xv. The Great Prank War

Hogwarts Fourth Year

"Is there something you need, Professor?" Lyarra asked politely. Slughorn had asked her to stay after class to talk about something important.

"Ah, Miss Malfoy. Indeed, I have a favour that I would like to ask of you." Slughorn smiled.

"What is it, Professor?" Lyarra asked curiously.

"Would you be open to tutor a student? There is someone that... Really, really needs some help with Potions." Slughorn looked very desperate as he asked her.

"How bad are they?"

"He would need a lot of help."

When Slughorn sighed, Lyarra asked frowned. "...I see... Why did you pick me, Professor?"

"You are very proficient in Potions already, Miss Malfoy. And you're at the top of the class as well, so If you do take the offer, I'm sure you can manage your time with Quidditch too. You're a smart student and I trust you." Slughorn explained as he wrote on a piece of parchment her class slip.

"Will I get something out of this?" Lyarra hoped.

"I would offer extra credit, but you're already in the top of the year in Potions... So maybe I can offer you to use Potions ingredients from my personal stash if you ever need so."

Wow. Whomever this student is, he must be really bad in Potions. Slughorn is even offering her his personal stash. Honestly, Lyarra didn't really need it right now but hey, she's a resourceful Slytherin, and she has free time in between her own life and Quidditch practice.

"Alright, I think I can do it. I accept your offer, Professor." Lyarra nodded. Slughorn let out a thankful sigh.

"Thank you, Miss Malfoy. Here is your permission slip, I'm quite sorry I kept you for your next class." Slughorn passed her a permission slip which she took.

"Thank you, Professor. I believe we're done here?" Lyarra took her books in her arms, ready to leave.

"Oh, I believe I haven't told you who the student you'll be tutoring is."

"Ah yes, I forgot as well. Who is it, Professor?"

"It is Albus Potter."

At his answer, Lyarra had mixed feelings. She knew Albus was having a hard time studying, but she was shocked as well as she thought she was going to tutor someone in the same year as her. But honestly, she was very fine with it. She tutored Albus before and with patience, Al can do anything. Plus she has a hidden trick on her sleeve, the project that she and her friends had been working on all Summer.

"I hope you don't mind. The materials are for second years, and I'll provide you or reimburse the ingredients needed for the tutoring."

"It's alright, Professor. Tutoring Albus Potter may benefit me as well, as I get to refresh my memories on some recipes." Lyarra smiled.

"Ah, ever the resourceful Slytherin. You can get along to your class now, Miss Malfoy." Slughorn dismissed her softly as students started piling in his class.

Lyarra thanked him again before getting out of the classroom to get to her next class.

James was beaming. He had finished the first day quite happy since the map really helped their pranks. Now, the four Gryffindor calls themselves the New Marauders.

He had boasted his achievements at the Gryffindor table with his friends and on how funny the pranks that they did were, especially the one where glue was on the floor, sticking students who walked pass there.

He even got some Ravenclaw girl flirting next to him. Her name was Mirelle McKinnon, and she seemed to be very interested in him. She tried to get his attention throughout dinner, and it was clear that she was into him.

James basked in the attention, loving it. He enjoyed dinner, and didn't scoot away when Mirelle scooted closer to him, arms touching.

But then he noticed the sight on the Slytherin table.

James was confused why Lyarra Malfoy was talking to Al in the middle of dinner. His brother had been looking down all over Summer, and even his best friend Scorpius can't really cheer him up.

But why can Lyarra Malfoy do it?

James watched as his brother gained interest by talking to the older Slytherin. He seemed shocked about something before he nodded. It seemed like the two had finished their dinner, and had gathered their stuff to go somewhere. After saying goodbye to their friends, Lyarra and Albus went out of the Great Hall.

"Jamie, what are you looking at?" Mirelle whined. They've only gotten closer today and she's already calling him nicknames.

James noticed his friends looking at him curiously. It was obvious that he had tuned out Mirelle's voice at some point.

"I... Uh..." He tried to make up an excuse, taking the Marauder's Map from his bag and putting it inside his robes, "I need to go to the loo. Be right back!"

And with that, James got out of the Great Hall. He looked left and right, no one in sight. He walked to an empty corridor, and took out the map inside his robes.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," He said the password, and ink started to appear on the map of Hogwarts. He searched the two people he was looking for, and quickly jogged to catch up to them.

He was almost caught in the corner when Lyarra Malfoy had turned around curiously, feeling like she was followed. When she saw nothing, she went back to walking with Albus while chatting.

"What is it, Lya?" Albus asked curiously. Lyarra shook her head and smiled, before leading Albus back to walking again.

"Nothing, Al. It was probably a ghost passing by."

