Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 62

The annual start-of-term prank has been put on hold a full week due to our very own James Potter wanting to quote unquote strike loud and unanticipated. In his demented mind there are people in school that are onto us. Rubbish in my opinion, but we all go along with it anyhow.

This prank has been particularly difficult for the boys and me to set up but if everything runs smoothly today it could very well be the most satisfaction-granting thing for us to ever pull off. There isn't anything left to do now but wait for the teachers and students to fall victim to our scheme. The scene unfolding as I walk down the halls this morning is something to see let me tell you.

Every chair, doorknob, serving spoon, quill and library book in the whole school have been transfigured into a Portkey which brings you to another set location in the castle. People are popping up and disappearing left and right, some simply having fun with it and others rendered utterly perplexed.

We take advantage of the situation at our fingertips by creating a game of it; hide-and-seek tag of sorts but better. Who is it we're running from you ask? Well –

"BOYS AND HOLLAND!" McGonagall hollers accusingly in a rush of fury, green robes flailing after her as she nears.

James chuckles when the severe-looking woman has us cornered. "What possibly gave you the idea that this was our doing? Do you think so highly of us, Minnie?"

"It is always you five." She speaks slowly and dangerously.

I glance left then right before whisper-yelling a not so subtle, "run!" On cue all of us, barring Sirius, jog past our professor. "I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU! GET BACK HERE!"

Sirius blocks her view of us by stepping forward. "IT'S TIME TO INITIATE ESCAPE PLAN THREE POINT FIVE DASH B BRACKETED COLUMN TWENTY-FOUR UNDERLINED PARAGRAPH EIGHTEEN HIGHLIGHTED TEXT TWELVE QUOTED SECTION MARKED F FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SEVEN NEGATIVE TWO SUBDIVISION SIX –"

"What are you trying to do here, Mr Black?" McGonagall sighs, attempting to rub her headache away.

Sirius watches the rest of us escape from around the next hallway before smirking and saying, "Distract you." With that, he too escapes by grabbing ahold of the nearest doorknob.

Remus looks down at me with a wide grin. "How long has he been waiting to use that one?"

I giggle as we run on, "Dunno, but that was priceless!"

The pursuit goes on for hours upon hours until every student is simultaneously summoned to the Great Hall for a major lecture about our unacceptable behaviour. A lecture given by the one and only Professor Minnie of course. "...never, in all my years of teaching, has something so ludicrous ever happened!" Once McGonagall has been drained of her fuss, she gestures for Dumbledore to say something to back her up.

The man nods in understanding and stands up from his seat, blue eyes twinkling behind half-moons. "That was fun!"

"Albus!"

*

My day-to-day detention is with Filch tonight. He's been much nicer to me since I gave him that cat. He and Mrs Norris have been attached at the hip ever since his birthday. The cat simply adores him and he couldn't be happier with her. Sometimes all a grumpy old person needs is a sweet furry thing to cheer him up. But eventually punishment for my baboonery is inevitably instated. The hustle and bustle from today's prank has exhausted the castle to the point where nearly everyone's in bed already and it's only nine.

"Nice night, isn't it sir?" I greet Mr Filch pleasantly.

"Actually it's awful out. Storm, I think."

"Ah. Well," I nudge him with a grin. "who doesn't love a good storm?"

He grimaces a smile and nods. "Er," He clears his throat awkwardly. "sort through the piles of parchment on my desk. You're free go when you're done."

"Easy enough."

It barely takes me a half hour before I'm let go and scamper up to the boys dormitories. Slamming the door open I announce, "It's a full moon tonight!"

Consequently, James shoots awake, Peter falls off his bed, and Sirius screams out for Merlin.

Holding a hand over his heart Sirius gasps, "Why must you insist on doing that every time you enter our room?!"

I ignore him and cackle devilishly, partly because they're too fun to mess with and partly because I'm sleep-deprived. "In honour of the day, what do you say to finally getting a move on the Animagus plan?" The boys each slump back and release a chorus of disinterested moans. "Hello? Earth to teenage miscreants!"

"Must we start right now?" Peter asks, rubbing at his droopy eyes in exhaustion.

"Yeah Keeks, we're sleepy." James whines. "Can't this possibly wait one more night?"

"Remus' furry little problem isn't waiting for anyone. Don't be selfish, we're doing this for him if you remember. Am I right, Sirius?"

Sirius sheepishly scratches at the back of his neck. "I actually agree with the guys on this one." I whip my head in his direction and gasp dramatically. "I just think we should all be mentally present when we do this – look at Pete! He can't even keep his eyes open."

It's true, Peter's already sacking out. "Alright." I mumble stubbornly. "But we will tomorrow, won't we?"

"Tomorrow, yes, of course." James nods his head rigorously. "Will you come to sleep now? I sleep better with you hugging me."

A smile breaks out onto my face. "You make it difficult for me to stay upset with you and I resent that I hope you know."

"I know. Sleep tight, my muffins!" James announces before tossing his spectacles to the side and flipping off the light.