Disclaimer: Please, oh please don't make me do this again!! sigh I suppose I must. So, anything vaguely familiar isn't mine.
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Chapter 18: Repercussions
"Why you-" Lily hissed through clenched jaws, raising her arm to try shrinking his head, regardless of James' earlier warning. Unfortunately, in the same second as Lily yelled the spell, James bent down to pick up his thimble, which had bounced off his desk. The jet of white light soared over his head, and hit Flitwick squarely in the back. Lily had an instant to register that her spell had not hit her intended target before a burst of bright light issued from the professor's body. Silence swept the classroom as every student turned and stared in shock as the tall man shrank, and shrank, and shrank, each time sending off another burst of light. He shrank, until, with a final burst of light, the top of his tall pointed hat was no higher than Lily's shoulder. When it was clear that Professor Flitwick would shrink no further, every eye in the class turned to Lily, who was standing in shock, her trembling wand arm still extended.
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Hide!
This single syllable was the first- and only- thought that crossed Lily's mind as the newly shrunk professor turned his gaze to her. She promptly squeaked and dropped under her desk, her wand falling from suddenly weak fingers. She squeezed her eyes shut as shocked whispers began circulating the classroom and wrapped her arms around her knees, burying her head in the crook of her elbow.
"Lily… what did you do?" Jenna asked, in an awed whisper, as she dropped down so she could see Lily. The red-head made no response, except to shake her head and make herself smaller, if that was at all possible.
A row of desks away, Flitwick was recovering from his shock. After a quick check, finding that nothing was actually hurt, just shrunk magnificently, he determined that this strange occurrence had effectively ended any actual work that could be done that day. "Class-" He stopped. His former bass had been astoundingly changed to a high pitched squeak, rivaling Lily's of just a few moments ago. "Well, it would appear that I will now be singing soprano," Flitwick continued, still squeaking. A few weak chuckles replied. "I think class should end early today. You are dismissed, with the exception of Miss Evans. Miss Evans, I would like to speak with you for a few minutes."
Under the desk, Lily shuddered. Jenna patted her on the shoulder. The room filled with the noises of fifteen or so students packing their belongings and leaving. Lily's friends stayed resolutely by her desk, as if to protect her from any terrible punishment the professor might have in store for her.
"Miss Smith, Misters Potter, Black and Lupin, I will return Miss Evans in one piece. Please leave us."
The four cast sympathetic glances in the direction of Lily's desk, before reluctantly leaving the classroom.
"Miss Evans, please come out," Flitwick squeaked. Lily retreated further under the desk. Lily ignored him. Flitwick sighed and crouched down until his head was level with Lily's. "Miss Evans. Please tell me how this happened." Lily shook her head violently, still refusing to look up. "You know, Miss Evans, I wouldn't expect this from you. I've heard from the other teachers that you will face anything with your head held high, that you're no shrinking violet."
This finally elicited a response. Lily whispered two words. "It's different."
"Ah, yes. None of your other escapades have had long lasting effects."
Lily vehemently shook her head.
"No? Oh, yes, the incident last year."
Lily nodded.
"Rest assured, that event was not entirely your fault. And Mr. Lupin has adapted to his situation marvelously. But you still will not forgive yourself?"
Silence.
"And now there is another situation that you have caused." Flitwick took Lily's continued silence as an affirmation of his conclusions. "Admittedly, I am curious as to how, and why, you allow Mr. Potter to upset you this much."
Lily rolled her eyes, still covered by her arm.
"Your rivalry with him is quite natural. However, I do not think you should allow your… feelings for him-" Lily interrupted with a disgusted noise. Flitwick raised an eyebrow and continued- "to interfere with your class work. There is also no reason for you to feel inferior. You are an excellent witch, skilled in Charms and, so I've heard, in Potions as well. I will see what can be done to reverse this situation, but if there is nothing to be done, well, I've always had a hard time finding clothes long enough. Congratulate yourself on a powerful charm well applied.
"However, as I did warn you that this charm was not to be used on humans I am giving you two week's worth of detentions and fifty points taken from Gryffindor, despite the fact that I understand the basis for your attack on Mr. Potter. You may leave now. Details of your detentions will be given to you later this evening." With a sigh, realizing that Lily would not move until she was alone, Flitwick stood and left the classroom, shutting the door securely behind him.
