(A/N: Again a special thanks goes to my beta Bits1212, she is wonderful!)
Chapter 8
"Then don't."
The hesitation caused by those words cost James and Sirius. Before they comprehended the scope of the situation their victims had their wands. The wave of water froze. Full body binds cast. Shocked James and Sirius could only stare.
"Nice try, boys." Hermione smiled ruefully as she, Harry, and George stood up. They levitated their frozen school mates to their positions, and stepped away. A lazy flick of the wrist.
SPLASH!
James and Sirius coughed and spluttered as the body binds released them. Dazed they searched for the source of their misfortune. The trio strolled leisurely to the castle.
Befuddled gaze met befuddled gaze. Once again, their plan backfired.
"I don't get it." Sirius shook the water off.
"Me either," James agreed. He dug in his pockets for something dry to wipe his glasses.
"We're in for it now." Both remembered the recent dinner prank. They trudged to the castle.
#
"This is ridiculous," Hermione complained. Was it punishment? She had four chapters to read, and two essays to write, but come on. Was she not entitled to a homework free day? "At least we stayed dry this time."
"Unlucky place, the lake," George added. He stowed his wand.
"That," Harry emphasized the next word, "was a nice nap."
"Arrogant prats," grumbled Hermione. "The one time I'm enjoying doing nothing. They will pay for that."
"Yes, I quite agree," Harry said.
"It would be an absolute disgrace if they actually had a good night's sleep." George inclined his head to his companions. He unleashed a malicious grin.
#
James and Sirius were nervous around the new students for the rest of the evening. Hermione, George, and Harry acted as if nothing happened. This heightened the anxiety of James and Sirius. They knew it was coming, but not when, or how. The anxiety bit deeply when George separated from the group. The turmoil remained hidden, because Sirius and James had a persona to protect. They projected confident and careless.
"Harry, I left my potions book in your room," declared Hermione shortly after George left.
"I'll help you find it."
Sirius watched their trek up the stairs. Jealousy pulsed through him. Their dorm room was empty.
"I bet they are doing it now," James said. He leaned closer to Sirius.
"You think so?" A full-blown spark ignited the green-eyed monster.
"It would be the opportune time." James noted the sullenness. "It's nothing to worry about, it won't last long."
A shaky breath. "But," Sirius started, "I mean, they aren't even dating," he blurted.
James shot Sirius a puzzled look. "What are you on about?"
Sirius tracked the conversation to pinpoint where the miscommunication occurred. He concluded Harry, and Hermione were alone in the room doing something naughty. James had been thinking, thinking…How stupid could he be?"
"Maybe we shouldn't leave them alone," Sirius suggested. "Why provide them with the perfect opportunity to set a trap?" Hazel eyes sized him up. Sirius refused to give in to the blush.
"Exactly." James clapped him on the back. "We better get up there." He bounced to his feet. James pushed aside the notions of where Sirius's thoughts had strayed.
They crept up the stairs craving the element of surprise. They paused at the door. Low voices, but no distinguishable words.
#
"How much longer?" Hermione asked. They expected the trouble makers a while ago.
"Not too much longer," Harry replied. He leaned against the head board.
Hermione fidgeted. "Do you think about the people back home?" She curled into him resting her head on his shoulder.
He adjusted, and placed an arm around her. He twirled a strand of her hair between his fingers. The straight silk a contrast to unruly curls.
"Not really," he said. "That sounds awful, but we've been busy. Being here takes a lot of work."
"It's a nice distraction."
"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Harry slipped into the habit of not speaking Ron's name.
"Not as much as before," she admitted. "I can't decide if that's a good thing, or a bad thing."
"It doesn't have to be either." He hugged her. A faint sound. Shadows under the door. He tightened his hold in warning. She wrapped her arm around his chest to return the embrace.
#
Sirius lost patience with James's attempt to eavesdrop. He nudged him. James straightened his shoulders, and strutted into the room.
He tipped his head in acknowledgement. "Hey," he said casually as if he hadn't been listening at the key hole.
"Hello," returned Hermione.
Awkwardness followed as James stood there. Sirius tried hard not to scrutinize the intimate position of the two on the bed. No one said a word. Harry, and Hermione looked expectantly at them.
