NINE: Through the hedges

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                       The streets of Hogsmeade were alive with the hum of laughter and chatter, a vibrant mix of students and locals weaving through the stalls that lined the cobblestone paths. The annual Autumn Festival had transformed the village into a picturesque scene of festivity-orange and red streamers fluttered in the breeze, jack-o'-lanterns glowed even in the daylight, and the scent of pumpkin pasties mingled with the crisp autumn air breezes that nipped at noses and turned cheeks pink.

Evelina Valentine, however, was less than impressed.

Despite her protests about the "futility" of such distractions, her friends had managed to drag her out of the Ravenclaw Tower, pulling her away from her carefully stacked parchment and ink pots. She'd exchanged her usual study robes for a pair of knee-high black leather boots, black tights, a white skirt, and a snug black turtleneck. Her blonde hair combed to perfection, was adorned with a white headband, a final nod to her ever-poised appearance. 

"I don't see why we couldn't have just stayed back at the castle," Evelina grumbled, tugging the hem of her white skirt as they stepped onto the bustling main street and passed a booth collecting canned goods for charity. "Not that charity isn't important-it's just..."

"It's just you'd rather be in the library," Caradoc finished for her, grinning as he handed over a donation. "We know, Eve. You've told us at least twelve times."

Benjy nodded; "You'll thank us later. Besides, you can't say no to chocolate." He added, his usual cheerful tone laced with exasperation.

"Or to the fresh air," Emmeline added, slipping an arm through Evelina's. "It's a perfect day, and even you can't argue with that."

Evelina adjusted her white headband and muttered, "Fine. But if it rains, I'm blaming you all."

Rolling her eyes, she couldn't quite suppress a small smile. It wasn't that she disliked Hogsmeade weekends, especially in the fall; she just found them a bit frivolous compared to the far greater challenges of her academic pursuits. Still, there was something undeniably charming about the glowing jack-o'-lanterns, the crisp autumn air, and the laughter of students meandering through stalls selling spiced cider and enchanted trinkets.

The group wove through the crowd, the lively energy of the festival wrapping around them. Caradoc was the first to dart off, making a beeline for a booth boasting caramel apples as "the best in the wizarding world." He declared the claim to be true after a dramatic first bite, earning a round of laughter from the others. Evelina, however, hung back, her arms crossed and her leather boots clicking rhythmically against the cobblestones as she observed the scene with her usual detachment.

She was reluctant to acknowledge that Hogsmeade weekends had their allure, despite her best efforts to deny it. Even though the yearly festival, with its busy vendors and holiday decorations, was far from what she usually considers productive, she could not help but enjoy the unique opportunity to take in the warm weather and watch the happy mayhem take place.

As they strolled past the entrance to the magical corn maze, Evelina's attention was drawn to a group of third-years tumbling out of the exit. Their outfits were disheveled, and their faces were a mix of relief and frustration as they muttered about how impossible it had been.

"Ridiculous," Evelina scoffed loud enough for her friends to her. "It's a maze, not Ancient Runes. How hard could it be?" She crossed her arms.

Benjy smirked. "Why don't you give it a go, then?" He challenged a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"I have better things to do." She said firmly and flatly.

"Oh, come on!" Benjy prodded. "If it's so easy, prove it. And I'll even sweeten the deal-chocolate when you're done," he said, holding up a small bag of Honeydukes' finest.

Evelina raised a brow. "How much chocolate?"

Benjy leaned in conspiratorially. "Enough to make it worth your while."

She hesitated at that. She appeared to think while crossing her arms. She finally sighed dramatically and muttered, "Fine," disregarding the sneer on his face.  "But only because I want those chocolates."

With her friends cheering her on, Evelina stepped into the maze, the towering stalks of corn closing in behind her.

       Evelina quickly realized her mistake.

The maze was not what she expected.

Despite her confidence, Evelina soon found that the magical corn maze was far more clever than she had thought. No matter how well she plotted her route, the roads seemed to change when she was not looking, returning her to the same dead ends. The same pumpkin-headed scarecrow, with its crooked smile, gazed at her every time she turned a corner, perhaps mocking her efforts.

