Hey guys and gals! Hope you're enjoying this fanfiction so far! Well, with all this creativeness going on, I figured that I shouldn't delay Chapter 4 too much longer and I really hope that you guys wouldn't mind reviewing after you read. I love hearing feedback from readers!


Chapter Four : What A Mess We've Made

A few days later, things were going a little better with Alyson and she seemed in a much better mood. Artemis, however, knew better. She knew that it was only a matter of time before Potter and Black started something again, especially after her and Black's conversation on the train. After the two made it back to their room in their break time between classes, Artemis looked over at her sister, who seemed to be a little distracted.

"Hey...Alyson. I've been thinking. It's been a while since we pranked Potter and his friends, hasn't it? Or even Snivellus?" Artemis suggested to her twin sister. "What do ya day? Why don't we do something to them and have a little fun like old times."

Alyson nodded as she thought. "You're right. I mean, it has been a while but they haven't exactly pranked us yet either, have they? Are you sure that we should strike first?" Alyson said, thinking about the possible repercussions if they struck too early.

Artemis grinned at her. "Of course! Do you want to wait until they get us first? We've got to strike now." She replied brightly. "Stop getting so worried. I've got the perfect idea, after all. Even Lily won't know what we're going to do!" Artemis told her, a mad glint getting in her eyes as it usually did when she came up with some brilliant prank.

Still not looking convinced, Alyson raised an eyebrow at Artemis's sudden enthusiasm. "Oh really? Please, Artemis, share this spectacular plan with me." She said, still uneasy about being the first to prank.

Artemis grinned, taking out her notebook and her bag where she kept her pranking supplies. "Well, as you know, the Marauders must have some kinds of secrets. Well, I was doing some research and I discovered this." She said, producing two vials of an unknown substance. "You see, we could easily make some big display but I just want to do something a little more substantial. As you know, everybody has secrets and I think that I really want to see them spill them all out and see how they like to be embarrassed. It's brilliant because no matter how many times we prank them, they never get embarrassed. Never!" She told her sister, feeling proud of herself.

Alyson looked at Artemis, now feeling very uncomfortable about this plan. "So...what? We put some of this truth serum over their morning drink and watch them tell half their life story? I dunno, I feel really uncomfortable about this, Artemis. I mean...everybody has secrets but even me and you understand that there are a lot of secrets that shouldn't be told." Alyson pointed out to her sister.

Artemis shook her head. "Aly, you're missing the whole point of this! This is our one shot to get back at James and Sirius for all the shit they've put us through over the past few years. All the tears they've caused! We wouldn't prank Peter cause, well, it's just not worth it. And of course I wouldn't do it to Remus. He's like our friend. And this isn't just any truth serum. This is Veritaserum. They have to tell the truth no matter what we ask!" She said brightly and smiled. "Don't you understand? We'd finally have some kind of...some kind of revenge."

Alyson looked warily at the substance in the vials. "Well, you are right. Fine, we'll do it. But...let's do it in the evening. I'd rather not hear them blurt out their deepest, darkest secrets in Potions class. It'd be better not to make Slughorn's class more awkward than it usually is." Alyson said, finally agreeing for them to go through with the prank.

Artemis rolled her eyes. "The only reason the class is awkward is because you're in the Slug Club and he dotes on you and Lily half the time." Artemis said with a sense of almost repulsion but also with a twinge of jealousy. She then grinned. "Oh, I can't wait to make Potter and Black tell the truth and blurt out their secrets! This will be such fun!" Artemis said before smiling at Alyson. "I'll have it ready for dinner this evening. They'll be so mad!" She said before leaving to go prepare this master prank.

Alyson sat on her bed and sighed softly. Her classes were done for the rest of the evening but all she could think about was if this plan would go badly. Even she understood the dangers of this truth-telling serum and she didn't know what secrets the boys even had. All Alyson knew was that after this prank, she'd be afraid of the retaliation. Little did she know that just on the other side of Gryffindor tower...


Sirius was grinning ear to ear. "James! I've got it! I know what we can do to those Barrister sisters. You're gonna love this!" He said brightly as he had two vials that contained a clear looking liquid. "Over the summer, I talked Remus into making this potion that Slughorn taught us last year, that Veritaserum potion that makes someone tell the truth no matter what." Sirius told James brightly. "We can get them good this time because they can't resist telling the truth.

James grinned as he saw the potion. "Moony, this stuff looks perfect. Are you sure that it works?" He asked his friend, not wanting to use something that was ineffective.

Remus nodded. "Of course it worked. I used it on some muggle kid back home. He told me all of his darkest secrets and there were some things that I never needed to know about that kid..." He said, shuddering a little. "But like I was telling Sirius, I don't feel comfortable using it on the twins. I mean, sure, it'll be good for a laugh, but after using it on that muggle kid, there's just some things about some people that are better kept as a secret." Remus told James pointedly. "I mean, you guys know my secret and if that ever got out I wouldn't know what to do. Thanks to Sirius, Snape already knows and it's only thanks to Dumbledore that no one else has found out. Some people have darker secrets than you'd think." Remus added.

