James, Sirius, Peter and Remus woke up the next morning ready to go home, hurtling down the staircases through the halls as students bade their last goodbyes. They took in all that had happened this year and were quite surprised when they were reminded that they were now entering their sixth year of Hogwarts. They reminisced over the silly pranks that they had pulled back in first and second year and marvelled how far they had come in that respect. They passed a few students on their way down to the courtyard before a booming voice echoed through the halls.
"ALL STUDENTS REPORT TO THE GREAT HALL IMMEDIATELY"
They glanced over at each other, raising their eyebrows. It was unusual for their Professors to give unnecessary speeches but with obedience they trudged their way over; a few Ravenclaw girls following them, giggling intensely and Sirius threw them a dark, dangerous enigmatic look.
"You have a girlfriend," James said.
"I do," Sirius admitted. "But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate fine art."
"Is that what we're calling it now?" Remus asked giving a smirk.
They entered the Great Hall and what they saw amazed them. The four long tables had completely disappeared leaving just the huge suitcases and cages for pets strewn around the room. Students were sitting on them, wearing their muggle clothes and looking completely displaced amongst the magic around them.
Remus managed to grab Lily as she was passing by with two goblets – one for herself and one for Mary. She stopped and looked around.
"Lily, what's going on?" He asked.
"You haven't heard?" Her eyes widened. Remus shook his head and Sirius, James and Peter crowded around to hear her. Lily looked nervous before clearing her throat. "Hogsmede was attacked last night. Everything is on fire, I mean, everything. About 15 people have died. McGonagall, Dumbledore, Hagrid and Flitwick have gone to help. We've been left here until the train station is able to open again."
"What?" Sirius asked. "How can Hogsmede be on fire?"
"Death Eaters," James said quietly.
Lily nodded agreeing. "Because there are so many guards in place for Hogwarts, they couldn't penetrate the security systems so they went for the next best thing."
"Why?" Peter asked.
"There's a war coming." Lily said simply. "And Death Eaters like to have fun." She pursed her lips and looked around. "To be honest, I don't think anyone knows what's going on. We'll just have to wait it out I'm afraid. Anyway," She brightened up. "They're serving some drinks and food. Nothing special, but something to keep us going."
"Do you think they'll make us stay an extra night if we can't get home?" Peter asked as Lily moved off.
"It depends." James shrugged, he tugged at Remus' arm before dragging them towards where the other Gryffindor boys sat. Frank and Mithradates were playing a game of Exploding Snap looking bored and annoyed. James climbed onto one of the hauls of luggage, crossing his legs. He petted Mithradates black cat before turning his attention back to his friends.
"I wouldn't mind being stuck here as much as I do," Frank said, glancing up at the others. "Only thing is, we have nothing we can do to entertain ourselves. No homework, no studying… Nothing!"
"Remus can do something," Sirius said, helping himself to the snacks that Mithradates and Frank had built up. "He's always got a book to read."
"Ha ha ha," Remus said sarcastically. "I like to read, doesn't mean I do it all the time."
"That's kind of the definition," James shrugged as Sirius threw him a chocolate frog.
"If it takes too long, will we be sent back up to the common rooms?" Peter asked.
"Doubt it," Remus replied. "Prefects haven't been given the new passwords and it's likely the portraits have gone off to get drunk with the Galileo picture up in the astronomy tower."
"Crap," James sighed. "So nothing we really can do."
"Want a game?" Mithradates offered.
"Nah, you're alright," James replied. "Doesn't look like you're having much fun with it."
"How long have you been here?" Sirius asked biting into a cauldron cake.
"A good while. We bumped into McGonagall this morning." Frank replied. "We were up kind of early because Mithradates lost his socks and woke me up trying to look for them."
"She was still in her dressing gown when we saw her," Mithradates said. "Looked nervous as hell,"
"The entirety of Hogsmede can't be on fire though," Peter said. "Surely some of it would be extinguished."
"Not with Fiendfyre," Frank replied.
"So, how about a game of Exploding Snap?" James asked, turning to Mithradates.
"Thought you'd never ask…"
…
They had been sitting in the Great Hall for over three hours, growing restless and annoyed and a little bit paranoid. Sirius and Remus had actually fallen asleep against the luggage, Sirius' head against Remus' chest. James swore that if he had a camera he would be taking pictures like no tomorrow to embarrass them both on their wedding days.
Peter had stolen Remus' book from the luggage and was now reading it as it spread across his legs. It was keeping him amused whilst James had was playing a game of Wizards Chess against Mithradates. Frank had gone off to find them some food.
"So what exactly do you guys do for fun when you have nothing to do?" Mithradates asked as he took one of James' pawns.
James shrugged and moved some of the debris off the set. "Depends on the situation,"
"And how many situations are there?" Mithradates asked.
"Depends on how many of us are present."
"Are you avoiding my question?"
"No," James smirked. "Queen to E5."
"That was a dirty move," Mithradates sighed, brushing away parts of his King piece.
"We explore the castle," James shrugged. "We pull pranks, we beat up Snape."
"Though, I haven't seen you pull many pranks since Gideon and Fabian left. And I haven't seen you take the piss out of Snape unless he does it to you first."
"Things change," James shrugged.
"Trying to grow up for Lily?"
"Pfft, as if I would ever change for a girl!" James laughed.
"Then that means you put on an act for the first few years of being here," The other boy said.
James gave a slight frown and then said. "Why are you and Remus not close friends? I have a feeling you two would go well together."
"I think we would have," Mithradates smiled gently, looking over at Remus. "But Sarah snapped him up first."
