mandrake leaves (wolfstar)

Chapter 3- Fith year: Sleep on the floor

i can't hold back

though you know i wish i could

no there ain't no rest for the wicked

until we close our eyes for good

"brilliant moony! just brilliant!" james grinned running a hand though his hair.

"how are we going to get into the kitchens though?" peter asked.

"i think we've become well acquainted with the house elves down in the kitchens, i'm sure they wouldn't mind us adding a bit of harmless mischief to their food." sirius said raising his eyebrows with a smirk.

"we'll go down to the kitchens tomorrow before dinner and simply add the sleeping draught to their food, i've seen how the food gets sent up- a simple spell sends each tables food straight up so we won't have to worry about the other houses getting affected." remus decided setting out the plan for the rest of the marauders.

"alright, me and james will make the sleeping draught and you and pete can visit the house elves- as you two see them the most." sirius teased, although he wasn't wrong, remus and peter had the biggest appetites and often snuck down to the kitchens under james' invisibility cloak after curfew.

"what are you boys talking about?" mary asked diverting her attention from braiding marlene's hair to the group of boys conversing secretly opposite her.

"nothing." james said with a smile that told her they were doing exactly the opposite, but decided to ignore this and laugh to herself.

"you lot are always up to something." marlene said shaking her head with a slight smile.

the boys looked at each other with knowing looks.

"anyways, potter, you trying out for captain i hear?" marlene spoke again, she was also on the quidditch team- an excellent beater.

"yeah, you're not trying out too are you?" he asked with a hint of worry, marlene was just as good as james, and could possibly beat him in the race for captain.

"nah, no need to sweat, i'm not much of a leader." she said and stood up stretching out her slender body as mary has just finished on her hair, long blonde braids stretched all the way down her back.
"also wouldn't want to bruise your ego too badly."

"pfft, i would win anyways mckinnon." james rolled his eyes.

she raised her eyebrows as if to say 'oh really?' but still kept her mouth shut, a knowing smile on her lips.

the next morning the boys woke up ready to cause disturbance and set off down to breakfast. they could hardly contain themselves with excitement and any mention of feeling tired made them all burst out in laughter. causing very strange looks from their fellow gryffindors who had only woken an hour before.

sirius slipped remus the bottle of sleeping draught with a wink at lunch, making the younger boy blush as their hands touched.
he and peter set down to the kitchens just before dinner and managed to coax the house elves with enough charm to let them add their 'special ingredient' to the slytherin food.

"this is going to be so good!" sirius squealed with anticipation as they sat in the great hall waiting for the food to appear.

"i can't wait!" james added drumming his fingers on the table.

"not long till they will be falling asleep in their mashed potatoes." remus smirked, glaring across at the slytherin table.

sure enough after 10 minutes into the meal the first few slytherins began to dose off, and almost all of them yawning.