"THAT WAS THE BEST NIGHT EVER!" Peter yelled. His ears still seemed to be clogged with large amounts of pulverized pumpkins. James grinned and slung an arm around Peter's shoulders. The four beamed as they made their way out of the Great Hall dodging the other students and their dirty looks. The Halloween prank had been a huge success. Every one of Hagrid's giant pumpkins had been liquified, and they doused the school in orange slime just as the dessert plates were disappearing.
Unfortunately, Professor McGonagall had caught an unabashed James, who had waved his wand with far too much gusto at the pumpkins nearest the Slytherin table. She had marched over to the boys at the most inopportune time and received a face full of pumpkin as a reward. Remus, who was looking up at the staff table, had caught the mirth that flashed across Professor Dumbledore's face before it was quickly replaced with a measured look of displeasure.
Professor McGonagall quickly waved her wand and dispersed of the pumpkin from her own robes and that of all the students around her except for Remus, Peter, James, and Sirius. She ordered them to follow her to her office, and the boys quickly traipsed behind her. Sirius' shoe still made a squashing sound with every other footstep.
Professor McGonagall was trying to get her temper under control. Usually students trembled or cried when she told them to go to her office, but these boys looked supremely unconcerned. In fact, Sirius and James kept miming student's reactions to their prank. Remus was the only one who looked at all ashamed, but that didn't stop a grin from flitting across his face every few minutes either. As she marched the four boys into her office, Professor McGonagall became more and more concerned. These were only first years, but chaos seemed to follow in their wake. Most of it wasn't ill-spirited or mean, but that didn't mean that she could let them off easy. She needed to find a way to nip this misbehavior in the bud.
"Sit down boys." McGonagall said and gestured to the four chairs that her wand had just conjured. She usually only had one or two students in her office at a time. Sirius and James immediately pulled their chairs together and continued to whisper conspiratorially to each other. "You disrupted a Hogwarts holiday and endangered your fellow students and staff members. I'm not sure what spell you used, but the consequences could have been dire if it had hit a student or been performed incorrectly."
"But Professor, we practiced for weeks. It wasn't going to hurt anybody. If it hit a student it just would have left a red welt." James interjected. He dodged all the subtle kicking that Remus was doing in an attempt to get him to shut up.
Professor McGonagall processed what he had said. She hadn't considered how much planning they must have put in to something like this and was relieved to know that they had taken other students' safety into consideration. When she allowed herself to think of it later that night, she would even admit that she was impressed by the boys' skill level. They were just first years after all.
"Forty points will be taken from Gryffindor, and you will each serve a detention. I will also be writing a note to send to each of your families about your dismal behavior. I expect better from young Gryffindors. You will report for your detention on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, could use some help cleaning the trophy room. Now go straight back to Gryffindor Tower."
James and Peter continued to look unconcerned as their list of punishments was announced. It actually seemed like they got off fairly easily. Remus squirmed though when he realized that Professor McGonagall would be writing to his parents to tell them what a disappointment he was. Detention was no problem, but his parents had would be so disappointed in his behavior. He needed to be more careful, or Professor Dumbledore might rethink his decision to allow a werewolf to stay at Hogwarts.
Remus' reaction was nothing compared to the look on Sirius' face. He immediately went white when Professor McGonagall mentioned his parents and was silent as the boys went back up to Gryffindor tower. He hadn't heard from his parents since they had tried to move him from Gryffindor. Their silence from his life was uncharacteristic and wonderful. He would really miss it whenever they received this letter. Sirius was sure that consequences would be dire. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he nearly ran into Frank Longbottom, but Remus quickly put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
Frank was grinning broadly at the younger students. "That was brilliant! Perfect way to end the evening." He said and clapped Sirius on the shoulder. Sirius grinned shyly back up at him, and they all walked into the common room together. Cheers erupted from some of the older student as the five boys entered. Apparently the Gryffindors weren't too concerned about being covered in pumpkin goo as long as it was for a good cause. Even Marlene McKinnon and Lily Evans had to cover their grins as James took a bow and the level of applause rose greatly.
"I'm just saying it was a public service to the school. Snivellus had to wash his hair after the incident. McGonagall should be thanking us, not locking us away in detention." James proclaimed as they scrubbed yet another trophy. He had been most displeased to find out that they were expected to clean the trophies without magic.
"Somehow I don't think Professor McGonagall would see it that mate." Sirius interjected while chuckling. Remus sighed. He wasn't a big fan of the growing animosity between James and Snape. He couldn't find it in himself to say anything though. The boys had already been shining the trophies for 2 hours and Filch did not come to release them for 2 more. They all ached as they trouped back up to the common room with exhaustion setting in. Everything but sleep was forgotten.
A/N: So I haven't gotten any reviews for the last few chapters which is fine but, let me know if I'm not going in a direction you want or if there is anything you want to see. Thanks!