Nocturnal Nights ( Harry Potter ~ Marauders Era )

Chapter 7

When my Defense Against the Dark Arts class let out, I quickly stopped Alyssa and Jolie before they could head towards the Great Hall.

" What's the problem Thisbe?" Jolie asked as I took them both by their wrists.

" You don't want to go there, promise me." I quickly explained, making them follow me. " Those stupid Gryffindor boys were planning on stinking up the place with a dung bomb."

Alyssa raised her eyebrows at my statement," The Marauders?" She assumed, voluntary following me as I let go of them.

" The Marauders-" I stopped in the middle of the hall, turning to her," What are bloody hell are you talking about?" I questioned, moving us to the side of the hall so we wouldn't get trampled.

Jolie was the one to speak this time, " The Marauders!" She exclaimed, now making the name seem repetitive." Surely you heard of them, news is traveling all around school. It's just a group of four first year Gryffindors that go around pranking everyone, even the professors. They turned a Ravenclaw's hair red and gold and it's not even been a whole week of school." She rambled on, looking at me like I should know this.

I had to stop for a moment to process this. How did I not know about this? They seem to actually be a bigger thing than I expected, because apparently half the school knows about them. Sudden realization came over me when I understood why they were going to prank the whole Hall. They wanted the whole school to know about them. Ugh! Those bastards!

Shaking the thoughts out, I took another deep breath to calm down and I looked at the two girls back in the eyes, sticking my nose up slightly. " Never mind that, at least we won't be loosing our appetite tonight." I grinned back at them, trying to lighten the mood.

Alyssa just groaned and held her stomach. " Man, I was really looking forwards to lunch. I'm starving!" She whined to me like a child. I rolled my eyes and started leading them again.

" Wait, what about Victoria?" Jolie asked, trying to keep up with my fast pace, leaving her panting heavily. I slowed down a bit for her, seeing as we really weren't in a rush.

" Don't worry, I caught her in the hall after first period. She's meeting up with us." I waved it off, not even looking back.

" And where exactly are we meeting up," Alyssa butted in.

I didn't respond and only pointed up ahead to where I had spotted Victoria, sitting on one of the stone windows lining the Middle courtyard. When she heard us approach, she smiled and jumped off. Brushing off the imaginary dust, she joined us in our stroll. " Nice of you to join me." She started off with a fake posh tone.

I shook my head, smiling myself at how silly she was, and we made our way up the stairs of the West Tower. At the very top, I was actually surprised I had gotten the directions right. " Here we are, the Owlery!" I exclaimed , spreading my arms out wide and gasping for air after the long flight of stairs.

Wow, I really need to get into shape.

All around us were about a hundred birds, all nesting in their small little coves built into the walls. Some where even around and about, making Jolie have to duck as a snowy owl dive bombed out through the entrance above her. " We did all of that walking just to visit the Owlery?" Alyssa questioned, walking further into the tower.

" You better get used to it, the school is gigantic. We'll have our whole work outs done for the rest of the year, just by going to class." Victoria joked, turning back to us. I had already started to call out Esther's name, hoping he would find me. To my luck, on the window beside me, a large brown barn owl landed, hooing to make it's presence known.

I smiled to myself before pulling my satchel open and pulling out a letter to my dad. Paying Esther three kunts , I gave him the scroll and he soon took off, back towards home. Turning back, I saw both Alyssa and Victoria bickering at each other sarcastically, as Jolie just sat and started to play with one of the random owls.

I was slightly confused on how different we all are, but some how get along so well.

~~~~

That night, I was in the Hufflepuff common room working on an assignment in for Professor Slughorn . I had to remember what the ingredients and steps were needed to make a simple Cure for Boils potion. Luckily, I had bothered to buy one of the extra un-jinxing books from an off another tip from my aunt. She warned me that Jinxes were very popular spells for pranks, and that I was to stay away from casting them unless it was necessary. So, what better way to avoid them is to get a whole book on how to get rid of them.

Since it was such a simple potion, I easily found it. Taking out my peacock feathered quill, I dipped it in my small bottle of ink and started to write down all of the instructions on how to make it. "Six snake fangs," I mumbled to my self, scribbling it on my scroll in the neatest handwriting I could muster. Which, If I was being honest, was not the best." Add two porcupine quills... stir clockwise five times-" I continued to mutter under my breath, before being rudely interrupted by another voice.

" Hey, Thisle," Alyssa commented jokingly, sliding down in a chair beside me.

" It's not Thisle, It's -"

" So, " She cut my monotone voice off, smiling goofily at me to let me know she was joking around. Sighing, I went back to finishing my homework." Do you want to play a game of Wizard's chess with me." She asked with excitement, wanting me to agree. When I shook my head no, she frowned and laid the side of her head on my assignment. I narrowed my eyes at the dark skinned witch and pushed her head off, hoping she didn't crinkle my paper.

Ignoring her slightly, I dipped my quill in my ink once more and continued to write." No, sorry, but I have to get this done before tomorrow. It's already ten." I stressed, writing even faster. " Besides, I don't even know how to play Wizard's chess, let alone regular chess."

She groaned even louder, attracting a few stairs towards us. " But come on, everyone one else has either gone or fallen asleep. Please, I'll even teach you!" She begged me, tugging at my robe. I scoffed at how desperate she was getting, and because I have no moral strength inside of me, I easily gave in. Capping my ink, I gave a quick glare to the now grinning Alyssa, before blowing on my writing to dry and rolling it back up.

" Fine, but only one round."