Disclaimer? I don't need no stinkin' disclaimer. Anything you recognize isn't mine. Anything you don't recognize is. K?
Ok boys and girls…this is the sequel to Secrets of Hogwarts,
the story I wrote recently about Harry using a gift his father left him to play
pranks on everyone in school. I can
only hope you like it as much as the first one. Oh, and I intend to make many
references to things along the way. It's just the way I am.
Secrets of Hogwarts 2: The Marauders Return
by Scott Jewett
Harry Potter was on his way to cause some mischief.
Two years before, he had happened upon a gift that his parents left at Hogwarts for him. Using his newfound ability to communicate with an apparition of his father, he had discovered a way to travel all throughout the school. He and his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, had used the new knowledge exactly how his father had wanted him to: by playing pranks on the whole school. They had even become legends at Hogwarts after pulling a prank on Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster and possibly the most powerful wizard ever.
Things had fallen off a bit then. After that prank, Harry didn't know where to go. He, Ron, and Hermione had planned to keep pulling pranks, but they just didn't seem as important. They had instead worked on their Animagus training (the original Marauders were all Animagi, or wizards that could turn into animals…except for Lupin, who was a werewolf.). Thanks to Hermione's brilliance, the three had progressed quite fast. Even the apparition of Harry's father had to admit that they had mastered it quickly.
Hermione had chosen the form of an owl, and the nickname "Feathers" (the Marauders referred to each other by these nicknames.) Her owl form was of course perfect, except that it had one of her defining characteristics: it had very bushy feathers, like her hair. Ron had decided to become a manticore: a magical creature the size of a horse, with the body of a lion, dragon's wings, and the tail of a scorpion. The face was human, but with three sets of teeth. This tended to stretch the face somewhat, so when Ron transformed, he didn't really look like himself. The lion's mane around his face, however, being bright red, sort of gave it away. His Marauder nickname was Lionheart
Harry had chosen to become a griffin: a creature with the body of a lion, but the head, wings, and front feet of an eagle. His Animagus form (nicknamed "Beaky") was also rather revealing: it had bright green eyes and a certain distinctive scar on its forehead. Nevertheless, the three enjoyed flying around at night, having even more adventures. The Forbidden Forest didn't seem so forbidding when you had lion's muscles and eagle's talons…and a friend who had a huge scorpion's tail. Soon, however, even the Forbidden Forest lost its edge to Harry. He needed some new adventure.
Two years after his original discovery, Hogwarts supplied him with it. That was how he found himself where he was…in the secret Meeting Place that connected the common rooms of all four houses of Hogwarts (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin) on his way to Hufflepuff House. "That blasted O'Riley!" he muttered to himself.
Bobby O'Riley was a Hufflepuff second year. He seemed to have little to no magic powers, except incredible Quidditch skills. This had led Ron and Harry to call him "Gilderoy Lockhart Jr.", something Hermione didn't approve of (suggesting that her crush on Lockhart was still going strong), and "a teenage wasteland" (A/N: I could probably get sued for that one). About the only thing he did better than play Quidditch was brag. He claimed that he was a better Quidditch player than Harry Potter himself. Never mind that he wasn't a Seeker, like Harry…or that Gryffindor continued to slaughter Hufflepuff every time they played each other. Never mind that in Bobby's first game, he had gained possession of the Quaffle and scored on his own goal…or the fact that he hadn't been put on the team in his first year, like a certain well-known Hogwarts student. None of these facts would change Bobby's mind, no matter who showed them to him. Harry was almost convinced that Bobby had been dropped on his head as a baby. Since he had no way to prove that, he decided to do the next best thing. He'd pull a prank on Bobby O'Riley.
Of course, he'd needed the help of his best friends and fellow Marauders. They always played a prank together…that was one of the rules of being a Marauder. Besides, he'd needed Hermione's help to think of something to do to O'Riley. And, of course, she'd come up with something perfect.
At the moment, however, she was looking at Harry in a rather surprised manner. "Goodness, Beaky. You certainly don't like Bobby, do you?"
Harry smiled and replied sarcastically, "Gee, Feathers, I don't know whatever gave you THAT idea…besides the fact that I've never referred to anyone as "blasted" in my life." Ron chuckled on Hermione's other side.
