The Marauding Five : Year Four

Noelle: *blinks* don't you know? Teachers had always been in a league with Lord Voldemort!!! They're evil, evil, evil!! I wouldn't say so if my Home Economics teacher hadn't gave me a detention to do just because I forgot something. Lol, I'd passed for Queen of Detentions in my school, if there's such contest or award!! And yes, sane people always have dreamless sleep. I asked my classmates all about whether they have any dreams that are half as odd as mine and – you know what the answer is. I mean, honestly!!! Everyone's sane except me! And yep, I think you won quite a long review there J I was wondering why my email was so large, especially when it's only a review!! Oh look, don't you think I wrote a pretty long comment in here, too?

lily girl: *gasp in disbelief* Excellent? I'm flattered!!!! And from the scale of 1-10, I got 100??? Wow, that's really good ^^ but when I asked J8 what he means by hundred, he just said 00. does that mean I got a zero? Still, that's pretty acceptable ^^

Misty Alanna Potter: hmm… how did I get my ideas? Let's see… here's the sequence, or at least, what I know. First, I dreamt some really weird dream [no, I honestly don't know how. If I do, I would've gotten rid of it AT ONCE!!!] and after finding some meanings to it [yes, I am pretty interested in Astrology, mind, though not in Professor Trelawney's way…] I start for school [got late, no doubt]. After that, I whipped out some sarcastic comments from my inner self and … here's the great part!!!! I just wrote. I don't know what I wrote, cause I think I went quite unconcious… is there any theory to this phenomena? Cause if there is, tell me how to get rid of it!!!!

To the sweet others, thank you so much!!!!!!!! I love you all very, very much!!!!!

Disclaimer: Nothing except please, please!!! don't sue me!!!

The Marauding Five : Year Four

Chapter 8: Journey Into The Lake

  'You know, the Marauders seem pretty boring these days,' James yawned. They were in the Gryffindor common room, chatting, just like many teenagers of the same age would do at that boring hour.

  'Good thing. Lily just burnt a hole in my stocking, goodness knows how she did that. Adele accidentally bomb her inkbottle on my Astronomy chart. If you guys start anything else soon, I'm sending myself straight to the angel registration center,' Tally said, furiously darning the sock Lily burn.

  'We didn't mean it!' the two girl replied cheerfully, hiding some dungbombs in an innocent plant.

  'You want me to trust that?' Tally shot.

  'Why not?' Sirius chirped, stuffing some cookies into his mouth. 'Hey Remus, can you stop torturing that spider? It's ruining my appetite!'

  'Ask around. I'd like to see which idiot would trust you. Even the first year Hufflepuffs had learnt to stay away from your path,' Tally said.

  'Nope, not a point there. What's with this spider? I said die!!!' Remus said, stomping the spider hard with his shoes.

  'My appetite's definitely lost. What's so hard? Just step on it!' Sirius said irritably, getting up. He went to where the battle of Remus and Spider was, and upon seeing the hairy creature, Sirius stepped on it squarely. He squished and twisted the spider unmercilessly. Sirius jumped, skipped and sat on it. Finally, he got up.

  'Let's see…' Remus said, poking the flat creature. It bounced back to its normal shape. 'Uh, Si? It's still alive…'

  'What? How could he be??? I weight 55kg!' Sirius yelled.

  'With the amount of food you're eating, I'm not surprised if you tell me you weight even more,' James muttered, collecting the cookie packets of Sirius' hoard-of-the-day.

  Sirius stomped on the spider even more. It bounced back to its normal, hairy shape each time it was flattened.

  'Interesting… I'll keep it, then,' Lily said, scooping the spider away. Sirius was now gasping for dear breath with his tongue hanging out, reminding Adele suspiciously of a dog.

  'Whatever for?' Remus said, pulling a knife out. He had just decided that he should just behead it.

  'Experiment.'

  'Lily, can I have that for a moment?' Remus asked, and took the spider without waiting for her reply.

