Saturday 1st November 1975

Hogsmeade, 12:00

"What about this one?"

Remus looked up to see Sirius modelling an leather jacket.

"It fits," he stated before looking down at his book again.

It was a new one. A good thing too or else he would have absolutely nothing to occupy himself with as Sirius got far too involved with this whole leather jacket thing. He always spent ages over clothes. Remus didn't see the point. Go in, get what you need, check the size and pay. That's all there was to it. Nope. Not for Sirius Black. First, he had to compare the quality of them. Then complain about the quality of then. Then wonder what good quality leather felt like. That was all before he even looked at them properly! Now he was comparing styles and how they felt on him. Remus really had no interest in this at all, hence the book.

"Remus!"

Remus sighed and closed his book again. Somehow, he felt like he wasn't going to get to read much of it today.

"What?"

Sirius was pouting at him now, bottom lip jutting out and arms crossed.

"You're not helping!"

Remus was surprised that he hadn't added a foot stomp in for good measure.

"I was supposed to be helping?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. This was the first time he was hearing of it.

"Yes!"

"I don't think you need my help."

"I do!"

And there was the foot stomp.

"With what exactly?"

"I need you to tell me what looks good!"

"You know what looks good on you."

Remus was definitely not the person to ask for fashion advice. Give him shirts and a jumper and he was good to go. Presentable and comfy, what's not to like? Sirius, on the other hand, was a whole different ballgame. Everything had to be just so for him. Fair enough, he always looked good but did it really need that much effort?

"But I need to know if it looks good to other people."

Another sigh from Remus.

"Well, that looks good."

Sirius gave him a piercing looking before looking down at himself and then nodding.

"Okay. Number one is good. Wait right there."

"I'm not going anywhere. Wait, number one?"

"Yes."

"As in there's more?"

How many leather jackets could Hogsmeade even have? Sirius was now giving him an exasperated look.

"Of course, there's more than one!"

"How was I supposed to know that?"

Sirius huffed at him and didn't bother giving him an answer as he disappeared back into the racks of clothing. Remus rolled his eyes and picked up his book again. Maybe he would be able to finish a chapter...

"Well?" Sirius demanded; arms outstretched.

Okay, maybe reading a chapter was going to be a futile endeavour.

"Well, what?"

"Does it look good?"

Remus looked up and down and saw Sirius in the exact same leather jacket that he had on a few minutes ago. Wait, no, it was different. This didn't have lapels. Did the last one have lapels? He couldn't remember.

"Yes."

Sirius made an impatient noise and rolled his eyes.

"Obviously, it doesn't!"

And with that he pulled the jacket off and went back to the clothes rack. Remus bent down to pull out his book again.

"Told you, you didn't need my help."

Sunday 2nd November 1975

Library, 11:00

Another Sunday, another few hours of studying to do. But only a few because she promised Mary that they would hang out after lunch. She didn't have much work to do anything - it was early in the year so she wasn't feeling too stressed. Yet. Well, maybe a little but it was OWL year so that was to be expected. But she had lost an entire day yesterday due to it being the Hogsmeade weekend so she had to make up for that now.

At least she could offset it a little by doing her homework. She had a Transfiguration Essay to finish and the first bit of her Ancient Runes coursework to do. It had to be completed before the Christmas break and Alice hadn't made much headway on it yet. Balancing her rune cluster was hard and she really didn't want to cause an explosion or something. That would just be embarrassing. And ruin her clothes. Neither of which she wanted to happen. She was only going to activate them if they were correct and not before. Which meant she had to do plenty of research before she even started, hence the library.

She couldn't help but screw up her nose as she entered. That old, dusty book smell was still difficult to get used to after all these years. Surely there was something that they could spray in here to get rid of it? It just wasn't nice. How people actually liked that smell was beyond her. But it would have to be put up with.

Now, Ancient Runes, Ancient Runes. Of course, that section of the library wasn't close to the door. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? She literally zigzagged down a few aisles to get to her goal - it looked like everyone was studying today. The library wasn't usually this full. Hopefully no one had picked up the book she needed.

Oh, there was Frank! Alice smiled and sighed. He looked so cute with his furrowed brows and pursed lips. Very studious. She wouldn't bother him; he obviously had a lot of work to do. NEWT work looked even more horrific than OWLs. Not that she was ever going to have to experience that, thankfully. OWLs were definitely enough for her and her family!

