In the weeks leading up to Christmas, James and Sirius were barely
out of detention. If it wasn't setting up trip jinxes everywhere, it was
teaching the suits of armour rude songs or bewitching the charms classroom
so everything was upside down for a week. Despite their never ending
punishments, they still managed to discover three more secret passages.
And that was with Remus getting ill again and disappearing for a couple of
days.
"I can't believe our first term is nearly over!" hissed Peter from underneath the cloak as the four of them struggled along towards the statue of the hump-backed, one-eyed witch.
"Dissendium!" James whispered and tapped the statue with his wand. The hump slid sideways to reveal a small gap which the boys slid through one by one. They had taken it upon themselves to provide some food and drinks for the end of term party in Gryffindor tower. They started walking briskly down the tunnel, laughing loudly at a joke Sirius had heard in Potions.
The tunnel ended suddenly and James climbed up towards the trapdoor in the ceiling. He slowly opened it a tiny crack and looked out. He gave the others the thumbs up and hoisted himself through. He was in the cellar of Honeydukes! James silently started passing down sweets and cakes and bottles of Butterbeer to his friends. When they had enough to feed an army, he jumped back down the hole and led the group back towards the castle.
"Did you see the look on Evans' face this morning when she saw me?" James giggled as he relived his latest prank. Sirius laughed his loud barking laugh and Remus tried to look disapproving. "Oh come off it Remus! It was so funny seeing her with them growing right out of her head!" Remus shook his head, but giggled slightly.
"Ok hang on," whispered James as they approached the start of the passage. He popped his head up and looked around. "All clear!" the four boys helped each other out of the narrow gap and were about to disappear underneath the invisibility cloak when they heard footsteps behind them.
"Snivellus!" hissed Sirius as the greasy haired boy neared them.
"What are you doing here?" he asked them, glaring at James.
"What's it to you?" James spat.
"Where did you get all that stuff?" Snape ignored James's question and indicated the armloads of sweets.
"Once again, what's it to you?" James stepped closer to Snape.
"You think you're so great, Potter, don't you?"
"Er," James stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Yeah I do."
Snape pulled out his wand but James was quicker. He cracked his wand like a whip and Severus fell to the floor, his body rippling in a sort of Mexican wave of limbs. Peter laughed nastily and James pulled them all quietly under the cloak.
When they arrived back at the common room, the party was in full swing. Everyone was amazed to see the first years enter with so much food and drink.
"Where did you get that?" Lily Evans questioned the boys.
"Never you mind," James told her sharply. She looked rather hurt as she took a handful of Bertie Bott's every flavour beans. The Gryffindor party went on late into the night until Professor McGonagall came in wearing a hairnet and dressing gown.
"Bed time!" she roared "Now!" But Sirius could have sworn she winked at him as she took a lump of chocolate from the table.
James and Sirius said goodbye to Peter and Remus at the train station the next evening. Sirius was to stay with James for the holidays as his parents were going away.
The holidays were pretty uneventful. The boys played Quidditch in James's extensive gardens by day, and endless games of Wizard's chess and exploding snap at night. Before they knew it, they were back on the Hogwarts Express on their way back to school. It was on this train journey that James made his mistake.
James and Sirius had spent the holiday's devising all sorts of new tricks and pranks. James was desperate to try out his new dancing shoe polish. His opportunity came that afternoon when Bellatrix Black came into the carriage.
"Your shoes look a bit scuffed Bella," he said, grinning charmingly. "Let me help!"
"What?" she looked at him as though he was a piece of dirt, and before anyone could stop him, James had bent down and swept the cloth over her shoes.
"James! No!" Sirius cried, but it was too late. Bellatrix began a kind of frenzied tap dance up and down the train. Students kept popping their heads out of their carriages to see what all the fuss was about.
"I'll get you Potter!" she screamed as James laughed hysterically and pointed at her.
"Nice one James," Sirius spat as they retreated back into their compartment. "She's not going to let that on go in a hurry."
"Come off it Sirius it was just a joke."
"If anyone knows what my family are like it's you James!" Sirius fumed. "If she tells my dad I'm in Gryffindor he'll probably pull me out of Hogwarts and it'll all be your fault!"
The rest of the journey was spent in an uncomfortable silence. Sirius sat staring moodily out of the window at the changing scenery. Remus decided to read a book so as to keep out of an argument.
James and Sirius were talking again, albeit rather coolly, by the time the feast began that evening. Lily Evans was excitedly showing Remus her photographs of her skiing holiday.
"Skiing Evans?" Severus walked past their table and looked down his hooked nose at the non-magical photographs. "Isn't that something muggles do?"
"My parents are muggles," Lily replied politely. "And skiing is fun."
"Just when I thought you could sink no lower you go and associate with a mudblood, Potter." Within seconds James was up, his wand pointed at Severus Snape's chest.
"Don't ever say that again you slimy stupid git," James glared at Snape, the anger evident in his eyes.
"James," Remus spoke quietly with a hint of warning in his voice. James knew better than to jinx Snape in front of the entire school and staff. As he watched Severus walk over to the Slytherin table, James let out a tirade of abuse and descriptions of what he'd like to do to Snape.
"James Potter," Lily stopped him short. "Violence isn't always the answer you know. You should ignore Severus he's just a sad, lonely boy."
"No Evans, I'm sorry but he needs teaching." Lily looked at him for a moment, then rolled her eyes and walked away. "Ungrateful cow."
As they were leaving the Great Hall, Bellatrix collared Sirius.
"I'd like a word," she glared at James, Peter and Remus. "In private if you don't mind." She waited til they had walked away then looked her cousin in the eyes. "Ok, remember our little deal? If you don't do what I say, I'll tell your dad you're in Gryffindor." Bellatrix smiled that sickly smile of hers and went on. "I want you to help me get revenge on Potter for what he did to me on the train. He made me look like a fool, and I hate looking like a fool. Now, dear cousin, here's what I want you to do."
