her pale hair catching the soft glow of the light, and regarded James with the kind of cool detachment reserved for overly eager performers.

"Ah, yes," she began, her tone a perfect blend of dryness and sharpness, "your happy helping of arrogance, recklessness, and that unyielding Gryffindor optimism. A truly baffling concoction. It’s a wonder you’ve made it this far without collapsing under the weight of it all."

She closed her book with a deliberate slowness, letting the pause linger just long enough to keep him guessing. When she spoke again, her voice was softer but no less cutting, with an edge carefully hidden beneath her smooth delivery. "You’re fortunate, James. Most wouldn’t tolerate such impudence. But then, I suspect you’ve always counted on your audacity to carry you through. I hear you have a knack for landing on your feet—no matter how recklessly you leap."

Her gaze briefly caught his, the faintest flicker of something teasing glinting in her eyes before she glanced at the book. She ran a finger along its spine, as if reminding herself that she had far better uses for her time, though the smirk playing at her lips suggested otherwise. "As for my reading," she said, her voice now laced with mockery, "it’s hardly the sort of thing you’d grasp easily. Some pursuits, after all, require more than sheer determination and an oversized grin."

She leaned back slightly, crossing her arms with the grace of someone who knew exactly how to command attention without asking for it. After a brief pause, her smirk deepened, a glimmer of amusement finally betraying her mask of indifference.

"Still," she continued, her voice lowering ever so slightly, "do feel free to keep trying to amuse me, James. Who knows? One of these days, you might even succeed."

With that, she reopened her book, her expression calm and composed, though her eyes betrayed the faintest spark of intrigue—a sign, perhaps, that she found him far more entertaining than she’d ever admit.

James grinned, large and proud. It was the kind of grin that could disarm or infuriate, depending on the other person. Although knowing the blonde before him, he anticipated the latter, but ever optimist, James thought today might just be the day she would surprise him. Still, he didn't shy away from a challenge, so he settled into what was now his seat with warmth. He wouldn't have joined Narcissa had he bothered to look (and would make a note to do so next time), but as it happened, he was willing to ride the wave today. And most others, if he was honest.

"Well, good morning to you too, Narcissa," he said brightly. The juxtaposition between their tones might've been jarring without context. "I see you've been working on that winning personality of yours. That's an E for Exceeds Expectations. Keep it up and you might just earn that O you've been vying for."

James' eyes moved to the book as she placed it, with purpose, on the table before them. Pulled away from it by her continued line of questioning, he peered up at her again. James wasn't sure whether he'd rather dodge her curses or her questions. But, ever the good sport, he plowed on ahead. "Oh, how well you know me. Let's say it's a happy helping of all three." He raised his brows a moment, his bright smile still plastered onto his lips. "Besides, you know you secretly live for these little interruptions of mine."

James leaned in again, eyeing the book. "So, what is it today? A gripping tale about the trials and triumphs of good, old-fashioned wizarding families? Or a thrilling essay on the remarkable allure of whatever shade of emerald you'll no doubt be wearing to Sluggie's Christmas Party?"

“First of all, it was Enchantments for the Moderately Ambitious, thank you very much, and I finished reading that yesterday— this, I'll have you know, is a muggle novel.” Remus retorted, shooting James a mock glare as he tucked the book tighter against his chest. “And second—if you’re feeling neglected, you’ve got no one to blame but yourself. You’re the one who decided Sirius’ bad ideas were a better use of your time than keeping me company earlier.”

He tilted his head slightly, eyebrows arching as James’ pout morphed into full-blown theatrics. “Oh, the tragedy of poor, forsaken James Potter,” he said dryly, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. “Trapped indoors while the world turns! Forced to entertain himself without resorting to actual effort. What a fate.”

Remus finally sighed, closing the book with exaggerated care and letting it rest on his lap. “Fine. Five minutes. But don’t think I’m going to chase you around the Quidditch pitch or wrestle with you like Padfoot. My day’s been peaceful, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

He glanced out the window, squinting at the perfectly blue sky, and then back at James, whose grin was somehow as bright as the sunlight outside. “Expand my mind in other ways,” Remus echoed, feigning thoughtfulness. “You mean like how you expanded it the last time you convinced me to come outside? I’m still recovering from the fallout of your ‘charming’ use of that levitation charm on Sirius.”

