Thanks to BubblegumDuchess22 and Jilly98 for reviewing the last chapter but I was a little sad to see that only 16 of you read it. If 25 of you have it on your alert list, I expected more reads in the past week. Oh well. Thanks to those who did read it.
Chapter 39: Hogwarts, Gone Missing
Thursday morning Mandy woke up feeling a bit nostalgic but was mostly resigned to getting out of Hogwarts. As she watched the girls wake up around her she smiled. She would definitely miss this. "You okay, Mandy?" Lily asked.
"Just thinking. It's been a long seven years. I'm going to miss this," Mandy said.
"Because tomorrow is our last full day at Hogwarts?" Shelly asked.
"Yeah. This time on Saturday, we'll be going home for the last time," Mandy emphasized.
"Okay and maybe we won't be together every day, but you and Parker are sisters, Lily is going to marry your best friend—" Shelly started.
"I wasn't aware he had proposed," Mandy said as Lily did her make-up and Parker was doing her hair.
"He hasn't, but it's just a matter of time," Lily said not looking away from the mirror.
"You really think he will?" Tiff asked as Mandy pulled on her robes.
"Of course he will," Mandy said.
"You think so?" Lily asked. Everything stopped and all eyes turned to Mandy.
"Yeah. He loves you. Of course he's going to propose," Mandy said. Lily smiled. "What were you saying Shelly?"
"Well like I said, you are sisters, Lily's going to marry your best friend, Tiff has that thing with your brother, and there's me and Remus. We're not going to lose touch," Shelly finished.
"Yes, I guess you're right. It's just, part of me isn't ready to grow up," Mandy said.
"None of us are. We've been through so much in the last seven years, but now it's time for breakfast then our Defense exam," Shelly said. They all looked at each other and then headed for the door, Mandy in front.
"Besides we're all going to be—" Tiff stopped suddenly. "There when you and Sirius get married so you're not getting rid of us that soon."
"You're kidding right? I'm not getting married until after Auror training," Mandy said. "Lily and James will get married before I will."
"Let's just go to breakfast," Parker said.
Mandy nodded and led the group to breakfast where they sat down with the Marauders and Talon.
After breakfast everyone cleared out of the Great Hall and waited for Professor Hunter to let them back in. A few people were nervously trying to cram at least a little bit of knowledge in before the exam but most were just staring at the doors. Mandy on the other hand had taken Sirius's hand in both of hers and was examining it as he twirled his wand in his other hand.
"What are you doing?" Sirius asked after a few moments.
"Just studying your hand," Mandy answered. "I've never really looked at it."
"It's just a hand."
"Maybe, but a hand can say a lot about a person."
"Oh really?"
"Mmhmm," Mandy agreed as the doors opened.
"Take a seat anywhere and put your notes and things away," Jason said.
Mandy smiled up at Sirius and followed everyone else inside. After the exam they all went outside to their favorite willow tree.
"How does everyone think they did?" Remus asked.
"I'm sure everyone did fine," Mandy said.
"I don't know, I know I missed a few big ones," Peter said.
"Wormtail," Sirius started.
"You did just fine. You've got one of the best memories in class. When it comes to fact and figures you're better than most everyone here," Mandy said, smiling softly.
"What if we don't pass?" Shelly asked.
"One or two probably don't make that much of a difference plus Jason told me that they have very few people fail so much that they can't make it. Everyone is encouraged to take more N.E.W.T.s than they actually need and to have a backup plan. However if you don't have enough, you can repeat your seventh year and sit them again next summer," Mandy explained.
"Do you think you'll have to?" Tiff asked.
"With all those classes you missed ... I know James and Sirius and Remus are good but you missed five months with your illness," Peter added.
"I really hope I don't have to repeat. Think about how that will look. I'm pretty—Well, I feel pretty good about all of them, but you never know."
"You're brilliant, Mandy, of course you'll pass. You too, Wormy. If you guys didn't we'll help so you don't fall behind again," James said.
"Really?" Peter asked.
"Of course," James said.
"Anyone feel up to practicing before the exam this afternoon?" Mandy asked.
"We're not supposed to do magic on the grounds," Parker said.
"You know, in the States there are no big finishing exams. Sure, there's end of term exams and all but your final grades are based on the entire year. You could fail the end of year exams and still pass the class," Talon said.
"It's just too bad this isn't the States," Mandy said. Talon nodded. Their Defense exam went well that afternoon, well, at least in Mandy's opinion. She was sure at least a few people were still nervous but there was nothing she could say or do to make them feel better.
The following evening was their final dinner at Hogwarts. "I'm gonna miss this," Sirius sighed as they walked to dinner.
"It's our final dinner at Hogwarts," James said.
"It's our final meal at Hogwarts," Remus said.
