Ch 11 Back to Hogwarts

Sirius and James walked through the barrier and onto the platform. They spotted Remus and Peter and went to talk to them. They all put their trunks on the train and found a compartment. Sirius stayed in the compartment while the others went to say bye to their parents. James was right outside the compartment window with his mother, Vallery Potter. Victor had to go to work so it was just her.

"James, I want you to send me an owl as soon as you get back. I want to make sure you two got back safely." Vallery had come to think of Sirius as a son over the past couple of weeks he stayed with them. Sirius was a charmer and an easy person to get along with and everyone seemed to like him.

"Alright mom, I'll send an owl when we get there."

"Where's Sirius anyways?"

"In the compartment," James said pointing to the window.

Sirius opened the window to say goodbye to Mrs. Potter.

"Thanks for letting me stay with you for the holidays Mrs. Potter."

"It was nothing Sirius, and remember, you are always welcome."

"Thanks. Tell Mr. Potter I say thank you as well."

"I will dear, and Peter, Remus, it was nice having you over for a few days."

"it was a lot of fun, thank you Mrs. Potter." Remus said. James suspected Remus was a little uncomfortable when he was at his house. He knew Remus didn't have much money and that it was different to stay at a place where it was so warm and comforting. He even suspected it was a change for Peter because he seemed to love the house more than Remus did, or maybe it was just the motherly love Mrs. Potter gave off.

"Well you boys have a good time at Hogwarts. James, Sirius, stay out of trouble."

"Mom, you know we wouldn't do anything too…well serious."

"Just don't get another detention. I don't like to know my son is a trouble maker. Or his friends neither."

James looked at Sirius. He was feeling a little uneasy about the prank now, but after all it was his prank they were going to pull and it was going to be great. But on the other hand he hated to disappoint his mother, even if his father thought it was all jokes.

"I'll try mom, but I can't make any promises."

"Well, just don't do anything too dangerous or anything that'll get you expelled."

"Well, that's not a problem. We wouldn't want to get expelled."

"Yea Mrs. Potter, we like school, I mean we learn magic what more could a kid want?"

"Well, just keep that in mind. Good bye Sirius, James, you boys better get on the train."

James leaned forwards to give his mother a hug and then ran on the train. Lily was right in front of him but he didn't say anything to her because he knew she wouldn't say anything back. He messed things up with her and decided to just forget her.

"James, are you sure this is going to work?"

"Remus, remember you asked the same question when we were making up the plans. Yes, as long s we follow the plan everything will go perfectly."

"Just want to make sure. Let's find Sirius."

"Shouldn't be too far away." James said and they walked up the aisle and into the compartment Sirius was in.

James walked into the castle with Sirius and his friends at his side. The first thing he saw when he entered the Hall was Snivellus. Then he saw Lily running towards him and hugging him. James felt a pang of jealousy which made him want to pull the prank on Snivellus right that moment. It wasn't right though, they still had some last things to work out and besides there were a lot of people around that it wouldn't be quiet right yet.

James walked right past them with out looking back. His friends followed and they walked up to the Gryffindor common room. They had their trunks already up there, it seems the schools house elves, which James's dad told him about, worked fast.

"So, did you see Snivellus in the Hall? I am so excited to pull this prank!" James said.

"Yea, but could it possibly be because Evans was hugging him?" Sirius asked.

"I'm over her since I messed things up with her in the Hospital Wing. But Snivellus is so going to get it!" James said.

"Here, here." Sirius said.

"Hey Peter, did you bring the rope by any chance?"

"Yea, I put it in my truck. Hopefully they weren't searched because I don't think it'll be aloud." Peter Squeaked.

"I'm sure they don't search the trunks and if they do then we should report them, it's an invasion of privacy." Remus said.

"Well, check your trunk. The elves brought them up already."

Peter waddled over to his trunk and opened it up. After a few minutes of searching he extracted a rope. It was a long silver looking thing that didn't exactly look like a rope but more like a chain.

"Good, now we may not actually need it. It all depends on if plan a goes well."

"Yes James we know the plan. Now, I don't think we actually came up with a plan b."

"No Sirius, we didn't but I'm sure we won't need it."

"James, you are a terrible planner."

"Well, I did come up with the idea. I can't be that bad."

"True, so we'll start tomorrow."

"Good plan. Now let's go get some dinner before all the good food is gone." And the four boys walked out of the common room and to the Great Hall.

"James, it's now or never." Sirius said.

"Well, Sirius, you get the information on how to get into the Kitchen from that fourth year. You're a charmer you should be able to get the info and besides, we are in with the Gryffindors for pulling that first prank on Snivellus. They still love us."

"Alright, I'm going and I'll have the mirror on me. You need to copy down the directions as he says it so we don't forget."

"Right and I'll make sure I have the cloak so we can nip down there after dinner or something. We need to befriend at least one so we have an inside person. Besides, you have a house elf so you know the rules and everything."

"Well, James that may be a problem because House Elves aren't aloud to give away information or do anything that'll hurt their master."

"Snivellus isn't their master so we should be fine."

"Point well taken, ok, here I go." Sirius got up and walked towards the fourth year. Sirius was able to get his name from a third year named Marlene Koffer. Sirius took out his mirror whispered James into it and put it into his pocket. All James could see was black, from the inside of the pocket but he could hear everything that happened between Sirius and Igor McKinnon.

"Igor McKinnon?" Sirius asked. Igor turned and looked at Sirius. He smiled. He had white teeth and was a pretty handsome boy. He had blonde hair styled in a shag.

