Hi! As I said I uploaded once a week. This chapter, though not the longest, is still pretty long. I hope you like it. I wrote this for the past three days!
Ill see you next week hopefully, unless I decide to write the next chapter - which is unlikely. So unless you read The War, I'll be on to update next week.
Hope you like the chapter! Leave me a review! They make me happy! :)
The four were sitting in the Common Room. It was late and there was nobody else. They could plan freely.
"So what's the plan?" Peter asked.
"Well, there's the romance thing between the three of us." James gestured. "And also everyone gets beards."
Sirius continued. "Beards and skin are in house colour. Did you find a spell for that?" He asked Remus.
"Yes. It's Colovaria. No fancy wand work required. All we have to is point our wand at the target." Remus sprouted.
"How are we going to manage it for the whole school?" Peter asked.
"I figured that out." Remus said.
"Of course you did." Sirius muttered.
Remus continued as if he hadn't heard Sirius. "The colour changing charm can be used on large masses. The more power behind the spell, the larger number's colour it will change. Four of us should be sufficient for the entire school."
"So we just have to wish for it hard enough and it will work?" James asked sceptically.
"Technically yes. But it also depends on how powerful the wizard is." Remus answered.
"We're powerful enough. We can do it." Sirius spoke up.
"What about the beards?" Peter asked.
"That's a problem. There is no spell for that. It's a potion." Remus winced.
"Damn! How long does it take to make the potion?" Sirius growled.
"An hour at most. But how do you want to get it to the whole school?" Remus said.
"If we find the kitchen, then we can ask the house-elves to do it for us. Just put some in each dish, so no matter what a person eats, he will get the potion." James said.
"House-elves?" Sirius, Peter and Remus asked.
"Dad told me. The house-elves are the ones who clean and maintain the entire school. They also cook. They stay in the kitchen."
"He told you all this but he wouldn't tell you where the kitchen is?" Peter asked disbelievingly.
"Yeah," James shrugged. "He has his reasons, I guess."
"Great!" Remus groaned. "The entire prank collapses if we don't find the pear, which I'm assuming leads to the kitchen?"
"Probably." James said.
"Right." Remus said, obviously controlling his temper. "Right."
"Anyway," Sirius said hurriedly. "Any other prank ideas? We can add on to this."
The other three shook their heads. "Nope."
"Okay," James said. "Remus your on Search duty. Any spell which we can use in this prank, you report back to us. Peter, you have to make sure that the rumours of Operation Romance are floating the right way. Sirius and I will plan how to stage my declaration."
For some moments, they were staring at James, wondering what on earth had come over him. James was staring back at them, his eyes glazed over.
"I have no idea why I said it like that." James said finally.
"Your a leader, mate." Sirius said beaming.
"Natural leader." Remus chimed in.
"Completely Natural Leader." Peter added. They all stared
"Seriously Peter? Completely Natural Leader?" James asked, one eyebrow raised.
Peter shrugged. "I couldn't think of anything else. I'm not a poet."
"No you're not. And thank the gods for that." Sirius snorted.
"Be nice!" Remus scowled.
"Sorry mom."
"Back to pranks," James butted in. "Anything else? Questions? Answers? Doubts? Ideas?"
"One last thing." Sirius stated.
"What?" Remus asked irritably. He was feeling very sleepy and couldn't wait to dive into bed.
"A vote." Sirius answered.
"A vote?" Remus, James and Peter asked,their voices rising with their incredulity.
"A vote. A ballot. Whatever you want to call it."
"Why do we need to vote Sirius?" Peter asked, regretting the question almost immediately.
"A vote, kind sir," Sirius declared, "to find one common person who everyone agrees on to be our leader in our quest to prank."
"You can stop speaking like that." James said.
"And there's no need to vote." Remus said, scowling once again. What a waste of time! "James is the best choice. I'm sure everyone agrees." There was an underlying threat in his voice - don't prolong it or you will regret it.
"Yeah,"
"'Course."
