The potion was soon bubbling merrily away in the cauldron.
"Oh wait, we've got this wrong!" Lily exclaimed in dismay. "It says here the fluxweed has to be picked at full moon, we can't use this stuff" she picked up the vial of fluxweed, she had used. looking over at James with an irritated expression
"Well that's no problem, we'll get some next time we go on a jaunt with Moony!" James winked at Remus, who smiled unenthusiastically back
"Well I've done everything I can now, so we'll just have to hide this pot and cover it until the next full moon, when we can add the fluxweed, then we only need one more ingredient" Lily said getting up
"What? I thought we'd got everything!" James exclaimed
"Oh, we need some hair or something from Rudolphus and whoever else you want to transform into"
"Well that should be easy, we'll just get our pal Wormy here, to get that for us" Sirius said slapping Peter on the back.
Two weeks passed and the full moon waxed into the sky, the Maruaders went on their usual night-time rendevous, to the shrieking shack. On the way back they picked up some fluxweed, easier in their animal form, as they could sniff it out. Lily could now add this ingredient to the now, rather smelly, potion.
Another two weeks went by and the potion was now ready to use. It was only left to decide, finally, who would do the transformation and into who. After much discussion and debate, it was finally decided (with a lot of persuasion on James part) that James and Lily should transform into Rudolphus and Bellatrix. Everyone agreed and felt that Lily, who was now an honourary Marauder, would be made a full member for taking part in this prank.
It wasn't much trouble for Peter to get the hair from Rudolphus and Bellatrix. Lily had made him a little harness to wear when he became a rat, it held two bags to collect the hairs in, one with an 'R' and one with a 'B', so as not to get them mixed up. He had scurried up to their rooms and collected the hairs from their respective beds.
Lily and James prepared for their part by getting some costumes. They went to Hogsmead to do a little clothes shopping, but did not get the Slytherin couple's usual type of clothing. Going into the grottiest, old second hand shop in town they bought old fashioned underwear and ratty old robes, much to the surprised delight of the gnarly looking shopkeeper. Lily also bought makeup in hideous colours and some over the top costume jewellery. They got back to school giggling over their purchases and showed them to the rest of the gang, who had all had a good laugh over them too. The Maruaders were now really looking forward to executing their plan.
The day came, the Monday after their shopping trip; the potion was ready and Lily and James were mentally prepared, making sure they knew Rudolphus's and Bellatrix's mannerisms really well to make themselves as believable as possible. They had found out that the Slytherin couple had Ancient Runes that afternoon and the gang planned on keeping them in that classroom for a while. Sirius and Remus were the ones who would do this task.
After waiting for the other students to come out, the two of them watched for their targets. Once they were out Sirius approached
"I'd like a word Rudolph" Sirius said, purposefully mispronouncing his name, "in there" he indicated, pointing to the now empty classroom they had just come out of.
Rudolphus just snorted distainfully and smirked, moving as to push past
"I insist!" Sirius repeated, more loudly this time, bumping him back with his body and holding his wand up, threateningly.
"Well, I suppose we could spare a few minutes," Rudolphus said, giving in, obviously finding this threat to him more tiresome than frightening. As soon as they were back in the classroom Rudolphus immediately asked:
"So what is it that is so important, Black?" Rudolphus asked, emphasising the 'B'. He raised his eyebrows expectantly, giving a smug smile to his equally malicious minded girlfriend.
"Only this!" Sirius shouted, smiling and running full pelt out of the door. Remus was waiting for him and they grinned at each other, triumphantly. Holding the door shut firmly, the two Maruaders both then threw loads of hexes at the door with their wands, in order to keep it locked shut. Sirius raced out of the school leaving Remus to hold the door and round to the outside of the classroom to do the same, very quickly, to the windows. The gang knew that this would not hold Rudolphus and Bellatrix long, as they were both very powerful and would eventually be able to break free. As long as they were in that classroom for at least an hour though, it was enough time for the damage to be done.
Once they felt the classroom was secure, Remus and Sirius sent a note up to James and Lily, whispering their friends names and uttering a flying spell on it. The note flew off up the corridor and didn't stop until it reached it's recipient.
The note landed into James's hand and after reading it he signaled to Lily that it was time
"Well, here goes!" James said, smiling encouragingly at Lily who looked really nervous
"Don't worry it will be alright, it'll be fun, just you wait and see! Don't forget, you're probably not going to get another chance to be this bad again, so make the most of it!" Lily smiled back at him, slightly cheered by this statement and feeling more confident. They both downed their respective potions and waited. They had gone back into the old classroom again to begin their transformations, sitting with their backs to one another, as the book warned that it would not be a pretty sight. Once the transformation was complete, they turned around and just stood for a while, looking at one another in shock, their brains trying to get around the fact that they were now staring at their hated enemies faces instead of their own familiar ones. Standing with their backs to one another again, they changed into their outfits with James sneaking peaks every now and again.
"You've got a much better bottom than she has you know" James observed, getting a slap on the arm to turn round from Lily, but she was still smiling at the compliment.
Lily's outfit consisted of an old fashioned and rather stained, pair of waist high underwear and a greying bra, topped off with black, ripped and holed tights, an old dress and robe that she planned on taking off later and of course, the really badly applied make-up and jewelry. James's outfit was a pair of grubby, rather dubiously smelling, long johns, scruffy, ripped trousers and a fraying old, knitted tank top, finished off with a decrepit old wizards hat and a pair of dangly clip on earrings.
