Marauders, the next generation

Planning

"It was right there, in that book," I explained. "Right under my nose for two whole weeks and I didn't know. I can't believe it! All that time in sewing hell and-"

"Slow down Lio," said Gregory, "You're turning in to Lucy. Just tell us. Where is the ring?"

"Not where," I said, sitting down and showing them the note pad containing several copied pages from the book. "When. When the sun and the moon are in particular place in correlation to the earth."

"What?" said Joseph, "Like a solar eclipse?"

"You'd think that," I said, "Wouldn't you? But no. It's got to be like this."

I showed a sketch to Joseph. He stared at it for a while, his face a fit of concentration. Suddenly a light turned on and he told us to "Hang on" while he ran upstairs to fetch something from his room. He came back down with a book on astronomy. He flicked through it till he found a page and laid it open on his lap.

"I don't get it," he said, "It's just a random occurrence that happens every twenty years or so. There's no myth put to it."

"Oh yes there is," I said, "Every time this happens the gravity ring receives its power. It recharges in other words. But, and this is the important bit, if there is no ring, it's been destroyed, a new one will appear on the place where the original was forded. Three guesses as to where that is?"

"The old corridor behind the mirror," Lucy stated.

She didn't need to; we were all thinking the same thing. But she wouldn't be Air Jet is if she didn't state the obvious.

"So when's the next time period?" Gregory asked.

"June first," said Joseph, "The day after the exams."

We tried to plan the night when we would get the ring as much as we could but revision got in the way. The ingredients to a forgetfulness potion, the spell to turn a cockerel in to a weathercock, the different ways of detecting dark magic in your immediate vicinity, we had to learn them all. I could never stand revising. Trying to remember all the words and facts. Urgh! Joseph was an avid reviser. He can remember everything. We tested him saying that 'It would help us revise' and managed to get him to confess that he couldn't stand Robert and that he was a dim wad before he caught on to Lucy's 'Say a random scientific sounding thing then ask a personal question' technique.

As it turned out the revision was worse than the exams. The horror stories of long hours slaving over miles of parchment were only true for a few of the subjects. We had practical exams as well. Potions was, quite naturally, making a potion while Professor Snape breathed down our necks. For Transfiguration we had to turn a teapot in to a tortoise. We had to comfort Joseph afterwards while he had a panic attack over his teapot turning in to a tortoise mid air after he accidentally made it float up beforehand. We reassured him that he must have at least got more than Gregory. Asher's Tortoise had a handle on its back.

History of Magic was the worst, listing down all the facts we knew about the ancient wizards that no one really remembered. It was the longest too at two hours. But they weren't all that bad. Plus it was nice to have our Astronomy exam (which Joseph would not stop talking about for two hours afterwards) in the afternoon instead of having to get up in the middle of the night for it.

As June first loomed ahead our evenings were spent with books open in front of us but with no actual reading. We were plotting the night when we would go through the mirror.

Now I say that I completely agree with a comment Joseph made at the time. That it sounds like something straight out of Narnia and sooner or later we'd start talking to 'Mr Bluebird' and then the only thing for it would be the chainsaw. Which then sparked off a very bizarre conversation about fairy tales and ended up in as a discussion about which fairy tale creature we'd most like to sue and why. Goldilocks was the clear winner in case you're interested. Look at her Breaking and entering, theft, destruction of property, starvation of animals. The list goes on. But I'm getting a little sidetracked here aren't I?

We were planning the night when we'd go to the forgotten corridor to finally get the Gravity Ring. Gregory was already planning all the things he was going to do with it. To be honest I had a few pranks in mind as well. Specifically one involving, Snape, a Russian hamster and a forty-watt light bulb.

The main problem with the plan was getting the boys through without Laura and Anya noticing. Gregory was all for chloroform but we told him to shut up. Or rather Joseph said "I'd like to chloroform you" which was the basic equivalent. We opted for a signal system. After having a long conversation about whom we would most like to use chloroform on, of course. We decided that instead of setting a time Lucy and I would stay awake and wait for Laura and Anya to fall asleep. Then send a signal to Asher and Starsy that it was all clear to come in.

The whole week went smooth except the constant interruption of our studies and plans by our own bizarre ideas. And the incident.

