Standing There By You

Ch. 14- The Smashing Party

Disclaimer: Let it be known... I hereby declare that by legal binding matters, any recognizable material belongs to J.K.Rowling.

a.k.a- it's not mine.

Thanks for all the reviews! Hey, now I'm going to take a leaf out of Dulcis's book ; p and ask... could we try for 10 reviews? That'd be awesome- I'll love you forever! (Not that I don't already, but you know..)

Lily, Grace and Julie sat huddled in their dormitory, going over the fine details of their retaliation.

Grace hopped off her bed. "Okay, we have to remember to get the Marshmallow Fluff; that's critical."

"You're right," Lily agreed. "But where are we supposed tofind twenty barrels full?"

"I think I know a way," Grace said slowly, "but one of us is going to have to distract the boys." She nodded her head in affirmation."All rightLily, you'll-"

"What?" said Lily, jumping up beside Grace. "I'm not talking to them for any longer than I have to."

Grace rolled her eyes and turned toward Julie. "How about you?"

Julie's eyes widened and she backed away. "Uh-uh."

Grace let out a loud, frustrated sigh. "You guys! Come on, somebody's got to distract them for awhile, or this won't work."

"Why not you?" asked Lily.

Grace made a face. "No way."

Lily and Julie gave a collective sigh and plopped down onto their beds.

"There's got to be somebody that'll distract them for us," Grace said, leaning backwards and concentrating hard. "But who-"

"I don't know!" Val cried, as she and Angie bounded into the room. "I think I should have wore my first choice, you know, the one with the purple sequins?"

"Yes, that one's lovely... but he still looked at you, I swear he did!" Angie informed her excitedly.

"He did?" Val squealed. "Oh, well James was looking at you too, I'm almost positive!"

The two screeched there almighty annoying screeches, jumping up and down with pure joy. They went on like this for quite awhile and only stopped when they noticed three girls grinning in their direction.

"What?" Val and Angieasked suspiciously, breaking away from their ecstatic reverie.

"Oh, nothing," Lily said casually, sending Grace and Julie a side-long glance. "We've just got a bit of a favor to ask you."

As the Gryffindors filed out of their last class of the day, Grace gave Lily and Julie a meaningful nod before quickening her pace to catch up with Sirius. Coming within a reasonable distance of him, she said, "So, should be a brilliant party eh?"

Sirius turned around quickly and grinned when he saw Grace. "Oh, hello," he greeted, matching his pace to hers. "Yes, the party should be smashing."

Grace nodded. "That's great, I just can't wait for it."

"Yeah," Sirius agreed. "Everything's going to be excellent."

"Of course," Grace smiled. "This is perfect timing, too;I've had such a taste for marshmallow fluff lately."

"What?" Sirius asked, looking at her with a puzzled expression. "marshmallow fluff? What's that?"

"Uh, creamy white stuff that muggles use as a scrumptious topping," she responded, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Looking over at Sirius, she saw his face remained clueless. "You mean, you're not going to have it?"

"No, well er- what?"

"Sirius!" She exclaimed, shaking him by the shoulders. "You've got to have marshmallow fluff! It's the only way the party will be a hit- without this sugary substance you've got nothing, nothing!"

"Oh!" Sirius replied, his eyes wide. "I'll get it then, right away."

Grace let go of his shoulders. "Excellent," she sighed with relief. "You're verylucky I'm here... you would've been the laughing stock of the century if I hadn't informed you of this." She shook her head. "I can't believe you didn't know about marshmallow fluff..."

"I know," Sirius said, his voice hushed. "That would've been awful. Don't tell anyone I didn't know, okay?"

Grace nodded. "Your secret's safe with me."

Sirius shot her a relieved smile. "Thanks."

"Certainly. Oh, and the marshmallow fluff has to be stored in twenty nineteen by twelve barrels, complete with lids and handles on the sides, okay?"

Sirius nodded. "Okay."

The whole of the Gryffindor house gathered in the common room that night for the party. Loud music blasted from a borrowed wireless wizarding radio, and loads of food and beverages covered every surface imaginable.

"Sirius, I still don't understand why we needed so much mushmallow stuff," James said, as he glanced over at the twenty neatly stacked barrels.

"Oh James," Sirius replied sympathetically, breaking away his conversation with a giddy first year. "If you don't understand the fundamentals of a smashing party, do notquestion them."

