The next morning, James, Remus, and Peter went to breakfast without Sirius again (he refused to go to the Great Hall for any meals if they don't stop serving fish).
"I can't stand seeing Sirius like that, we need to find him a new pet soon. Any new ideas guys?" Remus asked.
"I saw this one kid carrying a hamster around the school, do you think he'll want it? I can take it from him!" suggested Peter.
"No, Sirius had a bad childhood experience with hamsters, he was attacked by his aunt's. The little monster gnawed away half of Sirius' shoes in half an hour," Remus explained. (Peter looked horrified at this.)"How about a Chia Pet? I saw them on Muggle television once, they grow little trees on them, they look kind of interesting."
"No, no. We need an exciting pet for Sirius! One that we can teach tricks to and play with endlessly without ever getting bored..." James said excitedly.
"Oh! How about a turtle?! I love them!" Peter asked as he bounced on the balls of his feet.
"I got it! A pet ROCK!" James shouted. Remus and Peter stared at him for a while, wondering whether he lost his marbles. James blinked and said,"Well they are loyal and have different personalities! It's worth a shot!"
The others nodded in agreement. Afterwards, the Marauders set off towards the Quidditch Pitch where they found bundles of rocks. Each rock was different in size, shape or "personality".
"I like this one! It's soft and green!" said Peter, excitement shone through his eyes.
"That's because it's full of moss," informed Remus.
"Let's not get a sharp rock. Remember what happened to Sirius with the pointy quill?" exclaimed James. He shivered at the thought of it.
"Good idea," stated Remus, who was scanning the grounds for the perfect rock.
"I found one!" shouted James, after 30 minutes of searching."Look! Look! It's not sharp, it has an interesting color, a tint of orange and white here. Not too big either. It'll be great!"
"James, that's a leaf..." Peter said.
"Oh. Well how about this one?" James picked up a small white rock with specks of dirt all over it.
"The rock looks a tad...well...dull. Why don't we spice it up?" suggested Remus.
The others agreed. Remus simply used his wand to add a smiley face on the rock's rough surface. He then smoothed out the edges so Sirius couldn't inflict too much damage on himself when playing with it.
"There," said Remus as a final statement. They all gathered around the rock and admired it's features.
"Sirius is definately like this pet!" squeaked Peter.
They went back to the common room to find Sirius weeping on the armchair.
"Sirius! We have a surprise for you!" shouted James with glee.
"Another cat?" said Sirius flatly.
"No, no! Surely not. This is a better pet!" James assured Sirius. James pulled out the chosen rock out of his pockets, plucking off bits of lint off of it, and he set it down in front of Sirius. Sirius turned his head on the side (like a dog does) and stared at it.
"What does it do? Does he only know how to sit and stay?" asked Sirius curiously while looking at its smiley face.
"Well yes. See, that's the good thing! He listens to you and he's a good friend, like Ms. Goldie was!" answered James. Remus covered his eyes with his hands, James had said the wrong words.
"And?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows raised.
"Well he likes to, er, pose for pictures! Remember: Pictures hold memories!" said James, trying his best to make Sirius happy.
"You're right. He does look fun," said Sirius quietly. He reached towards the rock and picked it up, then strode towards the window and threw it furiously. The rock hit the glass and shattered it. The rock went flying out the tallest tower in the school and hit...a student at the bottom.
"Dirty-trick-playing-fools!" shouted a dark-haired boy as he rubbed his head.
"See James! We're playing hide-and-go-seek! He's hiding! I'M SEEKING!" shouted Sirius hysterically.
"So it means you like the rock!?" asked Peter, a smile forming on his chubby face. Sirius glowered at Peter while he cowered and hid behind Remus.
"Sirius calm down. The rock was only trying to be your friend," said Remus reassuringly.
"My friend? My friend?!!?" said Sirius, waving his arms about and bashing Peter in the nose.
"Didn't Ms.Goldie mean anything to you!? She's in a special place in my heart. Nothing could ever replace Ms.Goldie! No one I tell you! NO ONE!" shouted Sirius, half shouting, half sobbing.
He ran towards the boys dormitories and slammed the door, but it wouldn't close. Sirius was tugging at the door with all his might but failed. He then muttered, "Stupid door." So he just dove under the blankets with the door wide open.
