MISHCHIEF MANAGED

Chapter Six – Running Late

Sirius opened his eyes and groaned. A bright light was shining through a gap in his bed curtains. 'Turn the light off,' he moaned.

'You try turning off the sun!' Remus replied. 'I think it's time for you two to get up. You missed breakfast.'

Sirius sat bolt upright. 'What!?' he screeched. 'Why didn't you wake me?'

'You think I'm sporting this black eye for fun?' At this point James decided to open his eyes.

'Wow! That's impressive! Which one of us gave you that?' The only response James received was a glare. He immediately sobered up and offered to take him to the hospital wing. 'Sorry mate!' he called as Remus stormed off to class. He looked out the window and said to Sirius, who was nodding off to sleep again, 'Oy! What time do classes start?'

'Nine sharp,' he yawned back.

'Merlin's pants!' James exclaimed, leaping out of bed. 'We're already late!'

Five minutes later they raced out of the common room, tripping on their undone shoelaces, looking exactly as they felt - like they'd just gotten out of bed. Barely remembering the way, they ran down every staircase they came across, hoping to eventually find their way to the dungeons for their first Potions lesson.

Their luck ran out when they reached the second floor. Teachers' voices could be heard quite clearly coming towards the boys. Sirius pulled James behind a coat of armour, just as Professor Flitwick came around the corner, his underwear pulled over his head. They had to bite their lips to hold in their sniggers.

'Oh Flitwick you nit-pick
Just look what I've done,
So next time you see me,
Hold onto your bum!'

Peeves the poltergeist, very pleased with his work, followed his victim past the boys' hiding spot. Without thinking, James leaped out behind him.

'Can you teach me how to do that?!' Peeves almost fell out of the air with shock. Sirius joined James and began making pleading gestures.

'Some students like Peevesy who love having fun!' he exclaimed excitedly in a sing-song voice. 'I'll help the boys out, but what will I get?'

'Our eternal gratitude!' cried James.

'Our assistance in all future pranks!' added Sirius.

'Nothing could be better than promises of help,
So I'll show you this trick that'll make others yelp!'

James and Sirius leaned in eagerly. 'Wedgius Maximus!' Peeves cried, waving a single finger at the boys. 'Don't forget the promises you made Peevesy,' he said, before zooming away from them screeching with laughter.

Once the boys had wrestled their underwear off their heads, Sirius checked his watch. 'Oh crap!' he yelled. 'It's twenty past!' They ran down the remaining staircases and burst through a door they assumed was their classroom. 'Sorry Professor, we overslept!' James explained hurriedly. Both boys averted their eyes to the front of an empty classroom.

'Oh well, practice run,' Sirius shrugged at James. They ran back out of the room and through he next door, from which they could hear the voices of their classmates. They opened the door and saw their Potions master. Professor Slughorn was an enormously fat, bald old man, and the look on his face chased the excuses from the boys' minds.

'Ah, Potter and Black I assume. Thanks for joining us. As there is only a quarter of an hour left, there is not much point in starting your potions. Black, join Pettigrew, please. He looks like he could use some help. And Potter, perhaps you could join Miss Evans.'

Before they moved to their appointed places, Sirius mouthed to James, 'Time to put our new spell into practice.' James watched eagerly as Sirius whispered the words and Peter's underwear came up over his head. Peter screamed in pain and embarrassment. The whole class roared with laughter. James gave Sirius a thumbs up.

James sat down next to an angry Lily Evans. 'You can't seriously approve of that sort of thing,' she scolded. James considered retorting, but after a second glance at her furious face he decided against it.

Ten minutes later and their first lesson was finished. Sirius and James tried to be first out the door before they could be called back. But they did not succeed. 'Potter. Black. A word please,' Slughorn called from the front of the room.

They sidled over, dragging their feet. 'I must warn you, boys, that if this happened in normal circumstances, the students in question would have points taken from their houses. However, as it is your first day at Hogwarts and you have not yet learnt the routine, I will be considerate. No points will be taken for your lateness.' Professor Slughorn looked down at his papers once again. 'Now hurry to your next class, boys. I can't say your next teacher will be as forgiving as me.'

Ten minutes later, after losing their way once again, James and Sirius arrived at McGonagall's classroom gasping for breath. They were reprimanded as soon as they walked in the door.

'Potter, Black, detention!' McGonagall called across the room at them. 'I'll owl you tomorrow with the details. Nobody is late to my class without consequences.' Lily Evans seemed very satisfied with this result, as she gave James a smug grin.