  'Hey!!'

  Remus raised the knife and brought it down to behead the unfortunate spider.

  Wham! The knife hit the spider and the portrait hole burst open.

  'Lupin!! Why had you taken the kitchen knife???' McGonagall yelled, stomping in.

  'Well, they borrowed it to me…'

  'It appears you have ransacked the kitchens!'

  'Oh, you ransack it? What guilt,' James tutted.

  'Very baaad,' Sirius agreed.

  'So, how d'you plead?' Lily asked, her eyes gleamingin excitement.

  'Guilty? Not guilty? That rests with our jury!' Remus said, waving at James. McGonagall bit her nails nervously.

  'It's G…' James said.

  'U…' Sirius nodded.

  'I…' Lily grinned.

  'L…' James pulled a tongue.

  'T…' Sirius started on another packet of cookies.

  'Y!' Lily pick the dust on the carpet.

  'Guilty!' Remus concluded. The four did a little dance around the bewildered professor, chanting 'Burn her! Burn her! Burn the witch! Burn the witch!' much to the amusement of Adele and Tally, who were watching the scene.

  'Off to Dumbledore! Off to Dumbledore!' Sirius sang, sending the elder witch out of the room. As soon as she'd left, he let out a sigh of relief.

  'Wow, never thought we could still pull that,' James said.

  'That has been some time,' Tally said. 'A long time since I'd last seen that.'

  'Aah! You remembered it! We're so glad you loved it,' Lily said gleefully.

  'No. You just have to remember that I loath it,' Tally replied.

  'Very interesting…' Adele said. 'Next time, teach me that. And guys? Nothing you said had anything to do with you playing the Confundus spell!'

  'Well, no one asked. You never ask us about it at all,' Sirius shrugged.

  'Am feeling like a first year again!!! Let's go hide some dungbombs, bomb the Slytherin common room and torture Minnie!!!!!' James yelled, jumping up and down. He let out an evil laugh that sent shivers to one's bones but start coughing in a few seconds. 'H- Help! … choke … on … my … saliva…'

  'Bonkers,' Adele muttered, thumping hard on James's back.

  'Let's see… how about torturing Corn?' Sirius said brightly.

  'I'm getting outta here. No way am I gonna witness mischief before my eyes. I'd swore already as a new year's resolution: I'm not doing any mischief this year,' Tally mutteres as she got up and packed her things.

  'Well, you're missing history in making!' Remus said, poking his tongue out.

  'Yeah. History to see you before you're suspended from Hogwarts. And Adele, Lily? Get your stupid hamsters off my bed,' Tally said, referring to Adele and Lily's Yumi.

  'Castria loves there!' Lily protested.

  'So did Kiara! Leave them there!' Adele added. Grumbling, Tally stomped off, mumbling about being too nice to pets.

  'Now… what's on our first schedule?' Sirius asked, pulling out a muggle notepad.

  'Number One! Turn the Slytherin common room into a Sahara Desert!!' James announced.

  'A – what desert?' Adele said, puzzled. Obviously, she had never heard of such desert before.

  'Sahara. We learnt that in – wait a mintue. You don't grow up like a muggle, do you?' Remus said.

  'Of course not! I'm a pureblood! So what's this desert?' Adele asked indignantly, tapping her foot in impatience. Lily laughed.

  'What?' Adele demanded. She hate being ridiculed, in the bad way.

  'You very much remind me of Sirius when he was waiting in front of the kitchen years ago!' Lily said. 'Anyway, we're purebloods too – you know that already, right? – but we didn't know that fact until we received our letters. We thought we were pure muggles.'

  'Oh, really?' Adele asked, raising a brow. It was hard to imagine Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin being a normal muggle. Especially Lily, since her Psychic powers might be much of a show. 'How?'

  'You're asking the wrong person. Our fate decider are at home at the moment, probably drinking to butterbeer that we're not there,' Sirius said flatly.

