The rest of the summer holidays passed in a blur amidst prank wars, backyard Quidditch matches, and Alyssa's first real birthday party at the Potter household. Alyssa's parents had contacted her just to mention that they had officially disowned her. The news was well received and celebrated by the trio.
And very soon Alyssa found herself wishing that the holidays were a tad bit longer much to her own surprise. Nevertheless on September 11, they dumped their belongings and packed inside the Potter's Ford Mustang as they drove off to King's Cross.
Platform 9¾ was as usual crowded. Remus was the first one they met. He was filled in about the vacation by an over enthusiastic Alyssa. Soon they had met the Prewetts, Marlene and Lily (who was being pestered for a date by James) and after some final goodbyes they entered an empty compartment. Alyssa took a seat by the windows and leaned back. Beside her were Sirius, Fabian, and Marlene cosied up with Gideon. On the opposite seat sat James, an irked Peter, Lily and finally a very sleepy Remus. Lily was cowering low trying to hide from James's constant bantering.
"Prongs mate please", Peter requested and James finally closed his mouth, frowning. Lily mouthed a thank you to Peter.
Suddenly Remus jerked up looking at his watch and yelled, "Oi Lily! Get up! Prefect duties."
Lily smacked her head and dragged Remus out of the door.
'You know there aren't actually any Prefect duties", Alyssa mentioned slyly to James.
"What do you mean?" he asked. "Oh no, Remus wouldn't betray me?" he said as realization dawned on him.
"Well as far as I know, it could be a code." Alyssa replied. Seeing James' troubled expression they burst into fits of laughter. James pouted and mouthed 'Not funny'.
Soon they delved into a conversation about Quidditch except Marlene and Gideon who were too busy kissing.
The food trolley passed moments after Remus and Lily returned. The seats were covered with gobstoppers, licorice wands, chocolate frogs, pumpkin pasties, and Bertie Bott's every flavor beans etc.
Abruptly the door opened and a blonde 6th year peeked in. "There you are", she chirped finding Sirius, "What are you doing here, come on!"
Alyssa looked up at her and said, "Oh sorry Blaire. But you 'opened' the door it 'closes' the other way."
"I know what I'm doing", Blaire said snootily.
Alyssa rolled her eyes, "Let me dumb this for you. Please Leave."
"Oh and why should I listen to you? And exactly why are you sitting with my boyfriend? Come on Siri."
"I'm sorry I don't speak bitch."
"Shove your ugly face somewhere else Alyssa."
"I can do something for my ugliness Blaire. You on the other hand will remain stupid for eternity." The boys chuckled as Marlene let out a soft giggle.
"What's so funny? Oh yeah THAT level of ugliness cannot be fixed." Blaire said.
"I am not wasting my energy." Alyssa replied.
"Sirius, come on! We'll find an empty compartment", she added with a wink.
This time Sirius spoke, "She said it. I can't."
Blaire huffed and slamming the door shut, left sashaying.
"You sure are something", Peter said. Alyssa pulled her invisible collars up and bowed to an imaginary audience. Fabian wolf whistled laughing.
"I don't think Black is too pleased." Lily remarked.
"What are you kidding me? That girl's killing me. She's so full of herself." He retorted.
"Much like James" Marlene whispered.
"I heard that", James yelled. Through their familiar chatter and roars of laughter, the Hogwarts Express moved along and finally stopped at the castle grounds.
"Dumbledore's aging", Gideon remarked after they had all settled back from the feast in the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Well he can't be young forever", Alyssa replied, sinking into her favorite fluffy couch.
"I was hoping Slughorn would resign. But the guy is still stuck" James said popping an Every Flavor Bean, "Yuck."
"What flavor?" Mooney asked his eyes still stuck in the pages of his book.
"Shoe.'
Everybody groaned in sympathy.
"Well Slughorn won't leave anytime soon. He loves bossing around the slimy Slyths." Padfoot said. Lily looked up from the Daily Prophet and flicked him.
"Hey you can't just do that" he said flicking back.
"Why did you flick her?" Prongs asked angrily and flicked him. Padfoot flicked back and flicking war ensued. Finally Alyssa banged their heads and triumphantly said, "There! Problem solved."
James rubbed his forehead and whimpered, "That was uncalled for."
Alyssa snorted,"Be a man, Prongs."
"I am." He retorted. Alyssa rolled her eyes in disapproval.
"Fine I don't care", James said, high on drama," nobody loves me. Adieu!" and left for the boy's dorm.
"I tell you, the guy's crazy", Marlene remarked.
"No he's not." Lily said, and immediately realizing that she had defended him blushed crimson.
Gideon pointed at her and said, "You owe me ten, Fab." Fabian groaned in annoyance.
"Did you guys bet on me?" Lily asked angrily. The twins smiled innocently.
The common room door flew open and James peeked in, "Did you just defend me Lily-Pad?"
Lily groaned and they all burst out laughing. "Does it mean you'll date me?" he asked hopefully.
Alyssa picked up a crumpled parchment and threw it at James who unnecessarily tackled her into a tight embrace.
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"Alyssa Brie Jefferson, get your lazy bum out of that bed right NOW!" Lily's voice blared in the girls' dorm. Alyssa who was deep in sleep woke up, startled and seeing her groaned and lied down again, "Leave me alone."
