"Someone tried to kill Jenny," Sirius declared. "Brooms don't just go haywire like that." He flopped into a chair in the common room, running his hand through his hair.
"But who?" James wondered, rubbing his chin. "Who would do something like that?"
"Any of the Slytherins." Sirius crossed his arms. "They all hate us, the gits."
"Sirius, I think you're being a little too general," Remus said, turning away from the desk where he sat and looking at his friend.. "Come on, not all the Slytherins are evil, just most of them…"
"Snape would try it, I'm sure," Sirius growled. "I'll bet it was him."
"But why?" James asked practically. "I could see him trying to hurt me, or you, but Jenny? He hardly knows her."
"She's our friend, that's enough for him. But we can't let anyone do that to one of our friends!" Sirius punched a pillow for emphasis. Remus sighed and put away his books. Obviously he wasn't going to get any studying done now that Sirius had gotten started. James was seated in a chair, legs over the side. "We've got to teach them a lesson!" Sirius hit the pillow again.
"How?" Remus asked warily. "Please, no more detentions this month, we'll probably be thrown out." He sighed, remembering the hours they'd spent scrubbing the trophy room just a week ago.
"We'll find something," Sirius promised. "They won't get away with this!" Just then, Jenny, Lily, and Elsie entered the Common Room. Jenny looked furious.
"I don't know who did that," she yelled, marching up to Sirius, "but I'm furious. Sirius, give me some of those firecrackers you've got." She stuck out her hand and Sirius gave her a small sack. He tried to keep a straight face, but a mischievous smile kept escaping his lips. She looked in and grinned. "I'm sure it was one of the Slytherins," she declared. "So - I'm so angry, I want to blow them all up!" She tucked the firecrackers under one arm and started for the portrait hole.
"Jenny!" Lily said, shocked. "You've never acted like this before!"
"No one has ever tried to kill me before," Jenny ground out. "I'm going now, don't try to stop me." She climbed out the portrait hole.
"James, Remus," Lily said immediately, "help me stop her, she'll get expelled for sure."
"Right," James said, getting up and starting for the exit immediately.
"What about me?" Sirius asked, standing eagerly.
"Oh, you'd just egg her on," Lily said. "I need someone to help me calm her down."
"I'm coming anyway," Sirius said. "She probably doesn't know how to light those firecrackers properly, er," he wilted under Lily's gaze. "Anyway, I'm coming, but I won't talk much."
"Good," James said, opening the hole for the others. They rushed down the halls after Jenny. On the third staircase, they caught up with her. She was fuming, muttering curses under her breath, and clenching her hands into fists. When her friends drew level with her, she turned on them furiously.
"I told you not to try to stop me!" Her face wore a scowl.
"Look, Jenny, this isn't a good idea," Lily began, holding up her hands and trying to pacify the irate Jenny.
"I don't even care. I just need to blow something up."
"Jenny, did whatever happened to your broom affect your brain too?" Elsie asked. "You never act like this!" She stared at her almost hysterical friend.
"I don't like being nearly killed, all right?" Jenny yelled. "Since we can't go to a teacher about this, since we don't know who did it, I have to deal with it myself!"
"Maybe we can figure out something a little safer," Remus suggested.
"Good idea," James said gratefully. "Um, why don't we all go back and sit down and think about this?" He half-turned, hoping the others would follow.
"Why is it that when you boys have stupid ideas, you go ahead and do them, but when I have one, you try to talk me out of it?" Jenny scowled at them, her hands on her hips. "Sirius, you're on my side here, aren't you?"
"Well, yes, I think that the Slytherins need something done to them after what they did," Sirius said, shifting his weight around uncomfortably as James, Remus, Lily and Elsie all scowled at him.
"Good. You four go on up and talk about what to do, and Sirius and I will go blow up the Slytherin dorms." Jenny was still breathing heavily; her hair was disheveled.
Sirius looked as if he liked the idea, but Lily sighed.
"Well, Jenny, you'll thank us when you're feeling better." She took out her wand and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!" Jenny fell backwards in the full-body bind. Remus and Sirius, who were nearest, caught her before she hit the ground. "Okay, you three boys haul her up and we'll take the spell of her," Lily said practically. James just stared at Lily. "What? I can't let her go get herself expelled, after all! She's just shocked, that's all. Once she calms down, she'll be fine." They got Jenny back up to the Common Room and put her on a couch.
"Er, you go ahead and take the spell off her," Sirius said, stepping back. "I don't want to be too near when she gets out of that…" He held the bag of fireworks in his hands.