And there was the book she needed, 'All You Need for Runic Inscriptions'. Perfect. Now all she needed was a table and she was good. And there was one right over there.

"Hi, Frank!" she heard a voice that was way too loud for the library.

Madam Pince obviously thought so too because Alice could hear the "Shhh!" from over here.

It was one of Frank's friends. Ella? Elsa? Something like that. Alice didn't know her too well because she was in Hufflepuff. And her family wasn't exactly in the same circle as hers, Alice thought maybe she had seen her working at Madam Malkins?

Alice frowned as that Hufflepuff girl approached Frank. Which was all fine because of course people could do that. No, what was bothering her was the fact that the two of them sat down at a table together, heads bowed over something she couldn't see. Of course, Alice conveniently forgot that she was in a Library and it was most likely homework but what homework required two people to be that close together? They were practically touching which just wasn't proper at all. Didn't the girl know that? She was the one doing all the leaning over. Hmpf.

They laughed at something and something twisted inside her. It wasn't a nice feeling at all. Maybe she should go to Madam Pomfrey? No, she would have to walk past them to do that. And she didn't want to do that.

No, it was better just to watch them and make sure that Ella didn't try something. But what would she do if she did? It wasn't like she could stop it.

"I'll get the book, I know where it is," she heard the girl say.

"Okay, Elsie," Frank agreed. Elsie! Her name was Elsie! Ella was a prettier name. "Just don't shout across the aisle and make Madam Pince kick us out again."

Again? They had been working like this before? And made so much noise that they got kicked out of the library?

Belatedly she realised that Elsie was coming right at her. With a squeak, Alice darted down the next aisle, hoping that she hadn't been seen.

Elsie frowned as she heard a squeak. What on earth was that? Looking around she saw nothing that it could have been. Just students with their heads over books and an empty aisle next to her. Weird. She shrugged. Oh well, it wasn't her problem. She just wanted to get a book.

"Tying Charms To Objects," she muttered, trailing fingers down spines. "Aha!"

There it was! Just where she remembered. She yanked it off the shelf and held it aloft in triumph.

"Found it, Frank!"

'Thunk' went his head on the table. Now, that was a little dramatic.

Wednesday 5th November 1975

Fifth Floor, 19:30

Peter sighed as he wandered the halls. Alone, for once. James and Sirius were in a detention (again) - they shod never have tried to seal McGonagall's office door shut - and Remus was in a Prefect's meeting. Leaving him quite alone. Which was quite lonely which was how he felt at the moment.

Oh, he knew it was silly but he couldn't help it. But it felt like James and Sirius were speeding ahead, leaving him in the dust.

Of course, he was talking about the Animagus Transformation here. Of course, that's what he was talking about. They had both done partial transformations, Sirius had even managed two. He had now done tails and ears. Separately but he had still done it. Peter hadn't even managed to do one. Not even a whisker. Rats had whiskers, right? Either way he hadn't done it. They had tried to help him but he couldn't draw for shit and he always got distracted while meditating. Every little bit of noise broke his concentration. It was just so frustrating. He had got this far and now this roadblock. Peter didn't see how he would ever get past it. How was he supposed to? It wasn't like there was another way of visualising your animal. So, he was just going to have to be stuck and James and Sirius were going to move ahead and actually do their transformations and go on adventures with Remus and -

A rat scuttled across his path making him jump. The little rodent didn't disappear like he thought it would. Instead, it stopped and stared at him with those beady eyes it had. They kind of glittered. Weird. Weren't rats supposed to be afraid of people? That's why they scurried, right? Well not this little one. Though, perhaps Peter wasn't as terrifying as hundreds of students. It was probably wondering why there was only one of him.

Rats were pretty weird looking, now that he thought properly about it. They weren't cute like people seemed to think about mice. They had long, wormy looking tails and, well, they did that weird twitchy thing too. Like this guy was doing right now!

Peter crouched down to get a better look at it but apparently that was a step too far and it scampered off. Great.

How he wished he could just catch one and study it for as long as he needed to. Would that even work?

Hey... there was an idea!

Friday 7th November 1975

Fifth Year Gryffindor Boys Dorm, 20:00

"And then he completely went over on himself like BANG, BANG, THUD!" Sirius recounted how James made an absolute fool of himself at Quidditch practice today.

