“Nox!” whispered 8 voices together as they heard footsteps. All of them hid in different areas. Remus and Gertrude jumped behind two armours, Sirius pulled Peter behind a door, Frank and Alice ran down another corridor, and Lily stood there, like a deer in front of headlights. She felt an arm wrap around her hips, and a body press against hers. It pulled her gently but quickly backwards and covered her with something. She could feel them breathing on her skin and the hand on her mouth dropped. She hadn’t realised it was there.

“Shh…” James whispered so quietly into her ear that she barely heard him. She felt herself relax as she realised it was him.

“Nox,” another voice whispered which was approaching them all. Lily watched through large eyes as her old best friend wandered down the hall, looking around suspiciously. She frowned – Severus was following them. She felt James tense behind her, and she took a few steps back to pin him between herself and the wall behind them.

When he left, they all walked quietly in their groups to the Room of Requirement, where Lily and Remus exchanged quite embarrassed and flushed expressions.