"This will be a Marauder's stunt to remember," Willow Lupin chortled as she leaned into the chair behind her. Her cousin, Kalli Damia sat on the couch, cuddled into Harry Potter's arms. Ron Weasley lay on the floor, his hands clasped behind his head. Hermione Granger sat in the other armchair, her book lying forgotten on her lap. "But how will we get the potion ready in time?" Willow asked.
Kalli shrugged and glanced to Harry. Harry shrugged and glanced to Ron. Ron shrugged and glanced to Hermione. Hermione smiled. "I have plenty," she said slyly. Heads swiveled in her direction. "Well," she continued, that same sly smile in place, "I have it on reserve, just in case we need it. I have vials and vials in an invisible trunk, upstairs."
"Is that what Lavender crashed into two weeks ago while you were cleaning?" Willow asked, leaning forward. Hermione nodded.
Harry's chin rested on Kalli's head as he said, "So, all we need is the last ingredient, and we're in business." Kalli nodded, bobbing Harry's head with her. "Tomorrow, we get to work... Remember folks, April 1st is two days away."
The door swung open, and the common room began to fill up as dinner was called to an end, and the Gryffindor students came upstairs to begin homework, and relax in the spaciousness of the compartment they called home. Seamus strolled over, and found a place on the opposite couch. Moments later, Neville and Dean made their way over. Willow Lupin smiled brightly, and got up.
"Hello, Neville," she drawled.
"Er, hello, Willow," Neville said, gulping.
"You did very well in Potions today, even with Snape breathing down your neck. It was mighty impressive."
"Er, thank you, Willow."
"Oh, dear!" Willow said calmly. "You seem to have an eyelash on your cheek. May I?" Neville nodded, gulping. Willow leaned over and brushed her fingertip to his cheek. Neville sucked in a breath, as Willow withdrew, eyelash sticking to her fingertip. Harry smiled. "Well, I'm off to bed. See you all later. Night Harry, Ron..." As she walked toward the stairs she winked at Harry.
Moments later, Hermione closed her book, and rose to her feet. "Well, I'm off as well..." she trailed off. "I don't believe it," she said, leaning closer to Seamus. "You have a gray hair, Seamus." Hermione reached over and plucked it off.
"Ow! Hermione!" Seamus yelped.
"Oh, sorry, I was wrong. It just looked gray. Well, night."
Finally, Kalli rose, and kissed Harry sweetly. "I'm on my way, Hermione." She stopped abruptly. "Dean, you have hair, right there, on your robes..." She leaned forward and plucked it off, a long piece of sandy colored hair came off in her hands. Dean flinched. "Oh, was it attached, sorry dear. Well, good night."
As the two girls made their way up the stairs, Ron and Harry exchanged glances. "Night, fellas," they said, in unison, and got up. Tomorrow was going to be far to easy.
April 1st came with a bright sun, and promising weather. Already, Harry could hear the sounds of shrieks, and practical jokers rushing through the halls outside Gryffindor common room. The twins had already unleashed their newest joke on the common room, inflating bubbles. People were walking around with large hands, heads, ears, feet. Downstairs, fireworks were causing a disturbance in the main hall, and the ghosts were frantically searching for Peeves, who had resorted to dropping water balloons on people's heads again.
Harry and Ron arrived in the main hall to discover that the doors to the dining room were charmed shut. Dumbledore was standing near one set, his wand out, staring at them in confusion. McGonagall stood behind him, soaking wet, and dripping from a barrage of Peeves' water balloons. Snape waited near the steps, his arms crossed, and his eyes narrowed as fireworks exploded around him. All the students crowded in the hall were ducking and gasping as the renegade explosions flew amongst them. Ron and Harry were the last two students to enter the hall, and they caught sight of Willow, Kalli and Hermione wedged into the crush of students. As they stepped onto the floor, the doors swung open. Dumbledore gave a bright smile and led the group in.
Once the students were seating, Dumbledore rose to his feet, and cleared his throat. Everyone turned to look at him. "Before we begin, I just want to say to whoever put a banshee in my closet, it was good fun this morning... I will not be in my room for the rest of the day, please make sure it is gone by the end of dinner. For those that placed the fireworks in the front hall... Marvelous fun, please, make sure the char marks are gone by the end of the day. And as for those that let the pixies out... I hope they fly up your nose as you're sleeping." He sat down, signifying the end of his speech. Promptly, food and drink appeared on the tables.
"Did Dobby do his part?" Ron whispered. Harry nodded, and took a sip of his pumpkin juice. All around them, children were eating and drinking and talking about the pranks to come. They speculated who had caused the pranks so far. They laughed, and yelled, and joked, not knowing what was to come.
