That took more time, didn't it? :S

Rose Jean Black: Thanks :) your constant support is amazing, you have no idea how much I adore you for this… :]

Disclaimer: Do you own it? Well, neither do I.

A Brilliant Idea

Or

Maybe Not

"Guys, I've had a brilliant idea!" Prongs exclaimed the next morning─ at six o'clock. He's dead, was─ if that can give you an idea─ the only thought I could manage so early in the morning.

"Man, not again," Sam moaned from under the pillow he had just pressed to his head to muffle the noise from the "ugly-early-stupid-risers"─ his words, not mine─ like Prongs, who had just come back from an hour of jogging─ you got it, that dead meat wakes up before five. Insane, insane.

"Would it be a fair guess to say it has something to do with what McGonagall told us yesterday?" the apparently omniscient Moony asked, rubbing his eyes.

"You know, it's cuter when Lily does that," Prongs commented, unfazed.

"Everything is cuter when your favourite Evans does it, in your eyes," I remarked, "but I've got to admit, it is cuter when a girl rubs her eyes. On you, Moony, it just makes you look like a five year-old."

"So it's cute."

"Well, yeah, okay. But a guy shouldn't be cute. He should be hot, or sexy," I reasoned, most serious─ Sirius, ha! ─ yeah, okay, forget it.

Ignoring my comment─ which I thought was rather relevant, but apparently he did not─ Moony asked again: "So does it or does it not have something to do with the Triwizards' Tournament?"

"Yup. It does," Prongs announced smugly.

"Right. I'm going back to sleep. Don't bother waking me up, it's Saturday," he emphasized, so that Prongs would hopefully─ but probably not─ get the message. Oh, yeah, did I forget to point out that he was dying a slow and painful death? ─ Prongs, that is.

Prong's mouth fell. "What? But, Moony… It's a great idea!"

"I'm sure."

"You're going to find it amazing!"

"How about when I wake up?"

Prongs frowned in confusion. "But you are."

"No, this is a dream. 'Night." Moony rolled over, ending the conversation. Wormtail chose that moment to wake up.

"What's with all the noise, guys? It's only six."

"Prongs here thinks his idea is so freakin' good, we already should've been up an' runnin' an hour earlier," I mumbled into my pillow, falling back asleep myself.

"Love the support, guys," Prongs grumbled as I heard Wormtail dive back under his sheets.

"Okay, so here's the plan," Prongs exposed─ once we were all woken up, dressed, fed, an' all of that─ an hour─ maybe two? It was a Saturday, after all─ later. We were all sitting on the floor in a circle in a deserted corridor─ couldn't afford anyone eavesdropping, you know. "The Triwizards' Tournament." He paused for effect.

"That's a title," Moony remarked, smirking.

Prongs ignored him. "We all heard McGonagall yesterday, it was a championship. Doesn't that sound awesome? We could organize something of the kind ourselves!"

"That would be great!" I exclaimed, extremely enthusiastic─ we had to restrain on pranks, but maybe this…

"We could make it approved by Dumbledore," Moony suggested─ he's a prefect, what can I say? ─, thoughtful.

"That's what I thought," James said smugly─ he had obviously not thought of it, I knew him enough to tell, and so did Wormtail and Moony. He was saving appearances.

"Wait," I said. "I've just thought of something─ don't: that joke is so old," I added as they opened their mouths in mock amazement.

"Just as old as your 'serious' joke, in fact," James commented─ the git: that joke never gets old, it's not my fault they don't know how to appreciate it.

"If Dumbledore doesn't approve, then he'll know of the idea and be watching closely─ or even worse: set Evans on us!"

"Hey!" Prongs exclaimed. "It's true, though…"

"I still think we should ask Dumbledore," Moony said. "With this, there's no way you can limit it, we'll be found out anyway. It's better to ask for permission to set it up."

"Fine, but with at least this condition: no teachers interfere. I don't want to end up working with Slughorn," I declared, crossing my arms.

"The best is to go see him now: then we'll know," Wormtail suggested, speaking for the first time in this conversation.

"Wormtail's right," Moony added. "Let's go."

