Chapter 10

"So, about the start of term prank," Sirius said in a sly voice, leaning across the table. Three quarters of the Marauders were huddled in a corner of the Gryffindor common room. "I was thinking-"

"Hang on!" exclaimed Peter. "Shouldn't we go get James?"

"No you idiot, he'll try to stop us. He wants to 'mature for Lily' as he put it himself," Sirius replied. "Besides, he has Quidditch practice now." He beckoned for Remus (who was, as usual, absorbed in a book) to join the conversation.

"Right so here's the deal. I was planning on an illusion," he paused and waited to see their reaction. Neither Remus or Peter could hide their disappointment.

"An illusion? Is that all the great Padfoot had to offer?" Remus asked, his tone of voice echoing his expression.

"It gets better!" Sirius said. "So, we make the marble staircase...disappear."

"Disappear?"

"Yes, Wormtail, disappear. Are you deaf?" Peter shook his head and coloured slightly. "But it doesn't just disappear, it crumbles and rocks fall everywhere and it cracks and everyone gets scared and-"

"And how exactly do you plan on doing this?" Remus asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well, Moony, you've always been our little brainiac!" Remus rolled his eyes and lay back in his armchair.

"Well, can you do it?" Peter asked eagerly.

"But, what if McGonagall finds-"

"She wont. Which brings me to my next point. We'll have to do it on Saturday."

"What! Are you mad? Saturday's-"

"-the full moon. I know. But it's the only day McGonagall will be out of the castle."

"How do you know?" Remus asked, sounding doubtful.

"Ahh...the magic of eavesdropping... so we're all agreed then? The other two marauders exchanged looks, but didn't object.

"Good. Now here's how it'll go..."

Lily waited patiently outside the Gryffindor changing rooms. Every now and then a player would emerge, freshly showered and looking weary. She wasn't surprised. James had been working them hard for the past, what, two and a half hours? Yes, it was nearly a quarter past twelve. Two more members of the team (beaters, she thought) exited. Where was Marlene? Surely she couldn't be much longer.

"Alright Ev-Lily?" James Potter appeared behind her(for she had turned towards the castle). Taking a key from his pocket, he began locking the door.

"Isn't Marlene in there?" she asked, confused.

"No, I'm the last one. Marlene left a good while ago, I think."

"You sure?" Lily said, unconvinced. "I've been here since practice ended."

James shrugged. "She must have been quick." He gestured for them to walk up to the castle. Lily agreed, resigned to the fact that she must have somehow missed Marlene.

"How did you enjoy practice?"

"Oh it was wonderful, I never knew what a strategic game Quidditch was. And you, you're amazing, you fly twice as fast as anyone else. How do you do it?" James flushed slightly, but Lily seemed more enthralled by the physics of the game. Seeing this, he lost no time in explaining it to her.

"Well you see, there are two elements; the player and the broom, now..."

"Ah, would you look at the two lovebirds," Mary sighed, looking out the window. She and Alice were in the library, supposedly completing a Charms assignment.

"Who?!" Alice asked, leaning across Mary to get a better vantage point.

"Hey, look out, you're smudging all the ink on my Charms essay!"

"Sorry. You don't mean Lily and James, do you?"

"Of course I do. Look at them walking up from Quidditch practi- wait. How come Lily was at Quidditch practice?"

"To watch Marlene?" Alice suggested.

"Then why isn't Marlene with them?"

"Good point. But, you don't think she actually likes him...do you?"

Mary spread her hands. "You never know! Come on Alice, you have to finish my Charms homework."

"Oh, I have to, do I? Well, tell you what Miss McDonald, you can think again! Besides it's nearly half-twelve, Frank's meeting me for lunch soon."

Mary grumbled and rolled up her scroll. "Oh well, you'll just have to do it tomorrow."

Author's Note: Hi everyone! Sorry if this chapter seems a little rough, but I wanted to get it up before Christmas. As it's unlikely we'll be writing again until Christmas, so I would like to wish you all, on behalf of the two of us, a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (if we don't see you again before then:)