Sirius looked at Remus. "Yeah, but still. What's better than embarrassing a couple Barristers? It won't hurt them and I doubt they have any 'deep, dark secrets'." Sirius said, blowing off Remus' warning. "I mean, what's the worst that they can say? That they're a lesbian or something?" Sirius pointed out.

"All I'm saying, Padfoot, is that some people's secrets are better left that way. It won't be my fault if you learn something that you'd rather not know." Remus explained to Sirius. "I just don't want to be too much more a part of this than I already have."

James listed to Sirius and Remus' back and forth discussion before sighing and looking at his two best friends. "Look, mates, you've both got good points. I see where you're both coming from." He said honestly. "Padfoot, I can tell that you're for this and that's good that you want to prank. Moony, I see where you're coming from as well on this." James said before looking at Peter. "Wormtail, do you have anything to add?" He questioned, noticing that Peter had kept out of the discussion thus far.

Peter looked at the three of them before his eyes met James's. "You know, Prongs, I really think that Padfoot is right. I mean, this is a really good opportunity and if we don't take advantage of it, we're going to be at the butt end of a prank soon, I'm sure." Peter said, siding with Sirius for once because even Peter didn't like to be on the end of the Barrister's pranks.

Sirius grinned at Peter. "That's the spirit, Wormtail!" He said brightly, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

James looked at his three friends and nodded. "Sorry, Moony but even Wormtail's got a point. If we sit around and wait too long, they'll get us before we have a chance to act." He said to Remus before looking at Sirius. "So, you want to go set this up for tonight? I want to do it sooner rather than later." He said, not feeling comfortable with waiting too long.

Sirius nodded. "Sure. I'll go put it in their drinks for dinner. After that, we'll just get them to come up to the Room of Requirements and we'll make them spill their innermost secrets." He said brightly, before looking at Remus. "Which we'll need you to do the last bit, Moony, because they surely won't do anything if we ask." He told him.

Remus nodded. "Alright, that I can do. I'll just meet you guys up there after dinner with the girls." He told him and then sighed. "I just really don't agree with this one, guys."

James shrugged. "We don't always agree with pranks but sometimes, it just has to work." He said before checking his watch. "Padfoot, you best get going or it'll be too late."

"Right." Sirius said before hurrying out to go down to the kitchens. Somehow, he and Artemis never managed to cross paths...


Towards the end of dinner, James, Sirius, and Peter all left a little early to get ready in the Room of Requirements. James and Sirius felt a bit strange but they just attributed it to probably eating something that wasn't agreeing with them much. When dinner ended, Remus approached the Barristers.

"Hey Alyson, Artemis. You guys have a minute? I wanted to show you this cool room I found earlier." Remus told them, hoping that Sirius was right when he said that they'd follow him.

Alyson and Artemis exchanged glances before Alyson nodded and smiled. "Sure, we'd love to come with you and see this room." She told Remus brightly as the pair got up to follow him up the stairs.

Remus lead them up the stairs towards the Room of Requirements, which just had to be on the 7th floor. As they approached the room, he walked past it 3 times and a door appeared. Alyson and Artemis were in awe as he lead them into the room. Neither of them had ever found the room and they were stunned that a room like this existed. Inside, the room looked like the commons room except the furniture was most exquisite and there were no staircases for the dormitories.

"Welcome to the Room of Requirements." Remus told them as he closed the door behind them. Alyson and Artemis were in such awe that they sat down on one of the couches.

"It's so...so fancy and proper." Artemis said, before shifting a little uncomfortably. "I almost don't feel comfortable here..." She stated before looking at Alyson.

Alyson scrunched her nose as she understood what Artemis meant. "Artemis, you may be right. I feel very uncomfortable here..." She said but as she went to stand up, the other three marauders came from the shadows.

James walked to the forefront. "Oh, I'm sorry. We tried to make it as cozy as possible." He said, taking a seat on the couch across from them. "But really, you should make yourself comfortable. You'll be here for a bit anyways since the doors are sealed until we decide to let you go." He told the pair before getting a small smile. "So, relax...stay a while."

Alyson looked at Artemis before sitting back down and looking at him. "Fine, we're here. I can't imagine why you would want us here because I'm sure you could be making trouble elsewhere." Alyson said simply.

Sirius grinned. "Well, we could. But, you see...we've been planning a prank all summer so you're just going to sit back because last time I checked, you don't exactly have a way out." He told Alyson, sitting beside James.

Artemis glared. "Oh yeah? Well, I'm sure that for ever room with four walls, there's a way out somehow." She growled at Sirius, not glad about being tricked. "Besides, if you were pranking us, it should have happened by now."

James smiled at Artemis frustration. "Oh, but it already has. Getting you in here was almost like a step one. Funny how the tables turn. So, what's your full name anyways?" James asked, deciding to start from the top.

"Artemis Diana Barrister." Artemis blurted out before covering her mouth and looking at Alyson who shared the same look of sheer horror. If they'd used Veritaserum on each other, this night was probably going to get rather ugly quite fast.