  'We're the only purebloods that lived as muggles for our first eleven years. Horrid,' James said, remembering an old memory. His Science professor had somehow suspected that he had destroyed Mary-Joe's new dress, in which it turned from it's grand navy blue to a shabby gray with little sewn patches here and there, making her look poorer than she seem.

  'Yeah. Thanks to her snobby sister,' Remus said accusingly, pointing at Lily.

  'Petunia, not me,' Lily said, calmly moving the finger to point at a different direction.

  'Speaking of parents, have you two decided whether or not to go against your parents's wishes or just keep to the track?' Adele asked slyly, grinning maliciously at Lily and James. She had now (Finally! She breathed) known the full meanings to why Lily and James had always tried to kill Sirius and Remus whenever the subject surfaced from its dormant. The said subjects turned red with rage.

  'What parents? What wishes? ARE WE NOT MARAUDERS???' the two yelled hotly. 'THAT WILL ONLY BE IN YOUR DREAMS!!!!!!!'

  'Psst! Unless you want to die a gruesome death, do NOT say it in their face!' Remus hissed.

  'Especially not when they have that murderous look! I swear, they can kill a killer whale by glaring at it! Wait until they really get together – that, we can hope – so we can say "I told you so" and dance around them!' Sirius added. At this, Lily and James landed a blow each on Sirius's head.

  'Never try that again, Sirius Orion Black,' Lily warned, massaging her now-red temples. Sirius's head could probably knock someone dead, being as hard as a skull could!

  'You forgot how many trained Psychics are here. Or more in particular, the most trained ones,' James said darkly.

  'Typical,' Sirius said, rubbing his head which is beginning to swell like a little ping-pong ball.

  'So… what's the plan of the day again?' Remus asked.

  'Ahem. Since Filch is way, way, waaaay too boring…' James started.

  'We'll get Rottie!!!!' the remaining four chorused. 'Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah for the un- brilliant plan from our leader!!!'

  'What?! Un-brilliant?!'

  'I wonder what "robes" ol' Rottie's wearing today,' Sirius said.

  'It's an octopus this time. I crossed him on the way to frighten Moaning Myrtle,' Lily said. 'You saw him too, didn't you, Adele?'

  'Huh? Him? Me? No! Anyway, an octopus??? What colour is it?' Adele said.

  'Uh, purple? Odd colour, if you ask me.'

  'What is he thinking, dressing everyday as a sort of sea creature of Atlantis? And where the heck did he get those robes in the first place?' James said in wonderment.

  'Well… I think he thinks he's in the sea, I suppose,' Remus said slowly. 'He ate that poison seaweed on the first day, remember?'

  'Yeah. And hadn't died yet. Some systems he have there,' Sirius muttered, mad at the fact that his favourite poison isn't doing its supposed job.

  'You want his systems?' Adele asked.

  'I don't,' Remus shuddered.

  'I'll see,' Lily said cautiously.

  'Maybe, maybe,' James said.

  'Definitely!' Sirius said.

  'You're nuts!' they cried at once. Sirius bowed courteously.

  'You know, let's just pay the giant squid a visit. We'll see if any of us could get it out. Whaddyou all say?' Sirius said, jumping to his feet. He grabbed a couple of water-resisting fireworks from a plant (he hid it there before… some time in his second year) and ran out of the portrait hole.

  'You're on!' James yelled, running after him.

  'Count me in!!' Lily called, rushing off. Remus and Adele stared at each other blankly.

  'Go?' Adele said.

  'Ciao!' Remus waved, running towards the portrait hole.

  'Unfair!!! Wait for me!!!!' Adele wailed.

**

  'Hullooooo-oh!!!! Mr Giant Squiiiiiiiiid! We have foooooood!!!!!!' Sirius called to the lake.

  'Give it up, Black, and let me have a go!' Lily said impatiently behind him, leaning on the old pine tree, but not too heavily. The Gryffindors had tried ice-skating (some being really oblivious that even such sport exists) and a quarter of them ended up bumping this tree, so it's pretty worn out by now.