"This is absurd," she muttered under her breath, turning yet another corner only to find herself at a dead end.

The shifting pathways seemed almost sentient, rearranging themselves the moment she thought she was making progress. After what felt like ages, she turned a corner and nearly collided with Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Kingsley greeted her with a calm nod. "Evelina. Stuck too?"

"Of course not," Evelina replied, straightening. "Just... exploring."

Kingsley smirked.

Of course, he could tell she was lying-he was Kingsley Shacklebolt, after all. He was perhaps one of the most intelligent and wisest students Evelina had ever known, second only to herself, of course. His perceptiveness was unmatched, and he always seemed to see right through people, even when they thought they were hiding the truth. His sharp wit and calm demeanor had earned him the respect of everyone, and Evelina couldn't help but admire that about him-though she'd never admit it aloud.

Evelina sighed; "To put it mildly," she replied. "I suppose even you can't strategize your way out of this one."

He gave a small, knowing smile but said nothing. Beside him, Sybill Trelawney was peering into the distance with a faraway expression.

"Oh, Evelina," Sybill said dramatically, her eyes wide. "I foresaw this meeting."

"Did you?" Evelina replied dryly.

She nodded; "The maze has a way of revealing your inner turmoil," Sybill intoned dramatically. "Do you sense it, Evelina? The disarray of your soul?"

Evelina stared at her for a long moment. "Do you sense me leaving this bloody maze anytime soon?"

Kingsley let out a low chuckle, but Sybill didn't seem to notice the sarcasm. She tilted her head, her long hair swaying like a curtain as she considered Evelina's question. "The spirits are clouded," she said with an exaggerated sigh. "But I sense you may find an unexpected ally before you reach your destination."

Evelina snorted. "Right. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for my 'ally.' Maybe they'll have a map."

Kingsley stifled another chuckle as Sybill looked vaguely affronted but eventually, her lips twitched into a mysterious smile. "The maze chooses who it lets go."

Kingsley shook his head, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I'd wish you luck, but something tells me you won't need it."

"Thanks," she muttered, brushing past them.

And the pair soon disappeared down another twisting path.

Evelina continued through the hedges, rolling her eyes at the memory of Sybill's ominous words. She barely had time to process them before rounding another corner and coming face-to-face with none other than Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Ah, Valentine!" he exclaimed, voice as annoyingly chipper as ever. His teeth flashed in a brilliant smile as he swept his hair dramatically out of his face.

"Lockhart," Evelina replied, not bothering to hide her disdain.

Lockhart stepped forward, his robes perfectly pressed despite the maze's twists and turns. "Fancy seeing a fellow Ravenclaw here! Though I must say, I'm not surprised- I have a natural talent for navigating tricky situations."

Before Evelina could even respond, he cut her off with a quick flourish, grinning brightly. "Lost, are we?" he asked, flashing a dazzling smile.

"Not in the slightest," Evelina said, her tone as dry as parchment.

His grin widened, utterly missing the sarcasm. "Well, if you need help, just follow my lead. I'm rather brilliant with mazes, you know. Although, between you and me, this maze isn't quite as challenging as the time I outsmarted a herd of rogue hippogriffs." With both hands by his sides, he proudly puffed out his chest as he spoke.

Evelina resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. "Fascinating. Well, don't let me keep you from your heroics."

"Of course," he said with a wink, as though she'd just paid him the highest compliment. "Best of luck finding your way out, though I daresay you'll need it more than I will."

"Sure," Evelina muttered as he sauntered off, undoubtedly imagining himself the star of some future tale.

The air surrounding Evelina started to feel oppressive as she trekked through the labyrinth with every twist and turn. She was beginning to believe that she had been destined to roam around here indefinitely. But when she encountered Regulus Black, whose calm manner provided a nice counterpoint to Lockhart's flamboyance, her mood somewhat improved. He was followed by Pandora Rosier, who was chatting about Xenophilius Lovegood's theories about how mazes could confuse the mind.

"Regulus!" she exclaimed, genuinely happy to see him.

Regulus Black turned at the sound of her voice, his sharp, aristocratic features softening slightly. "Evelina," he greeted, his tone calm but tinged with surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be studying."

