"That would be me," Ernie answered as he moved past Ron to sit down next to Daphne.
"You're supposed to be my mate!" Ron yelled in mock indignation. "That means backing a bloke up!"
Ernie smiled beatifically. "I am a Hufflepuff. That means we stand for fair play and honesty. I just reported the truth. It is not my fault is a dastardly and sly Slytherin twisted my words for her own nefarious purpose." Daphne giggled at the expression on Ron's face at Ernie's response.
"Eat a thesaurus this summer?" Harry asked with a grin.
"I wish. Mum made me take elocution lessons," Ernie answered with a wince.
"I for one think it is nice to hear the English language used properly and to its fullest extent," Hermione commented. "I can practically feel the average intelligence quotient in this compartment going up twenty points already."
"And here I am to do just that," Padma announced as she walked into the compartment. Her announcement was met with snarky comments all the way around as she settled in next to Harry.
Ron just shook his head and settled to sit on the floor. Daphne made room for him to lean against the bench. "You're all daft. All that readings made your brains all mushy. You need to actually get out and do something. Like, Harry, what the bloody hell happened at the World Cup?"
"And there is the epitome of a Gryffindor," Daphne signed in mock distress. "No tact. Just charge off into the face of danger."
"Harry didn't charge off to face danger," Ron responded in an offended tone. "According to the Prophet, he forted up in their tent." Daphne smacked him lightly across the top of his head.
"I was referring to you, twit."
The rest of the students laughed at the byplay. The group had been much relieved when Ron ended his stupid grudge against Daphne and all things Slytherin early the year before. Now he just hated most things Slytherin - like their Quidditch team, their head of house, and Draco Malfoy.
Which was entirely understandable to Harry.
....
The Hogwarts Express chugged its way through the English countryside. Harry and his friends were sitting in their enjoying catching up with all of their summer news when the door swung open. Harry braced for the annual Malfoy visit.
But this was worse.
Fred and George Weasley stepped dramatically into the compartment. With their hands on their hips they glared down on Harry. It was enough that his friends unconsciously shifted away in anticipation of a Weasley twins prank.
"Mr Potter…"
"it has come to our attention,"
"that you now consider yourself a Marauder."
"Oh, you have have you?" Harry answered the twins but with a glare thrown in Ron's direction.
Harry's roommate flushed. "I mentioned you were going to the World Cup with Professor Lupin. Mum said something about he was a very nice man for a werewolf. She was a bit worried though about you being bothered by people for being out in public with a known werewolf. I said you'd be fine with Moony. That's when these two went off their nut."
"Our youngest male,
"and most disappointing sibling,
"also mentioned your new guardian's home,
"being called the Marauder's Den."
Harry grinned at the glowering twins. "Yep. Padfoot wanted to call it Padfoot's Shag-a-delic Love Shack, but Moony talked him out of it." Harry pretended to consider. "His new girlfriend would have probably made him change it now anyway."
An awed look crossed the twins' faces. "You are really living with the Marauders?"
"What happened to Prongs?"
"And Wormtail?"
Harry threw Ron a questioning. 'Did you tell them about the end of last year?'
Ron shrugged and shook his head. 'Nope.'
Turning back to the twins, Harry said," My dad was Prongs. We don't talk about Wormtail anymore. He's no longer a Marauder." Shock and surprise warred on the twins faces.
"You may call me Mr. Jack." The twins narrowed their eyes at Harry's announcement.
"As the current Prank Lords of Hogwarts,
"we challenge your right to call yourself a Marauder,
"as you have no pranking credentials to speak of." This last was met with general snickering by the younger students. The twins shared a glance wondering what pranks they could have missed.
"Best prank of the year without getting expelled
"bonus for not getting caught and artistic execution,
"but no use of any assistance
"by non-Hogwarts residents!
"So you may use your little friends here."
Harry's grin widened. "Fine. And you two can keep your agreement with Peeves since he is a current resident." The red-headed twins looked a bit surprised that Harry knew of their pranking agreement with the poltergeist. They nodded respectfully and left the compartment.
The door hadn't completely closed when they heard, "This is going to be so wicked! Us against the second generation of Marauders!" Harry glanced out to see the twins skipping down the corridor in excitement.
Back in the compartment, Hermione sighed. Padma asked her what the big sigh was for.
"Well, every year it seems Harry gets into some kind of trouble. Usually it is Dark Lords or escaped murderers. Now, its self-proclaimed Prank Lords. I thought maybe this year would be different."
"Don't see why," Ernie commented. "He's cursed this one is. The big fuzzy ball is a trouble magnet."
"Oi!" Harry protested. Unfortunately for Harry, the rest of his friends simply nodded agreement.
.....
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