Promise to be Bad

Chapter Seven

Finally!

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  "Stifflebane?" Lily asked.

  Mel closed her eyes, her face to the ceiling, trying to remember what Professor Sprout had told them in class.

  Her face brightened and she said confidently, "A calming herb, similar to lavender. Not particularly hard to come by. Thought to be a weed in the muggle world, but is grown in most witch's gardens."

  "Good. Orklewood?"
  "Helps to calm an upset stomach and enabling the person to keep food down. Can be used in place of mint leaves, which are more commonly used in more extensive potions."

  "Yep. Callywort?"

  "Helps with wakefulness; the active ingredient in a dreamless sleeping potion. Must be grown in a place of high temperature, or it's effects are weakened."

  "Mm hmm. Halen root?"

  Mel sighed. "I don't want to do this anymore." she said and set her Herbology notes aside.

  "But you need to study." Lily protested and handed the notes back to Mel.

  "We've been studying. For two hours! Lets go do something fun."

  After a moment, Lily nodded agreeably and tossed the notes onto a table, "So you want to do a prank?"

  Mel grinned, "Well, I sort of want to get back at that Nancy Gale bitch, but it'd be fun to get 'em all in one big blow. What do you think?"

  Lily shrugged, lost in thought, and then sat up grinning. "How good are you at Charms?"

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  The giant grandfather clock that stood in a corner of the Gryffindor Common Room chimed five times and fell silent.

  Five o'clock. Lily paced impatiently in front of the fire, any later and they wouldn't have time to finish the job.

  Three minutes passed and still there was no sign of Mel.

  Lily was muttering to herself when Mel finally emerged from the stairs glancing behind her.

  "Sorry, I'm late. Louise Broden woke up as I was trying to leave and kept asking me questions, I finally just had to place a freezing spell on her so I could go."

  "Right. Come on." Lily pulled a folded piece of silvery cloth out of her pocket. Melony gaped openly. Lily unfolded the cloak and draped it over both of them.

  "Where'd you get this thing?" Mel asked as they climbed out of the portrait hole and made their way to the Great Hall.

  "It's not mine. I sort of nicked it from James' trunk before we left."

  Mel giggled.

  "Shhh! You don't want Filch on us, do you?" But Lily was grinning too. James prized his cloak and probably never would have let her use it had she asked. Oh well, he'd didn't have to know.

  They reached the Great Hall to find it dark and empty, as they knew it would be, and the tables all set for breakfast. Remaining under the cloak, the two girls made their way to the Slytherin table where they pulled out their wands and grinned happily. This morning's prank would be one even the Marauders would wish they'd thought of.

  "Remember the spell?" Lily asked.

  Mel nodded, breathed deeply and said, her wand touching a cup,  "Pertangere Comutatus Piscis."

  The cup glowed faintly, and to all appearances, nothing happened.

  "Good." Lily replied, obviously a good sign, then touched her wand to a fork and whispered, "Pertangere Comutatus Mus." Like the cup, the knife glowed faintly but nothing further happened.

  Touching her wand to a napkin, Mel whispered, "Pertangere Comutatus Bufo." The same faint glow and then nothing.

  Making their way swiftly down the table, they whispered these three incantations randomly at each place setting, trying hard not to laugh too loud. They were almost finished when the door opening interrupted them and two people entered the room talking quietly.

  "Five hundred and twelve since him and his friends have been here, Albus, five hundred and twelve! Surely that's means for something more than house points." McGonnagle was saying.

  "My dear Minerva, like I've told you before, he may have flooded the Slytherin common room last week--"

  Minerva interrupted, "We all know that he did."

  "Yes," He agreed. "But we have no proof that these previous five hundred and twelve actions committed were done by his hand. Therefore we have nothing to go on, and thus, there is nothing we can do but constantly remove house points based on your good judgment."

  She folded her arms over her chest looking peeved. "You're too soft on these children, they need the discipline."

  Dumbledore chuckled, "Then you, my dear, should be the one to dish it out." His blue eyes twinkled merrily as he patted her cheek.

  Her mouth dropped open and she protested, "Not me! You! You're the headmaster, it's your job."

