A Slytherin Surprise
February 13th, 1972
The week leading up to their prank was spent in hushed whispers, stolen moments, and careful planning. The boys met late at night, gathered around the map that Remus had created, refining every detail of their plan. They wanted to hit Snape where it hurt—not physically, of course, but in his pride and ego.
James was particularly enthusiastic, sketching out elaborate diagrams of potential pranks. Sirius was the ideas man, his mind racing with possibilities. Peter was eager, though a little hesitant when things got too complicated, and Remus, as usual, served as the voice of reason, keeping their schemes grounded in reality.
The idea was simple yet ingenious: they would use one of the hidden passages near the Slytherin common room to smuggle in a series of enchanted objects. The centerpiece of the prank was a cauldron charmed to emit a harmless but utterly foul-smelling green smoke whenever someone tried to cast a spell near it.
The cauldron would be placed just outside the entrance to the Slytherin common room, hidden behind a tapestry. The smoke wouldn’t hurt anyone, but it would linger for hours, clinging to clothes and hair. Anyone who left the common room would be marked by the stench, effectively outing them as Slytherins wherever they went.
To make matters worse for Snape, they charmed a parchment to appear just outside the Gryffindor common room, reading:
“Slytherins: Smell the difference!”
The prank was set to go off on a Friday evening, when most students were busy relaxing in their common rooms. The boys waited until the castle was quiet, then slipped out of Gryffindor Tower under the cover of James’s Invisibility Cloak.
“Shh, Peter,” Sirius whispered as they crept through the hallways. “You’re breathing louder than the Bloody Baron.”
“I’m not!” Peter hissed, but he still tried to quiet his steps.
Remus carried the enchanted cauldron, his face a mix of nervousness and excitement. “Let’s just hope Filch isn’t wandering around,” he murmured.
They reached the tapestry near the Slytherin common room without incident. James carefully checked the map to ensure the coast was clear, then nodded. “All right. Let’s do this.”
Working quickly, they placed the cauldron behind the tapestry and activated the enchantment. A faint green glow began to emanate from it, and the boys exchanged grins.
“Perfect,” Sirius said.
“Let’s get out of here before someone sees us,” Remus urged.
The next morning, the Gryffindor common room was abuzz with laughter and whispers. The smell had spread far and wide, and several Slytherins had already been spotted sporting green-tinted hair and clothes that reeked of rotten eggs.
At breakfast, the Gryffindor table erupted in laughter when Snape stormed into the Great Hall, his robes trailing smoke and his face a picture of fury.
“Potter! Black!” he snarled, pointing an accusatory finger at James and Sirius.
James looked up innocently. “Yes, Sniv—I mean, Snape? Something wrong?”
“You did this!” Snape spat.
“Did what?” Sirius asked, feigning confusion. “You seem a bit… off today. Everything okay?”
Several students nearby snickered, and Snape’s face turned an alarming shade of red.
McGonagall appeared at that moment, her sharp gaze sweeping the hall. “What is going on here?” she demanded.
Snape rounded on her. “They did it, Professor! They sabotaged the Slytherins!”
McGonagall raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “Do you have any proof, Mr. Snape?”
Snape faltered, glaring at the boys. “They— They—”
“No proof, then,” McGonagall said briskly. “Sit down, all of you.”
Snape reluctantly returned to the Slytherin table, his scowl promising retribution.
Back in the Gryffindor common room that evening, the boys were basking in the success of their prank.
“That,” James said, grinning, “was brilliant.”
“I think it’s safe to say we’ve left our mark,” Sirius added, lounging on the couch.
Remus shook his head, though he couldn’t hide his amusement. “You do realize he’s going to try to get back at us again, right?”
“Let him try,” James said confidently.