A/N: A late Halloween special! All of them are late, I'm terribly sorry! If you peeked at my profile, though, you understand why, I hope. I did try to get to this earlier, but alas. Enjoy!

CHARACTER: James Potter

YEAR: 6th/1976

PLACE: Hogwarts corridors

WORDS: 1029

The Annual Hogwarts Halloween Prank War

James' third favorite holiday is Halloween. Every year since Remus told them about how some muggles dressed up in celebration of it, he and Sirius made it a point to dress in the most realistic costumes they could. This year, after watching muggle horror movies (James' current muggle obsession) over the summer, they decided on muggles' view of zombies. Due to the high risks of Transfiguring their own bodies for this, they enlisted the help of two of their female friends, Lisa Kantor and Marlene McKinnon.

Unfortunately, they were the first casualties of the Hogwarts Halloween Prank War. The makeup would not come off, and it burned. Thankfully, Madam Pomfrey was able to remove it. But, before they could get Marlene back, they discovered someone had coated her clothes in centaur blood, causing a very nasty rash. ("It's worse in the crotch area," she had told them at breakfast.)

Once cured and full of eggs, bacon, and toast, James and Sirius began. With Remus' and Peter's help, they were able to set up multiple pranks around the castle before their classes began.

They also got Mary MacDonald and Emmeline Vance to do their zombie makeup properly.

Right now, all four Marauders are in their Transfiguration class. Peter has dressed himself as a vampire, and his three friends convinced Remus to be a werewolf. (Professor McGonagall's eyes had bugged when she saw him.)

"As you can see," Professor McGonagall is saying, "Tana Lloyd knew exactly what she was talking about. I expect a four-foot essay on her seven theories by our next class. You are dismissed."

Chair scrape across the floor as the sixth years rise, packing their bags to leave.

"Time to check the fifth floor," Sirius whispers gleefully.

James claps his hands together once with a wide smile. "Oh, I hope it got Evans. She wasn't in class—did you notice?"

"Yes," Remus says unnecessarily.

From his tone of voice, James knows he is getting ready for a verbal onslaught from the Queen of Killjoys and, quite possibly, a slap across the face. "Relax, Moony, we'll be just fine."

"Besides," Sirius adds, "if she did get caught up in our little trap on the fifth floor, she won't be able to talk to us for a while." He rubs his hands together evilly. "I can't wait!"

The four boys quickly make their way to the fifth floor corridor, bags heavy with books swinging by their sides. As they run, they discuss what may have happened with their other pranks. Did a Slytherin walk into their boggart trap in the old Charms classroom? Did a first year find his way into their trick corridor on the second floor—the one that turns you upside down and always causes great panic? Or was it a seventh year? Oh, James hopes it was a seventh year. If it was a first year, he might feel bad.

"I hope it's Red," Sirius says, straightening his tie.

James suddenly stops dead. "Oh, shite."

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, Mr. Pettigrew." Albus Dumbledore is standing with Professor Flitwick and Professor Slughorn. Tehre are seven students in front of them: sixth-year Gryffindor Lily Evans (yes!), sixth-year Hufflepuff Emmeline Vance, fourth-year Ravenclaw David Stockstill, first-year Gryffindor twins Caitlynn and Cody Rain, second-year Slytherin Kassandra Selwyn, and seventh-year Hufflepuff Johnathon Smith. He has to admit he is impressed and disappointed. Three Gryffindors? Really? Three?

"It is very fortunate you should come this way," the headmaster says, "for it seems we are unsure of what, exactly, you have accomplished here."

They do quite a lot, but one thing the Marauders will never do—EVER—is lie to the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the famous, great, brilliant Albus Dumbledore. James would rather die than lie to him.

"Right. Well…um…"

Lily Evans stomps her foot and mouths angrily, pointing an accusing finger at him. Professor Slughorn pats her on the shoulder and reassures her they will get punished for their terrible crime.

Professor Dumbledore's eyes are…disappointed? And his tone is quiet as he speaks, which just makes James feel horrible. "Boys, you need to go around the castle and remove any other traps you have set up. The corridor on the second floor has sent many students to the Hospital Wing for anxiety potions, and Professor Flitwick had to interrupt his class to remove it. Also, I do not know where you got him, but you must put the ghoul back where you found him. The girls are, quite literally, running out of restrooms."

James and Sirius stare at each other. Then, in unison, "But that wasn't us!"

"The ghoul, that is," James clarifies quickly with a raise of his hand.

Remus tentatively steps forward. "Sir, I promise you James, Sirius, Peter, and I did not bring a ghoul onto school grounds."

"Yeah," Sirius adds. "We have limits."

Evans stomps her foot again and clutches at her throat, glaring at them. For the first time since he's known her, he feels fear creep up his spine.

"There's really no way to reverse it that we know of once it's affected someone," James says, shifting his feet. "It kind of just has to wear off."

Quickly, Remus says, "It should wear off within half an hour or so."

Should, Evans mouths. She crosses her arms over her chest, glaring hatefully at James. He doesn't know why she's singling him out—Sirius, Remus, and Peter had just as much to do with this as he did.

"In that case, let us get these students to the Hospital Wing and make sure their voices come back without any hitches. In the meantime, Professor Flitwick will take you boys around the school to undo your handiwork. Professor Slughorn, children." They follow Professor Dumbledore as he leads the way to the Hospital Wing, and James takes an unconscious step back as Evans nears him.

After their fellow students learned the Marauders had been caught and captured, they did everything in their power to catch the boys unawares.

But it is much harder to prank a well-seasoned prankster that expects a prank from an amateur.

At least, that's what James thought.