Chapter Text
On that morning Sirius Black was very annoyed, while he was putting woolen stockings on. He had already checked if windows were left open after the ”Let's See How Far You Can Throw A Dung Bomb Before It Explodes” competition they had had last night, but windows were all shut. So why in hell was it so cold in the Marauders' dormitory?! Sirius had every reason to suspect that it was a prank James pulled while he tried to sleep, and now Sirius just thought he was about to freeze to death. Even Peter would have done something like this! Or Remus... but only when he was drunk enough to behave like that. Sirius, on the other hand, would never do something like this to his best friends – therefore if Sirius found who was behind this curse, he would make sure the revenge would be terrific and really embarrassing. Sirius grinned. Images of James and Peter running around the corridors of Hogwarts – most funniest thing ever!
I think I should check those windows again, Sirius thought while another freezing shiver went through him, and walked to the window. He touched the glass and pushed gently. Yes, window was surely shut tight. As it should be. Although... what if there was a secret window somewhere behind some kind of a furniture? What if it was something that couldn't even be shut tight? Sirius had already learned that when it came to Hogwarts, weird, unexpected things weren't really that unusual. Secret window would be nothing new. That's why Sirius decided to explore the dorm room a little bit. If there was a open secret window, he would find it! No hidden door, window, whatever it would be stays hidden from the almighty Sirius Black!
”What the hell is this?” Sirius suddenly said aloud after he sat down on his bed. ”Was that over there yesterday?”
There was a huge black hole on the opposite wall from his bed. Hole was protected by countless spider webs. Sirius felt cold air coming from the it. It took him a while until the Marauder insticts took over, making him grin mischievously. He stood up and grabbed his wand from the night stand and while doing so, he also hit his toe on his trunk.
”SHIT!” he screamed in pain.
”Where's the fire?!” came from the farthest corner of the room, where Peter sat with wand in his hand. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. ”Padfoot, what the hell are you doing?”
”Wake Moony and Prongs, Wormtail. I found something awesome. On Marauder Meter it's definitely an A+!” Sirius told him excitedly. Despite the pain in his toe, Sirius made his way to the black hole on the wall. With a wave of his wand, spider webs disappeared.
”Lumos”, he said before he walked into the hole, which was revealed to actually be a corridor to somewhere. Did this damn corridor end up going outside? Air was even colder inside it!
”Holy Merlin!” Peter said excited, followed by a thud and lots of swearing. ”Padfoot, if this leaves a mark, it's your fault.”
”No way, mate. Come on, wake the King of Lily Land and Moony.”
”King of the Lily Land...?” mumbled Peter, standing up. ”Moony, wake up. Padfoot found something that's an A+.”
”Wha?” said the still half sleeping Remus.
”Padfoot found a old hidden corridor over there. I swear it wasn't there yesterday”, Peter said, pointing to the direction where Sirius stood.
”Are you sure it's not a dream?” Remus asked.
”I'm dead serious about this!” Peter exclaimed.
”Did the Hell finally freeze? It's only 8:00AM, and you're already awake”, James' half sleeping figure said from his bed in an annoyed tone.
”A+!” Peter said.
That woke James up at once. He put his glasses on and took his wand on the night stand. ”Padfoot?”
”Come on! I'm bored!” Sirius yelled. ”This might be the greatest discovery in our history!”
The rest of the Marauders joined their impatient friend. Peter brought the Marauder's Map with him because it was his turn to hold onto it. They unfolded it to look if the corridor was on it, but the moment it was open, they saw that the new, unknown corridor wasn't there at all.
”Hmm, it's like the Room of Requirement. It doesn't show on the map, yet it still exists”, Remus said.
”Someone has charmed this corridor, I think. So that nobody sees it”, James said and stepped into the hole. Sirius, Peter and Remus followed him.
~*~
”How did you find this, Padfoot?” James asked after the Marauders had been walking down the corridor for a while with no end in sight. Corridor felt like it was endless. James had to admit that even after all these years, Hogwarts still surprised him. It was undeniable. This place was one huge mystery!
”I woke up because I was about to freeze to death. I checked the window if it was open, but no. Then I thought there must be a secret window or a door somewhere. That's when I saw this corridor”, Sirius said grinning. ”Cool, right?”