Evelina crossed her arms, her lips quirking into a smirk. "Believe me, I'd rather be studying but Benjy challenged me. And, well, I don't back down from a challenge. ," she admitted. "Plus he promised me chocolates, and frankly, I need them more than ever right now because this maze feels like it's actively trying to trap me." she shrugged.

Regulus smirked. "Figures."

Pandora Rosier stepped forward, her curious gaze flitting between Evelina and the maze around them. "Did you know," Pandora began, " That you should be careful in here. Xenophilius says the maze can make your mind all fuzzy. He claims it's the magic of the corn itself-something about ley lines and ancient enchantments." Her dreamy tone carried a trace of excitement.

Evelina blinked, unsure of how to respond. "Uh, sure...fuzzy minds. Makes perfect sense," she said, nodding politely. "Thanks for the warning."

Pandora didn't seem to notice the skepticism in her voice and continued with a wistful smile. "I think it's fascinating. Don't you?"

Evelina bit back a sigh and nodded again. "Absolutely fascinating."

Regulus smirked, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "Good luck surviving the maze, Evelina. Sounds like you'll need it."

"Thanks," Evelina deadpanned.

With a final wave, Regulus and Pandora disappeared into another part of the maze, leaving Evelina once again alone.

Evelina rounded another corner, her boots clicking against the dirt and crumbled leaves, as she pushed forward, hoping to make some real progress in this maze. The twisting paths seemed endless, and frustration was starting to set in. She'd been at it for what felt like hours, her thoughts swirling as much as the maze itself.

Just as she was about to take another turn, her gaze lifted, and she froze. There, standing right in front of her, was a familiar figure-one she was decidedly less thrilled to encounter in this labyrinthine nightmare.

She blinked, her steps slowing to a halt. Of all the people she could've run into in this ridiculous maze, it had to be him.

"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered.

Standing in her path was none other than Remus Lupin.

"Valentine," Remus greeted, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Didn't think I'd find you here."

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, crossing her arms.

Remus shrugged, his expression nonchalant. "Sirius dared me. What's your excuse?"

"My 'so-called' friends," Evelina muttered. "They thought it'd be hilarious to challenge me to this nonsense. And now I'm stuck in this blasted maze with no end in sight."

Remus smirked. "Not so easy being perfect at everything, is it?"

"Please," Evelina shot back, narrowing her eyes. "I'm still going to beat you out of here. In fact, why don't we make it interesting? The first one out wins."

"You're on," he said without hesitating, his grin widening.

The two set off in opposite directions, determined to escape the maze without further interference. Evelina marched ahead, her boots crunching against the dirt path, muttering under her breath about how insufferable Remus was. Meanwhile, Remus carefully studied the turns he made, marking his path mentally to avoid retracing his steps.

But the maze seemed to have other plans.

After only a few minutes, they collided again at a narrow junction. Evelina, her patience wearing thin, threw up her hands.

"You've got to be kidding me," she snapped, glaring at him. "What are you, following me now?"

"Trust me, I wouldn't if I could help it," Remus retorted, crossing his arms. "Maybe if you weren't so reckless, you wouldn't keep ending up in the same place."

Evelina scoffed, her tone sharp. "And maybe if you weren't so overly cautious, you'd actually get somewhere."

Without another word, they turned and stalked off in opposite directions yet again.

The third collision came at a dead end, where both rounded the corner at the same time. Evelina let out an exasperated groan, slapping her forehead dramatically.

"Alright, this is officially ridiculous," she exclaimed. "Do you live in this maze or something?"

"Funny," Remus said dryly, glancing at the towering corn walls. "It's almost like it's enchanted to keep people like you from rushing through it without thinking."

Evelina stepped forward, jabbing a finger toward him. "I'm starting to think you're enchanted. How is it that no matter where I go, you're always in my way?"

"Well, considering I keep running into you, maybe the problem isn't me," Remus shot back, his frustration finally breaking through his calm demeanor.

As they continued through the hedges, Evelina and Remus reached yet another dead end, the tall, looming corn walls seeming to close in on them. Evelina groaned in frustration, pulling out her wand.