"Right then." James went to his trunk. He made a show of shuffling things. He unearthed a magazine. Leaving his trunk in shambles he reclined on his bed.
Sirius slumped onto his bed. He threw an arm over his eyes casting them in shadow. He had the advantage of staring without being caught.
Harry hid his grin in Hermione's hair. He gave her a squeeze indicating feathers were ruffled. Fun. This was fun.
"Harry!" George called. He sauntered into the semi-awkwardness. He sunk his weight onto Harry's bed. He whispered to Harry, and Hermione. They nodded. Harry shifted Hermione. The three left.
"Merlin's pants," groaned Sirius. They'd been had.
"Morons, both of us."
"Speak for yourself mate, this was your idea."
"Glad you brought it up," James crowed. "About earlier?"
A heated sapphire gaze urged the subject to be dropped. "Not a chance." James smirked. "Do you like her?"
"Don't know what you're on about," Sirius mumbled. He adjusted his robes avoiding James's probing eyes.
"I'll leave it for now," James said. Something about Sirius fobbed him off. He couldn't place exactly what it was. Perhaps the lack of arrogance, or the uncertainty. Or not as Sirius faced him. The playboy façade in place.
"Thanks." The sarcasm roiled. "I don't badger you about Lily."
"You don't have to. And neither do I," added James. "What gives?"
"Not this time," Sirius said. He shook his head. "It's different. I don't know how, but it is." Confusion laced his words. James studied his brooding best mate. The presumed retribution forgotten.
#
The common room was deserted. Hermione yawned. "Should we do it tonight, or make them sweat a little more?"
"It is fun watching them squirm," Harry said.
"Yeah, but we've got it worked out," George interjected. "Besides I'd hate to mess up their sleep when they've got class the next morning."
"George?" Hermione felt George's forehead to see if he had a fever. Him showing such consideration took her by surprise.
He flashed an innocent look. "Oh, please, Miss Know It All." He pushed her hand away.
"You're not going soft in your old age, are you?" she asked.
"If you must. My reasoning is as follows. They disturbed us on a free day at which time we were at optimal relaxation. What better way to retaliate than on a Sunday morning when sleeping in is a necessity? We do it at the exact moment when going back to sleep once awake is impossible."
Hermione marveled at the precision of his revenge. "Tonight, it is."
"Do you remember what to do?" asked George.
"Yes," echoed the other two. George ushered them ahead of him. Imagine perfect Prefect Hermione Granger not only condoning a prank, but taking part twice in one week. This new version appealed to him.
"Wait," she ordered stopping their forward momentum.
He should have known it was too good to be true.
"What?" Harry and George parroted annoyed.
"It's too much," Hermione said. She explained. The annoyance melted into mischief. Her idea had merit.
"You're right," Harry said. Hermione never tired of hearing that. "They're planning something for us."
"We don't need to use everything in our arsenal tonight," she said.
"Devious, Miss Granger. I do believe we're a bad influence on you." George gloated.
Hermione turned so he couldn't see her smile. She led the troops to their sleeping targets.
Snores met them as they snuck into the room. Hermione flinched as Peter gave a tremendous shuddering roar. Any noise they made would be hidden in the depths of that rumble. They settled on Harry's bed hiding under the invisibility cloak.
Harry held up three fingers one by one counting. Wands ready. They opened the curtains of their intended. Sirius sprawled. His legs thrown apart, one foot almost dangling off his bed. His arms thrown above his head. His hair miraculously still in place. He looked serene, innocent.
James slept curled on his side. One arm snuggled under his head, his other hand on his elbow, his legs slightly bent. He too looked innocent. Amazing how sleep transformed people.
Harry signaled phase one. Two wands swished. Blankets slowly crawled revealing. James wore a T-shirt and pajama bottoms. A sigh escaped as he was completely uncovered. Hermione turned to the other marauder. Her breath hitched.
Sirius was bare chested. Tan and toned with tattoos for decoration. Her gaze drifted to the low-slung pajama pants hugging his hips.