  'Shan't! You'll rob us from all the fun, Lily, and that isn't exactly challenging anymore. So stay outta this!' Sirius said, stubbornly holding his ground. Lily pouted and stamped her feet on the ground.

  'What about me then, Si? Can't I have a go? Please? Please, please, please, please, please? Puh-leeease?' James begged.

  'Shan't shan't shan't!' Sirius yelled, stomping childishly on the ground. He then opened his mouth wide and Lily and James hurriedly covered their ears, waiting for Sirius's infamous wails.

  None came.

  The smooth water surface rippled a little in the wind. Sighing in relief, they pulled their hands away from their ears.

  'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Sirius yelled. Loud and long.

  'Ack!' Lily yelped.

  'Sirius, stop!' James called. But since Sirius was way much louder than he was, his voice was drowned right off. And Sirius kept yelling.

  'Shut up, Sirius!' Remus called loudly, running out with cotton sticking from his ears. Adele, however, stumbled out. Her eyes were rolling upwards and her small body is shaking uncontrollably to the sound waves. Sirius shut up, merely to get some air into his tired lungs and bruised voicebox.

  'What's with her?' Sirius said, pointing to Adele, who was stumbling in circles blindly.

  'Oh, she couldn't take the decibles, I guess,' Remus said calmly, pulling a thick bunch of cotton out. 'Lucky I had some extra cotton or I'll faint, too.'

  'Sirius,' Lily said in a sing-song voice.

  'What?' Sirius said grumpily.

  'Disqualified!!!' James cried, bouncing to the lake edge before pushing Sirius violently away. The push was so violent that Sirius fell into it.

  'You okay?' Adele asked. Sirius got out gingerly and gave her a grin. Then, all of a sudden, he opened his mouth and started howling loudly, painfully, regretfully… most of those feelings which makes a howl a miserable howl.

  'You know, he could be a werewolf himself with that way of howling,' Remus said in amusement. 'That is, if, he wanted to. He can run into the forest to get bitten on a full moon, just like me. I am definitely not biting him for his own good sake, or his mom'll be after my head.'

  'The way he howled? I thought werewolves don't howl! They bite,' Adele said.

  'Nope! They bark! Catch, boy, catch!' Lily said, throwing a ball in Sirius's direction. Barking like a dog, Sirius ran after it on all fours, as if he is a real dog. He (Sirius) took the ball in his mouth and ran back to Lily, who naturally, backed away from her friend.

  'Er, no. I'm not exactly fond of dogs,' Lily said decidedly.

  'Hey, stop! It's my turn now! aren't you gonna see how great I am?' James called.

  'No. Better how idiotic you'll make yourself before your fiancee,' Sirius muttered. Ball still in mouth.

  'Did I sense some sarcasticness in there?' Adele said slyly, looking at Sirius with a look of I'll-tell-Lily-and-James-to-get-you-killed-on-purpose-if-I-want-to-so-be-really-really-smart-with-your-words-Mister-Smart-Aleck.

  'Maybe you should inform them,' Remus said, innocently giving Sirius the same look as Adele.

  'Inform what?' Lily asked cheerily. It's obvious she hadn't heard what Sirius had said since Sirius had just spat the ball out and before that, she had a great distance in seperation from him. Sirius gave a warning look at Adele and Remu, countering their looks. His was of say-one-word-of-it-and-die-in-a-minute-cause-I-can-really-promise-you-violence-since-I-am-much-larger-than-you-two-and-much-stronger-so-mind-your-words-yourself-so-there.

  'Um… no! Nothing, Lily,' Remus said nervously, as Adele recountered Sirius's look with a sharp glare of I-am-a-black-magician-and-you-aren't-so-don't-you-dare-play-with-me-now-or-go-as-far-as-give-me-another-grin.

  Sirius, of course, gave her another look. Well-too-bad-cause-Lily's-a-Psychic-and-a-white-mage-and-she-can-kill-you-as-soon-as-she-get-hold-of-some-really-cool-white-magics-which-are-probably-way-better-than-yours.

