Asperse: to sprinkle; bespatter.
May 28, 1972
"Are you sure this is gonna work?" James hissed, sweeping his gaze up and down the deserted corridor.
"Of course it'll work," Sirius scoffed behind him, struggling to tie the end of a somewhat precarious-looking balloon. "I've got a manufacturer's guarantee."
James rolled his eyes. "You're the manufacturer, Black."
Sirius turned around, still struggling with the balloon, and grinned at James. "Exactly. I only produce perfection. Hey, that's a pretty good slogan. Maybe I should be a business man."
The rubber balloon tail slipped between his fingers and a spray of some sticky, blue-black gunk spattered over both of them.
"Watch it!' James complained, wiping his speckled glasses on his robes. "Perfection, huh?"
Sirius shrugged. "The manufacturer is not responsible for operator incompetence."
"You do realize that's the same person, right?"
Before Sirius could respond, the sound of distant footsteps echoed around the corner.
"Hang it up, hang it up!' Sirius ordered, shoving the tied balloon into James's hands and racing to the end of the corridor where a thing string dangled, waiting to be spanned across the corridor. James hastily levitated the bulging balloon up to join its fellows dangling from the chandelier. Then he sprinted after Sirius, grabbing the collar of his robes to pull him toward the secret passage they'd planned to listen from.
But before they'd made it five steps, Professor McGonagall strolled around the corner. If her head hadn't been buried in the letter she was reading, she might have noticed the string Sirius had just managed to secure across the corridor. But as it was….
The cluster of bulging balloons fell with admirable efficiency, splattering one after other on their target. Sirius and James high-fived behind their backs, grinning at their handiwork.
"Potter! Black!"
"Oh, Professor McGonagall!" James haled jovially, ambling towards her as if he'd only just noticed she was there. "What on earth have you gotten yourself into?" He asked, goggling at the sticky sludge dripping down her face.
"You really ought to be more careful with your mail," Sirius added, stooping to pick up the letter she had dropped, also stained with the splatter.
The pair of them smiled innocently at her through the incriminating smudges streaking their faces.
Professor McGonagall did not think she had ever met a pair of students who accepted detentions so cheerfully. It worried her greatly.
A/N: Thank you all for reviewing! :) I've never had a story break 600 reviews before, so I'm very excited! You are all wonderful people for making that happen! :)