"Don't be so difficult!" Lily said. Tugging at the end of her blanket she finally managed to get her to sit up. "You can't be late for the first day of school."
"Point noted but not cared about." Alyssa muttered, but finally stood up and went to shower. Lily was already dressed up for the day on a bottle-green skirt, floral shirt and the school robes over it. Alyssa bathed quickly and got into a pair of denims and a yellow t-shirt (that said 'Don't like me? Cool I don't wake up everyday to impress you') and a converse. Tying her dark brown hair in a knot she put on her school robes and walked to the Great Hall grumpily with an enthusiastic Lily by her side.
Alyssa could feel several yes glued to her – the perks of being popular – and it became clearer when lots of their owners asked her to seat with them. She did what she always did. She politely declined them all and searched for the Marauders in the Gryffindor table.
The boys were already seated for breakfast. There was space for two between Sirius and Fabian. Alyssa and Lily squeezed in.
"Did you see Judith Campbell in that grandma thing? She looks ridiculous"Alyssa remarked.
"Don't know who she's kidding!" Marlene said, pouring cold milk in her cereal. Lily giggled slightly.
"What?" Alyssa asked looking up. James was throwing flying kisses and making heart signs.
"Somebody's in l-o-v-e" Mooney said in a sing-song voice. Lily rolled her eyes.
"Speaking of which, did you see Alice and Frank?" Sirius asked.
"No why?" Gideon asked.
"Well those two are finally together." He replied.
"What no way!" Alyssa exclaimed, amazed. She was surprised as to which of the two shy ones had taken the initiative. Alyssa finished her food and went to the end of the Gryffindor table where the love-birds were seated. "I hear congratulations are in order", she exclaimed. The two blushed crazily. She got into a random conversation with them while the rest finished breakfast. They all had Herbology first thing that day and Aly didn't want to be early for class.
Herbology was absolutely fun with James, Sirius, Alyssa and the Prewett twins aggravating the plants they were studying which spurted pus around the class and screamed in a high-pitched sound. Luckily Professor Sprout never realized who had caused the mayhem and they escaped detention.
"Hey Alyssa!" a girl called out as they were walking to the dungeons for Potions, and came up to her. She was a sixth year girl Alyssa could swear she had never seen before.
"Love those shoes!" she remarked.
"Gee thanks!" Alyssa replied," Urm, your name?"
"Emma Roberts, we met at the Halloween feast last year remember?" she said. Alyssa pretended to recollect and replied "Yeah of course! How stupid of me! Thanks Emma, l-o-v-e that skirt."
Emma laughed like a kid whose dream just came true and replied, "Thanks! It's 'vintage'".
Alyssa smiled in response and as soon as Emma was out of earshot, said, "How can she wear something THAT hideous. A trashcan won't have it."
Mooney looked at her surprised and said, "You just praised her, Aly!"
"Being polite", she replied, "Vintage my ass." Lily chuckled and they walked to the dungeons where Potions classes were held by Horace Slughorn.
"Late again are we Mr. Black?" the Potions Professor asked, in a condescending tone as they entered the dungeons.
"Why don't you answer that for yourself, Horace?" Sirius replied jovially, settling down in the last bench in the room.
"This is the last time I am warning you. You shall address as Professor or Sir, Black." Slughorn said controlling his temper.
"Well", Alyssa shot back, "you can call him just Black. He doesn't mind." Slughorn glared at her as the classroom stifled a laugh
"I will not tolerate this in my class", the teacher bellowed.
"Oh none of US want to tolerate YOU either", James joined. The other sixth-years snorted in approval.
"Out, now! All three of you! You will do detention for this." Slughorn yelled.
Sirius stood up and pulling up his robes said, "Cheers mate! Now you're talking sense", and walked out arrogantly. James and Aly followed suit.
Just as she was about to shut the door, Alyssa peeked in and said, "Besides, the class is of a low standard for geniuses like us." Slughorn muttered something angrily which sounded like 'uncouth', 'barbaric'.
Outside the trio erupted in laughter. "I frankly don't know how Mooney can be such a hypocrite!" Aly exclaimed.
"Or Wormtail for that matter", Sirius said, "they are always cussing him outside."
"Hey let's do something worthwhile." James said as they entered the Common Room through the portrait hole.
"Like what?" Alyssa asked, re-tying her braid.
"Prank the Slyths?" asked Sirius.
"Impressive", Alyssa mused, "someone's catching up."
"Well I was always grool." Sirius replied. Alyssa rolled her eyes in disapproval.
Sirius said," You don't believe me? James, babe, tell Aly what a smolderingly awesome prankster I am."
James snorted and then wrapping his arm around Sirius's waist said," Aly, never make this mistake. Siri babe is the awesome-est man alive and certainly the sexiest. Have you seen his rippling abs and sensuous hair? He is a b – ".
Alyssa laughed and remarked, "Oh shut up you two, you are weirding me out." The boys chuckled in response but continued the bromance.
By the time they had left for the next class they had managed to turn the Slytherin common room upside down, so that when the students walked in they would be standing on the ceiling instead of the floor.
Lily was particularly annoyed with the Slughorn episode but Alyssa had managed to coax her. The beginning of the school year hadn't been too bad in Marauder terms, but there was certainly more pranks to do, more detentions to undergo and quite some more people to infuriate.