As many of you noticed the descriptions for the girls especially changed and that Alyssa and Andy are already a couple. The couples getting together will be more spaced out then they were last time. I really want the future couples to fight and flirt for a while longer before they become couples and I have to say that I'm having a bit of fun with it. Here is the second chapter, enjoy and remember to review!
This message is for the reviewer under the name Danielle: I'm sorry that you just started reading the first version of Challenge and I started to revise. I know you asked if you could get the rest of the old version and this is my proposition to you. I am going to work as fast as I can to get the new revised chapters up. I feel that they are so much better than the originals and are way more fulfilling than the old ones. So, I'm hoping you'll be satisfied with the revised version instead of reading the old and then this one as well. It's basically the same, I'm making the same plot points I did the first time around, only better. I hope you continue to read this version and enjoy!
ChallengeChapter 2: Secrets
"Up!" Izzy called brightly running a towel over her golden curls as she returned to her dorm room. Two distinct groans rose up from the blankets on two of the beds that made Izzy smile. Pointing her wand at the two beds she knew her best friends occupied, the covers flew off exposing the still dozing bodies.
"Oy!" Rachel exclaimed, sitting bolt-upright blinking sleep from her sapphire eyes.
"Uncalled for," Alyssa yawned running a hand through her mussed hair. Alyssa and Rachel watched very disgruntled as Izzy pulled her robes from the closet and set a drying charm on her hair humming a happy tune. Alyssa and Rachel looked at each other and rolled their eyes, "How can you be so chipper this early in the morning?"
Izzy turned from the mirror, used to Alyssa's first-thing-in-the-morning mood, "Because it's better to face the day happy then to face it grumpy."
"I'm not grumpy," Alyssa said crossing her arms over her chest, "I just haven't had coffee yet." Izzy rolled her eyes as Rachel got out of bed.
Rachel stretched and looked over at the black girl with her long hair done up in thin braids as she too rolled out of bed. "Sorry, about Izzy. She likes to make sure we're not late for anything." Rachel said smiling at her.
The other girl laughed, "It's alright. It was a good thing I probably would have slept through my first class."
Rachel laughed and held her hand out, "I'm Rachel. The chipper blonde is Izzy, the grumpy one with pink hair is Alyssa, and the one that's still under the covers is Melissa but everyone calls her Missy."
"Sydney," the girl with braids replied shaking Rachel's outstretched hand.
"Your new right?" Alyssa asked, her voice slightly muffled as she dug through her trunk at the foot of her bed.
Sydney nodded and replied quietly, "Yes, I just transferred here from Beauxbatons actually." Rachel knew that the reason for the transfer must have been painful for Sydney's dark eyes filled with tears.
"Well, welcome to Hogwarts. If you need anything just ask," Rachel told her with a smile.
Sydney blinked several times looking at the floor before she looked back up at Rachel, "Thank you."
Rachel smiled again reaching for her towel and heading out to take a shower. Upon reaching the hallway there was more than the usual hustle and bustle in the hall as girls from all years rushed about. Rachel shrugged not awake enough to care at the moment as she walked into a bathroom the 6th and 7th year girls shared for a quick shower. On her return trip Rachel caught snippets of what the girls were excitedly chattering on about:
"Challenge…"
"The teams…"
"I can't believe I was put with him! Why couldn't it have been one of the good Marauders?" exclaimed a busty brunette angrily to her friends.
Rachel hurried back to her room and announced this to her roommates who all speedily finished dressing before hurrying down the stairs, their traditional black school robes flying out behind them. Once down the stairs the first thing they saw was the large group of students crowding around the bulletin board craning their necks to get a look at the bright lime green notice posted there. They hurried forward, Rachel in the lead, but not entirely paying attention to where she was going and crashed into something tall and solid. Alyssa, Izzy, Sydney, and Missy all crashed in behind her.
"I'm so sorry," Rachel began to apologize as the girls moved back and then she noticed whom she had run into. "Oh, it's you." The apologetic smile slipped from her face.
"Well, good morning ladies. It must be my lucky day. Five beautiful women all trying to get to me first," Sirius said flashing them a sexy smile making a group of fourth year girls giggle as they passed making Remus snort.
