A/N Thank you to my reviewers Sirius4eva, Emrisah, KatrinaRayne, and every one else! If anything you guys read in this story seems a bit on the juvenile side, it's because I'm only 13. Yeah, go figure…Anywho! I went to this Lock In and stayed up till like 6 in the morning! We made brownies at 4 and ate them at 5:15. Fun fun! I would very much like for sixth year to be over so time is about to speed up. Well, after this chapter anyway. I can't wait to write the summer. I have this other story I started writing, it won't be posted for a long time because I'm concentrating on this. But it's set in Harry's time. On to the story:)
Chapter 9: If I Should Die Before I Wake…
"This is going to be good!" James said to his fellow Marauders. They sat at the Gryffindor table during breakfast waiting eagerly for the clock to strike 7:35 A.M. exactly. It had taken all night to get everything just right. The prank of the century was about to commence.
"Ye gods. They're all smirking." Jen said fearfully as the girls approached the Marauders.
"What have you done and/or are planning to do?" Lily asked suspiciously.
"Why what ever do you mean, Lily Flower?" Sirius asked.
"Yes Love, what could we have possibly done?" James said patting the seat beside him. Lily sat down glancing at the seat before doing so.
"Cut the crap Potter. We know you're up to something." Andromeda said.
"My dearest sister Lady Bug. If you want to know so much, just have patience." Aden smiled.
"So you are planning something." Hannah's voice was devoid of emotion.
"I absolutely, definitely did not say anything of the sort. You assume to much Hannah-Hoo." Aden replied seriously giving her a pointed look.
"She isn't assuming. We all know that you know what no one else knows that you did something." Jen said matter-of-factly.
"Angelic Jenny, you confuse me." Remus raised his hands in surrender as Jen responded to the name.
"Have you noticed girls?" Lily asked her friends.
"What?" Andromeda looked puzzled.
"They're using our nicknames. All of them. They only do that when they're--" Hannah finished Lily's sentence.
"Humoring us." The Marauders smiled widely.
"How right you are!" James glanced at the clock as it struck 7:35 A.M. exactly.
And that is when all hell broke loose.
The first course, as the Marauders had planned five, was raining down on the Great Hall. Every person, save the teachers, Marauders, and girls, were being pelted with water balloons. Except they were no ordinary water balloons. When they exploded an instant freezing charm was cast over the victims.
The second course consisted of the Slytherins having they're hair and faces turned red and gold. The rest of the room was turned electric blue.
The third course was exclusively for Severus Snape. He jumped up from the table as if stung. He sprouted a pink serpent tail, a forked tongue that kept darting in and out of his mouth, and his eyes narrowed to slits. Snape (the unfortunate fellow) then jumped up onto the table and began to sing a song professing his love to McGonagall.
My dear Minerva, whatever would I do?
If something were ever to happen to you?
The way you teach sets my heart ablaze,
Finding your classroom is like trying to walk through a maze!
I can't wait to graduate,
If I can be with you,
With my undying love,
You're an angel from above.
The Hall erupted in laughter as the song ended. But they're laughter was short lived.
Because just then the fourth course sent honey pouring all over everyone. Hundreds of pillows were torn open and emptied on to the screaming student body. Cries of "My hair!" and "This was my best robe!" could be heard everywhere.
"And now the finale." James whispered in Lily's ear.
Fire crackers, sparklers, and every kind of firework known to the wizarding world erupted. Brilliant multicolored lights and booms and wheee's filled the air as the finest pyrotechnical display took place.
When the clock hit 7:45 it was all over. Hogwarts students had entered the Hall dry, warm, normally colored, and clean. As the students headed off to class freezing, oddly colored, and resembling abnormally tall chickens; the teachers descended on the only eight people left.
"This is an OUTRAGE! What on earth were you thinking?" McGonagall yelled at the hysterical Marauders. Lily and co. were struggling not to laugh and look disapproving at the same time.
"Sorry Professor laugh we laugh take full laugh responsibility." James fell off his chair in uncontrollable laughter.
"As well you should! That--" McGonagall was cut off.
"Was absolutely uncalled for! Why did you have to pick him of all people? After I explicitly told you not to raise a wand against him. I will personally escort you off the Hogwarts and straight into the heart of the Forbidden Forest, where I will abandon you without wands!" Hannah exploded.
"Miss Lerona that is quite enough! I have no doubt that you boys take responsibility, but seeing as the girls are yet unscathed, all eight of you will have detentions. The Headmaster will assign your rooms for Friday night detentions for the rest of the month." With that she walked off.
"Detention! I have never had a detention in my life!" Lilly said furiously.
"Neither have I, and I hadn't planned on starting now. I can't believe you guys got us detention!" Jen glared at the Marauders.
"Wouldn't you prefer detention to having that particular prank pulled on you?" Sirius asked weakly.
"No!" Lily and Hannah said in unison.
"Well…" Andromeda toyed with her hair thoughtfully.
"It was rather sweet of them to spare us…" Jen said cautiously. The Marauders beamed.
"You can't be serious!" Lily said. "At least the effects of the prank can be removed. A detention will forever be an ugly black mark on your record!"
"Do me favor Aden?" Hannah said.
"Umm, sure." He replied carefully.
"Never call me Hannah-Hoo again. That is strictly for people whom I favor." She said coldly and headed to class.
Aden stood in her wake looking devastated. He couldn't figure out what he had done to make her so mad. So he had told James about Snape, big deal. He told his friends everything she should know that.