Only when she heard the classroom door shut did Lily unfold her legs and stood, carefully avoiding hitting her head on the desk. Gathering her books, she exited the classroom.
Her friends were waiting just down the hall. James and Sirius were laughing at the shrinking of the professor and especially the look on Lily's face as she realized what she had done. Remus and Jenna were more calmly discussing the event, wondering if anything could be done, and what Flitwick was saying to their friend.
As Lily approached, all discussion ceased at the sight of Lily's face, still horror stricken. For a moment, anyway. Then Sirius and James started loudly congratulating her on the prank of the year, Jenna wrapped her arm around Lily's shoulders and Remus asked what Flitwick had said, that kept her in there so long.
At this show of affection and loyalty, it was all Lily could do not to burst into tears. "So, you guys don't hate me?"
"Why would we hate you? Everyone's talking about how brilliant that was," James soothed.
"Lily, Lily, Lily, when will you learn that the only thing we would hate you for is if you suddenly started cheering for the Slytherin Quidditch team?" Sirius assured her, getting a little giggle in return, though that might have been because Sirius found her ticklish spot in putting his arm around her waist. Lily smacked his hand away. "So, what say you all to some FOOD?!"
"Are you serious?" Ignoring Sirius' interruption of "Actually…" Lily continued to say, "How can you eat right now? I feel sick to my stomach."
"Ah, but that's only because you are too soft hearted. Who woulda thunk? Lily actually has a heart." Lily's only response was to glare at Sirius. "Food would put you right back where you ought to be. Especially the sugary kind," Sirius added, with a wiggle of the eyebrows.
"Ugh."
"Anyway," Jenna interrupted with a glare at Sirius, "what did Professor Flitwick say?"
"Um, he said that I shouldn't let my- uh, he said I'm an excellent witch and it was a good charm and-"
"Unbelievable. You shrink the teacher and you get praise?! How do you manage that?!" James was incredulous.
"I did get punished! I got a week of detention!"
"Oh, well, at least there's some justice in the world." James muttered.
"What is your problem?" Lily looked disgusted.
"My problem? You're the one who can get away with anything!"
"Like you ever do anything you might get in trouble for!"
"I do to! We do stuff all the time!"
"Only when I'm there! The only person less likely to get in trouble than you is Jenna!" At this, Jenna scowled and took her arm off Lily. Sirius grinned at her, slinging an arm around her shoulders and holding Remus back, whispered, "Let's give the lovebirds some space," with a twinkle in his eye. Jenna scowled again at the pang in her heart at the word, but stayed. Lily and James continued bickering all the way to the Great Hall, ignorant of the fact that the other three had left them.
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The effects of Lily's shrinking charm were that everyone suddenly knew who she was and so she had to endure whisperings that followed her for several weeks. Gradually, the other students became accustomed to Flitwick's new decreased stature. His cheerful acceptance of the situation helped ease the pangs of guilt Lily would feel upon entering his classroom.
Lily's detentions, another effect, were to be served with Professor Slughorn, helping him prepare assorted demonstration potions and ingredients. Every evening for two weeks, Lily trudged with growing reluctance down to the dungeons, where Slughorn had his office. Slughorn spent the entire week praising Lily on her potions ability and her spunky nature. He proved himself to be an ingratiating teacher, overly praising and obsequious to the hilt. Lily formed an immediate, intense dislike of the man the first time he pinched her cheek. After that event, her barely concealed sarcasm and disguised insults were accounted for as spunk and charming cheekiness by the abominable man.
Perversely, Lily's dislike of the man made her increase her efforts in that class, wanting to prove that he would have nothing to do with her potions ability. This made a second subject she would study relentlessly, the first being Charms. Unfortunately, Lily's increased proficiency only recommended her even more to Slughorn, as he took full credit for her abilities. Lily refused to listen to Jenna's opinion on this subject, which happened to be correct, insisting that she knew what she was doing and that she was going to make Slughorn eat his words about "perfecting" her "inherent aptitude" someday.
Lily redoubled her efforts in Charms as well. This effort had a much more altruistic reasoning- she simply wanted to make up for her unintentional shrinking of the professor. Scoring higher than James was not a bad side effect, either. She did not have the same ease as he did at retaining knowledge. James was one of those who never had to study, though he read on his own quite often. Jenna gave her best efforts, though, lacking the natural quickness of her friends, she had to spend a majority of her time studying in order to keep up with them, reading fewer books for her own amusement. Sirius somehow managed with even less studying than James, though his grades weren't exactly top-notch. Remus was Remus, and seemed to study just for the fun of it.
