Merlins Beard

fuck around and find out

The Halloween feast of 1975 was about to commence, and a few students seemed to be missing from the Gryffindor table.

Peter and Pandora had been dubbed as look-outs from inside the hall, so they sat in their respective spots, keeping an eye on the Slytherin table while their friends made the final preparations in different areas of the castle.

Eleanor suspected that Peter only agreed to stay in the hall because the house elves scared him.

She, James, and Marlene had gone to the elves that morning, who agreed to the plan almost too eagerly. Evidently, it wasn't just the students who had a vendetta against the horrid group. Sirius, Remus and Mary waited for them outside the hall while the others brought a hair dyeing potion, that had been altered a bit, to the kitchens. They were the last step, but couldn't perform their job until just after the feast began.

"Two minutes," Mary muttered, poking her head from behind the doors. Sirius leaned on the wall next to her, and Remus stood at the far end of the corridor, occasionally watching around the corner for their friends.

"They'd better get a move on if we don't want to get more detention." Sirius said, twirling his wand to keep himself busy.

"There they are!" Remus whispered shouted, and the other two rushed to the corner to see. Remus grunted when Sirius practically jumped on his back and pushed his head down to get a peek. "Get the fuck off me, git."

"No time, go go go!" James pushed the trio forward and the six ran through the doors together with the remaining trickle of students arriving, Sirius still clinging to Remus's back. Peter visibly slumped in relief when his friends appeared at the entrance, and hastily pushed a few students out of the way to make room. Lily, sitting across from him, eyed her friends oddly. They had been acting strangely for days, always running off to "study" and stuffing books under their beds or couch cushions when she entered the room.

Lily knew this was complete bullshit, because she was certain that James had no idea where the library was. Lily watched Eleanor scan the Slytherin table, nod discreetly at Pandora Lestrange, who sent back a thumbs up. An uneasy chill laced up Lily's spine. They were up to something.

"Keep your wands out," Eleanor whispered to Remus as they sat down. "You have to do the spell immediately after the food appears." Dumbledore made his way to the gold podium, and began his speech. The group turned him out. "Say the words for me,"

"Poena flores," Remus said under his breath, followed by Sirius and Mary. Eleanor nodded, pleased with the pronunciation.

"Perfect." She glanced at each of her friends, but paused when she got to Sirius who sat on her other side. His torso was turned slightly so he could look over his shoulder. Eleanor followed his eye-line, and found what he was staring at. It was the boy she saw at the beginning of the year's feast. He looked as bored as he did a month and a half ago sitting next to Lucius Malfoy, resting his sharp chin in his hand while Dumbledore rambled.

Eleanor's eyes flitted between Sirius and the boy, and realization slapped her in the face. The resemblance was clear, the sharp features, curly black hair, and the exact same gray eyes. Eleanor repeatedly smacked Sirius in the arm, and he cowered away trying to shield himself. He started hitting her arm back, even though he had no idea why. Remus grabbed hold of Eleanors wrists.

"Cut it out, you two!" He ordered. "What is your goddamn problem?" People around them were turning to see what the commotion was about. Sirius got one more smack in, glaring in disbelief.

"The bloody hell are you yelling at me for, she started it!" He pointed at Eleanor. Eleanor jerked her head toward the Slytherin table.

"He's your brother?" She whispered, and he paused his angry rant, taken aback. He glanced towards his brother once more, then faced forward in his seat. He ran his fingers through his messy hair with force.