A/N: Wow, that was a really quick response. By the way, when I said 80
reviews, I meant get up to eighty, not 80 new ones. Sorry it took a while,
but I wasn't expecting to get them so fast! Let's say get up to reviews
100 this time, that's only another 14. Just think, 100 nice reviews, its
hard to imagine, but of course I couldn't have done it without you, so
thanks for being such brilliant readers. Now, enjoy, and as always, please
R+R!
Life at Hogwarts continued much as it always had for the Marauders in the next few weeks. Quidditch practice and training, homework (unfortunately) and Harry's Animagus lessons took up almost all of their time outside lessons. There were definite downsides to moving up the school, one of the more major ones being an increased workload. Consequently, it was only when the Christmas holidays arrived at last that they had time to set up pranks.
They were all staying over the holidays. Remus's family was scared stiff about his transforming anywhere near them, although they were perfectly supportive while he was over 100 miles away at school. Sirius had been all but disowned - he'd run away from home a few months ago and, apart from a single Howler from his mother, had received no further contact. James was very reluctant to go back to the scene of his parents' murder, at least until the summer. Harry, of course, had nowhere to go in this time, and Peter just stayed to be with them, and not get left out of any pranks.
With so much time on their hands after lessons stopped and their holiday assignments had been completed, they had decided to attempt a very complex prank, one of the most complicated they'd ever done. This came in the form of an intricate set of charms, strategically placed where they would be easily triggered by unsuspecting students.
At Hogwarts, there were some stairs that seemed to have minds of their own already. No one knew why, but by the time a student's first year ended, it was all but automatic for them to jump them. A few, Peter Pettigrew for example, took a bit longer. Knowing this, the Marauders had targeted the stairs on either side of these, as they were ones that everyone would have to stand on.
They were charmed to do things like act like cement, and hold their victim for five minutes, or call out the names of people they had crushes on (secret or not) or something else equally funny and unpleasant. This took them all of their holidays to complete. Just to be certain, they had added the locations of every trap to the Marauders' Map as well as committing them to memory. They had no objection to other people being targeted, but some reservations about triggering their own tricks. It was bad for their reputation, for one thing.
By the time school was due to start again, all of the other students and teachers that had stayed over the holidays were certain that something was up, although no one had any idea what. The Marauders weren't stupid enough to activate the charms until everyone was back - they'd be wasted on the teachers. As for the Marauders themselves, they were in a state of hyperactive excitement.
On the first day of the new term, the Marauders met Lily in the Entrance Hall. If she was surprised to see them, she gave no sign of it. Maybe James had tipped her off.
"Pray allow us to escort you upstairs, fair lady," James said, with an overly extravagant bow. The grin on his face somewhat decreased the effect, but it was still funny. "I, naturally, and my entourage, are at your service." The 'entourage' wasn't too pleased with this speech, and Sirius elbowed James rather hard, but they played along when Lily smiled back and replied,
"Very well, sir knight. You can carry my trunk up to the dorm for me, if you're so keen."
"See to it, Harry, will you?" Harry rolled his eyes and nodded. He looked at the trunk, tried to envisage climbing the stairs with it and muttered,
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Then he jogged quickly after the others to catch up, the trunk soaring after him. He carefully deflected the hexes sent his way by irate students who had to dodge it quickly or risk being flattened.
On the way upstairs, James was levitating Lily lightly over the larger jumps, explaining what each stair would do as he did so. When she protested halfheartedly that she was perfectly capable of doing it herself, he told her smugly that she didn't know where it was required.
One time, just to demonstrate that he really was telling the truth, he deliberately stepped onto one of them. At this point he was desperately hoping that he hadn't lost count on the way. Being stuck for five minutes wouldn't be particularly convenient at this time, especially with Lily looking on.
"James Potter loves Lily Evans!" the stairs sung out loudly and cheerfully. People swung around to look. James flushed scarlet and walked out in front of the others for a while, until his face resumed its normal colour and he found he could look his girlfriend safely in the eyes again.
When they finally reached the Gryffindor tower and climbed in, Remus reassured Lily,
"There's nothing at all to worry about in here, we decided we liked being popular. The Slytherins might have a few problems, but Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff common rooms and dormitories are completely free of pranks."
"Remus, you forgot," James said reproachfully. "Lily, we're at your service whenever you want us. I'd recommend that you take us with you when you leave here, because there are an awful lot of stairs that you don't want to step on."
All over the school, the renowned little white 'M's were appearing as charms were triggered. Most people laughed it off after being caught for the first few times, but some immediately relegated the Marauders to the very bottom of their list of acquaintances. Needless to say, most of these were Slytherins or older students who were very much on their dignity at all times.
The teachers, not spared any of the embarrassment, were learning fast too. Most of them had to completely change their normal routes around the school. A good number favoured using the older ways, the formerly unused back staircases that the Marauders had somehow overlooked. Perhaps this was to leave people an escape route if they were bright enough to find it, or maybe they'd simply been overlooked.
Since the pranks were dismissed by Dumbledore as 'Seasonal High Spirits', no one was punished. He'd been chuckling merrily all Christmas as he watched them set it up, although none of the boys knew that. After a fortnight, the charms vanished as if they'd never been, and the Marauders bent their attentions towards new things, much to the relief of the student and teacher populations.
