The Brightest Star

James and Sirius made their way up to the looming astronomy tower. They had just come from a stressful potions lesson and were not at all pleased with their comings. Both Sirius and James had bright green school robes. The thing that bothered them the most though was that the professor had refused to change them back to their original color.

"What does Professor Slughorn think he's pulling? 'Good learning experience' my wand..." Sirius murmured. " I mean, really it wasn't our fault! How were we supposed to know eye of newt and frog's leg together make explosions?"

" Exactly!" said James emphatically. He was presently ignoring the voice in his head that was reminding him that the book had said not to mix those two ingredients together, also it did not help the situation much that Sirius and himself hadn't had their heads on what potion they were brewing, more on the fact of the amazing quidditch match they had the day before.

James stopped suddenly and looked at his watch. " Blimey mate, we're late!" Sirius and James made a mad dash up the rest of the stairs.

The second year Grryfindors burst into the room. No surprise the worst two of the infamous Marauders were late, they always were. But none would have thought they would have dared being late for astronomy class. Professor Magellanic was notorious for not accepting tardiness in any kind. " You're late," stated the professor accusingly. The man was tall and had stern frame. His face was long and aged and his eyebrows formed heavy bushy cloaks above his eyes. Wizard robed in a deep midnight blue and a willowy ash wand, he was probably one of the few professors the Marauders did not simply mess with.

" Sorry, Professor," the boys chorused together. They were suddenly aware that the whole class was trying to stifle laughs, and even James thought, the Professor too.

" Mr. Potter and Mr. Black, I will allow this tardiness to go unpunished. Just for the fact that your interesting taste in school robes has made my , and I'm sure the rest of the classes, day."

James and Sirius quickly sat down by Remus and Peter. They were both very grateful that Magellanic had not given them detention. Although James felt a rising desire to but itching powder on the rims of the telescopes. He did not like being the bud of the class joke. Personally, he felt that was why Slytherins were put on this earth.

" Now today class, we will be studying specific stars," Magellanic started. " The first star we will be studying is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky."

At this Sirius perked up. " What?"

" Yes Mr. Black, the star Sirius. But in no way is this subject related to you, " retorted Magellanic. He was in no mood to put up with Black's antics.

" So, your saying... that I'm the brightest star in the sky?" asked Sirius cheekily. Obviously he was not going to let go of this notion. James could quite see that Sirius liked the idea of being the brightest in anything. Admittedly, it suited his personality to a tee.

" Mr. Black, now that you've given your comments from the peanut gallery -"

" Wha..?" Sirius interrupted again. James also didn't know what the professor had meant.

" It's a muggle phrase!" whispered Lily Evens hoarsely. Lily Evens was a pretty red-head in his house, she was nice enough, but she often tended to be to over-bearing. Totally not a quality befitting of a friend of a Marauder.

" Ms. Evans! Mr. Black! This is my class, not yours!" snapped the professor. Evans looked as if she wished to disappear off the face of the planet, which didn't surprise James one bit. Lily was also a teacher's pet. Sirius, though, just kept smiling a cocky smile.

" So because I'm the brightest star, my comments' count?" James wanted to laugh out loud, but the irritation etched on Professor Magellanic's scary crooked face suppressed the laugher as soon as it flared. Of course though Sirius did not even have the little sense James had to stay quiet. James was a trouble maker, but he wasn't stupid. Magellanic's detentions were the worst at Hogwarts.

" Sirius! Stop It! If you want to pull off that prank tonight on Snape stop trying to land yourself in detention!" James hadn't even been planning on pulling a trick on Snivellus, but he hoped it would be the right motivation for Sirius.

" James Potter and Sirius Black, tonight you have detention with me!" barked Magellanic. If James hadn't been so irritated, he might have been scared.

" But Professor, I was just whispering to tell Sirius to stop it - " James said, trying to will the tough teacher to understand.

" I don't care what you were doing Potter! No talking in my class, no exceptions. Detention all week."

James felt is if he wanted to aim a bludger at Sirius's head.

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" You...are...the...biggest...prat...in...the...world!" The detention had been worse than James could have ever imagined. Sirius and himself had been stuck not only doing the laundry for the Slytherin boy's quarters the muggle way, but they also had to do their house team. James never wanted to see the colors green and silver in the rest of his life.

" Sorry mate! I didn't know Magellanic would have us doing... this!" Sirius sounded bitter. James thought for the first time in his life Sirius was regretting talking in class. Remus had a great laugh, though. Remus had found a thousand ways to say I told you so. Wormtail had just sighed and rolled his eyes.

" If you ever, and I mean ever, talk up in astronomy, I will kill you."

" Deal."

Disclaimer - Nothing in this story belongs to me, not even the plotline. For that I would need a lawyer that I can't afford.

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I hope you like it, it's my first fanfiction. Hope you review!