”Yeah, until we find the other end of this corridor”, Peter said. ”I can be almost 100% sure that we're going towards girls' dormitory.”
”No shit, Sherlock, Wormtail.”
”I'm dead serious, and you know I got the inner radar for things like this.”
”Compass”, Remus said. ”With a radar you can detect threats, and with a compass you can tell which direction you're going to.”
”Okay, Moony. Stop fixing meanings of my words and concentrate on this”, Peter told him.
”Sorry, Wormtail.”
”Hey, Prongs”, Sirius said, ”Look at that!”
There was a photo on the floor. James picked it up and looked at it. It had a young couple on it. James noticed how familiar they looked and brushed off the dust to look at it again. Couple in the photo sat in the Gryffindor common room. James noticed the couple was engaged.
”Check the other side. Maybe it says who the couple is”, Peter said.
James did so, and when he did, he had to look at the photo again. ”It says, 'On March 29, 1952, Euphemia and Fleamont got engaged'.”
”Wow”, Sirius grinned. ”But why in hell is that photo here?”
”Maybe they accidentally dropped it”, James shrugged. ”I think I should owl them about this. I'm sure they appreciate it.”
”Hey, there's something written on this plate on this wall”, Sirius changed the subject. 'The Lovers' Road. Only for seventh year students. Yours truly, Fleamont and Euphemia.' What the hell is this?”
James gaped at the plate with his mouth open. His parents... did this at school?! Was there something else James didn't know wbout them?
”I have no idea, but it looks like they hasn't told me anything”, James said.
”They were like us the Marauders when they studied here!” Sirius grinned.
”True that, mate. I think I'm gonna ask them about this on Christmas...” James grinned.
”Hey, I can see stairs over there!” Peter informed them pointing his wand into the darkness. He was right. On top of the dusty stairway there was a door.
”Where do you think it takes us?” Remus asked, looking suspicious as the Marauders went up the stairway.
James touched the door thinking that being a part of the Potter family would give him access, but it didn't open. ”I don't get this.”
”What were you trying to do?” Peter asked.
”I guess I was thinking the door opens for me because I'm their son, but...” James shrugged.
”There has to be a way to open it”, Sirius grinned and took his wand out.
”I just hope it doesn't open a way to someone's toilet”, Peter said. ”I don't think I wanna come out from some hole and become a victim of Evans' angry tantrum. Or Marian's. Those two are fierce enough alone but together they're a natural catastrophe.”
James couldn't help but smile at the idea of finding a way into girls' dormitories. After all, he had tried to figure out how to go past all the protection spells put on around girls' dorm rooms for years now! Finally he had an answer. He should have asked his dad because that man would have known how!
~*~
Marian Raito loved it when warm water relaxed all of her muscles after she had spent the night sleeping on the floor. It was a habit she had learned in her chilhood when her family was still together. It wasn't the world's best family. No, not at all. Marian had been the only child, and she had to cope with her parents' arguments. When they started, Marian ran to her room and hid under the bed. When the storm had passed, her father woud come and check if Marian was OK. Marian had loved him from the bottom of her heart. Mother never really cared about hers well-being. That's why Marian lived with her father, Stragus, and never spoke with her mother. She didn't feel the need to do so.
”Lils, have you looked into the mirror lately?” Marian asked when her best friend, Lily Evans, entered the bathroom. Lily had gotten really skinny lately, and that worried Marian a lot.
”What? Is there something wrong with me?” Lily asked, looking confused.
”You've lost weight a lot lately. I was just wondering if you're OK.”
”I am”, Lily said and smiled. ”Why wouldn't I be?”
”If you say so, then”, Marian said. She was pretty sure Lily was only denying the truth. But Marian also knew her friend well enough not to keep at it, because Lily's temper was terrific. If Marian got on redhead's bad side, she would go through the ”James Potter Treatment” which meant a string of endless streaks of curses and hexes coming at her, and after seeing James go through it countless of times, Marian had decided not to annoy Lily to the point of no return.
”What's up, Marian?” Lily asked.
”Eh... I just feel that you've gotten too skinny, Lils, no offence”, Marian said and swore hard. She had been careless!
”I am?” Lily asked threat eminent in her voice. She went to look at herself at one of the mirrors. ”Where, exactly?”
