eloquence | sirius black ✓

CHAPTER FIVE

THE COLOUR-CHANGING CHARM

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Lily Evans should have known that the Marauders targeted her dorm room first. Marlene McKinnon was a known rival to the Marauders, pranking them every once in a while as revenge of them when they dyed her hair electric blue. Electric blue wasn't much of a pleasant colour for Lily, if she had to be honest with herself. She preferred soft and floral colours.
       And on that Saturday morning, Lily made the poor decision to take a shower. Unfortunately for her, that was the day the Marauders launched their first prank on Marlene McKinnon. And Marlene would take revenge on it precisely a week after. She usually gave space in between pranks, probably for suspense and for the Marauders to be suspicious for no apparent reason at all. Lily helped Marlene sometimes, but otherwise, Dorcas Meadowes was Marlene McKinnon's partner in crime. They were practically twins, you could say, even though they were different-looking and came from different families -- also, their personalities were quite different.
       When Lily came out of the showers, the first thing she saw was green and silver. The Marauders had dyed her hair green and silver. The colours of Slytherin, out of all colors they could've chosen (some colors included neon green, rainbow, hot pink, electric blue, and the color of shite. Don't ask).
       The first reaction coming out of her mouth was a scream. Once Alice, Marlene, and Dorcas (she didn't scream, she squealed in happiness because she had always wanted blonde hair) went out of the showers, they had the same reaction. Oh Merlin, Lily thought.
       Alice's hair was shocking white, whiter than snow, alike the White Rabbit from Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland, which was kind of ironic, since Alice's name was well, Alice. Alice in Wonderland and Alice Fortescue? Sure.
       Besides that, Alice deeply loved the series. Lily did too; they both had a love for books and you could call them bibliophile, in matter of fact.
       Marlene's hair was rainbow-colored, which wasn't as bad as Lily's. She looked like a clown. It was unlike her usual blonde hair. Her hair that usually cascaded in soft curls was different, with the rainbow color. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, and purple decorated her hair like too much Christmas ornaments on one tree. And Dorcas entered out with blonde hair, which she loved. Dorcas had always protested that she would've looked better with blonde hair, not with the light brown she had. Besides, her blue eyes certainly matched her new blonde hair.
       Perhaps Potter put the blonde one for me, thought Lily, an odd feeling surging through her body. It was odd, but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
       "The Marauders." the four girls whispered in sync, furious (except for Dorcas).
       Lily was the first to get out, after dressing into her Gryffindor robes. She went to the boys' dorms furiously, silver and green hair trailing behind her as Gryffindors made several comments about it, which she ignored. She quickly entered the Marauders' dorms, arms akimbo, face as red as her former fiery red hair.
       The Marauders were now gawking at her, odd expressions etched upon their confused faces. James was the first to speak up.
       "Oh hey, Lily." said James awkwardly, waving at her, turning slightly red and nervous as he looked down onto the floor. It was so unlike him that Lily had to raise an eyebrow for a moment.
       "Evans." said Sirius.
       Remus looked embarrassed, his face looking down onto the floor. He clearly did not want to be involved in it. Peter was staring at her, unblinking, not saying anything at all. He was still dressed in his nightwear, a Chudley Cannons shirt and white shorts (Peter supported the Chudley Cannons, even though they would have to change the whole team and drink cauldrons of Liquid Luck to actually win). (But Lily did use to be a supporter of the Chudley Cannons, but well, she just liked them slightly, since she wasn't that interested in Quidditch.) (But if anyone asked her what team she was supporting, she would answer Puddlemure United; they were a great team.)
       There was a long moment of silence when Lily's anger was bubbling inside, slowly getting up. You could say that she was in her 'werewolf time of the month', some might say. Or her 'blood month', or anything the muggles called them.
       In Hogwarts they called it the werewolf time of the month. And that was what had made her go to the Marauders' dorms, angry at them, face flushing red. Lily was angry at them. How dare they pull a prank on them, after all the warnings Lily had passed? She supposed that they hadn't learnt that lesson. Lily inwardly groaned at the thought of it. Out of all things, she got green and silver hair.
       "Don't you have anything to say?" asked Lily, face red like her hair.
       Her former hair, that was, since apparently the Marauders had decided to prank her dorm room by dyeing her hair from fiery red to green and silver, the colours of Slytherin. Lily didn't mind Slytherin -- Severus and Diana were from that house, and they were her friends; but quite frankly, she thought that those colours looked ridiculous on her.
       "Sorry?" asked Remus, flinching as Lily stepped forward, the red slowly fading from her face from Remus's questionable apology.
       "We will never do it again." James said, as if it were a line he had already memorized. Lily's eyes darted to Sirius, who was still standing there with an innocent smile, as if he didn't take part in it at all. Which Lily did not believe. If James had taken part in the prank, it was most likely that Sirius Orion Black the Third was involved in it, for the two were best friends and were practically brothers, honestly.
       "Sorry, Evans." Peter managed to squeak out.
       Lily gave a small uncertain nod, which was good enough for James. A small smile had appeared on the bespectacled boy's face.
       With a hmph!, Lily left the Gryffindor boys' dorms, arms crossed. Old habits did die hard, after all. And one habit of the Marauders was pranking. Many students, including professors, caretakers, and owls (they pecked Sirius until he had bite marks on his hands. He had to be brought to Madam Pomfrey and stay there for a night) (Lily felt bad for him being pecked, but the feeling quickly disappeared when she remembered all the chaos he had caused in Hogwarts because of the pranks) have protested in a way. Pecking students, detention, uproars, and futile attempts to prank back the Marauders (only Marlene McKinnon had done it. No one knows how, but she just did somehow. Well the answer to that was that Lily Evans, Dorcas Meadowes, and Alice Fortescue helped them.)
       Lily left and went off to her Great Hall, but not before getting her book bag from her dorm room. After all, her belongings were there; including textbooks, quills, and ink pots, which she needed for the lessons that day.
       While she passed a nearby bathroom, she tried to reverse the spell.
       "Colovaria." said Lily, pointing her wand sharply to her hair. For a split second, her hair turned it's usual fiery red.
       The red-haired girl tried it once more, not having the urge to give up at all. That time, she tried it with her utmost strength. "Colovaria!" she exclaimed. Her hair turned back to its usual fiery red color. Lily grinned as she left the bathroom. Perhaps there was indeed, a flaw in the Marauders' prank. She was able to reverse it, thankfully.
       People did make mistakes, after all. Lily entered the Great Hall, only to reveal Marlene, Alice, and Dorcas, their hair still in the odd colors.
       "How did you -- " Marlene was about to say, but Lily quickly interrupted her with the answer to her question, which Lily knew Marlene had expected. Lily loved the charm she used to change her hair colour, although it was quite hard to perform.
       "Color-Changing Charm," said Lily smoothly. "A sixth-year charm. Looked it up over the holidays," she muttered the last part, but still loud enough for the three to hear.
       The three nodded, but didn't understand, as they hadn't learned the Color-Changing Charm. Between the quartet, Lily was the one who looked up spells and potions during the holidays, perhaps to prepare for the year after that, and to compete with Diana Allister, her friend, to be the top of the year, which usually ended in a tie. Lily won during third year. Diana won during second year. The other times were a tie. It was safe to say that the both were just as equal.
       Lily placed down her spoon as she rummaged through her book bag, searching for something to read.
       One of the habits of the Marauders' was pranking. Lily's was reading during breakfast, lunch, dinner, and after classes. She loved reading. She did it during the spare time, and even in the times when she didn't have work to do during her classes. Especially after her mother always read fairy tales to her and Petunia. But that was long ago.
       Petunia and her had drifted apart when they figured out that Lily was a muggle-born witch.
       Truth to be told, Petunia Evans had always wanted to be a witch, like her. She had even sent a letter to Dumbledore asking for a place at Hogwarts.
       But fate had different turns for Petunia and Lily Evans. Each of them had their own fate to fill. A life of magic. And a normal life. Lily sighed. Sometimes, Lily Evans wished that her life was normal. Lily would've been with Petunia and their friendship would be a strong one, like it was for ten years of Lily's life. But without their friendship drifting apart, the Dark Lord would've won.
       And that was what Lily Evans didn't know.