Rachel, Alyssa, and Izzy rolled their eyes. "You wish, Black," Rachel replied.
Sirius tapped her nose with a finger, "At least you got to me first, right?"
Rachel scoffed, "It wasn't you we were trying to get too. It was the notice board and you just happened to be in the way and continue to be in the way," Rachel said even as her friends walked around the two and made their way over to the board.
Sirius stepped aside, "Well, by all means please hurry to the place you so desire to be. I will have you know that I would be happy to come along and read the board for you seeing as you are petite my dear and may not be able to see over some of the taller students heads. Where in that case I would be happy to assist you."
"I don't need your assistance," Rachel replied coolly as Sirius continued to grin looking like the cat who swallowed the canary. She gave him a suspicious look as she walked toward the still fairly large crowd to see the notice. Rachel managed to make her way to the front of the group and looked over the list of groups for her name.
Her twin appeared at her side frowning. He'd already found his group and was rather happy with his teammates: Alyssa, Izzy, and Remus. He knew Rachel would be less than thrilled about two of hers. Before he could say anything Rachel spun on her heel and pointed at Sirius, "You!" Her eyes flashed and Sirius began backing away from her as she advanced on him. "Who in their right mind would put Lily and myself in the same group as you and James!"
"You know," Sirius' voice cracked and Remus gave him a strange look, "I was asking myself the same question."
Rachel let an angry, "oh" throwing her hands into the air. A vase on a table to the left of Sirius exploded. The common room went silent everyone looking from Sirius to Rachel to the now broken vase. Andy lunged forward grabbed his sisters hands and spun her around to face him.
Remus, unsure of what had just happened, knew that neither Rabb twin wanted the eyes of everyone in Gryffindor tower on them, shouted, "Alright, if you've had a look at the notice board I suggest you hurry down to the Great Hall before breakfast is finished." No one showed signs of protest and began making their way out of the portrait hole.
Sirius looked from the twins to Remus blinking and stuttering. "What—how—?"
Remus put his hand on Sirius' shoulder, "Let's go get some breakfast, yeh?" he said not giving Sirius a choice as he steered him out of the portrait hole.
When the common room was mostly deserted Andy turned to his sister, "Are you mad?" he asked her letting go of her wrists.
"As a matter of fact I am," Rachel snapped back. He gave her a stern look and Rachel immediately regretted it. "Sorry," she muttered avoiding his gaze.
Andy sighed, "You know you can't let your emotions get the better of you like that. You know when that happens your powers don't work as well and that accidents like this," he looked at the broken vase, "happens. Dad told us we have to be careful. If Voldemort catches wind of what we can do, it could be deadly for others and us."
-
He was speaking of the powers the Rabb children had inherited from their parents and ancestors. Their father, David, was a white lighter, a being of light, a protector of witches and wizards with unique powers. Their mother, Sara, had been one of David's charges after she left Hogwarts and began working as an Obliviator at the Ministry. There was more to Sara than just her skills as an Obliviator however, which was why she was assigned a white lighter in the first place. She came from a long line of pure blood witches and wizards all of whom were blessed with extraordinary powers that did not require the use of a wand. As time wore on the witch and white lighter fell in love and although it was deeply frowned upon, David and Sara were wed. A few years later, the same year David was promoted to the second highest level in white lighter status, Sara gave birth to the twins. It wasn't long after their birth that Sara and David realized the twins had inherited their powers.
Andy had taken after his father, the white lighter. At six months old Andy was orbing all over the house. Sara could be giving him a bath in the upstairs bathroom one minute and a minute later, in a whirl of sparkling blue particles, his naked tush was running past his father's study. This power became a particular bother after the twins took their first steps as Andy found it funny to have his parents chasing him all over the house, whether he was running from room to room or orbing. At the same time he was able to pass through solid objects and even people in a whirl of the same blue particles that occurred when he orbed. This was known as intangibility. At fifteen months when Rachel was moving objects with her mind left and right, Andy was simply calling for objects and having them orb into the palm of his hand, scientifically know as apportation. By age two Andy was able to sense where a friend or family member was and if they were injured or in trouble. This came in much use when Rachel had locked herself in a coat closet and Sara was hysterical trying to find her and get a hold of her husband at the same time. Andy had simply sensed her scared presence and led his mother to the closet. At age three, Andy alerted his grandparents that Sara had gone into labor with Matt on her way home from the market.
