HARRY POTTER AND THE BREATH OF LIFE
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other known character from the Harry Potter series. I do own the plot and a few characters.
Chapter 2 – The Marauders year five
For four years Iris and Sirius never exchanged a word. Due to her unsocial nature and Sirius's popularity, they never became friends. In fact Iris only spoke to Sarah, who was now a sixth year prefect and a Chaser to the Gryffindor Quidditch team; Lily, who was also a prefect and Remus, also a prefect. Although her conversations with Remus were on the basis of:
" Hi, Renata."
" Hi, Lupin:"
And that was it.
But the fact that Iris and Sirius didn't talk to each other and that Sirius was utterly oblivious to Iris existence hadn't shrunk Iris' infatuation for him. That was very difficult because he became more handsome. He was taller and his hair was bigger, falling to his face gracefully, almost reaching his shoulders. Occasionally he had it in a ponytail, which, in Iris's opinion, looked great.
The feeling that had arisen in the first year was still there. But Sirius was the most desirable boy in Hogwarts and could have any girl and Iris was sure that she wasn't in his list.
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November. The Marauders were low on pranks. Remus and Peter were working for their OWLs; James was in the hospital wing due to a potion that Snape had given him, that had cause a weird disease that Madam Pomfrey didn't seem to be able to cure and Sirius was busy with the creation of the biggest prank ever to throw on Snape to make him pay for what he had done to James. Lily was also studying and Iris and Sarah were working on a project of their own.
At the end of the week James was finally cured after Dumbledore had made Snape give the antidote. He and Sirius got together to give the final touches to the prank.
The next Friday was the day chosen for the prank to be pulled. In the early morning Sirius prepared everything. Then he headed to the Great Hall to join his friends for breakfast. He sat down next to Remus and served himself some eggs and toast.
" Prank is set." he said quietly. " I just have to be there to see. Imagine Snivellus covered in green, stinking, eechie…stuff." he continued dreamily.
" I can only imagine. Unfortunately we can't be there, otherwise we will be blamed instantly." said Remus.
" I'm under the impression we'll be blamed anyway. Besides, if we did things right – which I'm sure we did – you'll get a glimpse because the effect lasts 48 hours." Said Sirius grinning.
" Sweet! I can't wait." Said James eagerly.
" Calm down, Prongs. So, here's the plan. Moony and Wormtail, you go to library and make sure Madam Pince sees you. Prongs, you go to the hospital wing and stay there until…hum…you feel like it, basically. You just have to make sure you are nowhere near the site of the "crime"."
" Got it, Padfoot. And where are you going to be?" asked Remus.
" Near the site! Gotta make sure he gets it. Think I'm gonna put it in two places. If he misses the first, he may get the second."
" Good thinking Padfoot. Let's go then. Good luck!" said Remus.
The four friends got up and left the Great Hall. Remus and Peter went to the library and James went to the hospital wing. Sirius made his way to the first floor where the prank was set. He still had to make the necessary adjustments in order to put it in two different places. Then he hid inside a classroom and waited.
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Iris was running to the Great Hall when she bumped against Snape.
" You could try and stay out of other people's way, Snape." She said panting.
" Watch your step, Gryffindor. Next time, you can get into trouble." Said Snape defiantly.
" Uh! I'm so scared! And I have a name, Slytherin. Too bad you don't know it."
" Oh dear! I wonder how it is that I can live without knowing your name. I think I'm going to through myself from the Astronomy tower." Said Snape, his voice full of sarcasm.
" Go ahead. You won't be missed." Iris shot, her voice coinciding with Snape's.
Snape looked at her and left.
What the hell was he doing here? Iris thought to herself. She shook her head and then remembered where she was going. But something on the floor caught her attention. It was a flask filled with a black solution. It had an Unbreakable Charm in it, because it was intact. She picked it up and smiled at it. It belonged to Snape and she was going to make him beg for it. So she restarted running.
She caught up to him halfway in the first floor.
" OI, Snape!" she yelled.
He stopped dead in his tracks. He turned and looked at her with an eyebrow raised.
" Can I help you?" he asked in mock kindness.
Iris stopped a mile away from him and waved the flask in front of her. Snape's expression changed from a who-are-you-and-what-do-you-want look to an oh-my-God-where-did-you-get-that look.
" Where-did-you-get-that?" Snape roared.
Watching the action, hiding in a classroom, was Sirius. He was cursing under his breath because Iris had stopped Snape two steps from the prank. And Snape just wasn't moving.
" Two steps back." Sirius whispered. "Just two steps backwards. Is that too much to ask?"
Outside, back in the corridor, Snape was ready to fulminate Iris with his eyes.
" Give-it-back. Now!" he yelled furiously.
" You need to learn to relax, Snapie. Now, what does this do?"
" It doesn't matter. Give it back, you stupid Gryffindor."
" I don't think so, you filthy Slytherin. You'll have to ask nicely."
