Brilliance

"Anything out of the ordinary?"

I stared a bit harder, while trying my best not to be too obvious about it.

"Er,..."

I hesitated for a moment. Well, we had agreed on noting *anything* that looked different about him. But did greasy hair count? I wondered.

"Anything?" Peter repeated.

Well, if you insist, Pipsqueak. I put on a serious expression.

"He hasn't washed his hair."

James snorted and actually started snickering. Peter rolled his eyes.

"Brilliant observation, Sherlock, but we've always known of his poor hygienic habits."

I glared. Never, ever was I going to get him a Muggle book for his birthday - or any other occasion - again. At the point when I had purchased it, I thought it was an excellent idea; considering that it was August 31^st, that Peter's birthday was on September 1^st, and that I hadn't found anything to give him, yet. In my defence, I have to add that getting a present for Peter is about as difficult as finding an iceberg in the Sahara - no, scratch that, finding an iceberg is easier; had been ever since Malcom McDougal, referee in a Cannons - Harpies match, had been hexed there and, after three days spent in the desert without water or a wand, "decided" that he needed something to cool (he wasn't particularly lucid).

To this day the guys from the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad are still trying to figure out how to get rid of the giant block of ice that peacefully sits on a dune and refuses to melt.

As anyone can see, getting Peter a gift is impossible. I mean, with James and Remus it's fairly easy. James is crazy about three things: pranks, Quidditch and Transfigurations. You'll always find something. Remus is a cardsharp and a bookworm. No problem. But Peter... well, he likes sweets, but I had already owled the others and had discovered to my dismay that they'd both be giving him candy. I shouldn't have waited so long before getting him something, than James would have been in my situation and not me.

So, me was in quite a mess. That's why me thought me should go into Muggle London and look for something there. (Me likes talking like that. Me thinks it's fun. Though, me suddenly realises me sounds like House-Elf, so me will stop).

Going into Muggle London is easier said than done. First off, I had to convince my parents to allow me to go. Then, because Mum said I was not to go alone, I had to convince my sister that she really wanted to visit Muggle London, as well. I had hoped I could do it in an underhand way, by planting the idea in her head that she absolutely had to see modern Muggle fashion. Unfortunately, she looked right through it - that or she had overheard me and Mum arguing, my money's on the latter - and since I had nothing to blackmail her with I now owed her a favour. Oh, woe was me!

After dressing in proper Muggle attire (for me that meant jeans and tee-shirt) and receiving our allowances for September in Pounds, we Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and left the pub through the front door. Then we stood there for a good three minutes till I got impatient.

"And where to now?" I snapped.

It was Nelle's turn first to decide where we would head to. Only, she couldn't; decide, that is. She was worrying her lip. "What would you say?" I looked up an down the street, shops everywhere. Any direction seemed fine.

"Right."

She nodded.

"Then we'll go left."

I sighed. Honestly! Which one of us was the younger one?

I followed, anyway, and soon ended up in a clothing store. After dressing into what seemed to be 30 blouses and 45 skirts, Nelle left and immediately went into the next clothing store. I trailed her, reluctantly. Five clothing and three cosmetics shops later, I was carrying half of her 13 bags and her time was up. She didn't take notice, didn't even react when I told her; so, I conveniently "lost" my older sister between two racks with girl's underwear and set out to find a birthday present for Pipsqueak. I walked into the first building that didn't seem to sell any sort of garments or makeup. It was a grocery store. Not really what I had been looking for.

Outside again, I met Nelle who had been searching frantically for me. She started ranting, but I ignored her and continued on my way. By the third unsuccessful attempt at finding something, anything, in one of the buildings I went into, she was hoarse. By the time I finally found a little, well hole, that sold all kinds of junk, I couldn't make out what she was saying anymore. Perhaps, that had helped. It took only a few seconds for me to spy the book I've mentioned and only a few moments more to buy it.

"Wow, Watson, you know big words!" I countered referring to Holmes assistant. Three months after he'd read the book, everyone in our dorm knew it in so much detail that we would never have to peruse it ourselves. We didn't plan to.

"Funny."

Peter rolled his eyes again.

I would have had the perfect comeback but Remus piped up at this point (probably more to keep us from arguing than out of any real interest).

"Actually, Sirius's right."

Well, *of course*, was I right. That had never really been a question. Still, it felt good, if someone took your side. Have I mentioned that Remus is an excellent friend?

"But it could still be coincidence. Which is rather likely."

Have I mentioned that Remus is also obnoxious?

"We should put it on the list, though - just in case."

I had almost forgiven him, but then he had added those last three words. I sulked. They ignored me. Fine friends, I had!

Snape left the dinner table and so did we. Remus and Peter headed towards the library, both for extra-credit assignments. I shook my head at them, but refrained from commenting. James had let it slip that he wanted to do the Charms essay. With everyone else burying themselves in their homework I resolved my self to getting some work done, as well. The common room was crowded so we chose our dorm instead. Minx sprawled on James' bed again. He plopped onto it and the cat narrowly avoided becoming a pancake by jumping aside. She hissed.

"Uh oh, I think she's angry at you."

"Let her."

Taking out our Charms books - simultaneously without meaning to - and other stuff we settled down to 'fulfil our duties as pupils', which is a euphemism for 'doing homework'.

We toiled in silence for about five minutes. While my bed was comfy, I had opted for the floor - less of a mess there (at least in Peter's territory) - and so I had to crane my neck, when suddenly I heard a curse.