”Waist area”, Marian said, secretly relieved that Lily hadn't cursed her yet. Marian did love Lily like a sister, but sometimes redhead's temperament made Lily pretty scary.
”Oh, you're right. That's not supposed to show like that!” Lily said, sounding surprised as she poked at her rib bones that were showing too clearly. ”I gotta eat more. Why didn't I notice this before?”
Marian didn't say anything. While Lily had been talking, Marian had noticed some movement in the corner of the room. Her mouth hang open as the wall had disappeared completely! There was endless darkness, and the bathroom was slowly filling with the chilling air that came from the hole. In that hole there was an opening to a dusty old corridor.
In the middle of the entrance to the corridor stood four boys. Marian recognized them at once. The Marauders! James was gaping at naked Lily – who still hasn't noticed the boys – in front of the mirror, Sirius was looking at her shamelessly while Peter and Remus looked the other way. Marian saw they were all blushing furiously. And Lily just kept looking at herself in the mirror without even realizing her admirer was in the same room with her!
”Go on, Evans!” Sirius whistled. ”And let Prongsie here touch that arse!”
Lily screamed. Loudly. Then she blushed furiously. ”What the HELL are you doing HERE?! GET OUT!”
”We just thought you'd like to keep doing that exotic dance of yours”, Sirius said. ”Right, Prongs?”
”Oh...” James couldn't say anything. He was just as red as Lily's hair. Instead he just took Lily's towel and threw it for her while he looked the other way until Lily covered herself.
Marian just giggled quietly. This is so adorable... she thought.
”This is so embarrassing...” Lily whispered, blushing even deeper shade of red.
”What, you got nice body, Evans”, Sirius said. ”What?” he asked James, who shot a death glare at him. ”It's true, Prongs! Did you see it?!”
”Padfoot, stop talking about her like she's some kind of an object”, James said coldly.
”Can't you just get the hell out of our bathroom?!” Lily cried. ”Potter, take your gang and leave or I'll curse you out!”
”Lily-” James began.
”Get lost!” Lily stopped him.
”Oh, okay, let's go”, Remus said, blushing furiously. ”I'm sorry, Lily. We didn't plan on coming to this particular room.”
”Remus, spare me until later. When I actually have clothes on, and then I'll decide if I curse every last one of you to the gates of Hell!” Lily fumed on, turned around and left with a loud bang.
”I saw Lily naked”, James mumbled in the silent room. ”I saw Lily Evans naked...”
”Yes, Prongs, mate, we know”, Peter said and patted his arm.
”I just wanted to grab her and hold her...” James went on following Remus and Peter back to the black hole.
”Would you like to dance for me like Evans did, Marian?” Sirius asked grinning while he looked at naked Marian, who was washing her hair, approvingly.
”I think you boys should explain this whole thing to Lily. She will put nasty traps on the entrance of that corridor if you don't.”
”I think you and me should set up a meeting. I tend to see you naked pretty often.”
Marian grinned at him before Sirius left the room. The black hole closed quietly – which was why neither Marian or Lily couldn't hear it open – and turned into the normal wall. Marian kept showering while whistling on happily, even if she could easily hear Lily's shouting from the dorm room.
”I HATE THOSE MARAUDERS UNTIL THE END OF ALL TIME FOR THIS!” Lily yelled.
Marian giggled. She was pretty sure that Chloe had freaked out, and Charlotta annoyed because of a sudden wake-up. Marian giggled again. Lily may say she hated the Marauders as much as she wants, but Marian knew that Lily was always getting lost into James' eyes when they had an argument going on. Everyone knew that Lily loved James, but denied it. Many people were waiting excitedly when the drama would end. People even made bets of it! But gambling was something that Marian would never do. Especially if it was about her two favorite people in the whole wide world. No, the real reason was that she was told not to because she would make Lily and James get together just to win lots of money. So she had to wait for Lily to open her eyes...
When Marian finally got out of the shower, and returned to the dorm room, she noticed that Lily was gone. Towel was thrown into the corner and her wardrobe's doors were left open – a thing that the very organized Lily Evans never did. Marian was sure that Lily was much, much more angrier than she had thought. She mentioned this to thoughtful looking Chloe Bennett and Charlotta West, who looked like she was pretty pissed off at Lily. Fifth girl in the dorm, Marlene McKinnon, wasn't present so she must have gone down with Lily already.
