Now, the chapters will be a little longer (I guess I'm getting a little bit better) and the Challenge is finally beginning ...

Don't forget that I do not own Harry Potter's characters !

5. Running Baths

Whatever Marpessa or Frank could have thought of Sirius and James (Huge ego or arrogant git), they had to admit that, as far as they were concerned, the two Marauders were pranks professionals. On the first day of the Prank and Fight Challenge, it became obvious.

Marpessa was taking her dinner in the Great Hall. She was a bit nervous, because she feared to be pranked in front of the whole school. In the morning, she had gone a bit paranoid when she had received mail and had double-checked the letter her parents sent her. Every time she had walked in the corridors, she had made sure she wouldn't be alone. So she had to hear Rose's complaint about her Charm extra-homeworks or Gwen asking her how Muggles could fly in those big things called "plane".

On his side, Frank had avoided every bit of green he had seen during the day, causing him to go crazy during Herbology lessons. But he saw no sign of Snape's hooked nose or of Bellatrix's idiot face. And now that it was dinner time, Frank was trying to convince Marpessa to relax.

"They won't do anything in front of the whole school. And there's the teachers too."

"I can't believe they'll let us go free ... I mean, it's not like the Slytherins ... They didn't even call me 'Mudblood'. It must be a trap, I'm sure ..." replied Marpessa, jumping with angst when Lily and Rose exploded in laugthers next to her. Kingsley Shacklebot had set in fire his robes while cleaning his wand on them.

"Well, they've tried you know", said Frank, glancing nervously at the laughing girls. "When we were in Potions. Don't you notice ?"

"I was a bit busy, you see. Rose's cauldron melted and her Babbling Beverage nearly burned Lily and I's feet ..."

"Blimey ! She's really clueless in Potions ... But, as I said, that Malfoy bloke was about to yell something at you, but Sirius sent him a nice Silence Charm. You sure you did see nothing ?"

"Told you. I was handling that melted cauldron ... Anyway, where's that Black ? And there's no sign of James neither."

"Looking for you lover ?" said suddenly Rose, sniggering disgracefully.

"You, Andromache, you shut - "

But a loud BANG interrupted Marpessa. The doors of the Great Hall opened suddenly.

"The Slytherins" muttered Marpessa, tensely.

"No", said Frank with a smile. "No, look !"

And she saw them, "They've lost their minds ..."

This must have been the most weird scene ever sighted at Hogwarts - including when James had set free a Snitch during breakfast in fifth year. The whole school had enjoyed Mrs Norris chasing it and Filch chasing Mrs Norris. But now, three old-fashioned legged baths were posted at the Great Hall entrance and three naked people were still in them, apparently asleep. None of the baths were moving, as if they were waiting for some kind of signal.

"It's Snape ! And the Lestrange Brothers !" yelled suddenly Bertha Jokins, a forth-year Hufflepuff.

It was true. The three Slytherins must have been caught while they were taking their baths. But how could have James and Sirius enter the Slytherins bathrooms ?

And then, a loud voice echoed in the Great Hall. A voice coming from a flying magical megaphone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Salazar Circus proudly presents you the mad old-fashioned baths race, the first ever presented in England !"

The baths seemed to regain life and when the violet megaphone exploded in thousands of sparkles, the race begun. The whole school burst into laughter. Even a great deal of Slytherins could simply just enjoy the show. Never the students had witnessed something similar to those three baths racing and some of them would have gave their soul in order to capture this scene forever.

The baths had started in a spectacular way, spilling loads of hot water on the Great Hall's marble floor. Instantly, the students of each houses chanted their favourite's name, Severus Snape, hoping it would encourage his legged-bath. ..., Rastaban and Rodolphus were quickly left behind by Snape's bath velocity. Actually, it was more galloping like a horse than racing like a conventional old-fashioned bath. Nevertheless, the Lestrange brothers kept banging into each other, fighting proudly for the second place. As Rastaban's bath nearly overturned, Marpessa exclaimed "I can't believe this !"

She was laughing to tears. "If they're caught, they're no better than dead .."

"They'll never have us, as we're innocently watching the race, like everyone", said Sirius voice behind her.

"What did you do ?" She tried not to laugh, as she didn't want to please too much Sirius.

The boy made a I'm-too-sexy-for-you grin and sat next to her, saving a place for James.

"First of all, you should know it was Remus' idea ... We used that Cloak of James and that beautiful face of mine to introduce ourselves in the Slytherins bathrooms." He whispered in her ear and he was so near her, she could feel his breath on her neck. "It was easy enough to convince a girl to give me the password. Said I'll go with her to the next Hogsmeade trip. She was so happy she could have done anything for me ... Hope you're jealous, are you Cauldwell ?"

Marpessa did not blush, as she was used to that stupid behaviour of Sirius. It was like he really thought he could have any girls, because he was so handsome and so popular. The truth was he could have any brainless girl ...

Marpessa poked Sirius hard to get rid of him.

"Think you're some sort of Prince Charming, do you ?" She said briskly. "You make me missed the end of the race".

It was Snape's bath who reached first the teachers' table and won the race.

"ENOUGH !" shouted suddenly Professor MacGonagall "SILENCE !"

The whole school went silent immediately and the professor cast a spell that awoke Severus, Rodolphus and Rastaban.

"I have never seen such a ridiculous exhibition ! What a disgusting behaviour ! If we ever caught the guilty ones, they can be sure they'll be expelled ! Hear my words ! Now I want all of you in their common room and I forbid you to talk ! IMMEDIATELY !"

They all stood up at once, afraid of Professor MacGonagall's livid face. Her nostrils But James and Sirius did not seem really concerned. In fact, James even said "We'll never know what will say Snivelus when he'll catch up ... Maybe he'll cry. Ah ! Can't believe they've ruined the best day of my life !" He sighed.

Lily gave him a suspicious look. "You're generally - not to say always - involved when it's about Snape, aren't you Potter ?" She said, "It wasn't you this time, was it ?"

"I'm very flattered that you think so highly of me, Evans", just replied James. He blushed and urged to find the three other Marauders. He wished so badly he could just talk to her without going red so quickly ...

"I'll move this summer. Can't stand that Black House anymore" He had said grimly.

"You'll leave your family ?"

"Family ? Would you call people who want to legalize Muggle-hunting family ?"

"I mean ... er Where are you going ?"

"James place ... The Potters are family"

"You sure you can do that ?"

"Absolutely, if I want to ! Will you ... Will you still write to me ?"

"Of course"

She had never thought of what might be Sirius out of school. The son of the "Toujours pur" House of Black ... Exactly the type of people who ended up in Slytherins. But Sirius never talked of his family, even if a lot of his cousins were at Hogwarts. He was hiding it well behind his playboy behaviour ...

"The owl will find me, don't you worry"

"Ok ... er ... Take care please"

"Yeah I say don't worry ... We'll see each other in September."

"Right ..."

'"I say don' worry !"

Then he had kissed her, just in case ...