Jenni couldn't help but be amazed at herself. She had actually helped James and Fred set up a prank, and to her pleasant luck and relief – they didn't get caught. The boys told her they would pull it later in the day, when everybody is out and about on that Saturday and a certain group would be welcomed with an 'interesting and artistic surprise' as James put it.
Throughout breakfast Jenni wouldn't quite bouncing in her seat, and was asked by Scarlett numerous times if she needed a blanket, or jacket, or even a fire. But, Jenni just told her 'no' and that she was just excited for the day.
"So, Melanie. What are your plans for today?" James asked innocently.
"Oh, well Scar and I were thinking about meeting up with Roger, Michael, and Brendan to get to know each other a bit more," she continued, "and I think Beth and Hannah were planning on hanging out with Michelle Bott and some of her friends."
"Oh, Finny boy," James said with a repulsed face.
"James, his name is Brendan not Finny boy," Jenni said looking at him with an annoyed look, and sensed her bouncy mood was about to fall.
"Well, you see, 'Finny boy' is just a nickname I like to call Brendan. You can ask him yourself if you'd like," he replied to her as-a-matter-of-factly.
"No thanks," she said wearily with pursed lips and looked elsewhere. She noticed Melanie and Scarlett were looking at her with eyebrows raised, and Fred had a smug expression towards her and James.
"What?" she snapped at the three. They just shook their heads and continued the conversation before the 'disagreement' between James and Jenni.
"Alright, well… as I was saying before…" Melanie continued uncertainly, "you're more than welcome to join us if you'd like, but considering your…err… dislike of Brendan I take it you'll pass. So Jenni, do you want to come?"
"Umm, sure, just for a little bit I suppose," she said, "well, I'm not so hungry anymore so I'll just go back up to the common room and do a little homework. Come and get me when you're ready."
Jenni got up and left annoyed about how breakfast went and thoroughly confused by James. And, as soon as she was out of the Great Hall James found himself to be bombarded by questions from Fred, Scarlett, and Melanie.
"What was that all about?"
"Why do you call him 'Finny boy'?"
"You were really rude to Jenni you know."
"Oi!" James yelled, "stop getting on my case about this."
The three friends looked at James expectantly. "What?" James asked quieter.
"Well you know-" Fred started.
"Yes I heard, I was an arse to her," James said miffed.
"No, not that. But yes, you were," Fred continued as James glared at him, "but there was definitely something else there."
"What in Merlin's name is that suppose to mean?" James said incredulously and the two girls giggled, "what is it? What does he mean?"
"Oh, James," Scarlett said, "poor, thick, James. Isn't it obvious?" James eyed her curiously.
"You still don't get it, do you?" she said with a small laugh, "alright then, you'll just have to figure it out on your own."
"That's no fair!" James argued, "I deserve to know something about me I clearly don't know, but you three aren't letting me in on the secret."
"Well it's your secret," Scarlett said nonchalantly, "you of all people should know it."
James stared at her as she continued eating. What could she, Melanie, and Fred know about him that he himself doesn't know? He continued eating and musing over what she said.
"Okay, so we better get going and grab Jenni before she argues to someone else about nicknames," Melanie said to the boys as she and Scarlett got up.
"Okay, well can you be sure Jenni meets us in the common room before lunch? We need her help with something," Fred stated.
"Sure. She knows you two need help with… whatever you need help with?" Melanie asked.
"Yeah," Fred replied. Melanie nodded and left with Scarlett to get Jenni.
"So… if the girls wont tell me… will you?" James quipped with a smile.
"No mate. Sorry. It's entirely up to you to figure this out." Fred replied sincerely sorry. James nodded in understanding.
"Then I said 'Mate, you're just being an absolute prick!" Brendan said, ending his joke with a punchline Jenni didn't understand, probably because she dazed while he was telling the joke, but everyone else was laughing hysterically.
"What is it Palmer? Potter and Weasley tell funnier jokes?" Brendan asked sarcastically.
"Huh? Oh um maybe, I don't know," Jenni said vaguely. Brendan narrowed his eyes at her.
"Are you alright? You seem to be out of it lately?" he said with concern.
"And you seem chatty lately," she mumbled sarcastically, looking at the grass next to her.
"Sorry?" he asked.
"Nothing," she smiled at him then looked at everyone else and continued, "I'm not feeling too well, so I think I'll just go back up and lay down or something for a bit."
"Oh, you sure?" Melanie asked, "do you want someone to walk with you?"
"No. Thanks though, but I fell well enough to make it. I'll just see you at lunch," Jenni replied.
"Okay, and don't forget Fred and James need your help with something before lunch," Melanie told her.
"Oh, right. Thanks for that reminder," Jenni said, and said good-bye to everyone before she walked back to the common room. When she got inside the portrait she bumped into James and they stood there awkwardly, staring anywhere else but at each other.
"Listen, I'm sorry for acting how I did at breakfast. I was an idiotic arse to you," James apologized.
Jenni looked up at him and said with a smirk, "So, you still need me for the prank?"
James laughed, "It wouldn't be the same without you." And with that they grabbed Fred and left to go down to the Great Hall.
All throughout the rest of the day, the prank was the talk of the day, mostly because few people pull pranks. However, that's going to change for the next seven years with James Potter and Fred Weasley.
Once all the students got inside the Great Hall for lunch, the couldn't help but notice that on the wall behind were the staff eats reads "Pixie's prance, Leprechaun's leap, Hippocampus' hunt, and Binns bores" and besides each word is an eloquent painting of a Pixie, Leprechaun, Hippocampus, and Professor Binns.
Jenni looked at the expressions of all the teachers' faces as they read what's on the wall: Hagrid was laughing and smiling at Fred and James, Neville was in complete admiration with the paintings, Hept had a proud expression, and McGonagall was doing her best to keep a stern face, but the smile tugging at her mouth gave her away.
Jenni looked at the boys and whispered to them, "I can't believe no Professor is mad!"
"Why would they? It's nothing offensive" Fred stated, "besides, we figured to not pull anything that's too risky. We don't want to get kicked out of the school on our first week!" Jenni laughed at him.
"Jenni?" James asked, "how would you like to be an honorary prankster?"
"Sure. I'll help on my spare time," she said casually before she continued, "I am honored." Earning her a broad smile from him and Fred. However, she and James didn't notice Melanie, Fred, and Scarlett giving them smirks.