  Adele gave a quiet gasp and hurriedly countered him. Lily-would-never-do-such-a-thing-as-that-so-I-dare-you-to-try-to-think-of-what-to-say-to-her-later-Smart-Aleck. Sirius grinned to himself and did as was told by the look. Adele gave herself a pat in the back for being a genius herself.

  'I think I sense something…' Lily said slowly. 'Of course, more than the stupid argument you two have a while ago.'

  Sirius gulped, realising that he had fallen into Adele's little fly-trap. He tiptoed away, clearing his mind at once.

  'Sirius Black, that it back this instance!!!!' James yelled, hurling a huge water spider at Sirius, who was very near to him now. Sirius hurriedly repelled the spider off with the very useful spell of…

  'Waddiwasi!' Sirius called. The spider bounced off in a long series of hops. As Remus would have said in some years later, it is a very useful spell, besides poking gum into one's nose hole. 'Ow!!' Sirius had somehow tripped himself over a stray boulder, whilst on his run.

  'Hah! Serves you right! Now let me call that squid out,' James said, holding his hands up as if he were to do a very special magic only Merlin himself knew. Everyone watched on expectantly, eager to know what way James would use. James waved his arms, flapping the long sleeves of his black robes. And suddenly…

  'Pilipala kulu kili wala balaa boo!'

  'What in Merlin's name are you doing, James?' Lily yelled. She felt, if she were a fiction or cartoon character, she'd fall flat on her face right now.

  'Uh… nothing.'

  'Then what was that for?' Sirius said, picking himself up. He had acted as Lily had thought, and really bruised himself in the face by tripping himself over on purpose.

  'Decoration. Isn't it inspiring?'

  'Tisn't! I thought you wanna get that squid out!" Remus said in annoyance.

  'It's stupid,' Adele agreed.

  'Well, get out, Mr Squid!!!' James called. The squid didn't get out. Neither did it do anything that changes the condition of the moment.

  'Defeated?' Lily asked, when James walked back sullenly.

  'Not going to allow Sirius kick me headfirst into that lake. Pass,' James said, passing the job to Lily.

  'Now everything's going to be really boring. Lily simply stand before the water and everything will come out willingly,' Sirius grumbled.

  'Si, must you have all the sarcastic comments for me?' Lily said, blasting a few spells and hexes at Sirius with her wand, which, he expertly avoid.

  'Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah!' Sirius sang, playfully showing her his tongue as he jumped away from her Cheering Charm. Lily clenched her fists tightly.

  'Grr… shut up, Sirius!' Lily barked, deciding to ignore Sirius once and for all. Lily walked to the nearest edge of the lake and we now know that there can be some truth in Sirius Black's sayings.

  Almost every creature that lives in the lake came before her. Fishes bobbed in the water in large schools, the Grindylows and Kappas climed out gingerly, the merpeople swam under the water… everything but the squid.

  'Odd. The squid didn't come out,' Remus said.

  'Maybe it doesn't want to,' Adele suggested. James and Remus shook their heads.

  'No, if Lily wills that all animals come, they will. Unless, of course the squid is very far away,' James said.

  'And that is a definite no-no. So I guess not all fun's gone, huh, when Lily steps up?' Sirius said.

  'Guys!!! Come here for a moment!' Lily called. Glancing at each other, the other four Marauders ran to Lily.

  'What?' Adele asked.

  'This thing seems like it wants to say something,' Lily said, pointing at a flower-like creature which, indeed, seemed to be saying something in an unknown language.

  'Well, what did it say? You should translate for us, you know,' Remus said impatiently.

  'It said that it's name is Hana,' James said.

  'And?' Lily asked, waiting expectantly. James listened on.

  'That the giant squid is calling for us!' James said. 'And we must go to it, underwater. Something like a message.'

