"Wake up Scarlett, get ready, come on!" Lily shook her from her deep slumber. Scarlett groaned wanting to remain in the comfort of her sleep for a little while longer. She finally assented, took a speedy shower and put on her robes. After making an attempt to look vaguely presentable, she headed downstairs with the others so that they could get breakfast.
They heard a loud commotion in the common room. There were booms of laughter coming from the boys dorm and a crowd of students had gathered. They soon found out that the Marauders had all ended up with pink hair and were furious trying to find out who it was that had dared mess with them on their first night.
The group emerged into the common room, and Scarlett tried not to laugh. They were certainly a sight. James Potter had lost a bit of the confidence that Scarlett had noticed when she first met him. Once he spotted Lily, she observed his cheeks flush in embarrassment and he refused to meet her gaze. Lily, not wasting an opportunity, walked towards him and pinched his cheeks.
"Awwwww you look so cute!" She cooed, turning his head left and right while he grumbled under his breath. "Cutesy Jamesy!"
Sirius cleared his throat loudly, and began walking out of the dormitory. Scarlett couldn't help but stare. She hadn't expected him to pull off pink hair so well. She cursed quietly, this hadn't quite been the effect she wanted to achieve.
During breakfast, their Head of House approached them puzzled.
"Potter, Black, Pettigrew and Lupin. I didn't expect to have to speak with you all so early into the year. Please explain yourselves. I sincerely hope that this isn't some kind of new trend." She said, her eyebrows rising expectantly.
"Professor, this was not our fault! We were washing our hair but when we came out.. " James pulled forward strand of hair and stared at it with wide eyes and a hysterical look on his face. "Please Professor - surely such a wise witch like yourself could help us."
"I do seem to recall that you and your group of friends, whatever it is you may call yourselves, have caused us quite some trouble. I'm afraid there is nothing I can do for you but I do hope that this might make you think carefully about your behaviour this year." She turned away but then stopped. " I would, however, suggest that you take a good long look in the library for something that might help." As she said those last few words there was a gleam in her eye and Scarlett felt that she didn't entirely disapprove. Merlin only knew what kind of trouble they had caused for Professor McGonogall in the past.
Scarlett tucked into her breakfast, a full English, and chatted away with her new friends. They introduced her to some fellow Fifth year Gryffindors sitting nearby.
"Isn't Sirius such a dream? How does he always look so good?" Emmeline sighed whistfully. Scarlett rolled her eyes. She had only just met this Emmeline, but she had already concluded that she was an idiot. She sounded like a Beauxbatons girl. Apparently studying at an all-female institution meant that all male specimens become sources of intrigue and gossip at her previous school. It was, quite frankly, embarrassing.
Once classes started, Scarlett walked with her friends to their first Potions class of the year. Startlingly quickly, a slightly overweigt man in brown robes smiled quickly and moved towards her. "Ah, Miss Dixon, I'm Professor Slughorn, your new potions teacher. Such a delight to have you here! Do say hello to your grandmother too!"
Scarlett politely nodded, and looked around the room for a place to sit.
"Please take a seat next to Mr Potter. Potter, I think you could have gone for a slightly subtler colour but to each their own, I suppose," He ended.
"Hello again," Scarlett smiled innocently as she took her seat by James. "I'd recommend light brown next time."
He rolled his eyes, "I swear I'm going to find out who the hell did this and make them pay for what they've done."
"Good luck," Scarlett smirked. The class passed uneventfully, and Scarlett dutifully scribbled notes and followed instructions as best she could. Though she was trying especially hard this year as she had made a deal with her parents. If she achieved an Outstanding in all her subjects then they would let her have very own llama.
*
The following day, it was noted at the Gryffindor table that the troublesome Marauders were dressed in the most unusual manner. They wore hats tightly wrapped around their heads, surgical masks that covered most of their faces, oversized sunglasses and gloves. To say the least, it was rather unexpected. It seemed they were deliberately covering every inch of their skin. Though there was an unmistakably murderous aura that could be detected by anyone who allowed their eyes to stray in their direction. No one dared to sit near them.
Rumours were flying around, but word was that their skin had taken on an unusual yellow colour.
The main topic in the Great Hall was the Marauder's predicament and who could have possibly pulled one over them twice. The only possibility was a Gryffindor and people were randomly guessing who was daring enough to declare war.
Scarlett and Lily walked to their Care of Magical Creatures lesson which was almost about to start. Understandably, Scarlett was rather excited as they would be focusing on unicorns that day. She wasn't usually a massive fan of creatures, but unicorns were rather special. Everything else she learned about purely for the sake of those ridiculous things that humans call grades (and yes she was implying that she was indeed different to all those blithering cockroaches that roamed the Earth).
6 hours later
Scarlett had finished all her lessons and was heading to the library. She walked to her usualy spot but was surprised to see that it was taken by none other than Remus Lupin. He had removed the surgical mask and glasses, so his skin was visibly tinged in yellow.
He noticed her and smiled. Scarlett waved and walked closer, "What are you doing here?"
"Reading and hiding." Then he gave a cry of frustration "I can't believe this happened. I would vow revenge but, by the time Sirius and James are done with them, they'll already be dead," He said, very annoyed.
"Bless - have you found a way to fix it?" Scarlett enquired innocently.
"I think I might have found something that could help. If it doesn't work, I suppose I'll have to beg McGonagall for help. I am a Prefect after all - it doesn't look good." Remus responded.
"Of course, you poor thing. You've nicked my favourite spot in the library but I'll let you off in the light of these current circumstances. Best of luck with it!" Scarlett added cheerfully. She bade him goodbye and found another space to work on her homework.
Once Scarlett had almost completed his foot-long essay, she was surprised to find a figure slid into the chair next to her. It was Sirius Black.
She rolled her eyes inwardly. "Hello," she greeted civilly. His excessive confidence vexed her.
"Don't mind me, I've just been admiring a beautiful witch," He said flirtatiously.
She gave him a disgusted look "Sure you are, now what are you really doing here?"
He sighed, "I came to find Remus because I was bored, but he was actually working so he sent me to you."
"Mmm and what does you being bored have to do with me?" Scarlett asked, adding the last few words to her essay.
"Well...you're new so I thought I should get to know you better - especially as I'm sure I'll be seeing your face a lot."
Scarlett mimed gagging at his last few words, " Then I will dread those times for the rest of my life,"
He scoffed "Not bloody likely," He sounded a lot like Regulus when he said that. "I mean, look at this face, how could anyone not want to be around me?" He demanded.
"You couldn't sound any more big-headed even if you tried,"
"I think my head is a perfectly normal size, thank you,"
It was Scarlett's turn to scoff, "I beg to differ,"
"Actually Dixon, I'll have you know that underneath my yellow skin and large sunglasses, I'm an extremely attractive as well as wonderful young man - with a normal sized head."
"You're like the frog, in the Princess and The Frog." I laughed.
"Firstly, I don't understand Muggle references and secondly, did you just compare me to a frog?!" He looked outraged, and I bit back a laugh.
"Yes I did Black, to be honest I think it's a very apt comparison,"
Black pouted.
"Oh my God! Did you just pout?!" She couldn't hold back her laughter.
"Tell anyone, and they won't believe you," He winked at her. "I'll let you get on with your work. See you around."
Scarlett waved goodbye as he sauntered off. She didn't quite realise that a smile was plastered on her face for the next thirty minutes.