There is no offense meant to anyone named Brittany, Jason or Jennifer...they are used to represent a certain type of people, I actually got the names from the animated Hercules movie where Pain or Panic says something about all the kids being named Brittany and Jason...
Chapter Seven: Ruin, mess up, destroy, trash... You get the point
Harry and Alley stared at each other with wicked smirks. Alley nodded and then Harry did too, then they both nodded at the same time.
"What are you doing?" Padeline asked them as they began repeating the former action yet again.
"Padeline," Harry exclaimed turning to her, "you aren't in the musical thing are you?"
Padeline shook her head. All the kids in the first section (it's the two classes across from each other in the hallway) of first grade had been forced to sing a song in front of the class to "try out" (insert snort here) for a part in the play...however many students ended up being more discordant than anything else.
"But you do sing really well," Harry asked her. He knew the answer, all the kids in their section did, Padeline could sing extremely well.
"Yet you didn't get a part," Alley asked.
Padeline stared at the two of them waiting for an answer.
"We're going to ruin the play!" Harry and Alley chorused.
"Why?"
Alley sighed dramatically and Harry replied, "All the kids that deserved parts didn't get one, and all the kids that didn't did."
Padeline stared at him confused.
Harry sighed and replied dejectedly, "We're getting Brittany back for pushing you in a puddle."
Padeline grinned and replied, "All right, so what's the plan?"
Harry and Alley glanced at each other and Harry replied, "First we need to talk to all the first grade classes."
"Why are we here listening to you?"
Harry rolled his eyes and replied, "Because you want in on the biggest prank ever pulled in this school," All of the children gathered looked impressed, and didn't hear Harry mumble, "in the name of justice."
"What we're going to do," Alley told them, "is sabotage the play."
"What does that mean?" A kid demanded from somewhere.
"Ruin, mess up, destroy, trash..." Harry replied, "You get the point."
"What it is," Alley said jumping into an explanation, "Harry and I (a kid in the crowd corrected her with 'Harry and me') are going to first: create a diversion—you let us worry about that and second: you guys will do something—we aren't quite sure what..."
A girl in the back raised her hand, Alley pointed her and she said, "Remember that song Harry was singing all day a couple of weeks ago," Harry obviously did as he began singing it again, "maybe we could do something like that..."
"Like what?" Another kid demanded, "Choreograph a dance involving the chorus?"
Harry clapped his hands and yelled, "That's a brilliant idea, we could have the chorus sing the song and have this dance, and the people that actually deserve solos will get one—"
"But we'll need try outs," Alley exclaimed, "We can hold them tomorrow!"
"Won't the teachers notice us acting weird?" a girl asked sounding scared.
Harry and Alley looked over to the teachers who were absorbed in a game of poker...and they were gambling, not just playing.
"If they notice us," Alley told them, "it will be a miracle."
Every student then decided to join in with the plan.
Harry was standing in front of the school waiting for Remus to pick him up. Remus drove up and Harry ran over to the car, his teacher Ms. Thomas following him. She held a note out to Remus who took it looking confused. Harry looked up at Ms. Thomas who was mouthing the words to the song that was playing on the radio.
"Just read it," Ms. Thomas told him, glancing at Harry.
"See Remus," Harry said, "If I knew psychology, I would know why she didn't want me to know about that letter being about me."
Ms. Thomas blinked at him and shook her head shutting the door to the car and waving them both on.
Remus just shook his head, tucking the letter into a pocket, and said, "I don't even want to know... we're going to swing by social services Kathleen wants to talk to you."
Harry shrugged and dug into his backpack producing a book on Napoleon which he promptly dug into. Remus glanced at the book to see what he was reading.
"The French Revolution and now Napoleon, is the French plight for democracy really that interesting?" Remus asked him.
"For your information," Harry told him, his voice monotone showing he wasn't really focusing on the conversation, but rather recording it in his mind to be reviewed later, "Napoleon was a master stagiest."
Remus looked mildly surprised and asked, "When did you become interested in war strategy?"
