The Marauders: Year Five #Wattys2017

Giddy and Fabulous

Lily said, "I have a feeling you were right and I don't want to know anyway."

Remus laughed, smiling, "Probably not."

They'd reached the Defense classroom and Sirius dropped off James's back as they went in the door. The two Prewett brothers stood at the front of the room, playfully dueling one another, too busy at it to notice their students arriving. Lily realized for the first time how very much alike they looked - truly identical, other than one of them had long hair pulled back in a short ponytail at the back of his neck and the other had a shaggy, messy mop of hair. The duel was silent, their wand motions enough to cast the spells they were shooting at one another - but silly things were happening, not malicious things - things like one would do a funny ziggy-zag cut and the other would be set to dancing...

Finally the ponytail one waved his wand in a wonky J and the one with the shaggy hair's wand went limp and he laughed uproariously, "Gideon, you wicked bastard."

Gideon grinned.

"How'd you do that?" Sirius asked, laughing, picturing how bloody funny it would be in a real duel.

"Flaccify," Gideon and Fabian Prewett both answered at exactly the same time.

"Brilliant," Sirius said and he quickly scribbled that down on his parchment. "I'm already learning things."

"Just be careful where you're aiming that thing when you cast it," Gideon - the ponytailed one - supplied, smirking.

Fabian nodded, "Learned that the hard way once. Don't wanna go into details." He grinned wickedly.

"Thank you for sparing us, you dolt," laughed Gideon.

"Anyhow, as you know - we're Fabian and Gideon Prewett," Fabian said, "He's Giddy --" he pointed at his brother.

"And he's Fabulous!" announced Gideon, pointing to Fabian.

The students laughed.

Gideon said, "I know Potter, of course, and Sirius Black... Remus Lupin, you look like your dad."

"I do?" Remus had ever been told that before.

"About the eyes and jaw mostly," Fabian supplied.

Remus touched his jaw and looked at Sirius, who shrugged.

"Besides that," Gideon said, "Everybody's heard of the ruddy Marauders by now - you lot are basically famous. Turning the school blue. Flipping it upside down for April Fools! Absolutely classic." He shook his head, "Why didn't we think of that stuff, Fab?"

"We did our own mischievous things, Gid, things this lot won't even dream of in their time here."

Sirius looked eager, "Like what??" he breathed.

"Purveyors of magical mischief making never prank and tell, lad," Gideon said.

Sirius said, "Alright. We'll just steal your files from Filch's office, then." He turned to James, who smirked and high-fived him.

Gideon's eyes glinted, practically daring him to do it. "Now Gid," said Fabian, "We can't be encouraging students to go breaking the rules."

"There isn't really a specific rule against borrowing a file from Filch," James pointed out. "Is there, Moony?"

Remus looked over, "What're you asking me for?"

"You've got the student handbook memorized, don't you?"

"Not all of it..." Remus mumbled, for he did have a good bit of it down.

"Besides, it's only breaking the rules if you get caught," Sirius said.

Gideon laughed. "Now there's some philosophy."

To keep from grinning, which might be construed as encouragement, Fabian looked at his roster, "Seeing as you're the only girl, you must be Lily Evans. Heard a lot about you, Evans."

"Yeah, blimey, Horace Slughorn goes on about you like you're bloody Queen of England," Gideon added, nodding.

"He does?" Lily looked surprised.

Fabian nodded, "He thinks you're quite bright."

"Says you're excellent at Potions."

Sirius spoke up, "Puts off a mean bat bogey hex, too."

"Does she ever," James muttered, remembering how much his nose had smarted when she'd cast it upon him years ago.

Lily laughed, "A friend taught it to me."

Peter asked hopefully, "Haven't you heard of me at all?"

"Spent a good deal of time trying to find the wizards what killed yer mum when that's what we thought happened --" Gideon said.

"-- Fooled even Moody, them Dark Wizards did," added Fabian.

Peter looked disappointed. "But... but I'm a Marauder, too."

Fabian and Gideon both said at the same time, "You've got the whole term to show us how mischievous you are!" They looked at each other and said, "Heyyy!" in exactly the same tone, then, "Heyyyy!" again in a new, but still identical tone, then laughed.

James thought it was as though the brothers shared a brain.

Gideon turned, "So welcome to class then, I reckon we ought to get on with it since we all know each other now..."

"Don't look so glum, Peter," whispered James, "It just means you're better at getting away with it than the rest of us are!" He nudged Peter with a smile, "And honestly, that's preferable anyway, isn't it?"

Peter smiled back, "Yeah... yeah it really is, isn't it?"

James nodded. "Absolutely."