Chapter 6

"Hello," McGonagall said. When she had their attention she continued, "Welcome to Hogwarts, and Gryffindor. I am Professor McGonagall, your head of house." She delivered the same spiel as their first year. Minerva McGonagall had not changed. Their faces showed painstaking consideration of her words as their thoughts drifted.

George wondered if he packed any of his own products. These students had never experienced Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. The product research to be done. The feedback to be gathered. The advice from his idols. The havoc to be wreaked.

"If you will please tell me what classes you are taking?"

Hermione was ready with the answer as she absorbed the lecture. "We're all taking Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology at the N.E.W.T. level." The note of pride for George in her voice made her sound arrogant. The charming smile leveled at McGonagall alleviated the misconception. "I am also taking Ancient Runes and Arithmancy."

McGonagall nodded. "I hope you are prepared, and will be an asset to Gryffindor."

"You and I have the same classes, Hermione," remarked Lily.

"Wonderful."

The rest of the feast passed in a blur of chatter and clinking cutlery. Once the deserts disappeared Dumbledore gave the usual start of term notices before sending them off to bed.

"The boys waited for you," Lily said with a modicum of surprise. The four marauders stood outside the doors of the Great Hall. Lily approached them with Harry, George, and Hermione.

"A rather handsome lot excluding Peter," Hermione murmured. Harry snorted.

They were handsome. James with his messy black hair. An almost identical match to Harry, glasses and everything. The nose a bit off, but the same thin face, same stature although Harry was skinnier. The last year had taken a heavy toll on him.

Sirius was next to James. His dark hair fell gracefully into his eyes. He possessed a mischievous air making him strikingly attractive despite the touch of arrogance in his stance. Remus Lupin stood on James's other side. His light brown hair brushed away from his face, his brown eyes alight with curiosity. He was slightly shabbier than the rest giving him a humbleness lacking in the others.

Then there was Peter. A head shorter than his friends, plump with watery eyes. A shiver of intense dislike coursed through Hermione. She shuddered. She focused elsewhere. Oh, so careful, they absolutely had to be terrifyingly careful around the four of them considering the stories she'd heard from Sirius and Remus.

"This is Hermione, Harry, and George," Lily said. She indicated the boys who nodded when their name was presented. "Sirius Black, you met Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew."

"Harry, George, come with us," James offered. "We'll take you to the dorm." His inviting smile missed the mark. It contained something extra.

"Watch out," warned Hermione.

"Got it," Harry said. He caught the glint in Sirius's eyes. Even George became wary at Remus's stiff posture.

Lily shepherded the first years. Hermione reluctantly helped. She kept looking at the departing boys.

The path to the Gryffindor common room engraved in their memories Harry and George immediately recognized the wrong step taken to divert them.

"This is a more circuitous route," Sirius explained. "It avoids the traffic from the Great Hall." The marauders were good. They exhibited no telltale signs of deception.

#

The marauders sauntered into the common room.

"Think it's funny, do you?" Lily attacked. The horsing around stopped.

"H-h-huh?" a startled James stuttered.

"You left two new students alone in a magical castle. Idiotic, immature, selfish, mean." Each word earned a poke in the chest to one of the boys. "You should be ashamed." She darted to the girl's stairway.

"Oi," Sirius yelled after her. She whipped around a look of pure disdain on her face. Sirius was the only one not cowed into shame. "I'm not going after them," he said to his friends who hung their heads low. They shuffled about not sure which direction to go. Sirius strode across the room and took the stairs to the boy's dormitories.

James sunk again in Lily's estimation. He was a foolish git. When would he learn?

"Oi," Sirius shouted again, "you prats get up here."

Sitting on their beds calm as you please were Harry, and George. Flustered Sirius gave them an appraising once over.

Crouching on the girl's staircase Lily, and Hermione heard Sirius's second shout. They dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"You were amazing," Hermione praised. The room looked the same as in her own time. Her bed's position by the door was different though. Lily sat on the bed next to hers.

"Easy enough when you're mad. It was incredibly rude of them. Good thing, Harry and George had a map. And it's nice for the marauders to get a comeuppance."

"Who?" Hermione asked playing dumb.

