Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters here. They are owned by the great J.K. Rowling. I am not getting any money for this so please don't sue me.
Summary: The Marauders are back. But not everything is going good for them. So what's a Marauder to do? Why pull some pranks of course.
Chapter seven …Two pranks at Hogwarts and A Wormtail in a whomping tree.
All four boys woke up with their heads pounding. They were all rubbing their foreheads and Ron, Neville, and James all turned to Harry each looking with sorrow in their eyes. Harry noticed their stares and asked, "Hey guys, why are you up and what are you looking at?"
Neville looked at Harry and softly replied, "Well mate, it's just…well,…we never knew."
Harry looked at Neville and asked, "Knew what exactly?"
James answered, "We never knew the kind of nightmares you have. I guess because of the spell we also have each other's dreams. So that's what you dream every night? Is there anything we can do for you?"
Harry looked at his three friends and felt angry at them for pitying him. Then Harry felt concern in his head, concern for him from his friends. Harry knew that they weren't looking at him with pity but friendship. Harry thought about it. He then said, "You can do something. Well, we're the Marauders and what is a Marauder if he isn't playing a prank. So we need to plan a prank."
The four boys sat around planning their first prank. Everything was going good until Harry thought of something that put a dampen on everything. "Well this is a good prank, but to pull this off we need the Marauder's Map. And I have no idea what happened to it last year."
James smiled a little bit but then a frown crossed his face. Neville noticed this and asked, "What is it James? You look upset."
James looked at each boy and replied, "Well I know where the map is." James held up his hand as the other Marauders looked up at him with smiles. "The map is in Dumbledore's office and I don't know how to get it. Even if we get it he'll notice it is gone quite quickly and will know that I took it."
Harry started frowning, but looked at each of the boys with an evil grin on his face. "OK, project candy will become the Marauders' second prank. For our first prank we will do something no other students have done. We will sneak into Dumbledore's office and switch the original Marauder's Map with our own version. A little updated version."
The four boys worked on the map all day. They had to fine turn it so that Dumbledore would never figure out that they switched the maps. Then Harry placed another spell on the dots of the Marauders. Ron asked Harry, "What does that spell do?"
Harry replied feeling very proud he did it, "This spell if it works out like it is supposed to will make our dots appear to be in a spot we are supposed to be in." Noticing the confused look on Ron Harry continued, "Suppose I go to the Slytherin common room. Since I should not be there my dot will show up in the Gryffindor common room." Ron thought about this for a second and then nodded his head as he understood.
So the Marauders then discussed how they would pull off the switch. With everyone putting in their own ideas it seemed like nothing could go wrong. Harry reminded the group, "One thing this all involves is that Dumbledore isn't looking at the map when Neville gets him. Otherwise everything is going to miss."
With that the group broke up into two small groups. Ron and James took the remade map and Harry's invisibility cloak, while Harry and Neville went out to the Quidditch pitch. Ron and James stopped in front of the gargoyle protecting Dumbledore's office. Harry mounted his Firebolt and flew around for a little bit. Harry sent out a message to Ron. Ron, where is Professor Dumbledore now?
Ron scanned over the new Marauder's Map to see where Dumbledore was. Harry, Neville, he's in the Great Hall. Ok Neville you're up. Go get him, while we switch the maps.
Neville ran into the Great Hall and found Dumbledore. "Professor, it…it…it's Harry. I think he's hurt. He was going to show me how to fly when he fell off his broom clutching his scar. Please come quick."
Ron studied the map and watched as Neville and Dumbledore went from the Great Hall to the front doors. Ok James let's go and do this. The two Marauders entered Dumbledore's office and quickly found the original Marauder's Map. They exited as quickly and quietly as they entered. Ok Harry, we have the map. Now time to do you magic.
As Neville and Dumbledore reached Harry they noticed him sitting up rubbing his scar. Dumbledore went over to Harry and asked, "Harry what happened?"