  'You're not serious, are you? Get in there? When none of us could swim?' Sirius said in a you-are-definitely-nuts tone.

  'Well, there is a way…'

  'If you're suggesting – what, Gillyweeds, right? – then you can count us out. I don't feel like sneaking into Halley's office right now,' Remus said flatly.

  'No…'

  'And also no to human transfiguration. Our former selves died in their seventh year but they never mastered that yet. I don't fancy myself turning into a half fish,' Adele said.

  'No…'

  'Or the Bubble-Head charm cause I don't like to see my handsome head swelling like a balloon,' Sirius said.

  'No…'

  'Oh, and don't even dare suggesting that we use a water lung cause I can't summon anything so far without gaining attention,' Lily said.

  'No!! For goodness's sake, let me finish my sentence!' James yelled in annoyance.

  'Go.'

  'Look, this creature – Hana – sad that it could form us a water-repelling shield to protect us from drowning. We can walk underwater, breath normally and we do NOT turn into fishes or turn into dry prunes!' James said.

  'Ah… okay. Acceptable,' Sirius said.

  'Guess so,' Lily shrugged.

  'Ditto,' Adele said.

  'Whatever,' Remus said.

  'Okay, we're in,' James said to Hana. The creature jumped up, squealed and squeaked something which sounded like "Kitimana Poloscuta" and the Marauders felt themselves being lifted off the ground. A little bubbled formed itself around them. Happily, Hana dived underwater.

  'Um, follow it?' Sirius asked. They nodded and walked gingerly towards the lake water. To their utmost surprise, the water part into two when they neared it, creating a way for them. As they ventured on deeper, the water formed around the bubble shield.

  'Why d'you think that squid sent someone – uh, Hana – to call us down?' Remus asked in a echo-ish, bubble-like voice, voicing the group's thoughts. It felt odd, hearing your own voice in which seems to be clouded up in ears.

  'Yeah! Why didn't it just surfaced? He was the one who wanted to say something! So why give us the huge trouble?' Sirius grumbled.

  'Er… where exactly are we heading to now?' Lily said after some time. Everyone stopped dead. No one knew the reason why are they in the lake, or where are they heading to. Considering the very simple fact that they always did what they like anytime, anyday, anyhow, them getting into trouble is no big fuss to make or anything out of ordinary.

  That fact, however, would most suit well if the Marauders were on dry, solid land. The five, being drowners and not swimmers, never gave the idea of exploring underwater any thoughts since it isn't very much relevent to them.

  But at this moment, all five teenagers were wishing that they had followed their parents's parental-advising-lecture, given every Saturday whenever they're at home. They gulped.

  'Lily, don't you know?' James asked nervously.

  'No,' Lily squeaked.

  'That Hana thing disappeared!' Adele said.

  'Thanks for pointing out the obvious and leave us with thoughts of haunts. Where'd it go anyway?' Remus asked.

  'It left us some time ago. Didn't you notice? Say, this lake's really deep,' Sirius commented.

  'It is. Hello!!!! Mr Squid!!!!!! Where are you?' James called. Remus's ears twitched in reply to the bouncing echoes.

  'Ssh! My ears are picking something!' Remus silenced.

  'Ssh!' Lily repeated, straining her ears.

  'It said in the rock,' James said bluntly.

  'Very informative, thanks. Hello!! IT IS NOT HELPING, POTTER!' Adele yelled.

  'Tell him that,' Sirius said.

  'I don't know animal talk. Does that ring anythng in you, Sirius?' Adele said.

  'Nope.'

  Adele calmly transfigured a huge rock into a bell and dropped it heavily on Sirius, blowing dust. She picked up a nearby stick (which is very huge for her size) and banged the bell mercilessly. Lily, James and Remus winced. They really hate to be in Sirius's shoes at that moment.

  'It's amazing what anger can do,' Remus whispered.

  'Yeah! And she couldn't even transfigure an ant!' James said in awe.

