Snakes and Sanguine

Year 4: A Drop From the Vial

Ok, so, since you're the most expert pranker to walk the earth," I said to James in the courtyard. I laid my head over his legs as he twisted pieces of my hair, occasionally getting stuck in between his rings in which he would quickly apologize.

"You flatter me Cedar," he said mockingly, his lips teasing a smirk. "But yes, what do you need from me?"

"Bold of you to assume I want something from you," I replied with an eyebrow raise.

"Well, why else would you be complimenting me then?"

"Don't I always compliment you?" I asked, rolling over onto my stomach and resting my head in my hands.

"When you want to be snogged," he teased, causing me to giggle, and letting my hair fall from his fingers. "Anyway, back to me being an expert pranker."

"Well, I was wondering, could I borrow whatever tools you use for your pranking," I replied.

"Aha! So you did want something from me," he smirked. "I can lend you one of my tools but I'd need to consult my co-pranker first."

He looked around the courtyard and spotted the dark-skinned boy and waved his hand around in the air. "Fred!" he called.

Fred looked over at him and galloped towards us. "Good day my lord, what can I do you for?" he asked.

"Cedar here thinks she has what it takes to be a prankster. What do you think of this proposition Sir Weasley?" James replied. I stifled a laugh at the way the two boys spoke to one another.

"Hmm," he hummed, bending down and stroking his hairless chin while squinting his eyes pretending to examine me deeply. "I think she may have potential."

"What do you think of lending her our second to most sacred weapon?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.

"And she's going prankateering alone?" he asked, straightening his back.

James looked at me and cocked his head to the side. "You heard the man, are you going prankateering alone?"

"I'm just going with Al... and Scorpius... and Lucien,"

"You've got quite the team. I doubt they will all fit. Though maybe if they can turn into mice..." Fred replied.

"Fit?" I asked.

"Underneath our Invisibility Cloak," James whispered, a mischievous grin plastered on his face.

"You have an Invisibility Cloak?!" I exclaimed.

"Shhh," Fred hushed. "Of course we do. How else do you think we do our thang without being seen. It's not like we can just waltz through corridors and past old man Filch without being assigned a thousand detentions."

"That's incredible. We don't all need to fit underneath it, only two of us need to go in." I replied. "I swear I'll be careful with it, I won't get it dirty or anything. Can it get dirty?"

"Dunno. Never tried. But don't let this be the first time." Fred replied. "And we need it back before October third, so, in one, two, three, four, four days."

"Wait, so I can use it?!" I exclaimed, looking back and forth at the two boys.

"Well, being the famous James Sirius Potter's girlfriend has its perks," James smirked.

That evening, I was told to head up to Gryffindor tower to get the secret weapon. Fred wore a black ski mask and was leaning against the wall of the corridor, holding a folded cloak.

"You're going to make it look like you're selling me illegal potions," I said as I walked up to him.

"James and I take our pranking identities very seriously," he replied.