Full moons were much the same as they had been the year before. Remus was led down to the Whomping Willow by the school nurse, to spend the night in a form completely opposite of his usual nature. The others continued to find empty rooms to work on becoming Animagi forms. They were working their way through a strict program of mental exercises, making progress slowly, but faster than the program was designed.
The weeks and months passed quickly, through midnight kitchen runs, pranks on the Slytherins, Snape especially, Quidditch, and of course, homework. This last increased dramatically as the end of the year approached, in preparation for exams.
The level of anxiety as exams approached proved to be too much for Lily. Studying the night before the Transfiguration exam pushed her over the edge. Throwing her book across the dormitory, where she and Jenna had secluded themselves for a little peace and quiet, the irritated red-head exclaimed that she couldn't stand this any longer and was in serious need of a break.
"You may not need more studying, but I do," Jenna replied calmly. She was calm on the surface, at least. Her insides were churning with nerves for the exam the next day. It wasn't helping her studying at all. She had no idea how she was going to retain all the notes she had taken during the year.
Casting an impatient look in her direction, Lily said, "Come on, you know all this stuff. And you know that."
"Why would you say that?"
"Oh, please. Our practices?" Lily reminded Jenna, referring to the Animagus practice they did every month.
"I'm still the worst."
"And you will still get full marks."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do. Come on, I need a break," Lily pleaded, tugging the book from Jenna's hands. Reluctantly, Jenna let her take thick Transfiguration text, sighing a little as she succumbed to her best friend's pleas.
"What is it that you want to do?"
"Well, for now, I would settle for a brownie."
"You're interrupting my studying to drag me to the kitchens?"
"Yes."
"At least let me take my book."
"No. I'm making you take a studying break. It's for your own good. Let's go." Lily dragged Jenna from the room before she could protest.
Down in the kitchens, the pair enjoyed chewy brownies stuffed with chocolate chips and walnuts, topped in melting ice-cream, courtesy of the house elves. Well, they would have enjoyed said brownies, had Jenna not constantly checked facts and methods with Lily, bothering her to no end. After an exasperated plea, "In the name of all that is holy, please stop!" the girls lapsed into a sullen silence as they finished their desserts.
"Can I go back and study now?" Jenna asked, as Lily finished the last scrapings of melted ice-cream.
"No. I'm still bored. We need to do something fun."
"Like what?" Jenna rolled her eyes.
"Um… I think I'm feeling a prank coming on." Lily closed her eyes and contemplatively sniffed the air.
Jenna sighed, mildly irritated at her friend's theatrics.
Lily opened her eyes and nodded firmly. "Yes, definitely a prank. Let's get the boys." She jumped up, re-energized from the rich brownie and stood impatiently waiting for Jenna to follow her lead. Sighing again, Jenna pushed her bowl away, slowly standing up. The two left the kitchens, Lily nearly skipping in her happiness in having a plan that didn't involve studying.
It took half an hour before they could track down the male half of the Marauders, as their map was in the possession of James. Finally, they were found in the library, as Remus had coerced a protesting Sirius and a slightly more willing James into spending a few minutes in studying. Lily bounced up to the table., the last half hour doing nothing for her sugar high. "Hey, there you are! We need the map!" She spoke a little too loudly for the librarian's taste, who glared at the group from her desk across the library.
"Excellent! A diversion!" Sirius exclaimed, earning an extra fierce look from Madame Pince.
"Well, that's the end of that!" James slammed his book closed.
"I had just gotten them to sit still!" Remus said indignantly.
"So? It's just Transfiguration." Lily pointed out.
"Just Transfiguration?"
"Yeah, not hard."
"I still don't understand that." Try as he might, Remus could not understand why his four friends were solidly ahead of him, no matter the amount of work he put into that subject, and of course they refused to enlighten him.
"Eh, whatever. Are you coming or not?" Lily asked, effectively closing the subject, before Remus could pry into their Animagi business.
Exchanging aggravated glances with Jenna, Remus finally complied. "Well, I guess we have been studying long enough."
