James Potter and Sirius Black had just walked out of the Great Hall, laughing loudly, barely able to stand upright.
"What's so funny?" Asked Remus Lupin suspiciously, coming down the stairs and meeting them in the marble hallway.
"I -- she -- it -- ha ha ha ha ... Be- Bell- Bella--" Choked Sirius, pointing into the Great Hall behind him as James took deep breaths in a fruitless attempt to sober up.
Remus frowned at the pair, "What did you do this time?" he asked, wearily, but did not have to wait long to find out, as Bellatrix Black, Sirius Black's cousin, came storming out of the Great Hall, looking dishevelled and extremely angry.
"YOU!" She shouted pointing dramatically at James and Sirius as she made her way through the crowded Hall with some difficulty.
Bellatrix Black was tall and slim, with striking black hair and rather heavy-lidded eyes.
"Me?" Repeated Sirius in mock politeness.
"No! She was talking to me you idiot!" Chuckled James, pushing Sirius, then jumping out of the way as a streak of silver light went shooting towards him. Students in the Hall fell silent, backing away, and many people were now running up the marble staircase, either trying to get out of the way, or get a safe view of the duel they knew was moments away
"YOU ABSOLUTE MORONS!!! FILTHY BLOOD-TRAITORS, THE PAIR OF YOU!" Screamed Bellaxtrix attempting to throw another curse at James and Sirius
"I don't think she likes us very much," laughed James, lazily pulling up a defensive shield with a flick of his wand.
"Yes, I get that impression sometimes..." Sirius grinned, "Tarangellenta!"
Bellatrix was thrown backwards, twitching and shrieking from Sirius's Hex
"Good one Sirius!" Yelled James, shooting a spell at a large Slytherin, one of many now advancing on them with his or her wand drawn.
Bellatrix was now on her feet, unnoticed by either of them, not even Remus, who had got dragged into the fight, and was now throwing tickling charms at the Slytherins.
"Come on Remus, you can do better than that!" Yelled Sirius, taking his eyes off the battle for a moment to look at Remus, but he had picked the wrong moment. Bellatrix was standing near him, and with a wave of her wand, he was thrown onto his back, and Bellatrix's face contorted with fury, she lifted her wand to cast another curse,
"Cru-!" She was suddenly thrown up into the air, sprouting antlers, James having attacked her.
"Nice one, James!" Laughed Sirius in relief, jumping to his feet, itching to get back into battle, he looked up and saw Peter Pettigrew, a fellow Gryffindor up on the banister, watching the fight. "Get down here and help us fight, Wormtail!" he shouted up at him, but Wormtail, simply shook his head and leant back, to make absolutely sure he was not going to get hit.
What a moron... though James as he cast another lock-leg curse at some passing Slytherins.
"Protectego!" Sirius shouted just in time to block a curse from Bellatrix who seemed to be prepared to fight, tooth and nail, until the bitter end.
"Levicorpus!" Muttered James, pointing at her, and she was hoisted into the air as though strung up by her ankle, comically hanging upside down, giving everyone in the hallway a good view of her purple underwear.
A shout of laughter issued from the various Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, and even the Slytherins seemed to struggled to conceal their grins.
"Finite Incantatem!" Someone had shouted, and everything stopped for a moment, before issuing into chaos; jinxed legs sprang apart, as people toppled over, those who were laughing fit to burst suddenly stopped, and Bellatrix fell to the floor gracelessly as though suddenly released.
Professor Lipstitch was standing there, looking furious, his wand raised, eyes flashing dangerously.