Well, I updated. Sooner than I thought I would, but later than I said. Sorry about that. Let me tell you to never believe me when I tell you when I'm going to update. Never. I'm a terrible TERRIBLE person. I apologise.

I put this above my other fanfiction just because I don't like leaving cliffhangers. So if you read The War, I'm sorry for abandoning that for so long. I promise to update it soon!

After reading this super long author note ( sorry about that btw ) read the ACTUAL chapter and tell me what you think in a review!...

THE DEVILS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MARAUDERS PRESENT TO YOU THE FIRST PRANKS OF THE YEAR! STARRING ROMANCE!

The fireworks designed to go off at the sound of McGongall's yells, had erupted to write the above message above the teacher's table in the Great Hall.

Students were staring at pointing at the ginormous letters written in sparkles, which showed no sign of fizzling out any time soon. The professors were twisting in their seats to get a better look at the letters, trying to make sense of the situation.

"What the devil is going on?" Professor Wallace, the Muggle Studies teacher muttered with slight apprehension.

Flitwick and Sprout were craning their necks in a futile attempt to read the letters floating in mid air. McGonagall was seething and Dumbledore was smiling slightly.

Frank, Fabian and Gideon took this momentary distraction to cast a mass Waddiwasi and soon bubblegum were whizzing around, attacking students and teachers alike, trying to get wedged in their nostrils.

The Marauders used this distraction too, to cast Colovaria - the spell used to change the colour of objects ( in this case, beards and skin ).

In a few minutes, everyone had either red skin with a golden beard, hair and eyebrows, yellow skin with a pitch black beard, hair and eyebrows, blue skin with bronze beards, hair and eyebrows or green skin with silver beards, hair and eyebrows.

Bubblegums were being blown up and fizzing out of existence, through nostrils of the people of Hogwarts. The Marauders in red and gold were grinning wildly, exhaling as much as possible just to see how much strain the bubblegum could undergo, before bursting.

After a few minutes of utter chaos, the students began enjoying the prank as well - the beards, once charmed, acted like a third hand and were exceptionally helpful; the colour scheme served as motivation for members of each house to laugh at everyone of other houses, and so on.

Something everyone wanted to know, was who had choreographed and carried out this prank.

The students to idolise the person or group of persons, and the teachers to punish them so that they would never even attempt such a prank ever again.

...

"You look hideous!" Sirius yelled at James.

"Have you seen yourself, Black?" James retaliated.

"Quiet you two!" Peter said.

The entire Hall had gone quiet, waiting for the final explosion.

"Let's just ask Remus." James said.

"That was what I was going to say." Sirius said haughtily.

"Well, you didn't say it, did you?"

"I was going to!"

"Sure you where."

"Just ask Remus!" Peter yelled.

"Ask me what?" Remus turned away from the bacon.

"Who looks worse? Potter or me?" Sirius said, pointing subtly at James. James was no better, he was making faces at Sirius and pointing right back at him.

"Poor Remus." The people around them muttered. "Having to choose between two such charming friends, must be heart-wrenching."

"Remus!" Sirius said.

"Chooooooosseeeee!" James said immaturely.

"Remus, you have to choose now." Peter said solemnly. "They're never going to leave you alone otherwise."

"I realised." Remus said drily.

"Lupin!" Lily said, standing up from her place. Her friends looked at her in amazement. "You shouldn't succumb to the whims of idiots like Potter and Black. You are much to young to choose now."

"Er.. Thanks Lily."

"Evans, what the bloody hell is your problem?" James asked. His friends turned to look at him. Previously having only honeyed words for her, he seemed to have undergone a complete makeover.

"My 'bloody problem' Potter is that Lupin is not in your category of annoyance and shouldn't be forced to do something he doesn't want to do." Lily replied with fire.

"Why don't you go to your place and just ignore us?" Sirius suggested.

"Fine." Lily huffed away.

"She's such a buzz-kill." James muttered glaring.

...

"Anyway, Back to Remus. You have to decide now who you like better. Me, the Great or James Potter." Sirius said grandly.

