A Siriusly Good Prank (Marauders/Jily/Wolfstar)

1-Wake Up Call

"Oi! Moony!"

Remus Lupin groaned, glancing at his watch. It was 5:43 in the morning.

"James—"

"Moony, you know what day it is."

"Yeah, it's the day after the full moon. I'm tired. Let me sleep."

"Mate, this is important." James leaned forward. "It's October 2nd."

"Yeah. Is this that week you ask out Lily Evans like three times a day until she hits you in the face with a book?"

"That's next week," James said. "Moony, it's October. How could you forget?"

It finally clicked into Remus's brain. "Oh, no," he grumbled.

"Oh, yes." James yanked the blankets back. "Rise and shine, Moony. This year, I will dominate the Prank-Off."

"I'm not participating," Remus said firmly.

"Yeah, I know, you're the moral code, Peter's the cheerleader, and Padfoot's my nemesis."

"You better watch your mouth, Prongs," Sirius said sleepily from across the room. "You won't know what hit you."

"I'm going to win," James said furiously, heading over to open the window. "I'm going to—"

As he pushed it open, a torrent of icy water poured down on his head, soaking his pajamas and splashing all over the floor. Peter gave a loud gasp, Sirius hooted, and Remus groaned.

"What were you saying?" Sirius said pleasantly. "I know you're freezing, but I'm just warming up—"

But as he slid out of bed, he suddenly lost his footing as the entire bed disappeared. He landed on the floor where it had been, glaring up at James.

"Don't know what you're talking about," James grinned.

"Who won?" Peter squealed, barely containing his excitement. "Moony, who won?"

Remus rolled his eyes at his two best friends in front of him, one dripping wet and one covered in dust. "Extra points to Padfoot for the first prank of the month, but James, that was a good bit of magic. Wormtail, what do you think?"

Peter turned a shade of violet that Sirius thought might he his favourite color. "I—I don't know—"

"Alright. Padfoot, ten points. James, seven points. Peter, can you get that down?"

"On it!" Peter squeaked, diving for a notepad.

"Ha!" Sirius threw his arms up triumphantly. "I win this round. And every round."

"Only because you didn't even get out of bed, you lazy mutt—"

"Can you guys go back to sleep?" someone complained. "It is six in the morning—"

"Sorry!" Peter immediately apologized.

"We are not sorry!" James bellowed. "It's Pranktober!"

"Merlin save me," someone else muttered.

"Let's go!" James quickly dressed, then headed down to the common room, the rest of the boys in tow. "Prank-Off! Prank-Off! Prank-Off! Prank-Off! Prank-Off—"

"Excuse me."

James glanced up from where he was jumping on the couch. Lily Evans stood at the foot of the stairs, still dressed in white pajama shorts and an oversized t-shirt, red hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, face creased with sleep. "What in the name of Merlin is going on down here?"

"Morning, Evans," James grinned sheepishly, jumping off the couch and landing on the floor in front of her.

"Some of us are trying to sleep," she snapped. "But you and your blubbering band of buffoons are making that difficult."

"Hey," Remus said mildly.

"I mean Potter and Black," she clarified. "And Peter, to some extent." She glared at them with sleepy green eyes. "No more yelling, jumping, or singing, or McGonagall hears about this."

"Ooh," Sirius mocked. "You're just terrifying—"

"Hey, Evans," James pleaded. "Won't you join in this year? You'd like to see me win, wouldn't you?"

"I'd like to see you fed to the giant squid," Lily said, and marched upstairs.

Sirius clapped him on the shoulder. "Bad luck, mate."

"Why does she hate me?" James asked no one in particular.

"She doesn't hate you," Peter offered. "She just...dislikes you. Very much."

"Thanks, Wormtail. You always know just what to say."

"He's being sarcastic," Sirius whispered to a confused-looking Peter.

James huffed. "I'll win her over. You guys watch. By the end of the month, she'll love me."

Three skeptical faces.

"You said that last year," Remus reminded him.

"This year I mean it." James stood up. "I bet you all ten Galleons that by the end of October, she will be my girlfriend."

Sirius stood up. "You're on."

Peter looked anxious.

"Ten Galleons? I'm in," Remus said. "I can help you out a bit but she's never going to go out with you."

Peter sighed. "I'm in."

James grinned from ear to ear, flopping on the sofa next to Remus. "I'm going to have thirty Galleons, Lily Evans as my girlfriend, and I'll be the Prank-Off champion," he declared. "I love October."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "In your dreams, mate."

"We'll see about that."