  Finally, Adele removed the bell with a simple charm, breathing and panting heavily from all the calories burnt in her. Sirius came out, shaking from his wild locks or black hair to his cold, numb toes at the end of his black shoes.

  'N-next t-time, d-don't d-d-do t-that a-again,' Sirius said shakily before dropping with a faint before the now smug looking girl.

  'Si? Si? You alright?' Lily asked, prodding him with her wand.

  'Hello! Hey! Can you hear me?' James yelled in his ears.

  'Guess now. what a racket, Adele!' Remus said. 'Just like Lily, only that our redhead's more cruel is she really wants to do it. Of course, you still aren't a match for us boys yet, so cast away that look.'

  'Dang,' Adele said, 'Looks like I can never beat any of you pioneers, huh?'

  James and Remus had to carry Sirius after that so-call harmless incident ('Girls are too weak!' Lily said, pathetically flexing her muscle to show how small her biceps and triceps are) and it wasn't until they could barely see the sunlight when they realized that they still hadn't found their way out of their trouble yet.

  'Try asking a school of fishes,' Adele suggested, pointing at a colourful pack of green and red fishes.

  'I want food!!!' Lily wailed tiredly. At the word "food" Sirius's black eyes popped open and he searched around wildly for … food.

  'Where food? Where food?' he said excitedly.

  'In Hogwarts,' Remus said flatly.

  'Where are we?'

  'Underwater,' James said in the same flat tone Remus used.

  'How in the name of- of- of whomever are we here???!!!'

  'To look for the giant squid,' Lily said. 'Maybe we can cook him for tea… I'm starving…'

  'Is he poisonous?' Adele asked.

  'Guess not. Would make the most perfect dish,' James said.

  'What that?' Remus said suddenly.

  'What's what?'

  'That. Behind the rock with pointy angle.'

  'All rocks have pointy angles, Remus! Tell us exactly which angle is it at? 360? 180? 90? 45? How d'you think we know???' Lily demanded.

  'That!!!! There's only one rock here with a pointy angle! So turn your head in that direction and see it for yourself!' Remus said irritably.

  'It's…' Sirius squinted. 'A tentacle! The squid!!! Oh boy, and I'm so hungry!'

  the legendary giant squid of Hogwarts came out of its hiding place behidn the stone, it's large, fat, squishy, yummy-looking tentacles (as Sirius described) dragging after its large, overgrown body. It turned to them solemnly.

  'What? Want your revenge for what we did to you four years ago?' Remus asked. 'I know really good hexes these days, so try your wand – eh!! Squirt!'

  'We save a Slytherin and stole his food from him. If only Mister Goody Two Shoes hadn't stopped us, Pettigrew would've been in digestion and we would've have to deal with only five Slytherins, not six,' James said, sourly looking at Remus who blushed.

  'Oh.'

  'Well, I really don't mind though,' a new voice said. It was deep and, unlike theirs, not-so-very-echoish-like with a high tone of amusement in it.

  'Huh? Who?' Sirius said, looking around.

  'The squid! It spoke! In English!!!!!!' Lily exclaimed.

  'Hello Lily Evans. I heard a lot from you from the other creatures,' the squid said.

  'Never expected a octopus to talk English to me,' James said in amusement.

  'James Potter, with an ability to understand animal talk. A delightful pleasure, indeed,' the squid said.

  'Heard of me? Heard of me? And say, can I roast you? You look yummy,' Sirius said to the squid.

  'Um… no, I'm sorry, you can't eat me, Sirius Black. Has an animal tongue but never succeed in giving your, er, proper message.'

  'Definitely not me then,' Remus said.

  'Nor me,' Adele piped.

  'Remus Lupin, Hogwart's first and only werewolf with unlimited knowledge on dark arts. Adele Varens, magical creature dictionary. I welcome all to my humble home in here,' the squid said. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge castle made of beautiful white corals appeared. A magnificent garden of sea-flowers were assorted neatly into their groups and the colours blended together like an arch of rainbow.

  'Wow…' the five said, speechlessly.