"I can't stand seeing Sirius like that, we need to find him a new pet soon. Any new ideas guys?" Remus asked.
"I saw this one kid carrying a hamster around the school, do you think he'll want it? I can take it from him!" suggested Peter.
"No, Sirius had a bad childhood experience with hamsters, he was attacked by his aunt's. The little monster gnawed away half of Sirius' shoes in half an hour," Remus explained. (Peter looked horrified at this.)"How about a Chia Pet? I saw them on Muggle television once, they grow little trees on them, they look kind of interesting."
"No, no. We need an exciting pet for Sirius! One that we can teach tricks to and play with endlessly without ever getting bored..." James said excitedly.
"Oh! How about a turtle?! I love them!" Peter asked as he bounced on the balls of his feet.
"I got it! A pet ROCK!" James shouted. Remus and Peter stared at him for a while, wondering whether he lost his marbles. James blinked and said,"Well they are loyal and have different personalities! It's worth a shot!"
The others nodded in agreement. Afterwards, the Marauders set off towards the Quidditch Pitch where they found bundles of rocks. Each rock was different in size, shape or "personality".
"I like this one! It's soft and green!" said Peter, excitement shone through his eyes.
"That's because it's full of moss," informed Remus.
"Let's not get a sharp rock. Remember what happened to Sirius with the pointy quill?" exclaimed James. He shivered at the thought of it.
"Good idea," stated Remus, who was scanning the grounds for the perfect rock.
"I found one!" shouted James, after 30 minutes of searching."Look! Look! It's not sharp, it has an interesting color, a tint of orange and white here. Not too big either. It'll be great!"
"James, that's a leaf..." Peter said.
"Oh. Well how about this one?" James picked up a small white rock with specks of dirt all over it.
"The rock looks a tad...well...dull. Why don't we spice it up?" suggested Remus.
The others agreed. Remus simply used his wand to add a smiley face on the rock's rough surface. He then smoothed out the edges so Sirius couldn't inflict too much damage on himself when playing with it.
"There," said Remus as a final statement. They all gathered around the rock and admired it's features.
"Sirius is definately like this pet!" squeaked Peter.
They went back to the common room to find Sirius weeping on the armchair.
"Sirius! We have a surprise for you!" shouted James with glee.
"Another cat?" said Sirius flatly.
"No, no! Surely not. This is a better pet!" James assured Sirius. James pulled out the chosen rock out of his pockets, plucking off bits of lint off of it, and he set it down in front of Sirius. Sirius turned his head on the side (like a dog does) and stared at it.
"What does it do? Does he only know how to sit and stay?" asked Sirius curiously while looking at its smiley face.
"Well yes. See, that's the good thing! He listens to you and he's a good friend, like Ms. Goldie was!" answered James. Remus covered his eyes with his hands, James had said the wrong words.
"And?" Sirius asked, his eyebrows raised.
"Well he likes to, er, pose for pictures! Remember: Pictures hold memories!" said James, trying his best to make Sirius happy.
"You're right. He does look fun," said Sirius quietly. He reached towards the rock and picked it up, then strode towards the window and threw it furiously. The rock hit the glass and shattered it. The rock went flying out the tallest tower in the school and hit...a student at the bottom.
"Dirty-trick-playing-fools!" shouted a dark-haired boy as he rubbed his head.
"See James! We're playing hide-and-go-seek! He's hiding! I'M SEEKING!" shouted Sirius hysterically.
"So it means you like the rock!?" asked Peter, a smile forming on his chubby face. Sirius glowered at Peter while he cowered and hid behind Remus.
"Sirius calm down. The rock was only trying to be your friend," said Remus reassuringly.
"My friend? My friend?!!?" said Sirius, waving his arms about and bashing Peter in the nose.
"Didn't Ms.Goldie mean anything to you!? She's in a special place in my heart. Nothing could ever replace Ms.Goldie! No one I tell you! NO ONE!" shouted Sirius, half shouting, half sobbing.
He ran towards the boys dormitories and slammed the door, but it wouldn't close. Sirius was tugging at the door with all his might but failed. He then muttered, "Stupid door." So he just dove under the blankets with the door wide open.