The Almost Prank

Chapter 14

As we said in the 12 we skipped 13 and went to 14. However the story was not interrupted.

Last time all of Hogwarts was involved in a school wide group hug. Some begrudgingly some joyously. We have our Butterbeer and are reasonable drugged so it is now time to start our exams. You can not possible expect us to write about exams without being drugged and drunk now can you. Sucks to be us.

The new arrival glanced around the Great Hall and all it's inhabitants, who were all huddled in a group at the far end of the room. The woman shook her grey head and let a little smile pull on the corners of her mouth as she marveled at the sight, it was known fact that Gryffindor and Slytherin did not get a long. Yet, it seemed that all the students and even the teachers were in the huddle. Two possibilities a rose in the women's mind as so started to head to the group. They were either all fighting or they were hugging.

Sensing the arrival of someone else in the Great Hall James grabbed Lily's hand and slowly and methodically pulled her out from the middle of the huddle. "What are you doing?" Lily demanded as she and James reached the outside of the huddle.

"We have a new arrival," James's responded smiling down at Lily and dropping a kiss onto her forehead. "Come on. We have to drag the new comer into the group. As James looked towards the entrance and saw the approaching figure his smile larger at the sight. "Grannmere," James exclaimed dragging Lily behind him as he ran to great his great-grandmother.

As James and Lily met the old women see smiled a cheerful smile of greeting. However as she took in her great-grandsons attire her smile turned into a frown. "James Harry Potter, what is the meaning of your outfit?"

"Hi, Granmere," James exclaimed hugging the old women. "I lost a bet with Sirius and Peter. This is Lily. We are getting married. But we have not set a date yet. How are you?"

"James, slow down," Lily admonished with a smile.

"Not to worry, dear," the woman exclaimed smiling. James was now pulling both his great-grandmother and Lily towards the group. "He has always talked fast when he is excited or nervous. It is kind of cute. So what is going on here?"

"Group hug," James explained happily pulling the two women into the center of the huddle again. "Mum, dad, Grandmere is here."

The hug lasted for a few more minutes no one wanting to break it up out of fear or joy no one said. Finally Dumbledore spoke, "Sorry to be the one to break up this show of school spirit. But we have exams to sit through. Now we most clear the Great Hall for the examiners. Please follow your schedules. I hope the high spirit of this morning will stay with you throughout the day. Now off you all trot to empty your heads onto the paper and show them all what you can do in practicals."

Slowly the Great Hall emptied of students so it could be set up for the Potions exam. "Are you going to have anymore surprises for me?" Lily asked her hair now a tranquil blond color.

"No one else will be showing up that I can think of," James responded pulling Lily to a stop just outside the Great Hall. "We might as well wait here seeing how Potions will be our first exam. After this we have Arithmacy and Care of Magical Creatures right."

"Remus and I have Ruins in between Arithmacy and Magical Creatures but that's it," Lily supplied. "It is a good thing that we only have the written today. This schedule would be impossible if we had written and practical in the same day."

The silvery glow of three-quarters moon shone brightly a cross the rich green Hogwarts ground with a slight wind from the west. Giving the grass a look as if it were a live. Over in the Quidditch stadium three lone figures sat in the stands alternately looking at the figure on the broom in the air and watching the methodical movements of the dark blue haired female on the pitch below them. "What is up with Evans," Peter asked the two boys after a little while. Peter had been the last to arrive and had taken his cue from his friends, as he normally did to sit and watch James and Lily alternately.

"I have no idea," Sirius stated. "She has been following that route since she finished the Magical Creatures written exam. I followed her down here after the exam and tried to talk to her but she just ignored me."

"At least she is thinking romantic thoughts now," Remus muttered studying Lily. "Earlier she was furious. She is such a contradiction of emotions."

"So we are sitting here watching her emotions to change," Peter exclaimed rising. "How fun."

"All in the name of research," Remus murmured. "Besides James will be done in a few minutes."

"Five galleons it'll turn black soon," Sirius whispered to Remus.

"Fine, your on," Remus replied not noticing that Peter was headed towards Lily.

"Evans, have you gained weight," Peter called when he reached Lily.

"You insufferable git," Lily screamed at Peter well she smacked him.

"Told you," Sirius said smiling at Remus. "That will be five galleons."

"Cheater!"

"Prove it."

"You made a deal with Peter!"

"No I didn't he is stupid enough to do it on his own!"

"Sure he is."

"Hey, Peter," Sirius yelled down to the field. "Did I make a deal with you?"

"No," Peter called back between the smacks he is receiving from Lily. "She looked like a huge hippo from were we where sitting."