"The marauders," Lily repeated. "The immature children across the way. The biggest pranksters here. It's a rare occasion for someone to get them."

"I see."

#

"How? What?" came tumbling from the group standing behind Sirius in the doorway.

"It's called a map," drawled Harry.

"Yeah," added George, "if you had one maybe it wouldn't have taken you so long to get here." He wondered who was situated where. His and Harry's beds were beside each other in the circular room.

The marauders slouched into the room. Awkwardness trailed them. It had taken so long to get back, because they made sure Harry and George hadn't tried to follow them.

They planned to be here stretched out, and comfortable in their territory. Instead, they were on unsure footing. None of them could remember a time their prank had backfired. It was possible, but no, they thought, it wasn't.

Sirius plopped on the bed next to Harry. Remus opened the trunk at the foot of the bed next to George. James sat on the bed on Remus's other side directly across from Harry. Peter stood by the last bed next to James. A sigh. Neither Harry, nor George wanted to be close to the rat.

"Night fellas," George said. He and Harry closed their curtains. Exhaustion fell heavy on them.

Silent communications filtered throughout the room. Significant glances, and gestures flowed between the marauders. They shook their heads utterly bewildered.

#

"Ugh," Hermione groaned. "Potions first thing." Slughorn's constant wooing of prized pupils irritated Hermione. She spread jam on her toast. She tensed as two more Gryffindors joined them.

"Professor Slughorn isn't that bad," Lily said.

"If you're in his slug club," Sirius countered sitting opposite Hermione.

"Jealous much?" sniped Lily.

"Padfoot, jealous?" queried Remus. He sat next to Lily.

"She's bragging about her membership in the slug club. Again," Sirius wheedled.

Harry smothered his snigger in a cough. He and Hermione were previous future members. Slughorn boasted of Lily's magical talent, but Harry hadn't thought she would be a member.

"Harry," Hermione said. Excitement thick in her voice. "We have D.A.D.A. today."

"You like defense?" Remus asked mildly curious. Last night's escapades hadn't provided the opportunity for a getting to know you chat.

"It's my favorite class," Harry replied extending an olive branch.

"Mine too," Remus said. "What about you, Hermione?"

"You can't ask her to pick," George cut in, "she loves everything."

"Ha ha." Hermione scowled. "Transfiguration. Lily?"

"Charms. George?"

"Charms and potions."

Hermione registered her shock. Potions? She remembered the twin's wide range of products.

"Sirius?" George asked.

His brows knitted together. "Transfiguration." He flashed a roguish grin.

"What are we discussing?" James asked arriving late with Peter.

"Classes," Lily and Hermione answered.

"So early in the morning," he complained.

"That's why we're here," Lily retorted.

"Break my heart, Evans. I thought my company was your sole reason for being here."

"Eeww."

#

The dungeon classroom highly resembled the one in the future. The setup was very much like the first day Harry, and Hermione had Slughorn as a teacher. Cauldrons steamed and bubbled throughout the room. Different color mists swirled above them.

The marauders claimed the back table. The time travelers took the next table, and Lily sat in front with the other Gryffindor girls.

Slytherins filed in taking the remaining seats on the opposite side of the classroom. A sharp intake of breath alerted Harry. There he was, the young Severus Snape.

A mixture of emotions clogged Harry's stomach making him feel ill. He paled. His breath stuttered. George searched for the root of the problem. His hand absently rubbed the hole left in place of his ear.

"An accident. It was an accident," Harry explained. The urgency of his emotions overriding George's natural defenses.

"Get out of my head!" George shouted shocked at the intrusion.

"You can't," Hermione coaxed. She followed the path forged by Harry into George's mind.

Telepathy. Why not? Perhaps it was a side effect of time traveling. George leaned into it, vowing to allow himself time to freak out later. "It's because of that bloody moron I haven't got my ear."

"He was aiming for the Death Eater," Harry said.

"Missed, didn't he?" Anger rose.

"Please, George," Hermione pleaded. "He hasn't done anything yet. He's 17. He's not the man we hated," she reasoned.

The intense struggle blocked everything. They were unaware of the movements of the class. Slughorn lectured on each of the potions, the students took notes. Then he explained the procedure for the day.