A/N: Now, you know the score. I've put this lovely chapter up for you, so you press the nice purple box and give me a review for it. Think of it as payment, but dirt cheap compared to a proper book.
Life at Hogwarts continued much as it always had for the Marauders in the next few weeks. Quidditch practice and training, homework (unfortunately) and Harry's Animagus lessons took up almost all of their time outside lessons. There were definite downsides to moving up the school, one of the more major ones being an increased workload. Consequently, it was only when the Christmas holidays arrived at last that they had time to set up pranks.
They were all staying over the holidays. Remus's family was scared stiff about his transforming anywhere near them, although they were perfectly supportive while he was over 100 miles away at school. Sirius had been all but disowned - he'd run away from home a few months ago and, apart from a single Howler from his mother, had received no further contact. James was very reluctant to go back to the scene of his parents' murder, at least until the summer. Harry, of course, had nowhere to go in this time, and Peter just stayed to be with them, and not get left out of any pranks.
With so much time on their hands after lessons stopped and their holiday assignments had been completed, they had decided to attempt a very complex prank, one of the most complicated they'd ever done. This came in the form of an intricate set of charms, strategically placed where they would be easily triggered by unsuspecting students.
At Hogwarts, there were some stairs that seemed to have minds of their own already. No one knew why, but by the time a student's first year ended, it was all but automatic for them to jump them. A few, Peter Pettigrew for example, took a bit longer. Knowing this, the Marauders had targeted the stairs on either side of these, as they were ones that everyone would have to stand on.
They were charmed to do things like act like cement, and hold their victim for five minutes, or call out the names of people they had crushes on (secret or not) or something else equally funny and unpleasant. This took them all of their holidays to complete. Just to be certain, they had added the locations of every trap to the Marauders' Map as well as committing them to memory. They had no objection to other people being targeted, but some reservations about triggering their own tricks. It was bad for their reputation, for one thing.
By the time school was due to start again, all of the other students and teachers that had stayed over the holidays were certain that something was up, although no one had any idea what. The Marauders weren't stupid enough to activate the charms until everyone was back - they'd be wasted on the teachers. As for the Marauders themselves, they were in a state of hyperactive excitement.
On the first day of the new term, the Marauders met Lily in the Entrance Hall. If she was surprised to see them, she gave no sign of it. Maybe James had tipped her off.
"Pray allow us to escort you upstairs, fair lady," James said, with an overly extravagant bow. The grin on his face somewhat decreased the effect, but it was still funny. "I, naturally, and my entourage, are at your service." The 'entourage' wasn't too pleased with this speech, and Sirius elbowed James rather hard, but they played along when Lily smiled back and replied,
"Very well, sir knight. You can carry my trunk up to the dorm for me, if you're so keen."
"See to it, Harry, will you?" Harry rolled his eyes and nodded. He looked at the trunk, tried to envisage climbing the stairs with it and muttered,
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Then he jogged quickly after the others to catch up, the trunk soaring after him. He carefully deflected the hexes sent his way by irate students who had to dodge it quickly or risk being flattened.
On the way upstairs, James was levitating Lily lightly over the larger jumps, explaining what each stair would do as he did so. When she protested halfheartedly that she was perfectly capable of doing it herself, he told her smugly that she didn't know where it was required.
One time, just to demonstrate that he really was telling the truth, he deliberately stepped onto one of them. At this point he was desperately hoping that he hadn't lost count on the way. Being stuck for five minutes wouldn't be particularly convenient at this time, especially with Lily looking on.
"James Potter loves Lily Evans!" the stairs sung out loudly and cheerfully. People swung around to look. James flushed scarlet and walked out in front of the others for a while, until his face resumed its normal colour and he found he could look his girlfriend safely in the eyes again.
When they finally reached the Gryffindor tower and climbed in, Remus reassured Lily,
"There's nothing at all to worry about in here, we decided we liked being popular. The Slytherins might have a few problems, but Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff common rooms and dormitories are completely free of pranks."
"Remus, you forgot," James said reproachfully. "Lily, we're at your service whenever you want us. I'd recommend that you take us with you when you leave here, because there are an awful lot of stairs that you don't want to step on."
All over the school, the renowned little white 'M's were appearing as charms were triggered. Most people laughed it off after being caught for the first few times, but some immediately relegated the Marauders to the very bottom of their list of acquaintances. Needless to say, most of these were Slytherins or older students who were very much on their dignity at all times.
The teachers, not spared any of the embarrassment, were learning fast too. Most of them had to completely change their normal routes around the school. A good number favoured using the older ways, the formerly unused back staircases that the Marauders had somehow overlooked. Perhaps this was to leave people an escape route if they were bright enough to find it, or maybe they'd simply been overlooked.
Since the pranks were dismissed by Dumbledore as 'Seasonal High Spirits', no one was punished. He'd been chuckling merrily all Christmas as he watched them set it up, although none of the boys knew that. After a fortnight, the charms vanished as if they'd never been, and the Marauders bent their attentions towards new things, much to the relief of the student and teacher populations.
A/N: Now, you know the score. I've put this lovely chapter up for you, so you press the nice purple box and give me a review for it. Think of it as payment, but dirt cheap compared to a proper book.