Sirius laughed with his bark-like laugh. "See? That wasn't so hard." He said before looking at Alyson. "My, you two look absolutely frightened. Let's keep this going. You have an animagus, don't you? What is it?" Sirius asked her, enjoying this a lot.

Alyson tried to choke down the words but they came out like a fountain. "Yes, I've got a auburn colored Phoenix animagus." She sputtered out. Alyson then thought a moment before deciding to try to catch them at their own game. "Do you have one? What is it?" Alyson responded, hoping to trip them up.

"A black dog." Sirius spat out unwillingly. He then looked at James, knowing that they were now evenly matched. Apparently, they weren't just the pransters. They were the prankees.

Artemis got a slightly victorious smile as she realized that theirs worked too. "Potter, what's your animagus?"

"A stag." James responded quickly. Then, he realized that this could get bad and he hoped that it didn't. "What's yours? You have one, don't you?"

"It's a crimson colored phoenix." Artemis responded, not liking how the tables had turned. Plus, she knew now that the questions were only going to get more brutal from here.

"Look, obviously, we're all four now in a bind. Let's just back out of this peacefully and forget it ever happened." Alyson suggested, now getting more afraid that their secret would get out. "We don't need to do this."

Sirius grinned. He was the Marauder known for taking some jokes too far. "Oh really? I think that we do." He stated, looking at James. "Besides, we're barely getting started. James, would you like the next one?" He asked his friend.

"Sure." James said before looking at Alyson. "So, since you seem the most nervous, I bet you have some deep, dark secrets." He began before grinning. "What's one of your secrets?" James asked.

Alyson's eyes grew wide as she tried to choke the words down. Deep, dark secrets? Sure, she had plenty. None she wanted to reveal to Potter but she knew that one would come out eventually. So, she picked what seemed like the safest one. "I'm a virgin and I've never been kissed, okay?" Alyson said, almost instantly feeling a little strange. It didn't feel good getting that on the table.

Sirius looked wide-eyed. "Never been kissed? Merlin's baggy drawers! You're getting ready to graduate Hogwarts and you've never been kissed? That's...that's just wrong. That's like being a virgin at age 30!" Sirius stated before looking at Artemis. "What about you?" He asked her, hoping the same wasn't true.

Artemis tried to resist answering, even tried to bite her lips down to keep from talking. However, even the best resistance techniques don't always work. "No. I'm not a virgin and I've been kissed before, thank you very much." She said, spitting the truth out like it was poison. She didn't like talking about that incident.

James looked at Sirius. "Well, now that you know these ladies personal lives, I was hoping to get something at least useful out of them..." He said, looking at Sirius a bit annoyed that they were wasting such valuable question time for such unimportant inquiry.

Alyson looked at James. "What about you? I bet you have some dark secret too! What's your secret?" She asked him, trying to buy them more time.

James looked at Alyson as he tried to hold the words in, which obviously wasn't working for anyone. "My family is so rich that I'll never have to work a day in my life." He told Alyson, opting for the safest secret.

Artemis grinned at Sirius before deciding on her question. "What's your secret, Sirius?" She asked him.

Sirius looked a little nervous as he answered. "I've kissed almost every girl in this school except you two and Lily." He revealed and smiled when Artemis looked confused. "What? You thought I had a really bad secret, didn't you? Well, I don't. I would've told you that anyways. Plus, I'm not a virgin and it doesn't bother me." Sirius revealed to Artemis who looked a little bothered. "Who ruffled your feathers and made you hate not being a virgin? Is it that bad?" He asked, not paying attention to how uncomfortable Artemis had gotten.

Artemis glared daggers at Sirius. "A guy that decided that taking advantage of me after I turned 16 was a great way to make our relationship better." She practically hissed. Artemis would never forget that summer because she thought she cared for that guy though he was probably going to be a summer romance...only after that night did she realize that she never wanted to be with another guy for a long time. "And yes, it was that bad. I nearly killed myself. Thanks for asking." Artemis said, looking down at her shoes, feeling worse than she had for a long time.

Remus stepped forward and looked at James and Sirius. "I think this has gone on quite long enough." He said, trying to be a voice of reason. "Let's end this now while nobody is ahead." Remus said.

James looked between Sirius and Remus and nodded. "Moony's right. We're done here. I think we've overstepped enough lines." He told Sirius.

"But James! We haven't even learned anything good!" Sirius protested. He then saw the bothered look on his friends' faces and nodded. "Oh, alright." He said as he watched the girls leave.

Remus sighed as Artemis and Alyson left. "I have a feeling that this prank war is over. What a mess we've made out of this..." He told James and Sirius. "Let's not do this again, okay? I think that you guys have really messed up this time."

Sirius nodded in agreement and James sighed. Sirius looked at James. "Why are you so upset? It's not like they asked you anything too embarrassing." He stated to his friend.

James sighed again. "Because, Padfoot, I have Quidditch practice tomorrow and they're the beaters on the team." James reminded him. "I seriously doubt that they're going to be in a fantastic mood tomorrow. Maybe we should have thought this out better..." James reflected.

Remus looked at James. "You think?" He asked.

James looked at Remus before replying, "Yes, Moony, I do believe so."