”Lily went for breakfast looking like a natural disaster”, Chloe said, looking amused. ”I haven't seen her so pissed off before.”
”Lily's angry outbursts are an art form of their own”, Marian defended her partner in crime. Even though Lily was scary when she was mad sometimes, Marian was still proud of her temper and unique angry outbursts. When Lily got pissed off the point of no return, Marian always surprised at how feisty her best friend actually was. She was sure that Lily's temper was one of those things James loved about Lily. At least he had said he loved arguing with Lily because angry Lily was adorable.
”Let's go have breakfast”, Charlotta said, sounding annoyed.
I guess Lils woke her up with her artistic expression of anger, Marian thought when her other best friend – commonly known as Chari – stood up and left the room with her long, dark hair swaying from side by side as she walked on.
”Wow, she's pissed”, Marian observed.
”Lily woke her up with her outburst and Chari seems to hate that. Maybe she had a dirty dream about Remus...” Chloe said and grinned mischievous glint in her golden brown eyes. Marian grinned back. It was great that Chloe was here, finally Marian's dirty humor would get appreciation. Lily and Charlotta were too innocent to really appreciate it.
”What happened in there?” Chloe went on as the duo left the dorm room. ”Lily just went on about some lost idiots. I didn't quite understand it.”
”Well, it looks like the Marauders found a secret passageway to our bathroom. Door to the passageway appeared so quietly on the back wall in the room that we didn't even hear them. Me and Lils were taking showers and they were suddenly there”, Marian explained and almost stumbled on her own shoes but took support of the wall before the fatal fall would happen.
”You mean they saw our innocent little angel Lils naked?” Chloe went on.
”Yep. Lily got pissed and I tried to seduce Sirius.”
”Do you two have something between you?”
”No, no, no, of course not”, Marian laughed. ”Why should I be with him? He'll only break my heart.”
”Oh, OK. I'm really attracted to him. Bad boys has always been my weakness, and Sirius must be the baddest one I've ever met.”
”Go for it, Chloe. Tame the beast!” Marian cheered her on.
Chloe just smiled her most beautiful smile. Marian was pretty sure that she could melt even unmeltable ice with that radiant smile of hers. She was sure Sirius would become Chloe's slave if she showed that smile to him.
~*~
For James it was hard to get the sight out of his mind. It was hard to put it to words. Even though he had been dreaming of it for years, it felt weird that it finally happened. Naked Lily. His Lily. In the bathroom checking herself out from a mirror. She had looked so attractive that James had to fight against his desire to hug her. It was exactly what he had wanted to do. Touch her. Worst part was that now that he saw her sitting next to Marlene McKinnon in McGonagall's classroom, James couldn't do nothing but think of her naked.
Damn it, you gotta concentrate, James! Boy told himself over and over again and rubbed his forehead.”
Lily will surely put traps all around the door in the bathroom...” James thought aloud.
”What was that?” Sirius asked and turned to him. He had been talking with Remus and Peter about Chloe because James had been too closed up and terrified of the Bathroom Drama. James was pretty sure that whole house had heard Lily's scream. It was loud, and so high that he would be pretty surprised if nobody had heard it.
”We gotta try to explain this to Red”, James said. ”She sees this as nothing but another prank if we doesn't explain things to her.”
”You're right, mate”, Sirius said.
”What should I do with her?” James asked. ”Now that I look at her, I only see her naked all the time.”
”Don't worry, it'll get better”, Sirius said and patted his shoulder encouragingly. ”If you tell her of the secret passage and that we were exploring it, I doubt she'll bite your head off. As much as I'd like to see her try.”
”Why can't you take anything seriously?” James asked facepalming.
Sirius did nothing but grin as an answer. And then professor McGonagall entered the classroom to start her class.
~*~
The moment Lily noticed how James was trying his best to come and talk to her about the Bathroom Drama, redhead decided that she wouldn't give in that easily. It would be funny to see how the great Marauders get pranked by Lily herself the next time they try to use the hole in the wall. That was Lily's plan.
