5 – The way to the kitchens
The three girls met up in front of a big painting of a bowl of fruit. They all looked very excited and Lily's expression was mixed with a bit of fear.
"If we're getting caught…" she said in a very small voice.
"We won't," Anna said confidently and looked at Lily.
"You don't think they were messing with us?" Mary asked. "It's just a painting."
"So it the Fat Lady, but she opens up to a common room."
Lily nodded slightly and gave Anna a little shove. "You do it."
"Why me?"
"Because," Lily said, "I'm a chicken."
"It's just a painting," Anna sighed and stretched out her hand.
Lily and Mary held their breath as Anna tickled the pear on the painting. After only a second it giggled and turned into a doorknob. Anna grinned triumphantly to the others before taking hold of the little knob and opening the painting. As she the door swung open a lovely smell of meat, potatoes, gravy and hundred of other things met them. They all stepped inside.
"Remus and Sirius weren't lying," Mary said weakly.
Anna grinned and Lily looked dumbstruck.
"Can Dondy be any help to the misses?" a tiny house-elf suddenly popped up and said.
"Err…" Anna uttered. "Maybe we could have a look around?"
"Of course," the elf, Dondy, said. "If you need anything, just call Dondy."
"We will," Lily smiled and nodded.
They took another look over the kitchen. A hundred house-elves were working on the upcoming lunch, all of them wearing hats or skirts or some other kinds of clothing. Four long tables and one small table were set up, exactly like in the great hall. There was a fireplace and what seemed to be hundred of ovens and cookers.
"Hmm…" Mary mumbled. "I wonder which table is the Slytherin table."
"Yeah…" Anna said.
Lily looked at Anna. "You did bring the dung, right?"
"Of course!" Anna sighed and dragged up a bag of dried doxy-dung.
"Okay," Lily said. "Now we just… Oh wait! Dondy!"
In the next second the little elf had popped up next to Anna, smiling. She quickly stuffed the bag down again.
"What can Dondy do for he misses?" he asked.
"Err…" Mary uttered.
"Which tables are which down there?" Anna asked.
"The first one there," Dondy said and pointed. "Is the Slytherins' table. Then the Ravenclaws', the Hufflepuffs' and last Gryffindors'."
"Thanks Dondy," Lily smiled.
Dondy bowed deep and then walked away again. Anna put her hand down in her pocket again and pulled the bag up again.
"That's it?" Lily asked with raised eyebrows.
"Yeah…" Anna said. "I charmed it so it's ten times its normal 'taste', and doesn't even fill that much."
Lily nodded. "Please unfold the paper. I have a spell that can help us."
As the house-elves started to put the lunch at the tables Lily found her wand. She mumbled a few words and the powder from Anna's package flew up from it and placed itself in the food. Mary had at this point almost stuffed her own fist into her mouth to stop her giggles turning into laughter and Anna were already shaking of soundless laughter.
"Thanks for showing us, Dondy!" Lily called as she pushed the two other girls in the back out of the kitchen.
"Yeah!" Anna joined, smirking. "It was priceless!"
As they closed the painting behind them Anna and Mary burst out laughing. Lily smirked for half a second before she did too.
"It'll be so fun to see their faces!" Mary said between laughs.
"Maybe we should get going?" Anna grinned. "We better not miss it all."
They all ran up the stairs to the entrance hall and then continued into the great hall. It was filled and food had just appeared. The three girls hurried down to the middle of the table and sat down on the same side so they had full view of the Slytherin table.
The marauders came walking down the table. James in front, but stopped as they saw the girls.
"Can we sit here?" he asked politely.
"No," Lily said without looking at him.
Sirius looked at the three girls, frowning, "Err… What are you looking at?" he asked.
"Nothing," Anna said absent-minded.
All four boys turned the way the girls looked; the Slytherin table. Slowly James sat down at the table with his back at the girls; he was also looking at the Slytherin table. Sirius, Remus and Peter also sat down.
Anna smirked wide as she saw the Slytherins begin to spit their food out with an expression like wanting to throw up. One girl turned yellow before she ran out of the great hall. Sirius turned to them with an excited expression.
"What did you do in the kitchens?"
"We haven't been in the kitchens," Anna hurried to say.
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Yes you were."
"How do you know?" Mary asked.
"The marauders know everything that's going on here at Hogwarts!" James said confidently.
"But you weren't in the kitchens, so you wouldn't know," Anna said.
