Secret Prankster (Sirius Black) ON HOLD

The Marauders

"Dream on, Potter!" Lily said in a frustrated tone. It seemed that Scarlett would be acquainted with James Potter earlier than she had anticipated. He wore a lazy grin that betrayed an undeniable arrogance. Scarlett could understand his infatuation, Lily was attractive and she had been nothing but kind to Scarlett. Nonetheless her thoughts wondered to what Lily had just mentioned. She wondered what a Marauder was.

Scarlett voiced her question to Mia, but she noticed that it caught James' attention. He looked at her as if to reply but he was interrupted by three figures that appeared beside him. The first had curly hair, an undeniably handsome face and grey eyes. Beside him was a boy with scruffy brown hair who donned slightly shabby robes. Trailing a little further behind was a shorter boy that rather resembled a rat. Scarlett felt mean but there was an unmistakeable rat-like air to him.

Before she could enquire further, the grey-eyed one said "We heard our names."

"What?" Scarlett muttered confused.

"They call themselves the Marauders, it's like their nickname," Rory explained. 

Potter turned to Scarlett after smiling towards his friends. "The four of us are the Marauders. Four attractive Gryffindors that no one dares to mess with." Scarlett stiffened at the word 'pranks', she clearly had competition. She caught Lily rolling her eyes. 

"I'm James Potter." he continued.

"Like I didn't figure that one out," Scarlett muttered. Lily smirked at her response, but James pretended not to have heard.

 "That's Sirius," He motioned to the curly haired boy.

"I'm Remus," said the one with shabbier robes. She noticed a badge that read 'Prefect' was proudly on display. He then moved inwards, sat down and started to read his book. Scarlett nodded approvingly.

"I'm Peter," said the rat-like boy quietly.

"Remus! You're a prefect!" Rory exclaimed.

He looked up in surprise and then laughed. "I have a feeling the teachers are hoping that by making me a prefect James and Sirius might stop behaving badly. It seems they'll be sorely disappointed if that's the case."

"This could work in our favour. Remus can dock points from Slytherin whenever Snivellus'  slimy hair is offending our eyes," Sirius added. 

Snivellus?  Scarlett was surprised at this rather unusual appellation. She stopped in her tracks when she noticed Lily grow angy. 

"Gosh! Will you grow up already! How many times have I told you to stop calling him that?" Lily's outburst surprised Scarlett but she was quickly struck with a pang of admiration. 

"Until the day you stop defending him!" James retorted angrily. Remus sighed and before anything else could be said, he muttered that it was time for he and his friends to return to their compartment.  He left and dragged his friends behind him.

"Snivellus?" Scarlett enquired.

"Severus Snape, an odd Slytherin boy whom Lily has been friends with since childhood. However him and these idiots have been bickering since their very first day at Hogwarts." Mia explained quickly. The conversation trailed off soon after, and Scarlett decided to nap after changing into her robes.

Eventually the train came to a halt. The journey had been rather long, and it had only succeeded in making Scarlett's stomach knot in nerves. Her nap had not been very pleasant. Scarlett followed her friends blindly, her mind lost in thought anticipating her first encounter with Hogwarts.

When they finally arrived, an imposing woman walked over to Scarlett. She wore her hair in a tight bun and her face looked firm, commanding a sense of authority. 

"Scarlett Dixon I presume," She said curtly. Scarlett smiled and nodded, admiring her accent. "I'm Professor McGonagall. Head of Gryffindor House and Transfiguration Professor. You'll be sorted before the first years. Follow me." She ended curtly. 

She marched Scarlett into a large hall packed with students. Heads turned to watch her and she felt ever so slightly like a recently discovered Nargle specimen.

Professor McGonagall motioned to a stool at the end of the room. Scarlett approached it, and spotted a pointed hat. She had read Hogwarts: A History so she quickly realised this was the Sorting Hat. Scarlett picked up the hat, sat on the stool and slowly lowered it on to her head. The silence in the room and the observant eyes made her swallowing audible. What was supposed to happen next?

Well...I suppose I'm supposed to sort you into a House, but sometimes it does get dreadfully boring doing this over and over again. I don't suppose you'd like me to compose a poem for you? Actually Dumbledore will get annoyed if I take too long - maybe later? 

Anyway let's get you sorted...Hmmmm...I remember dearest Astrid and all your lovely relatives...Almost all Slytherins though a few Ravenclaws managed to make it in too...You're certainly a cunning one...You'd fit right it...

"Actually I'm not so keen on Slytherin" Scarlett remarked. 

Oh really...it's true - I sense a desire to change...a pity. Well, I've made my decision.

The hat opened it's mouth to speak and shouted "HUFFLEPUFF!"