James looked at his friends, horror in his eyes. "Your actually serious about this?"
"No mate. I'm the only one who is Sirius." Sirius said. Everyone rolled their eyes. It had already got old. "And yes we're serious about this. You would be the best."
"Your a natural Alpha." Remus said thoughtfully... or so they thought. He was sleepy ( as I mentioned before ) and was dropping off when Sirius spoke ( in a loud voice; for they were alone ) and woke him up.
"Can we go to sleep now?" Remus asked adorably screwing his eyes up and rubbing them with his hands, trying to keep awake.
"Sure Remmy-poo." James snorted.
Remus scowled. James had said something wrong, and he should be angry and annoyed, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Oh, well.
Peter yawned. "How are the two of you not even drowsy? Are you vampires?" He asked suspiciously.
"Yes...no." James backtracked when he saw Peter's eyes widen in fear, "of course not Peter. That's ridiculous!"
"But wicked." Sirius smirked.
"There is that." James shrugged. "But! Werewolves are so much cooler!" He yelled.
Remus had had enough. He had been dreaming about floating in a lake of chocolate and had been rudely awoken.
"Bed." He said in a dangerously low voice.
"But—!"
"Now."
XXXXXXX
"Up! Up! Up!" Remus shouted. James, Sirius and Peter mumbled obscenities and turned over, facing away from him.
"JAAAAAAAAAAAMESS!" He yelled.
"Huh?... Wha?... What pig? ...Who died?" He asked stupidly. People are rather like that when they are waken up roughly - saying the first thing that comes to their mind.
"No one died." Remus sighed. "And what pig?" He asked questioningly. "We're late again, so wake up."
"No." James said stubbornly. "I order you as first decree since being elected leader, to Not wake us up. Don't trouble me anymore." And he turned over and fell asleep.
He thinks that will work eh? Really?
"JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMES!"
"Go away." James swatted away an invisible fly with his arm.
"Get up! All of you! Now."
There was a dangerous edge to his voice, and as the boys had learned in the past few days ( two ), it was to be feared. Remus was very responsible and would throw a bucket of cold water on anyone who got in his way.
And he went out of his way to make sure his troublemaker friends did the same. Unfortunately.
The three boys rushed out of bed, grabbed their clothes, saluted Remus and went to the bathroom. In ten minutes, they were dressed and ready to go.
"I honestly wish you would stop waking us up so early Remus." Peter complained.
"It's 7:45. It's not that early. Most people get up round seven. Pigs." Remus said looking disgusted as Sirius chewed on a sandwich containing bacon-eggs-cheese-ketchup-sauce-pudding-cereal-pieces of chicken-oatmeal, all topped with cherries.
"How is it mate? Looks good." James said through a mouthful of cereal.
"Brilliant. Try it." Sirius shoved the burger into James' open arms. He took a bite.
"You're right. It's brilliant. Stroke of genius. The sogginess of the eggs is made up by the crunchy bits of cereal and the chicken and bacon together is heavenly! Here Remus, seeing as how much you like bacon, you should like the combo too."
Remus grimaced. "Merlin's pants! That's looks even worse up close."
"Don't judge a book by its cover." James said.
Sirius gaped. "When did you learn to use proverbs right?"
"Donno. Who cares."
"I'm proud of you James." Remus said gravely. "But I'm not eating that!"
"Why not?" Sirius whined.
Frank Longbottom, a second year, sat next them. He and his friends had their dorm next to the four and all of them got along well. Frank, Fabian and Gideon were popular kids of their year - Fabian and Gideon, the twins, were the pranksters of the school and Frank often helped them.
"Heard of your 'revelation'." Frank nodded to Sirius.
"It's a prank isn't it?" Fabian asked.
"Of course not! Our love is true. As true as can be!" Sirius said indignantly. He put an arm around Remus and pulled him closer, ignoring his glare.
"Give it up Black." Gideon huffed.
Frank nodded. "It might be true for dumbsters like them, but we're professional pranksters. We see through your cover."
