Chapter 6: Animals
The next morning the boys woke up to Claire screaming at them to get out of bed. Remus was the only one awake and ready and helping Claire drag James and Sirius out of bed.
"Get up you lazy bum chum" Claire said whacking Sirius on the head with his pillow.
"No, I'm sleeping"
"No, you're not."
"Well, I was before you came" he snapped.
Meanwhile on the other side of the room Lily was waking James up by kissing him, hoping he would respond, which he soon did.
"I could get use to waking up like this" he said between a yawn.
"Well you better get out of bed before you're late and then you will be even more tired by the end of the day." Lily said getting up and pulling Sirius out of bed by the ear.
"I told you to get up didn't I?" she asked smiling at the face Sirius was making behind her back, thinking she didn't know.
"I give up! Can we go to breakfast now? I'm starving" Claire whined rubbing her empty stomach.
The girls left the room so James and Sirius could get changed and made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.
When the boys arrived fifteen minutes later getting ready to eat Professor McGonagall started handing out timetables to the Gryffindor while they ate.
She finally made her way to the middle of the table where the Marauders and girls were eating.
"Now, I do hope that you boys have grown up and will take this year seriously. I will tolerate any nuisance from any of you" McGonagall lectured the Marauders although secretly they were her favourite students in the school.
"You know we will be everything but responsible. I mean this is our last year after all and we plan to be worse than ever" Sirius said to the very stern looking Professor.
"Well I didn't think so, but at least I tried" she said before leaving to give out the rest of the timetables. When she was at the end of the table the whole group began to laugh hysterically.
"I can't believe that you said that." Lily said looking at Sirius and taking a sip of her pumpkin juice once everyone was calm and finishing their breakfast.
"Who cares? Now how many classes do we have together?" Claire asked excitedly snatching everyone's timetable and comparing them.
"Well we have every class together, but Remus and Ella have Ancient Runes while the rest of us are using our Inner Eye in Divination." Lily commented peering over Claire's shoulder and Ella doing the same on the other side.
"I don't know why you are still taking Divination it is so stupid and useless." Ella said looking at Remus who was nodding his head in agreement at the statement.
"Well, we only took the class because those two were." James said pointing to Lily and Claire.
"We only took that class because it was that or Ancient Runes and I don't quite fancy that subject" Lily replied. "Speaking of subjects what do we have first?"
James and Sirius looked at the timetable and groaned and everyone knew it could only be one thing. Potions with Slytherin.
"Well I guess we better get to class" Ella said as everyone collected their things and made their way to the dungeons.
When they arrived they made their way in and found seats in the back row and waited for Professor Slughorn to make an appearance. Five minutes they were silenced.
"Hello everyone. Now today we will be learning how to make and perfect the Pepper-Up Potion. The instructions are on the board, so get started and you have the lesson in which to complete it." He tapped the board with his wand revealing the ingredients and method and everyone got started with their potion making.
"If I get the potion right then we will be able to take them after our busy full moon nights, which is in what tomorrow?" Lily whispered to Ella who was sitting on her left and Claire on her right.
"Thanks Lily, and yes it is tomorrow cause I feel like crap" Ella stated while chopping up her different ingredients.
"Um, has anyone noticed the Remus looks a bit off colour today?" Claire asked leaning over Lily to join the conversation.
"Yeah I saw that as well, but I wasn't sure if I should say anything" Lily replied looking over to where Remus was and the boys also seemed to be talking in hushed tones as well.
"Well, usually I would ask but then he will ask me the same question. I mean I don't much better than him. Do I?" Ella sighed.
After their little discussion the rest of the lesson was uneventful.
"Ok, everyone finish up and put your potion in a flask and place it on my desk as you leave. Thank you and Goodbye." He said as the bell rang and students forward out of the room.
The group headed to their next lesson. When they reached the room they went in and waited for their Transfiguration teacher to come. Professor McGonagall arrived and the class began.
"Now I want everyone to transfigure the needle in front of them into an animal of their choice. Now I am letting you choose the animal so nothing to dramatic, ok" she said looking over to the Marauders. They simply smiled back.
Everyone went through their book looking for the right spell before attempting. James came across one and he whispered to Sirius who grinned mischievously and nodded.
Everyone was able to change their needle to the correct animal except the Marauders who were just sitting there and talking.
