Crescent Moons ; J.S. Potter

35. benjamin's plot.

"I just can't believe we're graduating school so soon!"

Daisy was moping on the common room sofa about the upcoming year-end. James, Benjamin, Thomas, Gwen, and Marlee didn't seem to sympathize.

"We're not," said Thomas confusedly. "We're graduating sixth-year, not Hogwarts!"

"Yes, but then seventh year will go by so quickly," moaned Daisy, "and then we'll get jobs, and then we'll die!"

She groaned. This got her a concerned look from her five friends. Existentialism was definitely not something she enjoyed.

"Right, well before we die," said Benjamin, in a tone much more cheerful than Daisy's, "we've got one last prank for the year."

"But you guys got three weeks of detention last time!" exclaimed Daisy. "Do you really wanna be in detention for the last few weeks of school?"

"This is the most important prank we've pulled yet," defended Benjamin. Gwen raised an eyebrow.

"How important?"

"Wait, yeah, how is this our most important prank yet?" asked Thomas. Benjamin and James exchanged glances so quickly that Daisy almost missed it.

"You'll see, Thomas," smiled Benjamin. Daisy noticed a look in his eyes when he looked at her brother—adoration, care, sincerity.

"Just tell us the prank, will you?" asked Marlee. James rubbed his hands together.

"Well, we snuck over to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes again—"

"—Of course," interrupted Marlee with a sigh.

"—and we picked up a giant set of fireworks!" continued James. "It's this thing that lets us spell out some words with a bunch of colours! We'll set them off during dinner in the Great Hall and write some messages for everyone to see!"

"Oh my Merlin," sighed Gwen. "Lemme predict this ... two weeks detention!"

"Three weeks!" guessed Daisy.

"One and a half!" predicted Marlee.

"Anyways," said James, cutting them off, "it'll be brilliant! Everybody'll be surprised! Oh, and I told my Mum about this so she doesn't send me another Howler. That was ... humiliating."

"It was hilarious," chuckled Gwen. James sighed.

"How did you get your Mum to agree to this again?" asked Thomas. Once again, James and Benjamin exchanged another glance so quick that Daisy would've missed it if she had blinked. Thomas didn't seem to have noticed this at all.

"I told her I'd clean Snuffles' litterbox without magic," shrugged James. "It'll be painful, but ... worth it."

"That'll take you all summer," said Gwen. James' eyes lit up.

"Oh, that reminds me!" he said brightly. "I'm actually pretty excited for this summer! It'll be much better than last summer, at least."

"What was wrong with last summer?" asked Marlee. James made a face.

"I didn't have anything to do," James recounted, "it was too hot, we barely had any barbecues, the six of us never met up all together, and I never really got to see any of you guys!"

"We stayed at your house for two weeks," pointed out Thomas, raising an eyebrow.

"Right, but Daisy was pissed at me," said James, glancing at the said girl. Daisy gave him a sheepish smile. "We'll just make up for it with this summer! We can go to the beach, have barbecues, and, oh! There's this really nice ice cream place near my house!"