"Since," Harry looked up with a smile as innocent as sin and replied, "I decided I need to take over the world."
Remus started laughing and struggled to keep the car under control as he did so.
"Well, I'm going to," Harry told him with a pout.
"No," Remus replied struggling to breathe and keep his laughter under control, "it's not that...remember my sister Canady?"
"The one in Russia?" Harry asked.
Remus nodded and said, "We finally found out what she was doing in Russia...she imploded the active government and rebuilt a new one, where she's in charge. She wrote to Maman and Maman wrote back saying I had found you and she was really excited, she agreed to come for a visit and meet you. Then Maman asked what she was doing in Russia and Canady sent an article from a Russian newspaper praising her, they called her Great Lady, or something like it, and it revealed she also had her own plot to take over the world, starting with Russia."
"Really?" Harry asked in amazement.
"That's why I was laughing, it's kind of ironic if you think about it," Remus replied, "but... shoot for the moon, and if you miss," Remus glanced at Harry with a smile, "you'll still be among the stars."
Harry beamed at Remus, and returned to his book on Napoleon.
Harry settled into the chair that was much too big for him and looked shyly at Kathleen, they were in the room alone.
"Hi, Harry, how are you?" Kathleen asked her smile firmly in place.
"I'm fine," Harry replied fumbling his hands nervously.
"Do you know why you're here?" Kathleen asked.
Harry looked up and into her eyes, Kathleen got the feeling Harry was searching her soul for something, and then Harry replied, "Because I want to stay with Remus."
Kathleen nodded and said, "Yes, and Remus wants you to stay with him...but before I can let that happen I have to ask you both a few questions."
"Like what?" Harry asked.
"Has Remus ever smoked around you?" Kathleen asked.
"No."
"Has he ever made you feel scared or unhappy?"
"No."
"Have you ever not eaten breakfast, lunch, or dinner with living with him?"
"Nope."
"Have you been going to school while living with him?"
"Yes, except once...I was sick."
"What time do you go to bed?"
"Eight."
"What do you normally do after you get home from school?"
"Sometimes go to the park, do homework, play outside, read, watch TV, eat dinner, and bug Remus...not necessarily in that order."
"You always do your homework?"
Harry sighed deeply his face creasing into a frown and he replied, "Unfortunately."
"He helps you?"
"Practically stalks me."
Kathleen laughed and asked, "You wouldn't mind living with him, then?"
Harry shook his head fervently.
"Go get Remus for me then."
"So what's going to happen now?" Harry asked Remus.
"We'll see," Remus replied, "but it's looking very good."
"So I'll be your baby again?" Harry asked him.
Remus glanced down at Harry in surprise and replied, "You always have been my baby."
"Officially, I mean," Harry added.
"Yes," Remus replied, "I guess you will."
"So," Harry asked, "Who should go first?"
"You!" a couple of kids yelled.
Harry pouted and the kids yelled for him sing the song. Harry after a few moments complied and was singing the Temptations song "Get Ready".
"Harry should definitely sing a solo," A girl said, everyone agreed readily with her.
"No," Harry replied childishly stubborn, "I'm in the play, I can't have a solo."
"Harry you're being immature," Alley told him, "the only reason we got a part in the play is so we wouldn't sabotage it...I just caught the humor in that."
"Why don't you try out next?" Harry told her as he took a seat next to Padeline, who had been guaranteed a solo. Alley started singing and everyone decided she also needed a solo. After everyone else went, there eight prospective soloists, and this was narrowed down to two, Harry and Padeline, and it was decided that Padeline would sing the first verse, Harry the second, and the chorus would split the part at the end.
"Now we need to choreograph the thing and then we can start practicing," Alley told them.
"I'll see about getting the song for us," Harry added.
"I can choreograph it," a girl named Sally Anne said, "I take dance lessons."
Harry grinned at Alley who grinned back and asked, "Anyone know how to make costumes?"
"Think you can handle it," Remus asked Harry, his hand poised above his mother's doorbell and Harry on his hip.
