Amulet of Time 3: The Wolf and The Pelican

Chapter 19: April Fool!

The weeks after the Death Eater meeting passed rather quietly. The time travellers and Marauders had become closer since that first full moon together, and spent more time planning pranks together. Sev and Harry continued to work on weapons training and duelling skills, as well as apparition. Harry had no desire to have a repeat of the last meeting. The sooner Sev could go on his own, the better. Like most things, the fifth year picked it up fairly quickly, and soon the pair was escaping to Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley at the weekends without anyone noticing. They felt they needed some relief from their hectic lives, and didn't see the harm in taking a few unauthorised excursions.

By the time April rolled around, everyone had become a lot more relaxed. Voldemort had been particularly quiet, which seemed to lull everyone into a false sense of security. Even the ever vigilant Alastor Moody was relaxing his constant guard a little, although he was still as paranoid as ever. The joys of the springtime months came to a head on the morning of April 1st. The students were dismayed when all they found for breakfast was sawdust and hay. Looking to the teachers, they saw the staff to be equally confused. Eventually, Sirius took pity on them and stood up, coughing to grab everyone's attention.

" Happy April Fool's Day!" he said with a grin. The whole student and staff population, with the exception of the Marauders, Ron and Harry, groaned. The pranksters all smirked evilly and exchanged knowing looks. The Marauders had been working tirelessly for the last couple of weeks with Ron, Harry, Peeves and Gallatea to come up with enough pranks for the day to be unforgettable. Harry got out his Mischief Making Kit, the one he received from the Weasley twins before he came on the crazy trip, and used some of the products in there on the teachers. As the things in it were original to Ron's brothers, no-one knew where they came from, making them original and highly amusing.

By the time lunch came around, the students were highly irritated. Potions had been a disaster when everyone found their cauldrons to be lined with an invisible substance unknown even to Professor Sewell. Whenever students tried to make a potion with a combination of Asphodel and unicorn tail hair, the effects of their work would be a little different to usual. The potion would release a vapour, leaving those unfortunate enough to have had the subject that morning speaking nothing but ancient Aramaic. People who had Charms were also affected by an irritating charm. Anyone who passed through the door would be spelled to attract anything metallic. Chairs, tables and cutlery all went flying toward the unfortunate few who had entered the classroom before Professor Flitwick had arrived.

At the end of lunch people started to get a little worried when the Marauders, past and present, all pulled out umbrellas. Everyone looked at the roof of the Great Hall in trepidation, some even trying to run out before the inevitable prank began. Those who tried found themselves thrown back into the room by an invisible force and covered in eel slime. Some of the girls squealed at the mess, but everyone grew silent as it started to rain pencil shavings. Those from pureblood families couldn't understand what the small pieces of wood were. The slimy people, though, groaned in frustration as the shavings started to stick to them.

At dinner, Harry chanced a glance up at Professor Dumbledore. It was obvious he found the day's events amusing by the twinkle in his eyes. When he spotted Harry watching him, he tried to send a disapproving look, but the twitching of his lips gave him away. Harry just grinned back at him and clapped his hands. Instantly, a drum kit and several electric guitars appeared in the corner of the room. Most people didn't notice them until the end of dinner, when the tables disappeared with a wave of Ron's hand. The headmaster looked to the Boy-Who-Lived, who simply smiled back innocently and gestured to the instruments, which instantly came to life. The students and most of the teachers were confused until Dumbledore stood up to address them.

" It seems, everyone, that our resident pranksters have organised a party for us to celebrate April Fool's Day. Although I didn't know about this, I can't see the harm. Have fun!"