A/N: This is sort of a sequel to my other fic Lazy Summer Days. You don't have to have read the other one to understand this one. The only difference between the two is that this one has a plot!
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Self control-
A prologue of sorts
Creak.
Bang.
Splash.
Whoosh.
A shriek was heard from down the hall, followed quickly by a woman yelling hoarsely.
"BLACK! Potter! Lupin! Pettigrew! My office! Now!"
Sirius, James, Remus and Peter started to tiptoe silently trying to sneak away from the mess they had created but had no such luck. For the very person they were trying to get away from was right in front of them. A very soggy someone.
"Professor! Excellent to see you!"
"I know it was you four. It's always you four. You wouldn't be able to get away if you tried. My office, now," she barked. They were made to follow her squelching shoes all the way down the long corridor and into her office. She closed the door behind them and sat at her desk, fingers in a steeple surveying them.
"This is the seventh time this week I've had you in here and its only Tuesday. Couldn't you put those creative juices to use for something more worthwhile?"
"But Professor…" pleaded James.
"No, Potter. I'm adding another week of detentions to your already considerable list. The way you four are going you will be scrubbing floors during your final examinations! Now, out!
"Professor Mcgonagall…" tried Sirius.
"I don't want to hear it Black. If none of you can exercise a little self control I will continue handing out your detentions by the week. Get control of yourselves and maybe I will lessen the blow but until then my descision stands. 8 weeks. Separate detentions. I will let Mr. Filch know that you will be assisting him in the upcoming weeks," said the Professor.
The boys sighed collectively and started making their way to the door.
"And remember, it's Halloween next week. Have fun cleaning, boys," called out the Professor just before the door closed on their backs.
The boys started to make their way back to the Gryffindor common room, heads hung, hands in their pockets looking exceptionally glum. 8 weeks of cleaning the castle with their least favourite caretaker. Nothing, in their books could be worse.
"You know, this is all your fault Sirius," complained Remus, "All of those stupid ideas were yours anyway."
"Well, if they were so stupid you didn't have to go along with them! I didn't force you to," retorted Sirius.
"Yes you did!" cried Remus.
"Well, then you didn't have to do everything so well," said Sirius turning up his nose and bumping into a wall.
"You know, she could be right…" started James, "We really do have no self control. If we see an opportunity we jump right at it." Sirius stared at him disbelievingly.
"I cannot believe you are saying this. She is never right. That's the rule. Don't listen to all that mumbo jumbo. We have self control. See right there," said Sirius pointing at Peter's butt as he bent down to pick something up.
"I didn't kick him over! That's a once in a life time sort of thing! I didn't follow the "Never spare a bender hit him where it's tender" rule. That's self control," said Sirius quite smugly.
"That's just one thing Padfoot. We need to try it on bigger things," said Remus.
"I don't know guys, Peter's bum is pretty big," shrugged Sirius.
"Hey!" cried Peter covering up his arse protectively.
"No no! I think I understand what Remus is trying to say," said James.
"Well that's a first," muttered Remus.
"I heard that."
"Well go on, what were you saying?" asked Remus 'politely'.
"I was saying that I think I know what you were saying. Which waaaas…ahh I really don't remember what you were trying to say that I was trying to make Sirius understand before you cut me off,"
"Er…can I have a map to that sentence?" asked Peter.
"Ah! I've got it," said James triumphantly.
"The map? That was fast…"
"No, Peter. Well to show that we really have self control we should try keeping away from something. Something that we really like and use a lot, I guess you could call it abstinence. And Mcgonagall did say she would lessen the punishment if we displayed self control," said James.
"Well, yeah…that would be easy," said Sirius uncertainly.
"So all four of us abstain together? Would this be like a fast or something? Because my mother says I'm a growing boy and I need to eat," said Peter rubbing his belly.
"Peter you don't need to fast, you have the body of a god!" exclaimed Sirius.
"Do I really?"
"Yeah," sniggered Sirius, "too bad it's Buddha."
"Arsehole!" yelled Peter as he smacked Sirius.
"Anyway…what should we try and abstain from?" asked Remus.
"Well, we aren't old enough to drink yet so abstaining from alcohol is useless," said James.
"Oohh! We can abstain from reading," said Sirius excitedly.
