a/n-Just for the record, do i need a pen name has never been more disappointed in anyone in her entire life than she has been in the 3 months since the last chapter was uploaded. Not a single person even attempted to guess what 3 lines An-Jelly-Ca wrote in the last chapter! But never fear, you all have the chance at redemption! We'll follow through on the same promise as last time if anyone can guess the one line do i need a pen name wrote in this chapter. And, just for the record, do i need a pen name only wrote one line because she is of the firm opinion that it's about time An-Jelly-Ca stopped being a slacker :)
Disclaimer-Ah, yes, we've heard those rumors that we're rich and famous. You have been lied to. We repeat: Those are LIES. Unfortunately...
Chapter Eleven
Sirius and Marlene had been quite suspicious for the past few weeks. At first James had assumed that they were discussing the Valentine's Day plot, but of course here it was three days after their big prank and they were still acting rather odd.
They were also loath to explain anything to him, which just made it all the more suspicious. He had a feeling that something rather large was about to go down, but he couldn't be sure what it was.
When James arrived at breakfast that morning, February 17th, he was shocked to discover that both Sirius and Marlene were already present and in deep discussion. Now, it was really no surprise that Sirius had beaten him to breakfast, as the other boy had more energy than most people combined and would normally be awake far earlier than everyone else, but Marlene needed sleep to maintain her high energy levels, and would not be caught dead in the Great Hall this early.
"What exactly is going on here?" James demanded, sliding into a seat across from Sirius and Marlene (all the better to interrogate them).
The other two Gryffindors looked nonplussed.
"Uh, we're eating breakfast?" Marlene said gesturing to her plate of food.
"A likely story!" James exclaimed before looking down and noting that both Sirius and Marlene were indeed consuming food.
"Are you all right, James?" Sirius inquired, raising his eyebrows.
"…you're just trying to trick me." James said narrowing his eyes. "I know you have something planned…something sinister."
"Er, right, are you sure you haven't hit your head or something?" Sirius said with a puzzled expression.
"You'd like that wouldn't you!" James said hysterically.
"Uh, no, not really." Marlene answered.
"Right, well, as pleasant as this little chat has been, Marlene and I are finished eating and we need to go back to the common room, and pick up our books for class, so we'll see you later, but um, in the meanwhile why don't you try to calm down, and er, diminish your paranoia?" Sirius suggested getting to his feet and gesturing for Marlene to follow him.
"I know you're planning something!" James called after them.
Neither of the other first year Gryffindors deigned to answer him.
That day passed oddly. Of course there was never really a normal day at Hogwarts, but by lunchtime around fifteen students had gone missing, they were mostly Slytherins, although three Hufflepuffs had disappeared, as had a Ravenclaw or two.
No Gryffindors were missing.
On Thursday afternoons the first year Gryffindors had the dubious pleasure of attending Double History of Magic, the air that day was charged with anticipation, although Professor Binns did not seem to notice anything.
"Psst…" James hissed at Sirius who sat in front of him. "Did you hear about those missing students? Where do you reckon they got to?"
"Oh, I'm quite certain that they are, ah, merely enjoying some cultural pursuits, expanding their horizons as it were," Sirius whispered back while Binns droned obliviously onward.
"I think they are probably exploring art, learning to see it from a new angle." Marlene jumped in.
James cast them a puzzled look. "You two are acting very strange today."
They were saved from replying when the classroom door opened. And in strode, well more like stumbled Sir Cadogan in full on armor.
"I have come to set you free from the hideous beast that holds you captive, come flock to me students and I shall lead you on a noble quest…"
Not even the spectacle of a portrait character come to life in his classroom could interrupt Professor Binns once he was in full on lecture mode.
"And Wendelin the Weird was chiefly famous for-"
The rest of his lecture was lost to the students as the door to the classroom opened again and in came Violet the best friend of the Fat Lady.
"Ah, fair maiden, have you come to join me on my quest?" Sir Cadogan inquired bowing over her hand.
Her answer was prevented by the sound of enraged shouting in the hallway, and then the door to the classroom burst open and in marched Professor McGonagall.
"Black, McKinnon, come with me." She commanded not even pausing to glance at the two portrait figures in the classroom.
"What seems to be the problem, professor?" Sirius inquired innocently flashing his Head of House one of his most charming grins.
"Don't even try it, Mr. Black." McGonagall snapped. "Would you care to explain this?"
They had come to a halt in front of Sir Cadogan's portrait, which instead of containing the Knight now contained an irate looking Lucius Malfoy who was in fact one of the fifteen students to go missing earlier that day.
"It seems Malfoy has found himself in a bit of trouble," Marlene noted.
Lucius sneered down at her from the painting. Even as a portrait he looked rather formidable.
"Don't even try to act innocent," McGonagall bit out. "We are going directly to the headmaster, and when we get there you are going to tell him how to undo this spell and we will return everyone to their rightful locations, am I clear?"
"It seems that she is not at all appreciative of our hard work," Marlene whispered to Sirius.
"Well, I personally think it was a brilliant bit of magic." Sirius replied.
At this point they had reached Dumbledore's office and were led inside past the Gargoyle, where they were greeted by a rather horrifying sight.
Every Hogwarts headmaster whose portrait hung on the wall was crowded into the tiny office space. Sirius and Marlene exchanged slightly nauseous looks.
"Ah, Mr. Black, Miss McKinnon, I see that Professor McGonagall has managed to locate you." Dumbledore said benignly glancing at them over his half-moon spectacles.
"Er, that she has." Sirius agreed attempting to hide behind Marlene as his own ancestor Phineas Nigellus Black was looking at him rather angrily.
"While this is certainly a charming bit of magic," Dumbledore began.
"Don't encourage the little miscreants, Dumbledore." Professor Dippet exclaimed.
"Yes, yes, Armando," Dumbledore said absently. "I do rather feel it's detrimental to the education of the fifteen youngsters who have been trapped in those portraits for them to persist in their present state, for that reason I would rather appreciate it if you would release them."
"Ah, yes, well about that," Sirius began. "It is really a simple matter for them to be released, all they need to do is say 'Sirius Black and Marlene McKinnon are the greatest pranksters that have ever lived, and we bow before the superiority of Gryffindor house,' and then they'll be totally fine. The portraits will return to their place, and the students will be released."
Dumbledore looked bemused as the other former headmasters began to express their outrage at his insolence. "And what may I ask inspired this bit of spell work?"
"Well you see, it is our anniversary." Marlene began. "Well, more like friend-a-ver-sary. Sirius and I met on February 17th, when we were just five at a Quidditch match, when we pulled a spectacular prank resulting in the disappearance of a referee and ever since then we have celebrated by pulling an enormous prank in commemoration. "
"Ah, quite understandable," Dumbledore nodded over McGonagall's expressions of outrage. "Brilliant display of magic though it was, I am going to have to award you both two months of detentions, and I beg that in the future you will refrain from further acts such as this."
"Of course, headmaster." Sirius and Marlene agreed with identical grins. "We wouldn't dream of repeating the same prank twice."
"I don't believe that was quite what he was getting at," McGonagall said with a sigh. "But we don't have the time to discuss it further; we had better set about releasing the students and returning the proper figures to their portraits."
Sirius and Marlene left the headmaster's office and headed to the portrait frame where one Severus Snape was now being forced to endure a tea party. They figured taunting him would be a good way to spend their time, at least until he became free. Plus, Snape proclaiming the obvious superiority of Gryffindor was something they simply could not miss.