Double Detention
Sirius had found the perfect time to prank Malfoy and with the help of the other marauders had set it up so they'd all come from different places so if one got caught they could wouldn't all have to do detention. Sirius was going to be the one who did all the pranking – shrinking Malfoy's hands to those of a baby then removing all his pride and joy blonde and decidedly disgusting hair while his hands were incapable of holding a wand. If Sirius got caught it would be James who did it and then Remus if neither of them made it and if no one but Peter made it then he could try but he would probably screw it up so there wasn't much point.
Sirius had chosen to take the more normal root of through the corridors as he didn't have the map with him, but as he got near the Hufflepuff common room he heard Amos Diggory talking to one of the other 6th yrs.
"I can't believe Black thinks he has a chance with Elis, its soo obvious that she likes me best – I mean what girl in their right mind would want to go out with him!" Diggory said in his usual pompous boom. Sirius was fuming, how dare Diggory say that; particularly where Carma was involved! Diggory was going to pay for that one!
"Couldn't help over hearing your pitiful wining Diggory, think you've got a chance with Carma do you – well can't you at least use her name?" Sirius said drawing his wand as he went. Diggory spun round to face a very angry Sirius equally furious to be shown up in front of his friend.
"Looks like you'll have to duel me Black." Diggory spat drawing his wand also, "Who ever wins gets Elis."
"You're on!"
"Expellaramis!" Sirius laughed blocking it with ease.
"Is that the best you've got Dig?" Sirius taunted, flicking his wand hissing his favourite spell – one to send all limbs in opposite directions tying the victim up with their own body. Diggory yelled as his arms and legs successfully tangled themselves firmly, ensuring only is head was free.
"Looks like tied this up quite well," Sirius quipped grinning openly, "Looks like Carma's going to be mine after…" But Sirius never got to finish that sentence as Filch rounded the corner.
"My, my, this is tuning out to be a good day! DETENSION both of youse! Candle, take Diggory up to Madame Pomfrey for reversal and give her this" Filch said grinning with unmistakeable joy, Candle took the slip – 1 week working in the hospital wing cleaning WITHOUT magic and 20 points from Hufflepuff. Made a gesture at Sirius and hurried off to get Madame Pomfrey.
"Sirius Black," Filch drawled, "fighting in the corridors! Naughty, naughty. I think a week cleaning without magic should do it and 20 points from Gryffindor." Sirius gaped 20 points!!! Sirius couldn't give a damn what they gave him for detention. He and James almost enjoyed them; they were there so often but 20 POINTS - that was another matter!
~ ~ ~ ~
"Well, well, well – what do we have here?" Carma spun around to face Professor Stilten. "DETENSION! There will be no fighting in the corridors" she screamed making Bec loosen her grip on Carma's hair and Lotti to stop attempting to strangle her.
Carma how ever did not take a rational action instead she kneed Bec in the stomach and hit Lotti over the head with the Care of Magical Creatures text book while she had a chance figuring she was in trouble anyway so what the hell!
"CARMA ELIS!" Stilten had gone red in the face with outrage, "WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE MINISTER OF MAGIC DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" Carma turned back to face Professor Stilten only to be jumped on by Lotti and Bec bent on revenge. Lotti's fist connected with Bec's nose while Bec hit Carma around the face unaware of the blood running down her robes. Bec grabbed hold of Lotti's black hair and thinking it was Carma's she pulled the whole clump out. Lotti bit Carma so Carma gave Lotti a black eye. Their wands and Professor were left on the sidelines while the girls opted for all out battle. Professor Stilten drew her wand forcing them apart by magic, all the while ranting on and on about the outrage of such a thing especially from 5th yrs and girls too! But Lotti and Bec were still trying with all their might to get to the defiant Carma. The kafuffle had caused teachers to come running from all directions and they now filled the corridor frozen in horror. Professor Maxstead stepped forward raising her wand and forcing the struggling girls onto stretchers and walked them solemnly up to the Hospital wing.
*
Patched up but no less sore the three girls sat in the Headmasters office 20 minutes later. "Do you understand how serious this is?" Professor Dippet asked gravely.
They nodded not looking at each other. He continued, "Your parents will be informed and 50 points EACH will be taken from Gryffindor. You will also be serving Detention for the next week!" Carma went white – 150 points, the others would kill them! Not even the Marauders lost that many in one foul swoop.
They left in silence, detentions started tonight and they would have to face their house on top of that!
~ ~ ~ ~
"You will be working with Black tonight Miss Elis, under the supervision of Professor Binns. Cleaning the trophy room without magic – elbow grease Elis!" Professor Highly – the head of Gryffindor said with a sigh. Carma bowed her head to hide her smile – she'd be working with SIRIUS!
"You may go now, Professor Binns will expect you at 7 pm sharp – do NOT be late!" Carma knew she had been dismissed and didn't hang round.
Maybe this wasn't all bad after all. But would he want to talk to her after loosing Gryffindor 150 points?
She pushed it aside deciding to go to the Library to tell Lily first before facing the whole house. Lily looked up as she approached the table and was horrified when she saw the bruises rising on her friends face.