  "I am well aware of my job, Minerva, but as headmaster there are more pressing matters to attend to rather than handing out detention."

  Mel and Lily each held their breath and didn't move as McGonnagle and Dumbledore passed by, seemingly unaware that they weren't alone in the room (though Lily could have sworn Dumbledore glanced their way, his blue eyes twinkling merrily).

  Slowly, Mel leaned in, "Should we finish?" she whispered, her breath hot on Lily's shoulder.

  Still staring at Dumbledore and wondering if he really knew they were there, Lily nodded, "Yeah. Quickly, then lets get out of here."

  They finished the last three plate settings and made to leave hurriedly, but then Mel tread on the hem of the cloak and had to reach out to Lily for balance who fell forward bumping into a chair which grated loudly against floor.

  Instantly, McGonnagle had out her wand and pointed it in their direction. "Who's there?" She demanded.

  The girls didn't move.

  "Peeves, is that you?"

  They held their breath as McGonnagle made her way towards them.

  Dumbledore was smiling when he said, "Hello, children."

  Lily gasped and grabbed Mel's robe, "Come on," she whispered and pulled on Mel.

  They ran to the door with McGonnagle running after them while Dumbledore followed at a more leisurely pace whistling a little tune under his breath.

  "Stop!" McGonnagle yelled.

  They didn't. Who would, really?

  McGonnagle gave up the chase at the stairs when she no longer could hear their footsteps. Hair coming free from her customary bun, face flushed, and breathing heavily, she turned angrily back to Dumbledore who was chuckling into his beard.

  "Who was it?" She demanded.

  Dumbledore stared at her, his face controlled to indifference. "Who was who?"

  Her eyes flashed. "Don't play stupid with me, Albus, I know you can see through those bloody things."

  He laughed and made to put his arm around her shoulder.

  She stepped out of his reach and glared at him. "Who was it, Albus?" She persisted. "Potter? Black?"

  "I do believe, my dear," He paused pulling out her chair and allowing her to sit down. "That if you pop in on a certain Potions class on Wednesday, you shall get your answer." He said and began to walk away.

  She frowned and called after him, "What do you mean?"

  He paused, turned to look at her and grinned, "Sixth year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs are being quizzed on truth potions."

  McGonnagle looked blank for a second but then she threw back her head and laughed. "Thank you, Albus, I'll be sure to remember to dress warmly for my trek down to the dungeons." Her laughter lasted only a moment when she became serious again.

  "What do you suppose they were doing?" Her gaze traveled over the Slytherin table.

  He shrugged, his eyes twinkling anew, "I suppose we shall see at breakfast."

  "Shouldn't we at least try to prevent it?"

  He waved her off, "Oh no, we don't know what spells they used and I wouldn't want to cancel breakfast. One cannot think properly on an empty stomach."

  She nodded.

  "Besides," He added wryly, "We could do with another laugh." he said and laughed at her surprise.

  "Albus! You should-"

  He interrupted her, "I'm just teasing, my dear. Now, what were we discussing before we were interrupted?"

  "Detention."
  "Ah, yes. It appears, Minerva, that you may be able to assign your much desired detention, after all."

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  Mel and Lily made it back to the common room just as Sirius was coming down the stairs from the boys' dormitories.

  "Lily! What are you doing up?" Sirius called when he saw her.

  Mel grinned at Lily, her eyes bright with mirth, "I'll see you at breakfast." she said and disappeared up the stairs to her room.

  Lily, hardly suppressing a grin of her own, faced her friend in front of the fire so she could warm her chilled hands. "I had a little business to attend to."

  "What are you doing with James' cloak?" He asked.

  Lily looked at the cloak in her hand. She'd completely forgotten that she hadn't asked to borrow it. She smiled guiltil. "I needed it. Emergency."

  He narrowed his eyes, clearly wanting an explanation.

  She shrugged and slipped past him, "You'll see what I mean at breakfast."

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  She tossed him the cloak, "Could you return this please?"
  He scowled.

  She smiled sweetly, "You'll see."

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  Walking down to the Great Hall with the Marauders, Lily spotted Mel sitting in her regular seat reading a book. She glanced up when Lily passed and smiled slightly.

