Let the Pranks Begin
Monday September 6th, 1971
Remus was not present for breakfast nor for the morning lessons and the pit in James’ stomach grew deeper as the dread of his eventual reappearance grew stronger. The longer he seemed to be gone the harder James imagined the reunion.
When James, Sirius, and Peter arrived in Potions Class after lunch Remus was already there, slouched over his stool eyes closed. He seemed to be drifting off, if not to sleep then to some far away land, James hoped his imagination was taking him somewhere warm. Though Remus was apparently shaken from his thoughts by the arrival he merely nodded in their direction.
The silence was awkward and unnatural especially for boys such as themselves; continuously loud and obnoxious.
Remus cleared his throat, “alright lads?”
“Alright” James replied, “what do we think would happen if I slipped some grass into Mary’s cauldron?”
***
It was still a beautiful sunny day and after the boys decided to steal food from the hall then lounge out by the great Black Lake they had passed over for the first time only days ago. The air was beginning to become more crisp and sharp to his lungs but the sun beat down so hot they all took off their robes and discarded their ties.
All around students lounged, played gobstones and waded into the Black Lake. Sirius was asking Remus question after question about the Muggle world but James didn’t care too much, content with his own world. He played a round of chess at Peter’s request but eventually settled back into the grass
James closed his eyes and felt the rush of an autumn wind ruffling his thick black hair. The grass poked against his body, especially his hands which lay beneath his head. The air was earthy from his spot in the sun and he could imagine how the castle would look once the leaves turned red.
Like it's decorated for Gryffindor he laughed to himself.
While the boys still had pages of homework James heavily considered staying outside, sprawled in the thick grass if not for Peter’s incessant worries about detention within their first two weeks of school. So eventually they were forced to collect their things and make their way to the common room. It was no matter though, the air had grown too cold after the sun had set behind the great mountain surrounding the castle.
September Friday 10th, 1971
Charcoal, ash, and thick burning filled James lungs.
“Oi Remus you can’t be turning the furnace on so high” James yelled sleepily, rubbing the crust from his eyes.
“Not me! Sirius go put some socks on and turn the stove down” he hollered back and James could hear him rustling about, getting up and out of bed.
“Mlurph” replied Sirius, an extremely heavy sleeper.
“Oh fuck!”
“Merlin Lupin, Petey’s listening, language”
“Fire. Do the water spell! The water spell!”
“What?!”
“Water spell!”
James tumbled out of bed. Low and behold. All of their ties, strewn on the ground, the furnace railing, and atop their trunks. Set completely ablaze.
“Aguamenti!” He shrieked; jumping straight up in the air.
He definitely doused the ties, and their entire dorm.
Sirius shot out of bed as his soaking wet curtain smacked him upside the head, Peter gurgled as his blanket waterboarded him, and Remus dashed for the toilet as his white sleep vest was drenched.
Eventually the chaos halted and James had enough sense to stop spraying water everywhere, Remus emerged in a dry vest, Sirius shook the water from his hair like a dog, and Peter held up his crisp tie.
James looked down to see his own tie barely salvageable and his two roommates were in no better shape.
“Breakfast?” Peter suggested.
***
The boys hung their ties around their necks loosely like a fashion statement. The ties were crisped and blackened, hardly showing their deep crimson and bright gold anymore.
“What happened to you lot?” Mary laughed more than she asked. Mary was a pretty girl, confident and ready to crack and joke so it was wholly unsurprising she was the first jest of their new style.
“Fought some dragons last night” Sirius winked back.
“More like slayed some dragons don’t sell yourself short Black” James said leaning to Mary as though he was sharing a secret.
Breakfast continued and Peter attempted to tie his tie only resulting in the end breaking off and crumpling sadly to the ground.
“Nice ties” a voice said behind James and he whipped around, greeting the musty face of Severus Snape.
“Just thought you’d want a chance to use your water spell, seems to be a favourite of yours” his lips curling on the sides on what was supposed to be a smile but it didn’t reach his eyes so it was just really bloody creepy.
He then cackled and walked away leaving four boys sitting in shock.
