The Marauders: Year Seven Part Two

If You're Happy And You Know It

"I'm so tired of everything being so serious."

Sirius Black was laying across the bed, his head hanging off over the footboard, his feet up on the headboard, arms laid out at his sides. The other Marauders were laying about the room in various positions as well. James sitting on his bed, legs crossed, facing Lily, both of their heads bent over their open Defense Against the Dark Arts book... Peter was playing with his throwing stones as usual, picking at his teeth as he studied the way the stones had fallen on his bedspread... and Remus, sitting at his desk, his homework spread out before him, but his eyes unfocused and blank, absently drawing on the parchment with his quill, the likeness of Ned Veigler's wolf form slowly emerging from the splotches of ink before him.

Sirius sat up, rolling onto his stomach. "Let's do a prank."

"I'm not hearing this," Lily murmured, her Headgirl badge pinned to her jumper.

James glanced over, eyebrow raised.

Peter asked, "What kind of prank?" He was still picking at his teeth.

Sirius answered, "Dunno. Something epic. It's been awhile since we've done anything truly grand."

Remus laid his head down on his arm.

Sirius looked at Remus's back, then back to Peter and James. "It's just like that time we turned the school blue, you know -- everyone's sad and in need of a good laugh..." Sirius mused. He rubbed his chin and flopped backwards onto his back, feet up on the footboard now, thinking as his head sank into the pillows. "Something really fun..."

James quickly turned his head to pay attention to the DADA work as Lily cleared her throat, reminding him that he was after all wearing the Headboy badge on his own jumper.

"Oh c'mon Lilith Joykill Evans," Sirius said, rolling his eyes. "Let the boy participate."

"He is not only Headboy, he's also a leader of the Order of the Phoenix," Lily answered, "Do you really think it's appropriate --"

"All the more so! We need our fearless leader to inflict happiness on the castle!" Sirius declared, rising up on his knees on the bed. "To return smiles to the residents of Hogwarts - to redeem our hearts from the binders of depression and mourning -- to --"

"Make Sirius shut up," James added. He nudged Lily's foot with his own, "You know he won't stop until we get involved... And maybe we could do something that doesn't technically break any rules? We could be like... moderators..." James was making his face as cute as he possibly could, his lips pouty and eyes pleading. "You know you want to cheer up all the ickle widdle seagulls, Evans..."

Lily bit her lip, staring at him. James nodded toward Remus, who had not yet spoken, but stayed staring at the drawing he'd done, adding little details like the specks of the print on the nose of the wolf, his quill scratching the parchment forlornly. Lily looked over and her eyes shifted from complete opposition to softening a bit at the sight of Remus's hunched up shoulders. "Like what?" she asked, closing the DADA book and turning to face Sirius.

Sirius positively beamed. "Well, well, well... Welcome to the dark side Evans."

James said, "Okay Darth Vader."

Sirius looked confused, "Excuse me?"

"Star Wars," James said.

Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Darth Vader, he's the bad guy in Star Wars and he -- you know what, nevermind. Evans gets it."

"I do." Lily smirked.

Sirius shook his head, "Bloody nerds, no-the-fuck-wonder you're Lames." He threw a pillow at Remus. "Oi, get over here Moony, we're about to plan a bloody brilliant prank and you'll want in on this."