Today I'm not myself
And you, you're someone else
And all these rules don't fit
And all that starts can quit
What a peculiar state we're in
One Republic
"Pay attention," Sirius told Marlene, showing the girl some dark grey spheres that seemed to have a sort of gas swirling inside them, much like the look of a crystal ball. "These are our new prototype. They explode on impact so you have to throw them and once they smash into a wall or anything solid, they will create ten times as much smoke as a regular dung bomb." Marlene nodded, signaling that she understood. "Now, what we have to do is throw the smoke spheres and everything will become dark so Remus and Dory will have time to do part two of the master plan and make everyone's luggage open and everyone's belongings mix together. Then it'll be James and my turn to do the final part and you and Dorcas will have to remain near the door and use the spell I taught you to clear the smoke. When you start seeing each other through the smoke you let the rest clear by itself and you run. You'll find us four compartments after that door. Are you ready?"
"Yes," Marlene said smiling broadly. She was more excited then she thought she would be. They quickly entered the compartment and ducked behind some seats and luckily no one saw them. This was the part that Sirius' had been worried about, seeing as they couldn't have used the invisibility cloak with the girls because a marauder never reveals all his secrets.
"Be ready to cover your ears. They could make quite a loud noise," Sirius warned her.
"Have you never tried them before?" Marlene asked, starting to worry.
"Nope," the boy answered grinning. "Go!" he told Marlene and they both threw the spheres into the opposite wall. The devices immediately exploded with a really loud noise, as Sirius had predicted. The room was full of thick dark smoke in a matter of seconds.
"I'm going to help James with part two," Sirius whispered out of nowhere. Marlene couldn't see anything around her but she heard his voice clearly and knew he was really close to her. "Remus will get Dory here from the other side of the compartment. Once she's near you start clearing up the smoke. Then run. I'll see you in a bit," he said and left.
On the other side of the compartment, Dorcas was running blindly after Remus who had a pair of see-in-the-dark goggles, and was charming suitcases left and right. After the third time she tripped over a piece of clothing that had fallen from the luggage on the floor, Remus caught her hand in his and guided her towards Marlene's hiding spot.
"Doe, Mar, it's your turn," Remus said as he let go of Dorcas hand and left the girls to do their part of the prank. The two girls took out their wands and did the spell that the Marauders had taught them. As soon as the smoke started to clear so did the screams. Dorcas saw Marlene next to her and the girls jumped from their cover and ran towards the door. Before they left however, they saw the confused looks of all the first years, all the pieces of clothes scattered around the compartment and the open suitcases, and 'A warm welcome to Hogwarts from the Marauders' written in big red letters on one window. Dorcas and Marlene ran towards the compartment where the boys were waiting for them.
"The look on their faces was precious! Precious!" Dorcas told Marlene as they both entered the compartment, doubled over with laughter.
"Imagine how much time it's going to take them to get all their belongings together in their suitcases again," Marlene said between gasps of laughter.
Sirius, Remus and James gave them amused looks and motioned for them to turn around. Behind them was professor McGonagall. The girls had now sheepish smiles that matched the boys'.
"Oh, hello, professor," Marlene said as McGonagall raised her eyebrows. Clearly, Professor McGonagall catching them so soon wasn't part of the plan.
"Miss Meadows, Miss McKinnon, I'm quite surprised to see you here. Nevertheless, you'll be joining these young men in detention tomorrow," she told them and turned around on her heels and left. How she had managed to hear about the prank so soon, was beyond the teenagers.
"Good to see you too, Minnie," Sirius yelled after the professor. "It's good to be back," he sighed.
"So, James, you've got patrolling duties with Lilykins," Sirius teased his friend, once they were all embarked on the Thestral carriages. Lily and Remus went to help Hagrid and the first years with the boats, so the only ones left in the carriage were Sirius, James, Dorcas and Marlene.
"Yep," James said grinning from ear to ear.
"Just as a tip, I can show you all the broom closets located in Hogwarts. The ones on the 3rd floor are the most spacious though," Sirius said wiggling his eyebrows at James which made him laugh.
"Sirius, ew, no one needs to know that you've tried all the broom closets in Hogwarts or your opinion on them," Marlene said wrinkling her nose.
"Oh, shut it, McKinnon. I know you've had your fair share of broom closets too," Sirius retorted barking a laugh which made Marlene start laughing too.