"I don't think I'm liable to explode," Harry replied, "I might have to get my stomach pumped due to an overdose of chocolate, but sacrifices must be made."
Remus rang the doorbell. Lucas answered it he was holding a cup of hot chocolate, which he dumped into a wilting potted plant next to the door.
"Welcome to the crazy sort of family reunion," Lucas told Remus and Harry, he held his hands out for Harry who was passed to him, "Maman managed to pull a few strings in the ministry and get Marcia out for a couple of hours...you should have seen the magical neighbors."
Lucas led them into the living room, which was half packed up for the move back to Paris, and packed with people. A woman with long blonde hair walked over to them, she looked like she recently recovered from an illness, but her eyes sparkled mischievously. She hugged Remus.
"How's jail treating you, Marcia?" Remus asked her mirthfully.
She smiled and replied, "I'm not sure...how do I look?"
"Pale, sickly," Remus replied.
"Well, I am in solitary," Marcia replied thoughtfully, "my book is coming along nicely though, I believe I'll be done within the year. I've even got a few publishers wanting to look at it."
"Yes," Lucas countered, "to get a look in the crazy woman's head."
"Remus!"
Marcia blanched and whispered, "Hide me!"
Lucas passed Harry back to Remus and he and Marcia ran to hide.
Remus' mother ran up to Remus and hugged him, taking Harry from him. (I always thought it was funny how little babies/kids that can be carried are constantly passed around at family gatherings...well they are at mine).
"My two favorite babies...come and get some hot chocolate."
"Maman, I couldn't," Remus told her looking like he would be ill...which he would soon.
"One can never have too much chocolate!" Maman exclaimed.
Remus sighed in resignation and murmured an assent.
Maman beamed at Remus and grabbed his hand pulling him into the kitchen asking, "So how have you been, Remy? How's school Harry? When are the two of you moving to France with me? Or should I move in with you? You two should move to my new house in Paris and then I can move in with you there—Harry! Have you met your aunts?"
Remus caught Harry's eye and shook his head slowly trying not to have his mother notice him.
"No," Harry replied slowly.
"Well, you must meet them," Maman replied sending Remus a knowing look. Remus gave her a look clearly saying that he had no idea what she was insinuating with that look.
Maman led them into the kitchen which was empty of both people and ornaments; she set Harry down on the counter and set about making hot chocolate. Remus stood anxiously by the counter waiting for Harry to somehow acknowledge how high up he was. Harry though, almost out of reflex, had closed his eyes and was totally unaware of how high up he was even though he knew he was not on the ground. He was facing his lap and it gave him the illusion that he was watching his feet swing.
"Harry are you all right?" Remus asked after a few moments.
Harry looked up at him, his eyes opening once they were not looking in the general direction of the floor. "Fine...why?" Harry replied responding in English unconsciously.
"Aren't you scared of heights?" Remus asked.
Harry nodded and added, "Scared is an understatement, petrified is more like it."
Maman turned around and passed a steaming cup to Remus as she admonished him, "Remy, speak in French so I can understand you."
"Oui Maman." Remus replied solemnly.
Then the door to the kitchen was thrown open and a woman who looked identical to Marcia, excluding the length of hair and sickly look, strode in and threw open her arms exclaiming, "Maman!"
Maman stopped what she was doing and ran over to the woman and they both hugged each other going on about how they hadn't seen each other in years. The two of them separated and kissed each other's cheeks, and then the young blonde woman threw open her arms again and yelled, "Remy!"
She ran over and gave Remus a hug and then they kissed each other's cheeks. Then she beamed at Harry and picked him up off the counter.
"You must be Harry," She cooed, "I'm your Aunt Canady. You're even cuter than Maman said." Canady clutched Harry to her chest and cooed about how adorable he was. Then she pulled him back and began to scrutinize Harry. Then she smiled when she saw Harry was blushing and repeated what Lucas said about Remus always having been so shy.
