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It had been Dorcas' idea. It was usually her idea. Sirius liked Halloween too, but in the cheesy not so scary where. James was more of a Christmas person really. Dorcas though, she adored the creepy side of Halloween. She loved Halloween, and she loved horror. Haunted Houses, or horror houses, really anything like that, she'd try and drag her two friends along too. Well, she had other friends, but they didn't really care for the things she loved.
They'd all met at school, a fancy boarding school in the Scottish Highlands. James and Sirius had formed a strong friendship first, and then they'd met Dorcas in detention. They're friendship had seen it's ups and downs, but they'd been steadfast for years. It was almost ritual for them to do several creepy Halloween things together.
James had started the conversation about soulmates in the car. They all had soulmates. Dorcas had a red string of fate she could see when she closed her eyes, Sirius had a counter on his wrist for when he'd first meet his, and James had a soulmark on the back of his hand. Sirius was bored of waiting, but he knew he had a deadline. Dorcas was happy to wait for the right person, it helped that she had dreams that gave her hints about her soulmate. But James was bored of waiting.
"What's the weirdest place you think soulmates have met?" James asked as they looked around the spooky decor outside the house while they waited for the haunted house to empty out enough for them to go in.
"The bathroom," Sirius said. Dorcas hummed but shook her head.
"No, I think that's almost sort of an expected unusual place. There's definitely been weirder," Dorcas said.
"Where do you think you'll meet yours?" James asked, moving on quickly.
"In a bar," Dorcas said. "I mean so many people go in and out of bars. And we go out like once a week so there's plenty of chance."
"Somewhere stupid probably," Sirius said. "And you'll meet yours at some party or something."
"You think?" James asked. Both Sirius and Dorcas nodded.
"You're like a sociable puppy at parties," she said. James pouted at her, but Sirius laughed. The queue to get into the house had almost entirely vanished, so Dorcas grabbed the boy by their wrists and dragged them over.
The house had been done up to look abandoned. Parts of the fake ceilings had been hacked away and dropped onto the floor, the windows were partially boarded up. Their were characters dressed up and hiding around corners ready to scare people. Dorcas was fascinated by it all.
While Dorcas admired all the details put into the house, James poked around the room they were in. It was meant to be a living room, with a partially destroyed sofa and a knocked over armchair. There was cupboard in the corner and he was slowly creeping towards it.
He was a little nervous to open it.
He could already picture someone that could be hiding in it, and he didn't really want to be jumped scared.
"James," Dorcas called. He turned back around and grinned at her. Another group had entered the room. She gestured to the archway out into the next hallway. He sighed but followed after her and Sirius.
The hallway lead to three closed doors. They'd already been told they could go through any door in there, so all they had to do was pick one.
"One, two, or three," Sirius said, pointing dramatically to each door. James hummed and Dorcas looked at each of them. He glanced around the hall. It had been decorated to look burnt, and had fake cobwebs hanging down.
"James," Dorcas said. She'd nominated him as the door opener for their group in the car, only because he scared easily and she found it funny. He pouted at her but moved to the doors.
"This one," she said pointing to one with a grin. James didn't trust her. But he had no other choice, and he'd already agreed he'd open any door she asked him too.
He reached for the handle and pulled the door open.
A skeleton dropped forward.
James screamed.
Dorcas burst out laughing. He reached back for Sirius' hand, and opened a different door. That door had an actor behind, who lurched forward and caused James to scream again just as he finally grabbed a hand in his.
Everything stopped for him.
Well, he could still hear Dorcas laughing, and he could still feel the hand in his.
It wasn't Sirius' hand though. He knew what Sirius' hand felt like. He got scared often enough to know.
The hand in his own belonged to his soulmate. He could feel his soulmate's eyes staring into the side of his head. He could multiple people staring at him.
"I think I found the weirdest place to meet your soulmate," James finally said, turning to meet his soulmate's eyes.
"Oh my god!" Dorcas said, as Sirius laughed and started clapping. The soulmark on the back of James hand was glowing, and there was a faint glow coming from under his soulmate's sleeve.
"I'm Remus," his soulmate said, smiling at him slightly. He had fluffy brown hair, and soft hazel eyes.
"James, it's nice to meet you," he said, grinning at him charmingly. He had two friends with him, and they both waved.
"How do you feel about going around together?" Dorcas asked, looking to his two friend. The actor awkwardly closed their again, and left the six of them to it for a moment. Meeting soulmates was a special thing.
"Sounds good to me," a blonde girl said, smiling at her. Dorcas grinned back. "I'm Marlene."
"Dorcas," she said, reaching over to shake her hand. When their hands connected a red string appeared between them.
"God damn it!" Sirius said loudly, throwing his arms up. "You both get your soulmates and I still have to wait like a year!"
"I've already met mine," Remus' other friend said.
"Everyone but me," Sirius grumbled.
"The dramatic fucker is Sirius," James said, introducing him for the others.
"Peter," he said, nodding to him. "My soulmate works here, and that's why we're here."
"Nice, Dorcas likes scary stuff. She also likes scaring me so, that's why we're here," James said. Remus hummed. They hadn't let go of each other's hands yet, and James didn't have any intention of letting go any time soon. Remus didn't seem to mind.
"Sorry," Dorcas said suddenly, she'd been whispering with Marlene. "Right, doors. James get over here and open this door," she said nodding to the final door. James pouted but Remus moved with him so they could open the door.