CHAPTER 11 "Marauder"
Remus was happy. For the first time, he was a part of something, he even could forget about his dark deep secret. He looked at James, Sirius, and Peter as they were planning out "The Triple Christmas Prank", as they called it. Sirius was of the idea, James polished the details and safeguarded the plan, and Peter made sketches which helped when reviewing the steps. For once Remus felt normal.
"I just love your idea, Sirius," James said, "they'll go crazy when they find out its missing,"
"And it will be in its rightful place," Sirius smiled proudly, "Right here in the Gryffindor Tower,"
"Good thing we didn't use the dung bombs yet. Do we have enough?" Remus asked.
"Don't worry," James said proudly, "They{re enough,"
Remus looked at James, although his smile was sincere you could also see a little bit of sadness that hadn't left since the tragety. Only his friends could see this side of him. The organization helped distract him, although Remus knew he would have preferred to go home.
"Ok, first things first. We need to talk to the kitchen's house-elve's," James said and pulled out his invisibility cloak.
Christmas morning arrived smoothly and with no inconvinience, everything was in place. James woke up that same morning and got out of bed in his crimson striped pajamas and went to jump on Sirius'es bed.
"Wake up," James said, "It's Christmas!"
"Gmrofg…" Sirius mumbled unintelligibly. James jumped to Remuses bed.
"Come on!" James pulled Remuses blankets off.
"We've got a Christmas junky in our year," Remus said groggily.
"You guys, It's Christmas!" James pulled his wand out and flicked it making Peter's blankets fly off, "The best day of the year! Everyone gets presents!" James got back to his bed and started sorting his gifts.
James had the most gifts, the boys knew he was spoiled so there was no surprise there. But his generosity was evident with the gifts he had gotten for his friends. James gave Sirius dragonhide gloves for Quidditch.
"When we get on the team," he said.
Remus got a leather notebook with a fancy feather and Peter got an art kit with different inks and rulers.
"For the map," James winked and Peter smiled.
After eating most of their chocolate they left for breakfast. Soon after breakfast, they organized a snow fight, it was meant to be for Gryffindors only but they ended up including most of the Hufflepuffs and a few Ravenclaws, no Slytherins participated.
It was finally time for supper, the feast was ready and their plans were in motion. The four boys were anxious to see all their scheming unfold. The great hall wasn't at its maximum capacity, only about two-thirds of the students had stayed making only half of each table occupied. Dumbledore was conspicuously absent being Professor McGonagall who gave a couple words and finalized with:
"May you all have a happy Christmas and enjoy the feast!" she said and sat down. The boys looked at each other eager and then at their plates.
"Phase One," whispered Sirius. And in a blink of the eye, the empty plates that were in front of them were full of, not the usual feast of food, but full of sweets: chocolate cupcakes, vanilla puddings, chocolate dipped fruit and all sorts of deserts. You could hear some gasps of surprises and some cheered with joy. The boys laughed and dug in. Remus looked up to see his superior's reaction, some looked like they were enjoying themselves and others looked insulted. Professor McGonagall looked outraged and left the hall in a hurry.
Peter, James, Remus, and Sirius enjoyed the desert-supper they had manipulated into having. They also enjoyed a small cream fight ending up all sticky, fluffy, and white. Despite the unexpected supper surprise, everyone was enjoying themselves. You could hear giggles and laugher, sugar high aside.
"We should start phase two," James interrupted, "before everyone finishes eating,"
"Yes!" Sirius said and pulled out the invisibility cloak. He bent under the table and covered himself with it, James followed.
"Remember what's next," James whispered in Remuses ear.
"Of course," he grabbed his wand and smiled, "My favorite part,"
Remus and Peter waited a couple of minutes giving the invisible boy's a bit of time to leave.
About 15 minutes later the two boys said, "Relashio," at the same time in a whisper and they continued eating as if nothing happened. After a few bites, the boys looked at the Slytherin table and could hear some disgusted sounds. The Slytherins were all standing from their table leaving in a hurry, all with their noses covered with their hands or with their sleeves.
"That'll teach them," laughed Peter. A few moments after, the Hufflepuffs also started to stand, the smell of the dungbombs they had placed under the Slytherins table had started to spread. As the whole supper structure was disassembling, the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws followed the Hufflepuffs and got ready to leave before the stench reached them. They all left together in a big hyperglycemic noisy group, leavin behind the reeking hall that even the teachers had abandoned.
"Hope they made it in time," Remus later said to Peter with a grin when they were sitting safely in their common room.
"Sure they did, It's James and Sirius," Peter said proudly.