"That's it," she declared, pointing her wand toward the wall. "I'm blasting my way out of here. Reducto!"

The spell struck the corn, but instead of clearing a path, the enchanted stalks regrew instantly, twisting themselves into an even more impenetrable barrier.

"Brilliant," Remus said dryly, drawing his own wand. "Now it's worse."

"Let's see you do better," Evelina snapped, crossing her arms.

Remus pointed his wand and muttered, "Lumos Maxima." The bright light illuminated the maze's immediate surroundings, but it didn't reveal an escape. He sighed. "No shortcuts here. This maze is enchanted to make us work for it."

They stood in tense silence, glaring at each other as the weight of the situation began to sink in.

Evelina huffed, "This is ridiculous," she muttered, folding her arms. "I should've been out of here ages ago."

Remus ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "You're not the only one. I've been stuck in here way longer than I should've. At this rate, we'll still be here by nightfall."

Evelina glanced around, her sharp eyes scanning the towering corn. She hated to admit it, but he wasn't wrong. With every turn leading to a dead end or bringing them back to the same spots, the maze seemed impossible to navigate alone.

"Alright," she said grudgingly, her voice low. "Maybe-and I do mean maybe-we'd be better off working together."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Are you actually suggesting another teamwork, Valentine? I never thought I'd see the day."

"Oh piss off, Lupin," Evelina snapped, pointing a finger at him. "This is purely strategic. Two heads are better than one, or whatever it is you like to preach in the debate club."

He smirked faintly. "Fine by me. As long as you can keep up."

"Keep up? Please," Evelina said, rolling her eyes. "Let's just get this over with before I lose my mind."

They began to walk side by side, arguing at almost every turn about which way to go. Evelina chastised Remus for being overly cautious and for pausing too frequently to "analyze," while he chastised her for moving forward without a strategy.

For the first time ever, Evelina wasn't the one analyzing or finding a strategy-she had long since given up on all that. Her only desire after spending hours in the maze was to find a way out, regardless of the means by which she would do so.

"Left," Evelina said firmly at a fork in the path.

"No, right," Remus countered, gesturing in the other direction.

"Left."

"Right."

After another wrong turn, Evelina threw her hands up. "We're wasting time!"

"We'll waste more time if we split up," Remus countered, gripping his wand tightly. "Stick together."

Evelina raised an eyebrow. "What happened to you thinking I'm reckless?"

"I still think that," he said, not missing a beat. "But I'd rather keep an eye on you than let you get us both trapped in here longer."

"Do you want to argue all day, or do you want to get out of here?" Evelina snapped.

"Arguing seems inevitable with you," Remus quipped, stepping forward to lead the way.

Evelina groaned but followed, muttering under her breath. "This maze is going to be the death of me."

As they proceeded through the maze, a provisional truce was established despite their ceaseless arguments. They both understood that the only way out was to work together since they were too stubborn about admitting defeat.

As they continued their reluctant collaboration, Evelina and Remus neared what appeared like another dead end. Suddenly, the air grew erratically silent, and a low rustling sound echoed through the maze. A booming caw broke the silence before any of them could say anything, and then there was the beating of wings.

Enchanted crows swarmed around them, their glossy black feathers gleaming as they circled menacingly overhead.

"What is this?" Evelina shouted, ducking as a particularly bold crow swooped close to her head.

The birds dove and circled, their sharp cries growing louder. Evelina swatted at them futilely. "Any bright ideas, genius?"

Remus glanced around, his mind racing. "Crows are clever-they'll respond to strategy. We need to confuse them, make them think we're going in a direction they can't follow."

Evelina shot him a glare, still swiping at the air. "Great. So you distract them, and I'll run."

"Not happening," Remus replied, grabbing her arm as she tried to move. "We stick together, remember? Two heads are better than one, wasn't that your strategic insight?"

"Don't throw my words back at me now," she snapped, but she didn't pull away. "And for the record, sticking together doesn't mean dragging me into the line of fire!" She cried in frustration.

"Right, because your brilliant plan of running blindly into the maze was foolproof," Remus countered, his voice tinged with dry sarcasm.

