CHAPTER FOUR: Spies and Hand to Hand Combat

James was sitting in the Great Hall, awaiting the Sorting to be over. He sat with the Marauders, across Lily, Alice, and Glenda Chittock, a Hufflepuff fourth year. She was talking excitedly with Lily about Merlin knows what. She was tall and scrawny with thin, brown hair that made her look boring, more so when she sat next to Lily because of her resounding hair.

James wondered fleetingly why Glenda was sitting at the Gryffindor table in the first place even though she's in Hufflepuff but just shrugged it off and assumed that Lily's a real popular person to be around.

His gaze slowly returned to Lily who was now conversing with Alice about a summer read when Professor Dumbledore, an aged man with a long, silver beard and electrifying blue eyes, stood up from his seat at the High Table and cleared his throat.

"Ahem. Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He raised his hands and magically the empty plates filled with the most delicious food one could imagine before sitting back down.

Everybody clapped and cheered. Many of the new first years didn't know whether to laugh or not. A first year boy turned to Remus.

"Is he – a bit mad?" he asked Remus uncertainly.

"Mad?" said Remus airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes?" James laughed quietly to himself as he noticed the slack jaws on most of the first years. They were amazed at how the food suddenly filled the empty plates on the table.

Remus helped himself to the hot food on the table and began to eat as he noticed an amusing sight. Peter was stuffing his face, a chicken leg in one hand and a goblet of pumpkin juice in the other. At least he wasn't dripping food off his chin, unlike Sirius. He noticed how Lily made a face of sheer disgust.

"Bloody hell, I feel as if I'm about to explode" Sirius muttered right before he took another bite into his meat.

"Makes you wonder where you hide it all, eh, Sirius?" Peter said with a tinge of jealousy in his voice, though it was muffled because of all the food. Sirius could eat all he wanted and doesn't have to worry about a thing. He was nearing six feet tall, muscular yet lean, raven-black hair that he sometimes leave short when things are going well or down to his shoulders when circumstances are depressing for him.

Remus could tell that he's happy now, considering the short length of his hair. His aristocratic, almost haughty good looks and his fathomless gray eyes that sets off his year round-tan nicely made the girls just about hunger after him.

Peter is pretty much the very opposite of Sirius. He's barely over five feet tall and the fact that he ate as much as, if not more than, Sirius didn't help him with his weight which was bordering obesity. His beady, watery eyes made people uneasy and no one can really tell the exact color of his thin hair. His pasty complexion is also covered with acne of the worst sort and no magic can be used to fix that. People always asked why Peter's a Marauder in the first place and because the answers they received weren't satisfying, they've concluded on their own that Peter's more the pet. Sort of like Igor to Dr. Frankenstein.

Realizing now that Peter wasn't with them when they got off the train or even when everyone filed into the Great Hall, Remus turned to him.

"Where have you been?" Peter turned pink before answering Remus's question.

"Bathroom," Remus chuckled as he recalled the dung story Sirius told on the train. Peter looked confused as he briefly wondered what made Remus laugh but returned to his food.

"Isn't she beautiful?" James whispered to Sirius and stared pointedly at Lily. Sirius chuckled, tickled pink because of the dilemma James is in.

"Why don't you ask her out?" Sirius wondered as he took another bite of his chicken breast. Even though he wasn't hungry, he could always find more room in his stomach.

"I did. About a million times every year since fifth year but each time the answer's no." James whined.

"Did you ask her why?" This came from Remus. It was obvious such a question wouldn't form in Sirius' mind. Sirius never knew a girl that he was interested in who was never interested in him.

"No," James said skeptically then a look of hope shaped his face. "Maybe she'll give me the key to her heart," he exclaimed dramatically.

"Are you in love with her?" Remus asked. Sirius perked up when he heard this.

"No," James laughed. "I mean, I like her a lot, but she's only a girl who said no to me and you know how I get when I'm denied, right Sirius?" James said, turning to Sirius. His mouth was full with chocolate cake so a minute and a half-full goblet of pumpkin juice later he spoke.

"Yup, he's like a dog with a bone." Sirius said.

"Don't you mean like a stag with a bone?" laughed James and Sirius joined in, even though the joke was corny. From the corner of Sirius's eye, he noticed a few Slytherins walk towards the Gryffindor table. It was none other than Severus Snape, their arch foe, and his gang of hooligans. Hooligans? Sirius thought to himself. Couldn't I come up with a better name for those jerks?

But before they could reach them, Dumbledore was back on his feet and clearing his throat, sending the little snakes back to their seats.