It was two days till the day we were due to go through the mirror, or Operation Scorpion as Gregory had taken to calling it. It was just after our Charms exam. We had to go in individually and alphabetically. The Gryffindors were the last house to take the test. Joseph had waited after his test but had gone back with Anya so I went back to the common room alone. I was just going down a staircase when it decided to move of its own accord while I was halfway down. I decided to go down to the new bottom of it and decide what to do from then on. It was just another corridor, nothing special. I could tell I hadn't been down there before because I didn't recognise the pictures. There wasn't a single portrait, just landscapes and animals. As I wandered down the corridor a figure appeared round a corner. It was Jane Jordan.

"What are you doing down here, Davies?"

"The staircase changed," I told her. "You'd think after a year in this place I'd have got used to it."

"Maybe that's because you don't belong here," Jane suggested.

I put my hands on my hips. "Let me guess. Another person who's found out about the Lazaro side. I'm here, Jane, get over it."

"Don't you Jane me," she growled.

"Why not? That's your name, isn't it? Geez, you used to be nice."

"That was until you decided to hang around with that Malfoy... thing."

"Don't you dare insult Lucy!"

Jane smirked. Not smiled, smirked. There's no other word for it really.

"I didn't mention Lucy at all."

"But you-"

"Oh please, Lione. You fell for the oldest joke in the book. I'd expect more from your. Your grandfather was a Death Eater."

"He was not!" I snapped. "And don't you dare go around spreading lies about my family."

"Oh wake up and smell the daisies girl. I don't care about your family. Why should I? I'll have you know that my family's always been loyal. Unlike that little friend of yours."

I almost smiled as I realised it. It was so simple! Why didn't I see it before?

"So that's what all this is about. You're jealous! You're jealous because Lucy got in to Gryffindor and you didn't."

"Oh please! Everyone knows Slytherin is the better house. We have won the Quidditch cup three years in a row and we're gonna win it this year."

"Life's not about Quidditch cups, Jane. And you know that."

"I don't like you, Lione. And I don't trust you either. You or your little gang. I don't want to know what you're doing; I just want to stop it. Or I'm going to stop you myself. Because, unlike your family, I have friends who aren't locked up in Azkaban."

"What makes you think I'm up to anything?" I asked, clenching my teeth in an effort to let the Azkaban comment slide.

"The Vamp attacks. Laura Potter is still my friend. And if any evil guys of any sort come after her, I'll come after you. Clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good."

Jane started to turn away.

"Oh. And Jane?"

Jane turned. "Yes?"

"Congratulations on Slytherin. Your parents must have been so proud."

Jane's mouth dropped open in shock and I couldn't help but notice a flicker of pain cross her face. She walked closer and glared me in the face, looking hurt. Suddenly, curiosity coated her features.

"Lione," she said, "Is it me, or are your eyes darker than usual."

I got to a mirror as soon as I could and found she was right. My eyes were ivy green. The same green as my Grandmother's. Italian green she called it because she got it from her Italian side. They were the exact shade green I'd always wished they'd been. Dark rather than pale. I remembered a conversation I'd had with my mother one day after I'd been teased at school...

I slammed the door as I came in.

"Mum!"

My mum poked her head round the side of the living room door.

"What is it Lee?"

"Mum," I said, "can I poke my eyes out?"

My Mum laughed. "Why ever would you want to do a silly thing like that?"

"Or at least get contacts," I walked over to a nearby window and pulled my lids apart to stare at my eyes. "Please Mum."

"Aren't you a little young to be thinking about things like that?" said my Mum. "Lione, is something wrong?"

I spun around. "Of course something's wrong! My eyes are white!"

"They're not white, they're green. An absolutely gorgeous shade of green, might I add."

"Don't lie."

"Why would I lie?"

"Because you're a Mum and Mums lie to make their daughters feel better."

My Mum laughed again. "And you, are too smart for your own good. Honestly, Lee. I love your eyes. They echo."

They echo. My Mum said they echoed and that always stuck with me. They didn't echo any more. They were as blank as a drawing coloured in with crayon. You know, when you rub it in really hard so when it's finished it's really smooth to touch and there's not a single gap of white left. They were just blank ivy, Italian green.

And it scared me.

