CHAPTER 22 "Incompetent"

"How could we have messed that up?" Sirius complained.

"How could we have known we had a smart train," Remus said.

"Damn it," James said.

"We have to do our grand entry again," Sirius said disappointed. "We don't want the people to think we've been tamed."

"But we have to be careful," Peter said. "Everyone is still mad."

"Yeah, we can't lose points like last year," Jame said.

"I think I have an idea," Sirius said and smiled. "Let's go."

"Now?" Peter asked with his pajamas in his hands.

"Of course now," James gave Sirius a high five.

Next morning, many Hogwarts students got their bums wet as they sat on their respective toilets. Every single toilet seat in the castle had disappeared.

"Aahhhh!" Yelled Mary from the bathroom. "Who left the seat up? Wait… what? Who stole the toilet seat?" The three Gryffindor girls ran to Mary's aid.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"There is no toilet sea!" She said and pointed.

"That's scary, who got in here last night?" Meredith said.

"It wasn't any of you?" Lily asked and swallowed.

"It is not something any of us would do…" Phyllida pointed out.

"Marauders!" Mary exclaimed.

"But how?" Lily asked embarrassed as she imagined Potter in the dormitory.

"It's kinda creepy if they got in. I mean they've seen us sleeping," Meredith shivered.

"Good thing the bed's have curtains," Phyllida observed.

"I bet Potter peaked into Lily's curtain," Mary giggled.

"Oh shut it, Mary," Lily yelled and thew a pillow towards her.

As they soon found out, they weren't the only ones affected by seatless toilets. The whole school was missing toilets seats and it was fisically impossible for the marauders to pull it off by entering each and every bathroom.

"I'm sure they used house elves," Lily said proudly, she had been thinking all day. "I mean, there is no other way."

"Right!" Mary said. "That would makes sense."

"Besides they know were the kitchens are," she said. "That's where they are most of the time."

"Hey Potter!" Mary yelled. "House elves?"

Potter looked at Mary from the other side of the common room, he smiled and winked at her.

"Yup, house elves." Mary confirmed.

"But how could they convince them?" Lily couldn't stop wondering.

"Maybe they just asked," Phyllida said, "I mean you know how those creatures are."

"I don't really do, I've never met one."

"Oh, well all you have to do is ask, they could even kill themselves if you asked," Phyllida said without a drop of emotion.

"Oh my goodness!" Lily and Mary gasped.

"Poor things," Meredith said.

"Don't worry, they're only happy to obey. Really." Phyllida said relaxed.

"Even so," Lily said. "It sounds like slavery."

"They practically are slaves," Phyllida said.

"Sounds horrible," Mary said. The girls had a moment of silence as thay though about those poor little creatures who were living im the castle.

The toilet seats were missing the whole day. Lily believed it was punishment specially for girls, everyone had to be extra careful every time they sat down on one. Dumbledore made no comment about it and there had been rumors he had had a laugh when he himself slipped in the toilet that morning.

Thankfully everything was back to normal next morning.

The boys were proud. Everyone talked about the toilet seat-less day, and there had been no proof of who was responsible. Professor McGonagall sneered at them but didn't do much more than blaming comments. She knew them too well.

"That was fun," Peter said and smiled that night.

"Not enough," Sirius said picking his nails.

"A good start," Remus pointed out.

"True, true," James said. "I heard Slughorn skidded," James laughed and the boys joined.

"I can't stop myself imagining him bouncing on the bathroom floor," Sirius burst out laughing.

A pause settled between the young boys, as their enjoyment started to fade.

"Now what?" Sirius asked.

"We really need some homework to keep you guy's buisy," Remus observed.

"Why? I really don do homework," Sirius said.

"But the rest of us do," laughed James.

The following days, the seat-less toilets were completely forgotten. It wasn't only because the bathrooms were back to normal, but because the Daily Prophet front page took all the protagonism.

Lily didn't usually read the wizarding news paper, she didn't know who half the people they wrote about. That was enough for her not to read it. She usually waited for Phyllida's short update of the news of the day. But this time it was different, as they started eating their breakfast, like they did everyday, Phyllida gasp and surprised everyone.

"Uh-oh," she said. Everyone looked at her. She usually was dead silent in the morning. "This isn't good."

"What does it say?" Mary asked.