"I can't believe our first term is nearly over!" hissed Peter from underneath the cloak as the four of them struggled along towards the statue of the hump-backed, one-eyed witch.
"Dissendium!" James whispered and tapped the statue with his wand. The hump slid sideways to reveal a small gap which the boys slid through one by one. They had taken it upon themselves to provide some food and drinks for the end of term party in Gryffindor tower. They started walking briskly down the tunnel, laughing loudly at a joke Sirius had heard in Potions.
The tunnel ended suddenly and James climbed up towards the trapdoor in the ceiling. He slowly opened it a tiny crack and looked out. He gave the others the thumbs up and hoisted himself through. He was in the cellar of Honeydukes! James silently started passing down sweets and cakes and bottles of Butterbeer to his friends. When they had enough to feed an army, he jumped back down the hole and led the group back towards the castle.
"Did you see the look on Evans' face this morning when she saw me?" James giggled as he relived his latest prank. Sirius laughed his loud barking laugh and Remus tried to look disapproving. "Oh come off it Remus! It was so funny seeing her with them growing right out of her head!" Remus shook his head, but giggled slightly.
"Ok hang on," whispered James as they approached the start of the passage. He popped his head up and looked around. "All clear!" the four boys helped each other out of the narrow gap and were about to disappear underneath the invisibility cloak when they heard footsteps behind them.
"Snivellus!" hissed Sirius as the greasy haired boy neared them.
"What are you doing here?" he asked them, glaring at James.
"What's it to you?" James spat.
"Where did you get all that stuff?" Snape ignored James's question and indicated the armloads of sweets.
"Once again, what's it to you?" James stepped closer to Snape.
"You think you're so great, Potter, don't you?"
"Er," James stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Yeah I do."
Snape pulled out his wand but James was quicker. He cracked his wand like a whip and Severus fell to the floor, his body rippling in a sort of Mexican wave of limbs. Peter laughed nastily and James pulled them all quietly under the cloak.
When they arrived back at the common room, the party was in full swing. Everyone was amazed to see the first years enter with so much food and drink.
"Where did you get that?" Lily Evans questioned the boys.
"Never you mind," James told her sharply. She looked rather hurt as she took a handful of Bertie Bott's every flavour beans. The Gryffindor party went on late into the night until Professor McGonagall came in wearing a hairnet and dressing gown.
"Bed time!" she roared "Now!" But Sirius could have sworn she winked at him as she took a lump of chocolate from the table.
James and Sirius said goodbye to Peter and Remus at the train station the next evening. Sirius was to stay with James for the holidays as his parents were going away.
The holidays were pretty uneventful. The boys played Quidditch in James's extensive gardens by day, and endless games of Wizard's chess and exploding snap at night. Before they knew it, they were back on the Hogwarts Express on their way back to school. It was on this train journey that James made his mistake.
James and Sirius had spent the holiday's devising all sorts of new tricks and pranks. James was desperate to try out his new dancing shoe polish. His opportunity came that afternoon when Bellatrix Black came into the carriage.
"Your shoes look a bit scuffed Bella," he said, grinning charmingly. "Let me help!"
"What?" she looked at him as though he was a piece of dirt, and before anyone could stop him, James had bent down and swept the cloth over her shoes.
"James! No!" Sirius cried, but it was too late. Bellatrix began a kind of frenzied tap dance up and down the train. Students kept popping their heads out of their carriages to see what all the fuss was about.
"I'll get you Potter!" she screamed as James laughed hysterically and pointed at her.
"Nice one James," Sirius spat as they retreated back into their compartment. "She's not going to let that on go in a hurry."
"Come off it Sirius it was just a joke."
"If anyone knows what my family are like it's you James!" Sirius fumed. "If she tells my dad I'm in Gryffindor he'll probably pull me out of Hogwarts and it'll all be your fault!"
The rest of the journey was spent in an uncomfortable silence. Sirius sat staring moodily out of the window at the changing scenery. Remus decided to read a book so as to keep out of an argument.
James and Sirius were talking again, albeit rather coolly, by the time the feast began that evening. Lily Evans was excitedly showing Remus her photographs of her skiing holiday.
"Skiing Evans?" Severus walked past their table and looked down his hooked nose at the non-magical photographs. "Isn't that something muggles do?"
"My parents are muggles," Lily replied politely. "And skiing is fun."
"Just when I thought you could sink no lower you go and associate with a mudblood, Potter." Within seconds James was up, his wand pointed at Severus Snape's chest.
"Don't ever say that again you slimy stupid git," James glared at Snape, the anger evident in his eyes.
"James," Remus spoke quietly with a hint of warning in his voice. James knew better than to jinx Snape in front of the entire school and staff. As he watched Severus walk over to the Slytherin table, James let out a tirade of abuse and descriptions of what he'd like to do to Snape.
"James Potter," Lily stopped him short. "Violence isn't always the answer you know. You should ignore Severus he's just a sad, lonely boy."
"No Evans, I'm sorry but he needs teaching." Lily looked at him for a moment, then rolled her eyes and walked away. "Ungrateful cow."
As they were leaving the Great Hall, Bellatrix collared Sirius.
"I'd like a word," she glared at James, Peter and Remus. "In private if you don't mind." She waited til they had walked away then looked her cousin in the eyes. "Ok, remember our little deal? If you don't do what I say, I'll tell your dad you're in Gryffindor." Bellatrix smiled that sickly smile of hers and went on. "I want you to help me get revenge on Potter for what he did to me on the train. He made me look like a fool, and I hate looking like a fool. Now, dear cousin, here's what I want you to do."