NEWTs took place in the 2nd week of May.
It was spread over a longer period of time than OWLs. On each day, they had the written exam of a particular subject in the morning, and its practical in the evening.
The exams passed uneventfully. Lily claimed after each exam that she had failed, starkly contrasting with James' cheerful grin and peaceful complacency that he had done brilliantly.
The last exam was Transfiguration. After the practical ended in the afternoon, there was an infectious high spirits among the seventh year students.
The Marauders were huddled in the dorm, putting final touches to the fireworks they had been making for weeks.
"Let's go now—Prongs, what are you doing?" asked Sirius. James was still tapping his heap with his wand.
"Trying to give them a particular colour."
"We made them of different colors," said Remus.
"What colour d'you want this much?" demanded Sirius.
Actually James had been trying to get it have the exact shade of green as Lily's eyes, but he couldn't make himself say that.
"A shade of...silver," said James, looking at Sirius' gray eyes.
His friends accepted it without question, and James didn't turn the firework green, he made it silver.
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Halfway through dinner, the Great Hall erupted with noise. Thousands of beautiful colourful fireworks appeared on the ceiling, which was looking like a clear night sky.
The students cheered and clapped, especially at the last bit, when a different rocket circled over each house table—the one over Gryffindor left behind red and gold sparks, Hufflepuff's yellow and black, Ravenclaw's blue and bronze, and Slytherin's green and silver. The applause almost bought the roof down. Everyone in the hall, teachers and students alike, knew that they had been organized by the Marauders, who also happened to be the most popular students in the school.
Then abruptly, a shower of black charcoal fell on the Slytherin table, causing people to scream and scramble away.
Most of the other students were even more delighted at this and as a fresh wave of laughter and clapping began, Dumbledore stood up to restore the Slytherin table back to normal.
Professor McGonagall did not hold her usual glare when she looked at her house's biggest troublemakers—they were her all-time favorite students, especially James, Sirius and Remus, and she couldn't help wondering how dull Hogwarts would become when the Marauders passed out after two weeks.
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"The last bit was unfair," said Lily in the common room.
"It was the best part, Lily!" said Marlene.
"Why did you have to spoil the beautiful display?" demanded Lily.
"Er..." said James, glancing at Sirius.
"I bet it was your idea," said Lily rather coldly to Sirius.
"Yeah, it was. You got a problem with that?" said Sirius rudely.
Lily looked highly offended as she walked back to her dorm. Sirius looked slightly mutinous.
James put his head in his hands and groaned.
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"Lily," said James, the next day when they were on duty. "I wish you and Sirius would put aside your differences."
YOU ARE READING
The Ghosts of the Past (The Marauders' Story)
Fanfiction"We're friends. We're the Marauders. We stick together, remember?" "Yes, Moony. I remember." One of them was mischievous and brave and had the perfect life. Another of them was reckless and loyal and desperate to leave behind his family name. The th...