  'Oh, I'm so sorry I hadn't introduced myself,' the squid chuckled. 'I am Neptune, god of the sea.'

  'You're kidding! This is a lake!' Adele said.

  'No. the lake in Hogwarts leads to the sea. I had this road laid out specially for my every ten year visits,' Neptune said. The squid was no longer there and a finely built young man stood before them.

  'What? I thought you were supposed to be old! No, you are old!' Sirius said.

  'Not really. I'm the 5067th generation,' Neptune replied.

  'Aren't gods supposed to be immortal?' Remus inquired.

  'No! why else do we have children then, huh? Anyway, I take on a squid's form because I like squids,' Neptune said.

  'U- Understandable,' Lily said, seeing the fat strands of Neptune's hair. It greatly resembles the squid's tentacles.

  'Wonderful. Summoned here to learn this? Simply spiffing,' James muttered to lily, who agreed whole-heartedly with him.

  'Not exactly. I was wondering if you could help me.'

  'Oh? With what?' Adele asked.

  'Oh, get me Professor Rotten Starfish Ripp, please.'

  'What?! Whatever for?' Sirius yelped.

  'Uh, I know!' Adele exclaimed. 'You wanna eat him!!!'

  'Can I? Huh? Is my mouth that huge?' Neptune said sarcastically.

  'Well, what for then?' Remus said impatiently.

  'I need him. He is my half-cousin,' Neptune answered.

  '… You're kidding here. He's Minnie's cousin,' Lily said flatly.

  'Yeah, mine too!' Neptune argued.

  'That explains those odd costume-robes,' James muttered.

  'Anyway, I want a word with him.'

  'Oh, sure. Just let us send that message, then,' Adele said.

  'You are supposed to. Tell him to find me. Right after the end of this term,' Neptune said.

  'What?!'

  'You heard it right. Now go,' Neptune said, waving his hand. The Marauders were immediately transported to the edge of the lake, each falling on the other.

  'Gerroff!' Remus called from under Adele.

  'Yeah! You too!' Sirius grumbled from under Remus.

  'Gerroff, Sirius!' Lily yelled from under Sirius.

  'Same to you!' James retorted. 'All of you! My backbone's breaking soon!!!'

  One by one, they got off each other, much to the amusement of some students who were picnicking near the lake. The Marauders had loads of groaning and yelling and grumbling before they finally stood still to dust themselves.

  'What are you all doing?' one of them called.

  'We're playing ring-a-ring-a-roses. But when the "All fall down" part came, we fell over each other,' Lily said, dusting herself.

  'Where's Rottie?' Adele ased. The boy needn't answer, for a sea-horse look-a-like man came tumbling out of the castle doors. Remus silently gaped in awe how he could change from the purple squid costume to the blue sea-horse one in only a few minutes. Their journey in the lake wasn't as along as expected. Only ten minutes.

  'Oi! Rottie! At the end of the term, your cousin wants to see you!' Sirius yelled.

  'Hah?' Professor Ripp said. 'Is this Atlantic?'

  'No!!! And your cousin wants to see you!' Remus echoed.

  'Okay!!! Uh, nihao! Excuse me please, Loiter, is this China?' Ripp said.

  'No, this is India. And my name is Joker,' James said, rolling his eyes. Rotten Ripp definitely hadn't changed much yet.

AN: My friend was asking me the other day how in the name of me [typical her, don't you think, to use my name?] did I manage to whip out something this stupid [!!! This is stupid?? Gee, I didn't realize…] when I started out writing this series. Maybe someone could tell me a good answer to give her, cause my mind's in a bad state at the moment! I just woke up from sleep, dreaming that Lord Voldemort turned good, team up with the Marauders and zapped me for not doing my homework. Well, that was some effect, wasn't it? I forgot the rest of my dream [it was about three hours ago]... also, my English teacher told me that my sentences are really, really complicated. Any comments on this? Thanks for reading [the story and this ^_^] ta!