Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize from any Harry Potter book. If you don't recognize it: Hey it's mine!
*laughs* I really can't remember! Ok – I skimmed. A few sentences.
Ok! So I didn't post on Monday… sorry about that! Had things to do, beds to sleep in…
This chapter's not too long. Actually, it's not long at all. But my next one is! I can promise you that much!
Enjoy this one, and thanks for all my reviews! You know I luv'em!
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Everybody's first week of classes went well, with only a few mishaps and misfortunes. What with all the breaking, falling, laughing (at the breaking and falling), and transforming. It was Saturday morning, and Lily was reading her letter from James at the Gryffindor table.
Hey Lil,
Sure, tonight sounds great. Just wait until us Marauders finish our prank. We should be back by midnight or so. Wait for me in the Common Room. After I go to my room, I'll wait until the guys fall asleep then go back down. Make sure you get everything ready before hand! Good luck on emptying the Common Room on a Saturday night!
James
PS. Do you think that we should get code names or something? Incase these are intercepted? How about Cool and Hot? Guess who's who? That's right, I'm Hot! Just kidding, tell me what you think, ok?
Lily laughed inside. Every detail had to be written down. They couldn't be caught talking or it'd ruin everything. She gave James a very subtle nod, with Sirius slyly watching everything.
Of course he didn't know what was in those letters, but he wasn't going to go out of his way to read them. Something told him he didn't want to – but that was just Sirius being Sirius. "So guys, ready for tonight? Nobody got any other plans that will interfere in any way?" Sirius asked his friends, chewing on some toast. He got a very convincing 'No' from James and figured that it was the truth. Which it was.
"You guys going to do something tonight then?" Lily asked, playing her part well. Of course she knew they were going pranking that evening.
"What are you doing this time?" Jen asked, eyes lighting up. Sirius hadn't completely come up with this one, so she couldn't read his body language, or his eyes.
"Ha! You don't actually know this time! This will make it the all better! Stay out of way, ok Jen?" Sirius asked. "It's fun having you come along sometimes… but you're not allowed were we're going… boys only."
"Uh – huh…" Was all she could say. They were obviously not allowed to go where they were going, but she didn't feel like arguing. She wasn't officially part of the Marauders or anything. She just tagged along for a few pranks, especially if it was someone who was getting to her in any way.
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That afternoon in The Ranch…
"We should really name the girls' dorm. I'm thinking Sex Planet. How does that sound?" Sirius asked, lying on his bed.
"I'm thinking no." Remus responded oh-so-bluntly. "I'd like to live past Hogwarts. How about… The Temple?"
"Sounds good," came Peter's voice, "So we're The Ranch and the girls' dorm is The Temple?" He confirmed, "Goodgood." He was getting changed into his daytime clothes. He didn't bother changing for breakfast, and thought now was a good time.
The other guys noticed some bruising on his back, and what looked like finger prints on his upper left arm. James decided to bring it up: "So Peter, how's Grandfather Bryan doing? Did he treat you well over the summer?" Peter's family had been badly affected by the rising Dark Lord. Voldemort himself killed his father, and his mother went unstable and insane without her husband. She's currently residing in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. This only encouraged James' thoughts about women and their instability. Peter's Grandfather is stuck in his ways, and likes to take his aggression out on Peter. He blames him for all their misfortunes.
"Meh. Still believes a stick and belt can cure anything. Let's just leave it there, ok?" Peter asked, getting. He never liked the subject.
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Remus asked. He was concerned as to what affect this would have on his friend. "You know if you ever need to talk abo – "
"Well, I don't. Not today." Peter interrupted, unconsciously rubbing his arm. A mannerism he can't get rid of.
"How's your family, Remus? Troy enjoying the Ministry? My dad says he's making a good Auror." James asked, seeing that Peter's family discussion was now at a close.
"He's loving it. My dad's enjoying his new job, too. He recently got transferred to Sirius' mums place, with Magical Creatures. He's wanted to go there as long as I can remember. I guess they finally let him because of, uh, because of me." Remus answered, sighing. His mum stayed at home; she was very much like Remus: quiet, reserved, gentle, but had a gleam in her eyes that told you there was something much more beneath it. His brother, Troy, was more like his father: hard working, stubborn, and yet sweet and nice when needed. (A/N: think Percy, w/out the snobbiness, and lack of humour) He also had another brother, Romulus, the oldest out of all of them who worked in Australia hunting Vampires.
"Oh yea?" Sirius said delighted at the fact that his mum could now bother Remus' dad at work. They were two very different people. "My mum said they were getting a transfer soon. That's groovy Remus!"
"Groovy?" Peter repeated, snorting, "Where'd you get that, Sirius? Groovy…" They laughed at the term, except Sirius of course.