"He's also got Mother's eyes, but they're shaped like yours Remus, I expect he's gotten his hair from his mother also, it's too dark for our family," Canady told no one in particular, "He's got Maman's nose, and his face is shaped like yours Remus, excluding his cheekbones...too high for our family."
"Here you go Harry," Maman said thrusting a steaming cup at Harry, "watch your tongue."
"Ooh, that reminds me," Canady exclaimed, "I brought you some delicious chocolate Maman...LENOID!"
A man strode into the kitchen and gave Canady a salute, Canady spouted off something in Russian and Lenoid walked out of the room. Canady settled Harry onto her hip.
Canady smiled at Harry, Remus, and Maman and explained, "My guard/entourage."
"Why aren't the words in Russian arranged the way they would be in French or English?" Harry asked Canady.
"Because in Russian the order of the words isn't really that important, you can still get the thought across," Canady explained not missing a beat, but she only just beat Maman to it.
"That's how many languages you know now?" Remus asked Harry, much to the shock of Canady and Maman. It hadn't really hit them that Harry was asking it.
Harry thought for a second and replied his cheeks tinted scarlet at everyone's attention, "Six, I believe."
"That's impressive," Canady commented, "did you already know Russian, or have you heard it spoken enough..."
"I heard it spoken," Harry replied, "just now. It doesn't take me long to learn languages."
Lenoid walked in again and held out a box of chocolates to Canady who passed them to Maman.
"You must be some sort of prodigy to be able to learn a language that quickly," Canady commented, which caused Harry to blush even more. Canady thanked Lenoid and friendlily dismissed him.
Lucas walked in and without any communication, spoken or otherwise, Harry was passed to him. Maman passed Lucas a cup of hot chocolate giving him a disapproving look. Lucas said nothing and avoided Maman's eyes as he stared down the hot chocolate.
"Lucas, do you know where Marcia is?" Maman asked as she opened the box of chocolates and peered in, "Remy are you all right, you're being rather quiet."
"No, Maman."
"I'm fine, Maman."
The door opened and standing there was criminal-on-leave Marcia. Marcia and Canady squealed at the sight of their look-alike and ran over and hugged each other.
Lucas pouted and mumbled to Remus, "I want a twin brother..."
"Why are you looking me?" Remus demanded.
Lucas searched for an answer as he gaped in surprise. Marcia and Canady were now kissing each others cheeks talking excitedly about governments and which are/would be best.
Remus held out his hands and said, "Give me my child; I don't want you touching him."
"I didn't mean it like that," Lucas exclaimed pulling Harry closer to his chest, "and he's my nephew."
"Children," Maman said loudly. All the attention riveted to her, "time to introduce Harry; we can't hide in a kitchen forever." Maman left the kitchen and Harry was passed back to Remus.
"Funny," Remus told his siblings, two of whom were using the sink to "drink" their hot chocolate, "she brought me in here."
"That's Maman for you!" Lucas replied holding his empty mug up, Canady clicked her empty mug to his in agreement.
"What always got me is she always knows what you've done," Marcia told them.
Lucas nodded and said, "She knew I dropped out of school before I did, I kept wondering why she was glaring at me all that year..."
All of them started laughing and left the kitchen. The triplets turning on their little brother as they playfully teased him.
The triplets and Remus looked visibly relieved as their Aunt Magdalena, the last remaining distant family member, walked out of the door.
"I'm glad that's over," Lucas whispered to his siblings. Harry was curled up in Remus' lap, asleep, as he had been for a little over an hour.
Canady nodded as she sipped at her spiked hot chocolate.
"I can't agree with you," Marcia replied, "because after this I'll be back in jail."
"Please you love it there," Remus teased, "I seem to remember that Maman could hardly keep you out of it."
"My sense of justice is strong," Marcia replied.
"I know plenty of people who would see that differently," Lucas told her.
"And notice they'll be the ones to have heart attacks at forty," Marcia said as she grabbed a chocolate out of a tray sitting in front of her.
"Will you even be out of jail at forty?" Canady asked teasingly.
"Well," Marcia replied, a wicked grin crossing her face, "I'll actually be getting out quite a deal earlier than I expected...on good behavior."