"Please tell me you lot planned an epic prank for this," Mandy said.
"Can't say that we have," James said.
Mandy stopped dead in her tracks causing the rest to do the same. She looked from James to Sirius to Remus to Peter then at all the girls. "Are you barking mad? You're the Marauders and you're going to go out with a whimper? You're supposed to have something so hugely epic up your sleeves that when you get on the train tomorrow, the teachers will be glad you're not coming back. Something so that everyone remembers you as pranking legends. Make it so that no one ever forgets the Marauders. Then in 20 or so years when your kids come to Hogwarts, our remaining teachers should want to quit."
"You know she's right," Sirius said.
"Come on, James you're better than this," Lily said. James looked at Lily then back at Mandy. Mandy could tell he was tempted by the idea to pull off one final prank but he also knew that Lily was right.
"I'm always behind you," Shelly told Remus. She kissed his cheek then headed down to the Great Hall from where they had all stopped on the fourth floor. Parker, Tiff, and Talon followed her wanting no part of anything that was about to follow. Sirius looked at his friend wondering if he was about to ditch them for a bird. A bird he loved, granted but a bird none the less.
"Oh, go ahead. You want to be epic then do it," Lily said. She kissed James then followed their friends' path.
"I didn't mean to—" Mandy started. She really didn't want to cause a fight between the couple.
"It's fine. You didn't. So, this epic prank. What did you have in mind?" James asked.
"I don't know, it just has to be epic," Mandy said.
"We could transfigure desks into pigs and number them 1, 2, 4, and 5 and see how long people take to figure out there's no number 3," Remus said.
"We could do hogs instead of pigs. You know for Hogwarts. Name one Hoggy, one Warty, one Hoggywarty and one Brian," Mandy said, "And then we could race them around the school."
"With the finish line in the Great Hall," James said.
"Don't you think people would wonder why we're late to dinner?" Sirius asked.
"We could just start them out here and then herd them around the four tables and up to the teachers table," Mandy said.
"Sounds good to me. Then we can have confetti fall from the sky on the winner and James can propose to Lily," Remus added.
"I'm going to what?" James asked. All four of them stopped and stared. "Okay, so I was going to, but how did you know?"
"You're just that predictable. On three?" Mandy asked.
"Wait, how many pigs are we conjuring?" Peter asked.
"Four and we're transfiguring them," Mandy said, nodding to the open door to their left where four broken chairs sat.
Peter nodded and at the count of three, James, Sirius, Remus, and Mandy transfigured the four chairs into four hogs. With a simple spell they were numbered and then with the sound of a gunshot they were off down the stairs. Peter set up a roadblock at the end of the hall and magicked the Great Hall doors open. The hogs raced inside where strategically placed barricades forced them to run around all the tables until they got back to the top table and ran across a line in the center of the floor; a line that triggered confetti to fall from the magical ceiling. Mandy, Remus, and Sirius began applauding causing Peter and the rest of the hall to do the same. James turned to the crowd as the hogs stopped in front the Marauders and he gave a sweeping bow. He did this a few times and then Professor McGonagall's voice rang out over the hall.
"Mr. Potter!" she said.
"Just a moment, Professor," James said. He walked down to the Gryffindor table and took Lily's hand, softly convincing her to follow him. Though he knew it could blow up in his face and that he may be about to make a complete fool of himself, he had to ask. It just felt right. "You know, right here, nearly eight years ago," James said as they stepped onto the finish line right in the center of the head table, "I fell in love with you. I didn't know it then, but now, just looking at that little 11 year old girl standing there, I know I was in love with you. I love you even more now than I ever did before and I know that my love for you will continue to grow. With everything that is going on right now outside these walls, I need you in my life. Lily Margaret Evans, will you marry me?" James dropped to his knee in front of her and revealed a beautiful diamond ring.
Everyone in the hall went silent and stared waiting for her answer. Even the hogs stared up at her quietly. Lily's face flamed red as she looked from James's nervous face to Mandy's smiling one. "Yes," Lily said nodding as James took her hand. "Yes, a thousand times yes."
James slipped the ring on her finger then stood up and kissed her in front of the entire population of Hogwarts. The hall burst into cheers and more confetti fell from the ceiling, which since it looked like the night sky, made it look like confetti falling from nowhere.
"Are you quite finished, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked.
James swallowed and turned to the professor as Mandy smiled softly, taking Sirius's hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze as McGonagall stared at all of them. "Yes, ma'am," James said.
"Pigs!" McGonagall said.
"Actually, Professor, they're hogs," Mandy said. "Number one, that's Hoggy, James's hog, he came in first. Number two is Warty, Sirius's, he came in second, Hoggywarty is number four, he's Remus's and came in third and number five is Brian. He's my hog of course and unfortunately I lost."
"Miss Hunter," McGonagall said.