"Merlin's pants," exclaimed Hermione. "We've started."

The students were setting up their cauldrons, and gathering ingredients. Harry broke the connection. He grabbed his book, cauldron, and tools.

"What are we doing?" he asked Hermione.

Remus leaned back to say, "Pepper-Up potion."

"Thank you." Hermione dazzled him with a smile. She glared at Harry and George before opening her book. She worked at a feverish pace to get her potion finished in time. Adding the last ingredient, she relaxed.

"Not bad," Slughorn boomed over their cauldrons. "Good," he said examining Hermione's.

"For homework an essay including the key ingredients, steps, and formulations for the healing potions we discussed at the beginning. Madam Pomfrey will be pleased to know we can supply the hospital wing with needed medicinal potions. Dismissed."

Heated chocolate brown eyes narrowed at Harry and George. They raised their hands in defeat, "We're sorry," they mumbled in unison.

Remus watched the boys shrink. He'd witnessed their lack of attention, the soundless communication, and their response to a certain Slytherin. Curious.

Hermione stomped off to Arithmancy with Lily without uttering a single word. Lupin quickly followed.

#

Lily and Hermione walked toward the table enmeshed in conversation. Harry managed to grab Hermione's bag before it fell into a bowl of fruit.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"Where did you transfer from?" Lily asked. She settled beside George opposite Harry, and Hermione. Lupin sat beside Hermione eager to hear more.

"The Bobbleton Academy," Hermione said. They expected this test sooner, but the antics of the marauders provided a distraction. "It's a small private school," Hermione elaborated. Lily, and Remus wore matching expressions of confusion. "If your great, great, great grandparents haven't heard of it, chances are you won't have either."

"Why did you leave?"

"Our headmaster retired," George said. He was content to leave it there.

"His replacement," Hermione picked up the thread, "changed things. He instated a new selection process to exclude anyone but pure-bloods. He changed the curriculum to focus on the dark arts. We thought parents would protest the new regime and demand his resignation." She discovered lying became easier if the basis began in truth.

"We were wrong," Harry said.

"You left?" Remus asked.

"Yes," Hermione confirmed. "With the new selection process, it was a matter of time before I would have been expelled."

"Muggle-born?" Lily asked sympathetically.

"Yes, and very proud of it," Hermione claimed fiercely.

"You two?" Remus prodded.

"I'm pure-blood," George responded, "and Harry is half."

"Erm." Remus stumbled

"We didn't have to leave," Harry said. "But any place that doesn't accept my best friend is not somewhere I want to be." Protectiveness was inflected in his tone.

Remus swallowed thoughtfully. He tried to form some order to the tangled questions in his mind.

"Why Hogwarts?" James asked. He, Sirius, and Peter had come in half-way through the conversation.

"I read about it in…" Hermione began.

"An exceedingly dull book about magic schools," interjected George. "We'd heard of Dumbledore, thought his school might accept us. Sent an owl, and viola. Here we are."

"Is Bobbleton similar to Hogwarts?" Lily asked. She hadn't heard of other magic schools.

"Yes. We sit our O.W.L.s in fifth year, and N.E.W.T.s in seventh. It offers the same classes, and had the same system for prefects."

"Were you one?" Remus asked Hermione.

She nodded. "I was supposed to be Head Girl." She slipped. Her eyes darted to Harry.

"Head Boy?" Sirius asked. Harry nodded.

"What about Quidditch?" James moved to the edge of his seat.

"Captain," Harry said. His eyes lit up in a way only associated with the wizarding sport.

"You play?" Sirius directed to George.

"Beater." A flash of pain.

"Harry?" James asked.

"Seeker."

"It must have been difficult for you to leave," Lily commented. What they gave up to come to a new place. The people they left behind.

"Not when you have your best friends with you." Hermione blushed. She hoped the conversation would steer clear of Quidditch. Ron and Harry were bad enough.

They ate in contemplative quietness digesting information as well as food.

"We need your help," Harry said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I shouldn't bother. You distracted me in potions."

"We're sorry," Harry repeated.

