Here's a nice, happy chapter!
Chapter 56- Picnics and Parties
James, being the one of average hight- a bit smaller than Remus, slightly taller than Peter, and the same hight at Sirius at this point- managed to find something suitable for everyone. He found shorts for everyone, in varying shades of brown and black, and some t-shirts for Remus and Peter too- a brand new, plain white one for Remus, while Peter found one he loved- and much to his delight, James disliked it (it had a picture of a muggle toy he used to like on it!) so the younger boy got to keep it. With the issue of clothes sorted, they went to down to the common room. There was a bunch of first years, waiting by the dorms' stairways, looking very awkward, having to keep a silence while the others worked. The third years had their exams next, and the O.W.L.s were four weeks away, N.E.W.T.s seven, the fourth and sixth years were won too and, well, everything was very tense. Flashing a sympathetic look at the firsties, they made their way to their classmates.
'Hey, isn't it your birthday soon, Pettigrew?' A fifth year shouted.
'Yep! Along with food and drinks!'
'Thank goodness!' There was a break of laughter, a break of tension, and things calmed a little.
'I bet you feel very charitable Peter.' Peakes commented as the four boys sat besides them.
'For the good of Gryffindor.' Was his reply.
'Anyways, we've just sorted out our outfits for tomorrow-' Sirius started, while the others immediately bursted into quiet laughter, which Sirius had to credit them for- his laughter could probably be heard from Ravenclaw Tower.
'And you complain about girls being over-concerned about clothes!' McKinnons exclaimed.
'What? Haven't you?' James asked, only bringing on more laughter.
'They seem like the bad boys of the school,' Cootes began,
'When they get their little clothes out for a small lunch picnic the night before!' Warsh finished.
'You lot are so dramatic!'
'That.' Remus replied, 'we definitely know.'
James and Sirius had gone to get their picnic from the kitchen, while the little second years waited by the doors into the gardens, ready to leave. Everyone was wearing shorts and t-shirts, except Pritchard, who wore a nice Summer dress.
'Oh. I stand out so much!' She cried.
'You look amazing Mary!' Evans exclaimed.
'Yes, it really suits you!' Peter commented, with a blush.
'Oh, remember how this all started? With Peter asking Mary for a picnic?' Remus said slyly, sporting a smirk.
'Now Remus, you are meant to be an innocent boy.' James shouted, emerging from a dark corridor, with Sirius by his side, lugging the basket together. 'It'll be our job to do that.' James whispered, as they got there.
'I heard that!'
'You're taking ages.' Marlene said, grabbing one of the basket handles. Warsh grabbed the other handle, and the two carried it with a grace and speed James and Sirius could never achieve while carrying that basket. So with their mouth open in 'O's, the two, and the other second-year Gryffindors followed along.
'Just think of the Slytherins sweating away in the Great Hall, while we're out here!'
'Sweating away in the outsides! The Hall's temperature is magically regulated!'
'How do you know that?'
'A History Of Magic.' Evans and Remus replied at the same time.
They reached their spot, at the edge of the lake, and James and Evans set up the picnic blanket, the former blushing profusely. Sirius gave him a cheeky smile, which only made James' cheeks redden even more. Soon they were all settling down, and Remus and Sirius made sure to keep Peter next to Mary Pritchard, and James next to Lily Evans in their innocent idea of some fun. The sun beamed down on the them- a rare occurrence for Scotland, and the water sloshed happily, glimpses of a giant squid occasionally came to view, and alongside the music of the splashing lake, the birds harmonised, and the dancing trees kept a creaking beat to the wind's cheerful melody. They had certainly chosen the right time for a picnic; Summer really suited Hogwarts. To be honest, any season suited Hogwarts. Hogwarts was Hogwarts.
The eating commended besides the happy group chatter, involving everyone. Though there were some fierce members of the party, they talked happily of the Quidditch league, and the teams they supported, and McKinnons and Peakes revealed that they would be trying out for the Quidditch team in the following year: James was delighted, since he knew they were very passionate, though they had some competition, Gryffindor had a very strong team. The final games would decide a lot: Ravenclaw and Gryffindor had exactly the same number of points- it would be a close call. James however, was sure they would win their upcoming match.
'But what we won't be winning.' Evans interrupted the Quidditch talk, 'is the House Cup.' She gave a mild glare to Sirius and James, who both chucked, thinking it would be too awkward to apologise.
'You've still got three hundred points to lose.' Warsh pointed out. 'You've got something big planned.'
'Hey, we don't play our pranks just to lose points for Gryffindor!' James exclaimed indignantly.
'It is true. These two ask to do extra detentions instead of losing points, but the teachers know that taking points will be more likely to stop them.' Remus backed up.
'It would be better not to get caught though. But you seem to want that.' Peter continued.
'Well, with someone as loud as Sirius, how could you not?' Cootes asked.
'Hey! I'm not that bad!' whined Sirius very loudly. Nobody needed to say the very much there 'my point exactly.'