Evelina snapped back at him, her voice sharp with irritation. "Right, because your brilliant plan of standing around and analyzing everything is foolproof-"

But her words were cut off as a shadow loomed behind her. She didn't notice, too caught up in her argument, as the crow's claws extended. Remus's sharp eyes caught the swooping bird just in time.

He was quick to react; "Valentine, move!" he barked, stepping forward in one swift motion, gripping her arm firmly and yanking her sharply behind him.

"Hey, what-" she started, but the words died on her lips as Remus raised his wand and cast a quick, decisive Expelliarmus toward the attacking crow. The bird screeched, veering off course and disappearing into the swirling mass of its brethren.

"Stay behind me," Remus ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

She didn't argue-a rare occurrence. Evelina quickly realized she was not as courageous under such circumstances. She could not just act when danger approached; her instincts were not immediate. She required time to consider potential approaches and solutions, as well as to analyze them. But now? That was not possible.

Instinctively, without realizing it,  she stepped closer to him, finding herself clinging to Remus' back and shoulders, her fingers curling tightly into the fabric of his brown dusty jacket. Remus stiffened slightly at the unexpected touch but didn't say anything, his attention focused on scanning the skies for the next threat.

He didn't push her away, and she didn't let go. For now, all she could do was rely on him to navigate them out of this chaos.

"Are you-" he started to ask, but she cut him off with a quick, "Just keep moving."

He smirked slightly but didn't press her. "Fine. But don't let go unless I say so."

Evelina tightened her grip, murmuring, "Trust me, I'm not planning on it."

With his eyes keen and his wand ready, Remus led the way ahead after taking a reassuring breath. The enchanted maze has evolved into a battlefield rather than merely a challenge. However, for the time being, they moved together, with Remus taking on the duty without hesitation and Evelina depending on his quiet courage.

"Keep your wand ready," Remus murmured over his shoulder, his voice calm despite the tension.

"I am," She spoke while masking a stutter, but her hold on him remained firm.

They fired charms to keep the birds away while standing back-to-back. However, as a swarm of magical crows descended upon them, their sharp beaks and bright red eyes made them appear considerably more terrifying than regular birds, and the chaos continued to arrive until it became too much for them to manage.

Evelina swatted at another dive-bombing crow, her wand casting a weak flash of light that barely startled the bird. "These stupid things are relentless!" she hissed, ducking as another swooped low over her head.

"Maybe if you'd aim properly-" Remus started, his voice clipped as he deflected another bird with a well-placed hex.

"I am aiming properly, Grandpa!" Evelina snapped, her eyes flicking to his sweater.

"Excuse me?" Remus shot back, narrowing his eyes as he blocked another crow.

"You're dressed like you're about to offer me a Werther's Original!" she retorted, swiping her wand to cast a repelling charm at an approaching crow.

"Right, because your brilliant fashion sense is exactly what we need to get out of this maze alive," he quipped, dodging a crow that nearly snagged his shoulder.

Evelina groaned in frustration, flicking her wand at another bird. "This isn't working. We need a strategy."

"Glad you're finally admitting it," Remus muttered, before wincing as a claw grazed his coat.

"Don't push me, Lupin." Evelina turned her attention to the flock circling above them, her mind racing. The crows were relentless, but they were relying on their sharp formations to pin them down. A thought struck her, and she grabbed Remus' sleeve.

"We need to zigzag!" she exclaimed.

"What?" he replied, casting a shield charm just in time to deflect two birds.

"They can't keep up if we move unpredictably," she explained. "We dash, weave, sharp turns-anything to break their formation!"

Remus hesitated, another crow lunging at him. "Fine," he relented, already moving to cast another spell. "But if this fails-"

"It won't!" Evelina cut him off, gripping her wand tightly. "Now move!"

With that, they launched into motion. Evelina darted left, then sharply right, her boots skidding on the damp ground as she forced herself to focus on movement over fear. Behind her, Remus followed her lead, his longer strides helping him keep pace.

The crows screeched in frustration, their formation breaking as they struggled to track their unpredictable targets. Evelina couldn't resist a small grin despite the chaos. "See? Told you it would work!"