Based on years of detention, we quickly got to know where Dumbledore's office was─ now, most people placed in detentions wouldn't know, but we happen to be such good clients that Dumbledore has often summoned us into his office to chat. It used to be to reprimand us, but it has turned out to be quite fun─ he sometimes suggested us various inoffensive, but still hilarious, pranks to pull.

We arrived at the Phoenix statue, the guardian of the stairs leading to Dumbledore's office. It needed a password─ the trick was to know every possible sweet: Dumbledore had quite a sweet tooth.

"Sugar Quills," James told the Phoenix statue. It didn't budge.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans," I said after him. The stupid thing ignored me.

"Acids Pops," Wormtail said in turn. Nothing happened.

"Fudge Flies," Moony suggested.

"Licorice Wands."

"Cockroach Clusters."

"Ice mice."

"Fizzing Whizbees."

"Chocolate Frogs."

"Pepper Imps."

"Cauldron Cakes."

"Toothflossing Stringmints."

I looked at Moony. "I didn't know that existed."

He grimaced. "They're not that nice. Madam Pomfrey hands me some after my transformations." I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Pumpkin Pasties," James continued.

"Open up, you damn thing!" I exclaimed, frustrated.

"Wait," Moony said. "Chocolate and Almond Fudge."

Finally, the statue let us in.

"Why that?" Prongs asked him.

"Oh, I remember Dumbledore telling me he quite enjoyed it when we first met." He shrugged.

We knocked on the door.

"Come in," his familiar voice said, with a tone of surprise.

"Hello, professor," Moony said, as we all entered. He was busy writing something when we knocked; he still had a quill in his hand.

"Ah, has Professor McGonagall sent you? So early in the morning? I have to say, I didn't quite picture all of you," he shot me a glance, "as early-risers─ assuming your misdeeds take quite some time for preparation, of course."

"She hasn't sent us," Prongs told him, grinning.

"Is that so? How may I help you, then?" he inquired good-naturedly, setting aside his quill. His phoenix croaked and tilted its head, its eyes looking at us questioningly, as if an expression of Dumbledore's feelings.

"Well─," Moony started.

"I've had an idea, professor," Prongs cut in quickly, "and we were wondering if you'd let us play it out."

"I don't recall you ever asking me for my permission in any of your previous─ 'pranks', I believe you call them." His eyes twinkled with malice. Talking with Dumbledore was unnerving─ you always got the feeling he knew exactly what you were up to.

"That's because it's not a prank, professor," Prongs answered.

"Very well, then. I'm listening."

"Yesterday afternoon, we had Transfiguration with McGonagall."

"I suppose you mean professor McGonagall, James," Dumbledore said, smiling.

"Yes, sorry. So, she told us about the Triwizards' Tournament." He paused, unsure of how to continue his sentence.

"Prongs─ I mean, James─ had the idea of organizing a Triwizards' Tournament of our own," I said to help him, "where it would be between the four houses."

"I see… A very interesting idea. I will suggest it to the heads of houses and see what they think of it."

"We have one demand," I added. There was no way I was going to let the teachers decide the whole thing─ where would be the fun in that? "We would like to be the ones organizing it, and we would rather the teachers did not interfere with our plans."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he smiled. "Of course. I suggest that you submit to us a list of tasks you had in mind, as well as an organization scheme, and we will give you advice. I will hold the final decision, of course, Mr. Black."

I smiled. "Naturally, professor."

"However, I have to say that I'd rather not this interfered with your school work, you understand, I believe?"

"Of course, professor," Moony answered.

"Mr. Pettigrew, you haven't talked much on the affair," Dumbledore said. "Would you like to add something before you leave?"

Dumbledore's subtle way of telling us the discussion was over─ there it is. Wormtail shook his head. "I'm fine, professor, thank you."

"Well, it's always a pleasure to talk with you," Dumbledore said as we got up and left.

"Goodbye, professor," Moony said for all of us.

I'm afraid the rest is going to take some time to come, even though it's mostly planned out. (See, I got this thing called a school, where they basically slave you away and take all your free time away with thought-preventing workloads they call 'homework')

Sorry, sorry, sorry… and please, please, please: review, review, review. (I do feel like I'm repeating myself there :p )

Teacup out.