"Yeah.. You're using romance in a prank aren't you? Isn't common, I'll give you that. And it's pretty realistic too." Gideon said.
"So, we decided to help you." Fabian added. "You first years are major pranksters, and with us backing you up, your pranks will be infamous."
"Why do you want to help us?" Peter asked suspiciously.
"Your fellow pranksters! And we don't have any ideas. After thinking for the entire summer. So an agreement?" Fabian asked.
The four looked at each other. "Okay." James stuck out his hand. "Deal."
"Great. Do you have a team name or something? Ours is The Devils. Not very creative, but there you have it." Frank said.
"No. We'll think of something. We also have the first prank of the year thought out. Bring your ideas. We'll make the greatest prank Hogwarts has ever seen!" James said.
"Good luck. We'll meet you at the Giant Oak after classes." And the three went away.
"Woah. Wasn't expecting anything like that." Sirius laughed.
The other three joined in. "Now all we have to do is thinks of a group name." Remus said.
"It can't be that hard right?" Peter asked.
"You wish." Sirius said.
XXXXXXX
They walked down the stairs into Dungeon 1 with the Slytherins, where Professor Slughorn was waiting for them. He was a jolly man, with a rotund belly and an extremely irritating quality of choosing the children who's parents had connections, and made them the objects of his affection.
He took to Snape almost immediately. And Lily Evans as well.
"Potions are magical beverages usually brewed in cauldrons. They are used for the sole purpose of creating a number of different effects on the drinker." Slughorn said in his cheery voice.
"Potions can be used to attain numerable powers. It can be a medicine, a lethal poison, or can give the drinker an assortment of powers such as infinite luck for a day, or immunity to flames."
"A potion need not be drunk to be of effect. Some potions work even if there is only physical contact. Some, like the Regeneration Potion, work by existing in itself."
Evans raised her hand. "Yes miss?"
"Evans, sir. What do you mean by it's just being there? Do you mean the recipe of the potion being there, or the actual potion just being created?"
"The actual potion being created, of course. Do sit down. Potions are known to bewitch the mind, ensnare the senses and can even put a stopper in death itself, if brewed perfectly."
"Some magical properties, such as growing beards, grey hair etc, can be induced only through the use of potions. Potions need to be brewed exactly right. Even potions intended to be good, can cause disastrous effect if brewed for too long, or in a dirty cauldron."
"For that reason before beginning to make a potion, all of you will have to make sure that it is perfectly clean and without any speck of dirt, much less anything else."
"Batty clean freak." Sirius whispered to James.
"Please open your One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi to the first page. The first potion is the Pepperup Potion, a simple and un-complicated potion, suitable for you first years." Slughorn waved his wand and the instructions appeared on the blackboard.
"All ingredients are present in the cupboards. Make sure your cauldron is clean before beginning. Start!"
James and Sirius managed, at the end of the lesson, to each make a cauldron full of black sludge and olive green sludge respectively. Remus had a light yellow liquid, as indicated by the book and so did Lily and Snape.
Almost everyone else had liquids of colours varying from yellow to puke green to purple. James, Sirius, Peter, Avery, Nott and Rosier had sludges.
Giving twenty points each to the three successful students, Professor Slughorn beamed at his students.
"Not all of you have got the potion right, but never fear!"
"Never did." James whispered sniggering to Sirius.
"You will get it right in time. Now, I want a ten inch essay on Potions, as a subject and the Pepperup Potion in specific. And also choose any one potion of your liking and write why you like it. Choose from your textbook."
"Why sir?" Jacqueline questioned.
"Because the potion which gets a majority will be the next potion brewed. That is all. Dismissed!"
The bell rang.
"He has perfect timing." Sirius hissed to Remus, walking out of the dungeons.
"Homework again!" Peter groaned as soon as they got out of the dungeons. "Why do all the professors insist on giving us homework in the first week?"
"Because Mister Pettigrew, we need you all to get used to the fact that you are not at home and cannot get away with everything you do!"