All four boys grinned triumphantly at this. Anna looked at them a second before she slammed her hand against her forehead. Lily gave Anna another whack in the back of her head and it flew forwards. The boys and Mary laughed.
"Idiot," Lily mumbled.
"So," Sirius grinned while looking at Anna. "What did you put in their food?"
She looked up at him and saw behind his back a little boy run out of the great hall and into the entrance hall with hands over his mouth. The sound of a person, throwing up made their ears a second later.
"Doxy dung," she said.
The boys roared with laughter before they turned towards the Slytherin table again. Anna stretched her neck and looked over Sirius' shoulder.
A sixth year girl had pushed her plate away and was now a colour close to green. Professor Slughorn stood in the end near the teachers table and studied the food. Dumbledore and McGonagall soon joined him. Dumbledore looked at the food over his glasses before he sniffed at it. Then he straightened up and his gaze turned towards the girls.
"Oh," Anna said. "We're so busted."
"Oh no!" Lily whined. "My days as head girl have come to an end."
Mary seemed too scared to even speak and just uttered a little mumble.
The boys turned around. James, Remus and Peter looked nervous. Sirius was excited.
"This with be fun," he grinned, eyes on Anna.
Anna was almost shaking as Dumbledore, McGonagall and Slughorn walked down the Gryffindor table towards them. They stopped behind the boys and Anna swallowed.
Dumbledore turned his gaze to the back of James.
"Mr Potter," he said and James stiffened. "Mr Black, Lupin and Pettigrew. I'd like to see you in Professor McGonagall's office now."
Anna opened her mouth to protest, but only a faint groan came out; Sirius had just kicked her under the table. She looked at him and he sent had a gaze which told her to shut up.
"No!" Lily exclaimed and got up. "It wasn-"
"Evans!" James said sternly.
That made Lily close her mouth. McGonagall looked from the girls to the boys, frowning.
"You want it to be now?" Sirius asked nonchalantly, looking at his fingers.
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes," he said and smiled. "Now."
Anna was sure she could see a hint of amusement in his eyes, but if it had been there, it was gone the next second. Slowly Sirius got up. Then James, Remus and at last Peter. They walked after McGonagall and Dumbledore out of the great hall. Slughorn had returned to the teachers' table. Anna got up and the other two girls looked at her.
"Coming or what?" she asked.
"Why?" Mary asked.
"Why do you think? I want to hear what happens!"
Lily got up too. "Yeah. It's our fault."
At last Mary got up and the three girls headed out of the great hall. They ran all the way up to McGonagall's office and stopped outside the door.
"…a funny idea to put dung in the Slytherins' food?" asked McGonagall.
"Yep!" Sirius said very confidently.
"Why?"
"'Why?'" James repeated. "Why not? I mean, did you see their faces?"
"It was priceless!" Sirius exclaimed.
All the boys snorted at this.
"Potter," McGonagall said. "You are head boy. You should know better than do such thing."
Silence followed this.
"Well," Remus said after a few seconds. "He actually tried to talk us out of this."
"Yeah," Sirius joined. "He said it was a bad idea, but we talked him over."
"He actually didn't want to do it," Peter ended it.
"What about Miss Macdonald, Harrington and Evans?" McGonagall asked. "They seemed to have something to say to this."
"They had nothing to do with this," Sirius said. "They were actually considering to report us when we told them!"
"Yeah!" James said. "They're like… like a bunch of tattletales! You can't tell them anything!"
Lily moved uncomfortable and looked at the other two.
"You must give them something," Anna whispered. "They play the part very good!"
Mary nodded. "But we can't just let them take them blame!"
"I think it's a bit too late now," Lily said.
Anna nodded. "Yeah… we'll thank them later."
"…is that understood?" Dumbledore asked.
"Aw!" Mary said. "We didn't hear what punishment they got!"
"Quick!" Anna said as she heard steps inside the office. "They're about to leave."
She pushed Lily and Mary down the corridor and around a corner. They watched as the boys walked out of the office, smirking. They headed towards the Gryffindor tower. The girls exchanged glances before they followed. At the way, the marauders somehow disappeared and when the girls were back at the Gryffindor tower, they weren't there.
"You don't think they could be up in the dorm, could you?" Mary asked.
"We better check," Anna said.
She was the first to run up the stair, close followed by Lily and Mary. As they made the door which was the seventh year's boys' Anna could hear laughter.
"And did you see her face when I said they were just a bunch of tattletales?" James grinned.
