Remus

»I really don't have a good feeling about this. «, Remus said, as he and Sirius crouched down in a very small broom cupboard in the Entrance Hall, waiting.

»Your feeling will be right if you don't shut up now. «, Sirius hissed.

It had been James idea, or actually it had been Peter that had given James the idea in the first place. That little 'accident' with the water had reminded James that it would be totally funny to set up little dye – canons all over the Great Hall, they had hexed them so they would start firing at a time when most students would be at breakfast. That itself had been easy, attaching the canons in the Great Hall proved to be more difficult. James had chosen Sirius and Remus to do the job, while he would take care of the necessary distraction somewhere far off from the Great Hall. And they waited. It must have been a few minutes after midnight when they heard dulled noise.

»That's it. Let's go. «

They rushed into the Great Hall and started working. The plan was, to attach the canons at the walls so everyone would have a chance to be covered in Dale Dicksons' Deep Dye which lasted 24 hours, could not be washed off.

»Done. «, Sirius said in a victorious voice, and they hasted out of the Great Hall. The whole castle was silent and Remus began to wonder what had happened to James. They used several hidden passages as they made their way back to the common room. They were just somewhere on fifth – floor when they heard steps. Remus shot Sirius an alarming look and they hurried down the corridor, looking for a place to hide. They found an open door and quickly got in the room, listening to the steps getting more and more quite until they faded away eventually. Sirius and Remus turned around to lean against the door in relieve when they nearly started screaming.

»Well, well, well. « Mrs. McGonagall stood in the middle of the room, looking at them very disapproving. »I assume that it was you that let the water pipes explode? «.

They didn't answer.

»Let's see. That is fifty pints from Gryffindor each and tomorrow you will clean up the mess you have caused. And I must say I'm surprised. Mr. Black I'm quite used to you causing trouble but you Mr. Lupin, I thought you were more reasonable than that; but now, back to bed! «

They didn't argue, for they would have got detention anyway for being out of bed in the middle of the night, so they might as well take the blame for James' distraction and they couldn't be blamed for the dye – canons.

»Well, that wasn't too bad, was it? «, Sirius said cheerfully as they got back to the common room. Remus gave him an angry look. »Well, maybe it was, but still you don't have to be angry with me, this was not my fault for a change. «

»I know and I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with myself for agreeing to it in the first place. «

They entered their dormitory and found James and Peter wide awake in their beds.

»And? «, Peter asked excited. »How did it go? «

»Quite good until the point at which McGonagall caught us on our way back. I mean, really James? Exploding water pipes? «

James gave them an excusing smile.

»I didn't want it to look like I actually did it. I would never do such a trivial thing. «

»Well we can clean it up for you tomorrow. «

»Sorry. «, James said, although he didn't look sorry at all.

They all got changed and went to bed and soon Remus could hear his three friends snoring but he lay awake for several hours thinking about Sirius.