"Carma, what happened?" Lily said getting up to hug her. Carma started crying, it was all so stupid! She had fought Lotti and Bec and lost 150 points from the house and – and… Lily listened quietly as she explained the afternoons brawl. At the end Lily laughed. Carma's red blotchy face was disbelieving but that only had Lily laugh harder.
"Oh Carma!" she said hugging her tighter, "I don't care what you do, I'll always be here and I'd hate to see what Lotti and Bec look like." Lily said grinning wolfishly.
"You – you aren't angry?" Carma said still puzzled.
"No silly, c'mon we'll go to the girls' bathroom so I can patch you up!" Lily said leading her out of the Library and into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, drawing her wand she healed Carma's face and neck where Lotti and Bec had left their marks. The pain seised and the skin healed.
"But they'll notice! I can't go to detention like this!" Carma wailed looking at her white unblemished skin. Lily waved that aside picking up her wand again, the bruises and scratches came back but they didn't hurt.
"It's not permanent we'll have to do it every morning but it will fool anyone except Madame Pomfrey, also if someone knocks you where there was a bruise it will tingle and you can say ouch! And put your hand in the right place without it actually hurting!" Lily said studying her handiwork proudly.
"Lily? Carma?" James appeared in the doorway.
"You're a boy! You can't come in here!" Myrtle said indignantly swooping out of the cubical over to James, "Ohh he is cute though." She laughed stupidly.
"Shut up Myrtle!" Lily said equally surprised to see James, "What are you doing in here?"
"Looking for you two; Sirius just got back, he said Lotti and Bec looked like they'd just fought in a world war and lost –" Lily laughed "– they were fuming, something about killing someone and Carma had detention." James said looking slightly uncomfortable as Myrtle flittered around him giggling like an idiot.
"As you can see, I was part of that war with Lotti and Bec," Carma said quickly, "and I do have detention, but how did you know we were here?" suspicion ringing clear in her voice.
James looked even more uncomfortable now, "Come here, I'll show you." He said pulling a blank piece of parchment out of his pocket.
"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good" he said tapping the parchment with his wand tip. Green lines spread from where his wand had touched the parchment becoming a floor map of Hogwarts complete with labelled moving figures that made up the school occupants.
"Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP" Lily read aloud quietly so Myrtle would not here them over her increasingly annoying giggle.
"Mischief managed," James said tapping with his wand and the parchment went blank.
"C'mon, let's go somewhere else – she's getting kind of annoying," Lily said as Myrtle fluttered her eyelids at James.
"Come visit me sometime, won't you?" Myrtle said blushing silver as they turned to leave.
"Sure, we'll ah…see round I s'pose."
"Yeah, bye Myrtle,"
"Bye ~" She giggled again, "– James." If she was going to say any more it was drowned out by another burst of laughter and when she recovered from her hysteria they were gone.
*
James, Lily and Carma walked in through the portrait hole just as Bec and Lotti were complaining loudly that it was all Carma's fault, how she'd attacked them to the Gryffindor common room for all to here.
"Interesting point you have there Lotti about me hitting Bec in the nose and making it bleed, as I distinctly remember you confessing to Professor Dippet that it had been you who broke Bec's nose." Carma said coolly. Lotti started to say something but Carma hadn't finished. "And Bec wasn't it you who pulled out the handful of Lotti's hair? A handful even Madame Pomfrey wasn't able to replace!" This time Carma had hit the mark, Lotti launched herself at Bec screaming threats as she went.
"That could get nasty!" – WACK – "looks like it just did." Sirius said grinning at Carma as Stilten's voice reached their ears.
"AGAIN!?! That's it; Head masters office – NOW!" she bellowed sending them running to the portrait hole to watch Lotti and Bec limp, blood drawn seeped down from Bec's cheek where Lotti had attacked.
"You don't think he'll expel them do you?" Charlotte asked blanching.
"Don't worry Char; they won't blame you for what Bec does. She may be your twin but she is not anything like you!" Lily said giving Char a hug.
Char was the better of the two opposites; she was smart, kind and cheerful making Bec seem, if possible, even more horrible.
*
"It's 6:55, we'd better go Carma." Sirius said looking regretfully at James' second piece of shepherd's pie. Carma laughed, pressing a stack of choc-chip cookies Lily had got earlier into his hand. James could see they wouldn't last long as Sirius put two in his mouth before waving and leaving the Great Hall with Carma.
"Lily?" Matt was standing next to her; he'd grown since the time they'd spent at the ministry she thought. She made a non committal sound, putting some more food in her mouth before it got cold.
"Can-can I ask you a question?" Lily sighed, what is it with people today?
"You just did! But yes, you can Matt." Lily said annoyed but if it made him get it over with then maybe it wouldn't be too bad.
"Will-you-go-out-with-me?" Matt said in a rush. Lily raised her eyebrows at him – what in the wizarding world was he on about?
"No." She was going to say more but nothing fitted so she left it at that turning back to her food. She didn't feel guilty or even surprised – she didn't feel anything, just tired!
"Oh, uh – I'll see you round then," Matt said blushing profusely.
James heart leapt – she didn't want to go out with Matt! *WHAT!* James' mind came to a complete halt. Best friend = Lily; NOT anything else! Then why was he so happy then? And why hadn't he looked at a girl since Lily came back? Uh oh!
