Mischievous-A Marauders Fanfic

2-Arithmancy & Rule Breaking

That same evening, Halley dragged herself up to the Gryffindor common room from Arithmancy, laden throroughly with enough homework to last her, she felt, a lifetime. Arithmancy had been the one class she'd chosen to take which neither the boys or Sephy and Samantha had taken also, and she was now severely wishing she'd taken something else.

"Hungarian Horntail" she gasped to the Fat Lady, who, with a few kind words of pity, let her through, and, after slinging her heavy bag on a handily placed coathook by the portrait hole and rolling out her shoulders, Halley became aware of James Potter's loud, arrogant tones filling the common room.

"So then, I ask Snivellus what he's going to do about it, and he mumbles something weird like the slimy little snake he is, and I say to him 'Oh, sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you maybe speak some English, or are the nice words beyond you, Snivellus?' and then Sirius cuts in with..."

"I take it dear old Snape got his welcome, then" Halley shouted over James's proclamations, as she grabbed her bag once again and crossed to one of the corner windowseats, whipping out her quill and ink to begin her Arithmancy homework.

"Snivellus was delighted, Derwent!" James shouted back, from the biggest, comfiest armchair on the other side of the room, where he was surrounded by a gleeful Sirius, a rather uncomfortable Remus, an adoring Peter and a very cocky Sephy, all sitting down, some on the sofa cushions, some on the floor. Samantha also was perched delicately on James's chair arm, and around the six sat a gaggle of first years, a smidge of second years, a couple of fourth year girls and eight rather burly seventh year boys, all of whom seemed to be finding James's antics hysterically funny.

"Snivellus couldn't contain his excitement!" Sirius added wickedly, to peals of laughter all around.

"I daresay he almost smiled!" Samantha added, a little timidly. Halley knew how Samantha wasn't always a hundred percent happy with how they tormented Severus Snape, and to be fair, Halley herself wasn't always in agreement with James's games.

"Or maybe it was a shadow from his nose!" Peter chipped in, to more laughter all around.

"He was utterly thrilled" James shouted wildly over the laughter.

"Or maybe that was just his wand in his pocket!" Sephy squealed, now laughing hysterically, as was everyone in the common room, and even Halley, despite her weary state, had to crack a smile at that. All the same, she did try to block the giggling gang out and focus on her work.

"Why the long face, Derwent?" Sirius called, as the laughter began to die down.

"Arithmancy" Halley sighed. "Double, because some idiot decided it would be a good idea to backchat Vector."

"Does he or she need...dealing with?" James asked mischeviously, clambering to his feet and whipping out his wand. Halley smirked and shook her head.

"Nah. He's in the hospital wing already. Turns out you shouldn't mix a Bat Bogey Hex and a Fununculus curse, unless you want tiny bats erupting out your skin."

There were a few choruses of 'ewww' and 'yuck' but it seemed only Sirius had twigged on to where Halley was going with this joke.

"Which one was you, Hal?" he asked, with a smirk. Halley winked back.

"Oh, no" she replied. "I used Caeco. Gummed up his eyes rather nicely. Which, naturally, made everything worse..."

Sirius guffawed, as did James, flopping back arrogantly onto the armchair, and Sephy dissolved into chuckling giggles.

"Will someone..." Halley began, but the laughter was too loud. "WILL SOMEONE?" she hollered over the noise, and it died down quickly.

"Will someone lend me a hand with this Arithmancy so I can finish before dinner? It's soul-suckingly tricky" she complained, and a boy's voice called out from the balcony.