"You slob," Lily yelled kneeing Peter.

"I think we better go help Peter," Siruis muttered rising.

"Sure you're going to help you're partner in crime," Remus murmured rising from the seat and following Sirius.

"Why would I help you?" Sirius called back from the ground.

'That's just a low shot," Remus yelled launching himself at Sirius.

"Yeah," Remus replied. "We are full of low shots. Besides you should know a low shot when you see one. You use them all the time."

Meanwhile in the air James spotted the two fights that were going on. "I better go see what is up," James said into the air pointing his broom towards the ground to land. Not wanting to truly get involved in either of the fights. He looked at the fighters trying to decide which one he felt he had a better chancre of breaking up. Suddenly another figure came onto the Quidditch pitch.

"I thought you five would know better," the new arrival said. The new arrival was tall and had black straight hair that was cut close to his head. "You really shouldn't be here by yourselves. You never know what is going to come to the pitch when the five of you are around."

At the sound of the new comers voice the four friends immediately stopped fighting and looked toward the voice. "Voldemort," James muttered derisively. "What your Death Eaters couldn't take care of us so you decided to come yourself? So where are your supporters anyway."

"How perceptive of you, Potter," Voldemort sneered. "I can easily handle you kids by myself. Now to take care of you once and for all."

"Peter, go get help from the castle," Lily whispered to Peter who was still on the ground. "We will hold him off until you get back."

"This is really getting old," Sirius said walking over to stand by James. "How many times do we have to defeat you before you learn to leave us a lone?"

"Crucio,"Voldemort yelled pointing his wand at Sirius. "Show some respect boy," Voldemort called over Sirius screams of pain.

"Split up," Lily called to the boys casting a silent shielding charm around Sirius. "We have to keep drawing his attention off of each other. That is the only way we will survive this time."

"I'll get Sirius," James yelled back to Lily. "Remus conjure some barriers for us to hide behind. We have to at least buy Wormtail some time."

As James went to retrieve Sirius and drag him behind one of the barriers that Remus had conjured Lily sent up some red flares to call for help. She hoped that someone in the castle would be looking out one of the windows. "How did you get past the guards?" Lily asked Voldemort. "They are stationed all over."

"They were busy elsewhere," Voldemort sneered turning his wand on Lily and casting a cutting spell towards her. Lily had just enough time to turn side ways so the spell did not cause any fatal damage as it was intended to do. Although it did give Lily a large gash on the shoulder.

"You are getting careless," Lily taunted Voldemort. "I would expect better from one of the greatest wizards of our time."
"You foolish girl," Voldemort yelled sending another cutting curse towards Lily. "If I were you I would stop the taunts and spend more time concentrating on spell work then taunts." However Lily's taunts had bought Remus and James enough time to get Sirius to shelter and to conjure up enough barriers for them to hide behind.

"Come on, Lil," James called from behind one of the barriers just as Voldemort was getting ready to land a Cruciatious curse. "Sirius, are you alright," James asked the man at his feet. "We have to help Lily. Remus on three we all cast a spell. Lily, I need you to get to safety. Ready one.. two... three."

As the spells were cast Lily had just enough time to dodge another cutting curse and dive behind a barrier before Voldemort tried to hit her with the Cruciatis. "This is ridiculous," Lily screamed to James and Remus. "We aren't getting anywhere by hiding. We have to stand and fight. We have him out numbered." While Lily was talking Voldemort was again closing in on her.

"I think I will finish you off first, girl," Voldemort sneered over the top off the barrier Lily had been crouching behind. Crucio." Again Lily felt the worse pain she had felt in her life. Yet she was not going to give Voldemort the privilege off hearing her screams. After a full minute of the curse Voldemort lifted it and with a smile at Lily exclaimed, "Beg me to kill you and I will."

"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction of hearing me beg," Lily murmured. "Just as I would not give you the satisfaction of hearing my screams, Lord Moldybutt. You are a heartless fool you are."

"We have to do something," James muttered to Remus who had been able to sneak over to his friends while Voldemort had been busy with Lily. "I hope Peter has found someone. I'm sending up more red sparks. Cover me."

As James said these words both Remus and Sirius who had regained his strength cast the cutting spell at Voldemort hoping to distract him from Lily. They all knew that Lily could not take much more of this and hoped that someone anyone would come down from the castle. Again they heard Voldemort cast the Cruciatous curse at Lily. They felt completely helpless when again they did not hear Lily's screams. After all they all new how much pain it caused.