"Er... I don't—" Remus began.

He was cut-short by the entire student body presents in the Great Hall. They were yelling who they though Remus should choose, along with their reasons..

"James Potter! Have you seen his eyes?"

"Sirius Black! No one else could pull of the beard." The girl's friend nodded knowingly. "Except Dumbledore."

"Sirius Black! A Black in Gryffindor has to be special!"

"James Potter! He is so cute!"

"Totally James Potter! The Potters are charmers to the end! And hot!"

"Omigod! Like obviously Sirius Black!"

"James Potter has such dreamy eyes. You could drown in them. Such a beautiful hazel..."

"Sirius Black! You both look so adorable together!"

"Sirius Black man. That guy is badass." Even the male-folk had joined in.

"James Potter dude. The Potters have mad Quidditch skills."

"Sirius Black! His grey eyes go so well with Remus' own green."

"James Potter! Those two were meant to be!"

"Potter!"

"Black!"

And the names dwindled down to just their initials.

"J.P."

"S.B."

"J.P."

"S.B."

And finally ended up with soft mutterings.

"THANK YOU!" Remus bellowed. "Now, what I have to say is this—"

"You love James Potter?"

"Sirius Black is you soulmate?"

And so it continued. A very peeved Remus glared at his schoolmates, willing them to shut up, so he could get on with this and finish it.

"Right. Okay. What I was saying is that—" Again Remus was interrupted.

"What were you going to say? That you choose me?" James asked breathlessly.

"No you dolt. He's going to choose me."

And again it began.

"SHUT UP! I DONT LIKE EITHER OF YOU ANYMORE! LEAVE ME ALONE, FOR MERLIN'S SAKE!"

...

There was a shattering silence while everyone processed what they had just heard.

You can't just survive the fact that your favourite couple for the past week or so, just made sure to crush all your hearts. Bloody hell! Many people had even made t-shirts and other merchandise just for this.

"What?"

"Why?"

"REMUS JOHN LUPIN!"

"Choose again!"

Were some of the many statements and exclamations the people shouted. The babble of voices was enough to make any person deaf.

"I don't like either one of them anymore! Deal!" And Remus walked out, leaving behind a tense silence.

XXXXXXX

"Well, that happened." Frank said breaking the silence.

Gideon and Gabriel the reigning pranksters of the school ( no not the Gideon who is part of The Devils ) were stunned. who hadn't they thought of such a mind-boggling prank?! They were fifth years for Merlin's sake!

"Holy—" Fabian yelped.

"How did we never think of using romance in a prank?" Gabriel asked rhetorically.

Chaos broke out.

Students and professors alike realised that their favourite 'couple' was actually just a part of a massive prank, of which they had been willing victims.

"Why those *beep*!"

"What were they thinking! Playing with all of us like that!"

"Those first years just put me off my breakfast!"

"Beards, romance, house-colours, bubblegum... Wonder what else they've done."

"And to think I actually thought they were dating! In love at that!"

"*beep* *beep* *beep*!"

"Complete nincompoops!"

"But who are the Devils?"

"Those Marauders need to be taught a lesson!"

"How do you know they're the Marauders and not The Devils?!"

"They seem like Marauders.."

"And to think I actually felt sorry for Lupin! Stuck in the middle like that."

"Playing with all our feelings! What were they thinking?!"

"And I thought they were relationship goals!"

"Pretty eyes..."

"What part did Pettigrew play in all this?"

"McGongall is so mad! Look at her fuming!"

"How'd they manage to of all this in such a short span of time? Some of these spells are third year material!"

"Well, first years definitely can't do it. But, second year and upwards can. It could have been anyone."

"Poor them. I actually liked them a lot. Nice pranks... But McGonagall is going to throw them to the Squid."

"Not if Dumbledore can help it. Look at him, he's smiling!"

"Gryffindor's going to lose a hell lot of points. And they all have at least one detention. Black and Potter have two weeks worth!"

"The next few years are going to be interesting..." This of course, was Dumbledore, smiling amusedly at the chaos in front of him.

