As We Would have Done for You

Her voice had been floating toward them in monotone waves for almost an hour now. "…The animuagus transformation is one of the most difficult and potentially deadly transfiguration spells…"

Sirius missed most of the rest of McGonagall's spiel while he yawned, trying to pry his eyes open. He then slumped back in his seat, trying to find a position just uncomfortable enough to keep him conscious. He and James had been up most of the night planning, scrapping and re-planning a multitude of pranks designed to throw off the entire rhythm and structure of the graduation ceremony. It had been tedious work, something neither of them had expected to have to worry about only days before graduation. Everything had to be perfect. If they failed, not only would Moony kill each and every one of them for interfering, but also they ran the risk of someone figuring out the reason behind the mayhem, which in turn could risk their own graduations, and more importantly risk Remus' well-being.

McGonagall's steady voice droned on. "…Only the most studious and skilled witches and wizards can even dream of becoming animagi..."

He yawned again. Why was she still talking? Class would be over in five minutes. And they were all seventh years. She had to know that they didn't care…

WHAP!

Sirius almost fell out of his chair, completely awake and alert. He stared wide-eyed up at the stern professor who had somehow managed to make her way directly next to his seath without his knowledge. His eyes then dropped back down to the wand she had slapped onto the desk only an inch from his hand.

His eyes shot back up to meet her sharp green ones. "Napping, Mr. Black?" she asked softly. She didn't appear angry, which Sirius recognized to be a bad sign. He needed to rectify the situation. Quickly.

Sirius ignored the tittering of giggles around him. He struggled to regain his composure, making direct eye contact, and slipping on his most charming smile. "Of course not, professor," he responded, smoothly. "How could I ever sleep through one of your lectures? Your ideas inspire me. I was just lulled into a trance by that sweet voice of yours…"

He could hear Peter retching behind him, only slightly muffled by James' gasps for breath.

McGonagall's face hadn't changed, except perhaps, for a slight twitch to her eyebrow. "It is precisely that ability to be lulled into a stupor, Mr. Black," she replied, "that demonstrates how unlikely it is that you will ever achieve the skill of an animagus."

James choked again, this time earning a sharp glare from the professor. "Potter, go get a drink," she snapped, pointing him to the door. She didn't say a word until he slipped out of his seat and began walking away. She then graced Sirius with the smallest of smiles. "I was going to take points from your house, but I suspect it's unfair to blame you for something you can't help… Lately, a stupor seems to be your permanent state."

She turned away finally, motioning to the board with her wand so that a lengthy assignment appeared where there had once been notes. She began explaining the assigned readings and essays as Sirius slumped back in his seat. That was all he'd needed. To get detention and completely ruin all of their carefully laid plans.

James slipped back into the classroom a few minutes later, flipping a tiny piece of parchment onto Sirius' desk before slipping into his own seat.

Sirius straightened, snatching up the small note before the professor noticed, and carefully opening it on his lap when her back was turned. His grey eyes scanned the page. It was a short note:

"Grab Peter at the bell. We'd better start right away if we don't want you to blow our chances before we even get started. We'll meet at the trophy room.

Prongs"

Sirius crumpled the paper back up, and when McGonagall turned her back again, tossed it into the nearby rubbish bin.

Finally McGonagall deemed them learned enough to leave, and so, dismissed them.

Sirius and James snatched Peter on the way out of class and dragged him toward the trophy room. The walk took longer than usual, considering they were forced to walk against the crowds who were on their way to lunch.

"We're going to miss lunch," the heavyset blonde pouted as they turned a corner into an empty corridor, and finally reached the large oak door of the trophy room.

James scowled, and replied. "Now isn't the time to be thinking of food. We need to start pranking right away if this plan is going to have a chance. We only have a day and a half." Sirius just opened the door and dragged them both into the room.

Peter sighed, ignoring his growling stomach. "Fine. But I wish you'd have warned me this morning. I'd have eaten a bigger breakfast…" He trailed off at James' glare.

