MARAUDER'S PRANK JOURNAL

The Problem with Rules

"I'm bored," James whined. "Absolutely bored."

"Well, we have to go to bed soon, so why don't you try doing homework?" Remus asked absently.

"Why do we have to go to sleep?" James pouted.

"Because it's the rules," Remus said resignedly. They'd been through this many times.

"It is?" James asked. Apparently, this was news to him.

"Well, the rules are stupid," James declared.

"Well, you still have to follow them," Peter said, frowning over his transfiguration homework. "Remus? I don't understand this."

As Remus started to explain the question to Peter, James turned to Sirius. "I think we should go out."

"Nah, mate," Sirius said, after surveying the outside world through the window. "Look at the storm. Don't fancy getting my paws wet."

"Or muddy," Remus added, feeling slightly nervous at the look on James' face.

"Besides, its cold," Peter said, adding the cherry on top of their counter-argument.

"Who cares about a little mud?" James whined, sounding like a mix between a little boy who didn't get a lollipop and a dog.

"Evidently James has never heard of the word cleanliness," Remus mumbled. Peter snorted.

"Look, mate," Sirius said. "We've already got detention till Christmas for that little prank-"

"Little?" Remus repeated incredulously.

"Yeah, little," Sirius said, frowning.

"You blew up the Great Hall, destroyed Minnie's hat, singed a good foot off of Dumbledore's beard-"

"Exploded Remus's chocolate-"

"Ruined Sprout's gardening robes-"

"Toasted my apple-"

"And melted Snivelly's candy," Peter finished.

"I didn't even know you could toast an apple," Remus moaned.

"Fine, fine!" Sirius held his hands up. "Maybe 'little' was an understatement-"

"Understatement," Remus and Peter snorted darkly.

"Still," James said, returning to the main point. "It's not fair we have to stay in bed once it's lights out."

"Ah, there I was," Sirius said, returning to his main point. "We've got detention till Christmas. It's only November. Are you quite sure you want to get more detentions?"

"You care about getting detentions?" Remus asked, looking absolutely shocked because this was Sirius Crazy Black (a nickname that was awarded to him after he and James stole a hippogriff and rode it to Hogsmeade). 

"Not me, mate," Sirius said. "But Jamsie here. Minnie said that he'd get taken off the Quidditch team-"

"Oh yeah," James said. "We can't have that."

Then he scowled. "I don't want to follow that dumb rule anyway..."

Scratching his nose as he studied his parchment, Peter mumbled, "Then get around it."

James shot up in his seat. "What?"

Surprised, Peter looked up. "I said get around it. What? I guess you could get above it, behind it-"

"Get above it," James said, looking awestruck. "Pads, mate, we're in the presence of a genius."

"Remus?" Peter asked, pointing to their werewolf.