"Albus! Do something!" Professor Sprout screeched.

"I don't think I have to. Minerva's got it all handled."

And indeed he was right. McGonagall was marching down the steps to the yelling, screaming students before her. And she was not smiling.

She too had been fooled. She! Minerva McGonagall! She had thought Lupin and. Black made a perfect couple. Complete opposites... But, as she knew, opposites attract.

"Quiet! Shut up Nott!" McGonagall yelled. Then she turned to James, Sirius and Peter who each gulped. They had not seen this side of Minerva McGongall and it was terrifying.

"You three four weeks of detention each! Please inform Mr Lupin! And thirty points from Gryffindor!"

She turned on her heel and stalked away.

Dumbledore made his way over to them, smiling crookedly. "That was quite a show you four put on. Where is Mr Lupin?"

"Remus! Remus! Come inside!" Sirius yelled. A timid but grinning Remus John Lupin entered.

"Ah Mr Lupin, ten points to Gryffindor for your brilliant acting. Wouldn't have thought you'd be able to pull it off."

The Marauders stared at Dumbledore uncomprehendingly. He smiled gently.

"And where are Mr Longbottom and Mr Barnes and Mr Barnes?"

"Right here Professor." Gideon saluted.

"Well done. For making me laugh you all earn fifty points to Gryffindor." He winked and began gliding out.

Passing by Gabriel and Gideon he stopped, "I would suspect, that you both have to up your game."

He left leaving behind speechless pranksters.

XXXXXXX

"Man, that guy is something else." Sirius said to his fellow marauders. He was of course talking about, the one and the only Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore.

They were on their way to their first lesson of the day - Herbology. After their disastrous lesson regarding Mandrakes, all Marauders had developed an intense dislike for the subject.

Professor Spout disliked them with feeling. Having managed to pulverise her favourite hat using one of her pet Mandrakes, the Marauders earned not only detention, but also her hate.

Entering Greenhouse 2, they found that they were one of the last students to come in. Sprout glanced at them, then turned back to her class disregarding them completely - just like they were pieces of vermin. Which in her eyes they were.

After Herbology, they had a break and while sitting in the library with Peter and Remus trying to catch up on their homework, and James and Sirius throwing stuff at each other, they were constantly interrupted by someone or the other who. Wanted to congratulate them on their prank.

Many gaggles of girls were hiding behind book shelves staring and giggling as they stalked the Marauders. They had become overnight heroes.

Only Lily Evans still looked upon them with disgust, including Remus.

XXXXXXX

"We have to do pranks more often!" James exclaimed in the comfort of the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I don't know James, you have so many essays and reports to complete. You as well Sirius." Remus said.

"Oh tish tosh," Sirius said waving his hand grandly, "homework is stupid. Prank are more important."

Remus shook his head. Nothing could change the mind of the Black heir. "Keep thinking that Sirius."

"McGonagall was so mad!" Peter giggled.

The image of McGonagall red in the face and fuming set them into gales of laughter, and it took them a while to calm down.

"So no more pranks?" James asked Remus pouting slightly.

"Not entirely. But not every week. How about once a month?"

"I can live with that." James acknowledged.

"Bearable." Sirius gave his vote of confidence.

"Sure." Peter agreed reasonably.

"Do you think Minnie hates us now?" Sirius asked slowly.

"Do you want her to?" James asked.

"No. I like her. The way she yells and shouts at me does things to my body, that should be illegal!" Sirius said with a straight face.

The other marauders were laughing again and Sirius joined them. "Nice... One... Sirius.." Remus wheezed between pants.

"Yeah. How'd you even think that up?" James asked.

Peter had fallen asleep mid-chuckle. Still laughing, the other three marauders lifted their thumb-sucking comrade up the stairs and to his bed.

"Goodnight you lot." Sirius said.

"Goodnight."

"'Night."

How was it? I'm thinking of doing a spin off based loosely on this, for McGonagall. How would that be? Tell me your thoughts and criticism in a review!