"I heard some Muggle use it on my way to Diagon Alley. I was outside the Leaky Cauldron, and they walked by…" they guys snickered at him, "I think it sounds good!" Sirius refuted. "So after dinner tonight," he added hastily, "We all meet here, get the Invisibility Cloak, map, peanut butter, and be gone no later than 9 o'clock. We have to get to Hogsmeade quickly, and be back to pull it off. Everyone got it?"
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Back at The Temple…
"… and so he's been using the damned word ever since." Jen said, sounding annoyed, sitting on her bed, "I mean, c'mon! How often can a guy use groovy in a paragraph?" She now flopped on her back, covered her face in her hands, and let out a very distinctive 'grrr'.
"I think it's cute." Ara said, regretting it as a pillow came flying at her head, via Jen.
"On a different topic," Mel started, trying to talk louder than Jen's accusations of Ara liking her brother, and how it better not be true. "Who wants to bet that they've named our dorm as well?"
"I'll bet money that Sirius named it 'Sex World' or something. Actually… it'd probably be Groovy Sex World…" Jen said eating a chocolate éclair she made Sirius pick up for her when he was gone to the kitchens earlier that day.
"I'm not betting against either of you! I'm not in a losing mood today. Lily, what are you reading?" Ara asked, eating some éclairs with Jen and Mel, on Jen's bed.
Lily was alone on her own bed, smiling over four pieces of parchment. She looked lost in thought. "Hmm?" she replied absentmindedly.
"Oh! Those are the letters you've been getting in the mornings, aren't they? Lemme read'em!" Jen said through a mouthful of chocolate.
"Let us all read'em!" Ara added excitedly… the chocolate was getting to them.
"They're love letter's, right? Who're they from?" Mel asked, eyes wide, and twinkling with curiousness.
"Mundungus Fletcher? I know he likes you!" Jen added, made up mind you, getting a quizzical look from Mel. Jen shook her head, letting her know that she was only fibbing.
Lily couldn't take it anymore. These were her private letters, and if she let them ask any more questions, they'd start to get really odd. She first learned from her mistake of letting them babble on when they started asking her about her views on migratory patterns of African Zebras. "Enough! Yes, they're those letters. No, you cannot read them," their faces dropped, "They're not love letters, and I'm not telling who they're from." Lily paused, thinking. The room was silent. "Mundungus?" Lily started laughing, "I feel bad for the poor boy! Who'd name their son Mundungus? What's his nickname? Dung?" They all laughed, except Mel.
"Shut up!" They did. "His nickname is Gus thank you very much. And he is in our year, and house. I would have thought you'd remember that. You guys all call him Gus anyways." Mel finished.
They all looked at Mel, wide eyed, and open mouthed. "I – uh – um… Mel?" was all Lily could say.
"I have to go." Mel said, getting up quickly, red faced. She nearly ran out the door, hitting her arm on it's frame on her way out, "Shit!" but she just kept on going.
The other girls all looked at each other, and burst out laughing simultaneously.
"I never would have thought she'd go for Gus!" Jen squeaked, wiping her eyes. Mel's reaction to their faces was too priceless. Gus wasn't bad looking, stupid, or a prat. He was completely opposite. He was handsome, nice, smart, but very quiet, and usually kept to himself. All of Mel's previous boyfriends or fancies were more like the former (prat, stupid, jock) rather than the latter, like Gus.
Donna walked into the room. She'd been in the Hospital Wing since Thursday, and looked as if she was about to keel over. They all saw new bruises and scrapes. Pity ensued them all. She didn't deserve any of it – not that anyone did. Before they could speak to her, a Turkey Vulture flew through the open window, and dropped a letter at Donna's feet. It then flew out the window, screeching at Donna who looked good enough to eat (seeing as they prefer their food already dead…), and wouldn't have been able to put up a good fight.
Everybody was dead silent, awaiting Donna's response. Picking it up and reading it, her eyes scanning the page, she let out a cry, and then fainted; with the paper still clutched tightly in her hand.
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Ok! So the next chapter will be up on Friday afternoon sometime… Right. It'll be a hell of a lot longer than this one! Like, probably twice as long, or more. Not sure – I'm not done typing it up. It's my longest yet, and I'm so proud!
And since I only got 3 reviews for chapter 11… *ahem* I don't have lotsa people to thank…
Thank you to:
the-m-chick: Thanks for telling me I'm hilarious! I LOVE hearing that! Brightens my day! And thanks for reviewing! Keep it up! *winks*
EMeraldQUeen: Thanks for that, uh short review! I love it anyways!
Zoe Lefebvre: Ahhh… my faithful reviewer! I can always count on you (hint hint to everyone else!)!! *smiles happily* Peter/Sirius/Jen saying pus was supposed to be taken the wrong way… just cause of how Peter said it! Although he meant pus, like the icky stuff in plants, and nasty little acne things… the others were just poking fun! Poking can be fun on it's own. But that's a different story! Thanks for reviewing!! *smiles like there's no tomorrow* And I know what you mean about the kid thing!