James blinked and looked at Mithradates who had all of a sudden grown very pink in the face. He gave a shrug. "I get it. Too shy. Sadly, Remus is too prude and too scared of himself to really be with anyone. It's a great compliment to give someone though."
"In our world, yes,"
"Muggles have a lot to learn." James shrugged again as Frank returned with a tray. "Why not try Sirius?"
"Sirius?"
"Well, he certainly isn't prude, the big man-slut."
Mithradates laughed.
"Took you long enough," James said, turning his attention back towards Frank reaching over and tripping over Sirius' feet. Sirius snorted awake accidently punching Remus in the jaw. Remus reacted, his knee firing up and slamming into whoever attacked him. Sirius got up, holding the space between his legs painfully.
"YOU MOTHERFU-"
"Swear and I'll do it again," Remus said sleepily, rolling over and nodding off again. Sirius groaned and fell over onto Peter who was still vastly absorbed in the book.
"I was about to say," Frank said handing James the goblet of pumpkin juice that he had initially been after. "I got chatting to Alice."
"Love is in the air," James sang. "Every sight and every sound…"
"Shut up." Frank replied, rolling his eyes.
Sirius managed to pull himself up still cursing and moaning under his breath. James threw him a cauldron cake. "Man up for Merlin's sakes."
"Our game?" Mithradates reminded him.
"Oh right… Knight to… er… D3."
"You're making this too easy," Mithradates said. "At least make it a challenge."
James gave a pout. "Okay I'm not the greatest Chess Player in the world. But my son will be master champion."
"I thought your son was going to be the ruler of the world?" Sirius asked.
"I thought your son was going to be a hero?" Frank said.
"I thought your son was going to be a world class Quidditch Player?" Peter raised an eyebrow
"I thought your son was going to be head of the Auror office?" Mithradates frowned. "Or at least Minister of Magic,"
"James," Remus said opening his eyes finally and sitting up. "I think your son is going to be imaginary at this rate."
James made a disgruntled noise half-way between amused and pissed off. As he reached for a cake, the Great Hall doors flung open and McGonagall moved in swiftly, followed by Flitwick, Hagrid, Slughorn, Professor Sprout and Professor Kettleburn. McGonagall stood where the teachers table usually sat and cleared her throat looking around the hall.
"Professor Dumbledore has asked me to announce to you all that you will not be taking the Train back home to Kings Cross tonight. Instead, you shall each return to your dormitories and get a good night's whilst the heads of your houses arrange for Portkeys to take you to London. Your parents have all been informed and shall be waiting for you there."
"What about our luggage?" One student shouted from the back.
"Leave it here and we shall send it to Platform 9 and ¾ where it will be attended to correctly. For now, take what you need for the night and return to your dormitories." McGonagall said.
"And the pets?"
"Take them with you so that you can all travel via portkey together." McGonagall said gravely, getting annoyed
"Where's Dumbledore?" Sirius shouted out.
"He is currently at the Ministry overseeing the Hogsmede fiasco." McGonagall replied. "To your dormitories please, Head Boys and Girls to the front."
The students begrudgingly got to their feet realising that was the most that they were going to get out of McGonagall that afternoon. Mithradates pulled Toby the cat from his cage and James flicked his wand getting rid of the small nest that the six of them had created during the afternoon.
Sirius pulled Remus to his feet, still yanking at his crotch and giving moans now and then as they moved through the corridors.
"How bad do you reckon Hogsmede is if they are keeping us here another night?" James asked.
Frank shrugged as Lily dodged past as Snape made another desperate attempt to talk to her, her red hair flying behind her as she stormed away.
"Leave it man," Sirius warned as the Slytherin tried to follow her. He looked at Sirius distastefully and marched off. Sirius raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "We'll have to do something about that arsehole next year."
"Now as Prefect, I have to speak up against that," Remus said quietly from the back.
"Yeah and didn't you do such a good job this year?" Sirius snorted.
They paused as they got to the portrait and frowned, students lining up beside it. Peter took the initiative and ducked under, going between them guising as a first year which was possible because he was still quite small.
Sirius and James glanced at each other frowning slightly and Peter returned, wiping down his clothes. "You were right Remus, Fat Lady's gone."
The Head Boy, James assumed his name was something ridiculous like Reginald Cattermole or something , moved forward, pushing students aside.
"What's going on?" James hissed at Sirius.
Sirius shrugged and using Remus' who was about 3 inches taller than him, and James' shoulder propelled himself up to see what was going on. Cattermole pulled out a shining golden key with a lion crest engraved across it and went to the opposite side of where the common room door opened and slipped the key into a tiny unseen lock and turned it four times.
The portrait door creaked open and students began to file in, Sirius dropped down and explained what he saw, much to his surprise James shrugged.
"I always guessed there'd be a manual entrance," He said. "In case of emergencies…" He glanced over at a confused Sirius. "What, didn't you think so?"
"I grew up with Slytherins, unless you want me to spill the secret tap dance to get into their common room, I'm pretty much worthless." Sirius said.
"They tap dance?" Peter asked.
Sirius rolled his eyes and ignored him climbing up the stairs towards their old dormitory. He pushed open the door and sighed. Most of the bed sheets had been taken off, obviously by House-Elves who had no idea what was going on. James pulled out his wand and gave it a little flick and the sheets put themselves onto the beds. He tried flicking his wand again but sighed, resigned.
"Mum has an arsenal of spells she uses around the house," He said. "I'm just not sure how she does them all." He tried again and failed, so fell across his bed and went straight to sleep.