- -INTRODUCTION (DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THOSE?)- -
"So what do you think of my plan," I asked a short strawberry blonde girl walking next to me. This plan was my first act of carrying out the Marauders' wishes. So okay, my plan isn't exactly the Marauders' wishes, but it is what they would have wanted (I'm sure of it!). I am their devoted follower, and I was heartbroken when they left Hogwarts for good. Even though I am a gaping four years younger than the quartet, I know everything about James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. But later about my vast knowledge, I am presently involved in a conversation.
"I still don't think you should do this! I mean, we've just arrived, beginning of fourth year, and you are already going to get into some kind of trouble. How smart does that sound to you? I don't think you should do this. How does detention with Professor McGonagall sound to you?" Of course, I always forget that Alice tries to talk me out of every mischievous deed I attempt.
"But I have good reason! I am dedicating this inaugural trick to the famed and favorite Marauders, so there is no way you are going to stop me this time." Ha, I've got her this time. Actually, that sounded like a pretty reasonable reason.
"Well, I don't know. I suppose you may do it this time, but if you get caught…you…you could get expelled for this, you know. Wouldn't that be awful? If I let you do this, you have to promise to me that you will try as hard as you can to be extremely discreet. And remember, you can always back out, I won't blame you."
"But I really want to do it!" She did he famous 'Okay' look and so I said, "Oh and that is why I love you so much!" Yes! No one can stop me now!
"Now to find my crew of miscreants. Where shall I begin my great search?"
"Well these unlucky people you find must be as crazy as you, if they even exist at this school."
"Are you kidding? A school…full of magic and you're telling me no one's crazy?"
"Well, how about…" Alice thought for a moment until a light bulb lighted above her brain-infested head. "Me!"
"You? You're the one that tried to talk me out of it, remember?"
"Well yes, but who better to make sure you don't get into any trouble than me?" She waited hopefully. "And…I'm your best friend? Yes! How does that sound, friend-ole-buddy-ole-pal?"
"I don't know, you could use a bit more evil genius in you, but I have hope for you yet." She squealed.
"This is going to be fun!"
CHAPTER 1: Crew of Miscreants
So we had the conversation and we eventually got our stuff unpacked in our rooms and went off to bed. I listened to her silent snoring while I began to brood over what precisely we were going to do. You see, I hadn't exactly told her what the plan was, but I didn't tell here what it wasn't either. All night I tried to come up with an idea that could in some way be as great as all of the Marauders' plans were. I came up with a few ideas, but none were very good. Although I may look like a carefree soul on the outside (which I am in some ways), I am an extreme perfectionist and I have to have my way.
Because of all this brooding, the next morning I sat thinking in the Great Hall and nearly fell into my burbleberry toast.
"Danielle?" Alice began, "Danielle! Wake up for goodness' sake; we have our first classes today and you wouldn't want to make a bad impression, now would you?" Sweet little Alice, always making me try. I'm impressed how long she's persisted without giving up.
Shaking the sleep off of me, I responded, "No, of course not. Oh…speaking of which, have we gotten our schedules yet?"
"Yeah, I've got both of ours. We have charms first with Professor Flitwick. I wonder if we'll simply review or learn a new spell." She started speaking about school, so I nearly tuned out. Apparently, she saw this and spoke in a louder tone than before. "I'd personally like to review because I still can't quite remember how to do those last charms he taught us. Can you?"
"Do you honestly expect me to remember something like that?" I joked. And then I said to myself as I put my chin on my hand, "Ha, school: where do they think up these crazy ideas?"
"I suppose you're right. The only charm," again the charms, "you would remember is 'Wingardium Leviosa.'"
"Oh yeah! I nearly forgot! Whatever could I do without you?" And with that he smacked her forehead. "I please you so much don't I?"
"It never gets old," she laughed. "So about this Marauder business…would you like to tell me what this oh-so-great plan of yours is? I'd like to know so that we can get this whole trouble-making business over with. I'm not thoroughly comfortable with it." At her first mention of the 'Marauder business' I once again sat brooding because I hadn't come to a conclusion quite yet. I wasn't answering her question and this, obviously, perturbed her. "Well?"
"Oh right. Sorry, I couldn't hear you." I heard her mutter something along the lines of 'Utter surprise.' "What were you saying?"
"What's the prank?"