"It's not what it says, it's what it doesn't say:

-No panic needed-

Difference in social status has always existed throughout the centuries. Opinions about the subject has been repeatedly discussed and is of a diverse type. Not one idea or hypothesis has been declared as correct. Rumors have been whispered about terror and harassment made by the high-blooded. There is no significant evidence to link these tragedy's to any specific wizard. Any declaration of the contrary is deceitful. High officials from the Ministry of Magic affirmed that there is no need to panic. They highly recommend respect among all wizards…

It keeps on talking about how we must remember we are of the wizarding kind and shouldn't be afraid of the weak," Pyllida looked up at her friends. All the of them looked bewildered with their jaws dropped.

"Who is the high officials their talking about?" Meredith asked.

"Minister Jenkins." Phyllida said.

"That woman is useless," Lily sighed. "We are in the middle of a war and that is what she has to say? Talk about denial."

"And that town, two years ago, it was destroyed all by itself?" Mary said as she rolled her eyes.

"That would have been the 'unidentified criminal activity' according to our dear minister." Phyllida explained.

"Does she really believe she doesn't sound incompetent saying that?" Lily said.

"She might have been imperioused," Mary said.

"Or she's just an idiot," Lily said.

"Is that any way to talk to your authorities?" James had joined the conversation.

"Incompetent ones, yes," Lily said brushing her red curls from her shoulder.

"Miss perfect little witch has a bad side," James smiled. "Who would of known."

"Shut it, Potter. This is serious," Lily said.

"What is?" Remus asked, they had just arrived. Lily handed him the article in question.

"They are mental," James said as he finished reading.

"What are they saying?" asked Peter.

"In other words: Voldemort is not bad that he has been judged falsely. Aaaand they are actually considering his ideas," James scratched his head.

"Someone's obviously infiltrated the news paper," Sirius said. "No one is going to believe all that crap."

"You would be surprised the influence the news can be," Remus said.

"What about all the incidents?" Peter asked.

"They are saying there is no proof," James said and swallowed.

"That's bull!" Peter puffed.

"I'm sure Dumbledore won't let anyone forget," Peter said proudly.

"Yes! We have Dumbledore," smiled James. "And we won't let Hogwarts forget."

"And pray tell, how are you going to do that?" Lily asked skeptically.

"None of you're business," he looked into her green eyes and smiled.

"Sev!" Lily called her friend from across the hall on her way to lunch.

"Hi Lily," Severus smiled slightly.

"Are you happy to be back?" Lily knew he had a particularly hard summer at home. His fathers health was deteriorating which meant his violence was increasing.

"You know the answer to that," he shrugged.

"Sorry, its sometimes hard to read you," she laughed. "How's your mom doing?"

"She says she is doing better. It's easier when I'm not there."

"I don't think that's true. I sure it's the same, she just doesn't want you to worry."

"No Lily, I make everything worse by existing." Lily hugged her friend.

"Someday it will be different." Lily said and smiled. "I promise." Severus looked at Lily with a twinkle in his eyes that didn't extend to his face.

"Slughorn is having a welcome party, want to go?"

"No," he said sharply.

"Fine," she said used to his answer. "Someday you'll go with me."

"I really don't think so, Lily"

"Come on Sev. We can make it fun, we need fun!"

"I enjoy a different kind of fun. You know that Lily."

"Well we could mix your fun with party fun. You could practice those spells you invent with no one noticing," she smiled at her idea.

"Do you know how dangerous that is?" Sev looked shocked.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked. "What's wrong with playing around some silly spells?"

"New spells are dangerous, besides their not silly spells. Its real experimental magic," he said. To this, Lily's eyes widened.

"But your good at everything, I don't thing you'll have any problem." Sev kept quiet at that. Lily really didn't want to go alone. "Fine, Sev. I'll go by myself again. I will continue to ask every time."

"Why do you insist in going to those things?"

"I know Slughorn can be a suck up sometimes. But you know it's important to get to know the people he brings. Specially if I want to work in the Ministry some day," she smiled to herself.

"Slughorn's contacts won't help with my future."

"And what future would that be?" Lily asked.

"Change is on the way, Lily."

"Please don't tell me it's about that dark wizard," Lily said flabbergasted.

"He's really powerful," he said with tiny bit of emotion in his voice.