Peter gulped and turned around to face Professor McGonagall. The other three turned as well, taking a step back at her stern face.
"Sorry Professor." Peter whimpered.
"I'm sure you are. Why don't you write me a eight inch essay on just why you are? Or you can do me a eight inch essay on transfiguration. Whichever you choose."
"Yes Professor."
"I expect it by next Monday at the latest."
The four stood standing, not sure if she was dismissing them of not.
"Why are you still here?" She asked suspiciously. "Don't you have class to go to?"
"Yes Professor." They chorused, backing away, before full-out running.
"Bye Minnie!" Sirius called over his shoulder.
"Mister Black!"
XXXXXXX
"What do we have next?" James panted as they stopped at the corner of the corridor.
"Transfiguration."
"Damn it!"
"Come on. Don't make her explode and you'll be fine." Remus said placatingly.
"We're late." James said.
"Oh dear."
They ran.
And reached the Transfiguration ten minutes late because Sirius thought he had seen a pear. Turns out, he mistook a green caterpillar curled around a mushroom for a pear.
Sometimes, everyone wonders for Sirius' sanity.
"Potter! Black! Lupin! Pettigrew!" Professor McGonagall shrieked. "Where have you been?"
"Well... Er... We... Were..." James stuttered.
"I was sick and we were looking for Madame Pomfrey Minnie." Sirius said eloquently.
"Black." McGonagall hissed dangerously.
"Sorry Professor." Remus said, shooting a glare at Sirius.
"Detention! All of you. This Saturday."
"Yes Professor."
"And Pettigrew?" She asked angelically.
"Yes Professor?"
"I still expect that essay. Take a seat."
"Great. Detention in the first week." Remus said under his breath, taking the seat next to Jacqueline.
The only seats free were the one next to Jacqueline as Mary was sitting Alice and one next to Julian Thomas. Sirius moved to sit next to him.
Jacqueline glared at him through her bangs. "Why are you sitting here?" She asked him.
"Uh... There aren't any other free seats, if you've noticed."
"Oh right." Her anger deflated and she went back to ignoring him. McGonagall was talking.
"Now, since everybody is here, we can begin our lesson. There are matches kept in front of you on your desk, using the Morphing spell we discussed last class, please change the match into a needle. Begin!"
Remus looked at the piece of wood in front of him. How on earth am I supposed to morph that into a needle? It's wood to metal for Merlin's sake!
"Er... Jacqueline? Do you know the spell?" He asked nervously. He was obviously not in her good books.
"Don't call me that." Was her reply.
"Excuse me?" Remus asked surprised.
He had expected her to tell him the spell and go back to ignoring him, of in the worst case, act as if she hadn't heard him at all. This was something unexpected.
"Don't call me Jacqueline. I don't like it. I prefer Jackie."
"Alright then... Jackie?" It came out as a question. "Do you know the spell to change the stupid match into a stupider needle?"
"Yeah."
"What is it?"
"Morpheus."
"Ah, thanks."
"No prob."
Remus shrugged as Jackie turned away from him and waved her wand over her match. It leapt up, but other than that nothing happened.
Remus concentrated and said 'Morpheus' as clearly as he could, while waving his wand in the right position.
To his surprise, the match actually changed shape. It became pointy and silvery. Professor McGonagall who was at the front of the classroom then, came over.
"Well done Mister Lupin. You are the third person to accomplish it. Keel it up." McGonagall gave him a kind smile. She obviously knew of his condition.
He shuddered. Don't think about that now. There's time left.
Shaking his head, he turned to see Sirius and James grinning at him, giving him thumbs-up. Peter hadn't managed yet.
When he turned around, he saw Lily Evans glaring daggers at the three of them. What's got her hair in a knot? He wondered.
When the bell rung, they were still the only three who had managed to changes their matchsticks. McGonagall gave the each ten points for Gryffindor. After one lesson of History of Magic, they had lunch.