Lily had shown up to watch and, well, that hadn't gone well. For James anyway. Surprisingly he hadn't needed to go to the Hospital Wing but he was still bound to be pretty sore if he took as many tumbles as Sirius said he had.

"Why was Lily even there?"

She was quite vocal about disliking James' antics. She wouldn't just show up to watch Quidditch practice no matter how much she enjoyed watching the sport. Quidditch Practice was boring to watch anyway, just a lot of repeating drills in the air and going over strategies in a huddle. Nothing exciting went on at all. Unless someone made a fool out of themselves, of course.

"Think she was walking back from Hagrid's or something and just stopped as she was passing by."

Ah, that made sense. She was quite friendly with Hagrid - she had mentioned a few times on patrol that she tried to go down once a week to him.

"Ah."

"Anyway," Sirius continued. "There's more."

"More? He's already fallen off his broom and is in the mud!"

"I know! But then he tried to stand up!"

"I assume he didn't remain upright for very long?"

"Landed right on his backside. Did you know that mud can splash up to height of at least six feet?"

Remus couldn't help it, he laughed and laughed. Just the image of James falling from his broom and then being able to stand up combined with the fact that he had stormed into the dorm absolutely covered in mud was just too funny.

"What?" Remus asked, realising that Sirius was staring at him with an odd look on his face.

"I know you're a werewolf and everything but did you know you literally howl with laughter?"

"I do?" Remus asked self-consciously.

He hadn't realised that he did that. Was that something to do with being a werewolf or something else? Maybe it was just how he laughed? All other werewolf related things were quite obvious to him. Increased sense of smell, unnatural strength, his ability to growl... all those things he had been able to do or had since he was bitten. Was the howling something new? Was that even possible?

"Yeah, you do," Sirius replied. "Not a literal howl like you would at the moon or something. But definitely something howl-y about your laugh."

"Howly?"

"Yeah, like a howl."

Remus shook his head at Sirius' attempt at an explanation.

"I don't howl when I laugh."

"You do!" Sirius insisted. Then James returned to the dorm, looking a bit less disgruntled after a hot shower. "James! Tell Remus he kind of howls when he laughs!"

"Huh?"

"Doesn't Remus howl?"

James scratched his head. "Kind of, I guess."

"See!"

Sunday 9th November 1975

Gryffindor Table, 10:00

Alice reached for the jug of pumpkin juice only for Frank to beat her to it and top up her glass for her. He was so polite.

"Thank you, Frank."

He smiled at her. "You're welcome. It's really fresh today, isn't it?"

She nodded in agreement and took a sip. "I think it's a freshly made batch, it's ice cold as well."

The best type of pumpkin juice, really. So, refreshing and just sweet enough. The warmer it got the more sickening it got she thought. Not that the House Elves would ever let it get to that point.

"Yea?" She offered, reaching for the one of the metal teapots that were dotted along the table. Alice knew how much Frank liked to start his day with a cup of tea. Said it set him up right for the day.

"Please, just a -"

"- dash of milk and one sugar," Alice finished for him, doing just that.

"You know?" he asked in surprise.

She blushed but nodded. It was nice to know little things like that about him. He smiled genuinely at her and gave her hand a grateful squeeze. What she liked best was that he left his hand there.

It was nice to have breakfasts like this. Nice and slow and easy-going. They only seemed to happen on Sunday days for some reason, no one was in a rush or needed to be somewhere else. Just wake up and take the day as it came. And maybe do some homework but it was too early in the day to even think of that.

"Wish it was warmer," Frank said, taking a sip of his tea. "It's so clear and bright and actually dry for a change - it would be the perfect day for a walk if it wasn't so cold."

That did sound rather nice but there was no way that Alice wanted to spend any longer than necessary outside (and the walk to the Greenhouses was almost too long). So, a walk was definitely out, even with warming charms. They just weren't that comfortable when they were cast on you repeatedly (which you had to do for a Scottish winter).

"Maybe we could go for a wander around the school?"

"That would be a -"

"Hi, Frank!" came a familiar voice that Alice did not want to hear.

Nor did she want to see the way Frank's eyes lit up when he saw the person who that voice belonged to.

"Hi, Elsie!"

"Hi Alice!" the girl greeted, as if she just saw Alice.