From a very young age, any time Andy received a cut or bruise it would simply melt away leaving no trace of the injury behind. He was even able to heal small injuries on others. As he aged he was able to cure most severe injuries or at least do as much as he could to heal the wound until other help arrived to finish off the healing process. The final power Andy had inherited from his dad they weren't even sure Andy possessed until David gave Andy an important task: to cloak (or hide someone supernaturally so as to protect them) while he made sure they weren't followed. But David never left the house, even though Andy thought he had, and the charge wasn't really in danger, it had been a test and Andy had passed with flying colors.
Rachel, however, took after Sara, and was able to move objects with her mind. Telekinesis, a power her mother had mastered long before the twins' birth. The first time Rachel had done it was when she was only six months old and wanted a stuffed animal at the other end of her crib. Sara had walked into the room as the stuffed animal sailed right into Rachel's waiting arms. At a year old, anytime Rachel became upset things would blow up. Particle Manipulation, another power she'd inherited from her mother and grandmother. At age five, not only were random objects blowing up but she was also now able to stop the debris from flying back into her face by freezing them in mid-air long enough for her to get out of the way. As she grew older the time frame the objects stayed frozen lengthened and by age eleven she was able to freeze time, several years earlier than her mother had been able to. At age seven a very distraught Rachel didn't like that her brother was able to travel all over the house in a whirl of blue particles and she was not. One day when the twins were playing hide and seek, Andy would call out to her after several minutes of her hunting and not finding him and Rachel would run toward the place she'd heard his voice. Whenever she was close to finding him Andy would simply disappear and reappear in a totally different place and start the teasing all over again. She'd been so angry that her little face screwed up in concentration was the last thing Andy saw before Rachel orbed into her father's arms as he walked in the front door.
-
Rachel sighed, "I know. You're right, I'm sorry."
Andy wrapped his arms around his sister in a comforting hug, "Come on, let's go get some breakfast and break the news to Lily."
"There you are!" Lily exclaimed when the twins took seats at the Gryffindor table. "Have you heard that we were put with those two idiots?" Lily asked casting a glare at Sirius and James who were making their sausages dance across their plates. Rachel nodded glumly. Lily looked surprised by Rachel's rather silent reaction, "You're not more upset about this! Why?"
"I already blew up back in the common room," Rachel replied giving Lily a pointed look.
-
Lily opened her mouth to speak again but closed it with a snap, realizing what Rachel meant. Lily, Alyssa, and Izzy learned of the twins' secret back in their second year when a similar situation to the one in the common room that morning had happened. Lily, Alyssa, and Izzy had looked at Rachel with wide almost frightened eyes for the better part of five minutes until brave Alyssa acted telling off everyone in the hall for staring. That same night the five found a deserted classroom and after locking the door, Andy and Rachel told the other three the whole story. Immediately after they finished explaining, they told the girls that they needed to keep the information a secret and to never speak of it to anyone for obvious reasons. The girls swore to never breathe a word and upheld their word to the day. There were several times after Rachel and Andy had shared their secret that one of the twins slipped up, more often than not it was Rachel because of how her powers going wacky when she was upset or startled. The girls were there every time to jump in and avert anyone who had seen the display's attention away and assure them that Rachel had used her wand.
Lily, Alyssa, and Izzy confided in the twins their own secrets not long after Rachel and Andy had shared theirs. Alyssa was an angel and possessed many of the same powers Andy did. She had the ability to shimmer, very similar to orbing, only she would disappear and reappear at her desired destination in a sheet of transparent pearly particles. Like Andy she possessed the abilities of intangibility, apportation, sensing, cloaking, and a touch that could heal. But Alyssa had also inherited the gift of Sight or clairvoyance from her great aunt. Alyssa had learned of this ability when she was only three years old. She'd walked into a store with her mother and even though she was not supposed to, had touched one of the items on display. A vision had seized Alyssa's tiny body and she tried explaining to her mother that the store was about to be robbed. Alyssa's mother didn't believe her until she heard that the shop had been robbed on the six o'clock news. Vivian had sent for Alyssa's great aunt at once to help Alyssa with her new power. Over time Alyssa became accustomed to the visions that sometimes came to her in dreams and other times seized her when she touched random objects.