"Don't get cocky yet!" Remus shouted back, grabbing her hand without warning as they approached a particularly narrow passage. Evelina opened her mouth to protest but closed it again when she realized they didn't have time for an argument.

Together, they dashed through the maze, weaving through sharp turns and tight corners. Evelina's heart pounded, both from exertion and from the ever-present screeching of the crows behind them.

Evelina's sharp wit gave way to quick reflexes as she worked alongside Remus, their movements instinctively synchronized.

"Protego!" Evelina shouted, creating a shield charm to hold the birds at bay.

"Expulso!" Remus added, blasting a path through the swarm.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the crows scattered and the screeching faded as they burst through the last bend in the maze, leaving the two of them breathless but unscathed. The exit suddenly before them. Evelina stumbled to a halt, catching her breath, and gave Remus a sideways glance.

"Well," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "that was a lovely stroll."

Remus shook his head, his chest rising and falling as he muttered, "The most peaceful interaction we've had all day."

Evelina straightened, her lips twitching into a reluctant smirk. "Don't get used to it, Lupin. I still think you're insufferable."

"And you're impossible," he shot back, though his tone lacked its usual edge.

They stood there for a moment, the tension of the maze still lingering, though softened by the shared ordeal.

Neither of them spoke at first, the adrenaline still coursing through their veins. Finally, Evelina broke the silence with a wry smirk. "I won't tell if you don't." She offered.

Remus rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress the faint smile tugging at his lips. "Deal," he muttered, shaking his head.

Without a word, they turned and headed in opposite directions, each pretending not to notice the fleeting sense of unity that had passed between them, lingering like an unspoken truth neither dared to acknowledge.

      Later, Evelina regrouped with her friends at the Three Broomsticks, who greeted her with smirks and teasing remarks.

"Well, well," Benjy teased, leaning against the table. "The mighty Evelina, defeated by a bunch of corn. Never thought I'd see the day."

Evelina shot him a mock glare, "Laugh it up, Fenwick." She said crossing her arms.

"Alright, I'll admit it," he began, leaning his elbows on the table. "I didn't think you'd actually do it. You lasted longer in there than I thought." He said handing her the promised chocolate.

"Did you get lost?" Caradoc teased her.

Evelina gave him a warning look, before elaborating; "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Benjy. And for the record, I wasn't 'lost.'" She waved her chocolate bar for emphasis. "This is proof I won." She cried.

"Won?" Emmeline interjected, grinning. "You were in there for ages. What happened to 'Oh, it'll be easy, I'll be out in no time'? If this were a race, you'd have lost by a mile."

Evelina shrugged nonchalantly, breaking off another piece of chocolate. "A minor delay. I was simply...considering all the options."

Emmeline chuckled; "Considering the options?" She asked raising her brow; "Then you must've pissed off the maze itself." Added Emmeline.

"Or maybe," Benjy said, smirking, "you were too busy bossing people around and lost track of the exits."

"I was not bossing people around!" She protested and then sighed dramatically; "Maybe, just maybe, It was like the entire thing was designed just to annoy me." she popped another piece of chocolate into her mouth.

Caradoc snorted. "You make it sound like a chess match. Admit it, the maze beat you."

"I'll admit nothing," Evelina replied smoothly, though a faint smirk betrayed her amusement. "And besides, I only agreed to this nonsense because someone dangled chocolate in front of me. It's hardly my fault your bribery worked."

"You're welcome," Benjy said with mock solemnity. "I'd say you earned it. Barely."

"Benjy," Evelina replied, her tone laced with exaggerated patience, "you're only alive right now because of this chocolate. Don't test me."

The group erupted into laughter, Evelina rolling her eyes but unable to hide her own grin.

               Inside Zonko's Joke Shop, the Marauders gathered near a display of Extendable Ears, browsing the shelves with varying levels of enthusiasm. Sirius, naturally, was rifling through the stock with childlike glee, while Peter examined a box of Dungbombs with evident curiosity.

Across the shop, Remus leaned casually against a wooden counter, unwrapping the chocolate Sirius had tossed at him earlier.