"And next time you'll succeed in taking down the ministry," Remus asked his tone teasing, but also sarcastic.
"Of course," Marcia replied, "you wouldn't catch me dead without a cause. How are things going over in Russia, Canady?"
"Extremely well," Canady replied, "I'll have to take a couple of more years to stabilize the economy before I move onto muggle Russia. Then I was thinking maybe I could move on to Europe or Southern Asia, I'm not sure yet. The good news is, though, I've got most everyone backing me at the moment, except for a few radical groups," Canady gave Marcia a pointed look.
They looked to Lucas next.
"I'm still doing improv," He said, "but I've taken a part-time job at the ministry. I've also had Maman's boss approach me about working in espionage, he apparently thinks I could handle it well."
"Comes with being an actor, I guess," Marcia commented, that's how their mother had started; she was in a Shakespeare production when the lead guy in espionage approached her with a job.
"Are you going to take it?" Remus asked, as he absently smoothed Harry's hair.
"I don't know yet," Lucas replied, "I am considering it."
They all turned to Remus and looked at him expectantly.
"I've got a job at a newspaper as a photographer, but," Remus checked to see that Harry was indeed asleep, "it's more of a front. I can't tell you anymore than that."
The triplets looked mildly impressed, but they were curious as to what their little brother could be doing. That and if it was illegal.
Maman walked back into the family room and joined in with their conversation, though it now turned more to political gossip and problems than anything else.
The entire first grade was at recess, waiting for Harry and Alley to return with their "surprise" but the average age being six they weren't being very patient.
Harry and Alley finally ran up and Harry brandished a tape and Alley, a small stereo.
"We can start planning the thing now," Harry explained.
"Are we going to look like idiots?" A boy demanded.
Harry blinked and gave the tape to Alley who stuck it in the stereo as he replied, "I really hope not."
Alley pressed play and as the song went on, no one was really that worried about looking stupid. And anyway they were six, they still had the cute little kid thing going for them.
"Okay, so we can go like this here," Sally Anne told them.
"I just got an idea," Harry exclaimed.
"What?" Sally Anne asked.
"We could have half of the chorus doing one thing and another part doing another thing—like when it goes 'I'm bringing you a love that's true' and it the background it has people going 'Aaaaah' (not like a scream, though...I have problems spelling noises so bear with me)."
"That could work," Alley agreed, "Sally Anne you do what you were just going and I do the background, okay."
A girl watching them do the dance grinned and said, "That would look so cool with all of us doing it."
"People in the first row, your job is to, you'll know when, smuggle two microphones up to the back—one for Padeline and one to amplify the stereo, got it?"
"Hey Padeline! Harry thinks we should change the 'girl' in the first verse to 'guy', so that the adults won't think something they shouldn't." (That's dedicated to a friend of mine—who is so perverted; she knows who she is…)
"Then you'll all go down the risers here, and Harry and I will climb up...but all of you will have to keep doing your part—are you coordinated enough?"
"Point 'So get ready' spin 'So get ready' slide over just a little bit, we don't have much room 'I'm gonna try to make you love me too' second and fourth row you point at the audience, then you put you hand on your heart, first and third you do like the second and fourth did before, the wave thing, then you all do the point/spin/slide thing."
"Jump up a step, up a step, up a step, up a step, and then you stomp along with the music...see it's simple."
"First and third you sing echo first part, second and fourth you sing echo second time—Harry, Padeline, and Alley will sing echo for us."
"Then at the end we'll have people, who want to, say 'get ready cause here I come' and then right at the very end we'll all say it really loud and then... we'll run."
"Harry, are you all right? You seem a little preoccupied." Remus asked looking up from a magazine.
Harry blinked and looked up at him nodding.
"Sure?" Remus asked looking slightly concerned.
"I'm perfectly fine," Harry persisted.
"Okay," Remus gave him a skeptical look, and then he stopped and shook his head thinking, 'I'm becoming my mother'.
Kathleen walked up with a man standing next to her.