"Good morning," Alice replied primly.

"Had breakfast yet?" Frank asked.

"Yep. The bacon is so good."

She couldn't help but frown as Elsie actually joined them. This was not her House table.

"Have you managed Flitwick's homework yet?" she asked.

"Yes," Frank frustratingly looked at her in amusement. "I started it as soon as we got it. It doesn't take long."

Because Frank was a good student. Which Elsie evidently was not if she was asking about whether it was done.

"It doesn't?" she asked hopefully.

"No. Not at all."

"Phew."

"That doesn't mean that you can leave it until the last minute!"

"I won't, don't worry," Elsie dismissed and then turned to Alice. "What have you been up to Alice."

"Not much. Just homework. There's a lot of it this year."

"Oh yeah, you're doing your OWLs this year, aren't you?"

Alice nodded.

"How you finding them? Definitely a jump up from junior years."

"I've been doing okay..."

"Her marks are amazing!" Frank said enthusiastically. "Alice has really come into her own this year!"

Alice blushed. He was so sweet but so very prone to exaggeration. It wasn't like she was top of her year or anything - that belonged to the Marauders, Lily and a few others from Ravenclaw. Her marks were just good. Above average. Nothing spectacular about that.

"That's great!" Elsie encouraged. "If you keep that up your OWLs will be fine!"

Wednesday 12th November 1975

Hogwarts Grounds, 17:00

"Is it even dark enough to see them?" Remus asked with a frown, looking to the sky.

Yes, it was November and they were in Scotland but there was definitely still some light in the sky. It would be much better if it was pitch black or near enough.

Sirius looked up as well. He thought it was dark enough. And it would only get darker so as their little show progressed it would look better and better.

"We'll be fine," he said confidently. Where's that bit of wood with the rune cluster on it?"

"For the first or second part?" James asked, rummaging around in the box they had put all their supplies in.

There weren't that many fireworks they could buy, after all. Not when it came to variation anyway. Muggles had far more to offer but you couldn't exactly get those owls ordered to Hogwarts, could you? So, they had to come up with a little something. Thank Merlin for charms his and James' insane ability to have the confidence to pull something like this off. Also, Remus' researching skills and Peter's ability to be positive about anything they put their minds too. Teamwork, it was always teamwork. That's why they were so good, obviously.

"Where is everyone?" James asked, wiping sweat from his brow.

Remus peered at their map, that spell he had found that showed who was in what toom was brilliant.

"Most people are in the Great Hall now," he replied. "A reasonable number in the library-"

"Probably Ravenclaws," Sirius interrupted, who else would spend dinner in the library?

"-and a small number wandering the corridors."

"So, now is the best time to do it?" asked James, looking very excited.

They were all excited. Who didn't like making things explode and light up? Weirdos, that's who. And Sirius Black was no weirdo.

"Looks like it," Remus agreed.

James pumped a fist in the air, "Yes!"

"How are we supposed to get everyone outside to watch them?" Peter asked, scratching his head.

"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport, Peter," James dismissed.

"No, he has a good point," Remus defended. "Not much point in doing this if they aren't going to be seen."

"We could just go inside at dinner and announce it to everyone?" Sirius suggested. "We could use the Sonorous charm?"

"There is no finesse to that whatsoever," argued Remus.

"It would get the job done."

"No."

Sirius sighed. Why did Remus always have to be so particular about all the details? They really were unnecessary sometimes. Not all the time but sometimes. Like now. Who cared how people got outside, all that mattered was that they got outside?

"Come on," he tried again. "I can just run in, get everyone's attention and lead them all back out. Easy."

"No," James shook his head, agreeing with Remus. "We need to draw them out somehow..."

Great Hall, 17:30

It was the sudden drumming that caught Marlene's attention. At first it wasn't noticeable over the hum of hundreds of people talking - she hadn't even realised that it was a drumming noise at first - but it got louder and louder and more apparent. Especially when everyone fell silent because of it.

She, and everyone else, looked sound them in confusion. There weren't any drums in here. What on earth? Even the Professors looked confused. That was never a good thing.

The drumming reached a crescendo that had them all waiting with bated breath. Louder and louder until...

Nothing. Complete silence. The drumming stopped just like that. Nothing after it. Marlene almost felt disappointed but also kind of on edge? Were drums supposed to be ominous?

