Prompt 24 - The Black Lake
@wolfstarmicrofic September 24, word count 631
The Marauders were spending another day lounging around on the grass beside the Black Lake. The sun beat down on them, but the cool breeze blowing across the water kept them cool. Remus was lying back just within the shade cast by a wild cherry tree, its branches heavy with its ripening fruit. His eyes were just closing when his head was unceremoniously banged on the ground, when his bag, which he’d been using as a pillow, was yanked out from under him.
“Oi!” He growled, walking Sirius on the arm as he rifled through Remus’s bag.
“Sorry, Moony, I need some parchment,” Sirius continued to dig around until he pulled a sheet out and held it aloft triumphantly. He quickly shut Remus’s bag and pushed it back under Remus’s head. Remus grumbled as the contents were now in an uncomfortable order.
“Why did you need parchment?” Remus asked, sitting up and watching his friend.
Sirius had his back to him and kept his shoulders hunched and his head down as he did whatever it was he was doing with Remus’s parchment.
He reached into his pocket for his wand and cast a few spells under his breath. Finally, he stood up and turned around, balancing a beautifully folded paper boat on his open palms.
“That’s lovely, Sirius, but did you really need to give me a bruise over it?” Remus asked, only sounding slightly annoyed. Sirius just beamed at him, turning to carefully place the tiny boat on the lake's surface.
“What are you up to, Padfoot?” James grinned, clearly sensing that there was more to this than met the eye.
“Wait and see,” Sirius told them, winking at James. He pulled his sleeves back and cleared his throat. “Ahem, Engorgio!” The tiny boat swelled in size until it was the size of a small rowing boat. “Tally Ho!” Sirius crowed, jumping into the makeshift boat.
“He’s a total nutter,” Peter snorted as Sirius fought to keep his balance as his boat tilted from side to side.
“Ah, dear, Wormtail, I am simply…” Whatever he was about to say was lost to the scream that erupted out of his mouth when the wind suddenly changed direction and blew him out onto the water. “Woohoo!” He yelled, pumping his fist. James and Peter stared at him in awe.
Remus got up to stand beside them, bending to pick up something Sirius had dropped.
He spun Sirius’s wand between his fingers.
“How long until he notices he doesn’t have his wand?” he asked mischievously. James and Peter took one look at him and burst into laughter.
“Oh, that is excellent,” James gasped.
“Oh, fuck, the giant squid!” Peter squeaked, pointing out across the lake.
It was like something out of a pirate film. The squid’s long tentacles protruded out of the water and batted the paper boat around with Sirius clinging on for dear life.
“HELP ME!!!” His words drifted to them, barely audible from that distance.
“Accio Black brat!” Remus said lazily, and Sirius shot across the lake’s surface and landed with a thump at Remus’s feet.
“Thanks, Moony,” Sirius blew out a relieved breath, getting to his feet. They watched as the squid slowly pulled the boat down to the lake's icy depths.
A strange whooshing sound came from behind them, getting closer and closer. Regulus Black landed with a thump in the same spot his brother had moments ago.
“What the fuck, Lupin?!” He growled, slipping his wand from his holster.
“RUN!!!” Sirius bellowed, and they took off back up to the castle with heavy shield charms protecting them from Regulus’s barrage of curses as he chased after them. Next time Remus used the summoning charm, he was going to be more specific about what he wanted to summon.
