They decided to hold off Umbridge's prank for a bit. Not long, but long enough for James to get home over the Easter Holidays and bring back some floo powder.

In the meantime, James and Peter had been bribing a fourth year to buy them specialty fireworks in Hogsmeade and Sirius had been researching, with the help of Remus, color changing spells.

It was slow work; the spells were complex for a second year, but if anyone could handle it, it was Sirius and Remus.

"Why isn't it working?" Sirius asked, frustrated.

"You're saying it wrong," Remus said.

"No, I'm not!" Sirius insisted.

"Just accent the last syllable, you're really close," Remus told him.

"Obnoxiously accent or slightly accent?"

"Sirius."

"Yeah, alright."

It was a few days later when the charm had been perfected.

"Okay," James said. "Are we ready?"

"Yeah, this is going to be great. You guys know what you're doing?" Sirius checked.

"Peter stands guard," Remus began, "James will distract Filch and escape with the cloak, and I'll help make sure the charm works."

"Let's go," Sirius said.

James had the fireworks from the fourth year and had decided to put them off in the seventh floor corridor.

He had them positioned in what he decided was the most effective order for chaos and distraction. The only thing left was to set them off.

With a grin, James lit the fireworks.

That fourth year had outdone themself.

Red streaks ricocheted off the walls, purple beams whizzed around the corridor. Green and orange flashes raced back and forth. It was a magnificent display of pandemonium.

It was also a magnificent display of noise. The fireworks sparked and fizzed, giving off loud booms and crashes.

Filch would be there in no time.

James pulled the cloak out and then threw it over himself.

It wasn't a moment too soon; Filch had entered the corridor and was furious.

"Students causing trouble…. Why don't they…. Worst job," Filch muttered sourly.

Meanwhile, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were looking for Mrs. Norris.

"Where is she?" Sirius muttered. "That bloody cat couldn't just show up where we need her."

"She's a cat, she wanders around," Remus said, shrugging.

"Well, she'd better wander over here, because James has got to be almost done by now," Peter said.

They searched in vain for another few minutes before Sirius spotted it: A small grey tail disappeared around the corridor corner.

"There!" Sirius exclaimed quietly. "Peter, keep watch here. Remus, come on, we've got her!"

Peter nodded as Sirius and Remus raced down the corridor.

The tabby cat was waiting at the end of the corridor. It was cloudy grey with piercing amber eyes, around which were strange, spectacle-like markings.

The boys vaguely noticed that something was off about it, but paid it no heed.

"Remember the accent!" Remus reminded him.

Sirius murmured the spell. With a flourish of his wand, the cat's fur rippled, turning to a summer green.

The cat looked at itself, giving a noise somewhere between a hiss and a mew.

"Nice one, it worked," Remus said, grinning.

"Filch'll be surprised," Sirius said, nodding.

"He'll also be angry if he finds us here, come on," Remus said.

They met Peter at the end of the corridor.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's bright green," Sirius said, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Brilliant," Peter said. "Shall we celebrate in the kitchens?"

"You and food," Sirius said, shaking his head. "It's always food."

"Food is good," agreed Remus, "Especially chocolate."

"Can't argue with that," Sirius sighed, "So, off to the kitchens."

Apparently, James had had the same idea. He was already enjoying a small cake.

"How'd it go?" he asked when they came in.

"Sirius was brilliant," Remus said, helping himself to some chocolate.

"What color is she?" James asked excitedly.

"Green," Sirius said with a smirk.

"I wonder if Dumbledore will mention it tonight at dinner, Filch usually has him do that stuff," Peter said.

Dumbledore said nothing. Dinner was like every other night.

"I think we got away with it," Peter said happily.

"Filch is gone, so's Minnie…. Wow, James, I think they're still cleaning up the fireworks," Sirius noted, impressed.

Minerva McGonagall had not been helping Filch clean up the fireworks the previous night at dinner.

The boys found this out as they walked into Transfiguration the next day.

McGonagall's skin was green- bright green.

Sirius gasped.

"Oh no," Remus muttered faintly, "this isn't good."

"You outdid yourself, mate," James said, hiding a grin.

"James!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin. You'll be having a detention with me tonight," McGonagall informed them.

Sirius started to explain. "I'm sorry, Minnie, I'm so sorry. You see, we were going for Mrs. Norris, but we mistook you for her-"

"I believe we have a lesson to start," McGonagall interrupted.

"We're in for it," Remus moaned.

Then the lesson started.

"Minnie hates me," Sirius whispered anxiously. "This is the end!"

"You're worried about your relationship with her? She's going to kill us!" Remus said.

"Have fun with her tonight," James said.

"Yeah, sure," Sirius said.

That night, they trudged down to McGonagall's office, taking as long as they could without being terribly late. All too soon, the door was visible. It loomed before them, long and foreboding.

"She's just another teacher," Remus said feebly, though they both knew that McGonagall's wrath was one to be feared.

They knocked on her door.

It opened quietly, revealing a green McGonagall.

"Well," McGonagall said, looking quite bemused, "you know the drill. Have a biscuit."

"'Course, Minnie," Sirius said, giving a small, less nervous smile.

McGonagall closed the door behind them.