  Sitting in her own place with James across from her, Lily looked up at the Head Table and was surprised when her eyes met those of Dumbledore. His eyes, as always, twinkling in a way that made you want to close a door on your thoughts, he raised his glass in a toast and then stood, commanding the attention of the students.

  "I have a little announcement concerning this year's Halloween. It has been decided, and I happen to find it a brilliant idea, that we should host the first ever Halloween masquerade."

  Scattered cheers went up around the room.

  Dumbledore held up his hand, "Now just wait a minute, some of you might know that we have, indeed, sponsored many masques in the past. So this wouldn't be the first in reality."

  Lily looked over at James who grinned at her.

  "So we have decided to 'spice' it up a bit." Dumbledore paused as though wondered if he should go on.

 "There will be no magic." he said finally.

  Whispers could be heard at the Slitherin table.

  -"What does he mean, 'no magic'?"

  -"I won't go if if I can't use my wand."

  -"Damn Mudbloods."

  "At precisely eight o'clock, wards will be placed around the Great Hall and the gardens. Your wands will not work in here so there is no need to carry them with you."

  Others in the room with a curiosity for the ways of the mysterious muggle were excited.

  A muggle masquerade, it had been James' idea. A rather good one, she thought and she'd be willing to bet that more than half the Slytherin's wouldn't show up, which just made for a perfect night.

  McGonnagle stood up to introduce the rules and regulations for the dance. Dress codes, transgression with the intent to harm; all school rules still applied, "-and the will be severe punishments for those opposed."

  James took this time to lean over the table and whisper to Lily, "I hear that someone was into my trunk this morning." He said, "And they borrowed something quite valuable... without asking."

  Lily blushed and glared at Sirius.

  James snorted.

  She opened her mouth and would have said something but Dumbledore raised his glass and said, "To our Head Boy and Girl for their wonderful idea." Everyone but the Slytherins raised their glasses in toast. "Now lets eat."

  Lily turned and grinned at James, "I can make it up to you." She said.

  James cocked an eyebrow.

  She pointed at the Slytherin table, "Watch."

  No sooner had she said that then some Slytherin girl shrieked and dropped her fork, which had turned into a living warty, toad and hopped onto her sweater.

  Nancy Gale had been taking a sip of Pumpkin Juice and talking to her friends when she stood up screaming, and tossed what used to be her glass across the room, it had been turned into a slippery, green fish when it had touched her lips.

  All over the Slytherin table people were screaming and yelling as similar things had been happening to them. A fifth year boy had screamed shrilly when his napkin disappeared only to be replaced by a small gray mouse, he recoiled from the table, tripped over his chair and went crashing to the floor.

  All the Slytherins were standing against the far wall away from their table, which was covered in toads, mice and flopping green fish.

  The Marauders were laughing so hard they fell out of their chairs. McGonnagle rose from her seat and, closely followed by Dumbledore and Flitwick, made her way down to the Slytherin's disorderly table. Meanwhile Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfrey tried to calm the shaken Slytherins and finally convinced them to return to their seats once the utensils were returned to order. Nancy Gale, Mel was pleased to note, had turned a ghastly shade of yellow and simply refused to touch anything on the table.

  At the Head Table, McGonnagle stood and grimly dismissed the students to class. "Believe me," She said, "The guilty party will be found and justly punished." She stared down at the Gryffindor sixth years, though her eyes passed over Mel indifferently, and then on to the sixth years of Hufflepuff.

  Mel shared an uneasy glance with Lily who shrugged.

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   First of all, I'd like to apologize to ME () for saying this chapter would be out yesterday after school. I'm sorry, I totally spaced. Hope you especially enjoyed chapter seven.

  To everyone else: thanks for all the reviews and encouragement. It makes me so happy that you like my story. It's so much fun to write. (When I don't have writers block, that is.)

  Hopefully, you'll all get on my case for chapter eight. It's a wonderful motivator.

  Chapter eight won't be out for at least two weeks. First Quarter ends on Friday this week, my best friend's birthday party is on saturday (My first surprise party, can't wait), and on Veterens' Day my mom gets sugery. So thats a lot.

Love forever and always, CTina.