"I've got to hand it to you, Moony," Sirius began, glancing over with a mischievous grin. "You were gone for ages. What happened to 'This'll be easy; I'll be back before you lot even buy anything'?"

Remus shrugged. "I was pacing myself," he replied smoothly, his focus still on his chocolate.

"Pacing yourself?" Sirius snorted, "What were you doing, taking a scenic tour of the hedges?"

"It's called strategy," Remus muttered, his voice carrying just enough exasperation to make Sirius grin wider.

"Strategy?" Sirius echoed, feigning astonishment. "It's a maze, not a duel. Admit it, you got hopelessly lost." He teased.

"I was taking my time," Remus replied evenly, still inspecting his chocolate as though it were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"Taking your time?" James chimed in, turning from a display of Nose-Biting Teacups. "What, were you appreciating the artistry of Zonko's before finding your way out? Or were you mapping the maze for future reference?" He grinned.

Remus sighed, taking a small bite of the chocolate. "It's a maze, James. They're designed to make you lose your way."

Sirius smirked, spinning a fake wand between his fingers. "Lose your way, or lose your mind? Just admit it, you were completely and hopelessly lost!"

"I wasn't lost," Remus said firmly, his tone carrying just enough edge to suggest he was done with the interrogation. "There were... complications." He shrugged.

"Complications?" Peter piped up, setting down the Dungbombs. "What kind of complications? Was there an angry enchanted scarecrow guarding the exit?" He asked, his tone amused.

"Something like that," Remus muttered, shoving another piece of chocolate into his mouth to avoid further questioning.

James clapped him on the shoulder, his grin as teasing as ever. "Well, whatever it was, you survived, mate. And you've got your chocolate. That's what matters."

Sirius waved a hand dramatically, nearly knocking over a jar of hiccup sweets. "A worthy reward for such a perilous journey. Though, Moony, if you did run into anything interesting, you're honor-bound to share the story."

"Not a chance," Remus replied smoothly, his faint smile betraying just enough amusement to keep Sirius intrigued.

Sirius groaned, clutching his chest in mock anguish. "You're no fun! Prongs, back me up-he has to tell us!"

"Only fair," James agreed, tossing a small bag of tricks into his basket. "You can't go on an adventure and leave us out."

But Remus remained silent, nibbling on his chocolate and letting their protests roll off him. The corner of his mouth twitched upward, the faintest sign of amusement as his friends playfully badgered him.

"Well, whatever it was, I hope you didn't embarrass yourself in front of anyone important," Sirius quipped, nudging him as they headed for the counter to pay.

"Not at all," Remus replied dryly and with the faintest glint of mischief in his eye, leaned in conspiratorially. "Though If you must know..."  He paused dramatically teasing Sirius who stopped in his tracks, it was all he needed. He slammed the fake spider onto the counter and turned to face Remus fully, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Someone?" he echoed, his tone laced with exaggerated intrigue. "Who? A professor? A ghost? Or-wait-a girl?" He gasped.

Remus rolled his eyes but didn't answer, taking another deliberate bite of his chocolate. "There was a sphinx." The lie lying flatly.

"A sphinx?" Sirius barked out a laugh, clearly not buying it.

"Absolutely," Remus continued, deadpan. "Had to answer a riddle to get out. Took a while, but you know me-sharp as ever."

James shook his head, grinning. "You're a terrible liar, mate."

"Am I?" Remus asked, his tone light. "You'll never know for sure."

Sirius gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "It was a girl! Oh, you've got to tell us everything!"

James and Peter exchanged amused glances. While Sirius was practically begged, "Oh, come on, Moony!"

"Not a chance," Remus said, smirking faintly.

James gave Remus another shoulder clap while laughing."Whatever happened, I hope she gave you a hard time. You look far too smug right now."

Sirius pointed a jokingly accusing finger at him. "One day, Moony, I'll drag the truth out of you." Sirius crossed his arms, grinning. "And when I do, you'll owe me double chocolate."

Remus smirked, taking another bite. "Good luck with that." He replied and walked ahead, leaving Sirius and the others to trail after him, the unanswered question hanging in the air.