"Ahem – just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Marauders. They all grinned to each other and Lily huffed angrily at the reminder of their trouble making.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must warn you that these are dark times. Mr. Filch has informed me that he had come across two strange men in the small chamber where the first years wait to be sorted. I can only guess that Voldemort" everyone seem to flinch or shudder at the name "has finally posted two spies in Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore scanned the hall with a trained eye and only continued when he was sure he had everyone's attention.

Everyone had started to talk when they realized that there might be two spies in their midst but now they've quieted and looked at Dumbledore.

"I am sure that I don't need to remind you all to be careful," Remus felt as if Dumbledore was eyeing the Marauders as he said this "but if I must, I will. Please be careful, no one would want any of you hurt.

"Now, onto more pleasant things: There are a few more notices that I seem to have forgotten. Firstly, Mr. Filch would like to repeat that dungbombs are not allowed in the school's proximity and secondly, Professor Dunglebrain has retired because of – shall we say – a group of trouble-makers," Everyone knew Dumbledore was referring to the Marauders, most especially James and Sirius because they've made Professor Dunglebrain's last six years in Hogwarts living hell. Lily glared angrily at the boys because Professor Dunglebrain was one of her favorite teachers but James only shrugged at her and said:

"Hey, he had dung for brains," they all laughed at the old joke and quieted soon after to hear the rest of Dumbledore's speech.

"I would like to introduce to you all; the new Defense against the Dark Arts professor, Robert Anaheim," A rather short and angular man with bright orange hair stood up and took a bow as everyone applauded his welcome. He didn't say anything, only sat back down.

"Now, would the new Head Boy and Girl meet me in my office once you've directed the Prefects to take the First Years to their common rooms? Thank you!" Dumbledore finished, returning to his seat.

"I wonder who the spies, that Dumbledore mentioned, are," Frank said curiously.

"No doubt it's Snape and the rest of those Slytherins," Alice answered heatedly. Everyone made sounds of agreement except for Lily.

"Well, at the moment, I don't care who is a spy and who isn't. What I'm curious about is the Head Boy, I don't know who he is," Lily said to Alice as she twisted her head to look at the front of every boy's robe for the Head Boy badge. "He didn't come to the Prefects' compartment on the train," She continued disapprovingly before saying "I am, after all, the Head Girl and I would like to get to know my partner," Sirius guffawed and James groaned. Lily looked at them irritably. "What?" Remus took the honor of answering her.

"You see, Lily, the new Head Boy is in front of you,"

"Remus? I thought you were still Prefect,"

"Not me," Remus grinned. Lily turned to Sirius.

"You?"

"Nope, not me either," Sirius answered, shaking his head with a ridiculous smile on his face. Lily faced Peter.

"Peter?" But he only looked confused. Remus glanced at Peter and noted how distracted and confused he seems lately. More so than usual, but Remus only shrugged it off.

"It's me!" James announced somewhat angrily. He didn't like the way Lily considered him last to be Head Boy, especially after considering Peter before him.

"You?" She asked incredulously. A moment passed and she burst into laughter. It was rather contagious because Sirius and Remus were laughing, as well as Frank and Alice and even Peter.

"Don't worry, James. I believe you'd make a great Head Boy," Glenda assured him but James didn't listen. He was angry with everyone but most especially Lily.

"I don't see what's so funny," It was obvious Lily was trying to answer but laughter drowned her words so no one understood her. Before James could give her a snappy retort, the doors to the Great Hall flew open and a bronzed skin girl with a mane of white hair, who was near naked by conventional rules, entered the room.

Everyone was silent as they stared at the visitor. She was wearing something that closely resembled loincloths but she wore them with sophistication. Three golden bracelets were dangling delicately on one ankle, three more on one wrist and one more on the other. She was barefoot but her feet were clean and her taut tummy was flashing everyone between her bikini top and bottom of her outfit. She also wore golden hoop earrings and had decorative face paint to accentuate her violet eyes.

She was, actually, quite magnificent and James could tell that Sirius noted this also. He couldn't keep his eyes off her.

Mr. Filch came out of nowhere from behind and reached for her elbow but as soon as he grabbed hold of her, she twisted around him and threw him over her back.

"Wow! Did you see that?" Sirius asked excitedly. A few more staff members started toward her but she quickly dispensed those who reached her, even Hagrid, the half-giant Keeper of Keys, without breaking a sweat. The staff members were littered across the floor, in pain.

Dumbledore was the first to speak but it was in a strange language. The girl answered back and when Dumbledore gestured, she went to him.

"Everyone is dismissed," Dumbledore announced as he led the girl out of the hall and into the antechamber behind the High Table.

"Who is that girl?" Sirius asked, fascinated.