A Prank Pulled Perfectly
September 15th, 1971
The next night, after the castle had settled into its usual silence, the group was ready. They waited until the common room was empty before sneaking out through the portrait hole, Remus leading the way with his growing knowledge of secret passages.
“Quiet, Peter,” Sirius whispered as Peter stumbled over a loose stone.
“I am quiet,” Peter hissed back, his voice barely audible.
“Focus, both of you,” James said, his wand raised to light their way. “We’re nearly there.”
They moved through the winding corridors until they reached the painting of a fruit bowl. Remus reached up and tickled the pear, which giggled and transformed into a doorknob.
“After you, gentlemen,” he said with a grin.
They slipped inside the bustling kitchen, where house-elves were finishing the day’s cleaning. One of them looked up as they entered, her big eyes widening.
“Students shouldn’t be here,” she squeaked.
“We’re not causing any trouble,” Sirius assured her, flashing his most charming grin. “We just need to borrow the laundry for a moment.”
The elf tilted her head, unconvinced. Remus stepped forward, his voice calm and kind.
“We just need to check something quickly,” he said. “We won’t touch anything else. Promise.”
The elf hesitated but eventually nodded, waving them toward a large pile of robes awaiting cleaning.
“Work fast,” she said nervously.
Sirius and James crouched by the pile, their wands moving in synchronized patterns as they murmured the incantation Remus had crafted. A faint shimmer passed over the robes, leaving them looking untouched.
“Is it done?” Peter whispered, glancing nervously at the door.
“Done,” James said, standing and dusting off his hands.
“Perfect,” Sirius said, smirking. “Let’s get out of here.”
They left the kitchens as quietly as they had come, slipping back into the Gryffindor Tower just before curfew.
“Now we wait,” Sirius said as they climbed into bed, all of them grinning with anticipation.
The next morning, the Great Hall buzzed with its usual chatter. They sat at the Gryffindor table, pretending to be engrossed in their breakfast, though they were all stealing glances at the Slytherin table.
It didn’t take long. Snape stormed into the hall, his usual scowl replaced by a look of pure fury. His robes were an electric pink, glittering in the sunlight streaming through the enchanted ceiling. As he moved, the fabric shifted to a garish yellow covered in lime-green polka dots.
The hall erupted into laughter.
“Merlin’s beard,” James muttered, trying to keep a straight face.
“Better than I imagined,” Sirius whispered, hiding his grin behind his goblet.
Snape’s eyes scanned the hall until they landed on the Gryffindor table. He marched straight over, his wand clenched in one hand.
“This is your doing!” he snarled, pointing his wand at Sirius.
Sirius leaned back, feigning innocence. “Us? Why would you think that, Severus?”
“Because this has Potter and Black written all over it,” Snape spat, his voice trembling with rage.
“Do you have any proof?” Remus asked calmly, raising an eyebrow.
Snape glared at him. “I know it was you.”
“Knowing and proving are two different things,” James said, smirking. “If you can’t prove it, you can’t exactly blame us, can you?”
Snape’s hand twitched as if he were considering hexing them then and there, but the presence of Professors at the staff table stopped him.
“This isn’t over,” he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. “I’ll get you back for this.”
Sirius leaned forward, his grin widening. “We’ll be waiting.”
When Snape finally stormed away, still glowing like a rainbow, the boys erupted into laughter.
“Did you see his face?” Sirius choked out, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“I think his hair almost turned pink to match his robes,” James added, clutching his stomach.
Remus couldn’t help but smile. “He’s going to try something, you know. We’ll have to be careful.”
“Careful?” Sirius said, throwing an arm around Remus. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Besides,” James said, “with Professor Lupin on our side, we’ll always be one step ahead.”
Remus rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress the warmth that spread through him. For all the trouble they caused, there was no denying the bond they shared.