"Yes, sorry you didn't answer all the questions and get tons of points for Gryffindor once again showing your prowess as a clever know-it-all," George said.

"Are you enjoying your new hair color, because I can certainly change it to show school spirit," Hermione spat.

"George, stop," Harry said. "Hermione, love, if you decide not to help us with potions, that's fine. We'll ask Lily, or Remus."

Hermione's neck popped as she whipped around to stare at Harry.

"We need your help with another project," he continued oblivious.

"What?" she growled.

"The marauders. We cannot let their prank go unpunished. If we didn't have expert knowledge of the castle, we would have been blundering about for half the night," George said awed.

"Do not be impressed," Hermione admonished. "Why did they do it?"

"Do they have to have a reason?" Harry asked.

"Their pranks were directed at," Hermione stopped. Snape's name was on the tip of her tongue. "Other houses."

"Doesn't matter," Harry said. "We have a plan, but we need assistance."

"Explain." She listened ignoring her lunch. "Not bad, good spirited, small problem. We need another person."

Lily sipped her pumpkin juice. She was being stared at. She felt it. She found James. He was immersed in a chat with Sirius. She scanned the students. Nobody watched her. She turned to find Hermione, George, and Harry staring.

"What?" she asked loudly. They shrugged waiting for people to return to their food.

George leaned in. He whispered, "We need your help."

"Of course." Lily readily agreed.

James went rigid. He didn't care for the way George whispered in Lily's ear, nor how her eyes kindled with a spark he'd never seen before. Tension radiated from him.

Hermione noticed. Click. The reason for the prank. James was jealous. "Look at the time," Hermione blurted. "Shouldn't we be going?"

"What's this professor like?" Harry asked as the group walked to the D.A.D.A. classroom.

"Professor Caprise is an ex-auror," Remus said. "She runs her class like a training exercise. No goofing off." He glanced at James and Sirius.

"Moony, mate, you worry too much." Sirius threw a casual arm around Remus's shoulders. "We've learned our lesson." He winked at James. Prongs replied with a wicked grin.

"Hurry along." Professor Caprise motioned them into her classroom. "We have important material to cover."

Their seat choices followed the pattern of their potion's class except there was no Peter, and Lily chose to sit next to George.

Sirius and Remus exchanged troubled glances as James growled.

"Cool it, Prongs," Sirius warned.

"Today, we will be discussing dementors. They are among the darkest creatures roaming the earth."

Dementors were old hat to Harry, George, and Hermione. She beamed when the professor asked, "What can be used to repel a dementor?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air barely missing Harry's glasses.

"Miss Granger?"

"A patronus."

"Correct. Two points to Gryffindor."

"What is the incantation to cast a patronus?" Hermione gasped as George's hand beat hers into the air.

"Mr. Walker?"

"Expecto patronum."

"Another two points. The patronus charm is used to drive dementors away. Who can explain why?"

A nudge in the ribs sent Harry's hand up. "A patronus is a positive force projecting the very things dementors feed upon. Hope, and happiness, but since a patronus cannot feel despair a dementor cannot hurt it."

"Excellent. Five points. As Mr. Barnes was saying a patronus repels a dementor, but it must have a strong memory behind it. Concentration is the key. Next class I want an essay on patronuses and we might try casting our own."

"Off to a good start in there," George bragged.

"I'm not the only know-it-all," Hermione teased.

#

"Who do you want?"

"I'll do Remus," Hermione declared.

"Will you now?" George cocked an eyebrow. Hermione's cheeks pinkened. Her wand waved. A cushion smacked into George's face.

"Peter is off limits to us, wouldn't be wise to attempt it on him. Lily could though, she'd be nice," asserted Harry. Hermione nodded. George shrugged.

"I got Sirius. That leaves James," George clarified.

"Let's tell Lily," Harry said. "She up to this?"

"She jumped at the opportunity. It doesn't seem like she's participated in prank before," George confided.

"There aren't too many people who will take on the marauders. She must be delighted," mused Hermione. "Let's go to dinner."

A bad idea. A prank war with the marauders. Technically, the marauders instigated it, but still. Lily thought it brilliant which only worried Hermione more. They entered the Great Hall and assumed their positions next to said boys.