Whispers broke out as other people started to discuss what the hell just happened. And that was when -

'Squeeeeeeeeee!'

Everyone put their hands over their ears as the sharp whistling noise basically assaulted them. It was like letting the air slowly out of a balloon. But a hundred times louder which hurt.

A massive glittering arrow appeared in the air, pointing towards the doors. Then there was another one of those awful squeals and this time text appeared next to the arrow. 'Follow Me for the perfect display'.

Display of what exactly? That wasn't suspicious at all. The Professors were coming down from the Head Table, Flitwick and McGonagall taking the lead. They looked at each other, Flitwick cast something and he nodded, putting his wand back in his robes. Then he left? What in the world? The other Professors followed and the whole hall of students were just left alone. Even Dumbledore had trained behind the other Professors, a happy smile on his face. It was weird.

The whole Hall was silent, not really knowing what to do.

Suddenly, Hitchens from the year above leapt up from the Gryffindor table and went towards the door.

"I'm going to see what's going on," he declared, his voice carrying in the silence.

Whispers broke out as his friends joined him and they actually left the Hall. That started a sort of mass exodus as everyone followed.

"It's not like we're told to stay," Lily told her.

It turned out there were more glittering arrows outside. The Entrance Door was swung open, probably from the Professors. Everyone followed them right outside.

"Brr!" Marlene said, pulling her robes closer to her. It was cold.

"What on earth is going on?" Lily asked, looking around them.

"It's probably just a pra-"

Marlene was interrupted by several sharp whistling noises overhead. She, along with everyone else, looked up in time to see several fireworks explode overhead. They were all different colours and massive. They seemed to fill the whole sky.

"Oooooh, ahhhh." went everyone.

The fireworks continued and were soon joined by jets of light. The jets crossed each other to make up pictures.

"Look! There's an owl!"

"There's a unicorn!"

"Hey, that's a lion!"

It was so cool! Marlen watched wide-eyed as each thing was better than the last.

"This is amazing," Lily voiced what everyone seems was thinking.

It seemed to go on for absolutely ages but Marlene didn't even feel herself get any closer, it was just too cool.

But all good things had to come to an end and the pictures slowly fizzled away. Everyone groaned in discontentment, no one wanting this little show to end.

Then there was another bang and a banner was suddenly floating in mid-air.

'Tonight's entertainment has been brought to you by the Marauders'.

Everyone cheered.

... I have attached a list of spells I expect you to have mastered before the holidays commence. The movements must be precise and your enunciation perfect. No sloppiness please, I will not tolerate it.

If you can find the appropriate subject to test them on then the little test, I have prepared for you will be much easier. Of course, I do not expect to hear anything from the school about your antics, do you understand? It would be most inappropriate...

Tuesday 18th November 1975

Third Floor Corridor, 12:30

"Watch where you're going," Black said rudely as he bumped into him.

Severus glared back and shrugged his bag back over his shoulder.

"There's a whole corridor," he retorted.

Black rolled his eyes. "You came out of nowhere."

"Hardly, you just think you own the corridor!"

Oh, Severus knew he shouldn't resort to such childish bickering but he really didn't like Black. Or Potter. He looked around to see the other boy approaching with Pettigrew right on his heels as usual. Pettigrew, well, he didn't know what he thought of him. He didn't really do much in Severus' opinion.

Black and Potter seemed to find this amusing as they just laughed at him. Oh, where was Lupin? He usually dragged them off when they were like this but he wasn't appearing. Odd. Severus didn't think he had seen him in class either but they did tend to sit at the back...

"Where's Lupin?" Severus lashed out. "Even he can't stand being around you?"

Though, he might not be wrong. Quite regularly, Lupin was missing from their little group and couldn't be found with them anywhere. He didn't even take refuge in the library with Lily like Severus knew he sometimes did.

Something flashed in Potter's eyes that he couldn't quite make out. Oh, touchy subject?

"Shut up, Snape."

He shrugged. "Not my problem he doesn't want to be around you lot. I wouldn't."

Why Lupin hung around them was one of life's mysteries. He was supposed to be a smart Gryffindor (perish the thought) but he hung around the Marauders?

"He had to go home," Potter said shortly.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

He wasn't overly invested in the Marauders, after all.

