Avoiding The Marauders

The Last Prank

The Great Hall was significantly busier than it normally is. Not a single students wants to miss the leaving feast and, for seventh years, emotions are running high, making the noise levels higher as they bounced of the walls. From the ceiling hung the four banners of Hogwarts houses: Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Today the sky is a starry black with hardly any clouds to block out their sparkles.

The teachers table is full for one of the first times all year. All of the professors are talking to one another and eating the large array of food that we have dotted in towering piles around the tables. I will totally miss the food.

Glancing around the hall nervously, I forced myself to take a small bite of the steak that sits attractively on my plate. I want to eat it, but seeing all the people around is making me nervous when I think about what's going to happen.

This cannot be said about the others, though. Mel seems to be elated to have finally been given the chance to be apart of one of the Marauders's infamous pranks. James, Peter, Sirius and Remus just eat with small smirks on there faces.

All I can do is wait.

It's not until my steak has been eaten that it starts. At first, it's very quiet and I only hear it because I'm waiting for it. A small, almost popping, noise emitting from the teacher's table.

As I see Hagrid's cheeks redden, James mutters, "Here we go."

Another noise comes this time, a lot louder than the last and people begin to chuckle to themselves, glancing around for the thing making the noise. This time, Professor Dumbledore goes slightly red and I hear a boy next to me mutter, "Did Professor Dumbledore actually just fart?"

The Head lets out a small chuckle and says, "Excuse me."

I can see McGonagall look at him with her nose wrinkled in disgust, but the next thing I know another fart noise fills the room and this time it's her chance to redden. Now the hall is in awkward laughter, wondering what's happening. Up at the teachers table, a tipsy Hagrid is struggling to control his howls of laughter.

Within seconds, it's like a bomb has gone off. All the students in the hall let out high laughs, covering their mouths and noses. When they realise that the teacher's unintentional performances are not close to being over, a lot of them get to their feet and run to the exit.

Fireworks explode from all around them, blocking their way out. James and Sirius run away from the explosions in hysterical fits off laughter, watching the students and teachers alike in panic.

"SILENCE!" The Head's voice echoes around the room. Then holds his hands up, looking like he is doing his upmost to keep a serious face. The room falls as silent as people can manage. You know, physically. I bite down on my lip to hold in my laughter. "Whoever pulled this... prank... is obligated to come forward immediately." When only silence fills the room, he adds, "Or every student will be considered equally guilty."

I bit my lip and turn to see Mel doing the same, as the students around the hall whisper to one another, their entertained states beginning to disappear.

I'm starting to consider owning up, by the arrival of another firework, the biggest one get, exploding at the teacher's table (scarring Slughorn so much he dropped his glass onto the floor) and in shining red sparkles the letter M is formed.

Everyone watches as it fizzles out and the Marauders stand on the Gryffindor table bowing. Sirius is blowing kisses to anyone he can make eye contact with and James sends me a wink. I roll my eyes, but can't help letting out a laugh.

Dumbledore sighs. "Why am I not surprised?"

***

Word seems to have gotten out that me and Mel were part of the greatest prank of the year. People hit me on the back as I stand in the hallway waiting and many congratulate me on my creative thinking. Pfft. Like I came up with the ideas.

James, Peter, Sirius and Remus have been in the Head's office long enough for them to have taken their OWLs all over again and I'm starting to wonder whether their punishment is a lot harsher than I had thought. Not that I'd really thought about it in the planning process, which I should have done of course. I shouldn't have let them do it, talk about helping them and, Merlin, what if they get expelled? Can you get expelled on the last day of school?

I hear a throat being cleared behind me and I turn around with a smile on my face, thinking that it's James or Mel. It slips when I see the face of Severus instead and I feel that small twinge that I always get around him of what could have beens. You know, if he wasn't a certified Voldemort follower.

His pale face is crinkled in concern. "Lily," he says, like he's surprised I'm letting him talk to me. This isn't uncalled for, I guess, I have been avoiding him a lot lately. But that's hardly my fault, his group of 'friends' from Slytherin are getting larger and larger and meaner and meaner each time we pass each other.

I frown, deciding that I don't really want this conversation. Though I suppose I have to say goodbye at least. "I know, Severus," I say stiffly. "Nice knowing you. Bye." Just as I turn to leave, he grabs my arm and I can't help but flinch away. For a moment a look of hurt crosses his face, but in seconds it's gone.

"That's not what I wanted to say, Lily," he glances around like he's looking for something. "I wanted to warn you that being with..." He lets out a small cough," ... with Potter is just going to get you into trouble. I know you helped with what his lot did today and you're never going to get anywhere in your future with him dragging you down."

I know I'm glaring at him, but I try my best to compose the small sparks of anger inside me. "You can talk, Severus," I say harshly. "With those Death Eaters you hang out with, you'll have not future. You'll end up dead."

He shuffles from one foot to another and replies, "They have nothing to do with this, Lily. Potter is not right for you. You're nothing alike and you never will be. He's not good for you-"

I can't help it, I snap. "What and you think you are? Huh? The boy who's best friends think that I'm the equivalent of dirt. The boy who plans on being part of a group that would kill me just because of who I was born to. A boy that called me Mudblood! You honestly think that James is bad for me when he's changed. He's a better person now. He's kind and caring and I know he saved you last year!" He scowls at that. "What have you done to make me your friend? Threaten people like me? Plot ways to kill muggleborns with your disgusting friends?" He wrings his hands and has enough decency to look guilty. Guilty enough for me to know that what I'm saying is true. "You know nothing."

I spin on my heel and storm away, only pausing to look over my shoulder, saying the last thing that I ever want to say to him.

"You will always be that boy that betrayed me. Always."

I'm sad to say that I am only planning on doing one more chapter and then a small epilogue. This chapter was specifically for me to signify the ending of Lily's relationship with Severus because, as far as I'm concerned, they do not see one another again until the day she dies.

However, I so still plan on writing a sequel and the first chapter for that will go up as soon as I can after this story is complete. I will give more details at the end of the epilogue.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.

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