Now to the Marauders, these were the sort of outfits they could have easily worn for a laugh at a fancy dress party, but Bellatrix and Rudolphus would have rather walked through fire than have lowered themselves to wear things like that. They always dressed and acted as if they were superior to everyone else and looked down on anyone who couldn't afford the things that they could.
All dressed and ready, James and Lily made their way down to the Great hall, both their stomachs churning with nerves. All the other students had already started their dinner. Peter had announced their arrival previously, to make sure that as many people as possible saw them come through the doors. He just started a whispered rumour, telling everyone that the snobby couple had been drinking and were walking around in ridiculous outfits.
Lily and James smiled, nodded to one another and blew each other a kiss before literally falling through the door to into the room. Walking unsteadily and as convincingly drunken as possible, James and Lily made their way to the Slytherin table, losing their balance now and again for effect. They pretended not to know what everyone was staring at, looking around and at each other incredulously. Then in Bellatrix's snotty tone, Lily launched into a tirade
"What's the matter? You lot never seen a girl before?" she slurred, losing her balance and bouncing off a nearby student. People were starting to laugh; it was working! When they got near the Slytherin table, some of Rudolphus's gang started whispering "What the hell is going on" and "What are you doing?" to them both, but the twosome ignored them. Then Lily began climbing the table, helped by James and started to walk along it singing out of tune, which was difficult as Lily normally had a lovely singing voice. As she sung, she began to take off her clothes teasingly, like a stripper, much to the amusement of all except the Slytherin table who kept trying to convince her to come down. If anyone pulled her however, she merely slapped their hands away or used her wand to give them an electric shock, making them let go. Their display had got the attention of the teachers now and the only one who didn't seem to care was Dumbledore. He stayed sitting in his chair a slight smile on his face, watching with interest. Professor Snapcase the Arithmancy teacher, threatened Lily as Bellatrix with detention if she didn't come down, but she ignored him, carrying on her song and beginning to undo the buttons of her dress. Professor Cobalt head of Slytherin House, ordered her down, threatening her with a month of detentions for every evening after school. At this Lily, taking a deep breath for courage, bent down smiling suggestively at the potions teacher. She then kissed him full on the lips, holding his head tightly, to prevent him from pulling away. He eventually managed to get out of her grasp and looked very flustered, as he was a rather ugly and charmless man and probably didn't get kissed very often. By the time he had got his composure back Lily had already taken off her dress to reveal her 'sexy' underwear. She was really getting into her part now and thoroughly enjoying herself. All these years she had treated the Maruaders pranks with derision and now she was only just finding out why they had loved doing them so much.
She swung the dress around over her head for effect, threw it at the red faced potions teacher, then sashayed unsteadily further down the table, slipping every now and again on spilt food or drink. All the time she had been doing this, James had been clapping and cheering her on with a big grin on his face. Everyone was either too embarrassed to say anything or enjoying the show too much, so no students made a move to stop her.
Lily had now sat down, James throwing off any teachers attempts at making a grab for her. She was balancing her legs on the shoulders of a very embarrassed and rather overweight boy, while she peeled off her tights as sexily as if they were silk stockings. As a finishing touch she pulled them over his head, making him look like a bank robber. The boy quickly pulled them off, red faced, but tucked them sneakily into his pocket, when he thought no-one was looking.
"I'm coming lover!" James called in a sing song voice, climbing up on the table, after seeing she had finished her part of the show. He felt so proud of her convincing performance, his normally reserved and quiet girlfriend, to his pleasant surprise, was a great actress. Once up, he also stripped off, to reveal his stained and rather musty smelling underwear, trying to dance like Lily had and nearly falling off the table in the process. When he had finished, James reached out his hand to Lily to help her stand up and they began tangoing up and down the table, stepping in peoples dinners and spilling drinks all over the place. Professor Cobalt was now near boiling point, his face bright red with a vein bulging and throbbing in his temple.
"Get off from there now, before I do something that you might regret!" He spat, holding out his wand threateningly
Lily and James decided that enough was enough and they got down. Once on the floor and after an eye signal from James, they suddenly knelt on the ground begging for forgiveness from the potions Professor and hanging on to his robes, crying like scolded children. This got most of the now riveted audience roaring with laughter.
"Please forgive us, we didn't mean it, we've just had a little drinky that's all, you know how it is; just to help us through the day!" James said pleadingly, looking up at the disgusted teacher, who was trying to disengage their hands from his robes.
The headmaster had come over now looking furious, "Kindly keep control of your students Cubrick (professor Cobalt's first name) or I will put you on detention with them!" he said glowering at the potions teacher, who was still trying to tug his robes from James's hands.
"Yes, of course Headmaster" Cobalt said respectfully, nodding at him, then turned to the groveling twosome on the floor
"You two, go and sober up and get changed and be waiting by my office in half an hour!" he snarled.
This was perfect, as half an hour had already gone by. That left them half an hour to get back to the room were they had left their clothes, get changed, wait to transform back into themselves and saunter into their next class as if nothing had happened. It wasn't unusual for the Maruaders not to turn up for meals in the Great Hall, as they were rather friendly with the house elves and in the summer often got them to make up a picnic that they could take into the grounds to eat. They would also let Rudolphus and Bellatrix out of the classroom, if they hadn't already broken out as Remus and Sirius wouldn't be able to hold them much longer.
As soon as Lily and James reached the outside of the Great Hall, they both collapsed into hysterical Laughter. Talking about what they had just done in-between snorts and chortles, they made their way towards the old classroom, both feeling completely exhilarated and that they had definitely got their own back.