"I have a question," Lily said softly, "if you don't mind Professor."
"Yes, Miss Evans?" McGonagall said.
"Where's number three? Did you leave Peter out?" Lily asked.
"You lost a pig in Hogwarts?" McGonagall asked.
"Did we lose a hog?" Mandy asked, looking at the Marauders. Sirius gasped in feigned surprise. "Peter?"
"Wasn't me," Peter answered. "Remus?"
"I didn't do it either. Sirius?" Remus asked.
"Of course I wouldn't. All of my pranks stay completely under my control," Sirius answered. He looked over at James.
"I would never. Losing Hogwarts would be the hardest thing ever," James said, clapping both hands over his heart. Suddenly all eyes turned to Mandy.
"Me?" Mandy asked in disbelief. "Losing Hogwarts is impossible. It's part of my soul, you just can't go around losing things like that. We didn't, did we?" Mandy asked nervously, biting her lip, both to look innocent and to keep the large grin from crossing her face.
"As soon as we find this other pig, you lot are in a load of trouble," McGonagall said. Soon there was a school wide search for the "missing" pig with nearly everyone helping. Those that remained in the great hall were the Marauders, Lily, and Mandy and the four conjured pigs.
"How long are you going to let them search before you tell them there is no fifth pig?" Lily asked, crossing her arms over her chest and staring down the group of five.
"A couple hours maybe," Mandy said. "We've got a couple other pranks to set up."
"How can I help?" Lily asked. Everyone stared at her. "You only live once, right?"
"That's my girl," James said as the rest of the Marauders grinned.
"So what do you have planned?" Lily asked.
Mandy and James looked at each other their minds spinning at 1,000 kilometres an hour. "Lily, can you and Remus charm the suits of armour to sing So Long, Farewell from The Sound of Music?" Mandy asked.
"Shouldn't take too long," Lily said. Remus nodded.
"Sirius—" Mandy started.
"Slytherin dungeons, change the walls to Gryffindor colors and write Marauders Rule. Mandy, I'm certain you have a surprise for Filch. Peter, the corridor outside the professors' quarters, fill it full of balloons. You remember how to fill the balloons full of confetti and pop when vanished?" James asked. Peter nodded.
"And you?" Mandy asked.
"I have a surprise for the rest of the students. Once everyone is done we'll meet back in the Common Room. Mandy, take this," James said handing her the map. She wondered why he gave it to her but figured that it was because Filch was more dangerous than any of the other professors and Peter could lie his way out of anything stating he had thought he had seen a pig. Everyone nodded and took off for their assigned duties.
As Mandy headed for Filch's office she tried to think of what she could do. Fireworks were a no go, same with filling his room with balloons and anything the other marauders were doing, but it had to be good. Each idea that came into her head turned out to be worse than the last. Sure, part of her felt really bad pranking him since he didn't have magic that could quickly clean things up but then she remembered all the horrid things he put them through when he found them even just looking like they were up to no good. Weighing the two in her head made it about even but eventually his horrid treatment overrode her sense of fair play and she finally landed on a prank that wouldn't replicate anything the other marauders were doing as she grasped his door handle. She could turn his entire office upside down. Plus it was a prank they had never tried. All it would take was a few simple temporary sticking charms and some levitation but all in all, very easy.
Mandy flipped everything on the floor to the ceiling and everything on the ceiling to the floor. After that she stuck five posters on the wall. Each one had the face of a different Marauder and each was a wanted poster listing various pranks they had committed over their seven years. Mandy made her way out of the office then checked the map. It was clear all the way up to the tower. She wiped the map clear and then tucked it back into her pocket then headed for the tower. She rounded the first corner from Filch's office and ran directly into the man himself. She stared at him in shock as his eyes narrowed at her.
"Hunter, what are you doing down here? This floor has already been searched," Filch said.
"I was," Mandy stared but he cut her off.
"Turn out your pockets. You're obviously up to something."
"I wasn't doing anything."
"Turn out your pockets and we'll see. Or shall we get the Headmaster involved?" Mandy sighed but pulled out the contents of her pockets. This included balloons, a broken quill, the blank map, and a few coins.
"See nothing dangerous."
"Unpoppable balloons? A blank piece of parchment? You just randomly carry these around?"
"Yes," Mandy told him.
"Then you won't mind if I take them to have them examined?"
"Yeah a little bit."
"I won't be having contraband in this school, last day or not."
Mandy frowned but handed them over lest he force her to show her how to work the map. Besides it was their last day and they wouldn't, and didn't really need, it anymore. She put the rest of her belongings back in her pockets and took off back for the tower. The closer she got the more she realized that the boys would most likely be angry with her for losing the map.
Will the others be mad at her. Will they even find out? And how will they end the search for the missing pig? Tune in next time to find out.