Lily asked James looking at him suspiciously. She knew he was up to something. He gave her his heart-melting smile, but that was it.
McGonagall walked around the room looking at the different animals. When she arrived at the back table, either the Marauders or the girls had even attempted to do it.
"Is there a problem? Would you like some help?" she asked as she stopped in front of the girls first.
"No, we were just making sure the spell was right." Claire answered.
"Well, can you please show me now?"
At the same time each one of them flicked their wand and had successfully transformed their animals. Lily made a cheetah, Claire a tiger and Ella a lion.
"Very well done" McGonagall slightly surprised the animals were so calm. They simply lay at the girl's feet and if anyone was to bother them they would simply growl.
Professor McGonagall approached the Marauders table.
"Now, what is your excuse?" she asked folding her arms over her chest.
"What ever do you mean?" Sirius asked in an I-am-innocent voice, earning him a look from his Professor that was obliviously unbelieving.
"Ok we will do it now that you are here" James said. The boys flicked their wand one at a time. Remus being the only sensible one transfigured a dog, while James made a large grizzly bear and Sirius made a skunk.
Everyone in the class mostly the girls ran out of the room screaming at the site of the bear. The boys weren't so afraid until they saw the skunk and ran holding their nose.
"Why on earth did they run out of the room like that? The bear is calm" McGonagall stated having no idea what the skunk was capable of.
"Oh no, you didn't" Lily said looking at James.
"Yes, I did"
Before anyone could do anything else the skunk farted scaring Professor McGonagall and she also ran out of the room to get away from the horrible smell.
"I officially hate you." Claire said holding her nose as she got up and left with the others in toe.
When everyone was out of the classroom they closed the door, and headed for the 'Head Quarters'.
"Thanks a lot. Now I have to change my clothes cause they stink like skunk fart" Claire cursed walking down the corridor
"Aww, my poor Claire bear smells like skunk fart" Sirius cooed earning him another hit across the head. Everyone laughed except Claire and Sirius who were having yet another fight. They reached Head Quarters and changed their clothes.
The rest of the day went by quickly, with everyone getting back into the routines and adjusting to the change of schedules. Finally the day came to an end and the girls were sitting in the Head common room doing homework and going over the plans for tomorrow's full moon, to make sure that everything goes smoothly.
The boys stumbled through the portrait hole laughing hysterically. When they realised the girls were there they stood in a line and tried to look like they were innocent but it didn't work, and they burst out laughing again. The girls looked at them knowing they did some kind of prank.
"What did you boys do now?" Lily asked rolling her eyes as they lay on the floor tearing coming out of their eyes. They laid there for five minutes finally calming down and standing up.
"Are you finished?" Ella asked looking at them suspiciously. They looked at each other before giggling silently.
"WILL STOP LAUGHING AND TELL US ALREADY?" Claire shouted getting very agitated. The boys just stood there with red faces.
"That's it I'm going to bed" Lily said giving up on trying to get an answer from them, and leaving the room with Claire and Ella following her.
The next morning was quite uneventful as everyone made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. The boys who were sitting opposite the girls facing the Slytherin table were grinning madly.
"What are you so happy about?" Ella mumbled the PMS (Pre-Moon Sickness) getting to her.
"Well last night we soaked the Slyhterin's clothes in meat" Sirius told.
"That is disgusting. Why?"
"Have a look for yourself" James said motioning to the table. As the girls turned they flicked their wands and the plates on the Slytherin table were transfigured into bears.
Everyone in the Great Hall gasped in shock as the bears started to sniff the air and growl. The Slyhterin's got up from the table and ran away screaming as they were chased down the corridors by big bears.
Everyone started giggling knowing it was the Marauders doings.
"That was a dangerous prank guys." Lily said frowning at them, as there was now Slytherin's being chased around Hogwarts by very hungry looking bears.
"No way. Do you really think I would let them play a prank without making sure it is safe?" Remus asked slightly offended.
"Well no offence, but we have a bunch of bears on the loose." Lily replied.
"The bears are no actually hungry. We just put a charm on them to think they were but they would actually harm the snakes" he said smiling.
"Then why on earth did you soak their clothes in meat?" Claire asked not understanding.
"Sirius insisted on it"
"I should have known." She answered.
Breakfast went on smoothly from then on, and the rest of the day was filled with classes for everyone.