Chapter Four
Recap:
Atria winced, at Peter's voice, but looked to Sirius and smiled, "You did just. Come on, let's head off." She suggested quietly, pulling her brother from his seat. Hoping she could get some sense into him lest Peter followed them.
"Okay!" He said jovially, stumbling along with his sister out of the Great Hall. Suddenly his thoughts flew blindingly together, causing him to dig within his robes, gripping his wand, eyes alert for Severus, lest he snuck out and was going to try and pull something.
"Sirius!" James called to him, skidding to a halt in front of the three of them. "Are you ready for this evening, yet?" He queried, excitement burning within his eyes.
Atria shook her head, "No, no, no, none of that. Not tonight, give it a rest, why don't you? Spent all damned day putting eyeballs in jars..." Her curiosity, however, got the better of her. "What's the plan?"
"Sorry to burst your bubbles, but I do recall an agreement to keep a certain someone out of trouble." Remus said sagaciously, striding into view, still looking a little wan, but spirited.
"Moony! You've been sprung!" James said happily.
"For the meantime, yes," He said with a smile.
"What agreement?" Sirius inquired, gray eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"Oh, don't tell me you're not at least the slight bit curious as to what they've thought up?" Atria dodged her brother's question, innocently enough. Looking to Remus, and raising a slight eyebrow with a look begging him to give her a little credit.
"Well, I suppose I am a wee bit curious." He said, folding his arms over his chest, giving James and Sirius a sizing-up.
"Well, go on, out with it." He pressed.
"The Whomping Willow---I said original, not stupid, Padfoot."
"Ouch," James said, holding a hand to his heart as though he was truly deeply hurt by Remus's put-down.
Atria raised her eyebrows, and looked between the boys. But didn't laugh, though she as tempted to. "Well..?" She prompted a continuance.
"I was joking Moony, sheesh." He said with a roll of his eyes. "I just so happened to plant a very delectable piece of sea weed into Severus's pocket... All we do is lure him out by the lake and... Keep in mind this piece of seaweed is something the Giant Squid can't possibly resist." He laughed that bark-like laugh. "You can go ahead and let your imaginations do the rest."
"It's the middle of winter Sirius the Giant Squid is completely dormant under a sheet of ice as thick as my fist." Atria pointed out, rather innocently. "Do you honestly think sea weed, is going to wake him?"
"Oh." Said Sirius a bit put-out. "I didn't factor in the ice."
Severus walked out of the Great Hall, his robes flaring out behind him as he strode past.
"No worries! I planted snowballs outside earlier." He said with a grin, pulling his wand from his robes twirling it with an agile hand, the snowballs soaring through the door that a few students were walking through, ducking their heads, while a couple snowballs soared over and smack Snape once, twice in the back of the head before he turned around, ten more snowballs awaiting him; Sirius laughing at the look on Severus's face.
"Well done!" James clapped approvingly.
"I've seen much better." He said with a roll of his eyes.
Atria cuffed Sirius on the back of the head, as she was closest to him. "Nimrod," She muttered, clearly unimpressed, "If a teacher caught you...oooh!" She shook her head, exasperated.
Severus advanced on Sirius quickly, wand to Sirius's throat.
"I swear to all that is holy, I would wipe the floor with you right now if I could." He hissed, a few sparks issuing from his wand.
Sirius put his wand to Severus's throat in return. "And I you,"
Atria's hand went to her wand, and she took a half step back from the two, towards Remus and James, "You're outnumbered, Snape. I'd step off right now, if I were you." She said, dead seriously; the light that was usually in her voice completely extinguished.
"Entirely outnumbered," James repeated, wand pointed at Snape.
"This is ridiculous Severus, honestly." Remus added, wand pointed to him as well.
Peter was slightly cowering behind James at this point, terrified.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Sirius cried, Severus falling backward, as stiff as a board onto the floor.
Atria watched this, and had to side step slightly, to avoid the falling boy, "Okay, now can we go now, before there is any further nonsense? Before someone sees?" She suggested, pointedly.
"Right-o!" Agreed Sirius, as he, along with Remus, James, and Peter sidestepped Severus, heading back to the Common Room.
Atria kept close to the pack of boys, as they hastened up the stairs away from the 'scene of the crime'.
Soon the three of them were rushing through the portrait hole, settling into seats around an oaken table.
"Seriously," Began Remus. "Has Severus lost his mind?"
"Dunno he seems pretty loony to me." James supplied in agreement.
"You said it." Sirius agreed as well.
Atria thought a bit, "Well, he's always been a bit off, hasn't he? Honestly..."
"Yeah, he has been. So James... How was detention?" Sirius asked, averting the subject.
"Oh, it was loads of fun," Said James with rather mock enthusiasm.
Atria rolled her eyes, and sat back a bit, sighing silently. Tomorrow was a Sunday, which meant they took a trip to Hogsmeade. And then, another week of school before another Hogsmeade weekend, then a half a week of classes and finally break. She was looking forward to break--No more school work.
"Hopefully you can keep clear of anymore detention, James. Between you and Sirius, you we won't have very many house points left."
"I earn them back," Protested James. "I play quidditch, and I'm a damn good seeker, too!"
"Yeah, he earns them back so we have leverage!" Sirius laughed.
"That's no excuse, if Slytherin takes the house cup because of another prank gone awry we're screwed for a straight run of seven years, because we'll be sidetracked at five." Atria pointed out, calmly.
"Atria's right, you guys. I think you should keep your noses out of trouble at least for the next few weeks. We'll have plenty of time for mischief when Christmas comes around."
Sirius nodded rather relcutantly, as did James.
Atria nodded a bit, "It won't kill you. Don't look so glum." She said, nudging her brother a bit, gently.
"That's like telling Severus not to be a git. It just isn't going to happen, Attie." Sirius said rather morosely.
"It's all in what you make it, Sirius." Remus said before leaning back in his chair a bit lackadaisically.
"Yeah, yeah," James said waving a hand dismissively. "I'm heading up to bed before Moony puts any more of a damper on my mood, you coming Padfoot?"
"Yeah, I am." He replied, getting up too, and Peter, being quite the follower, got up as well, the three of them going up to the dormitories.
Atria watched them go, and sighed, "They're going to try to sneak out of here, later tonight, aren't they?" She asked, looking to Remus, after the others had disappeared upstairs.