MISCHIEF MANAGED

Chapter Fourteen – The Big Bang

Now that he wasn't obsessed with making the Quidditch team, James decided it was time to make a name for the Marauders with their pranking skills. Sitting in charms, bored out of his mind, James turned to Sirius and whispered, 'Shall we give Flitwick a bit of a fright?'

Before Sirius had a chance to answer, Peter turned to them from the row in front and asked enthusiastically, 'What's the plan of action?'

'No!' Remus interjected. 'This is an important lesson. Don't mess it up for me, or I won't give you my notes.'

'You think every lesson is important. And I can steal Evans' notes,' Sirius retorted. He turned to James, 'So, mate, what did you have in mind?'

'Well,' James said thinking fast. 'How about we use some of our Charms skills?' He scribbled furiously on a piece of paper and passed it to Sirius.

Sirius nodded solemnly and said, 'Let's do it.' To Remus he whispered, 'What's the charm to make things fly?'

'Wingardium Leviosa,' Remus promptly answered. He then became suspicious. 'Why?'

'No reason.' Sirius looked away from Remus, just as James whispered the incantation, and with a swish and flick of his wand, an eraser flew into the air and rubbed out the notes Flitwick had just written.

'I said don't,' Remus hissed. 'You are going to get in trouble.'

Sirius' response was to repeat the offense, eliciting a loud snort of laughter from Peter. Flitwick started at the noise. He glared at the Marauders before turning back to the board. Noticing that his notes had been erased, Flitwick averted his glare back to the Marauders and squealed, 'Potter! Black! Pettigrew! Out of my classroom! Now! To Professor Dumbledore's office!'

The three began to gather their belongings, when Flitwick added, 'Mr Lupin, please accompany them. Make sure they don't get lost and that no school property is damaged.' Remus also packed his things into his satchel, offering his friends a huge glare.

'I don't want to be missing class!' Remus growled in frustration. 'Why'd you have to get me dragged into this? Unlike you, I actually have to work to pass my exams, and Flitwick said that Cheering Charms would most certainly turn up!'

'Don't be so serious,' Sirius joked sending everyone else into hysterics. Even Remus had to join in on the laughter. He forgave his friends almost instantly.

A loud bang interrupted the scene. 'Galloping gargoyles!' James shouted. 'What in the name of Merlin's beard was that?' They all looked at each other confused before racing towards the source of the sound.

They came to a girls' bathroom. 'We can't go in there,' Peter mumbled.

'Don't be an idiot,' Sirius returned. 'In some cases the rules don't apply.' He strolled through the door and Peter followed, still looking muddled.

Lying on the floor of the bathroom was the girl whose shoelaces they had tied together at the Sorting. 'Can you hear me?' Remus asked, concerned, as he knelt beside the girl's motionless figure.

'Be careful,' she replied sleepily. 'The Nargles have escaped.'

James and Sirius burst out laughing at this ridiculous proclamation. 'I think we should take her to the Hospital Wing,' Remus pointed out.

'I think she's past the Hospital Wing,' Sirius grinned, causing James to snort loudly.

Remus silenced them with a glare before saying firmly, 'You go on ahead to Dumbledore and I'll take her.'

They left him alone and barely a second later he heard a loud bang in the corridor. 'I knew I shouldn't have let them go alone,' he muttered to himself.

'Come on,' Remus said to the girl, coaxing her onto her feet. Once she was standing the door to the bathroom opened and India, the freckled first year Hufflepuff walked in.

Upon seeing Remus a confused looked crossed her face. 'Did I come into the wrong one again?' she asked, embarrassed, turning quickly to leave.

For no obvious reason Remus turned tomato red and almost shouted, 'No, you're in the right bathroom. We heard a loud bang and then… and then…'

'Merlin's beard,' said India fully realising the girl being held up by Remus. 'What happened to Charlotte?'

'I don't know,' Remus said, regaining his composure. 'I was just taking her to the Hospital Wing.'

'I'll help,' India offered. She ran over to take some of Charlotte's weight and together they managed to get her through the door.

They walked in silence until Remus finally piped up, 'How do you know Charlotte?'

'I have Charms with her. She has a bit of a reputation for experimenting. A lot of people think she's weird, but I think she's nice,' India responded, before adding in a suspicious tone, 'So what were you doing out of class?'

Remus laughed before replying. 'My friends were playing up in Flitwick's class and I was sent to make sure they made it to Dumbledore's office. That was when we heard the bang and I ended up in the girls' bathroom.' As an after thought he added, 'Hope they haven't done anything too stupid.'

India giggled and then pointed out that they had arrived at the Hospital Wing. They helped Charlotte through the doors and sat her on a nearby bed. Madame Pomfrey bustled over and shooed out the two. They heard her mutter to an oblivious Charlotte, 'The fifth time this week. I doubt I'll ever see the end of you.'

India and Remus grinned at each other before heading off to the Great Hall for lunch. Just as they reached the door Emily stormed up to India holding the books she had left behind. 'I was worried about you. Why didn't you return to class? You're lucky we had History of Magic. Professor Binns didn't even notice you were gone.'

'I'm fine. I'll explain later,' India reassured her before turning to Remus. 'Maybe I'll see you later.'

'I hope so,' he replied with a smile before Emily pulled her away.

'Hey Remus,' he heard Sirius' voice call him from behind. 'How's your little girlfriend going?' At this India turned back and Remus caught her eye before both of them turned a violent shade of scarlet.