October 1971
James stood frozen staring.
But it didn’t take long for him to laugh aloud. Many people were already around him.
He and Sirius had broken into a boisterous laugher, unable to control themselves.
“I did not mean for the food to end up there…” Sirius with little remorse. James just laughed harder. They both sobered when Professor Slughorn came.
The balding teacher was furious and telling the students there was nothing to see. But it was too late. The images of Snape, Mulciber, Avery, Lestrange and Rosier were burned in everyone’s minds.
-
James and Sirius reunited with Peter and Remus.
They’d told each other everything. But Peter and Remus didn’t laugh. No, instead, Peter paled and Remus frowned.
“We saw Slughorn in Dumbledore’s office asking for some compensation. McGonagoll was there too, Slughorn thinks it’s a rivalry and wants to put an end to it.”
“That’s not so bad Pete.” James assured him.
But Remus shook his head.
“Their talking about expulsion.”
-
And that is why the four of them were listening in on Dumbledore’s conversation with the teachers. Remus suggested it, “If you’re going to be expelled, you should at least know” was his reasoning. Peter was against it at first but was coaxed in to it by Sirius. James was still coming down his high.
They’d stumble on this hidden path accidentally.
On the way to Dumbledore’s office, Peter slipped and fell right into a tapestry. And he uncovered a quick path to the inside of Dumbledore’s office. Well, the walls atleast.
“Oi, Shove over Lupin!” Sirius tried to shift his position, but he kept stumbling. Remus took up more space than the others because of how tall he was, thought Pete was also competing.
“Shh! I can’t hear anything!” That was James tried to put his ear against the thin walls.
“Albus, I won’t let my house be tolerated like this! A bit of rivalry is fine. More than welcome. It gets the mind working, but this? This is assault!” Slughorn raved on.
“Come now Slughorn, I don’t think it was a student. There is no way they’d be able to access the kitchens without notifying the elves.”
“The elves were coincidentally all someplace else! This must be a curse!”
“Well Slughorn, if it was a curse than perhaps you might want to accuse one of your students.” McGonagall added.
Slughorn sputtered, and before he could say anything, Dumbledore spoke one last time.
“It wasn’t any of our students Slughorn. Perhaps, a group of marauders who have nothing better to do, hm?”
He didn’t wait for a response. He sent both professors away right after.
“Phew! You guys aren’t in trouble.” Peter jinxed them.
Dumbledore snapped his fingers and the wall all four boys were leaning on disappeared and they hit the floor, ending up on top of one another.
“Ah, here the marauders themselves! Potter, Black, Pettigrew and…” Dumbledore squinted his eyes before exclaiming “Lupin”.