With April drawing to a close, teachers began preparing Hogwarts for end of the year exams. The Gryffindor Common Room was now usually quiet. If the silence was disturbed, a fifth or seventh year would shush you; Their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s were drawing near.
The Marauders now had to juggle studying and their fight to get Umbridge out of Hogwarts.
There had been no proof that Umbridge had used the blood quills, so when the week was up, they were forced to return the quills. Their plan had failed.
"We have one month to get her out of here," James said. "One month. We need to do something, something big."
"Like what?" Peter asked.
"Like, I dunno, something!"
The Marauders were exasperated, they didn't have any ideas left. They needed something big. Something from the whole school. But what?
"So what have we done this year?" Sirius asked. "Let's make a list."
Five minutes later, a list was made.
1. Eggs
2. Set trap
3. Tea cups
4. Live snake/Transfiguration
5. Taught class
6. Clothes dye
7. Peeves
8. Staircases
9. Hair dye
10. Language spell
11. Ashwinders
12. Muggle Awareness
13. McGonagall
"I know!" Sirius exclaimed. "We didn't do that voice changing spell!"
"Brilliant," James said. "Will that be enough?"
"It has to be," Remus said. "I don't know what we'll do if it doesn't work."
Fortunately, Lily had practiced the spell.
"I can do it," she said, "but you need to cause a distraction. Otherwise she'll see me."
Sirius smirked. "That we can do. Remus? I'm thinking Operation 2419."
"No," Remus said immediately. "We aren't doing that."
"What's Operation 2419?" Lily asked.
"2419? That's how desperate we are?" James asked incredulously.
"What's Operation 2419?" Lily repeated.
"Last year we came up with a bunch of skits of sorts to cause trouble in class. Remember when we interrupted D.A.D.A? When Sirius couldn't help me with my homework because Peter stole his eggs because you told him to? That was Operation 815. Operation 2419 is…. Well, it's hard to explain," James said.
"Can it cause a distraction?"
James nodded.
"Brilliant. Do 2419, whatever that means."
"I'd like to propose 1913," Remus said.
"2419," Sirius said.
"Please," Remus pleaded. "Anything but 2419."
"Come on, Moony. It's one of our best!" Sirius said.
Lily raised her eyebrows. "Moony?"
Remus gave a sharp intake of breath.
Sirius dismissed it quickly. "Inside joke from first year. Not the point. Anyway, please? It'll be brilliant."
"Yes. Rumors are definitely brilliant," Remus said, giving him an urgent look.
"Glad you agree," Sirius said.
"I didn't!"
"We're doing it."
"Not if I don't give my consent! I have to start it, remember?"
"Come on, I would start it, but then Minnie and I would be ruined!"
"I hate you."
"So you'll do it?"
"Please no."
"We've all been waiting for this, Remus," Peter said.
"You have not!"
"Well, no, we haven't," James said. "But it'll be brilliant."
"Don't make me do this."
Sirius grinned. "You're doing this."
The next day in D.A.D.A, a distraction was caused.
"Sirius, I have something to confess," Remus said loudly as class began.
Sirius looked up from his book. "Yes, Remus?"
"Boys," Umbridge warned.
Remus awkwardly pressed on. "You see, er, well, we're friends, right?"
"Of course."
"So I can tell you anything, right?"
"Well, as of late, I've been having feelings for-"
"Mr. Lupin, that's a detention," Umbridge said with fake cheeriness. "You can discuss your relationship issues with Mr. Black another time."
"Hold on, Professor, what were you saying, mate? You've been having feelings for…." Sirius prompted.
Remus looked down. "You," he whispered, praying no one would hear.
He hated Sirius so much for suggesting this. Operation 1913 would have been much better.
"Me?" Sirius asked, faking shock.
If no one had heard it before, everyone had heard it now.
Remus went bright red. He changed a glance at Lily.
Under the desk, she had pulled out her wand and was murmuring an incantation.
There was no pretending Sirius had misheard.
Thus began the most embarrassing moments of his life.
The class was silent as the scene began to play out.
"Remus, I'm flattered, honestly, but the thing is, Minnie and I, well, I love her," Sirius said.
"I know that you and Minnie have a thing, but, I mean, she's-"
"Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin. Detention," Umbridge said. "Dra-" Umbridge coughed, then began to speak again. It didn't work.
"Lily did it," James whispered.
"Drama," Umbridge said in a high, falsetto voice, "will not be tolerated-" -she then switched to a exaggerated Southern American accent- "-in this class. Do y'all-" -and finally, a gruff, rumbling voice- "-understand?"
The class roared with laughter.
Lily looked toward Remus. "Thanks," she mouthed.
"I'm never doing that again," Remus said, turning to James, Sirius, and Peter.
"Why not?" Sirius asked. "You were brilliant."
"Just no," Remus said, shaking his head. "That is not happening again. Write me out of all the Operations."
"Oh no. With acting like that, you're staying in," Sirius said, grinning. "I think you had a few of them convinced!"
"How long does that spell last?" Remus asked Lily at lunch.
"Twenty four hours," she answered.
"Was it worth it?" James asked.
"If she quits," Remus said.
"If she doesn't?"
"She will," Peter said. "I don't think she could take another year of us."
"Well," Sirius said. "I think that she could. So long as we let her."
"Let her?"
Sirius shrugged. "If we kept doing things to her, but kept it to a minimum, it would drive her mad, but she could tolerate it. Maybe."
"No. She's leaving, I can't stand another year of her," James said. "I don't think you could either."
"Good point," Sirius said.
"Well," Lily said. "Since the charm lasts for a day, she'll still have some problems for the first part of class tomorrow."
"Brilliant," James said. "Can't wait."
"If she's going to resign, she'll do it tomorrow afternoon, when she doesn't sound so ridiculous. If she's leaving, she'll want to be dignified," Lily said.
"One more day of her as our teacher?" Peter asked.
"Best case scenario."
"We're almost there," Sirius said with a grin.
They had never been closer.