CHAPTER 3

As they walked further from the scene of the prank, the lively chaos of laughter and spellwork faded into the distance. The corridor grew quieter, the sounds muffled by the old enchantments students used to ward their compartments for privacy. It was almost serene—until a faint whisper reached Andromeda's ears.

She froze, catching her breath. Among the murmurs was a voice she could recognize anywhere. Sirius.

"…Where did he even find that paint?" his voice carried faintly through the compartment door.

Elysia, quick to act, smirked and strode ahead. "Well, well," she called as she opened the unwarded door, "my favorite Black—besides Andromeda, naturally."

Inside, four boys jolted in their seats, startled like deer caught in wandlight. Sirius recovered first, his trademark mischievous grin sliding into place. "Elysia," he drawled. "You admired our masterpiece."

Andromeda followed Elysia into the compartment, shutting the door firmly behind her. She flicked her wand, muttering a quick warding charm to ensure no prefects could interrupt. Her piercing gaze swept over the group. Sirius, predictably unrepentant, leaned back with a smug expression. James Potter sat beside him, his messy hair even more disheveled than usual, and a grin tugging at his lips. The other two—Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin—looked more nervous, as though already anticipating a lecture.

"Sure, but in this train?" Elysia asked skeptically, picking up where Sirius had left off. "Who did you even find to sell you paint like that?"

Sirius sat up, his grin widening. "A strange fellow, actually," he said, his tone tinged with mockery and curiosity. "He had this… air about him, like he was just waiting for me to ask."

"And that didn't seem suspicious to you?" Andromeda asked sharply, crossing her arms.

Sirius shrugged, the grin never leaving his face. "Suspicious? Maybe. Intriguing? Definitely. He said something odd, like, 'You'll do something remarkable with this.'" He leaned forward conspiratorially. "And he wasn't wrong."

James laughed. "I told him it had to be enchanted when it worked better than we'd planned."

"Of course it's enchanted," Andromeda snapped. "Let me see it."

Sirius reached under the seat and pulled out a small, dented kettle. Its unassuming gray surface made it look utterly ordinary, but Andromeda could feel faint traces of magic radiating from it.

"A kettle?" Elysia echoed, leaning closer with an incredulous expression. "You're telling me you carried out that disaster of a prank with a teapot?"

"It's not just a kettle!" Sirius protested, holding it up like a trophy. "It's an enchanted paint pot. Resistant to cleaning spells, perfectly made for chaos."

Andromeda eyed him skeptically. "And who sold you this mystery kettle?"

Sirius hesitated for a fraction of a second, then shrugged. "I didn't catch much about him—he was wearing a hood or something. Just looked… ordinary. But I marked him just in case."

Elysia raised an eyebrow. "Marked it?"

"Yeah," Sirius said smugly, pointing to the faint etching on the bottom. "A little trick I picked up. If he shows up again, I'll know."

Andromeda frowned, turning the kettle in her hands. "You're saying you don't remember his face, but you had the forethought to mark him?"

Sirius's grin widened, leaning back with a satisfied air. "I like to keep things interesting."

Elysia's gaze flicked to the mark, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Interesting is right. I think your mystery seller left you a signature of their own."

"What do you mean?" Andromeda asked.

Elysia traced the faint etching, her expression thoughtful. "This mark—it's deliberate. I've seen it somewhere before."

"Brilliant," Sirius said, his voice dripping with mock indignation. "Give me a little credit. This prank was pure artistry."

Elysia smirked, brushing him off with a wave. "It's clever, I'll admit that. But this kettle has thought behind it—planning. So, unless you've suddenly turned into a master enchanter…"

Sirius feigned offense, clutching his chest. "I'm deeply wounded."

"Good," Elysia replied breezily. "That'll teach you to take credit where it's not due. Whoever sold you this wanted to make a statement. And I intend to figure out what it is."

Andromeda raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You're really going to chase after some mystery prankster? Isn't that a bit much, even for you?"

"Are you kidding?" Elysia replied, her voice bubbling with excitement. "This is perfect! A good prank and a puzzle wrapped into one? It's like Christmas came early."

Andromeda sighed, exasperated but unable to suppress a small smile. "Fine. But don't drag me into it."

"Too late, love," Elysia said with a wink, already stepping back toward the door. "You're coming along for the ride whether you like it or not."

"My ke…" Sirius started, but a single glance from Andromeda made him shut his mouth instantly.

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Elysia turned the kettle over once more, as if pondering her next move. But, for now, she kept her plans to herself, letting the tension linger in the air.