Idea #4: Life is Not Always a Picnic

"James, I don't think now is the best time to try another idea," Sirius began as James whipped out a box of Chocolate Frogs and his wand.

"Lily has only been out of the hospital wing a week," Remus agreed.

"This one is harmless, I'm positive," James replied. "It's just candy with enhanced sweet. I mean, the sugar quills were effective, weren't they?"

The other two looked worried. "Not when it comes to you. Harmless turns into dangerous."

"What harm can a couple of Chocolate Frogs do?"

"We-ell...none, as far as I know. But...just be careful, Prongs," Sirius lectured.

"I will." James pointed his wand at the box of candy. A golden glow surrounded it for a second, then faded.

A sweet, chocolate-y scent filled the air. Sirius and Remus sniffed appreciatively.

"I must admit, so far so good," Remus commented. "The charm worked perfectly."

"Guard the candy, will you? I'm going upstairs to fix my hair." James headed for the boys' dormitories.

The two Marauders shrugged and returned to their homework.

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James checked his hair one last time before heading downstairs. Hearing his footsteps, Sirius and Remus snapped to attention and gazed at the box of Chocolate Frogs as though it held all the secrets of the world..

"Thanks, mates." James scooped up the box. "Pray for me."

Sirius and Remus had picked up their quills once more.

"Hn," was their only response.

James left the common room.

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"How's your back?" one of Lily's Ravenclaw friends, Nicole Greenleaf, asked after their study group session.

Lily put a hand to her puncture-free back. "It's healed, thankfully."

"And your dorm?"

"It took quite a while to air out even with the charms we placed there, but it's miraculously smell-free now."

"Oh, that's good." The girl suddenly stiffened. "Erm, Lily..."

Lily groaned inwardly when she saw James headed for her, a box in hand.

"What does he want now?" she growled through gritted teeth.

Nicole slowly backed away. "I'll leave you two to talk."

"Nicole!" Lily called at her friend's retreating back. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she finally turned to face James.

"Let me guess: you're sorry."

James held out the box. "I really didn't mean to hurt your back last week."

Lily eyed the box warily.

"It's just Chocolate Frogs, promise."

Lily sniffed the air, noticing the chocolate-y smell for the first time. "No wonder it smells so nice in here." She smiled and took the box. "I am kind of hungry."

"So, am I...?"

"Geez, Potter, I must've forgiven you a thousand times already this month!"

Lily opened up the box and fished out a Chocolate Frog.

Then she paused. Something was not right.

Like, there were really big ants crawling up her arm...from the huge swarm covering the chocolate.

"Aaaah! Get them off!"

James immediately went into action and blasted at the ants with his wand.

"Oh gosh." Lily's eyes widened in fear as an ant snapped its huge jaws.

The box fell to the ground. More ants scurried out, more than James could handle.

"HELP!" he yelled.

Remus and Sirius, who happened to be heading to the kitchens for a snack, heard the cry. Nicole, who was only a little down the next hallway, also heard the call.

"Yikes!!!" all three rescuers yelped at the same time when they saw the ants.

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"Well, the ants have been rounded up quite nicely," Professor Dumbledore reported to the five sore teenagers lying in the hospital wing. "Although I must say that we've never had an outbreak quite as large as this one."

"Wow, that really comforts me immensely." Sirius winced as he brushed a finger against an ant bite. "Ouch."

Lily, whose arm was very red and swollen from the encounter with the ants, gave James a look of deepest loathing. Professor Dumbledore chuckled.

"I'm sorry to say that if the candy was supposed to earn Miss Evans's forgiveness, Mr. Potter, she as of now—"

"Hates me," James sighed, at the same time Lily, Nicole, and the other Marauders intoned, "Hates you."

AN: Nicole Greenleaf, who's based on my best friend Pannikittypiggyphant, is mine, by the way.

And to my dear reviewers:

My dear friend xinlingluvxiezhi- Xie xie! Of course, we all know that putting Xi Jie references in will interest you... :) And thank goodness I'm not as crazy as Piggy... :))

Anonymuz- Thanks for the greeting and for recommending this story to your friend! :) I really appreciate it tons. :) Well, I can assure you that I update faster than J.K.... :D

Hogwarts-fanatic91- Thanks! :) Well, one day his plans will work... :)

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Alcapacien- Thanks! :) Sadly, I still can't drive, as here in the Philippines you have to be at least seventeen. :( And hey, torturing James is fun... :))

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