The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

Meteolojinx

Meteolojinx

The Slytherins struck back at dinner in the Great Hall that night.

Filch had finally gone to Dumbledore for help around mid-morning, who had cleared away the swamp outside the Slytherin common room straight off. The Slytherin students were, of course, excused for missing the first sessions of their classes in the morning, but that didn't expunge their hunger for revenge - especially not from Evan Rosier, who was very good at holding grudges.

All the students were gathered about eating their food. The Ravenclaws were discussing books and speaking in multiple languages for fun at their table, while the Hufflepuffs chatted happily and played word games as they ate, and the Gryffindor table was a ruckus of shouting about the match that would be played next night (though Sirius, James, and Lily looked quite despondent about all the excitement, given that they weren't playing). The Slytherins, however, were banded around Evan, who had become the unofficial leader of the revenge against Gryffindor. He sat, facing their table, grinning, waiting for just the right moment for the plan to be enacted.

Trying to ignore the talk of Quidditch, James was goofing off with Sirius, and they were sword fighting with stalks of celery stolen from the platter in the center of the table, sending flecks of the juice flying about the air. Suddenly, with a strike from James, Sirius's celery stick flew out of his hand and hit a passerby in the side of the head. "Sorry mate, watch out for flying vegetables - always a danger 'round us, you know," Sirius said, smiling. He turned about to see Severus Snape, kicking the celery stalk away. "Blimey, didn't know it was you Snivellus, I would've thrown it a bit harder." His eyes twinkled.

"Aren't you amusing." Severus sneered, then he hastened over to Lily, "C'mon, let's go for a walk."

"Now?" Lily asked.

"Yes. Right now." Severus grabbed her hand and pulled her out of her bench. Lily abandoned her not-even-half-finished dinner, following after Severus with gooey eyes as he led her out of the Great Hall.

James watched them go. "Didn't even let her finish her dinner!" he said, annoyed by Severus's mere existence, "Look at that, she wasn't even close to done. She's got to starve."

Quickly, Sirius retrieved his celery stick and promptly whacked his friend over the head with it. "Oi. James, earth to James."

"Hey watch out for the hair!"

"You were being distracted," Sirius accused.

"Sorry," James said, "Just I don't think he's very good for her is all."

"Of course you don't, he's your competition. You're not supposed to think he's good for her," Sirius answered, slashing at James with the celery again. "Are you going to fight me or do you forfeit?"

"I already unarmed you," James said.

"But you didn't kill me so I rearmed myself." He wagged the celery at James.

"Well that's stupid!" James announced. "How am I supposed to kill you with a celery stick?"

"That's how celery sword fighting works, you prat. You have to go for the kill or else the other guy's gonna just grab his sword again. UNGUARD!" Sirius hit James again.

"You're mental!" James cried and he turned back and hit Sirius's stalk with his own, resuming the sword fight.

Remus had watched all this in silence. He turned to pay more attention to his dinner.

It was then there came a loud rumbling like thunder. It was loud enough that it shook the goblets on the table and made the plates clatter against one another.