The Black Files

Chapter One:

The Would-Be Marauder

"He`s coming!" Sirius whispered loudly as he ducked back into History of Magic.

"We need more time! Stall him!" Remus said from under Professor Binns` desk. He and Peter were shoveling small packages out from their backpacks, racing for time while a bead of sweat edged its way down Peter`s forehead.

"The man`s been dead for fifteen years and that hasn`t stopped him from coming to class! I won`t be able to hold him out there for more than a minute!" Sirius said as he dashed out into the hall.

Once I was sure Sirius was out of sight, I turned around in my seat. "James, drop it when he 'sits', alright?"

"Okay, and thanks... this`ll teach him to put shaving cream on me while I'm sleeping. You're a mastermind, Matilda Bell. Remind me never to get on your bad side."

"I try. Shhh! They`re coming! Rem, Pete, quick!"

The excited chatter of the class died instantly. It was as quiet as death, and I could hear Sirius` sad exempt of stalling right outside the door.

"Gregory the Ghastly was a goblin and a notorious murder, Mr. Black, not a cannibalistic gnome. You should know that from my lesson last week. Please get to your seat and stop asking about absurd things like 'House Elf Holocausts'."

"Yes sir." Sirius walked in and winked at Remus. Peter mimicked an explosion.

Binns walked over to his desk and said in his dead-sounding voice (only fitting, since he is a ghost), "Settle down, I`m going to hand back last week's tests. Unfortunately, only two of you scored an outstanding this time, and there were some people who failed miserably." Sirius, who had not yet reached his assigned seat in the second to last row, next to me, took a bow.

Tension was high as Binns slowly opened the drawer containing the tests. The hum of the drawer was calm, innocent…until it was completely blocked out by a much more exciting sound. Faster than a snitch`s wings, the room was filled with muggle firecrackers, smoke bombs, and rockets. Above us flashed the brilliant colors and lights of the fantastic explosions. Binns` desk was shaking from the muggle projectiles that shot from under it. People effortlessly transfigured the rockets and debris if they came close to harming them, a skill that all the people in our grade had learned at a young age to protect themselves from becoming Marauder's collateral damage.

As Binns took care of the fireworks, I wiped out my wand and turned to James, flicking an eyebrow towards the ceiling. With a nod, he too took out his wand and started the crucial part of our plan.

Sirius finally arrived at his seat, laughing hysterically. His long shaggy black hair that hung to his shoulders couldn`t cover that maniac grin. Finally, he plopped down in his chair.

Or, at least, what he thought was his chair. Actually, he fell right through the illusion of a chair I`d created. Once Sirius was on the floor, James dropped the real chair on his head.

"Oi!" Rubbing the bruises, Sirius looked up to James, and I saw the pieces falling together in his head. "I was wondering when you were finally going to get me back."

James smirked. "Oh, it wasn`t just me. You`ve got quite the line of people conspiring against you, Padfoot."

His gaze landed on me, and I winked. Ah, success. It never really counted until you saw the stunned look in your victim`s eyes.

"No fair. You can`t ask Mattie to help with revenge! You could`ve ask any of the other Marauders to help, or your even girlfriend. I can handle a Prongs plan! But asking Mattie is a bit harsh!" Sirius was grinning ear to ear. He stood up and sat in his real chair this time, after setting it upright, and brushed himself off a bit. Turning to me, he added, "Excellent job though. Love the little touch of deception with telling Moony, Wormtail, and I the perfect prank on Binns to distract me."

I shrugged, then teased, "Only the best for you, Black."

During the chair chaos, Professor Binns had floated out of class in search of Filch to come help him sort out all the scorch marks and debris that now coated the room. Lily was now taking charge of the room, checking to make sure people weren't hurt and that the tests –Merlin forbid- were still intact.

"I've got another idea. A mad, fantastic idea." I said, turning to James. "But you`ve got to help me."

"Yes. What does this new scheme of yours entail?"