They had all been on the receiving end of that particular spell in the last few months. They hoped that Lily had passed out from the pain, but what they heard next wiped this hope from their minds. "You'll have to do better then that," Lily gasped. She then sent another cutting curse of her own. Having enough of hiding the three boys jumped out from behind the barriers and confronted Voldemort moving to protect Lily. All three started casting curses at Voldemort who was able to block them with little effort. The fight kept on like this for a while longer until they heard a voice they all recognized and brought some much needed relief to them. "Tom, why have you come here?" Dumbledore asked in the harshest voice any of the friends had ever heard him use. He then cast several spells at Voldemort until Voldemort gave up the fight and grabbed James broom which was laying on the ground and flying off.

As Voldemort left the Quidditch pitch Dumbledore approached the four friends. "IF I did not know better," Dumbledore exclaimed to the friends. "I would say that you enjoyed running into Voldemort and his supporters."

"No it's Moldybutt," Remus piped in. "If you are going to complement us get it right."

"Why is it Moldybutt?" Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Since we fought him and lost," James explained holding Lily. "We are going to call him Lord Moldybutt."

"Very interesting," Dumbledore exclaimed. "But will he find it as amusing?"

"He better," Sirius replied. "Otherwise he can come and fight us again."

"And we will create a special spell to make sure his butt stays moldy too," James muttered cuddling Lily in his arms. "That is what he gets for stealing my broom."

"Ah, but," Dumbledore exclaimed. "It is better to have fought defeat and still be a live then to have won and lose all your friends. And now I think we should get Lily up to the hospital wing. She does look the worse for wear. I do believe that you Sirius could also use a trip there."

As the party consisting of Remus, Sirius, James, Lily and Dumbledore made their way to the hospital wing they could hear Madam Pomfrey singing:

Welcome to the Hogwarts Hospital
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hogwarts Hospital
Any time of year (Any time of year)
You can find it here
"You guys had no idea what you were starting," Dumbledore muttered stopping in front of the hospital wing door.
"We have no idea what you are talking about," James mumbled re adjusting Lily in his arms. "Now if you could just open the door for me, sir. I would like to get Lily inside and lay her down. She is losing quiet a bit of blood."

"Certainly," Dumbledore replied opening the door for James and the other two. "Poppy, I have brought your favorite patients to see you. I do believe they will behave themselves tonight."

"My my," Madam Pomfrey clicked coming out of her office. "We are missing one. Will Mr.. Pettigrew be joining them tonight?"

"No, Peter was not involved in this one," Dumbledore replied. "However I do believe that you should be able to release Mr. Lupin and Mr. Potter tonight after a quick once over."

"I am not leaving Lily, sir," James said forcefully. "With all due respect. She was deeply traumatized tonight and I can not leave her a lone. Especially with Sirius in the room."

"Very well," Dumbledore relented. "You may stay. Minnie these two will need an enlarged bed for the night. In the morning will evaluate their ability to take the rest of their exams. They after all are the hero's of the school again."

"I still wish..." Madam Pomfrey started.

a/n: Oh cliffy we are so mean. But you guys are meaner. You guys are not reviewing. afullmetelwar and I keep posting and we get fewer and fewer reviews. What have we lost our edge... is the story getting boring... should we stop the story now... should we stop the Almost Prank series now... don't you want to know where Lily's child is... Or about the wrestling match... Now getting back to or normal notes. Also Hogwarts Hospital is a parody of Hotel California from the Eagles. We are also starting a poll. We would like to know which story you want next. Snapes Revenge, Snape has a secret that he is keeping from the Marauders and Lily. One that will change them all forever. Or Peter's Betrayal, what made Peter betray his friends and the Order.

mywayornoway: We feel it is necessary to have a toast. We toast the Eagles for creating the lyrics that we changed and Madam Pomfrey sings.( glasses clinking together)

a-full-metal-war: We toast to all the past reviewers.( glasses clinking together)

mywayornoway: We toast to all the reviews we were suppose to get.( glasses clinking together)

a-full-metal-war: To the pure drunk ness( glasses clinking together)

mywayornoway: Anyone that toasts with us in a review or simple sends a review gets something in chapter 15.

moonys-witch: Once again thanks for the review. I hope we are still living up to your expectations.

Em3191: thanks for the review. Glad you like the story. Thos was suppose to be a one time thing but I had to many people wanting more. So now we have gotten to what chapter 14.

a-full-metal-war: We hooked another one.

mywayornoway: We must toast to the newly hooked. We love you guys. One and all. Anyway the ones who review.

a-full-metal-war: Just keep reviewing. That is what we write for. No reviews the story dies a most horrible death. And the series. And believe us when we say a most horrible death we mean it.