Soon the sandwiches had all gone, the cake and crisps going faster, and the carrot slices not going very much at all. They had to pack up (why does the worst part have to be at the end?) but they did all in good spirits, having enjoyed a very nice lunch. It was back to the castle, to their silent common room - it was easy to forget about the O.W.L.s when you weren't doing them- and quickly too, for it had began to rain. Soon enough night came, and Monday dawned, sunny again, but with the prospect of potions ahead.
Though this time, potions wasn't even that bad. They got their results of their practical test: James nearly 'fainted' when he got the second highest grade out of the class. Remus had also done well, while both Peter and Sirius had passed- though nobody had failed. Furthermore, their Transfiguration grade was revealed- James and Sirius joint at the top, and both Remus and Peter closely behind, with creditable scores. The highest amongst the Slytherins was two grades lower than what Peter and Remus got; it was clear test the four were good at Transfiguration.
However other than that, the day was rather insignificant. The Tuesday after however, was a little more so. As midnight stuck, Peter gave a little whoop, while the other three chorused together: 'Happy Birthday Peter!'
'Oh Merlin, we're all teenagers now!' There was a general laughter after the comment.
'I was born at one something actually! In the morning! So not to long to go!'
'How appropriate!' Remus murmured, you'll probably be sleeping when you turn thirteen!' The laughter resumed, though sleep was summoning them, and soon enough, they dozed off- Peter did indeed turn thirteen in the depths of sleep.
Being a school day, the boys tiredly got up, unhappy to find a day of work waiting ahead on what was meant to be such a happy day! Still, most lessons were just receiving feedback and doing corrections after their exams, so it was all pretty relaxed. Peter and Remus got the exact same score in Herbology- and Sirius and James were tied together one grade below them! Though Herbology wasn't their best subject, and the Hufflepuffs (it being their 'subject') scored much better! In Defence however (the boys' joint second-favourite subject) they did phenomenally well, having done a lot of work on anti-jinxes in case the Slytherins dared to use it on them! On the matter of the Slytherins, who tend to prefer the hexes themselves, didn't do too well, except for Chalnark, a Slytherin who James and Sirius suspected, had been incorrectly sorted, since he was quite a pleasant boy- and though Remus made a feeble attempt at showing them that Slytherins weren't all bad: but James and Sirius would not be swayed.
Once lesson time departed, the food time started, which meant a trip to the kitchens- which was quite difficult with Hufflepuffs going down the corridor, as students returned from dinner, where they... tapped barrels and went through this wooden door which they presumed was their common room. However, since the pear laughed loudly, before opening the door, it would be obvious where the kitchens were, and that was a secret they wanted to keep! So they waited silently, much to their annoyance, before the corridor was clear, and they could finally enter the kitchens.
'Masters! Good to see you again!' However the four were oblivious to what was said, when they breathed in, and smelt the delicious smell of cinnamon rolls and warm pastries.
'You have done yourselves well!'
'Greatest thank you, Sirius! Lilo and his fellow elves have also prepared four types of drinks, and a selection of sweet foods too, like Masters asked! Shall Lilo and the elves bring them up?'
'If you don't mind!'
'The elves will be delighted to, Sirs!' Another elf put in, and the trays of food began disappearing, along with the elves, while the four wizards dashed up back to the common room, bumping into an unfortunate Matthew Maple on the way, but the dreaming boy had little time to comprehend what had happened when the Gryffindors dashed away.
'Happy Birthday Peter!' The whole ensemble of Gryffindors cheered, as they entered into their warm room, where all the students were waiting for Peter to start.
In his best impression of Professor Dumbledore, he exclaimed: 'Begin the feast!'
The tension that had been built previously had cracked a little, and many worked while having a little natter, munching on some glazed cakes, or having refreshing drink.
'I feel like our drink choices tell us a lot about us.' Peter murmured- he went for a glass of cold pumpkin juice. James had gone for some sparking water, Remus had gone for a warm mug of hot chocolate, and Sirius was sipping his 'super, magical, fruit smoothie mix!' which changed from bright colour to bright colour.
'Sirius is having a colourful fruit smoothie- it implies he is highly childish. Remus is drinking hot chocolate. Considering that it is Summer, it tells me either Remus is in the wrong season, or his inner temperature monitor is highly inaccurate, James having a sparkling drink suggests he is mature and sophisticated, and me having pumpkin juice shows I am probably the most normal out of all of you.' (To his credit, pumpkin juice was the most favourable drink that evening, and he really was the most 'normal' out of all of them).
'But...But I'm sophisticated!' Sirius whined.
'Don't take it seriously Sirius. Peter also just implied that I was mature, and that's going to happen as soon as Snape's hair stoops being greasy!'
'It's actually 'don't take it Siriusly Sirius.'' was the boys only remark on that.
It was a relaxed, enjoyable party. One boy said that they should do this more often, but the four boys refused to reveal the kitchen, or to host any other events, since the parties would 'loose their magic', (Remus had to explain to Sirius that it was a muggle saying, and magic wouldn't be lost.). It was nice, though being young second years, to have some control. But that didn't matter, just let the whole common room enjoy a nice evening, and a break from the chains of work, to end with cheers, and many, merry 'Thanks Pettigrew!'s.