Casting a sideways glance at the redhead currently taking charge, I asked slowly, "What are the odds of you being able to convince Lils to let us all get out of here early, preferably before Binns gets back?"

"Well, I`m not exactly a big gambling man, but I`d say they`re about to go up." Restraining a mischievous smirk, James sauntered to the front of the room, ready to charm the pants off his girlfriend (but not literally).

As soon as he was out of hearing range, I blurted, "Galleon on Potter."

"No way. That was your plan, it`s basically rigged."

"Are you trying to chicken out of a bet there, Black?"

"Fine, but I`ll only back Lily four sickles."

We shook on it in the usual way, with a handshake he`d patented in fourth year for such occasions. "Done."

Up front, James was whispering into Lily`s ear, and although she was using a mask of annoyance to cover it, I could detect the small smile creeping onto her face. If I knew my roommate, which I like to think I do after six years, she was going to crack any minute. She and James had a diamond relationship… after enough heat and pressure, the had finally stopped treating each other like lumps of coal, and finally something beautiful and strong forged between them.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Lily, no longer the perfect Prefect everyone thought she was, nodded.

"Class dismissed!" James cheered, giving his girlfriend a celebratory peck on the cheek. There was a roar of applause, and everyone surged for the door, commending the Marauders on the way.

Begrudgingly, Sirius forked over my money, and Peter came over to high-five me. "That was awesome. You should`ve been in Ravenclaw!"

"If not for the minor fact that I never bother to study and tend to dwell in the Acceptable or Poor range of things, they`d totally except me!" I said sarcastically. As we made our way down the hall, James rejoined us with Lily, shortly followed by Mary, Melody, Remus and Alice, completing our group.

"Next time you want to prank Sirius, give me a heads up so I can record it on my video camera my parents got me for my birthday!" Mary remarked cheerfully.

"Mattie wouldn`t do that to me, would you?" Sirius put his arm around me. I tried to ignore the flying feeling in my stomach.

"Maybe. Do you feel lucky?" I grinned deviously and messed up his hair.

Sirius put his hands up in defeat.

Remus shook his head at us. "Muggle technology doesn't work here anyway, so you should be safe for now."

"Oh well."

"Troll`s Blood." We split up upon reaching the common room, and I sped up a bit to catch up with Melody.

"So…Mattie. Is there something going on with you and Sirius that we should know about?" Alice asked as we ascended the stairs. Mel raised a knowing eyebrow at me. Busted.

I walked faster, hoping to deter conversation. "Black and me? Siriusly? Ha!"

Behind me, Lily muttered a spell, and my feet froze to the floor. Urg. Why did my roommates have to know me so well? There was a time when I had been able to just slip off undetected when things like this occurred, but over the years we all had come to know each other so well we were basically telepathic.

"Mats. Come on, out with it. Is there actually something going on?"

"What gave you that impression?"

"It`s like watching a watered-down Lily and James."

Lily fixed Alice with a classic McGonagall Glare (the type for those who choose to lie about homework).

"Well, not exactly, but you get the point."

"No….well… not really. It`s just one sided. Am I that obvious?"

If I was obvious, wouldn`t he have realized by now? Lily began to say something, but I beat her to it. "He's got no idea I like him, and, just my luck, I`m pretty sure he doesn`t even register me as female, for Merlin`s sake! Well actually, that`s not totally true. Ironically enough, I'm apparently all too female to him when I ask to become a Marauder. According to him, it`s a guy's only gig, and I 'don`t get what it really means'!"

"You`ve been just as good as them at schemes and stuff, if not better, for ages! What`s that supposed to mean?" Mel huffed, and like a true best friend, unstuck me from the floor (finally).

"Oh…" Lily held me back, while the others continued on into our room. "I think I know what he means. They`re not trying to be cruel, I swear."

"What is it?"

"Well… it`s not really my secret to tell, but I`m sure you can figure it out anyway. Think about the nicknames, you`ll get it."

I raised an eyebrow, accepting the challenge.

"Oh, I`ll sure try."