Prompt: The Marauders and Fairy Lights
Find me those boys!"
When that phrase comes from Minerva McGonagall, the entire school- from First years to house elves- knows that the four marauders will be diving into hiding for quite a while. The morning begins as it always does for Minerva. Cup of tea. Biscuit to settle the stomach. Quick change of clothes and then off to breakfast in the Great Hall. But, this morning, the morning before the train is set to ship off her pupils to their homes for Christmas Holiday, the professor shuts the heaven oaken door to her room to find her classroom decked in fairy lights. And no ordinary fairy lights, either. Enchanted Fairy lights. The moment she even inches to raise her wand to remove the offending frivolity, the strand in question moves away, swinging to lay itself gracefully in another equally lovely place on the wall. The lights twinkle and sparkle, flashing white one moment, then red, and finally green. They spell cheery sentiments, like "Happy Christmas" and "Flitwick the Red-Nosed Professor." The lights are inescapable. They are everywhere in her classroom. Then, she realizes something with a sinking suspicion. Hers surely cannot be the only room like this.
She rushes to her classroom wall, the lights pushing away from her like a curtain, and throws open the window with a flourish, her chest rising and falling anxiously. When she opens her eyes to the outside world, her worst hopes are realized in the dim morning light. The entire castle is covered in the obnoxious lighting, sending dancing light across the thick blanketing of snow across the terrain. Her shrill voice, still warm from her morning tea, breaks across the still morning. There can be only four people responsible for something like this.
"Potter! Lupin! Pettigrew! Black!"
Of course, it is not until a moment later, when she materializes in their dark dorm room, that she finally gets the offending party within her grasp. Here, there are no Christmas decorations except for the walled poster of the Naughty Witch of the Month who suggestively dons a Santa Hat. This is the only room that she has found devoid of the glittering fairy lights.
"Up, boys," the woman snaps, flicking her wand and dispelling the darkness.
Groans ring out across the walls, striking the room and breaking the peaceful quiet. Bed curtains are thrown open, shouts of indignation and shock are called out, and Remus commands that Sirius put a shirt on, at least. The boy in question leans back on his pillow and places his hands behind his head calmly.
"Oh, Minnie. You just couldn't get enough of me before Christmas. Do tell me you brought mistletoe."
With one glance at the professor, Frank Longbottom turns over in his bed, covering his head with a thick feather pillow. He knows almost instinctively that Minerva's visit has nothing to do with him.
"Boys, out of bed this instant. You will clean the mess you made, glad that I don't detain you for the Holiday and thankful that your months of detention will be saved for the new year."
Minerva makes that statement knowing full well that she could never keep them over the break as punishment. She turns to leave the room, satisfied that justice has been doled. Her words are crisp and defined, making no room for misinterpretation. But, all the same, a voice raises out to question her. Just as she should have expected.
"For what?" Remus asks, raising his voice and leaping from his bed, eyebrows fully furrowed and shoulders set.
On top of his monthly problem steadily approaching, Remus will not be dragged down on a prank he cannot take any credit for. She slowly raises one eyebrow and waits for one of them to take credit for it. When no one does, she points toward a curtain between Peter and Remus' beds.
"A look out of the window should give you your answer, Mister Lupin."
All four boys rush to the window, pushing aside the curtains. Professor McGonagall averts her eyes as Mr. Black has not thought to put on a shirt.
"Wicked," the four breathe in near unison.
The Professor has had more than enough. Rounding off her shoulders, she strides across the stones and latches two boys in each hand. Ushering them to the door and down the stair, she ignores the protestations of each boy. They adore avoiding consequences, but Minerva will have none of that. Not after they ruin her chances of a peaceful end of term transition.
"Minnie, this doesn't have our signature at all-"
"I appreciate their efforts to copy our style-"
"You can't just lump me in with them, Professor-"
"I didn't do it, Professor! I swear it-"
When they hit the common room, where a wide fort has been made of the Christmas colored fairy lights, the boys look around in wonder, momentarily ceasing their arguments. A few students look up from their chess game in the center of the common room, giving the boys and professor their momentary attention.
"Memories refreshed yet?" The professor asks, pushing them toward the portrait.
When the four of them are pushed from the common room and the portrait hole is closed, the three girls around the chess board spring to their feet.
"Shall we admire our handiwork, ladies?" Marlene says, offering her arms to her compatriots.
With giggles and nods of accession, the three girls wander out of the common room to watch the victims of their prank endure the rest of McGonagall's wrath.
Oh, it would be a happy Christmas indeed.