"Hello Remus, Harry, this is Bob Jedd. He's an adoption agent," Kathleen said waving a hand absently in Bob's general direction a.k.a. a chair halfway across the room. "How are you doing, Harry? Everything, okay?"
Harry nodded fervently suddenly excited about something.
Remus was looking between Bob and Kathleen, Bob was glaring at the back of Kathleen's head and Kathleen was blatantly ignoring him. Harry also noticed this and gaped openly at them.
"Mr. Lupin, if you will come with me," Bob said still glaring at the back of Kathleen's head.
"Umm...sure..." Remus stood up and Kathleen turned to him, she seemed extremely irritated.
"He was the only person they could transfer in, I'm afraid...but don't mind our personal vendetta," Kathleen told Remus, "he had to get this job somehow, and he didn't sleep with his boss because he's as straight as a ruler...both of them are."
"You say it like it's a bad thing," Bob scoffed.
"You are a bad thing." Kathleen snapped at him.
Harry giggled and held his hands up to Remus wanting to be held. Remus picked him up.
"Well, let's go shall we Mr. Lupin." Bob said and he began heading in an opposite direction. Remus and Kathleen gave each other looks; Remus put Harry down and walked off.
"You have been hired outside of the ministry, correct?"
"Mr. Lupin, I assure you, you have nothing to worry about." Bob replied, "However, it will take the form you're about to sign a bit longer than it should, as you are still a citizen of France. Your request though..." Bob trailed off and Remus and Bob shared a smirk.
"There should be no problems," Remus added as an afterthought.
"Not with your mother breezing it through, there shouldn't," Bob replied. "Just read these forms and sign them. Then Harry or should I say Daniel will be yours and I'll keep this out of Dumbledore's, the minister's, the presses, and anyone else who's a problem's hands."
Remus nodded and began reading the adoption papers.
Remus sighed and with a flourish signed the final place requiring his signature. He pushed them across the table to Bob, who signed the last paper in the packet: a contract binding all parties to secrecy...Kathleen had already signed it.
Bob closed the packet and stuck it back into it's envelope, shutting it and standing up.
Bob stood up and Remus followed his example.
"It's been a pleasure meeting Mr. Lupin." Bob said as he held out his hand. Remus took it and exchanged the proper pleasantry. Then they both left the room.
Harry was in a playroom there were a couple of children in there with him. A woman was watching them.
Harry looked up from the chalkboard he was drawing on as Remus opened the door. Harry grinned and ran over to him. Remus picked him up and settled Harry on his hip. The woman watching the children gave Remus a skeptical look. Remus sheepishly smiled at her and walked out of the room.
"What were you doing, Remus?" Harry asked as they left the social service building (it's amazing what all they're doing in there).
"Adopting you," Remus replied, "it's quite a long legal process...for most people. I'm doing it over in France not involving the government, with Maman pulling a few strings to get it made a priority in the most involved departments. Then I'll apply for citizenship of Britain, and as you'll be my child over in France so will it be here, so it will be like I never even adopted you over here. More importantly, no one here will be aware I'm adopting you, unless they're told...I know too much about government loopholes, but that's what I get for being part of my family."
"So what's this end of the year play thing?" Remus asked Harry as they ate dinner several weeks later.
"It's where all the Brittanys and Jasons get to show off their lack of talent, but power of being the teacher's pet and having rich parents with no imagination when it came to naming their child. It's loads of fun...can I not go?"
"Six year olds should not be that sarcastic," Remus told Harry, "and I'm afraid you have to go, you have a part...or so I hear, who are you, the play is Sleeping Beauty right?"
"Yes," Harry nodded and he continued on still using a sarcastic tone of voice, "I'm the prince, I don't even have a name, I'm just 'The Prince'."
Remus' lips twitched with the effort of not trying to smile, "but your friend Alley got a part too, didn't she?"
"Yes, she's the evil witch," Harry replied rolling his eyes, "Maleficent. This play is an embarrassment to my classmates and I and an overall blemish on society. We should boycott its unnatural, fiendish ways."
