WHEN WE WERE YOUNG : marauders era

49. a sluggish morning

"AHHH!!" Both girls screamed as the boys gasped, for it started to rain slugs.

The slugs fell on Mareena and Juliana and they stood still in horror as they felt the disgusting slimy creatures crawling on top of them.

"For Merlin's sake, take 'em off!" the two girls exclaimed as the boys remained looking bewildered. They seemed to be surprised about the fact that someone else had tried to prank them this time.

'Well, not a really well-planned one...' James thought to himself as he noticed a bucket right above the great oak door, turned upside down. They helped get rid of the slugs and as they did so, each wondered who would've been behind it.

They didn't need to ponder on this for long as the Great Hall was apparently empty except for them and two other familiar figures over at the Hufflepuff table, giggling between themselves.

Evangeline cupped her hands in front of her and whispered something to Grace, who glanced at Mareena and Juliana and smirked. However, both immediately fell silent as they felt their piercing stares.

"A muggle trick, I see," Remus remarked as he examined the bucket hanging above the huge door, whilst taking out a slug out of Mareena's hair. "Hate to say this but they're really naïve. I mean, we would have to be fools to not know it's them," he added softly with an amused look.

"Exactly," James agreed, taking out another slug out of Juliana's back. "We can do thousand times better than that."

"A million times better actually," Sirius added with a smirk, examining one of the slugs. "Professor Sprout would like one of these," he said as he remembered her saying how slugs can be used to make plants healthy.

While the boys talked and got rid of the slugs nonchalantly, Mareena took a look at the two Hufflepuffs and saw them send her a satisfied smirk. 'That's it. I've had enough of these idiots,' she thought to herself as she gripped her wand tightly in her hand and muttered an incantation.

All of a sudden, the smirk from their faces vanished and was soon replaced by a queasy expression, as though they were about to throw up. Their faces turned purple and they quickly covered their mouths.

"All done!" the boys exclaimed and Juliana and Mareena breathed out a sigh of relief at the absence of the slimy creatures on their body.

"Hey look. What's wrong with them now?" James asked as he noticed Evangeline and Grace's state.

The group watched on as the two girls turned paler by the second. Suddenly, unable to hold back anymore, they threw up all over the table. The door to the Great Hall burst open right then and everyone recoiled as they saw a dozen slugs all over the table.

The two girls' faces instantly turned red with embarrassment as they continued to throw up fresh crystal-clear slugs. Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff House, came in just in time along with the other professors and hurried Evangeline and Grace to the Hospital Wing.

Mareena undeniably felt guilty. However, the deed was done and she was sure they'd be okay. 'It wasn't that bad of a hex anyway,' she told herself as she devoured a plate of steak and grilled chicken. 'They threw slugs on us so I made them throw up some too.'

She felt a nudge on her left arm and turned to see her sister and the guys looking at her. "It was you, wasn't it?" Juliana asked with a smirk.

"Of course it was," Mareena replied nonchalantly, as she helped herself to a bowl of treacle tart.

"About time, actually," James remarked with a grin. "And that would be a great prank for Snivellus, don't you think?"

"Absolutely not, James," Mareena snapped. "Don't you dare do anything like that to Severus. Poor guy. He didn't even do anything to you."