"Yeah, that's the spirit!" Lily silenced at a look from the steaming librarian, and lead the others out into the hall.
"Okay, so what's all this about?" an excited Sirius asked.
"Have you got the map?" Lily asked, as he pulled it out of his bag. "Excellent." Lily set off, striding determinedly down the hall, keeping an eye on the map. Stopping in front of the Transfiguration classroom, Lily checked the map to make sure the coast was clear, whispered "Alohomora!" and opened the door. She quickly ushered the others in before shutting the door quietly.
"Okay, Lils. You've trapped us. What's your plan?" James asked, lighting his wand to illuminate the dimly lit classroom.
"We are going to switch the classrooms!" Lily said with relish
"Which classrooms?" Sirius asked.
"This one and the one across the hall, dimwit," Lily grinned. "Down to the last cobweb."
Sirius gulped. "C-cobwebs?"
"Yeah, empty classrooms have them." Lily rolled her eyes.
"Wait, don't tell me you're afraid of spiders?" James asked, incredulously.
"No, don't be silly. Just cobwebs." Sirius shuddered. "They're so… dirty," he whispered, sending the others into gales of stifled laughter.
"How would we move cobwebs, anyway?" Remus pointed out, ever the pragmatist.
"Okay, fine. No cobwebs," Lily modified, still giggling about her friend's absurd fear.
"Thank you!" Sirius exclaimed fervently.
"So, let's get to work!" James grabbed the nearest desk, pulling it to door. The others joined in, Jenna and Remus' reserve banished by the bout of gaiety brought by Sirius' admission. The five worked with a great fervor, pulling the desks from McGonagall's room into the other and dragging the miscellaneous items that had accumulated in the empty classroom to take their places, occasionally glancing at the map and pulling the doors closed when someone patrolling the halls came into view. They were more than halfway finished when a sudden noise in the corridor startled Jenna, who dropped a wastebasket with a great clatter. The others froze in place as Peeves the poltergeist came into view. At the sight of the pranksters, Peeves' face broke into a giant mischievous grin.
"Oooh, what dastardly undertakings are going on in the Transfiguration classroom?" Peeves squealed, much too loudly for Jenna's tastes.
"Peeves! Shush!"
"Doest mine ears deceive me, or is this diminutive student dare to give me an order?"
In a flash of insight, Sirius popped his head out of the classroom door. "Hey, Peeves!"
The poltergeist gave Sirius a look, as if he barely deigned to give the boy his attention.
"You wanna help us?"
The words struck Peeves absolutely speechless. Never had a student invited him to cause mayhem. The other Marauders had to studiously avoid looking at each other so they wouldn't burst out laughing again at the look on Peeves' face and break the spell.
"Come on, you know you want to. You're just itching to trick McGonagall. You're dying to cause problems on exam week."
Peeves continued to stare at Sirius. Finally James couldn't take it any longer and let out a snort of laughter. This seemed to break the spell, bringing Peeves to a modicum of sense, if he had any to begin with. "You students want me, Peeves, the master of all things mischievous, to help you with your little prank?"
"Uh, yeah, that sounds about right!" Catching on, Jenna nodded, confirming Peeves' statement.
Peeves went silent for about three milliseconds. "Sure!"
The switching of the rooms was completed in a short time after that, as Peeves actually helped the students in their break from studying.
Later, as the Marauders were heading up to bed, congratulating each other after completing the switch and duping Peeves into helping them rather than sound the alarm, Jenna could actually be hear to say that she was glad to have escaped the tension of studying for the evening. This caused a moment of shocked silence, and then a triumphant "I told you so!" from Lily.
The rooms were restored to their natural order fairly quickly by Professor McGonagall the next morning, though witnesses said her face was "priceless" when she entered her room for the first exam of the day. The Marauders, who were hidden in an alcove down the hall, congratulated themselves on their victory, but assiduously devoted the rest of the evenings that week to studying and preparation, "to avoid suspicion." It didn't work, and points were taken from Gryffindor, and the House Cup was lost to Ravenclaw for the first time in several years.
In due time, the Hogwarts Express took the students home for summer vacation, leaving them at Platform 9 ¾ to be returned to their families and left without magic for several long months.
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Definitely my longest chapter. Over 9 pages and over 3,400 words! I'm very proud of myself. Not too thrilled with the ending, though.
Reviews help my feet smell good!
Still need a beta!