It began on the far side, at the Slytherin table first, the groaning, the doubling over, the falling from their seats. It moved like a wave across the dining room, taking teachers, administrators and students in its wake. Kalli's eyes rolled back in her head and she screamed as the potion took affect. One by one, students doubled over, not a single student was left untouched.
And when it was all over, Gryffindors were Ravenclaws, Ravenclaws were Slytherins, Slytherins were Hufflepuffs, Hufflepuffs were Gryffindors, and everything in between. McGonagall became Hooch, Snape became Flitwick, Flitwick became Dumbledore, Dumbledore became Snape, Hooch became Pomfrey, Pomfrey became McGonagall. Chaos broke out as everyone realized what had happened.
Sun shone down on them as they sat out in the yard. Harry was facing his best friends, all of which were glaring at him, and none of which actually looked like his best friends. "I thought we had agreed to not to put the potion in our drinks!" Ron hissed through gritted teeth.
"It would have given us away if we hadn't changed. We were all drinking the pumpkin juice. Dumbledore would have known that it was us," Harry replied.
Kalli's ice blue eyes flared violently. "I just can't believe you turned me into this!" she growled, looking down the length of her body.
Hermione glared, "At least you got a cute Hufflepuff!" she erupted. She had ended up as a chubby Ravenclaw. Ron glanced around the group. Willow had become a short, mousy Slytherin, Harry had actually become Seamus Finnigan, and he, Ron Weasley, had become a tall, dashing Ravenclaw.
"You're a traitor, Harry," Ron said, a mock frown on his face. Harry's eyes snapped to his best friend, as he prepared to argue. But he saw the laughter in Ron's eyes, and grinned. "This is a great prank, Potter," Ron continued. "I just wish I didn't have to go through this gross transformation all over again."
Classes had been cancelled, due to the fact that the teachers couldn't figure out who they were teaching, first years, second year, Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs. None of it made any sense. McGonagall and Dumbledore (Hooch and Snape) sat in his office, trying to figure out how long it would take for the student body to return to their normal state when there was a timid knock on the door.
"Come in", McGonagall (Hooch) called. Seamus Finnegan strolled in. At least that's who he looked like. "Hello, er, son," McGonagall said, smiling.
"Professor," Seamus said, smiling back. "I just wanted you to know that the Polyjuice Potion will be wearing off in about half an hour... It's been my favorite prank so far. I hope you enjoyed it." Dumbledore (Snape) started laughing merrily.
"That was very brave of you son," He said calmly. "What makes you think I'll let you leave until the potion has worn off?"
Seamus smiled brightly, "What makes you think I'm even here, Professor?" he asked cheerfully. Without another word, the student vanished.
"Ah," Dumbledore smiled brighter, "A trail spell. That was brilliant."
"We're no closer to learning the identity of the student then we were this morning, Albus," McGonagall said, sighing.
"Yes, but we know when it's going to wear off. All we have to do is find Finnegan, within the next half hour."
Two hours had passed since the excruciating return to themselves, and Kalli, Willow and Hermione had excused themselves to go to the library. But they weren't heading to the library. They were standing in front of the large gargoyle, guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office.
"Café au Lait," Kalli whispered to the gargoyle. It sprang to life and jumped aside. Hermione was shaking as she stepped on the moving staircase. Kalli reached out and grasped her hand. "It's fine Hermione."
The knock rang out far louder then she planned, and all three girls jumped at the echo. "Come in," came the soft voice through the door. The moment they walked in, Kalli's heart began to hammer. She had never feared Dumbledore, but this was the worst kind of betrayal. "Miss Damia, Miss Granger, Miss Lupin, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
His half moon spectacles were down on the bridge of his nose, a parchment outstretched in front of him. He was wearing a dressing gown, and a night cap. Kalli almost giggled, but held it in. Hermione turned slightly, and found herself staring at Fawkes, the phoenix Harry had described in second year. Her breath caught and she rapidly whipped her head around.
"Professor," Kalli began, stepping forward. "We were wondering if you might like to join us for an April Fool's joke next year."
"A whole year to plan, Miss Damia? What do you have in mind?"
"Revenge," Willow stated simply.
Dumbledore turned his gaze to her. "Revenge on whom, might I ask?"
Hermione spoke up, "The one who use Polyjuice against us."
"So, Mr. Potter promised not to change you over, and then went back on his word?"
"How did you know, Professor?" Kalli asked, her eyes widening.
"Only Mr. Potter could have done a trail spell in the past few days. No one, except teachers and yourself, Miss Damia, know the password to get into my office. I wouldn't put this on you, of course, you're much more... What's the word, quiet about your pranks." A mischievous glint appeared in his twinkling blue eyes, "What do you have in mind?"
"Well, Willow said, leaning forward, "We have this idea..."
To Be Continued...