Hermione's tongue darted out of her suddenly dry mouth to moisten her lips. A small hand motion. Phase two. She conjured the water balloons into place above Sirius, and James. George levitated the feathers inches from their noses. Harry coated their hands with honey.
"We'll have to shift him," George said indicating James.
"He can't wake up yet," Hermione reminded him.
"I'll do it," volunteered Harry.
"Careful," George advised.
Hermione bewitched the balloons while Harry rolled James. After torturous seconds where the whole thing could come tumbling down, he was adjusted.
"Shall we?" Harry urged.
The feathers tickled. Hands smeared the honey. Laughter threatened their concentration, but patience and will power won. Manipulating the feathers George smeared the honey on their faces, hair, chests, pillows, and sheets. Harry replenished the honey more than once creating a thorough mess.
Snickers could not be contained. The feathers disappeared. A camera appeared. Under the silencing charm Harry snapped the pictures saving some film for the next stage of their plot. He gave George a spare camera, because he wouldn't be able to capture both James and Sirius.
A tiny hole in a balloon positioned directly over their foreheads permitted drops of water to fall. They landed perfectly in the center. Sirius whimpered, but didn't wake up. James didn't move a muscle. Plink. Another droplet. Water rolled into his ear finally causing a reaction. James slapped his pillow.
Plink.
Plink.
Plink.
Plink.
Each droplet drew Sirius to consciousness. He fidgeted fighting to stay asleep. The insistent plink caught him again. Was it raining? It couldn't be raining inside. His groggy mind grappled. Peeves. It had to be Peeves. The poltergeist would pay for stealing his precious sleep.
Plink. Sirius blinked not registering the twenty or so water balloons suspended above him.
Pop!
Pop!
Pop!
Continuous popping. A great gush of water. A camera flashed in quick succession capturing the entire scene. Hermione's giggle almost escaped. Her hand flew to her mouth. She jabbed her wand at herself then Harry, and George.
"Bloody hell!" Sirius screeched as the cold water washed over his body.
"What?" shouted James. His eyes opened.
Pop!
Pop!
Pop!
"Aahh!"
"Prongs? Padfoot?" Remus jumped from his bed hearing their yells. "What is it?"
Picture after picture was taken of the befuddled boys whose sleep clouded brains had a hard time assembling the events unfolding.
"Who?" shouted Sirius. His bellow finally roused Peter who sat up slowly.
"How?" screamed James.
Light illuminated the scene. The invisibles took in the havoc. Gales of noiseless laughter flowed through them. Remus smothered a laugh in a cough. Murderous glares lasered on him.
"What happened?" He hiccupped.
Dripping Sirius climbed from his bed. He paced to Harry's. He stared intensely at the empty space. James meanwhile wrenched the curtains prepared to hex George.
"Where are they?" seethed Sirius.
Hermione cringed. She gripped Harry's arm to stop shaking. They covered their mouths even though they couldn't be heard.
"Are you sure it was them?" Remus yawned.
"Who else could it have been?"
"Peeves," squeaked Peter. He cowered under their looks.
"No, this was pay back," insisted James.
"For what?" Remus asked.
"Earlier today," supplied Sirius.
"But nothing happened today," Remus said. His tone adamant that nothing should have happened.
"Nothing that you know about," confessed James. He ran a hand through his hair. "What the…" Stickiness coated his hand. Golden brown goop glinted in the light.
"Seeing as they aren't here, I suggest you shower, and clean this up," instructed Remus. Any sympathy evaporated at James's admission. Remus yawned again. He settled into his dry bed. Closed the curtains, and tucked himself in. He grinned.
Faint grumblings echoed as they cleaned their beds, and the floor. They took clean clothes into the showers.
"You got the pictures?" Hermione asked.
"Tons," Harry assured.
The sound of running water penetrated their thoughts.
"We should go," George said.
"Is it safe?" She gestured to Peter, and Remus.
"I think so," Harry replied.
"This may be our only chance," George added.
Staying concealed under the cloak took some careful and slow maneuvering, but they made their escape undetected. They removed the cloak once they reached a hidden corner of the common room. They stretched their aching backs. Hermione removed the silencing spell.
"They were furious," she said.
"Don't fret," offered George, "they can't prove it was us."