I stamped my way back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Gregory got half way through saying "Where'd you get to" before I started shouting. I can't remember how many people were there at the time. I only hope that there weren't very many who still thought me sane.

"Why didn't you tell me my eyes were green!" I demanded.

Gregory gave me a frightened look. "I thought you knew."

"Not pale green!" I cried. "Italian green!"

Gregory and Lucy looked at Joseph for help. Joseph didn't notice. He was too busy giving me a confused look. By that time I was starting to get used to them.

"Italian green?" he queried.

"Ivy green," I corrected, "the green of ivy."

"Well we didn't know if this was unusual or if it was just something that should happen. After all we'd-"

I flopped down in to a chair and put my head in my hands.

"That was what the odd looks were about," I said, "wasn't it?"

There was a pause.

"Yes."

"I don't know what's going on guys."

Lucy leaned forward conspiratorially. "Do you think it might have something to do with the ring?" she asked in a stage whisper.

"No," I replied, "I've never been near they thing. It doesn't even exist yet!"

"But it will," Joseph reminded us, "and we've got to be prepared for it. Have we sorted out our secret knock yet?"

"I thought it was going to be an owl hoot," said Lucy.

"Does it matter what kind of knock it is?" I asked, ignoring Lucy.

"You can't owl whistle round here," said Gregory, ignoring me. "There are too many real owls. How would you tell the difference between you and the real creatures?"

"Of course it does! How else will we tell the difference between the secret knock and Anya falling over and knocking her bed in to the wall?"

"Honestly Gregory, you'll be able to tell the difference. Have you ever heard Lucy's owl impression? A goose could tell the difference between her and a real owl. A deaf goose."

"I doubt Anya's strong enough to knock her whole bed in to a wall."

"Hey! It's not that bad."

"Why? How big are your beds?"

"Yes, it is."

It was amazing how an important conversation could so easily decline into a senseless one. Two senseless ones at that. Afterwards Lucy always would call it a survival technique.

"Survival from getting bored," she'd say. "Important conversations are always boring. It's much more fun to have two or three bizarre ones."

The next day we had one final exam. Astronomy. Nice and comfortably in the afternoon like I said earlier. Joseph went in smug and came out smugger. I know smugger isn't actually a word but no 'Even more' could put to justice the extremely high level of smuggery that Starsy just radiated. We had to hold Gregory back by the end of it we really did. Filing in star charts, naming distant suns and planets. Boring as anything. Somehow being in a tower, in the middle of the night, looking through a telescope, made the whole idea of Astronomy much more interesting. On paper it was just... dull.

"Don't you just love astronomy?" Joseph declared as we came out. "Isn't is great to finally have a subject that is informative, interesting, easy, and above all, fun. Honestly, wasn't that test just such a breeze?"

Lucy and I managed to seize Gregory's arms just as he jumped forward, arms outstretched. We tried to catch him before he got within inches of grabbing Joseph's neck but he was too quick for us. I couldn't decide whether Joseph had no idea what was happening or if he was just ignoring it. I soon found out.

"I mean," Joseph said, turning around. "It is so great that our last exam is an easy one. Come on, Gregory, admit it. It was a synch." Lucy and I tightened our grips. "I am so glad that we had a chance to basically lie back and do nothing before tonight. I mean, it's going to be-"

All three of us tried to stop him from saying what he was going to say. All by putting our hands over his mouth. I was first, probably because Gregory was delayed by our restraint of him, so I got bit.

"Ow!" I cried, cradling my hand. "What did you do that for?!"

"You covered my mouth! You wouldn't let me speak! That's not fair you know, I let every one of you speak and you never acknowledge that I might have something interesting to say."

"We know you have something interesting to say," explained Lucy, "That's why we stopped you from saying it. Because it's so interesting that we don't want any one to hear it."

"What do you mean?"

"Tonight!"

"Ooooooh."

I looked around. The rest of the year had wandered down to enjoy the sunshine by now so the chance of anyone important overhearing him was very low. But as we descended the tower I thought I saw something move in the corner. A shadow. I turned my head and just before we were round the corner, out of sight, I saw Jane Jordan step out of her hiding place. She did not look happy.

A/N: Action coming! I promise! This is the build up...