“What did we ever do to him?” Sirius spoke first smacking his hand onto the table almost into Remus’ chocolate sprinkle toast.
“We cannot give him the last laugh no way” James too smacked his first onto the table, actually landing in some jam, which he licked off.
“How could he even do it he can’t get into the dorm?” Remus questioned.
“Outside”
“What are you on about Pete?” Sirius questioned.
“Yesterday we were laying about and we took our ties off, we must have looked away for a moment”
“But how?” Remus asked, “the ties didn’t light up ‘til this morning?”
“A timer spell, but that’s tough stuff. Is Snape really smart enough for that?” James glanced over and surveyed this enemy as Sirius spoke.
“No but Evans is.” He realised aloud watching the two of them talk. Her deep red hair swishing like the fire of his tie as she pulled it up into a ponytail.
“No way she’s such a goody goody” Peter said shaking his head
“You're one to talk Petey” James ruffled his blond hair.
“But really we cannot let this slide, let’s get Snape for now we’ll figure out Evans later” Remus decided for them.
“Lads, we have some work to do, and we’ll have to go somewhere we have always feared, somewhere none of us should have ever had to step foot into” Sirius said, rising from the table, hands flat against it and leaning forward.
“The library”
***
Monday September 20th, 1971
The plan had taken form.
The band of boys would hit Snape where it hurt. Mentally and physically but most importantly they wouldn’t get caught.
It was nearing midnight and James sat on Peter’s bed with his legs stretched out waiting.
“James, you need to explain how we aren’t gonna get caught? How are we even getting into Slytherin?” Remus demanded arms crossed from where he sat diagonal.
Initially Remus had been all on board even coming up with their winning idea however as their decided date moved closer he seemed to be more and more sceptical.
“I think it’s about time anyway. Prepare for this reveal lads.”
James reached into his truck and dug around for a moment before grasping onto a familiar soft fabric and yanking it upwards. He flourished it allowing the red cloth to twist on the light revealing thin golden threads intertwining throughout.
“James, you want us to ugly our way into the Slytherin’s bedroom?” Sirius said, leaning back to laugh.
“No but you could do that on your own Black” he replied before twisting the robe over his shoulders, smelling deeply the dust mixed with his dad’s blood orange and amber cologne. “I was thinking of a more subtle approach as I, James Potter, am the King of Subtle.”
A gasp reverberated and Sirius shot forward to take a closer look. Remus stayed out on his bed and stared, his eyebrows lifted into his dirty blond hair.
“How come you didn’t tell me you had an invisibility cloak?” Peter asked while circling where James’ body should be.
“Sorry Petey had to have my moment of reveal”
“Can we all fit under there?” Sirius asked before rushing against James grabbing Peter on his way. James opened the cloak and his friends slipped inside their bodies too vanishing.
“Get in here Remus and bring the bottle it’s time to get some revenge” Sirius yelled and threw the cloak open once again allowing the final boy to step inside.
The shuffle down to the dungeon was long, and the stairs were a nightmare but eventually they made it to where they had figured out the common room of Slytherin house began.
They had to wait several minutes and James grew increasingly bored out of his mind until a tall, slender, absolutely gorgeous prefect walked by.
“Bloody hell” Sirius whispered, “My cousin, Narcissa. We gotta be quiet” James felt Remus’ elbow move to dig into Sirius’ side except it mostly just jostled the four of them.
James could imagine what Remus was thinking there’s no need to say be quiet you’re the only one talking. That made James giggled and another elbow was cast astray beneath the cloak.
As Narcissa swished into the common room the cloaked boys hurried behind revealing the dark and wide room. The air was at least ten degrees colder than outside and everything was shades of black and green with thick silver hanging all around.
“I think I’m gonna be sick” Remus whispered, clutching his mouth.
“Same let’s get this done and blow this Wizzbees stand” Sirius replied in disgust shooing them towards the stairs.
They walked up the winding spiral stairs until Remus pointed down to a door that as they approached included Severus Snape on its list of names.
“Okay Petey do the honors” James shook Peter’s shoulders and watched as he stuck his wand out of the cloak, they had chosen Peter as he seemed the least likely of the group to be suspected of wrongdoing.