But he couldn’t quite keep the amusement out of his voice as he stood, leaving the book carefully on the chair. “Come on then, Potter. You’ve got five minutes to prove this isn’t a terrible idea.”

“Chill out, Moony," James smiled, still reaching for the book his friend clutched like he couldn't bear to be torn from it. "I’m not trying to ruin the riveting love affair you've got going on with Advanced Spells for Overachievers-" he grunted. "-or whatever that is.”

"Guilty." He said with the blinding flash of a smile. "And some of us are feeling neglected." An overexaggerated pout forged its way onto James' faced, only slightly marred by the fact he had just been smiling. "I'm just saying, you've been glued to that for hours. It can't be that interesting." One final attempt at reaching for Remus' new love interest, and James finally gave up, hands in the air in defeat. "Come on. Sirius is off doing Merlin-knows-what, Peter’s probably off whispering sweet nothings to the kitchen's elves, and here I am: dangerously close to falling asleep from boredom... in the middle of the day!”

He flopped down beside Remus. “What do I want, you ask? Only your undivided attention for five minutes. Maybe seven." Looking doe-eyed at his best mate, James relented. "Okay, maybe a lot longer than that. But look, it's nice out!" He pointed out the window, through which he could miraculously see the blue sky. "And you're making me stay indoors. It's not right."

James nudged the corner of the book with a finger, grinning as he added: “Come on, Moony. Expand your mind in other ways.”

Mary’s smirk widened into a grin, her dark eyes glinting with a spark of mischief that could rival Sirius’s own. She tapped her quill against the table, feigning deep contemplation. “Outshine the stars, you say? Careful, Black. Flattery might actually work on me—if you’re lucky. But let’s get one thing straight: chaos might be where the magic happens, but it’s also where eyebrows tend to go missing. I’m rather fond of mine, thank you very much.”

Leaning forward, she rested her chin on her hand, her tone teasing yet tinged with challenge. “Now, I’ll admit—peace isn’t always my thing. And as you know, I’ve been known to dabble in a bit of chaos myself. But unlike you, I don’t throw myself into mayhem without a plan. The last time I got talked into a so-called ‘brilliant idea,’ it ended with Peeves setting off dungbombs in McGonagall’s office. Let’s just say I’ve become a bit more selective about my partners-in-crime since then.”

She tilted her head, her grin deepening. “That said, I do enjoy a bit of reckless fun. And I’ll admit, the idea of leaving some poor first-years wondering how their cauldrons turned into screaming banshees is… tempting. But if you think I’m just going to blindly follow you into one of your harebrained schemes, you’re sorely mistaken. I have standards for my mischief.”

Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, leaning in slightly as if sharing a secret. “So here’s the deal, if I’m going to trade my peaceful evening for whatever chaos you’ve cooked up, I want in on the planning. No surprises, no last-minute detours into disaster.”

"Ah, Mary, my dear! Your wit is as sharp as a Ravenclaw's quill, and that smirk of yours could outshine the stars." Sirius leaned back in his own chair, running a hand through his tousled hair with a roguish grin. “Oh, if you only knew the extent of my chaos. Chaos is where the real magic happens, where the unexpected dances with the absurd!” he replied, his voice smooth with a hint of mischief. “While I might not exactly be the model student—let’s just say my activities have always tended to veer more towards the adventurous side of the spectrum.”

He tilted his head, studying her with mock seriousness. “As for your serene little bubble of quietude, let’s be honest. It’s a lovely thought, but you and I both know that peace is terribly overrated. Besides, don't you ever get bored? Life’s too thrilling to sit around, even under the glow of the moonlight. The ghosts can keep each other company; I’d rather stir up a bit of fun.”

Sirius's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, clearly relishing the idea. “As for the mayhem, well, it’s a bit of a delicate art, really. A spontaneous escapade here, a cheeky prank there—one mustn’t detail the formula too much, as that tends to spoil the surprise! But I can promise you, whatever we end up doing will be a brilliant story for the ages. And if that means skipping essays… well, consider it an added bonus.”

He leaned in conspiratorially, lowering his voice. “So what do you say, Mary? Care to trade the tranquil for a dash of delightfully reckless?”