Remus stared at Harry and picked up his drink, took a sip of it and then set it down saying, "I love that movie."
Harry's eyes widened in worry of insulting Remus, and then he fell over in his chair laughing.
Remus took another sip of his drink.
This was what it all led down to, a month and a half of practicing both in class and out of class for the sabotage. The school practices had been perfect; the chorus had been discordant, as expected. The Brittanys and Jasons fumbled over lines, Harry and Alley had been perfect both in lessons and in practice. Alley was an excellent Maleficent, and Harry an excellent prince. The teachers could not praise what they did nor could they discern it from past classes performances in practice, they figured this would go the same as all end of year plays did in primary school.
It was parent's night for the first grade end of year play, and everything was set up everyone in the chorus by now knew that Alley and Harry were serious about sabotaging the play. They were all nervous mostly about when they got in trouble. All their practicing had paid off, everyone knew exactly what to do, and they had been doing the entire routine flawlessly for two weeks.
That didn't cut the nerves though.
"So what's the signal?" A boy named Justin asked as he fiddled nervously with his plain white shirt—chorus regalia.
"Trust me," Alley told him with a grin, "you'll know when to do it okay."
"Is everything set up?" Harry asked Alley, as he glanced up into the ceiling above the stage.
"Yes, it's Showtime, Harry." Alley told him as she dug out a small packet of stage make-up and a sponge. She was wearing a black dress/robe thing that flowed on the floor. Alley, during the practices had used that to her advantage, looking every bit the evil sorceress she was supposed to be as she glided across the stage looking extremely dangerous for a six year old. Only Harry and a select three knew what she was going to do with that green make-up and a pair of dress shoes featured in her favorite movie.
Across the stage Ms. Thomas was telling the Brittanys and Jasons chosen to play the queens and kings that the bag of flour was Aurora (the actual sleeping beauty for those of you not familiar with the Disney movie) like the bag of sugar they used in practice was. The bag of flour was Aurora, forget the bag of sugar, this was not practice they were going to use Ms. Thomas' lucky bag of flour on the performance, all of her past classes had used the bag of flour for Aurora and they had done spectacularly. Okay, pretend the bag of flour is actually a bag of sugar that you are pretending is Aurora. Yeah, now you get it. 'Why did I start teaching children?'
Harry and Alley shared a look at the bag of flour's expense. Then set off to talk to John, Michael, and Chris about a key part of the sabotage.
Remus settled into a seat on the bleachers next to Alley's parents, they had met each other when their children dragged them across the parking lot in order to meet their friend before the play.
Remus could see the chorus buzzing with excitement, as Harry, Alley and a couple of other children ran around. To Remus' eyes they appeared to be making sure everything would go right...but shouldn't the teacher be doing that?
Alley's father leaned over to him, he looked extremely familiar to Remus and whispered, "that's the fourth time in ten minutes that kid's gone from the chorus to the stage, it's like he's a messenger or something."
Harry stuck out a hand and caught Justin's shoulder saying, "Go tell Stephanie to get Padeline a microphone after the curtain rises, after the intro."
Justin gave Harry a mock salute and ran over to tell Stephanie.
The chorus began singing the intro to Sleeping Beauty.
The Brittanys, Jasons, and Harry were on stage with the bag of sugar waiting for the curtain to rise. Out of the corner of his eyes Harry could see Alley painting her face green. Next to her stood the Jennifers, a step down from the Brittanys, the three of them would play Merryweather, Flora, and Fauna each of them held a plastic wand with a star made of glitter on top of it.
The curtain rose and the king and Queen, Aurora's parents went on about how much they had longed for a child. Harry was pleased that all he had to do for the moment was look very bored...not that it was hard.
The three fairies came out in their puffy tutu-like dresses and the bag of flour was given the gifts of beauty and music...then there was a bang made from a pan and a metal spoon colliding.