As day went by Lily learned that her wonderful plan would be put on hold. After finishing dinner Lily left the Great Hall to put her plan in action, somebody grabbed her into his arms. Lily tried to fight back. This time her violent ex-boyfriend David Harrison won't get his way! Last time that guy touched her, Lily found herself in the Hospital Wing her arms broken and face covered in blood. If that guy tried something similar now, Lily would destroy him as a part of her revenge and –
”Ouch! Stop that!” her kidnapper said when Lily punched him in the arm as hard she could.
Lily froze. She knew that voice without even looking at him!
”Potter, put me down this instant if you still want kids someday”, she hissed furiously.
”Okay. Will you promise you won't run away from me?” James asked, trying his best to not to grin.
”Okay, Potter”, Lily said and crossed her arms on her chest. At the same time she wished nobody saw James carrying Lily. ”If someone saw us and I hear some dirty rumors about me and you, I will find you and I will curse you, Potter.”
”Here we go again. You always think of the worst of me”, James said while putting her down. ”Nobody saw us. I'm not an idiot.”
”Okay”, Lily said, crossing her arms on her chest again. ”What do you want?”
”Bathroom Drama”, came the answer and James blushed again.
”What of it?”
Even more blushing, James mumbled, ”Oh... It was an accident. Even though you were very lovely sight and –”
Lily stared. This can't be the same idiot she has been running away from so many times. This James was complete opposite to that James. Innocent. And that was funny, because the only innocent Marauder was really Remus. Usually.
”Don't be like that”, Lily sighed. ”I won't kill you yet. Well?”
James sighed. ”It was because of the secret passage we found in the morning... well, Pads found it.”
”Where does it lead?”
”Into the Marauders' Den – Yes, we have given our room a name – you can visit us anytime you want”, James said and ruffled his hair.
”Thank you for the invitation, but the answer is a no, Marauder Boy”, Lily said. ”How old is that passage you found?”
”My parents built it”, James grinned as Lily sighed.
”I should have known that Euphemia isn't really as innocent as I always thought”, redhead said. It was James' turn to look surprised. Lily grinned happily. ”Oh, I thought you knew.”
”Knew what?” James asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
”That I was on a healer class that your mom was teaching last July. I used to wonder why you were never there. Somehow you always find me wherever I go”, Lily answered and grinned.
”I had no idea. Nobody told me”, James said, surprised.
”You don't need to be ashamed, James! It was my decision to not to tell Marian, because I knew she would tell you. Especially because she's a matchmaker when it comes to us”, Lily said.
”I like the way you pronounce 'us', Evans”, James flirted a glint of mischief in his eyes.
Lily rolled her eyes at him. ”You're hopeless, you know. Why did they make you a Head Boy instead of Remus?”
”Because I'm the hottest Marauder.”
Lily sighed. She couldn't stand him any longer and left him stand alone outside. After all, Lily was freezing because of the wind. It had made Lily shiver – which is what she would never show James Potter because he would have thought that Lily wanted to be in his embrace. That wasn't true. It will never be true! It didn't matter that right at that moment even a thought of James warm body against hers made Lily's heart race faster than normal.
Why do I feel this way? Lily thought as she stepped into the entrance hall. Come on, Lily, it's James Potter! Why does he make my heart race like this?
”Lils, there you are!” yelled Marian's voice so suddenly that Lily screamed in fear.
Marian looked amused. ”What the hell, Lil?”
”Stop sneaking up on me like that!” Lily snapped.
”Why were you outside with my dear cousin?”
Ah, that's so typical. Get straight to the point as usual, hm? Lily thought. ”We just had a chat regarding the Bathroom Drama.”
”Oh, that”, Marian grinned. ”I thought it was hilarious!”
Lily let that go on without attention. Marian was in a good mood, and Lily wished it would reach Lily soon, too – especially after all the disturbing thoughts of James.
”I think I won't put any traps into our bathroom. He said that seeing me naked like that was just a accident, and not on purpose. He also told me that the secret passage was created by his parents”, Lily said, furrowing her eyebrows just to remember everything her Marauder Boy had said. How typical for James to make Lily forget everything that's important! ”And then we talked about other stuff that isn't important.”
”Fleamont and Euphemia built the secret passage?” Marian laughed. ”I always knew aunt and uncle were Marauders themselves!”
”You already knew!” Lily accused.
”Yeah, Sirius told me.”
”While you tried to seduce him, right?”
”Yep, and I was naked.”
”Well, that's the only way to get Sirius spill the beans. Obviously.”