A/N: Wtfidc just keep reading.

cinq.

"How could you SEND PIXIES IN A VALENTINE! They ATE THE SLYTHERIN TABLE!"

James bit his lip to avoid laughing, staring blankly up into Professor McGonagall's ghost-white face. She was shaking with rage, bellowing at the top of her lungs,

"And you put ENGORGEMENT CHARMS IN CHOCOLATES? AND GAVE THEM TO OTHER STUDENTS?"

Remus scuffed his feet against the floor, and heard Sirius whisper gently into his ear, "It was worth it seeing that git Snivelly choke in his own tongue..." His hot breath tickled the skin on Remus' ears, and he felt a slight flush creep into his face at such thoughts.

Professor McGonagall sighed loudly, thankfully too worked up to notice any of this. Shortly before McGonagall would start shreiking again, the door crept open. Remus turned to see Albus Dumbledore sweeping into the office.

"Minerva, you've been under a lot of stress lately, why don't you let me handle this?"

Everyone else in the room became aware of Dumbledores presence after his smoothly calm voice had penetrated the brief silence of the room.

"Of course, Dumbledore," McGonagall nodded curtly at him, exiting the office in a timely manner. Dumbledore seated himself in her swivelling chair and peered at the Marauders from over his half moon spectacles. Out of the corner of his eye, Remus spotted an unfamiliarly tense look on Sirius' face.

"Ahh," Dumbledore folded his hands on his lap. "In my mind, a similar occasion to this stands out quite clearly."

Nobody made any kind of effort to reply.

"Last Valentine's Day in fact. And I believe I made it quite clear that I don't approve of such mischeif that went on today."

The tension flowing through the room was unbearable until Dumbledore uttered a chuckle and replied in friendlier tones, "But I must say, the pixies disquised as hiccupping daffodills were quite an advanced transfiguration, which is commendable. And when is the blushing jinx going to wear off?"

James shrugged, looking up at Sirius, who always was the most adept in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Once Valentine's day is over, they won't be pink anymore," He replied, trying not to look to pleased with himself. "Just a 16 hour elongation spell."

Dumbledore nodded and continued. "All of you have brilliant minds and are predisposed to magic, every year you cease to amaze me with the kind of charms, transfigurations, potions and jinxes you pull off. You quite remind me of myself as a youngster..." he cleared his throat. "But alas, if only you weren't predisposed to mischeif as I was."

The four boys were unsure if they should be rejoicing or ashamed.

"I have to take off 100 points apeice and give you each a 2 weeks worth of detentions, what you did was wrong. But even I have no problem with a few jokes here or there in the future. As long as they're harmless. And if you are having trouble distinguishing harmless, you know where to find me."

James turned a snicker into a cough. This was the weirdest conversation any of the Marauders had ever heard Dumbledore hold, apart from the touchy 'Remus being a Werewolf' topic.

"Now why don't you all go back to your dorms and get ready? There's a Hogsmeade visit later."

Nobody needed to be told twice, and four sets of feet scampered out of the office after bidding goodbye.

"Some show, huh!" Sirius punched the air with his fist. "Bellatrix's expression was priceless when the daffodill hiccupped, then tried to take off a chunk of her face. And Dumbledore practically approves of it!" Sirius gabbed enthusiastically and Peter nodded in a manner that painfully reminded Remus of a bobble-head doll.

"My favoite was the Draught of Confusion we gave to Avery and Malfoy," said James smugly.

Remus couldn't help but chuckle. "They actually tried to kiss each other. Too bad the pixies kicked in and ate Malfoy's chair first."

"Yes, LOVELY show you bloody prats. We're in NEGATIVES."

James spun around and saw the enraged face of fellow 6th year Gryffindor Gideon Prewett, glasses askew on his thin face. Folding his arms gruffly across his chest, he nodded towards the large glass tubes containing the jewels representing House points. As Gideon has said, the Gryffindor hourglass was empty and a -275 had spelled itself out in the air next to it.

