CURSES AND CANDIES - REMUS LUPIN

𝑠𝑖𝑥𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑤𝑜.

"Okay, yeah, that one was not my fault, professor," Remus said with his lips parted open in shock at the scene in front of him as his eyes darted between his fellow seventh years. "I'm not really sure what I'm seeing here. Or what I'm not seeing."

Hollis and James had agreed that it would be a brilliant idea to try and build a treehouse in the Whomping Willow earlier that iron grey skied afternoon.

There was currently the wreckage of about a dozen think oak plants and torn tarps scattered on the crisp, thinning light green grass with the end of their first month of Hogwarts, September ending.

James and Hollis both had several scratches scattered in various places across their bodies, making Remus just become even more concerned for what was going on here.

At first, the two of them had been able to wedge a few of the boards between two thick boughs, but then they had to abandon the structure once they saw an enormous club like branch descending on them.

"Treehouse," James replied shortly with a cheeky grin at McGonagall that Hollis quickly followed suit with. "Obviously."

McGonagall and Remus looked at one another for a few seconds before simultaneously shaking their heads with amusement and frustration.

"The tree is literally made so that no one can get in or out of it or near it," Remus said passionately, throwing his hands out at the momentarily peaceful willow. "It's impossible to make a treehouse in that."

"You know, it's also impossible to be able to track a person wearing the cloak and Death themself couldn't do it, but here we are," Hollis muttered under her breath with her hands folded behind her back and speaking remarkably fast.

James started laughing at her bluntness, while Remus crossed his arms over his chest and smiled with one corner higher than the other at Hollis.

"Very clever," he said, and Hollis gave him an exaggerated bow that James quickly followed.

McGonagall had learned to simply ignore half of what the Marauders said by this point, they already lost enough house points as it was.

"Detention, both of you," she said firmly. "You are Head Boy, Mr. Potter."

"Okay, so just the hammocks then?" Hollis asked her professor slyly, who was desperately trying to contain her laughter with a tight smile.

"No!" Remus cut in before McGonagall could answer. "What, do you fancy taking a nap in them?"

"You know, that is a good idea," James replied, making Hollis giggle and Remus smile at the sound mixing with the cool fall air.

Then, with resignation to their tradition, Remus turned to McGonagall with an apologetic look on his face. The professor instantly recognized this expression and rolled her eyes at how ridiculously close the Marauders were.

Remus deftly pulled out his wand and flicked it towards Hollis and James, making a few patches of earth fly out from the ground and tap his two friends incredibly gently on the shoulder.

Of course, knowing the drill and having repeated it for two years now, the quidditch captains instantly flopped over on the ground like their legs had been hit by a dozen bludgers, knocking them off their brooms.

"That's bullying!" James shouted dramatically from the ground. "Put him in detention, Minnie!"

Hollis peeked open one of her brown eyes that had been shut for effect at McGonagall, who was struggling to find their stunt unamusing even after dozens of months watching it play out before her eyes.