The Marauders: Year One (female)

36. The Plan

Sirius opened her Transfiguration textbook, and opened it on the correct page with a thump. She slumped her head down, letting her hair pool over her book.

'Miss. Black,' came Professor McGonagall's sharp voice. 'You will lift your head immediately. This is class, not naptime.'

Sirius lifted her head grumpily, and stared straight ahead, planning how she should get hold of Remus's letter to Lillian, as McGonagall launched into a detailed explanation of the principles of Transfiguration. Sirius was fairly good at Transfiguration, and she figured she could catch up with Jamie's help later on.

About ten minutes in, the door burst open, and Lillian and some breathless Ravenclaw boy burst in.

'You're late,' McGonagall's voice came. 'Ten points from both Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw each.' 

Students of both houses made groaning noises, glaring heatedly at both of the late boys.

'I'm awfully sorry,' breathed Lillian, his face nearly as red as his hair. 'I was doing something, and I lost track of time. If it weren't for Davey here, I would have been even later.'

The professor eyed them sharply. 'Take a seat, both of you.'

The seat Lillian usually occupied beside Remus seemed too empty, so he sat with a pretty Ravenclaw girl called Dorcas. She beamed at him as he sat down. He smiled back nervously.

Davey sat down next to Xenophilius Lovegood, who was gazing dreamily out of the window, occasionally slapping at the empty air near his ears. 'It's the Nargles,' he whispered conspiritorially when he caught Lillian staring at him. Minutes later, he was explaining Nargles quietly to an enthralled Davey Gudgeon, until McGonagall gave them both detention after their third warning.

Sirius idly watched this scene, as a plan formed in the depths of her brain. She scribbled it down, and tossed it in a ball to Jamie.

Jamie frowned, then unfolded it, looking delighted when she read it.

After Transfiguration was finished, and Defence Against the Dark Arts (with some teacher who had been an ex-Auror) Sirius and Jamie met up in the Charms corridor, Sirius grudgingly allowing Petra along after Jamie insisted.

They explained the plan quickly to Petra, who looked dubious.

'It's simple,' argued Jamie. 'Sirius will chat up Mason, get to know about where the dorm is so we don't have to waste time looking around, we break in, look for the letter, and take it!'

'It'll never work. We'll be caught, and McGonagall will Transfigure our arses into mice, and then eat them herself.'

Sirius scrunched her face up at Petra's description. 'I don't fancy being eaten by McGonagall, so I suppose we'll just have to be extra careful.'

Jamie grinned. 'Ayyy, that's the spirit!'

The girls high-fived. Petra watched, looking utterly lost.

The girls kept a close eye on Lillian for the rest of the day. Lillian didn't return to the Common Room at all, which meant that the letter was probably still on him. Sirius and Jamie knew better than to try and take it from him now, though. Lillian was well known throughout the school for his skills with the Bogey-Bat Hex. Even the Slytherins held a healthy respect for him, after he'd hexed the living daylights out of Avery.

It seemed that the girls' plan just wasn't going to happen today. Tomorrow was Thursday, and Lillian was sure to go to the library. Jamie could try to get Frankie or Petra to take out Mason and Alex to get them out the way, so she and Sirius could break in after classes were done for the day. The plan seemed infallible.