Sirius tuned him out entirely, shutting the door firmly and handing over a scrap of parchment to him. "We need to split up and do things individually if we're going to make anything work. Those are your tasks. Nothing too hard. James and I kept the more delicate stuff for ourselves."

Peter opened his paper. His brow furrowed as he read the list. "There's a lot of stuff on here," he griped. "Why can't we just do it all together?"

"Because we don't have time," James growled.

"Anyway," Sirius added, "we need to keep Moony distracted or he's gong to suspect something's up."

"Like he isn't already going to," James commented lightly.

"Where's he been today, anyway?" asked Peter, tucking the parchment into his transfiguration book. "He keeps disappearing. I mean, I know I saw him in class, but by the time you two were dragging me through the halls, he was gone."

Sirius shrugged. "We obviously lost him before he could follow us. What can I say? We're excellent at stealth. Isn't that right, Prongs?" He looked expectantly toward his best friend, waiting for the quick affirmative that was sure to follow.

It didn't.

James appeared uneasy, his hazel eyes worried. "Actually, Sirius, I was wondering the same thing," he said softly. "He didn't even eat with us this morning. You don't think he overheard us last night, do you? I mean, he's going to be mad if he finds out what we're up to."

"He'll deal with it," Sirius replied shortly, drawing the startled gaze form the other two boys. He leaned back against the cold stone wall, crossing his arms defiantly as though Remus were right there arguing with him. "We're his friends, right?"

James and Peter exchanged wary glances, unsure as to where Sirius was going with this. Hesitantly they both nodded.

"Of course, Padfoot—" James started.

"Well, then, friends do stuff to each other with or without their permission… especially if it can help."

James finally cracked an understanding smile. "Ah… such courageous words… You still don't think he heard us, do you?"

Sirius grinned, breaking the tension. "Of course not. I'd be scared shitless if I thought he knew. He's the worst of all of us when he wants to be. And that's saying something. He was out like a light last night. I checked before we left, and he was still asleep when we got back to bed. There's nothing to worry about from his end. Not yet at least."

Peter just stared at them, not even attempting to follow this "logic."

"So we pull our pranks as planned," Sirius said, getting back to business. His dark eyes flashed. "Moony will never even have to know it was us." He smirked. "This werewolf rubbish has gone on long enough. If Dumbledore won't do anything, we will."

James opened his mouth to reply when a crash sounded from behind an old statue down the at the opposite end of the large room. The three boys immediately fell silent, straining their eyes for the source of the sound.

Moments later, a large black cat with glowing eyes scuttled down from the partially opened door at the opposite end of the room, hissing fiercely at them.

Peter sighed in relief as Sirius bared his teeth at the offending creature. It slunk away.

James laughed unsteadily, breaking the tension. "Only Emma. We'd have been done for if it had been Filch instead of his cat." He glanced around, still appearing uneasy. "We should go before our luck runs out."

Peter nodded empathetically, his blue eyes wide and startling in his pale face.

Sirius grumbled a few threats of Padfoot eating the cat before he nodded in agreement and the trio hurried off to what remained of their lunch.

Remus slumped behind the door, relieved. This near to the full moon, animals were generally terrified of him. He should have checked to be sure Emma wasn't in the area. He'd been lucky. That blasted cat had almost given him away. As it was, he'd missed almost all of the conversation trying to placate the vicious thing before it began its trademark yowling to announce his presence…

He peeked out again around the statue he'd been hiding behind just to be certain that the other boys were gone, then slumped back against the wall, pressing his face into his hands.

He may not have heard everything, but he'd heard enough.

"Werewolf rubbish, am I?" Remus muttered darkly, trying to suppress the encroaching wave of depression with his anger. For once refusing to allow his rational side to talk him out of doing anything stupid. Why bother? "So they want to prank me away from them, do they?" He snorted softly, finally standing up and brushing himself off.

"Fine. If I'm such an irritation to them, then let them pull their little pranks… two can play at that game…"

Author's Note: Sorry about the long wait between chapters. I hope you enjoy this anyway, though.

Thanks for reading. Please review.

Sirius