"Mr. Potter!"
A boy with messy black hair and hazel eyes turned around at the sharp command from the witch behind him. Most students preferred not to cross this particular professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but James Potter just gave McGonagall a cheeky grin and said, "Yes, Professor?" in an all too innocent tone.
Beside him, a boy with piercing amber eyes and sandy colored hair rolled his eyes at his friend, while a short, pudgy boy looked torn between being pleased at whatever James had done now and frightened at what the Transfiguration professor might do. Both had endless possibilities, with James well-known track record for pranks that often resulted in detention (the only person in history with more detentions was his very own best friend, Sirius Black), and McGonagall's notoriety as the strictest professor teaching at Hogwarts.
"Mr. Potter, I know that students are allowed to brings pets, but I would've thought that you'd have had enough brains not to bring one so big."
The sandy haired boy groaned. "James, now what have you brought with you?" he asked exasperatedly.
"Oh nothing, Remus," James said flippantly, not breaking eye contact with McGonagall, "Just a dog."
Understanding flashed through Remus Lupin like lightning in the dead of the night, and he barely bit back a groan. He shook his head.
McGonagall narrowed her eyes at the black haired boy, watching him closely for any signs that the animal was not 'just a dog'. Finding none, she said, "Very well. He will be sent to your dorm with the other animals. You may keep him here for tonight. Tomorrow, however, you will have to find a way to ship him home. You will not be allowed to leave the school, but you must find your own way to get him there."
She began to turn away, but paused and eyed the three boys suspiciously. "Where is Mr. Black?" she asked slowly.
"I think he went to the loo," James answered her, a manic gleam in his eye.
McGonagall, clearly not believing James' answer (with good reason) lingered a bit longer before finally turning on her heel and striding away.
She was barely out of earshot before James burst out laughing. Remus eyed his friend with disapproval, but the corners of his mouth kept twitching. The pudgy boy looked confused, but said nothing as they continued on their way to the Great Hall for the start-of-term banquet.
It wasn't until the end of the feast that the pudgy boy looked around with a scrunched brow before asking where Sirius was. The boy looked even more confused as James again burst out laughing and Remus allowed himself a chuckle.
"That, Peter," said James between laughs, "is the beauty of it all."