"Sirius Black, the prankster. Any new plans coming between you and Potter?"

"Actually, it's funny you ask that. I was wondering how you were able to get into the kitchen."

Igor looked around.

"Well, I guess I can trust you. Come over here," Igor led Sirius over to a corner where he was sure no one would over hear.

"Well, it's quiet simple really. My dad told me how to do it. He was a sneak when he was here but he always seemed to get caught or in trouble when eve he tried to go around at night."

"Hmm, sounds like my kind of guy." Sirius said.

"Yea, well anyways, do you know the door that leads to the Hufflepuff common room?"

"Sure, the door by the dungeons."

"Exactly, well all you have to do is go down those stairs and then there's this painting of fruit and you tickle the pear and it turns into a doorknob. You turn the knob and you're in."

"That's very helpful," Sirius said.

"So, you want to let me in on the prank?"

"Unfortunately, we don't really have anything yet," Sirius lied easily, "but if we come up with something, I'll talk to James and we may consider it. We are hoping to come up with something with your information you just gave me."

"Sirius, just remember that this information is between you me and I guess James. Besides that, don't tell your little rat friend Peter or that shaggy one Remus."

"Sure, make's sense. I'll make sure James and I don't tell a soul." Sirius said. Igor nodded his approval and walked away. Sirius took the mirror out of his pocket and whispered into it.

"Did you get it?" he asked.

"Yea I did, good job mate." James said. Sirius put the mirror back with a satisfied smile.

That night James and Sirius snuck out under the cover of the cloak, which they finally told Remus and Peter about because it was significant to the plan. James and Sirius followed the path and directions Igor gave them and went down to the kitchens. Sirius tickled the pear and a door knob appeared just as Igor said it would. Sirius turned the knob and they pulled off the cloak before entering. Sure enough house elves were working away in the kitchen.

"Hellos Sir's is there something we can do for you?" asked a house elf with dark blue eyes and ears that flapped down like a dogs. They were shaped as a bat but flopped down the side of his head, He had a squeaky voice and wore a small version of a Hogwarts uniform but it was different then the ones students wore.

"Hello, I'm James and this is Sirius and we were wondering if any of you would like to be friends with us?"

James thought it was best to get straight to the point because that way it gave them more time to get friendly with them.

"Master Dumbledore requests us not to get friendly with the students." Said a darker house elf. She had a darker brown skin and purple eyes. She was taller then the first elf but had just as squeaky voice.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore would be ok with it, it's not like we want you to do everything for us, like our homework, or sneak us food we're not aloud. We just want some of you to be friends with."

"I have a house elf that is crank and we just wanted to prove all house elves aren't like mine." Sirius said. James thought it was a pretty good cover story.

The house elves looked a little uncomfortable at this.

"We house elves don't like to be labelled by one of our kind." Said the little house elf.

"Well, that's why we're here." James said. He had to admit, Sirius knew what he was doing.

Most of the house elves still looked uncomfortable and turned away and got back to work. The little house elf however seemed happy to be friends with them.

"I don't have many friends," he squeaked. "My name is Moppy, most of the house elves don't' like me because I'm smaller and younger and they's think I'm too little to work here."

"Well Moppy we'll be your friends." James said.

"Thank yous. Can I get you any food?" he asked.

"A couple Pumpkin Pastries would be great Moppy." Sirius said.

Moppy ran off to get the pastries and when he came back he handed them to James. James and Sirius turned to go.

"We'll be back later Moppy." James said.

"See you sir's." Moppy said and he and the other house elves bowed James and Sirius out of the kitchen.

"Well, that was easier then we expected it to be." Sirius said.

"Well, when there's a house elf that is lonely and needs a friend, well, it is easier."

"True, so part A is almost complete, all we have to do is have him earn our trust and we need to earn his."

"Shouldn't be too hard, let's tell the others and get a check on that."

"Right, so, you still think we can pull this off?"

"Defiantly, shouldn't be too hard, just a simple little plan which causes extreme humiliation."

"You realize Snivellus will hate us for life for this."

"Of course, but that's all the fun of it."

"James, your more a rebel then I thought you were."

"All thanks to you mate." James said.

"Well, I have a way of charming people to do what I'd like them to do, or behave the way they should. I mean look at Peter, we got him out of his little shy spot and now he's pulling pranks with us and becoming more ell known."

"And wasn't Remus a little nerd before too?" asked James.

"Yup, we've really developed them." Sirius said.

They walked up to the common room and said the new password, woodchuck, and entered the common room. They pulled off the cloak seeing it was empty besides their two friends, who waited up for them.

"Did you convince them?" asked Remus. He was sceptical about the idea saying they'll never win them over.

"Well, we convinced one. It was funny actually, he was all for it and all James did was ask him to be friends." Sirius said.

"Really, well that's a little amazing. I never thought it would work."

"Well Remus you just have to keep an open mind about it." James said.

"Ok, tell me what really happened."

Remus was too smart for them and James knew it.

"The elf was lonely, he had no friends, and they all hated him because he was too young and little."

"Well, as long as you have one on our side the plan should go as planned."

"Exactly, well, we still need to work with them tomorrow and get him to trust us a little more. Remus, I hope you'll be able to get the potion right."

"I will, just make sure I have all the ingredients and all will go as planned."

"Perfect, now, sleep first then we can continue to work on it. It has to go perfectly so let's get some rest." James said and they packed up their things and went up to bed.