Harry answered somberly, "Professor I was going to show Neville how to fly when I had a dream of Voldemort placing the Cruciatus Curse on Wormtail. I guess it was a good thing I didn't fall too far. I should be fine now Professor." Harry hoped he put enough truth into that story to keep Dumbledore from questioning him.
Dumbledore studied Harry for a while before stating, "Very well Harry. However I want you to go see Madam Pompfrey if any thing else happens. But now I shall return to lunch and maybe you can get back to teaching Neville how to fly."
Harry and Neville raced back to their dormitory where Ron and James were waiting. Harry turned to them and asked, "Well, how did the mission go?"
James looked at Harry and responded, "Perfectly! We watched the map and even though we were right outside Dumbledore's office the map showed us in the library. No one looking at our map will know where we are."
Harry thought about this for a second and stated matter-of-factly, "I guess I messed up the spell." With the three others looking at him he explained, "Well, who in their right mind would believe that Ron was in the library? I mean I don't know if he even knows where it is." With that Harry raced out of the dormitory and into the arms of Hermione.
Ron caught up to him and said, "Hey no fair hiding in your girlfriend's arms. You know I'll get you back later Potter, but right now I am off to see Luna." Ron raced out of the common room to find her.
James and Neville came down a few moments later and told Harry that they needed to get going. Harry kissed Hermione passionately, while Neville and James just made disgusted faces at the two. Finally Neville spoke up, "Hey Harry, either find a room or let's go. But you know we are on a deadline." Harry broke away from Hermione who had a confused look on her face. "Don't worry. I'll be back soon to pick up where we left off."
Harry sent a message to Ron who was in the middle of a snog session with Lavender. Ron. Ron! RON! Get your tongue out of her mouth long enough to help with project candy. Ron stopped kissing Luna reluctantly and told her that he would see her later that night.
Ron ran and caught up to the others and said, "Why the hell did you do that? She is such a good kisser. Damn!"
James, Neville, and Harry laughed at Ron. They broke up into groups again to carry out the next plan. Harry and James went to Honeydukes by way of the tunnel behind the statue of the witch with the hump while Ron and Neville went out to the lake. Harry and James took quite a bit of candy from Honeydukes and left three times the value on the counter. Ron and Neville filled three buckets of mud from the shore of the lake.
The next morning at breakfast the Marauders waited patiently for the Owl Post to arrive. Soon they saw a big owl give a package to Dumbledore. Dumbledore looked at the package with a surprised look on his face. When he opened the package a letter floated up to him and said aloud, "This is a present to our friends at Hogwarts. PMSK!" With that candy rained down on the teacher's table. Soon it was followed by candy raining down on the Gryffindor table, followed by Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The Slytherins waited for candy to fall on them too when to their shock mud fell onto them. The Hall was in awe of the candy raining down but everyone broke into laughter at the Slytherins.
As the Marauders exited the Hall James was pulled away quickly. He saw the person who pulled him and found himself looking at Draco.
"Ok James," Draco started, "I know that you and your buddies planned that prank. I won't tell on you, but keep in mind, if I can't make fun of Pothead, Weasel, Forgetful, Mudblood, or you, then it isn't free rein on me. Pull another prank on me and I will make your lives living hells." Draco stomped away with mud running down his back.
James mentally talked to the other Marauders. Guys that was great, but we have a problem. We can't pull another prank on Draco. Hearing mental groans from his friends he continued. He knows it was us. So I say we go to the shack tonight to plan our next prank and figure out how to keep Draco out of it."
Later that night the quartet made their way down to the Whomping Willow. As they were about to push the knot on the tree they felt themselves being magically bound to four trees. As they struggled at their binds their capture spoke to them. "My master thought he would have to wait until later, but with the four of you so willing to give yourselves to me the Dark Lord will not have to wait." Their capture showed his face and the quartet were looking at Wormtail.
A/N Ok that's it for tonight. I borrowed Adhara's idea and see who I could get to be my muses from Hogwarts. Low and behold I end up with the Double mint twins Parvati and Padma. Just my luck. And they said that I should stop now since they are tired. Oh well. Please review. Should I keep going or should I stop? Talk to you later. -------