"Yes, that would be smart, seeing as we're in school!" said Remus dryly, "And anyway, what if you read something by accident?"
"You've got a point there," sighed Sirius.
"What about water?" tried Peter.
"We'd die," said Remus.
"Sitting?" tried James.
"Professors would go crazy if we didn't sit in class," said Remus.
"Going outside?" asked Sirius.
"Herbology classes are outside," said Remus.
"Painting?" asked Peter hopefully.
"None of us paint," said Remus.
"Stop wearing pants?" suggested James.
"We'd get more detentions for being half nude in public," said Remus.
"Stop talking to Americans?" asked Sirius.
"There aren't any at school anyway that would never work. All your ideas blow!"
"Well we don't see you coming up with any ideas Mr. Hypocrite."
"Well I don't see any of you putting any thought behind your ideas," retorted Remus.
"You can't see thinking, genius," said Peter.
"Argh!" yelled Remus throwing his hands into the air. They continued walking in silence until…
"Sugar," said Remus quite out of the blue.
"Bless you?" said Peter confused.
"No, I mean sugar! We can abstain from sugar."
"No, we can't," said Sirius.
"And why not?" asked Remus.
"That's like life blood to us! We can't do without blood. There's no way we can keep away from sugar," said Sirius frantically with lots of hand gestures.
"Well that's the point isn't it?" said James, "We can't do without it. We depend on it. Keeping away from it would mean we do have self control."
"But…this could kill us! I never agreed to suicide! Are you with me Pete?"
"I don't know Sirius…I really don't want to be stuck with Filch for 8 weeks. And going on a sugarless diet would be good for me," said Peter rubbing his tummy.
"I can't believe this! This is mutiny!" cried Sirius hysterically.
"I think it's a great idea," said James.
"Me too," said Peter.
"Come on Sirius, please?" pleaded Remus.
"Pretty please with sugar on top?" asked Sirius.
"No! No sugar," said Remus.
"Fine, I'll do it. For the good of…for the good of what exactly?"
"Er...for the good of us I guess?" said James uncertainly.
"Well aren't we selfish bastards!"
"We should dedicate it to Minnie Mcgonagall herself, the woman who inspired us," piped in Peter.
"Hear hear! To Minnie Mcgonagall we dedicate our sugarlessness!" said James.
"And to Satan we dedicate our souls," said Sirius trying to join in the fun.
"No we don't you wanker!"
"I think not!"
"I kind of like my soul, thank you very much."
"Argh, fine no soul dedicating."
"Say, Moony this no sugar thing…how long do we have to keep this up?" asked Peter.
"Er…"said Remus pausing.
"I think a week should be more than enough," said James.
"And this includes anything with sugar in it?" asked Sirius.
"Anything and everything. No cake, chocolate, ice cream, sweets, desserts…you get the picture," said Remus.
"What about brown sugar?" asked Sirius hopefully.
"Nope, it's practically the same thing."
"There's a Hogsmeade visit this weekend," said James
"Well no Honeydukes for us then," said Remus, "It'll be good for us, health wise you know. I think Sirius is getting a bit of a paunch here." He poked Sirius' stomach to make his point.
"Am not!" said Sirius slapping Remus' hand away.
"Yeah… right. This is the Battle of the Bulge right here," said Remus poking him again.
"Quit poking me!"
"I'm just playing some Poker," said Remus, still poking him.
"Aaaargh!" screamed Sirius hiding behind James to avoid being poked.
"I've just thought of something guys," said Peter brightly.
"Oh bloody hell, duck and cover people," muttered James dryly.
"Nah, it isn't a prank idea this time," said Peter, "I was thinking that since tonight is the last night we can sugarize our food we should hit the kitchens."
"Might as well," said Remus.
"Yeah, I've been craving éclairs all week," said James.
"Mmm cheesecake," said Sirius dreamily.
"Pie is better fool," retorted Remus.
"You have got to be kidding me, nothing beats cheesecake. Smooth creamy texture with a crunchy bottom. Hell, that sounds like the perfect woman," mused Sirius.
"I can honestly say I've never met a woman with a crunchy bottom…" said Remus as they made their way to the kitchens.
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A/N: Well then...Hope you liked it. Please review. And whoever didn't like it, please review. It's simple.