"Why don't you just let me do this?" were the first words out of Jenny's mouth when they took the spell off her. She sat up, rubbing her arms where they were still stiff.
"Who is it that's always yelling at us for getting detention?" James asked.
"You are not acting like yourself, Jenny," Lily said gently. "We're a little worried about you, is all."
"Thanks, I guess," Jenny said slowly. "You're right… but I am mad." She sighed. "And for a while there, I was so tired of always acting the way I should about everything…"
"If that ever happens again, I'll help you," Sirius said. A mischievous grin tugged at his mouth, and he winked at her.
"Well, you'll be at the top of my list of people to help me." Jenny grinned and winked back. "I think I'm going to go lie down for a while." She headed off slowly toward the girls' dorm. Her friends watched her go.
"That was very odd," Lily commented, sighing. "Jenny never gets angry like that! Well, she gets angry, but she doesn't do stupid things."
"I don't blame her, though," James remarked. "I thought she'd be killed up there like that." Sirius was staring toward the door that Jenny had left by. His eyes held a rather admiring gleam in them, and he had a half grin on his face.
"You know, she's a lot more fun when she's all worked up like that," he commented. "I'll have to keep that in mind."
"You are hopeless," Elsie told Sirius sternly. "Now, you better not go trying to get Jenny riled up, or convincing her to do something stupid."
"When have I ever tried to get anyone else to do something stupid?" Sirius asked in an injured voice. His friends burst out laughing.
"Sirius, you – you," James choked out. "You try to get us to do things that would get us expelled every other day!"
"Well, we haven't been expelled yet, have we?" Sirius asked reasonably.
"No, and I'd like it to stay that way," Remus sighed, looking longingly at his stack of books, waiting to be read. "Where's Peter, anyway?"
"Oh, right, I haven't seen him in hours," James remarked, glancing around as if his friend was under a chair. "Sirius and I came right up here to see you, I thought he was with us, but I forgot about him."
"I hope he hasn't done anything stupid," Lily said anxiously.
"Peter? You've got to be kidding," Sirius scoffed. "He never sets a toe out of line unless we're with him." He grinned. "With the way Jenny goes on about us having no sense, you'd think she'd like him best. He has lots of sense."
"That's just Jenny talking," Elsie said, seating herself in a chair. "Sure she says things about how you all drive her crazy and how she doesn't know why she hangs out with you, but I know she really enjoys the things you boys do. Most of the time."
"You know, it's getting late," Lily remarked, glancing out the window. "It'll be time for dinner soon, and I think some of us should change." She glanced at her own robes, which were covered in mud from the Quidditch field. "Coming, Elsie?"
"Yes, I think so," the other girl said. They left the common room to the three boys.
"Well, that was... unusual," Remus said finally.
"You didn't see the way Jenny's broom acted up," James added. "That wasn't unusual, that was scary."
"I'm just glad she's all right," Remus sighed. "Broom accidents can be very nasty."
"I'll say," Sirius agreed. "It'd be horrible if something were to happen to any of us." He glanced unconsciously at the girl's dorm door.
"You know, Sirius, I think you like Jenny," James began, grinning.
"Oh, yes, I agree," Remus said. "I think it's obvious, the way he was looking at her."
"What?" Sirius started to laugh. "Not Jenny! Not like that, anyway. Can you imagine, me - and her! We'd probably kill each other." He shook his head. "No, I don't think so."
"I don't know," Remus said thoughtfully. "You two just might be perfect for each other."
"How about we wait about eight years and then talk about this?" Sirius asked. "Come on, I'm not interested in any girls right now. I'm more interested in making Filch and the Slytherins miserable." James rolled his eyes.
"Well, fine, but Remus and I will be waiting to say 'I told you so', Sirius."
"You'll be waiting a very long time," Sirius promised, getting to his feet. "Come on, we'd better find out if Peter's fallen in a hole or something on the way up here." He left the common room, Remus and James following closely.
Peter hadn't fallen into a hole, but he had been cornered by a couple of Slytherin fifth years. The older boys were sneering at him, and Peter was whimpering. James and Sirius walked up to the biggest boy and tapped his shoulder. He turned around, still sneering.
"Oh, more Gryffindor slime, eh? Well, we can deal with you as soon as we're through with your friend."
"I don't think so," James said coldly. "Get your hands off Peter."
"Why should we?" the other Slytherin asked.
"Because if you don't, we'll pound your heads in," Sirius growled.
"You and who else?" the Slytherin asked, stretching to his full height.
"There are four of us and two of you," Remus said, although Peter was hardly worth counting in a fight. The Slytherins laughed.