Izzy was a half-blood. Her father was a muggle and her mother a witch. Izzy had not seen or heard from her father since his abrupt departure after Izzy's mum broke the news of her magical blood to him after Izzy's younger brother, Luke, was born. The last they'd heard was that he'd run off and eloped with his secretary. Izzy or Storm as her best friends called her had a secret of her own. She had the ability to change the weather. She could turn a beautiful sunny day dreary, cloudy, and rainy within seconds. She could create an easygoing rainstorm, a severe thunderstorm, a deadly tornado, a destructive hurricane, or an immense blizzard not even thinking twice about it. Her mother didn't know where this strange power had come from but Izzy welcomed it. She loved being able to fool the stupid weather blokes on the telly who thought they knew everything. Izzy's mum always found it difficult to scold her daughter when she was trying not to laugh as the weather men were shocked into silence on live television as a random blizzard blew in on a clear day. But the power, as fun as it could be, was also very draining physically and emotionally for Izzy. When she learned of her father's abrupt departure and betrayal she'd caused a storm so large that she was admitted at St. Mungo's for severe exhaustion.
Lily was a muggle-born. Her parents didn't have a trace of magic in their blood and were utterly shocked when Lily's Hogwarts letter arrived accompanied by a Ministry spokesperson. After the shock had worn off her parents were overjoyed to have a witch in the family and insisted that they always knew there was something different about Lily. Lily began her schooling at Hogwarts School accompanied by her new best friends Rachel, Alyssa, and Izzy and quickly became known as the brightest witch of their year. Everything about magic intrigued Lily and she worked extremely hard at all her classes becoming particularly crafted in Charms and Potions. But it wasn't until their fifth year that Lily showed that she had an abnormal power as well.
It happened late one afternoon on the return trek from a Hogsmeade visit. She and Rachel had been walking along near the edge of the Forbidden Forest when an arrow rushed out at them grazing Rachel's cheek and embedding itself in her shoulder. Lily had reacted quickly spinning around to face the forest and Rachel to this day remembered seeing Lily's eyes glow brilliantly green for a moment before two small beads of light, the same color as her glowing eyes, fly from her eyes into the forest scaring away whatever had launched the arrow. Hagrid having heard the commotion, from his garden a few yards away, hurried over immediately to see what the trouble was. He'd easily lifted Rachel into his arms and run her to Madame Pomfrey, Lily on his heels. Immediately, after leaving Rachel in Madame Pomfrey's capable hands he'd gone to alert Dumbledore of the situation. Dumbledore had rushed to the forest immediately and requested quite angrily that the centaurs stay away from the edge of the forest especially when hunting for fear of injuring another of his students. The centaurs who normally would revolt after being asked to follow a human's rule, did as Dumbledore asked.
Lily's strange new power however, was not as controllable as Rachel's or Andy's. Since that night Lily had tried time and time again to make the glowing green balls of light shoot out from her eyes but to no avail. The power seemed to only kick in when Lily least expected it and when Lily was in a desperate situation and that had only occurred one other time in her sixth year when she faced a boggart in the shape of a dementor.
-
"It happened again?" Alyssa asked in a hoarse whisper as she, Izzy, Lily, Rachel, and Andy made their way to Transfiguration after breakfast that morning.
"Yes," Rachel hissed looking over her shoulder as a group of second years passed them. "I nearly took half of Black's head off."
Alyssa paused looking thoughtful, "Maybe that wouldn't have been so bad. You might have taken a chunk off that ego of his."
Izzy gave Alyssa a disapproving look as Rachel dropped her head onto the blonde's shoulder. "You know what can happen if anyone were to catch on. And I'm sure Rachel didn't really want to blow Sirius' head off, no matter how many times she's wished it in the past."
