AN: I can't express my thanks enough for all of you who are reading this! I'm so (happily) surprised with the positive responses and support I've received. Thank you to everyone following, favoring, and reviewing; it means so much to me! I know there is so much I can improve on (I try not to switch tense too much, but I know it happens so I'm working hard on fixing it and better proofing myself) Thank you so much for overlooking my mistakes and enjoying the story despite it flaws.
I'm also going to try and stick to a schedule. Wednesdays and Saturdays will be the two days I add new chapters for the time being. Also sorry for the name change again, I didn't plan on doing all the years in one story but I think it'll work best this way. This should be the last name change!
Sorry for the long authors note, I wanted to express my thanks because I don't feel I can do it enough and I wanted explain a few things now that I have a goal. Happy reading!
The Prefect bathroom can't be used all weekend. Because the spell was cast incorrectly it makes it harder to reverse and the swamp has to be mopped up by hand. For once James is happy to be inexperienced in spells. If the Marauders had practiced longer on the spell, it may have been able to be reversed in the matter of minutes.
"We are amazing." James says as the four boys pass the Prefect's bathroom on Monday morning and see several mop buckets sitting outside the door.
"I heard one of the Ravenclaw Prefects blaming Peeves." Remus says.
"I take offense to that." Sirius grumbles, "We worked hard on that prank, and all for Peeves to claim it?"
They walk into their Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and take their normal seats near the back. The word "Expelliarmus" is written on the blackboard.
"Oh this'll be a fun lesson." Sirius says, leaning forward in his seat eagerly.
Professor Gillispie walks into the classroom and starts the class.
"Now, does anyone know what this spell on the board is?" He asks. Sirius raises his hand. "Ah, finally participating are we Mr. Black? What is this spell?" Professor Gillispie asks.
"Expelliarmus is the Disarming Spell, Professor." Sirius answers with a confident grin.
"Very good, Black. A point for Gryffindor. Now, this spell is very very handy, especially in a duel. It removes an object, preferably their wand, from your enemy's grasp. Let's practice shall we. Everyone say, 'Expelliarmus.'"
The class repeats the spell.
"Good. Now, a volunteer please. Ah, Miss Evans." Lily steps forward. "Now, hold you wand like so, and brandish it like this." Professor Gillispie shows Lily the proper way to move her wand. Lily copies him. "Good. Now try the spell out."
Professor Gillispie holds his wand out, and Lily moves her wand "Expelliarmus."
Much to everyone's amazement, including Professor Gillespie's, his wand is ripped from his hand. James lets out a whistle and Sirius claps. Lily turns red and turns to shoot a warning glare at them to be quiet.
"Excellent!" The Professor says as he retrieves his wand. "Truly Excellent. Five points for Gryffindor."
Everyone is pairs up and they are set loose around the classroom to practice the spell. James and Sirius stand a few feet away from each other practicing the spell. Sirius masters it rather quickly, looking prideful. Remus and Peter are pair together, Peter is sure he's never going to master the spell, so he lets Remus practice over and over.
Professor Gillispie walks around the classroom, checking on the students progress, and is pleased to see that Sirius and James are doing very well with the spell, and suggest that they, along with Remus, help Peter outside of class.
That evening after dinner the Marauders sit around their dorm room doing schoolwork. Sirius and Peter stand on one side of the room practicing the Expelliarmus spell. Remus sits at the desk doing Potions work, and James sits on his bed with books spread out studying for Astronomy, determined to make a better grade this year than last. Remus periodically chimes in with pointers for Peter.
The sun has set but the moon cast enough light through the windows the boys don't even need to light lanterns. James yawns as he re-reads a page of his Astronomy book in the moonlight while Remus finishes a Potions paper that isn't due for another week. There's a racket from across the room and both look over toward Sirius and Peter. Peter is standing looking stunned but with his wand out in defense; and Sirius has his hand up but he's wand isn't there. There's a pause while everyone takes it what happened, then James jumps out a bed and Remus slides the chair back quickly, both rushing over to Peter.
"Yes!" They all cheer, clapping Peter on the back and celebrating. "Way to go, mate!"
Sirius retrieves his wand with a grin, "That was excellent!"
The four boys decide that's enough homework for the night; as they are all yawning and exhausted. Remus, who is never happy that his friends leave the curtains open and let the moonlight in, closes the hangings around his bed to block the light. Sirius lays and looks out at the moon, the idea of Remus being a werewolf creeping back into his mind. He closes his eyes tight and rolls over, pushing the thought out of his mind.
Sirius is no sooner asleep before he's being woken up again. There's a cold feeling near his feet and it feels like his bed is bouncing. He opens his eyes to see a grinning Peeves hoping at the end of his bed. Sirius sits up. "What do you want?" He asks the Poltergeist.
