I ran down the Charms corridor and jerked to a stop in front of some startled first years.
"Hey, uh," I panted. "Have any of you seen a large...stag sprinting down the hall this direction?"
The first years looked alarmed and confused. "Uh...no, blimey" one of them said, "why would a stag be in the castle?"
"Oh, I don't know, because the girl he fancied told him she had fun with him on their trip to Hogsmeade, or told him they should do it again soon, or that he wasn't as stuck-up as she thought, or maybe even because she hugged him before leaving to her next class. There could be lots of reasons, really." I took off again, smirking, leaving behind the bemused-looking first years.
At the end of the corridor, James's hand popped out of a closet door and beckoned. I slipped inside the utility closet and closed the door, finding Moony and Wormtail already in there.
"She hugged me, mate!" yelled James. "Hugged me! She might as well've snogged me!"
He began to do a strange victory dance around the closet, whooping, and I met Moony's eyes over his head and we tried not to laugh.
"Great job, mate," I said, fighting to keep my voice even.
Remus's mouth wobbled and he looked up to hide his grin.
James smiled happily, oblivious to our amusement.
I arrived at breakfast and sat down by Moony, amazed to see James and Lily talking across the table. Remus rolled his eyes over his cup of tea.
"Help me," he muttered. "They've been at it for the last ten minutes and Wormtail hasn't got here yet."
I looked up to see Lily give James a hesitant smile and say, "I guess you're kind of groovy, James."
James grinned but as soon Lily was out of earshot he whirled around.
"Remus, you're a half-blood, right?" James asked urgently.
Remus looked startled. "Yes, why?" he asked slowly.
"So you know Muggle language?"
Remus looked amused and rolled his eyes. "They speak English, too, mate."
James ignored that. "She called me....groovy. What does that mean?"
Remus's mouth twitched. "I don't know, mate....it could mean you're a total git."
James's mouth fell open in shock and indignance. "What?!" he exclaimed, and stomped away after Lily.
Remus smirked into his tea.
I roared with surprised laughter. "Oh, Moony, I could picture that look on his face forever."
"Prongs," I hissed across the aisle at James.
James shot a look at Professor Binns, who was as usual reading in his nasal, soporific voice. "What?"
"I've got a great idea for a prank."
"What is it?"
"Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, it seems you already know this material," called Binns. "Would you care to explain what role Geoffrey the Generous had in the Muggle Protection Act?"
"No, thanks," called Prongs, and then muttered under his breath, "and shut up, you old nag."
Professor Binns went back to reading and we resumed our conversation.
"Mate," I said, trying to hold back laughter. "They would have to be in our year, of course, but what if we took all the Slytherin boys' robes and replaced them with pink Muggle prom dresses? We'll bewitch them to fly onto the Slytherins."
