Chapter II

Boys and Girls

The common room was full the next day, the older children grouped around the notice board, and the younger ones twittering about them. The only ones who weren't standing were the two girls, sat in the high-backed chairs.

"For God's sake, why are they making such a big deal out of it?" Lily was annoyed by things like this, people who followed trends were another of her pet hates.

"They're just excited about the Tournament, the first day of sign-ups. It marks the start of it, sort of"

"And I bet when Potter and his crew lumber out of bed before breakfast they'll go immediately to sign-up, fools"
"Well, they have to go to Dumbledore's too, remember"

"I expected that a stupid prank like that was their fault. Flooding the school for crying out loud! Why would anyone do such an idiotic thing, and poor Mr. Damson had to clear it up all by himself. I hope they get a load of Muggle chores for it"

"Calm down Lil, ooh; here they come now." Amanda smirked at Lily "Come on, I don't want to be here when they do one of their performances." Lily grabbed her bag and left with a reluctant Amanda.

James and Sirius walked across the room to a parting of younger students, they all whispered quietly as the two Gryffindor heroes went to sign their names.

"I bet you get to be champion James!" a small second year boy cried "I think Sirius will be our champion, don't you agree girls?" The gathering of fourth year girls flashed their eyelashes and winked at Sirius, with a cool smile back he nodded to them.

James scanned the various names on the parchment, Lily wasn't there, but her friend Amanda had signed-up. He wondered whether she would change her mind. As the two boys signed their names, Remus walked quietly down the stairs with a massive Ancient Runes book under his arm. After a quick revision of the book, he looked up to James and Sirius' cocky faces.

"Trying to impress the Ravenclaw girl are we?" Sirius mocked "I'm just studying for the lesson actually, Nordic Runes are our first assessment task and"
"Cut it out Remus," James smiled, "We know that you like Georgina, why not just ask her out? The worst she can say is no; besides, I've seen her looking over at you plenty of times."

Remus blushed, the crush had started last year when she had been awarded a Blue Shield. The award that was given to students who performed at levels well above the average, then he noticed her dark skin and bright eyes. He had sat next to her in Ancient Runes after that, but had never quite managed to stammer enough nerve to talk to her properly. Well, not in front of these two anyway.

"We should be going to Dumbledore before breakfast is up, you know what he said," Remus added hastily.
"I almost forgot that!" James cried "Where's Wormtail?" said Sirius. "I thought he was down here, he wasn't upstairs"
"He hasn't gone down already has he?" James laughed, "He's such a slimy little worm."

Remus sighed and shook his head at this, he'd told Peter many times that James and Sirius made fun of him all the time. He had even suggested what other people he could befriend instead, Remus had never got along with him but tolerated him for the sake of the others. But Peter Pettigrew was always after some sort of status or protection it seemed. He liked to be seen with who was powerful or popular, Remus never could understand why the Sorting Hat had put him in Gryffindor, Peter was the farthest from courageous he could think of.

"Ah, gentlemen." Dumbledore's soft voice echoed down the corridor. "I see you have actually made it out of bed this morning," he smiled. "Peter came earlier so I let him go. Come to my office please." He turned on his heels and walked the short distance to the large Eagle statue.

Whispering a word to it, the eagle flexed and began to spin upwards, with Prof. Dumbledore on the top step, the boys were left to follow.
"Aw, what did Wormy say now," James moaned "Look, Dumbledore likes us, and he never gives us anything harsher than a detention. He'll just deduct some House Points or something, but who cares if we're going to France anyway?" said Sirius with a grin

They made their way up the stairs and knocked on the large wooden door at the top. With a drawn-out creaking, the door swung open. The room was filled with many curious objects and portraits, the boys had seen it many times before and had acquainted themselves with several of the paintings. But this time seemed different. Dumbledore was sitting rather rigidly and there were no sweets on his table, very odd for Dumbledore. The boys suddenly realised that this was a lot more serious.

"Please sit down gentlemen," he beckoned to the three armchairs in front of his desk, "The Ministry have asked me to have a talk with you and the teaching staff have also agreed. The fact of the matter is that these practical jokes have to end. Although amusing they can be, it took Mr. Damson several weeks to fully clean-up the effects of the things that you so kindly left about the school. The first two floors were flooded and the Charms Classroom had to be completely refurbished."

Sirius stifled a laugh, but the others could see Dumbledore wasn't in his most amiable of moods.

"So I regret to inform you that you four will not attend the Triwizard Tournament this year."

"WHAT?" James cried as he stood up. "But that's not fair, we may be your best chances at winning."

"Mr. Potter, the tournament isn't about winning. The tournament is about uniting the three schools and nations. And as for the matter at hand, it has been decided."

"Professor, is there anyway we could possibly make it up or change your mind?" Remus looked at Dumbledore now, he could see that he would not sway him.
"No Mr. Lupin, I'm afraid the Ministry themselves have requested that only students with good behavioural records may attend, and as I'm sure your aware; you three are not in that list."

