Up To No Good

Chapter Ten: 28 March 1974

As the clock in the dormitory approached midnight, the four Gryffindor boys waited until the common room was more or less empty before breaking out James's Cloak. It was large enough that if he, Sirius, and Peter were close enough together, it would cover them quite well. His heart beat with anticipation. How could they get caught while they were Invisible?

The portrait door swung open and three of the Marauders trekked down the moonlit hallway once more, only their soft footsteps possibly revealing their presence.

"Which greenhouse are the Mandrakes in?" Peter whispered as they stepped into the entrance hall, extremely careful not to trip over each other's feet as they descended the flights of stairs.

"Three, I think," replied Sirius, struggling to remember. "It'll be difficult considering those are where the more dangerous plants are stored."

They had little trouble making their way outside to where the moon was, now full, high above their heads. In the distance they could see the Quidditch goalposts glistening in the night. The greenhouses weren't too far off now. They just needed to focus.

As they came upon the greenhouse labelled with a 3, James carefully took off the Cloak, looking around. They were alone. As he tried the door, it was locked.

"Alohomora," James whispered, pointing his wand at the keyhole, and something clicked and released from within, opening.

As they entered, they caught a whiff of damp earth and a bit of fertilizer. Lighting their wands, they scanned their way around, looking for evidence of purplish leaves.

"Be careful," Peter piped up. "Some of these plants can bite."

As he said this, a fanged geranium snapped at his wrist. He whipped it back with a small cry, gazing around him for any other sign of predatory plants.

James and Sirius suppressed laughter as they stepped cautiously under the peaked roof. It was very quiet except for the soft chirping of crickets and a faint humming.

"I think these are it," James whispered, holding his wand up to a cabbage-like plant with leaves lined with a violet tint.

Sirius swore. "Something's got my ankle," he hissed through his teeth, pointing his wand at a vine that was now snapping at his foot. "Ugh--diffindo."

The vine snapped off of its mother plant, squirming for a few moments on its own before at last coming to rest wrapped tightly around Sirius's ankle. He lifted up his knee, untangling it with a disgusted look. "Some plants they keep in here," he muttered, casting it away.

Peter and Sirius joined James by the Mandrake, which was labelled by a small bit of earth-covered parchment near its pot, and they carefully grabbed a fistful of the leaves. James again stuffed the bundle into his robes before they made their way back to the entrance of the greenhouse.

As they shut the greenhouse, James pointed his wand at the lock again: "Colloportus," and the door locked once more. Pulling the Cloak over them, they wandered back to the castle under the cover of darkness.

"Easy," Peter said satisfactorily.

"And now my ankle's all raw," Sirius mumbled.

As they reached the common room, they slipped the Cloak off of their shoulders. It was deserted and very late. James handed a leaf to each of them.

"Here we go," he grinned. "Bottoms up."

As James placed the leaf on his tongue, he again felt the piercing bitterness, squinting in an effort to try to keep it at bay. The others, too, screwed up their faces in discomfort.