"Uh," I made something up, "Something to do with Filch, they didn't like him that much. Well, now that I think of it, no one really does, but who could blame them? Any suggestions in particular?"
"How 'bout we raid his office?"
"What good would that do? He probably just has cat beds and dust collecting on the table tops. I don't see anything in it for us."
"You seem to be forgetting that he confiscates miscellaneous items. Maybe there's something worth some value in there. Perhaps…" she paused, "something from the Marauders?"
"Oh you've got to be mad to think that they would simply let Filch take something of theirs! They were so much smarter than him that that would be an utter impossibility."
"Well you never know! Nobody's perfect, now are they? Besides, if there's nothing of value in there worth the trip, we could always leave some booby traps or something of that nature."
"Well, I suppose you're right." That would have been the best idea I came up with. "So when shall we do it? We've got classes all week and we're most likely going to have a ton of homework because it's the first week of school. You know how during the first week of school all the teachers try to terrify us and end up giving us a butt-load of work to do."
"I think the weekend will work fine. Wait, don't we go to Hogsmeade on the first weekend? If we did, we'd have to stay to be able to raid his office and that would make us suspects."
"No, I think we go on the fourth or fifth weekend after school starts."
"Then good, all of the school will be…"
"I think we should start heading towards Charms."
"But we've still got ten minutes! It only takes two to get there."
"Well we don't want to be late now do we?" Of course we don't want to be late. What would we be then, normal?
"Welcome, class! I trust you had a restful summer," Flitwick began in his usual high-pitched voice. The class replied a dull 'Yes, Professor Flitwick' in unison.
"Good, because we have to get down to business and work! work! work!" I groaned and looked beside me at Alice, but she was taking notes. What of, I wonder?
Flitwick continued, "This year, we aren't going to review last year because we have so much material to learn. Get out your wands and parchment; we're taking notes!" And with that, the work-filled year of school magic began. (Though I must admit, it feels good not having to do everything on my own.)
After Charms, we started heading toward Divinity when a boy, a bit older than us. walked up to us. He seemed oddly cheerful for the first week of school.
"Hello," he said quite confidently. "I don't mean to intrude, but I accidentally overheard you during breakfast this morning." When we glared at him he continued.
"Don't worry about me, I won't tell a soul. Actually, I'd like to join you. You see, I'm a big fan of the Marauders as well and feel as if I may have some knowledge to impart."
We paused a second with misunderstanding eyebrows. "Well who are you?" we both asked.
"Oh right, sorry. Where are my manners? The name is Jeremy Evans, nice to meet you," we shook hands. "I am a fifth year Gryffindor and I have nothing I'd rather do."
"Evans? As in Lily Evans?"
"No, as in Jeremy Evans but I'm related to her, yes. She's my cousin. Well, it makes sense that you wouldn't have heard of me seeing as she doesn't talk about me that often." He stood there with a pleasing expression.
Referring back to his offer to join our troupe of vagabonds, I replied, "I suppose we could use you," I said, brushing my index finger and thumb where a beard would be if I was a man. "But you must swear not to tell anyone. If you swear, Welcome to the Club! And if you do tell, it's our word against yours and a curse will make you forget about us, understood?" I tried saying that with the sweetest face possible while uttering a threat. If you've tried it, it isn't as easy as it's made out to be.
"Of course! I tell no one, and I shall keep my memory and all of our words will become one. How's that?"
"That's the dandiest decree ever," sarcasm is also my friend. "This is Alice, my best a friend, a Gryffindor fourth year. I am her fellow Gryffindor fourth year and my name is Danielle."
"Danielle," he looked at me, "Alice," and at her. "Hi!"
"Right now, we are due at Divinity, the wretched class. So meet us at the dinner table tonight and bring anything mildly useful. Plans are to be made!" I sound like a leader, don't I? Wow, this is going to be fun.
"Yes ma'am," and with that he saluted and said in a more casual tone, "See you then." He walked off, a grin on his face. I was wondering why in the world he would be smiling when Alice interrupted my thoughts.
"That's got to be some kind of odd: a guy like that walking up to us out of the blue. You'd think he'd be off playing a game of Wizard's Chess with his cronies. I've never seen him before; I wonder how he overheard us. I thought we were talking quietly." I was just standing there watching his toned soccer figure walking away, not caring how or why he wanted to join us.
In a dreamy state, I replied, "And so the mystery of Jeremy Evans begins…"