Remus frowned. "But nobody's even touching it."

"Oh they will," Sirius assured, smiling as two of his fellow classmates came bounding over toward him, "don't you worry."

"We told them they didn't need to start until quarter till," Julie whispered, glancing over at the two chattering girls. "The party's only just begun."

Grace shrugged. "Ah, well. You two ready then?"

"Yes," Lily replied anxiously as the three girls started toward their target destination.

"You're so excellent at Quidditch, James," Angie praised, smiling coyly. "It's no wonder you made the team!"

James grinned. "What can I say..."

"And you too Sirius," Val nodded her head vigorously. "You're brill!"

"Go, go, go..." Lily commanded, rolling two barrels at once. Glancing behind her, she saw James and Sirius were still wrapped up in conversation with the two giggling girls.

"So... like, my mum totally has this beach house down south," Angie babbled, "and whenever I'm there I always make sure to wear my pink bikini, because it matches the tropical atmosphere gorgeously."

James nodded. "That's great."

"Brilliant," Sirius grinned.

"Well, whenever I go to the beach," Val put in, pushing her friend aside and standing in front of Sirius. "I make sure I have at least three different kinds, in case I change my mind, you know?"

"Oh yes, definitely..."

"Ugh, I spilled it!" Julie cried, motioning wildly to the toppled over barrel. Her two friends hastily scrambled toward the mess to help clean it up. Once they were done the girls got back on their feet and rushed to their task once more.

"I really like that shirt you're wearing," Val gushed, motioning to Sirius's attire. "It matches the color of your eyes beautifully."

Sirius looked down at his shirt. "Yes, yes it does."

"As does yours!" Angie announced to James, smiling flirtatiously.

Val batted her eyelashes at an alarming rate. "And those robes..."

Sirius tilted his head, concerned. "Is there something in your eye?"

"Done!" Lily announced with triumph, collapsing onto the couch. Her two friends followed suit.

"Hey!" Sirius exclaimed, looking over at the place the barrels had previously been located. "The marshmallow fluff is gone!"

Lily, Grace and Julie tensed, looking over at him with alarm.

"See James, I told you it'd be a hit!"

The next morning (or afternoon rather, it was nearly twelve noon) the Marauders gathered in the Great Hall for a last minute breakfast. They had slept late after the wicked party, which didn't end until the wee hours of the night.

"Could you pass me the sugar?" Sirius asked, in midst of a wide yawn.

Remus obliged, but inadvertently handed him the salt instead. Sirius took no notice, however, as he dumped the grainy substance on top of his breakfast.

"So what should we do tonight?" James asked his drowsy mates. "Care to test those filibusters on the Slytherins? There was one in particular that was acting a bit irksome."

"I don't know," Remus replied, just as Sirius choked on his sodium laced porridge.

Sirius emptied his flask of pumpkin juice in one swig, gagging at the unnatural taste. "Remus isright," he said, once the his taste buds had fully healed. "We just did the filibuster thing last week. It's getting a bit dull. We need to try something a bit more interesting."

Remus looked as if those weren't his sentiments at all. He was merely going to suggest perhaps they get some sleep for once.

Their plates emptied, the four boys got up and headed out the door, ready to plan another night of adventures. Turning a corner, they heard the start of a conversation between their fellow Gryffindors.

"Oh this is going to be brilliant, completely brilliant!" Grace exclaimed, as she, Lily and Julie fought to contain their anxious grins. "I can't wait to see their expressions."

"Yeah," Lily agreed excitedly. "The," here she made a disgusted face, "Marauders won't be so full of themselves after this, now will they?"

Upon hearing their name the four boys did a quick backtrack and ducked behind a large statue, listening to the girls' conversation with immediateinterest.

"What time are they supposed to arrive?" Julie asked.

"Exactly midnight," Grace replied. "The entire shipment of dungbombs will arrive in the owlery, and then in the morning we can... well, you know." Here she grinned mischieviously, as did Lily and Julie. "Come on," she said, beckoning her two friends onward. "Let's go, I've got this incredible..."

The girls' voices became faint as they strolled down the rest of the hallway, and with identical grins to the ones the girls had previously donned, the four boys stepped out from behind the safety of the statue.

"What do ya' say, Sirius?" James asked, staring after the girls with relish. "Is this interesting enough for you?"

A/N: Uh oh... ; )