"Please Professor, we'll do anything." James begged

"Well, there will be several members of staff in the committee to decide exactly which students will be going, but I suggest you start behaving in and out of class and apologize to Mr. Damson for a start. He may want you to do some chores, but I'm afraid there is no guarantee now."

The three left with heads hanging, none of them said anything but Sirius was fuming. He had not said a word and now he was silently plotting ways to get back at people. They didn't want to say anything, they knew that Damson wouldn't let them off now he had the chance.

"Why don't we at least try," James smiled, "We can offer our help to old Damson and do whatever he says, that way they'll know we are making an effort."

"He said the Ministry had asked for only students with good records could go James, that means not us in big red letters," replied Remus. "Just forget about it, and I am certainly not getting involved in anymore pranks or plans this year, even if you two are. This is our Fifth Year and our O.W.L.'s will be at the end of this one, we need to start studying properly."

"Fine then, desert us Remus, go and read the library and do lessons like a good boy. They've just taken our one chance to become the Hogwarts Champion. It comes only every five years, only ever once in the entire school-life. They've just taken that away because we like to have a laugh," Sirius spat

"No." said Remus, "They've taken it off us because you don't like authority, did you really expect they'd take you when you've done nothing for the last four years? For heaven's sake, you almost landed Jessica Malhorn in St. Mungo's last year!"

"Get Lost Wolfy!" Sirius barked. Remus glared and reddened with shame. He turned and walked the other way, heading off the corridor towards Ancient Runes, whilst the two others went silently on and out for their Care of Magical Creatures practical lesson.

Throughout the rest of the day, Remus went and sat alone and ate alone. Whilst Wormtail had started to try and fill his place, following Sirius and James about like a dog and trying to suggest ways to get back into the running for the Tournament, just like Remus would have done if he was speaking to them.

"Mobilus!" Amanda called, her wand pointing fiercely at the pencil on the desk. Her eyes were fiery and determined, her efforts useless. "I can't do it!" she sighed, "We're not actually 'sposed to do these until after Christmas, you know that?"

"If we can do these before we go then we are up to our schedule." Georgia smiled, "I mean, we can do actual studying when we are there, it's the magic that will be more difficult to grasp. Why not try a target word too."

"What is pencil in Latin?" Lily opened her Latin Dictionary and thumbed through. That had been a useful companion since First Year, most other students relied on teachers to give them the answers. "Um…Graphis?"

"Ok," Amanda concentrated again, "Mobilus Graphis!" Nothing again, the pencil simply shivered a bit. Amanda sighed and banged her head on the desk. "I'll never get it!"

"The Locomotion Charm doesn't work like that, you need to incorporate the target in the spell." Georgia said matter-of-factly. "Like, Mobiligraphis!"

The pencil immediately shot across the room under Georgia's commands and hit the wall with a shattering of wood. Some Third Year Hufflepuffs bent around the bookshelf wall to see who was attacking the wall.

"Oops!" she said

"You just need more control, I never use target words. Don't think about it too much, just imagine that you want the pencil to move to the other side of the desk, like so; Mobilus." Lily's pencil lifted steadily and gently hovered over to the other side of the desk, then back again. Georgia smiled.

"You just have a knack for Charms," Amanda moaned. "Why can't I just do Potions, I'm good at that."

"Well anyway," Lily said, "I've been thinking about it."

"About what?" asked Georgia

"France. The Triwizard Tournament." The two girls beamed, "We are ahead of everyone else at the moment, and it would be nice to see Beauxbatons. I here they have orchids and nymphs and the best menagerie of animals in Europe."

"You just want to see Potter don't you?"

"I want to see him fail." Lily added maliciously with a smile

"It would bring him down a peg or three," Amanda chirped, "and if you win, you could rub it in him and his cronies' smug faces."

"You two are so mean," said Georgia, "Remus isn't like the others, he's kind and considerate and-"

"So he asked you out then?" Amanda laughed

"Yes," Georgia grinned, "He's helping me with Ancient Runes tonight."

"But you're an expert on History and all that stuff," said Lily

"He doesn't know that." she smirked.

For the next week, Remus had sat over at the Ravenclaw Table for meals every day, the boys had begun to worry.

"Stupid Ravenclaw wannabe," Sirius sneered

"Yeah, he's always been a bookworm that one," Peter added, "I've never liked him."

"Hey," James said, "He's our friend and you still haven't apologized yet Sirius. He's been doing chores for Damson and that new Transfigurations Teacher too, he's been trying to get us into the Tournament. Just how much have you done?"

"James, he is only out for himself. Him and his wife can go to France for all I care."

"I've been cleaning all the Boy's Toilets for Damson too, and he has helped me with my homework. He's just waiting for an apology for that comment. Which was way over the line Sirius, you know he's sensitive about it."

"He'll have a long wait then," Peter sniggered, "Sirius and me don't need him anyway."

"And why exactly are you so fond of him James? Just after a date with Lily, think Georgia will get you in do you?"

"You know what Sirius? You really are a selfish little cretin!" James stood and went over to Ravenclaw. With quick word in Remus' ear the two went off together.

"Well, we don't need them do we?" Peter nudged his elbow into Sirius' side with a snigger. Now Sirius was truly alone.