McGonagall waited patiently as the seventh years entered her classroom and chose seats. She cleared her throat once and everyone fell silent, "Welcome everyone to Advanced N.E.W.T level Transfiguration. Placement in this class has been and will continue to be difficult as will the work involved. Your O.W.L results helped place you here as well as your final exam grades from last June. Class participation, work ethic, and how well you have so far mastered the art of Transfiguration has also played a hand. This next year you will learn the most complicated and some of the most dangerous spell work Transfiguration has to offer. The work will be some of the most tedious and precise you have ever come across to which every aspect must be looked upon with the utmost seriousness. I expect a lot from all of you who have been placed in this class and I ask you here and now that if you believe you are incapable of doing precise and difficult work that requires your full attention I ask that you leave and speak with me later to place you in another class." She waited, her eyes scanning the room once and then again. No one moved. "Alright then. As you know your N.E.W.T's are approaching at the end of this year. You will be tested on all areas of magic that you have studied thus far to gain you access to the job you wish to obtain. This year everything you have learned about Transfiguration in the past, down to the simplest spells, will be needed if you wish to pass this class and your N.E.W.T's. So, I suggest you brush up on work from previous years."
The room practically buzzed with anticipation as she looked at every person in the room. "If you will please turn to page twenty-seven in your Advanced Levels of Transfiguration book," there was a rustle as all the students dived under their tables to retrieve their books from their bags, "And read the introductory paragraph on the most difficult aspects of human Transfiguration."
Flitwick gave a relatively similar speech to the seventh years in his Advanced N.E.W.T level Charms later that morning atop a teetering stack of books. The class had been relatively dull as they listened to him squeak about what he expected from them, what they would be learning, and what they needed to brush up on from previous years. The last ten minutes of the class was spent writing down the extra large load of homework that he assigned them.
"I might as well go and say goodbye to my bed right now," Sirius exclaimed as James gave the unicorn statue the password into the Heads common room and led his friends inside during a free period.
"Why are you doing that Sirius? It's not going anywhere is it?" piped up Peter.
Sirius rolled his eyes at James, "No, Wormtail. I just won't have anytime to actually see it, let alone sleep in it with all the homework we've got already. Three feet on the dangers of changing one's bodily features! I had no idea there were enough dangers to fill up a foot of parchment! And on top of that we've got to read the chapters on fire and water generation for Charms!" Sirius threw himself down on one of the couches, his arm over his eyes, thoroughly put out.
"You forgot the eighteen inch essay on how placing a freezing charm on water or fire can go horribly wrong," Remus reminded him sitting down in an armchair to the left of the couch Sirius was currently occupying.
Sirius tipped his head back and glared at Remus, "Thank you Moony." Remus grinned back in reply. "I don't even want to think about what Slughorn will give us."
James looked up thoughtfully and reminded Sirius, "Slughorn's never one to give a huge load of homework though."
Sirius seemed to accept this for the moment. He and the other boys looked around as the stone paneling moved aside and Lily appeared followed closely by Rachel, Alyssa, and Izzy.
The girls' laugher subsided when they realized who was occupying the Heads common room. "We have to share with them?" Alyssa asked loudly.
Lily shrugged, "Potter and I share this tower and Dumbledore told us that we could share this common room with our friends if we chose too. Obviously we both choose to do just that and we will have to learn to deal with them being here just as they will have to learn to deal with us." James looked quite pleasantly surprised at what Lily had said and realized that maybe she didn't find him as repulsing and idiotic as she previously had after their little chat on the train.
Rachel, Alyssa, and Izzy were also quite taken aback by Lily's response, as were the other Marauders. Remus' eyebrows had risen so high that they nearly disappeared underneath his sandy fringe, Sirius' mouth had fallen open from sheer surprise, and Peter had slid right off his chair onto the floor. After a long minute of surprised silence Remus broke it, "So, Rachel where's your other half?"
Rachel looked over at him, "My other—oh! Andy went to speak to his History of Magical Beings professor about a mistake on his schedule. He's taken the class for three years and his schedule is telling him to show up for the beginner's level." The others chuckled.
The eight of them sat, each gender immersed in their own conversations the whole free period. A little before eleven Remus announced that he, Alyssa, and Lily better head to Arithmancy if they didn't want to be late. Izzy jumped to her feet as well explaining that she wanted to get to her Care of Magical Creatures class early and the rest stayed behind. Rachel now felt very awkward with only James, Sirius, and Peter left for company. She waited a moment before picking up her own bag, "I think I'll go study in the library for a bit. See you!" She called over her shoulder before leaving the Heads common room.