"For youuu to tell meee how you do it." Peeves sings.
"Do what?" Sirius asks, frowning in confusion.
"Turn invisible!" Peeves says, a look of pure glee in his ghostly eyes.
Sirius chuckles, "Sorry mate, I can't tell you that."
"Wrong answer!" Peeves cackles, and before Sirius can stop him Peeves pulls water balloons out of thin air and pelts them Sirius's way. Sirius raises his hands over his face and shouts in protest. This wakes the other boys, who all shout at Peeves as well, but it's useless, Sirius is now dripping wet and his blankets are soaked all the way through.
"Black won't tell me how you do it. Perhaps Scaredy-Rat will!" Peeves says, swooping toward Peter who yelps in fright.
"Leave him alone!" James says, practically jumping out of his bed to defend Peter.
"Potty-Wee-Potter. Will you tell me?"
"Tell you what?" James asks.
"How you turn invisible?"
"No." James says, crossing his arms. "Pelt me with water balloons all you want I'm not telling you."
"How do you know we can turn invisible?" Remus asks.
"It was you four who swamped the bathroom." Peeves says, "I saw you in there, but I never saw you coming back up the stairs. I waited all night for you."
"By the way," A disgruntled Sirius says as he pulls his soaked shirt off, "I'd appreciate it if you stopped taking credit for our work."
"I don't like the Blacks." Peeves says.
"So you've said before." Sirius says as he strips the wet blankets off his bed.
"But I like youuu!" Peeves sings.
"Again, not new news, mate." Sirius says.
"If you tell me how you do it, I'll show you a secret room!" Peeves sings. Sirius freezes and looks up at Peeve. James steps closer, curious what the Poltergeist has to say.
'What secret room?" James asks. Peeves just cackles.
"He's lying." Remus narrows his eyes. "He's just mad we tricked him."
"Twice." Sirius adds, remembering when he and James hid from Peeves under the cloak outside the Divination's classroom. Peeves swoops around the room, making a point to detach the bed curtains as he goes so they fall heavily to the ground. All the boys scowl at him.
"Show us the room, then we'll tell you." Remus claims.
Peeves answers by blowing a raspberry.
"But you know we can turn invisible. We don't actually know there is a room." James points out.
"Potty-Potter thinks he's clever!" Peeves says, "But I, Peeves the Poltergeist, am cleverer." And with that he leaves the room with a pop, vanishing in thin air.
"Seems he'll be fun enemy." James chimes.
During the next three days the Marauders have to keep an eye out for Peeves. They find gum stuck in the locks of their trunks, exploding snaps in their books, and on occasion a shoe will go missing and later be found on the top of a bookshelf in the library or dangerously close to the Whomping Willow.
Sitting at a table in the Library during their study period the Marauders have several books laying open and parchment scattered everywhere. They've only been at school for two and a half weeks but James is already worried about Astronomy and Sirius is stressing about keeping up with all the work.
"Stop tapping your fingers on the table. It's distracting." Remus says to Sirius, who is absentmindedly tapping his fingers while he reads.
"It helps me think." Sirius says defensively.
"How could that possibly-?" There's a loud noise behind them, making all the boys (except Peter, who ducks under the table,) turn in fear it's Peeves. James has his wand out, but lowers it quickly when he sees it's just a student who dropped a large pile of books.
"Maybe we should listen to Peeves," Remus says. "He's been at this school longer than anyone can remember. He probably knows more about this school than all the Professors combined. What if he does know about a secret room and loads of passageways?"
"He didn't know about the first passageway we found last year." Sirius reminds Remus. It was the Marauders first time meeting the Poltergeist. They had found a passageway that lead into a locked room; and Peeves found them inside and demanded to know how they found their way in there.
Remus ignores Sirius and digs through the pile of books, pulling a small one forward, "I was reading about a room called The Come and Go Room. It sounds amazing. It turns into whatever you need it to be."
"I've heard of it."James says, "The Room of Requirement."
"So there's a bloody book about it but it doesn't even hint where it is?" Sirius asks, leaning over Remus to look at the book.
"It only says it's believed to appear to those who ask for it." Remus reads.
"Ask for it?" James crosses his arms, "Beg it to appear? I'm not begging for anything."
"Come off it, James." Sirius says. "You're ego can't be that big. Imagine having a room that will be whatever we need! It's worth asking for it."
Peter chimes into the conversation, "But we'd have to tell Peeves about the Invisibility Cloak."
"Maybe we should." Sirius says, "Besides, he already knows we're sneaking around the school by 'turning invisible' and hasn't told anyone; what difference will it make if he knows how?"
James opens his mouth to protest, but realizes he has no way too. His friends are making sense, but he still has a bad feeling about telling the Poltergeist about the Invisibility Cloak.