“Pulveris Nubes Cras”
The combination of spells had taken practise and their room was a disaster by the end but James was sure it would work and was really looking forward to the next day.
After slipping outside and throwing off the cloak the boys ran down the hallway forgetting the whole reason they had utilised the robe in the first place, subtlety.
The gang crashed back into their room and stayed up talking until Remus’ head was falling forward with sleep and James suggested they get a kip so they could be wide awake when it was time to see their masterpiece.
After brushing his teeth and pulling on his soft red flannel trousers James sat up behind his curtain, completely and totally unable to sleep. His very bones electrified with excitement, his first real mission completed.
“You up?” Sirius' voice whispered from next to him.
“On the ceiling” and Sirius padded over, climbing onto his bed so they were shoulder to shoulder, legs stretched out in front.
“What’d you think of the common room?” Sirius asked after some comfortable silence.
“Not a fan, not like ours” James thought back to the cold feeling, the wide expanse of darkness compared to the cosy, fireplace filled room just under their dorm.
“My parents wish I was down there right now. But it’s so cold, why would anyone want to be?”
“Cause that’s all they know I guess. People like what they’re used to”
“Would your mum and dad have been angry if you weren’t in Gryffindor?” Sirius turned to face James, even in the dark his silver eyes were bright and curious and an odd look in his eye like he had an answer he wanted to hear.
“Nah mum and dad are easy to please, if I’m happy, like really happy, then they’re happy”
“Cheers” Sirius settled back down beside him and somehow James felt like he had given Sirius the answer he wanted.
“You should meet them. Mum would probably swoop you up. Then we could be brothers for real”
“We’re brothers now I think”
“I’ve always wanted a brother” James smiled and that was that. Sirius crossed back to his own bed and James could hear Peter finally sleep, his fog horn snoring blaring from across the room.
His friends were close, his revenge plan had begun, and James Potter was brothers with Sirius Black.
***
Tuesday September 21st, 1971
The group huddled around their usual breakfast spot, barely eating, too anxious to see when Snape would come storming up to the Great Hall.
In their trial runs they had found that the spell would take hold at about eight in the morning and that time was quickly approaching.
“There, look” Remus zeroed in on Snape as he walked into the hall and suddenly, out of nowhere the dust from across the room began to lift up and shoot towards him. It clung onto his clothes and his greasy hair and the Gryffindor boys erupted into laughter, roaring and clutching their stomachs as Snape frantically swatted at the dust.
Snape began to sneeze feverishly and snot shot out of his nose onto his robe. This made the boys laugh harder and harder and was causing a huge commotion as other students began to watch the scene unfold.
Snape began running as fast as he could towards them, wand withdrawn and James jumped up to step in front of Peter.
“That is enough” a voice boomed from next to him and James shrank down seeing McGonagles angry face.
She vanished away the dust silently and sent Snape to the hospital wing to get checked, James’ group slowly turned back to their food Remus kicking Sirius under the table for being unable to stifle his giggles.
“You four, my office. Now”
***
“Explain why Mr. Snape was so certain that it was you four behind his troubles this morning”
James cleared his throat and attempted to level his tone “I’m not sure Professor, we didn’t even have our wands on us you can check!”
This piece was true, the boys had purposely left their wands upstairs so they could play innocent if necessary, not fearing Snape’s hexes in a hall filled with Professors.
“The only way someone could do that is if they did it last night and we don’t have access to the Slytherin common room!”
This piece was true.
“We’re Gryffindor no way could we be down there!” Sirius added, throwing in an innocent grin.
This piece was not true
“I see well, should you Marauders be making an appearance in relation to Mr. Snape again I will not be so willing to take plausible deniability. Understood”
“Yes Professors” they all echoed with varying levels of confidence, James’ was the highest of course.
“That was a tough bit of magic for first years” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
“Well if you find out who did it let us know maybe they could give help with our lessons” James smiled and rose from his chair and walked out his fellow Marauders in tow they only made it outside the room before collapsing into laughter once again.
Their first prank completed and, at least in James’ mind, a name to assign their work:
Marauders.