"It was priceless!" Sirius laughed.
Anna exchanged glances with the other two girls and knocked at the door and opened it. The four boys looked up as the three girls entered. They sat in their beds with grins on their faces.
"Hello new masters of mischief!" Sirius grinned. "That was so bloody brilliant!"
"I don't get why we haven't come up with anything like that before!" Peter exclaimed.
The girls blushed.
"Thanks for taking the blame," Lily said. "You shouldn't have done that."
James shrugged. "It doesn't matter. We got away pretty easy, don't you think?"
Remus nodded. "Only one week of detention and fifty points from Gryffindor."
"We've got worse," Peter said and shrugged.
"You don't mind?" Mary asked in disbelief.
"But you got detention!" Lily said.
"So?" Sirius asked. "We know how much it means to you not to be in trouble. Well, Anna, not you."
Anna stuck out her tongue.
"So you're actually proud of taking the blame?" Mary asked.
Sirius shrugged. "Naah… we just don't care."
"It's okay," James said. "Don't worry about it."
Lily smiled. "Then thank you," she said. "It was nice of you."
The boys grinned at each other. Sirius fell back wards in his bed with hands behind his head.
"Ahh," he said. "What a fantastic week it'll be with detention at McGonagall!"
"You're welcome," Anna said and made a sarcastic bow. "But we'll take off again."
The boys all raised their hands and waved them good-bye.
Lily tapped her finger impatiently at the table. Again and again. She looked at her watch. James was late. The bloody head boy was late. He and she, the head girl, were supposed to be there on time, and James was now ten minutes late. All the prefects were there.
At last Lily cleared her throat.
"Okay," she said. "Since it doesn't look like the head boy intends to show his face… I'll lead this meeting alone. Amanda you have the list, right?"
A sixth year girl raised a paper and nodded. "Right here."
"Okay, what's the first point?"
"Er… Hogsmeade date!"
The door slammed open and everyone's head snapped up. James entered. Lily noticed at once that there were big stains of blue and green in his usually black hair and stains embellished his shirt too. He looked rushed. Lily got up, her temper boiling.
"What the hell took you so long?" she raged.
"Sirius," he said. "He didn't want to let me go."
"Just sit down," she hissed.
He did as he was told immediately. Lily moved a bit away from him as he smiled to her.
"Well," she said and cleared her throat. "Hogsmeade date!"
"In, around, out and off. In, around, out and off."
"Why," said Anna, "and I repeat, why are you talking to yourself, Mary?"
Mary looked up from her sweater and at Anna instead.
"I'm knitting," she said.
"And you have to talk while knitting," Anna asked with a raised eyebrow.
Mary nodded. "Yes, it's easier that way."
Anna shook her head and returned to her book. She looked up again almost at once as a lot of noise was carried down to them from the stairs to the boys' dorm. The next second Sirius, James, Remus and Peter rolled down the staircase and onto the floor in the common room. They were all covered in big stains. James and Peter in blue and green; Sirius and Remus in yellow and red. Anna tilted her head slightly.
"Did ten buckets of paint explode?" she asked.
Sirius grinned and got up, foot on James' back so he couldn't get up. James kept fighting to get up, but Remus and Peter got up and helped Sirius to hold him down.
"No, we just had a paint fight!" Sirius grinned.
"Padfoot let me go!" James bellowed from the floor. "I've got to go to the prefects' meeting!"
"Good excuse!" Sirius just laughed.
"Sirius let him go!" Anna said. "Lily will be furious!"
"And she'll take it out on me!" James yelled. "Not you!"
"Maybe we should let him go Padfoot," Remus said and removed his foot.
When Sirius didn't show any signs of moving Anna got up. She pushed him away and he tumbled over. She helped James up and he stormed out of the portrait hole. Anna placed her hands on her hips and looked down at Sirius who lay on his back with an astonished look in his eyes.
"You're suddenly taking his side?" he asked. "The good ones'? Who are you, and what have you done to Anna Harrington?"
Anna laughed and offered Sirius a hand. "She's right here," she said and pulled Sirius up. "Helping Sirius Black up from the floor where he truly belongs."
He shoved her slightly. "Whatever."
"Don't you have more trouble to do this day?" Mary asked.
"Naah," Remus said. "We've made enough today and gotten enough detentions and points taken from Gryffindor."
"If you don't remember," Anna said. "Then I need to tell you it was us."
