Little Red |Sirius Black|

Snappy Conversions - Arianna.

"Ari, you know I'm no seer," complained Vera as she followed me into the girls Gryffindor dormitory with Mandy, two hours after curfew on the day of the prank. "So care to tell us what we're doing here?"

I ended my disillusionment spell and gestured for them to sit on my bed, before grabbing my notebook. I scribbled a quick reply and handed it to Dorcas, as Mandy and Vera became visible again and sat down.

"This is the only place I can be sure the Marauders won't be able to listen to us. This time I'm taking no chances." She read out, before handing the book back to me.

Lily nodded. "They've been trying to get in since first year, but to no avail. No matter what they do, those stairs always turn into a slide."

Mandy was eyeing the notebook thoughtfully. She reached out a hand and I let her take it, and the quill. We waited as she wrote.

"Are you still against drugging them in their own room?" Read Dorcas, then put the book aside. "I can't say that I am." She said. "Those bastards specifically made you the centre of attention to embarrass you in front of the whole school!"

I took the book from Dorcas, scribbled down my response and handed it back to her.

"Which is what we're gonna do to them. I have the beginnings of a plan in mind, but it's gonna take some time." She read out. I nodded. All through our temporary ceasefire, I had been planning another prank, knowing full well that those assholes wouldn't leave us alone for too long.

This was the second time they had humiliated us in public. I had been merciful the first time around, convincing Mandy and Vera to agree to a less extreme use of Calliope's Bane. But now?

"What do you need from us?" Asked Lily, bringing me out of my fond dreams of the Marauders' humiliation. "Nobody messes with my friends like that."

I looked at her thoughtfully, then wrote down the only thing I needed from her, and handed her the book.

Her brows furrowed at my response.

"Why?" She asked, handing me the book.

"Wait and see." I wrote.

Once my response was read out, I stood up. "Now to set my plan into motion," I said. "I have to go research a potion."

I turned to Mandy and Vera. "As always, I'll go to the library, when in doubt. Come on, I'll walk you guys out."

***

The next day, Mandy, Vera and I stayed back after transfiguration class. Determined to blindside the Marauders, I had Alice, Dorcas and Lily following them to make sure that they didn't somehow spy on me and the girls.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, I'm sticking three witches on you.

Once the class had cleared out, the girls and I approached Professor McGonagall, where she was seated at her desk.

"I'm sorry girls, Madame Pomfrey and I are working with Professor Flitwick to find you a counterspell but so far we haven't found anything." She said, without even looking up from her work.

I waved a hand in dismissal. "We appreciate you trying to find a cure, but that's not what we're here for."

That made her look up. "Oh?" She said. "Then what can I help you girls with?"

I took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "If we may be so bold, we'd like to borrow a cauldron of gold."

McGonagall's brows shot up. "A gold cauldron, you say?" The girls and I nodded.