At this remark Snape pulled out his wand. Iris did the same and when Snape started saying "Acc…" she shouted "Expelliarmus!" and Snape's wand flew from his hand, landing right in front of Iris. Before he could make to get it, she placed a foot on top of it.
" That is not nice, Snapie. Now, try again. But this time without the hexing."
Snape had no choice. Fearless, he decided to snatch the flask manually. So he made his way to her. Iris was caught by surprise so instead of using her wand she escaped from him. With a quick movement she was out of Snape's way.
In the classroom Sirius was going ballistic because now Snape was far from the prank and Iris was moving backwards, in the prank's direction.
" Don't move. Please go away." Sirius whispered. He couldn't intervene. Disaster was going to strike.
Iris was now backing up, expectant. Snape had succeeded in getting his wand back.
" I'm sick of this game, Gryffindor. Just give me the flask and I won't hurt you." Said Snape meanly.
He started walking in Iris' direction. She took a step back.
Sirius flinched at Iris's movement.
" No, no, no. Don't do that!" he whispered, panicking. He had to think fast.
Snape moved again and Iris took another step back.
Sirius closed his eyes and waited. He was going to be in trouble because of Snape but getting into extra trouble because he had pranked a fellow Gryffindor was not in his plans. He was going to have to remove Iris from the scene and make sure she was all right.
Five seconds later he heard a scream and a laugh. He carefully opened his eyes and surveyed the scene.
Standing in front of Sirius's location stood Iris. She was now covered with a green, smelly and disgusting liquid. A few feet from her Snape was roaring with laughter.
When he finally recovered he walked over to Iris and snatched the flask from her.
" You can always count on a Gryffindor to get what you want. And green is your colour. Ah! And don't mess with me again. Ta-ta!" Snape said, smiling broadly. He was enjoying himself. After laughing a bit longer he left. Iris stood in the same place, in shock.
Sirius made a decision. Once Snape turned his back on Iris he left the classroom and pulled Iris inside. He waited a few seconds until he heard another scream. This time it was Snape. Sirius smiled at his geniality.
" Good thing I doubled the prank. Take that you greasy git." He said happily to himself. Then he remembered he had company. When he turned he received a handful of the green liquid straight in face. I guess I deserved that. Not totally though. He thought. Iris was eyeing him angrily.
" What the hell were you thinking, Sirius Black?" she spitted.
" Please understand, Renata. The prank wasn't for you. I assure you that." He said, cleaning his eyes as he went.
Iris looked at him. But this time it was in a different way. He knows who I am? She thought to herself.
" This is all Snivellus' fault. He was supposed to get it, no one else. Please forgive me."
" I'll forgive you the moment you take this off me. I think it's penetrating my clothes. I can feel it in my skin and I'm not liking it."
" I feel the same way. Ok. Take it off… Well, I know there is a shampoo or something James was working on. But I don't know if he made it."
" He better have. This is gross, Black. And it stinks." She said, covering her nose.
" I know. But if he hasn't… hum… it lasts 48 hours."
" WHAT?" Iris yelled. "48 hours? That's two whole days, Black. I can't sleep with this."
" I know. Please relax."
" I can't relax until this is gone. Hurry up, Black. I'm going to be sick."
" Ok. I'm gonna check if the coast is clear. Then we run to the Gryffindor Tower. We'll get this out, I promise."
" I hope you are as good in keeping your promises as you are in planning pranks. Let's go. The faster we leave, the faster we'll get cleaned."
Sirius checked the corridor and beckoned Iris to follow him. They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady in one minute. She looked at them in disgust and asked for the password. The moment Sirius crossed the portrait hole he heard James, Remus and Peter laughing their hearts out. The moment they saw Sirius they stopped laughing.
" Snape looked good, but it doesn't suit you, Padfoot." Said Remus, controlling himself.
" Thank you for the info, Moony. Now, James, you worked on the cleaning product didn't you?" Sirius asked calmly.
" Sure I did. I was meaning to make him beg for it." James answered.
" I want it. Quickly."
" It's in my trunk. I'll go get it."
James made his way up the boys' dorm and was back five seconds later carrying a bottle with him.
" Here you go, Padfoot. Just one question. How did it get you?"
" Well, basically, it caught Renata first. Then she threw it at me."
" That explains a lot. Which Renata?" asked Remus.
" Iris. I gotta go. We'll talk later."
" Sirius, you have to rub hard to get it out." Advised James.
" Right. Rub hard."
" And Sirius, use the prefects' bathroom. The password is "Scented Candles"." Said Remus.
" Thanks Moony. I owe you one. See you guys."
Sirius left the common room and met Iris leaning against the wall, covering her nose.
" Let's go.
Remus gave me the password for the prefects' bathroom and James gave me the
product."
" Lead the way, Black."
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I know that this chapter is big, but I have loads of ideas.
Next one: the prefects' bathroom. What will happen?
Please review. I'd like to know what you think of my writing. The story makes sense, trust me.