"Speaking of," Harry said, "where were we?"
"Pretend to be asleep here." George opened his arms encompassing the empty chairs, and couches. "They haven't checked."
"We should set it up like we were studying."
"That would work for you, Hermione, but not us," George replied. "We'll make it look like we were talking to you."
Hermione shrugged her shoulders. She plopped into the nearest chair. She sorted through the books on the table, found a likely one, and pulled it to her. She slouched tucking the book against her chest. A yawn made her blink. Maybe she wouldn't have to pretend. It had been a long night. She closed her eyes as pink, and orange light filtered through the windows.
They scarcely heard the door, or the footsteps. Sirius crept toward them. He squinted in the semi-darkness. He spied the trio. Hermione, and Harry were in their preferred arm chairs. George took up an entire couch. It looked like they spent the whole night in the common room. His gut told him they were responsible, but he didn't know how to prove it.
"Did you find them?" James pounced grabbing Sirius's shoulders.
"Asleep in the common room."
"Really?" James shook his friend. "How?"
"It's a mystery, isn't it?" Sirius replied. He gripped James's hands, and threw them off. He was irritated. He couldn't go back to sleep now. Not after his shower. "Breakfast?"
"Okay." Sleep wasn't a possibility for James either. His mind whirled trying to figure out how they'd done it. It had to be them.
Keeping a straight face as James, and Sirius swept past them was the hardest part for George. On the verge of sleep, he'd heard them. James didn't bother to keep his steps quiet. George listened for the snick of the portrait hole closing. He waited a couple of minutes to ensure their exit. He cracked an eye. Harry had half hidden his mouth to aid him in their illusion. Clever. Hermione appeared to actually be asleep. George rolled over, and took a trip to slumber land.
#
"Have they been here all night?" Lily asked softly.
"I believe so," Remus answered. "The boys didn't come up last night. And they weren't there earlier either."
Lily's brow furrowed trying to decipher his meaning. "Should we wake them?"
They kept their tones low not wishing to disturb their sleeping friends.
"If we don't," Lupin said, someone else will." He knew the someone else wouldn't be as nice as Lily.
"Don't bother," Hermione groused. She jostled Harry.
"I'm up." He jumped from his seat. "Time?" he croaked. He rubbed the crick in his neck.
"Almost nine," Lily said.
George blinked blearily at the ruckus. "That's early," he mumbled. He rolled over snuggling into the cushions. The experience of growing up in a crowded house gave him the ability to block the noise of the common room.
"Rise and shine," Lily cooed.
"Yeah, rise and shine," an angry voice demanded.
George snapped to full consciousness.
"What is your problem, Potter?" Lily bristled at his tone.
"A morning shower," Remus answered. He chuckled.
Ignoring their werewolf friend Sirius, and James zeroed in on their alleged attackers.
"It was you, wasn't it?" accused Sirius.
"What?" Hermione yawned.
"With the water balloons, and the gooey stuff," James said.
"Payback for the lake," Sirius added.
Harry checked Hermione, then George. He got a head shake, and a shrug in response.
"We don't know what you're talking about," he said.
"Duly noted," James replied. "Just remember payback is a —"
"Stop," commanded Lily. She placed herself between Harry, and James. "What are you raving about now?"
Sirius, and James spilled the story before Remus could. They started with the lake, and ended with the balloons. The common room exploded with laughter.
"I wish I could take the credit," George admitted.
"Yeah," Hermione agreed. She tilted her head. Her indulgent smile faded. "We got you at the lake." She waited for their acknowledgement. "Why would we need to do more?"
Hermione's logic caused James to second guess their conclusions. Rubbing his chin, he studied them. The picture of confusion, and innocence. He stalked up the stairs.
Sirius scrutinized them hoping to catch a lapse in their control. They provided him with nothing. He trailed after James. The slamming door echoed. The perpetrators waited. When neither of the boys reappeared, their composure cracked. First came the smiles and grins, then came the laughter.
Remus raised an eyebrow before joining them. "They can't prove a thing," he remarked. He marveled at their audacity, and ingenuity.
Lily beamed at them.
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. If you haven't you really should. I love to know what my readers think.
