The Gryffindor common room, despite the extremely late hour-
"It's not even past ten," One of the future red-shirts idly stated from his position two seats over. With gold-flaked, brownish hair, a quidditch magazine in hand and abemused, curious, look to his third-year face. "...How do you know I am a third-year?"
-was filled with activity. Evidently Dumbledore's wording of 'bedtime' amounted to simply showing up in the common room itself.
After that? Well. So long as we showed up to lessons, I dare say we had the run of the mill.
"The curfew for been out and about is different to the actual time to sleep," One of the prefect'd red-shirts idly walked by and gave her own opinion.
Not that anyone had asked.
She threw a pointed glare at me for that one before moving on.
Idly taking in the place, from the red and gold banners draped across the walls of the tower, to the comfort-enhanced armchairs, one James Potter was currently enjoying, to the roaring fireplace all essentially amounted to major favoritism on Dumbledore's part.
I seriously doubted the Slytherins had it this comfortable.
No wonder they went rogue.
"Sirius," James called out, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the sensations of a magical arm-chair, earning a non-commital grunt from me. "Did you really mean what you said to Snape?" His words seemed to prick the attention of one of the red-heads steeped into one of the corners of the room. The girl in question almost immediately got up from her place, intent on making her way towards us.
"You're going to have to be more specific," I remarked, my own focus set on the charms book in my hand.
Where I'd gotten said book, I didn't have the slightest clue.
"You took it from the other first-year... After threatening him..." The same red-shirt squeaked. "I have a name you know?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." I sniffed.
"You actually did do that." James, to my dismay, didn't in fact defend my actions. "And I meant what you said to him just before we went our separate ways. About being willing to... what was the word you used? Compensate? On his behalf?" Essentially, give him the backing he so, badly, needs in the house of snakes.
"You mean after we were forcibly separated?"
"Right..." Just as the word came out of James' mouth, another red-shirt promptly joined us.
"Well, you know what the rumors about that house say," I remarked turning towards the newcomer, James' face scrunching up as he took in the girl herself. "A Half-blood needs all the help he could get."
James, at my words, blinked. "He never mentioned he was a Half-blood," His words came at the same time as Lily Evans, the girl choosing to instead ask how I'd known. As Snape would've never willingly divulged such information.
In response, idly glancing at the girl in question, I snorted.
"With eyes like those, there was no chance he was a Muggleborn."
For whatever reason, my choice of words seemed to lighten the mood surrounding us.
At least if one avoided Lily's gaze.
The girl currently trying to burn a hole in my head with her gaze alone.
"What's that supposed to mean?" The red-head chose to question, her arms crossed. "What's wrong with Sev's eyes?"
James's own gaze seemed to swap between me and the girl, a bemused expression filling his face in the process.
I calmly explained the connection between the two. "They're neighbors."
James nodded at that.
"Did Sev' tell you that?" Lily continued asking, not, in fact, denying my claim, in the hopes I may actually answer-
I idly dodged the thrown piece of parchment, rolled into a ball.
"Stop ignoring me!"
Rolling my eyes, I obliged the girl.
"Let me put it this way, as an example, the worst thing a muggleborn's probably going to go through after discovering they have magical powers is a-" And I, of course, locked gazes with the girl as I spoke. "-a jealous sibling."
Waiting for a single beat, I continued when no one chose to interrupt me. "As a Half-blood, the worst thing you might go through is an asshole father." Lord knows a mother wouldn't turn on you for such a fact.
Probably give your father hell and back for the lies, but she won't Tom 'Snr Dickhead' Riddle you for what you can't control.
It was, admittedly, interesting how quickly my words seemed to snap some of the older years' attention. Their eyes evidently seeing me in a different light-
"You're bonkers." Lily Evans decidedly settled on, crossing her arms in the process. "Anyone ever tell you that?"
Probably.
But still.
"Doesn't mean I am wrong." I shrugged, earning silence in return. The girl admittedly still taken back at my words. "Speaking of which, does anyone have a wand I can borrow for tomorrow?"
"...Where's your wand?" James questioned, warily reaching into one of his pockets in the process.
"That's not important." Because frankly, I wasn't entirely sure myself. It could've been anywhere, and everywhere really. Given the state I'd left it in.
"Did you forget it at home?" Lily Evans questioned, hints of amusement filling her tone as she spoke.
Sure. If forgetting it entailed trying to use advanced magic and promptly turning it into cosmic space-dust. Then yes, I forgot it at home.
"...What did you do?" Lily followed on, James and anyone else listening likely either too tired to entertain me or too smart to turn the attention towards them.
Or maybe it was because I was actually answering her questions? Should probably change that, now that I think about it.
"Better question, what... are we going to do about your bitch of a sister?"
She threw a cushion at me for that one.