"Pettigrew, Lupin," Professor McGonagall had entered through the entrance portrait and walked up towards them, "My office, now."
She said it with a finality that Remus nor Peter dare to ask anything. A shiver went down Remuses back when he saw his teacher's expression. Obediently they followed, many fellow students' eyes were on them as they walked silently up to her office.
"Of all the troublemakers I have ever had in this school, you four are the worst!" she exclaimed in her office pacing from side to side. James and Sirius were sitting in front of her with the Quidditch Cup sitting on her desk, "It's been months of your troublemaking and I have only now caught you," Remus and Peter sat next to the other two boys. Remus saw James try to hide a proud grin.
"Prof.." Sirius tried to start sweet-talking his way out.
"Silence!" she said so sternly that it looked like a petrificus totalus spell was cast on them.
"Did you think the house-elves wouldn't say who changed the menu? " she puffed, "Detention, a month and 20 points each. If you keep this up, you will only damage Gryffindors chances to win the house cup," she stopped to breathe, the boys didn't dare break the silence, "what did you think you could win by stealing the Quidditch Cup?"
"I…" James tried to explain.
"Shhh…" the professor's lips tightened, "If you want the Quidditch Cup you should win it fair and square. Off to bed, you four. I'll be writing to your parents. I don't believe a bunch of marauders should be allowed to stay on breaks, you only cause havoc."
The boys left silently feeling the professors beaming eyes drilling holes in their backs.
"How far did you get?" Remus asked James eagerly once they were out of their teacher's earshot.
"She caught us with the cup," James laughed, "We were leaving Slughorns office when she magically appeared,"
"We were caught off guard," Sirius said his pride a little hurt, "It won't happen again."
"It was almost ours, the cup," wined James, "detention to boot,"
"We'll have to win the cup like Professor McGonagall said," Remus said.
"But that's beside the point. We only wanted to give the filthy Slytherins a little taste of what's coming," James grinned.
"I'm so disappointed," Sirius said, "At least you guys got to see the Slytherins running off from the dung-bombs,"
"Yes," Remus laughed, "I really enjoyed it,"
"The Hufflepuffs got a little backlash, though," Peter said sourly.
"Nice!" James said and patted Peters back.
"Come on," Remus said, "I'm ready for bed,"
"Hogwarts Marauders," James said the day after Christmas, "I like the ring of it,"
"Mum asked me to please behave," Peter said as he read his letter a little worried.
"Seriously? She's asking please?" Sirius laughed, being the only one not to receive a letter from concerned parents.
"My parents said they are ashamed," Remus said, apparently not bothered by it.
"Poor Remy," laughed James.
"What did your mum say?" Peter asked.
"After I sent her a letter with all the details of our adventures, she asked me to do whatever I wanted but I was forbidden to get expelled," he smiled and crumpled up his hair. " Of course I sent something before Professor McGonagall did. You know, so she would be expecting the letter and not be shocked by it."
"We should lay low a while," Remus worriedly rubbing his eyebrows.
"Sucks, but yeah," James agreed.
By the end of that day, the whole school knew who was to blame for the Christmas feast fiasco. The Marauders, for this is how they now referred to themselves, were starting to get recognition for past stunts and couldn't be more proud. The problem now was that the enemy were also in the loop to whom blame, this became evident that same night as the boys came back from their detour from kitchens.
"We forgot some chocolate or apple pies," noted Peter looking at his cheese-filled arms.
"After yesterday I can do without sweets," Remus said smiling. The boys turned the corner to the hallway of the common room entrance when they found a fellow Gryffindor sitting on the floor hugging his legs and had his head on his knees. He was crying. Remus, being the more sensible one, was the first to approach the boy.
"Are you ok?"
"I… I…" he hiccuped, as if he has been crying for a while.
"Come on," James said as he got close and placed his hand on his shoulder, "You're safe now, what's your name?"
"Dedalus Diggle," he said softly.
"Second year, right?" James asked and the boy nodded, "What happened?,"
"Some Slytherins," he couldn't control his tears.
"No surprise there," Sirius said annoyed.
"They sent you a message," he barely said. The four boys's eyes opened wide.
"What message?" James swallowed.
"Th.. they told me to tell those who go by -The Marauders-, I suppose it.. its you guys,"
"Since today," Sirius rolled his eyes.
"News flies in this school," Peter said worriedly.
"Shh… let him speak!" James waved his hand to quiet them, "What's the message?"
"Back off or you'll regret it."
Hi! Long time no read. Sorry.
There's not much left of 1st year so keep on reading!
It would be nice if you'd review :/ Constructive criticism you know or something...
Hope you have a nice week!
Saludos :)