"That's not what the whole school thinks," Sirius laughed.
"They think it's us," Peter said.
"It wasn't you?"
The five people turned around and saw Jack and Edward stand and looking at them.
"Anna, was it you who put doxy dung in the Slytherins' food?" Edward asked.
"Err…" Anna said slowly. "Maybe…"
"I might have to write home about that!"
"What?!" yelled Anna. "You wouldn't do that!"
"Maybe," Edward said smiling slyly.
"You write, you die," Anna said simply. "Got it?"
Edward looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Is this a game of power?" he asked.
"Oh yes it is," she said. "It is, my dear brother."
Edward grinned and turned around with Anna's eyes on his back.
"You think he'll write home?" Mary asked.
"Of course not. He knows I'll kick his arse," Anna said and rubbed her head. "Oh, what I headache he can give me!"
"You can't," Sirius snorted.
Anna turned to him. "I can't what, Black?"
Sirius grinned. "He's your brother, your twin brother who just happens to be tall, broad shouldered and very muscular."
Anna raised an eyebrow. "Are you checking out my brother?"
"What?!" Sirius howled and took a step backwards. "I was just-! I was just saying! I mean… we've seen him as we've slept in the same dorm for six years. I didn't say I-"
"Padfoot, you can stop now," Remus grinned. "I think Anna's got the point."
"Yeah," Anna mumbled. "Sirius likes my brother."
"Do not!" Sirius said.
"Do too," she grinned.
"Do not!"
"Whatever," she sang.
Sirius shoved her slightly. "You've made your point, Harrington."
"I certainly hope I have. I think you'd be such a great couple. I can see it; Sirius and Edward Harrington-Black!" she said with a dreamy expression. "I'm already looking forward to be related to you."
At this Remus and Peter fell to the floor, howling with laughter and Mary had to stuff one of her hands inside of her mouth to suppress her giggles. Sirius on the other hand had crossed his arms over his chest and was now studying Anna with raised eyebrows and a gaze which told her it was not funny at all.
"Oh, come on, Sirius," she grinned. "I know you're not gay. I've seen you kiss enough girls to take the air out of that thing."
"Which reminds me…" Sirius said slowly and flashed a smile. "I have a date tonight!"
"You've got?" Anna asked astonished; she didn't know why she was taken by surprised, but it annoyed her that she was.
"Yeah," Sirius said. "With a she!"
They all burst out laughing. Anna stopped laughing very quickly, though; Edward and Patricia walked into the common room through the portrait hole. Something moved inside her, and she felt like going over and hitting Patricia.
Mary grabbed her wrist. "Just leave them alone, Ann," she said.
"She's a slimy little doll who's playing around with my brother!" Anna hissed back. "I can't leave them alone."
Sirius eyed her. "You're not mad at her because she's with Edward, are you?"
"Maybe!" Anna said and crossed her arms.
"Come on!" Sirius grinned and grabbed her around the shoulders. "Has Edward ever been mad at someone for dating you?"
"Er, YES!" Mary and Anna almost yelled.
"Really?" Sirius asked and slowly removed his arm again.
Anna nodded. "Hasn't James ever told you about that time Edward punched him?"
"No he-" Sirius said but stopped. "Have you and James been dating?"
"Well," Anna said and got a flush of red in her cheeks, "Only for five days back in the beginning of our third year. We hardly ever talked together and only kissed once, which let to Edward hitting him. I'm not surprised you didn't know."
Lily walked through the portrait hole with James right behind her. It was almost empty in the common room so she moved towards the girls' dorm without another word to James. Up there she found Anna and Mary on Anna's bed, talking.
"Hey," she said
"Hi," her two friends greeted her.
She walked over and sat on the bed, looking down at one of Anna's many magazines.
"Anything new?" Anna asked.
Lily shrugged. "Hogsmeade on the fourteenth."
Mary's face lit up. "Great!"
"Have James asked you?" Anna grinned.
"Not yet," Lily said. "But I kind of think he's given up. He didn't even talk to me when we walked back from the meeting. He was actually-"
"Hold on!" Anna interrupted. "Did you walk with him back from the prefects meeting?"
"He followed me!" Lily sighed. "What could I have done?"
Mary grinned. "Nothing. Just as long as you can live with being nice to James."
Lily stuck her tongue out and grabbed the magazine from Anna's hands.
"Oi!" she exclaimed. "My magazine!"
"Mine now," Lily said in a singsong voice.