Chapter 2: Glitter

~This is what it feels like to be young~

"What do you think of a Welcome Back prank?"

Thump.

"I am in!"

Thump.

"Moony?"

Thump.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Prongs—"

"Come on, Moons. This will be our seventh, our last, year at Hogwarts. I say we go back with a full-on, bonafide, Marauders-special prank," roared Sirius from his position on the ground, where he was sprawled like a starfish.

At that, James slowly sat up from his bed, where he had been lying while playing with his Quaffle. Well, playing, was just him throwing it at the small part of the wall not covered in Quidditch posters and polaroids, and catching it with his trained hands before it hit him in the face.

"That's not a half bad idea, Pads," he jostled his best mate's shoulder with mischief printed on his face.

Sirius Black sighed dramatically and said, "Always the tone of surprise." But James could see the same mischievous twinkle in his grey eyes and James noticed, not for the first time, as to why girls flung themselves at Sirius. Yes, he was gracefully handsome, it was in the Black family genes after all. But apart from that, Sirius had a casual suavity in him. He was haughty, but with a layer of charm laced around it. He was all smouldering gazes and defined cheekbones and that all-knowing smirk and luring winks. While James was the cheerful, approachable one, with his dimpled grin, warm hazel eyes and flirty personality; Sirius Black was a force to be adored from 3 meters afar.

"Prongs. Padfoot. With everything that is going on in the wizarding world, I think that a prank should be the last thing for the teachers to worry about," chimed Moony firmly.

Sirius groaned.

Always the voice of maturity, Remus Lupin. James stared at him with a pleading look on his face that he had mastered to perfection in the past years as it always worked miraculously on his parents.

Remus sighed in resignation and James knew that the matter was closed and Sirius and him had won.

Sirius' whole face lightened up as he practically screamed, "SO HOW ABOUT WE PRANK THOSE SLIMY SLYTHERINS! TAKE REVENGE ON THAT DISGUSTING TRICK THEY PLAYED LAST TERM BY CHARMING OUR UNDIES GREEN! LET'S CHARM THEIR BODIES RED AND - wait for it - GLITTER!"

Remus' eyes widened as he said, "No, we are not putting bloody glitter on their bodies, Sirius, that's a horrible idea. We all know how well that resulted last year."

"But last year was different! They were Ravenclaws and the glitter was essential to give them the perfect Christmas mood look! Besides, the look on Vance's face made it all worth it!"

"You just wanted to satisfy your ego 'cause she got more grades in her Charms essay than you did — " "Did not" " — and don't you think that you're missing a teensy-weensy but ever-so-crucial little detail, Pads? We got drowned in that sodding golden glitter while executing the plan — "

"You're just jealous that I looked better covered in glitter than you did, Moons. Admit it" smirked Sirius arrogantly.

James doubled over with laughter as that night's recollections flooded his mind while Remus extended his lanky hand and clutched that day's copy of Daily Prophet where it lay on the ottoman near the couch that Remus was currently occupying. He chucked the copy at Sirius' head and it hit him right in the face. Sirius gasped and picked the closest thing his hands could reach - which was apparently the Quaffle that James had just been playing with - and threw it at Remus, who dodged it just in time for it to hit the vase that stood nearby and broke into a million pieces with a resounding crash.

"BOYS," came a booming voice from the room across the hall, which just so happened to be James' dad, Fleamont Potter's study.

The boys stared at each other for a second, all thinking the same thing: at least it weren't Euphemia, James' mom. She was hardly ever angry, a calm, serene woman that she was, but this vase was one of her most prized antiques and even though magic could fix it, her vexation over the incident would've most probably been provoked.

"Everything's under control, Dad! You can go back on doing whatever you were doing," shouted James as he swept his wand over the vase and it repaired itself now looking good as new. He smiled self appreciatively at his little show of non-verbal magic.

James' room's door opened with a creak and Fleamont's face peeked in. He looked much like an older version of James, with the chiseled jawline, the lopsided smile, and the same artfully messy hair — though they had turned a bit grey due to his age. Except his eyes, they were a dark brown shade while James possessed his mother's eyes, a beautiful shade of hazel with tints of green around the corners.

Fleamont grinned, "Don't shout in my house."

That gained him a raucous of chuckles by the three Marauders (a name they had given themselves in the first year of Hogwarts. James was the one who suggested it, a complete stroke of genius on his part if he did said so himself). It was a running inside joke between Fleamont and the boys, the source of the pun being Euphemia. It was her signature move, calling them by shouting their names or when she wanted to say something, then when replied to in the same manner, her reply was always "Don't shout in my house." It had been confusing at first, but now they had all grown used to it so it was more endearing than anything.

"So, what did you boys do this time? Can't let an old man enjoy his retirement in peace, can you?"

James opened his mouth to sass back his dad but before he could get a word out, Sirius blurted, "Wasn't me, Dad. Moony here started it," as he gestured towards Remus who shook his head in disagreement.

"In my defense, I was provoked, Flea. My dignity was in question and you know that one can never win against Sirius in a verbal argument. So, I had to resign to my only option that is socking him in the head in hopes of knocking some sense in his Bludger of a head," proclaimed Remus in his best I-am-innocent voice which he had mastered all too well after years of being the spokesperson for all of the Marauders' endeavours.

"Do you have anything to say, Jamesie?" enquired Flea as his eyes darted towards James and he saw that same Potter glimmer in his eyes which told James that he wasn't being serious in any way.

James raised his hands in mock surrender and grinned, "I wasn't involved, Dad. Was just chilling around while these two were bickering like an old married couple. But points are made. The final verdict is in your hands."

Fleamont sighed and came to sat alongside James on his bed. He looked at Sirius with forlorn eyes and said, "As much as I love you, Sirius, you are guilty as charged."

Sirius made a look of complete affrontation and clutched his heart, "Dad! I thought there was something pure and unmatched between us but you turned out to be a traitor! Siding with Remus, really? Is that what I get for being a lovely, harmless, illegally good-looking child? You hurt me!" cried Sirius as he mimed having a heart attack and just like that, the walls of the Potter Manor reverberated with the sound of the four of them rolling with laughter on their mouths and joy in their eyes.

•

Ah, here's the second chapter! Fucking finally, it's been ages.

Anyway, a James POV, as promised!! The next will be Lily and it might take like a week at maximum 'cause I literally don't have anything in my mind rn. So, we can only hope.

Also I'll pray that I didn't lose any readers in such a long period of time-

Love,
Dee x