WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU PUMPKINS , james potter

━ eleven. ragtag band of clueless idiots

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
- ragtag band of clueless idiots -
1977

"SO, LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT. YOU—" Thomas pointed his chin in Lily's direction— "want to prank the Marauders, something that has never been done before, by the way, and you enlisted the help of a reclusive and stubborn Slytherin, an annoying first-year, and me?"

"Reclusive?"

"Is he talking bout me? I feel like he's talking bout me? I am not annoying."

     Without missing a beat, Thomas responded, "Right, sorry, I meant extremely annoying."

     "You know what's extremely annoying?" Asmara had dropped her voice down a couple of octaves in an attempt to mimic Thomas's jaded voice. "Your face."

She held her hand up expectantly, beaming when Lily returned her high five without hesitation. Madeline groaned. Entertaining Asmara only lead to a day of nonstop talking, stories of her childhood (which nobody, not a single person asked for), and badly timed jokes.

     "Whatever," shrugged Thomas, clearly bored with the conversation.

     "Am I supposed to be the reclusive Slytherin?" Madeline crossed her arms, slightly offended. And here she thought they could get along.

     Thomas gave her a blank face. "You forgot stubborn, too." Madeline rolled her eyes. Who was she kidding, Thomas could be such a pain in the ass some of (all of) the time.

     Asmara frowned. "Want me to hex him for ya, Madeline? I'll do it, I swear, just gimme the word!" Asmara puffed her chest out, readying her wand... which was held upside down.

     Thomas's lip quivered, the closets thing he could offer as a smile. "Go 'head."

Lily laughed nervously. "We won't be able to get much done if we keep fighting..." she looked uncomfortable with the group of squabbling Slytherins.

     Madeline didn't have the energy to tell her this is how it usually was between the three of them. Asmara was as talkative and obnoxious as ever, Thomas was his normal bland self, and the two were fighting with Madeline silent and grumpily watching from the sidelines. This was a regular Tuesday for them.

"We haven't even gotten to the real fighting yet!" exclaimed Asmara. Madeline and Thomas simultaneously cringed.

     "Will you please be quiet. Just hearing you talk is killing my head," groaned Thomas.

"You know, I just learned a new spell in charms. I'd be careful if I were you, Henderson."

     It was a sight to see, Madeline was sure, three Slytherins and a Gryffindor crowded together in the courtyard, all quietly (minus Asmara) discussing amongst themselves.

     Let's paint the picture.

     You'd first probably notice the first year with knee high, unicorn socks and puffy hair, commanding attention and shouting whatever thought came to her head. Then, two other Slytherins, both prefects, slightly pushing against each other on the bench they shared; one, a redhead girl, covered in layers of jackets and scarves as her teeth chattered (in mid-October), the other, a dark haired boy, who looked to be dead inside and out. Just before you'd turn away, you'd see the cherry to top it all off, Lily Evans, goody-two shoes head girl awkwardly smiling and waiting for a chance to speak.

     They were a sight to see, indeed.

     Thomas bit back a yawn, rubbing away at the deep circles under his eyes. "I guess what I'm asking is, why us? No offense, but we aren't exactly the kind of crowd you hang with."