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"Who's there?" Lily asked when there was a knock on her dorm room. It clearly wasn't Alice, Marlene, or Dorcas -- the three had gone out to the Great Hall for a game of chess and some warm, hot chocolate in the afternoon. Lily had refused that offer in order to write several essays she needed to do for her classes; they were still due for a long time, but she wanted to finish earlier.
       "Diana Allister, your favourite Slytherin," said the voice at the door. It was clearly Diana. Lily questioned how she managed to go in the Gryffindor Common Room, but she didn't ask questions. Diana was cunning, and she had her own ways.
       "I wouldn't say favourite," said Lily with a grin as she opened the door for Diana, who came in and laid down on Marlene's bed, facing the ceiling. "You know you're tied with Sev for that."
       "Eh, never really talked to him much," said Diana. "He's always so silent, if I have to be honest," she said with a hint of curiosity in her voice. "But he is good at Potions, I have to admit. Along with you. I'm too lazy and I have to work to tie with you both."
       "True," said Lily with a chuckle. "Also, have you done your homework for Professor Sprout and Professor McGonagall?" she questioned. "If I remember correctly, they both gave essays to us that we're supposed to do, Di. I'm guessing that you either did it already, unlike me, or you're just too lazy to do it."
       "I already did it," said Diana with a grin. "I tend to finish work at classes faster to in the meantime I did the essays. Much better than doodling random drawings on my notebook. Anyways, I see there that you're doing your essays, and I'm probably disturbing you right now, so I'll just go. See you later, Lily," she said as she got up and left, mouthing her a good luck.
       Lily sighed as she heard the door slam shut.
       She had to get her essay finished. She was determined to do so, but there was a lot on her mind that distracted her; for example the things that had happened earlier in the morning. With the help of Madam Pomfrey, Marlene, Alice, and Dorcas had gotten their hair back to normal.
       For now, she'll just do her essay. The rest could wait for later on.

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q: favourite allister?

a: victoria !! she's not really mentioned so far but i love how i wrote her so wtvr ~w~