Which was followed by one free period - in which they went to the library to either catch up on homework ( as in Remus' case ) or search for prank ideas ( James and Sirius ), Peter was in between - after which they had Double Herbology - it was excruciating having to listen to the stupid Mandrakes - and one more free period.
School had officially ended for the day and they set out for the Giant Oak where Frank, Fabian and Gideon were waiting for them impatiently.
"Took you long enough." Gideon snorted.
"Sorry. We were researching prank ideas." James shrugged.
"Yeah? What've you got?" Fabian challenged with a smirk.
"Well, there's the romance thing. James is going to propose his undying love for Remus tomorrow, and he's going to ditch both of us on Friday." Sirius began.
"Why Friday?" Frank interjected.
"That's the day of the major prank." James said.
"Go on. We're listening." Frank muttered.
"Well, for starters everyone's gets beards." James said.
Fabian whistled. "How you going to do that?"
"We have to make the potion. With your help we can do it for the entire school - students and teachers."
"Okay and?"
"Skin and beards are in house colour. Spell for that is Colovaria." Remus added.
"Anything else?" Gideon asked astounded.
"Not really." Remus shrugged. "You got anything?"
"How about bubblegum?" Frank asked, grinning. "We always wanted to do that, but never found the right time to do it last year."
"Oh yeah." Gideon said, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "That would seriously be epic."
"You know the spell? I don't. Completely forgot." Fabian said.
"Wadiwassi." Frank said.
Fabian lit up. "Oh man. This prank is going to be so awesome!" Fabian and Gideon high-fived.
"Woah, wait! What's the bubblegum spell?" Sirius questioned.
"It shoots bubblegum up your nose and it stays there. As you breath, a bubble forms when you exhales and when you inhale, it's sucked into your nose." Frank explained.
"Wicked." All four boys whispered.
"Can you three do it?" Remus asked. "For the whole school?"
"Yeah."
"Count on it."
"That's settled, then." James smiled, rubbing his hands together.
"How are you going to get the potion to the whole school anyway?" Fabian asked.
"Well," Sirius said slowly. "We were hoping to find the kitchen and ask the house-elves to put it in the food. But we can't find the kitchen!" He wailed.
Fabian, Gideon and Frank exchanged a glance. "We know where the kitchen is." Frank said at last.
"You'll show us?" James asked brightly.
"No."
"Why not?" He whined.
"You need to find it for yourself. What we can do is we do the bubblegum spell and the beard potion. It's part of second-year so we can manage. You four to the skins and romance. And don't forget the group name!" Frank said.
The three of them went away.
XXXXXXX
"You found any good names yet Remmy?" Sirius called out. They were in the Common Room, near the windows to avoid being overheard.
Remus was sitting with a dictionary, flipping through its pages in an attempt to find a synonym of 'pranksters' that was not silly or common.
"No Sirius. All I came up with are rogues and rascals -which we already knew - vandals - which sounds stupid - clown, cheat and scamp. Which don't fit!"
"Okay, keep looking!" James called out cheerfully. Remus growled.
He and Sirius were planning for tomorrow, of James' declaration. Peter was adding his input from time to time, but mainly trying to complete his homework.
Time passed like this. Slowly. But pass it did.
Remus took a break, looking out of the window at the stars in the sky. The moon was a small crescent shape in the sky, for which he was thankful.
He sighed and looked down, to find that the perfect name in front of him.
"That's it." He whispered.
"Merlin's beard! This is it!" He yelled.
James, Peter and Sirius looked at him. "What happened?" Sirius asked concerned.
"That's our name! Merlin it's perfect." Remus wondered.
"What? Which word? There are so many on this page." Peter mumbled.
"That one." He pointed.
"He's right." Sirius said in awe. "It's perfect for the four of us."
"Yeah." James said. And Peter nodded his assent.
"Everyone in favour?" James asked. The other three nodded with fervour, in agreement.
"That what we are then." James said. "We are the—"
"Marauders."
XXXXXXX
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