A/N: Not much to say except resist the urge to slaughter me for the weird chapter system.
Professor Kettleburn ushered the tardy Marauders to take their place with the other students.
"Well, at any rate, today's lesson will be on Fire Salamanders. This sudden weather change to so much humidity has caused a few of these beauties to develop some scale rot. I want you all to simply find your own Salamander and rub a little bit of chili powder over the scales that look a yellow color, see?" Professor Kettleburn held up a Salamander and briefly demonstrated. "Now get to work."
"Hey," whispered Peter, squinting his watery eyes as he approached the box full of infected Salamanders. "Where is Snape?"
Remus heaved a small sigh, "Oh, hiding from these two I suppose."
"Well next time we see him we should give him a little welcome back present of some Bulbadox Powder," Sirius replied hastily, "Greasy git would look lovely with some boils."
"Cheers," James clapped his hands together.
"Don't make such sudden movements," Professore Kettleburn said with a small sigh. "If they get adgitated... Well, let's just say I've got some burn antidote on hand."
James voiced an apology and picked up his supplies, joining the rest of the class.
"Wonder if we could bewitch one of these things to burn down the Slytherin Table," said Sirius, gently rubbing chili powder onto his Salamander. It wriggled in discomfort.
"Like Impervius Curse bewitching?" Peter leaned against a tree.
Remus raised his eyebrows at Sirius, who merely shrugged. James snapped his fingers, "There must be some charm or something... And I just happen to know someone whose good at Charms... OH EVANS!" he yelled.
"Oh no," Lily Evans muttered under her breath, sneaking a glance in James' direction, where he was waving his arms a few meters away.
"Wanna help me with a little bit of Charms, Evans?"
Reaching for more chili powder, Lily ignored him.
"EVANS!" Yelled James, cupping his hands around his mouth, "C'mon, I need some help!"
Lily defiantly continued to tend to her Salamder as if nothing was going on, though her shockingly green eyes were narrowed.
"Oi, shot down," Sirius barked with laughter and clapped James on the back. "Next time, Prongs."
"Well now, Black and Potter, still causing disruptions? Why don't the pair of you come to my office after dinner. I think I'd like some assistance filing papers," Professor Kettleburn was smiling, but there was an edge to his tone. James and Sirius muttered apologies.
Once Professor Kettleburn had turned away to help a flustered looking Hufflepuff with a couple burns, she whispered, "Nice show, Potter. You think your such a rebel."
James winked at her and ruffled his hair, managing to spread fine amounts of bright red chili powder in it's untidy locks.
Remus elbowed Sirius in the side and mocked Lily in a hushed whisper, "Oh Sirius, you little insurgent you!"
An impish smile spread across Sirius' face, and Remus could have sworn he saw the shadow of a wink.
trois.
"Remind me why I always just go along with whatever cock and bull plans you two gits dream up?"
James and Sirius smirked inconspicuously, trying so hard to mask their tremendous excitement. Remus watched as Sirius leaned against the wooden door, clearly blocking the only exit. His jet black curtain of hair flowed elegantly into his face, partially obscuring his glinting, liquid onyx eyes. James moved forwards and gently clapped a hand on Remus' shoulder.
"Because," James began, grin spreading with every word he spoke, "Padfoot and I have detention, Peter is too daft to do anything right, and we badly need these pixies by tonight so we can have time to bewitch them before Valentine's day."
Remus arched an eyebrow. "You two would need pixies because...?"
"Well," Sirius interjected, "You don't think we're not going to be sending out lovely valentines to all out favorite people?"
Remus was quick to reply, "So you expect me to help you out but won't spare me details on what for?" Curiosity had quite gotten the better of him by this point.
"Hey, hey, you told us not to tell you," Peter chimed in. All of which was quite true, Remus had adopted a policy of "If I don't actually see you break the rules, I'm not resposible for docking points."
"Fine, I'll get you some sodding pixies. But I'm taking the cloak," Remus sighed, though a bubble of excitement rose in his chest at the thought of being such a crucial part of a forbidden ritual of mischeif. "You owe me, big time."
Sirius bowed down before him, "Ahh Moony our saviour! What would we ever do without you?"
"You prats wouldn't be able to terrorize the student body," Remus replied, pulling on a wooly jacket and gingerly stuffing the invisibility cloak down the front of it. He grabbed the small metal cage out of Peter's outstretched hands and swiftly exited the room before any more mischeif related requests popped up.
quatre.
After being up for a better part of the night pouring over books for last-minute incantations, slaving over red colored scraps of parchment accessorized in glitter and lace, then sneaking off to the Owlery at 3am to ensure their treasures be mailed, the Marauders finally marched into the Great Hall on the morning of February 14th.
Hogwarts castle was decorated in flashy red and pink decor, with little enchanted cherubs that flew overhead dropping rose petals on passerby's heads. The students eating breakast tended to be glancing expectantly up at the windows every few seconds.
"Looks like there are other pranksters around working the Sticking Charm," Remus said dryly, watching a Ravenclaw couple animatedly kissing at the next table.
James replied, "Dashing idea for next year! No wonder your such a good partner in crime, Moony."
Sirius nodded, a mischeivous grin plastered on his face. He helped himself to a kipper and kept an eye out for the morning owl post. "This is gonna be so much better than last year."
"Any minute now..." James gazed down at his wristwatch. Peter's eyes appeared to be just bulging out of their sockets with anticipation, his fat fingers clasping tightly around the spoon he rested in an empty porridge bowl.
After what seemed like an hour, the great windows near the ceiling swung themselves open and hundreds of owls, all bearing a parcel or letter, swooped down into the dining hall and made a beeline for the lucky recepients. Or in the case of everyone who received a Marauder-style valentine, not so lucky.
A Barn owl landed in front of Lily, who didn't even have to read the name on the card to know who it was from. James grinned expectantly and watched Lily study his creation, from the shimmery pink parchment to the red lace James had ripped off an ex-girlfriend's knickers that he had lying around.
Remus, Peter, and Sirius, however, peered over at the Slytherin table, watching as Snape picked up the small heart-shaped box that was forged with Narcissa Black's spidery handwriting. He sniffed the parcel and turned it over, examining every inch.
"Oh the sodding git, is he gonna stare at it all day or open the bloody thing?" Sirius muttered under his breath.
"If he's smart he won't," Remus replied. "I'm just hoping the pixies aren't dead already, they'd give off a rather foul smell."
"Look! Everyone else at the Slytherin table's opening theirs!" Peter bounced up and down in his seat.
"Oh blody hell, how many did we send?" James craned his neck for a better view.
"One to Snivelly, Malfoy, my cousin Lestrange, Avery, and that little 2nd year Rookwood..." Sirius counted on his fingers, hastening to remember all the names.
"Why don't they.. activate?" Peter asked ruefully. "D'you think we messed up the jixes?"
In reply to that question, came a bang and the scuttling of many small creatures, ensued closely by ear-splitting shreiks. By then all hell had broken loose.
Yippeee! There's installment 2 of this mini-fic. Hope you liked it! And even if you didn't, your reviews keep me sane.