"Are we quite ready to go yet?" he asked the other two. Harry and Hermione nodded. Harry stepped forth and spoke the password.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The badger over the arch of the entrance to Hufflepuff House made…whatever sound it is that badgers make, and the Shield Charm over the entrance was lifted. The Marauder trio could see into the common room of the Hufflepuffs. Slowly, covering themselves with Harry's Invisibility Cloak, they walked into Hufflepuff House.
The common room of Hufflepuff House had a very down-to-earth feel, just like you would expect from a place full of dedicated workers. The furniture looked slightly worn and well used. The walls were painted in yellow, and the thin carpeting was black. There were hardly any chairs around the fireplace (the only extravagance the trio could see…it was made of gold with black onyx trim). Lamps of varying design decorated the tables. The room was also clean as a whistle…no doubt due to a very hardworking cleaning staff. Even the picture of Helga Hufflepuff, one of the founders of the school, looked like it had been recently wiped clean (although Harry was surprised each time he looked at the painting…it seemed to him that someone who prized hard work above all else wouldn't have been quite so plump.)
Hermione broke the silence. "Ok boys, wands out…just in case." The three of them pulled their wands out and headed for the staircases at the back of the room.
"Wait a minute!" Harry exclaimed. "We're going to have to split up for this to work!" Ron seemed puzzled.
"What do you mean, Beaky?" Harry sighed.
"Do I have to explain it to you again, Lionheart? I already have twice today!"
"And I was woken up from a sound sleep tonight, so yes, you will."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Ok, fine. First, we're going to make Bobby O'Riley play Seeker in the next Quidditch match. Then-" Ron stopped him.
"How? The Imperius Curse is illegal!" Harry gritted his teeth. Hermione touched his arm gently.
"Shall I take it from here, Beaky?"
"If you would, Feathers." Hermione nodded and turned to Ron.
"Lionheart, we're not going to get in trouble because we're not going to use the Imperius Curse. There's another way to get people to do what you want them to do…and it's not magic either. I don't suppose you've heard of the Muggle practice of hypnosis?" Ron's face quite clearly showed that he hadn't. Hermione quickly explained how it worked while Harry listened for anyone that might be coming.
Ron was thoughtful after Hermione finished. "So, we're going to use hypnosis to make O'Riley want to be Seeker?" Hermione smiled and nodded, and Ron grinned.
"That's an excellent plan, Feathers! Oh, wait, no! The rest of the team won't agree to that!" Harry turned to Ron.
"That's why we have to split up, Lionheart! Hermione taught me exactly how to hypnotize people while they're sleeping. I've got it down pat." Ron laughed.
"Oh, suuuuure you do!" He kept chuckling until Harry said, "Platypus."
Out of nowhere, Ron clucked like a chicken, and loudly. Hermione started giggling madly. Ron's face turned as red as his hair.
"Ok, your point's been made. Now what?" Hermione spoke up.
"First of all, we find every other member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team and hypnotize them into believing that they want Bobby to be Seeker. Lionheart, you can help us now. While I was explaining how hypnosis worked to you, I charmed you so that you'd retain the information perfectly. You should be able to hypnotize people as well as Beaky and I can." Ron thought about it and brightened.
"You're right! I can! You're brilliant, Feathers!"
Harry cut in at this point. "Ok, this is what we do. Lionheart, the other two Chasers are 5th year boys. You go up and take care of them. Feathers, the Keeper and Seeker are 5th year girls, and one of the Beaters is a 4th year girl. You go hypnotize them. I'll get the other Beater, the 3rd year, and…" He tried to keep the snarl out of his voice. "O'Riley."
Ron and Hermione seemed mildly surprised at the anger in Harry's voice, but they didn't say anything. Hermione turned and went up the stairs to the girls' dorms, as Harry and Ron went up the other stairs towards the boys' dorms. They separated at the door marked "2nd year".
"Good luck, Beaky" Ron whispered as he kept going. Harry took a deep breath and pushed the door open slowly.
(A/N: God I love cliffhangers. Next chapter will definitely have the Quidditch match…just as soon as the Marauders take care of one other thing. You'll find out what it is then. Read and review!)