"I could take all of you on myself," the bigger one said. They were interrupted by the sound of voices coming nearer. A minute later, the girls came round a corner. They stopped short, staring at the boys, who all had fists clenched, except for Peter, who was sagging against the wall. Jenny whispered something to Lily, who nodded. The two pointed their wands at the Slytherins and muttered something. With a howl, the boys clasped hands to their faces and ran off.
"What did you do?" James asked curiously. "I couldn't tell." The girls were laughing.
"Remember how about a year ago I accidentally stuck a pickle on Peter's nose?" Jenny managed at last. "Well, we practiced the spell once or twice, hoping for an opportunity… and that was the perfect chance."
"I hope they get the pickles off before dinner," kind-hearted Elsie said.
"Why?" Sirius, James, and Jenny chorused. They were still sagged against the wall, laughing. Lily was helping Peter to his feet, and Remus was picking up the books that the Slytherins had taken from Peter.
"And I'm sure they'd never admit that a couple of third-year Gryffindor girls did that to them," Jenny remarked. "So I don't think we'll get in any trouble over that one at all." She grinned. "Now that makes me feel better."
"So, er, no more trying to blow up the Slytherin common room?" Lily asked anxiously.
"Not today, anyway," Jenny allowed. "But if I ever find out who did that…"
"Don't worry, I'll help you take whoever it is to pieces," Sirius said eagerly. "And James and Remus will help too, right?" They didn't answer.
"Let's go to dinner," Elsie suggested. "We're going to be late if we don't hurry." They headed off, Sirius trying to tell Peter to defend himself the next time other boys tried to pick on him.
"But they're so big," Peter said. "And they're better than I am, I know it. Everyone's better than me at everything."
"Nonsense, Peter," Lily said firmly. "You're a wonderful person, you just need to stand up for yourself." She patted his shoulder as they walked along.
"You're sure worth more than any Slytherin," Sirius snorted. "Come on, I can teach you a few curses that will make them think twice before hurting you…"
"I'll get into trouble," Peter whined. "All the things you do, they all get me into trouble."
"Well, they get me into trouble as well," Sirius pointed out, exasperated. "Does that stop me?"
"I know I'm not brave like you and James," Peter sniffed. "I just try to avoid them, that's all." Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but James nudged him and he closed it abruptly. Then they all entered the Great Hall and there was no more time for personal conversations.
Late that night, James roused Sirius from a sound sleep. The two boys slipped the Cloak on and headed for the library.
"Here's that Animagus book," James whispered after a few minutes of searching. "Someone moved it, it wasn't in its usual spot."
"Right," Sirius replied. "Now, I did manage to get most of the ingredients from the Potions class the other day, after you, er, blew up Snape's cauldron…"
"I know that a few of the ingredients will be hard to get," James said. "But I think we can get them this next summer. In the meantime, we can practice the spell and do plenty of research on it. I don't want to end up as a slug or a rock or something like that."
"Do you think I can be a dragon?" Sirius wondered.
"Sirius, dragons are not very inconspicuous, and they'll hardly fit under the Whomping Willow," James pointed out.
"Oh, right… nothing too small, though, and something that can look out for itself."
"I was thinking a lion might be nice," James said.
"Appropriate for a Gryffindor, but not for England," Sirius commented. "Some sort of creature that isn't too unusual…"
"A cat or a dog might be good," James said thoughtfully.
"A cat will be a bit small to deal with a werewolf. So might a dog, depending on the dog." Sirius scratched his head. "A dog might be good."
"Well, we'll have time to decide," James said finally, shutting the book. "We'd best get back to bed before Filch comes along."
"Right," Sirius agreed, standing. "Hi-ho, to bed we go," he half-sang.
"Will you shut up?" James asked fiercely as they donned the Cloak. Sirius snorted, but after that he kept quiet.
Would they have been so carefree id they knew that, at that very moment in the south of England, a small family had just been murdered? Jonathon Prewett did his best to defend his wife and small daughters, but Voldemort's powers were far better. The Prewetts fell, not the first in Voldemort's line of victims, and assuredly not the last. How could those seven young friends at Hogwarts know how much their lives were to be influenced by Voldemort? Not even Professor Trelawney would make such a wild prophecy.
Oh, nice creepy end, I think. Yes, these are going up fast, but that's because I have finals next week and will probably have very little published from then to the middle of May. Anyway, I wrote this over Easter, nice long weekend with very little to do.
Standard disclaimers: Harry Potter and all associated characters are property of JK Rowling, not me. My characters and ideas are, well, mine, and if you take them I'll let Jenny deal with you.