"Stupid, bloody cat!"

"You brought it unto yourself, mate."

I grinned. Minx had pushed over her master's inkpot soaking not only his sheets but the parchment with his essay on it, too.

"Thanks for the support!" He snapped while getting up and shoving his pet out through the door.

"Anytime."

James grumbled something in return which I didn't fully hear and probably didn't want to. It didn't sound very flattering. We continued and I started to feel like a Hufflepuff (you know the 'hardworking and unafraid of toil' line). It was getting to me and I needed a distraction.

"When are we going to start with the Animagus stuff?" I asked. I waited for a reply, but nothing came forward for a while, so I scribbled a few more words keeping silent. Patience is a virtue and as such will be rewarded.

"As soon as Peter's done with his DADA extra-credit essay, he'll ask McGonagall, if he can do one for Transfiguration."

It wasn't necessary for him to say that our project needed to remain top secret and we thus needed an excuse to borrow books on Animagi from the library. It was also left unsaid, but generally understood, that we'd sort of steal the ones in the Restricted Section (which were the ones we'd actually require to accomplish the transformation). We'd bring them back, of course.

First, however, we needed all the background information.

James took his glasses off and rubbed at his eyes with both hands. "I'm sick of this stupid essay. Wanna play Exploding Snap?"

This was the James I knew and loved - as a friend! I quickly agreed, got out my cards came over to him.

While I was shuffling James fumbled for his specs.

"Er, have you seen-?"

"Behind you. Left."

That boy and his glasses! Every other day we had to turn the room upside down to find his seeing aide. I mean, you'd think that because he doesn't see a thing without them he'd leave them on all the time, but not Jamsie. Once I'd even found them in the shower stall!

We played until the others returned - they did so rather late - and then called it a day. As I lay down on my bed and closed my eyes, I figured I wouldn't be able to fall asleep right off. My imagination was being its usual overactive self as I pictured the expression on Benzen's face, when he would discover our little prank. It was a pity we couldn't stay to watch. Maybe, it was the exhaustion of writing the introduction of that Charms essay, maybe it were James' lulling snores, either way, I was dead to the world only minutes after Peter had switched off the lights.

I woke up to the sound of uproarious laughter. Staring blearily at my alarm clock, I discovered to my greatest dismay that it was 7 a.m. This was unacceptable! Being woken at bleeding seven o'clock on a bleeding Saturday morning. Someone would have to pay! I rolled out of bed, fully expecting to make contact with the cold stone floor. Instead, I landed on Remus, who was by now gasping for breath, tears of laughter in his eyes.

"You know, this really isn't healthy for her. She could catch a cold." Peter wheezed out between snickers.

What wasn't healthy for whom? What was he talking about? I scrambled up, accidentally kicked Remus, and almost lost my pyjama pants, which for some inexplicable reason set him off again.

"Fuck the cold, my cat is bald!"

What were they talking about? By now I really needed to know. I spied James' unruly mop of hair behind his bed. Peter was sitting cross-legged on his own bunk, an expression of badly disguised mirth on his face.

"She'll still get cold."

I walked around my bed and past James'.

"Shall I knit her a jumper or what... now, don't you start, as well!"

But I couldn't help it. I clutched at my stomach, shaking with laughter. Minx, James' cat, was *completely* furless. This was hilarious!

After everyone had calmed down - which took a while, I mean, c'mon: the cat was bald! -, we wrapped Minx up in a blanket and took her to the Care of Magical Creatures Professor. She fixed her up right away, no charge, and we could return to our dorm to prepare for this evening's adventures. Benzen's early Christmas present, we called it. A gift that would amuse us a thousand times more than him. But not only our prank had me in such high spirits. While Remus' parents wanted to have their son at home, James, Peter and me had arranged for us to spend the holidays at Hogwarts, working on our Animagus project.

But, alas, it turned out to be one of the lousiest Christmases I had ever had to experience in my life. Now, don't get me wrong the castle with its decorations had looked magnificent, the Christmas feast had been a dream, and the presents I had received were great fun and very tasty. James (with Peter's monetary aide) had bought me a collection of Swiss sweets and Remus had sent me a book with crosswords. He must have purchased it at Zonko's. There was no other possibility. I mean, I have seen many crossword puzzles, but these were absolutely fab. They were divided into three groups, Darn Easy, Bad Enough, and Nastily Difficult.

The easy ones, they blinked when you wrote down something. Green, when it was correct and red, when it was wrong.

The ones in the second group had more difficult questions. They blinked red, when your answer was correct and green, when it was wrong. And if that weren't enough they insulted you, too ('Got cheese for brains?').

But the meanest of the lot were the crosswords in the last group. They blinked in *all* colours (from blue to pink to red to green to yellow, and so on) with no consistent pattern *and* they made wisecracks ('Are you *sure* this is what you want to write?') and insulted you non-stop ('pigheaded noodle!'), no matter if your answers were right or wrong. It had me in stitches.

No, the things that made this Christmas so absolutely lousy were these: first, no James - his parents had decided to go on an impromptu skiing trip, taking him with them-, second, no Remus, third, only Peter, and fourth, no snow. Oh, and then, of course, there was the fact that our prank against Benzen had failed, before it had even started. We hadn't even got to his office's door! Just as we were sneaking around the corner, we saw a great brute of a Slytherin knock on the door and enter the room. Why couldn't the git have behaved normal, for once in his life, and spent a day in Hogsmeade like all of his fellow teachers?