Title: Hello Beauxbatons!
Summary: Hogwarts students go on an Overseas Exchange Trip to Beauxbatons. Who goes and what happens?
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
"What do you think she wants to talk to us about?" Katherine McLenon asked aloud, aiming the question at her two best friends, Lily Evans and Alice Henderson. "She sounded so serious when she said she wanted to talk to us about something at seven this evening in our common room."
"Kathy, McGonagall always sounds serious about everything," Alice perked up, from Lily's right. "She was serious even when Black told that joke about the otter that had everyone in fits."
Lily, between Kathy and Alice, chuckled. "Yeah, that was funny. Maybe she wants to tell us about the NEWTs. Must be, since she wants only the sixth years."
"That's it? I had my hopes up that she might announce something more exciting!" Kathy groaned.
"Well, we don't know yet anyway," Alice said, seating herself at their house table, with Lily on her left and Kathy on Lily's left.
Alice, her mouth full, suddenly tapped Lily's shoulder, signaling towards something (or rather someone) a few seats away. Anticipating what she was about to see, Lily turned to her right only to see James Potter, the boy she despised, staring unabashedly at her without even batting an eyelid. Feeling the anger rise up her body, she glared at him.
However, he didn't seem to be aware of anything around. Very annoyed at his behaviour, Lily slammed her fork on the table, got up from her seat, and marched away from the Great Hall, leaving Kathy and Alice surprised, their forks hovering in mid air. She could just hear James ask Sirius, "What happened? How come she left?"
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All the sixth years were gathered in the common room at seven (Lily, with Kathy and Alice, had seated herself as far away from the Marauders as possible), awaiting the arrival of Professor McGonagall. Some were speculating about what she might want to say, while some were engaged in their own discussions.
"James, will you stop staring at Evans?" Sirius asked, agitated that James wasn't paying him any attention.
"I agree with Sirius, James. You should really stop it," Remus supported Sirius. "Have you seen the way she reacts? No offence mate, but that is no indication that she likes you the tiniest bit."
"I know, I know, but I can't seem to stop my eyes from getting-"
Professor McGonagall had just entered the room, causing most of them to fall silent.
"Good evening to all of you," McGonagall said, announcing her presence to the few students who hadn't noticed that she was there.
"Good evening to you too, Minnie," whispered Sirius cheekily, causing James to shake silently with laughter in an attempt to stop the laughter from escaping his mouth. Remus wore an amused grin while Peter was looking from Sirius to James to Remus, wondering what was so funny.
McGonagall, not taking notice of this, continued, "I have asked all of you to gather so that I can tell you about an upcoming Overseas Exchange Trip to Beauxbatons." Several people gasped; they hadn't been given such an opportunity before, and it did sound appealing.
"Of course, this is not compulsory. Those who wish to sign up can do so on the list that will be pinned up next to the portrait of the Fat Lady tomorrow. This trip will last six days, starting on the first day of the summer holidays. The students of Beauxbatons will still be having lessons. Only ten students, five girls and five boys will be given this opportunity on a first-come-first-served basis. Other information will be on the list. Any questions?"
"Will there be hot girls?" Sirius piped up from the back, causing some of the boys to jerk their heads up to give Professor McGonagall their fullest attention. The girls in Sirius' fan club looked on jealously while the rest of the students laughed.
"That is all," McGonagall said curtly, before exiting.
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"What do you think of this Overseas Exchange Trip?" Kathy questioned.
"I think we should sign up!" squealed Alice, jumping up and down excitedly. "It sounds exciting!"
"Me too!" screamed Kathy, slapping her palms with Alice's and jumping up and down with her.
"I don't," interrupted Lily, which caused Alice and Kathy to stop jumping immediately, their faces bearing a confused expression, and eyes focused on Lily.
"What do you mean?" asked Alice.
Lily explained patiently, "I mean, the NEWTs are coming up and it would be better to use the time to study hard for them."
"But it's only for six days and we can have the rest of the holidays to study," Kathy protested.
"We'll need all the time we have," Lily continued with her argument.
They went on like that until they got ready for classes (although it was only 7.30 am) and went to the common room which was empty and out of the portrait hole.
"Hey, look! The list!" exclaimed Alice.
"And no one has signed up yet!" said Kathy.
"We're not signing up!" Lily said exasperatedly, as she continued walking to the Great Hall for breakfast, oblivious to Alice and Kathy whispering excitedly behind her back and finally scribbling something on the list, before hurrying after Lily.
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"And then we'll slip some dungbombs into the Slytherin common room!" Sirius finished, grinning mischievously, no doubt planning another of the famous Marauder pranks. He looked at James and Remus expectantly, but they didn't seem to be impressed in the very least.
"Well, I don't know Sirius…" Remus trailed off. "It doesn't exactly seem very foolproof."
"It is!" exclaimed Sirius, turning to James. "Don't you think so, James?"
However, James was not paying any attention to Sirius any more. Instead, he was looking intently at the list next to the Fat Lady's portrait.
"Lily's signing up for it!" he said excitedly, as he grabbed a quill to write his name underneath the few names there.
"What are you doing, James?" Remus almost screamed as James wrote 'Remus Lupin' too. "We have to take the NEWTs next year!"
"Whatever, Remus! We all know those six days won't make any difference. Besides, Lily's name is here!" James replied, ignoring Remus' protests, and now writing 'Remus Lupin' beneath it.
"You know what, James? For once, I agree with Remus," Sirius said thoughtfully. "How can I go without knowing if there will be hot girls there or not?"
James rolled his eyes, spinning a lie about a really hot girl at Beauxbatons that he knew and promised to introduce him to this imaginary girl. This seemed to have convinced Sirius, and James hurriedly wrote 'Peter Pettigrew' under Sirius' name and the Marauders proceeded to the Great Hall, continuing their discussion about the prank they were going to pull.
Author's Note: How did you think it was? Should I continue with it? I think I shouldn't put up the next chapter until I get 10 reviews, so I'll know whether you are interested in the story. So please review!
