So I got this one-shot idea from a person on Tumblr saying there should be a fic where the Marauders debate the technicalities of the rules with Professor McGonagall. So here it is! Please review and let me know what you think! On with it!
This is it, James thought ,this is one of our best loopholes yet. James glanced around at the common room. It was empty for all but him, Sirius and a couple of Gryffindor fourth years.
Why don't they go up to bed yet? James thought, frustrated. Looking at Sirius he saw the same look of frustration in his eyes too. Well at least Remus and Peter have extra time, James thought ruefully.
Remus and Peter were upstairs in the dorms trying to shrink the beds to fit in their pockets then re-enlarge them later. They were going to take them into the school halls and if they got while exploring, the Marauders had the brilliant excuse of "But we never got out of bed Professor" while keeping on an innocent face with widened eyes. Most hallways had room for two twin beds to fit right next to each other so it was decided that James and Sirius would go first with Remus and Peter behind them.
James thoughts were interrupted by the fourth years getting up, yawning and trudging up to their dorms. Finally! James thought leaping up and running up the stairs to the third year dormitories opening the door quietly and then shutting it with a large CRASH making Remus and Peter jump.
"How's it going?" James asked to dorm that was empty of beds that basically rendered the question pointless. "How do you think James?" Remus responded dryly, gesturing to the place the beds normally were. Not listening to Remus James said "The common room is clear let's proceed with the plan!" while walking out of the dorm and sliding down the railing. Peter followed with Remus shortly behind.
"Alright people you remember the plan! Step 1: Collect our beds from Remus and Peter." Sirius paused holding out his hands, James and Peter doing the same. Remus dropped their beds into their respective hands.
"Step 2: ," Sirius continued, "Use the invisibility cloak to leave without alerting the Fat Lady. Step 3: Enlarge the beds a corridor away and enchant them to hover. Step 4: Explore to our heart's contents. Extra Step to be used at the end or not at all." Sirius paused to grin wickedly."Get caught."
"W-Why in the world would y-you want to get c-caught, Sirius!" Peter sputtered. "Because", Sirius said matter of factly, "We stayed in our beds just like we are supposed to after curfew." Remus shook his head, amused. "Well come on then why are we still standing here! Chop chop!" Sirius snapped good naturedly. Remus sarcastically saluted Sirius and said "Yes sir!" still mocking him. James got out his invisibility cloak and draped it over everybody. "Everybody got their beds still?" Sirius asked "Onward then!" once everybody had nodded.
Later that evening…
"Never have I seen anything like this before!" McGonagall shouted furiously, still in her nightclothes. "Taking very, very old antique thing out of dorms, being out of bed and in the halls after curfew! Explain yourselves, all of you!" Sirius the best at worming their way out of trouble spoke up. "You see Professor, the rule is you are not allowed to leave your beds after curfew so we haven't really broken any rules. And there is no explicit rule saying we cannot move the beds or any piece of furniture really." Sirius explained with innocence painted all over his face. "We checked the rules if it was allowed! So we did our homework!" Sirius explained again with a touch of hurt and pride in his voice to try to make it seem more real. Unfortunately McGonagall wasn't fooled.
"And I assume you just skated over all the other rules that prevented you from doing what you just did?" McGonagall said with her eyes still flashing dangerously. "Wait, what?" James asked, acting confused. "We just saw that you were not allowed in the halls after curfew. And you always yelled at us for not being in our beds so we just kind of assumed that they together. So therefore we stayed in our beds just like you told us to and explored too!" James pretended to beam proudly at her. Sirius hastened to copy James.
McGonagall stared at them, still exasperated and mad but with a hint of amusement that she made sure no one saw. McGonagall spoke just as the boy's beams were slipping and nervousness starting to replace it. "Not a word boys." as McGonagall spun around and walked back to her office.
All of the Marauders were left open mouthed. "Did she, did she just, let us go?! Sirius asked still sounding shellshocked. "I think so mate!" James responded a grin replacing his open mouth. "No point or anything!" Remus was still staring after McGonagall, his mouth still open and not responding even when Peter waved a short arm in front of his face.
Remus came to earth when James started shaking him. "Remus! Remus! We need to get back to common room!" Remus nodded slightly and muttered "Reducio!" and all the beds shrunk to pocket sized again. All of them were silent as they made their way back to the portrait hole.
As the Marauders went back to the dorms to sleep they didn't notice a small figure stay behind in the common room. The small student looked up at the dorms in admiration at what they had done. The student chuckled revealing they were a girl. She thought back to when the boys were about to get punished, or so she thought. She thought there was a moment when McGonagall saw her and her heart nearly stopped until she saw McGonagall's amusement that flashed across her face for a split second. But the figure still saw it, and as she made her way up the dorm stairs it was with a light heart.
Suddenly the sun rose over the forbidden forest illuminating the girls bright red hair which was the same as the rising sun.
Who was that? It's up to you to decide but I'm pretty sure you know who I was hinting towards. Anyways hope you enjoyed and if you have any other one-shot ideas that I like I will most certainly write them! Actually they don't have to be one-shots, just any story ideas in general. I'll stop writing/talking now so peace!