It has been said that there are some things that cannot happen to people without turning them into friends. This was the essence of Sirius's plan concerning the three first year Gryffindor boys. At seven o'clock on Tuesday, April fourth, each made his way towards a different classroom where they believed their secret allies would be waiting. Nym, in whatever guise she had taken for each, was not. Rather, Sirius, Remus and James each waited in one of the classrooms, and stunned the poor first year the moment he opened the door.

It did not go off without a few hitches, however. Peter was the biggest, demanding to know where the other three were going without him. If Nym could come along, why not he? He was better than any first year, for all that first year was better at most charms and transfigurations than he was. But then, that was to be expected. James, Sirius, and Remus had only helped Peter with his homework; they had taught Nym from the first, and she had proven a far better student than Peter could ever have been.

The other hitch was Snivellus, who had followed James in the hope of getting him in trouble. He opened the door to the room where James was hiding and James, thinking it was the first year, had stunned him. Nym had been given the task of disposing of him, however she thought best. So, with the limp form of Snivellus dragging magically behind her covered in James's invisibility cloak, she made her way down to the dungeons near the Slytherin common room. There she'd left Snivellus with a charm on him so he smelled of wine fumes, and what had once been a rock but was now a whisky bottle. He'd wake up eventually, and he'd seem drunk enough for anyone who didn't care to look too closely, she thought. Then she made her way to one of the secret rooms that abounded in the castle to find the boys waiting for them, each with their hostage.

"You got rid of Snivellus?" James asked.

"What? He was following you again?" Sirius demanded.

"Pax, Paddy," James said. "He's been dealt with." He raised a questioning eyebrow to Nym, who nodded.

"Anyone who finds him will think he's been in the bottle a bit too much."

Sirius laughed at that, and even Remus chuckled a little.  "Well done, young one."

They left the room, Remus flicking a few spells as they did so. They went into the next room, not so secret as the last but right next door and settled into the large armchairs that awaited them. A large section of one wall had been charmed to show the scene next door. James looked at it appreciatively. "You know, Moony, next thing you'll be making places like Hogwarts. I doubt even Dumbledore could get one that clear."

Remus laughed, but brushed away the compliment. "It took four of the greatest wizards ever to build even a fraction of Hogwarts. I'd be hard put to reproduce one of the bathrooms, never mind the whole castle." Privately, Nym agreed with James. Remus was an amazing wizard, though he rarely did anything as big or obvious as Sirius or James.

They watched as the three boys in the other room woke, thanks to Remus's hasty enervate. Right away they started at each other, each blaming the other two, but all three froze in an instant when a grate at the far end of the room opened and an enormous troll lumbered out.

"A troll?" Remus asked, disappointed.

"It's all Hagrid could get for me," Sirius said by way of apology. "I told him I'd rather it were a dragon, but he said if he had one of those he'd be keeping it for a pet. He also said that beast dog of his was too young yet for this sort of thing. Too young! The thing's old enough to almost maul anyone but him." He shook his head in annoyance. "It will have to do."

"You didn't tell Hagrid why you wanted one, did you?" Remus asked suspiciously.

"'Course I did. He was very understanding. Everyone wants a monster for a pet."

"We already got one, though," James said, jerking his head towards Remus with a grin.

Remus rolled his eyes. "And here I thought it was you two that needed to be kept on leashes."

The troll in the other room was large and mean looking. It was also wandering around in a state of confusion, but the three younger boys didn't seem able to distinguish between that and 'out to get us all'. They stopped fighting each other and if, in the ensuing battle, they tried to shove each other into harms way once or twice, James said they were all the better for having it out of their systems.

"Yeah right," Nym snorted, but let it go. He might have had a point.

Soon enough, though, the troll lay in a heap on the floor, unconscious. Sirius stood and stretched. "Well, boys, it's been a good day's work. Who's up for a pint at the Broomsticks?"

"The Three Broomsticks, or your usual haunt?" James teased. Nym dropped flat, anticipating the hex that flew over her head to knock James back several feet, gasping as he was tickled quite mercilessly. Remus joined her behind the chair as the jets of colored light intensified.

"Have you almost finished that essay I assigned you?" he asked, peering around the chair.

"Remus…" Nym sighed.

"Nym…" he returned.

Nym sighed again. "Yes. It's almost done. But there's this reference in the Restricted Section I need, and…"

"I can't give you a note to get it, I'm afraid. I'll pick it up for you tonight, if you like. Which is it?"

"Galatea Incantum."

"I wasn't aware I was teaching you that," Remus said, raising one thin grey eyebrow.

Nym shrugged. "It's referenced in two of the books you gave me as a primary source."

"Rather heavy reading for one of your years, but if you can understand it, of course it will help. I'll get it for you after dinner."

"Thanks Remus."

"So I expect that essay by Friday at the latest, understood?"

"Yes Remus. Even with that paper for Tofty, though?" she whined. Of course he wasn't going to let her off, but maybe if she could have some more time to spend flying with Zack…

"We covered that a month ago. It's very simple, and you know it. Quit complaining."

"Fine. I'll get it to you Friday."

"Good girl. What say we make a break for it, now? They seem to be slowing up." They ran for the door, gaining the exit just before the other two boys caught their second wind. The door closed to muffle bangs and pops as James and Sirius tried to outdo each other with ridiculous jinxes.