"Anyway, did you notice that she called you James not Potter today," Dorcas asked James.
"No," James said with a serious look plastered on his face.
'Didn't you now?" asked Marlene suspiciously.
"Of course I bloody noticed," James shouted grinning like a madman. "How could I not notice?"
"Now, Prongs, there's no need to behave like a fourteen year old girl. What's next, telling us you felt butterflies in your stomach," Sirius mocked his mate which made everyone in the carriage laugh apart from James who pouted.
"Joy killer," he muttered at Sirius which only made the boy laugh more.
"How can you eat so much? It's like your stomach is a bottomless pit! I don't understand where all that food goes," Marlene marveled at Sirius, who just finished eating the mound of food that had been piled on his plate.
"Believe me, everything that goes in, comes out too," James said which made all the girls grimace.
"There goes my appetite," Dorcas muttered, pushing her unfinished pudding away.
Everyone got up from the table and left the Great Hall, headed for the Gryffindor Tower.
"James, Remus and I have to go with the first years and show them the way. See you in a bit," Lily announced and she left with the two boys, leaving Sirius, Dorcas and Marlene to head to their common room alone.
"Okay," Sirius said rubbing his hands together and grinning. "How long do you think it'll last?" he asked Marlene and Dorcas.
"How long will what last?" asked Dorcas, confused.
"Lily pretending she doesn't fancy James. I'll say they'll be together by Thanksgiving," he said smugly.
"Thanksgiving?! That's so close!" Marlene exclaimed. "No, I don't think Lily will cave in that easily but I'll give them until New Year's."
"I don't know," said Dorcas as they entered the Gryffindor common room. "They are not screaming at each other anymore, yes, but I think it'll take much longer until Lily sees James as boyfriend material. I think it won't happen until we graduate," she said and both Sirius and Marlene shook their heads.
"Lily Evans and James Potter?" a 6th year Gryffindor boy asked, joining in the conversation. "Now that they're head boy and girl they'll be spending loads of time together. I'll give them maximum five months till they get together." Everyone in the common room had listened and they were all chatting now.
"James and Lily? I thought they were already secretly dating," one blond 5th year said.
"James Potter? Is he the Gryffindor Quidditch captain? Such a shame if he gets together with whats-her-name, he's such a hottie. I was hoping I'd have a chance with him," another girl sighed.
"For Merlin's sake, Lina, if you didn't have your head up in the clouds for these whole 4 years you've been at Hogwarts you would have known that no one has a chance with James Potter besides from Lily Evans. The bloke's head over heels in love with her!"
"Get together?" another girl squeaked. "No way, Lily hates James. She is mature and that's why she is nice to him now but hell will freeze over before they get together." Everyone was now debating when or whether Lily and James were going to be a couple.
"Does anyone want to place some bets?" Sirius asked smirking as Marlene shot him an incredulous look. "What?" he asked. "This is easy money, trust me. You'll see!"
"…and we'll finish with patrolling near the Ravenclaw tower. I think we've covered everything and we're still fairly close to our own dormitories," James said writing the patrolling route down in a notebook.
Lily nodded absentmindedly not thinking about patrolling duties at all. She turned her head slightly and looked at James through her lashes. A dark lock of his black hair fell on his forehead in his eyes and he impatiently pushed it back. His brows were furrowed in concentration as his eyes scanned the page he was scribbling on. She could get what the other girls saw in him, he was quite a handsome boy she just didn't pay attention to that before. And he seemed to have matured; he seemed like a decent guy.
"Do you think we should switch Ravenclaw and Slytherin perfects for patrolling?" he asked and finally raised his eyes from the notebook. "Why are you staring at me? Have I still got red paint on my face from the train prank?" he asked alarmed. "I asked Sirius and he told me I was ok," he muttered scrubbing angrily at his cheek.
"No, no, stop, you're rubbing your skin raw. There's nothing on your cheek," she quickly assured him smiling to herself.
"Then why were you staring at me?" he asked again confusion flickering in his eyes.
"I… wasn't," Lily said quickly and then looked away, blushing. Really smooth Lily, really smooth. Why are you blushing now? Or more importantly why were you staring at him in the first place? What are you doing Lily?...
AN: Hey everyone! Merry Christmas!
I have the next chapter already written so let me know if you like the story and want me to continue it.
Thank you,
Bianca xx :)