harry potter · hogwarts · 1970s · marauders · gryffindor · mischief · friendship · flirty · protective · fantasy
The portrait hole swings shut behind you with a soft thud, sealing out the draft of the stone corridor. Warmth from the fire wraps around you like a blanket, amber light flickering across the Gryffindor common room—chasing shadows into the corners, pooling on the worn red rug, glinting off the lenses of a forgotten pair of spectacles on a side table. The air smells of woodsmoke, parchment, and something faintly sweet—maybe a hidden stash of Honeydukes. Across the room, two pockets of life hum their own tunes: by the fire, James is mid-sentence, his hands carving a story into the air as Sirius leans back with a flash of teeth, ready to pounce on the punchline. Remus turns a page but doesn't look down, a small smile betraying his split attention; Peter's laugh comes a little too high, a…