Saturday 22nd November 1975

Hogsmeade, 12:00

Peter wandered around the small pet supplies shop as James and Sirius paid for the treats they were buying for their respective owls. He still wasn't sure why James' needed a squeaky mouse toy but he wasn't going to judge.

"Ah, those are the wrong treats!" Sirius exclaimed from the front. "He won't eat those!"

"Then why did you pick them up!"

"The colour of the packet is the same!"

Peter rolled his eyes in amusement and stepped out of the way as Sirius ran past to retrieve the correct owl treats. His owl really was fussy, wouldn't even take a bit of bacon with fat on it off you. As Sirius looked for the correct treats, Peter continued to wander and then promptly walk into a rack of shelves that he hadn't realised were there.

'Catch your rat - without harm!'

How could he walk past that and not have it capture his attention? He couldn't, that's what. What did it mean, catch rats without harm? Weren't they vermin? Despite people keeping them as pets? Peter almost small his forehead in exasperation with himself. Of course, a pet shop would have stuff for rats - people had them as pets! How could he forget that?

A salesperson suddenly popped up from behind the shelves.

"No, you need anything?"

"Well, erm. No. Actually, yes," Peter fumbled.

He was expecting the man to be amused but be actually looked interested.

"Do you have a rat of your own?"

"Uh, yeah," Peter made up on the spot. "Just got one but he really likes to go places he, uh, shouldn't and..."

"You need a safe way of getting him when he does that," the man finished for him.

"Yes."

Well, then getting a rat safely bit was correct. And he was going to get a rat so it wasn't fully a lie.

"Well, I recommend this little device," the salesperson said, patting the boxes on the shelves. "Humane traps. Stick a bit of cheese or bacon fat or your rat's favourite treat and he'll go right in."

"I'll take one."

Peter went up to pay, thankful that his friends were now teasing Remus over the dog toys. Again. Though now Remus could tease them right back, well, Sirius anyway. They wouldn't see him getting this. He wouldn't know how to explain himself without sounding ridiculous.

"You said you just got a rat, didn't you?" The salesperson asked him.

"Yes?"

The man slipped three books across the counter. They were all about how to care for rats and other facts about them.

"I'd take these then. They're very useful."

And they weren't too expensive either so Peter bought them and had soon returned to his friends.

"What were you talking to the salesperson about, Petey?" Sirius asked, starting away his purchase in his bag.

"Just about rats," he said, trying not to pat at his bag to draw attention to it. "He gave me a few books on them."

"Are there really that many books about rats?" James said sceptically.

"Yes!"

James raised his hands in defence. "Sorry, just didn't think there would be much to them. They're pretty small."

"But smart!" Peter defended. "They can do all sorts of things!"

"Bet they're not as smart as dogs," Sirius bragged.

"Deer are smart too!" James was quick to fire back.

Remus shook his head. "I'm with Sirius. Canines have by far the superior intelligence."

"They sniff their own butts!"

"Deer run into traffic!"

"Dogs smell!"

Peter smiled as the bickering and lasted his package. He was going to catch himself a rat.

Thursday 27th November 1975

Transfiguration Classroom, 10:00

"Mr Black, what in Merlin's name are you wearing?" Professor McGonagall demanded.

Sirius looked down at himself, grinning proudly. "It's my leather jacket. Specially ordered. Do you like it?"

It had taken three weeks to get here (not to mention the days it took him to decided which one to get) but it was here now. And Sirius loved it. Like, really loved it. It was all sorts of amazing and why on earth had he not got one before now? It was just so... so cool.

McGonagall pursed her lips at him. "It is not a correct item of uniform, Mr Black."

"The rules don't say anything about leather jackets."

He had made sure to check. Sure, it wasn't on the list of uniform items but it also wasn't on the list of banned clothes either (jodhpurs, inexplicably, being one of those). So, that meant that leather jackets existed in a sort of grey area, right?

"But they do say that robes must be worn."

"They don't specify when."

McGonagall's left eye twitched in the way it did when she was highly irritated with him. Sirius smiled charmingly at her. It didn't work. It never did.

"Nonetheless, Mr Black, your current attire is quite inappropriate and I would prefer not to see it on you during school hours after today, if you please."

"Yes, ma'am," he agreed readily.

Hey, he had basically just got permission to wear it for the rest of today. That was a win, wasn't it?