James felt like he almost died. Lyarra Malfoy really had good spatial awareness, no wonder she's a Seeker. But he didn't realize how close the two were. They were even calling each other by their nicknames.

He peeked the corner seeing it was clear, and started folkowing them again. More carefully this time, looking at the map as well.

They eventually got to the library. Lyarra and Albus had come in first, and James had stayed outside.

"They're at the library?" He said confusedly, then shrugged. "Oh well, I can't come in anyways."

He turned around and started walking back to his dorms.

"Since Madam Pince still has a grudge on me since first year... Mischief managed. Time to go back."

Eventually he got back to his dorms where his friends had asked him where he went. He replied simply with the reason that his tummy had hurt, and had stayed at a toilet for quite a while.

The next day at breakfast, James had heard murmurs as he came in. He smirked, as he thought they were talking about his pranks. He saw his cousin Rose in front of him and grinned.

"Are they talking about my pranks, dear cousin?"

Rose rolled her eyes, while clutching her book closer.

"No, they're actually talking about Al." Rose answered simply, walking to a seat near the end of the Gryffindor table to sit down. James stood behind her.

"What?! Do I need to prank someone?!"

Rose sighed and pointed to the Slytherin table.

"Just look at him yourself, Jamie. Doesn't Al look like someone familiar today?"

James followed her finger to the Slytherin table, finding the back of Albus' head. He was talking quite happily to Scorpius Malfoy.

"He looks... Happier?"

Rose facepalmed.

It is when Lyarra had appeared from behind James and walked to Albus that he noticed. His brother had turned around, and his face was different.

"D-Dad?" James stuttered confusedly, "No, wait. That's Al!"

Albus was wearing glasses. And he looked like their dad when he was younger.

"He looks like Uncle Harry." Rose added.

"He does, doesn't he?" James breathed as he watched Albus shyly look away from a smiling Lyarra.

"Where'd he get the glasses though?" James asked.

"I don't know, maybe Lyarra Malfoy gave it to him." Rose shrugged.

"Hi,"

"Hello." Lyarra replied politely at the figure walking by her herbology station.

"I'm Joseph Chang," He offered a hand. Lyarra actually chuckled.

"I know, you're Ravenclaw's Chaser." Lyarra took his hand shook it.

"You remember me?" He smiled back.

"Of course. I'm Lyarra Malfoy, Slytherin Seeker." The two laughed it off.

"I know you too. You're pretty ballsy on the pitch."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you." The two detached their hands and turned to their table.

"So, we're herbology partners?" Chang tried to make conversation.

"Indeed. Professor Longbottom had paired us up. I hope I am not a burden though, I am not quite eloquent in Herbology." Lyarra bit her lip.

"Oh no, no. We all start somewhere. From what I've heard, you're quite smart, Malfoy. I'm sure with proper instructions you'll be top of the class in no time." Joseph smiled.

"Like... Above you?" She joked shyly. Joseph seemed to laugh as he thought about something else.

"You're at the top of the class," She added, cringing. She noticed the previous sentence sounded weird, so she clarified it. Joseph laughed it off with a smile.

"Yeah, maybe one day."

After a few weeks, Lyarra was finally caught in James Potter's pranks.

She was walking into the Great Hall when she got hit by a wave of green slime. Instantly everybody laughed, and the loudest one was James Potter. A professor gave him detention, knowing it was him who did it.

Lyarra felt irked when she saw his smirk, but isn't quite bothered by the childish prank. She can wash the slime away with two simple spells. They were on stalemate, but hey, two can play its game.

"It's on, James Potter." She declared. "You messed with the wrong person."

James was fuming. He was struck by a bucket of glitter as he walked in the Great Hall. The whole occupants had gasped, not knowing that it was coming. They had seen nothing, as the bucket had only appeared when James showed up, and only showered James.

Head to toe, he was full of glitter. He even tried spells to make the glitter get out of him, but nothing seemed to work. Someone had used a charm on it.

As he walked grumpily to his table, there was a trail of glitter.

Fred had tutted as he saw him.

"Oh, karma served you good, my brother."

Lyarra Malfoy even came over to their table.

"Oh my, James Potter. You remind me of a disco ball." She bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

How does she know disco balls anyways? Wasn't she a Pureblood witch?

"Tell me, do you shine when you are hit by a ray of light?" With that, Lyarra Malfoy pointed her wand at him, a ray of light coming out of the tip.

And indeed... The glitter made him look like a disco ball. The whole hall laughed so hard as he shone, and James glared at Lyarra.

"Now you know." She smirked then turned around. "You messed with the wrong person, James Potter."

"Oh, it's on, Malfoy!"

And thus, was the start of Hogwarts' greatest prank war.

A/N

Double update! If you haven't read chapter 14, go back and read it!

I'm really feeling the creative juices here!

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