Sirius waited all of a minute and a half before getting lazily to his feet, "I think I'll head back to the dormitory for a quick nap before lunch."
James looked up from the parchment he'd been leaning over. Sirius could now see a sketch of the Quidditch pitch with figures on broomsticks James was bewitching to fly around trying out new training techniques. "You're welcome to kip here mate."
"Thanks," Sirius said grabbing his bag off the floor, "But I think I'll take one last snooze in my bed now before I never see it again."
"O—okay," James said as Sirius' robes whipped out of site and the stone paneling closed behind him after he'd left. James turned to the small watery eyed boy beside him, So, Pete," he began awkwardly.
-
Sirius sprinted down the hall, turned a corner sharply, and saw the object of what had been weighing on his mind all morning feet in front of him. He didn't call out to her he simply caught up with her and gently grabbed hold of her arm. Rachel swung around her free arm, the one not grasped firmly in Sirius' hand, collided sharply with Sirius' gut.
Sirius let out a painful yelp, letting go of her arm immediately and doubling over. Rachel's hands flew to her mouth, "Sorry!" she exclaimed as Sirius lifted his flushed face to look at her.
"I'm beginning to think that you're dislike for me borders on violent," he said holding a hand over his stomach as he straightened up. "You just nailed me in the gut with your elbow, quite painfully might I add," he started.
Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, "Serves you right. You shouldn't have scared me like you did."
"And this morning," Sirius continued ignoring her, "You nearly blew my bloody ear off. I realize that I can be a bit of a prat but does it really warrant me losing a limb over it?" Rachel avoided his gaze. "And in any case how did you do it?"
"My wand. Now if you'll excuse me I really rather hoped to get a head start on my homework…" she said starting to turn away from him. He reacted quickly and grabbed her arm again. "If you don't want a black eye to go with that punch in the gut I suggest you let me go," she said icily.
Sirius let go and took one step away from her giving her space. "I just want to know how. You and I both know your wand was nowhere near your hand this morning," he said looking at her intently.
She shook her head. "You can't know. Sirius what you saw or what you think you saw in the common room this morning you need to forget." He opened his mouth to ask why but she beat him to it, "You need to forget what you saw for your safety," she paused, "And mine." She looked directly into his eyes for a moment, pleading silently with him, before turning and walking away briskly.
Sirius watched her leave, knowing it was best not to go after her this time. He still had no clue what she'd done that morning in the common room and he was even more confused by her reply. He shook his head a bit and began making his way toward the dormitory. He gave the Fat Lady the password and climbed through the portrait hole. He was stunned even by how she'd acted around him. She had never called him Sirius before. And she'd never looked into his eyes like she had minutes ago. Normally her eyes were blazing when talking, more like yelling at him, but just now they were soft and scared, as though she were pleading with him to forget what he'd seen.
Andy noticed that the dorm room he shared with the Marauders was awfully quiet. He hadn't seen any of them in the common room and guessed that they might be in the Head's common room with James. He swung the door open and was very surprised to see four heads emerge from various areas of the room. Remus looked up from the dresser he was looking behind, Peter stood frozen the curtains from the bay window tangled about his legs his hands up in the air as though reaching for something, James tumbled out of the closet, and Sirius emerged from beneath his bed.
"It's just Andy," Remus assured the others as Andy looked at each of them eyebrows raised.
"What the hell are you doing?" Andy asked as the four boys went back to what they were doing before Andy walked in. And then it dawned on him, "You're getting your plans together to prank the Slytherins aren't you?" The Marauders looked at each other and then back at Andy sheepishly. Andy crossed his arms over his chest, "Honestly, Remus you're a prefect! And James: Head Boy! Do you honestly think this is the sort of behavior you should be engaging in when six years of students are looking to you for a good example?" the Marauders continued to look at Andy. The eldest Rabb grinned, "What can I do?"