"Lets go to class." Andromeda said resignedly.
"You did it on purpose!" Lily yelled at James.
"No I didn't! I'm telling the truth when I say that Peeves dropped the ink bottle on you!"
"The truth…" Lily had a flashback of that day by the lake. "Yes the truth…"
"Evans, are you okay?" James waved his hand in front of her face.
"Yes I'm fine. Potter, get your hand away from my face." Lily looked around. "Where's Jen?"
"Haven't seen her." Hannah said from her homework.
"She mentioned something about going to the Library." Remus replied helpfully.
"How long ago?" Lily asked.
"Two hours I think."
"I'm going to go look for her." Hannah said. Remus decided to go with her.
One Hour EarlierJen was walking through the East corridor off of the Library intending to go to the Common Room. She had finished most of the homework for the week and wanted to curl up with book for an hour or two. Plus she had a great new spell to show everyone.
Unbeknownst to her Snape had heard Jen telling Lupin where she would be. Malfoy had told him what they were going to do. He had said to target Hannah's cousin for she was most dear to her. It was a brilliant plan and would strike every one of those arrogant Gryffindors. Their prized student was about to be taught the worst lesson of her life.
"Hum-diddle-diddle-dumb…" Jen hummed to herself. Up ahead she saw Snape and Malfoy come from behind a statue. 'Maybe they were snogging!' She thought and laughed aloud.
"What's so funny, Darenger?" Malfoy sneered.
"Not that it's any of your concern." She said brushing past them.
"Don't turn away from your superiors when they're speaking to you!" Snape warned.
"I'm a pure blood too, you know. So in a sense I'm your superior. Intellectually, manner-wise, and I'm not spoken ill-of quite as often as the two of you."
"Bold words for a blood traitor." Snape replied.
"But wouldn't it be shame after the little accident you suffered if your friends had to deal with another tragedy?" Malfoy smirked as all color drained from Jen's face.
"No one's supposed to know about that!" Jen quickly glanced around the corridor. It was unusually empty. In fact they were the only people there.
"Well, we have certain connections." He laughed cruelly. "It looks like you're all alone, Darenger. What are you going to do?"
"Don't try running we have this corridor blocked off. You really should be careful about telling people where you'll be. I'm sure Lupin will feel dreadful when he figures out it's all his fault." Snape said with mock concern.
"Why are you doing this?" Jen slid her hand into her robes to grasp her wand muttering a spell under her breath.
"Revenge my dear Gryffindor." Snape said darkly. Jen whipped out her wand and began a spell but was silenced.
"So predictable." Malfoy laughed.
Hannah and Remus walked through the Library looking for Jen. When they didn't find her they headed for the East corridor. Bellatrix was standing at the entrance fiddling with her wand. She looked at her watch, grinned at Hannah, and walked away.
"What was that all about?" Remus asked Hannah.
"I don't know, but I don't like it." She walked into the hallway and screamed.
Remus ran after her to see what was the matter. He stopped short, on the ground was a truly horrific sight. Jen was lying on the ground unconscious. Her robes were torn, her face bloody, and any other exposed skin was bruised.
"Go get the others! I'll bring her to the hospital wing." Remus said and Hannah ran off. Remus gingerly picked Jen up and went as fast as he could to the infirmary without jolting her.
When he got to the Hospital Wing Madame Pomphrey immediately began to fuss over her. The rest of the Gryffindors arrived about five minutes later.
"Hey, you dropped her wand." Lily said picking it up. As soon as she touched it a voice filled the air.
"If you're hearing this than Malfoy and Snape already got to me. This is a new spell, but I don't have much time. The Slytherins blocked off the corridor and those two gits attacked me. Make sure Dumbledore hears this! If I should die before I wake Hannah, tell them everything. They should know, especially—Jen's voice screamed then was abruptly was abruptly cut off.
"That's when she lost consciousness probably." Aden said. "Hannah, what did she mean 'tell them everything'?"
"I can't tell you. If she wakes up, and I'm sure she will, it will be her decision, not mine." Hannah grimaced. "It's my fault this happened. I should have seen it coming. Snape was just to calm."
"There isn't anything we can do now." Andromeda sighed. "Lily, we should bring her wand to Dumbledore, it's what she asked and if it convicts that slime it'll be worth it."
As they walked towards the Headmaster's office a sad silence descended on the usually cheerful Gyffindors. Sirius walked hand in hand with Andromeda the two whispering occasionally.
"Does anyone know the password?" James asked when they reached the stone gargoyle.
"Acid Pops." Lily said and the gargoyle leaped out of the way.
"Headmaster! We need to speak with you immediately! It's really important!" James said knocking on the wooden door. It swung open to reveal Dumbledore sitting at his desk his finger steepled.
"What is the problem? It isn't often I have the pleasure of having certain members of the Gryffindor House in here without being in trouble." His blue eyes twinkled.
"You should hear this." Lily said handing him Jen's wand. When Dumbledore had it the message played itself again.
"My she is a clever girl. That is a Seventh year spell but she did it perfectly. Thank you all for taking care of this, I shall handle it from here." He pocketed the wand and the students walked out.
A/N 2,073 words! Anyway what did you guys think? Sorry for the super long wait! I have been kind of distracted. I'm going to start a poll per chapter. Leave me lots of review so that I will be inspired to write more!
Poll: What color hair do you have?
I'm a blonde by the way, natural! Not like that fake Lindsay Lohan. She used to be my favorite actress, but when she dyed her hair blonde that killed it! LOL!
Celina K2