"All those extra hours I spent in Greenhouse 3 taking care of those Sapseed Pods, WASTED. Can't you pricks exercise some self-control?" Gideon spat, turning on his heel and marching down the corridor without another word.

Sirius drew out his wand and shouted, "Happy Valentine's Day, Gideon. Permaeroticus!"

The blue spell hit Gideon square in the back, and in a few seconds time he turned around to shoot the Marauders an extremely nasty look. Remus looked down at Gideon's pants and let out an involuntary shudder.

James stared at the marble staircase down which Gideon was descending in awe. "Where'd you learn that?"

"Picked it up somewhere," Sirius shrugged, smiling in spite of himself while stowing has wand inside his robes. "Hope Gideon enjoys the log stuffed down his trousers all day."

sept.

"I can't believe Dumbledore's letting you four come to Hogsmeade today."

Lily Evans was strolling down the stone walkway away from Hogwarts castle and towards the village, flanked by a couple of her 6th year friends.

"Well, uh, what can I say? He was clearly impressed," James smirked, straightening up his posture.

But Lily didn't wait for a reply, she and her friends had continued on and had already gained a dozen meter's distance.

"At least she's talking to you without her wand out, mate," Sirius nudged him in the side with his elbow.

James grinned. "Of course not, that bird is madly in love with me. She's just in denial."

Nobody bother to reply, they just kept on marching. The sun was peering shyly from behind it's cloud cover, sparking the occasional warming beam of sunlight. Remus rolled up the sleeves of his robes to his elbows.

"Oh look, its Snivellus!" James yelled gleefully, pointing out the thin, pallid boy who was making his way to the village with the throng of Hogwarts students. He did his best to ignore James, and kept walking.

"Snape! Happy Valentine's Day!... What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Sirius called out.

James whipped out his wand. "Impediemtia! Don't walk away from us when we're talking to you."

Snape fell face first onto the pavement, the trip jinx executed perfectly. After a few moments sprawled out on the concrete, he scrambled to his feet, wand brandished.

"What do you want, bloody pricks..." he mumbled in a way he assumed conversational, still clutching his wand.

"How'd you like your valentine?" Peter beamed at him.

Snape muttered darkly, his jaw twitching, and glared at the four Marauders. His face was screwed up in concentration, like he was racking his brains for a hex severe enough to punish the lot of Gryffindors.

"Do you know what Sirius?" James spoke loudly, "Our buddy Severus has a bit of a posture problem, look at the way he hunches. I think it affects his hearing."

"Lemme help! Petrificus Totalis!" Sirius yelled, pointing his wand at Snape.

Snape was halfway through yelling 'Expelliarmus' when his arms snapped to his sides, and he slowly fell backwards, his body bound stiff as a board.

"That's better," Sirius replied mirthfully. "Now let's get to Hogsmeade, I'm hungry."

"Are we just going to.. Leave him?" Remus asked, scratching his head of sandy blonde hair and glancing over at Severus. He couldn't help but feel the slightest twang of pity.

James insisted, "He'll snap out of it soon."

"And when he does, he'll be mad."

Sirius clasped Remus on the shoulder. "He can get over it, it's not your problem."

Remus felt slightly queasy under the gaze of Sirius' intense eyes. He had never seen Sirius look at him this way... it was unnerving.

Peter snorted, "Snivelly's prolly gonna sneak up on you now!"

Sirius barked with laughter and replied loudly, "Let 'em try!"

"Your shoes untied. Looks like God's punishing you," Remus said coolly. Sirius rolled his eyes and bent down to lace his shoe, and a flash of red light aimed for his head hit Remus square in the chest.

Damn cliffhangers... Anywho review on your way out purr-lease.

And by the by; did anyone else here see Brokeback Mountain and resist wild urges to scream out, "REMUS/SIRIUS!" ?