Andy was a not Marauder, no, he was more of a silent partner. He'd roomed with the four boys since first year and grew to be pretty good friends with all of them. He knew they were always plotting pranks and ways to get revenge on the Slytherins and never said a word to anybody. By the end of their third year Andy was curious about where the four boys went one night a month and why they returned looking exhausted and dirty the following morning. So, he confronted them. They decided that Andy was trustworthy enough to know. He had never once blabbed to anyone about their plots and had even been helping them sort out problems that they ran into while planning. Andy took the news like James, Sirius, and Peter had utterly astonished about what a boy their age had had to deal with for many years and would continue to deal with for the rest of his life. But Andy like the others did not desert Remus or breathe a word to anyone. The fact that Andy now knew their secret only seemed to strengthen the bond that had already formed.
Andy was seen spending more and more time with the Marauders between classes, after classes, and at mealtimes. The time that he wasn't spending with Alyssa, his sister, or friends from other houses, he was spending with the Marauders helping to plan their next prank. And no one ever suspected that Andy was working with the mischief makers. No one suspected him until all five boys were caught setting a prank for the Slytherins by Filch. The next morning the entire school knew about the Marauders partner and since that day James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter continued to be known as the Marauders and Andy became known as the silent partner.
Sirius let out a bark of laughter and disappeared beneath his bed wrenching up a floorboard. He coughed as a cloud of dust rose from its depths. James shook a pair of Peter's boxers from his foot and walked over to Andy, "Good to see you back in the business," he said clapping Andy on the back. The two boys looked down as Sirius continued to rummage under the floorboard he'd just pulled up, "Did you find it Padfoot?"
"Not yet!" A loud squawk startled Peter who fell with a yelp from the chair he was standing on, taking the curtains and rod with him. Sirius chucked an old dusty rubber chicken from under his bed and James picked it up laughing.
"I remember this! My uncle brought it for me from a Muggle shop," he frowned and wrinkled his nose, "Mum didn't like it much when we stuffed it into the toilet. We tried getting it out before she could notice and we figured that if we flushed the toilet all the pressure would build up and push it out. Unfortunately after the eleventh flush the toilet was overflowing out into the hall and the chicken was still wedged inside. Mum had to redo the entire hallway after that."
Andy laughed, "What is he looking for anyway?"
"Remember last year we hid all of the materials we needed for this year's beginning of the year prank?" Remus asked as he helped Peter untangle himself from the curtain and repair the rod.
"Yes," Andy replied. The previous year a few weeks before the end of year exams, the Marauders and Andy hatched a plot for their final beginning of the year prank. They collected all the materials and then hid them under the loose floorboard under Sirius' bed, in a hidden compartment in the closet, in the space behind the drawers of the dresser next to Remus' bed, and in the window paneling around the bay window.
"Well, we've found everything except the actual blue prints of the prank," James said, "Sirius seems to think it may be at the very bottom of all the junk he has under the floorboard."
Andy shook his head, "No, its not."
Sirius emerged from beneath his bed a sock draped over his head, "It's not?" He pulled the sock from his head and tossed it aside.
"No," Andy said striding over to his own bed and standing on the mattress he pulled the top off one of the four bedposts. He reached inside and pulled a rolled up piece of parchment out with a flourish. "We thought about hiding it under the loose floorboard but realized that it was better to separate everything. We hacked off part of the bedpost, dug a hole, and stuffed the plans inside." He tossed the roll of parchment to James who caught it with a smile.
"Excellent," he and Sirius said together.
-
"Okay," James said pulling his glasses off and rubbing his tired eyes. "I think we're ready."
"They won't suspect a thing," Peter said confidently and then paused, "Right?"
Sirius cuffed Peter upside the head and turned to James, "We've picked this plan apart from every angle imaginable to make sure everything goes according to plan with no mistakes. So, yes I think we're more than ready."
James stretched languidly, "Okay wake-up time is quarter to five. I'll be here with the map and cloak at five. We leave for the dungeons at ten past." James got to his feet and grabbed his bag; "I'll see you gents in the morning."
"This is weird, you saying goodnight and leaving instead of just falling into bed here like you used to do. I'm actually starting to miss your snores," Sirius said wistfully. A pillow hit him full in the face.
James grinned at his best friend, "I do not snore," he said closing the door behind him.
You know the routine: review to your heart's content! I hope to have the next chapter up on Wednesday! Until then enjoy and try and figure what information I gave you in this chapter that you'll need to remember later on! Remember don't give anything away to new readers! See you Wednesday!