Alley walked out she had her long black robe/dress pulled up so you could see her ruby-red slippers and her face was green—she was dressed up as her favorite character out of her favorite movie: the wicked witch of the east. Alley thought it was so cool that witch got hit with a house.
Alley strode across the stage without any elegance what so ever and then she pulled back her sleeve, which was littered with sentences written in black ink, and she stared at it for a few moments trying to decide which sentence it was she was supposed to be reading. Then she found it, about ten seconds after Ms. Thomas whispered her line to her.
"Why ain't I get no invitation?" Alley demanded as she put a hand on her hip. The audience laughed indulgently at her.
All the Brittanys and Jasons stared at her; they knew their lines because of what another person said...so if one person said the wrong thing, everyone was lost. Luckily Harry had a photographic memory.
"Maleficent!" Harry gasped loudly.
"Maleficent!" The three fairies twittered. The adults laughed, again, in good humor at the children
Alley pulled back her sleeve again and stared at her arm once again trying to find her line, and after it was supplied she found it and said, "I know ya'll are going to give me that bag of sugar."
One of the fairies pointed accusingly at Alley with her wand and said, "That's not what you're supposed to say."
Alley snatched the wand and the girl collapsed into tears as Ally pointed the glittery wand at the Brittanys, Jasons, and Harry repeating, "I know ya'll are going to give me that bag of sugar."
Harry reached into the crib and pulled out the bag of sugar giving it to Alley saying, "You can have it, I am not marrying a bag of sugar."
"Thank you, 'The Prince'," Alley told him as she pulled out some fake vampire fangs, "when I decide to eat this bag of sugar I will share with you." Alley stuck the fangs in her mouth and grabbed a piece of the robe/dress and used it like a vampire's cape holding it above her face as she turned to bite into the bag of sugar. The adults were now beginning to understand that something was not going right.
Suddenly Alley gasped dramatically and turned to the audience holding the bag of sugar up, it had 'flour' written across it in large letters. She showed it to Harry who also gasped dramatically.
"This is not a bag of sugar," Alley needlessly told everyone. She turned to the Brittanys and Jasons saying, "you have not given me a bag of sugar thus you shall pay the price." Alley leveled her wand at them and Harry yelled, "NOW!"
An extremely large amount of honey fell out of a contraption set up in the ceiling of the stage, Alley ripped off the top of the bag of flour and threw it at the honey covered Brittanys and Jasons. The curtain closed just as the opening notes of "Get Ready" began playing...Padeline began singing.
Harry and Alley darted out of the closed curtain and over to the chorus just as they were leaving the risers, just as planned. The microphone was given to Harry and the second verse was sung just as the curtain pullers and the honey contraption setter-offer ran over to join the chorus on the floor.
"They sabotaged the play," Remus muttered in awe of Harry's gall, but also he was angry at Harry for doing something like that.
"They did a good job of it too, I've never seen such planning go into a prank," Alley's father added.
"She still did something quite awful," Alley's mother told her husband.
"But look at the engineering," Alley's father persisted as the chorus jumped back up to their former spots on the risers as Harry, Alley, and some other girl hopped down...they did it in time with the music.
"They sabotaged the play," Remus muttered again as Harry's voice said 'Ladies and Gentlemen the chorus'. Remus was surprised to hear applause as the chorus began singing/dancing the ending part of the song.
But as Remus watched as the chorus danced and sang his favorite song and he had to admit they did extremely well for a group of six year olds...even if they did have a pair of geniuses helping out.
"I guess I'll warm up the get away car," Alley's father said sounding defeated, yet proud as he stood up.
"GET READY CAUSE HERE I COME!"
"We might as well introduce ourselves," Remus said as he watched all the first grade children run out into the parking lot, "I have a feeling we'll be meeting with the principal together quite a bit. I'm Remus Lupin." Remus held out his hand.
"Nathaniel Prewitts," Alley's father replied as he took Remus' hand adding, "I knew you looked familiar."
"I was thinking the same thing," Remus replied, thinking how small the world was. Remus held out his hand to Alley's mother.
"Laura Prewitts," She told him, "pleasure to meet you."