"You do realize, Sev, that he's all for the pureblood and stuff, and neither you nor me are in that category." Severus blinked.

"My mother is a witch, as bad as witch she is, she's still one at the end."

"I'm 100% muggleborn, Sev!" Lily puffed annoyed.

"Your a perfectly capable witch, I sure you have some kind of ancestor…."

"No, Sev. I don't," she said angrily. "If you would just stop and think for two seconds, you'd realize that," Lily crossed her arms. Severus kept quiet and didn't lift his eyes from the floor. She knew he didn't like having any conflict with her, but this was something she couldn't be flexible with. "Think it thew, Sev. I can't agree with any of this," she didn't get any answer from him. "Fine, let me know when I can reason with you," she turned around and left.

Lily didn't feel like doing Homework. She needed to let some steam off. Severus was wrong, he always had those weird ideas. Although he didn't say it, there was nothing she could say or do to change his mind. Without thinking Lily blissfully walked into the Quidditch changing rooms, she had developed this habit these last years. She grabbed a broom, a really old and unkept one, and went outside. She mounted the broom and lifted up into the air. To Lily, there wasn't anything more beautiful than flying. She took two rounds around the quidditch pitch feeling the chilled wind against her skin. Then flew a bit over the forest where she listens to the birds and magical creatures that lived there, it calmed her. She smiled. After a while Lily felt cold, realizing it was late she returned.

She walked into the changing rooms dragging the broom behind her. She placed it back were she had taken it. She felt tired, the nice kind of tired, and best of all with nothing on her mind. This was her first fly of the year.

"Looks like you're hosting a bunch of birds up there," James Potter startled Lily. She hadn't expected to find anyone at this hour.

"What?" She asked rolling her eyes. He pointed to her hair and laughed.

Lily suddenly remembered she hadn't braided her hair like she usually did before flying. She went pink. Her red curls were a mess, she started to pass her fingers fast threw the knots trying to hold them down. She failed.

"It's a lost cause," he remarked.

"Shut it, Potter. You're one to talk." He immediately messed his own hair with his hand.

"There is a big difference," he smiled proudly.

"You're an idiot?"

"I, unlike you, look totally cool," he pulled his hair up. Lily frowned.

"You being the judge makes me laugh. Bye Potter," she walked passed him with her frown still plastered on her face.

"Let me know when the eggs hatch, I'm sure it'll get much better, don't want to miss that."

Lily turned around and whispered a spell. James feet lift from the floor and he flew a couple meters falling on his back. "You know better than messing with me Potter," and with a stomp she went on her way back to the common room. She left him alone on the floor with his wand far away. He got to his feet and looked for his wand, picking it up he couldn't help himself and laughed.

"Hey, Evans! That was unfair," he said when he saw her again back in the common room. She was sitting with her friends, her hair nice and tidy in a ponytail.

"Who said it was a fare game? You were looking for it."

"Come on Evans, it was a joke," James said.

"I'm sick of your jokes,"

"Evans, when will you accept it's James way of saying 'I love you'" Sirius laughed. Lily turned pink. James threw a couch pillow at him.

Lily turned around and stomped up to her dormitory. Her day couldn't get any worse. She really hated when they did that, she felt like they were mocking her. Feeling a little home sick, she sat on her desk and wrote a letter to her father.

Dear Dad,

Today I missed you a little bit more and usually. I was wondering how you were doing back home. School is ok like always. History is a bore, but Defense Against the Dark Arts is getting really interesting now that we are advancing in the subject. They have already given us tons of homework and we've barely started all our clases. Nina is happy, she loves wondering at night outside the castle. She sometimes brings me disgusting presents like dead birds or mouses. She gets so proud of her prey it's hard for me to be mad. How is Pettty doing? Like usual I don't know anything form her. Hope you are healthy.

Love you, Lily.

She put her feather down and handed the letter to Nina who had sat right next to her on her desk. Lily had noticed that normal animals developed intelligence when surrounded by so much magic like there was here in Hogwarts. Nina was smart enough to take her letter up to the owlery and get an owl to take it to its destiny. Lily considered it really practical.

Annoyed with the day she had, Lily laid down eager for it to end.

A/N:

Not sure where this is going, to tell you the truth, but here I am. Next chapter a whole lot of Marauders.

Reviews are appreciated.

Love,

DB