The Marauders and the Arenotelicon

The next morning, Professor McGonagall caught the four boys before they entered the Great Hall. She was clearly unhappy, her lips pursed as if she'd sucked a particularly sour lemon.

"You four," she began ominously, after she'd backed them into a corner, "will be serving detention with me this evening. Though Mr. Filch did not catch you, ther are enough witnesses who say you were out of bed last night to warrant detention."

"But we weren't!" protested Sirius, looking McGonagall dead in the eye. Remus was shocked at the blatant lie.

McGonagall wasn't impressed. "Nevertheless, you *will* be serving detention. With me. At seven." Her voice was clipped. "Meet me in the Astronomy Tower. I must say that I'm very disappointed in the four of you." With that she turned on her heel and strode into the Great Hall.

The four boys looked at each other resignedly and followed. Remus expected problems from the Slytherins all day but Sirius assured them that retaliation would come later after much devious planning. Remus figured Sirius would know better than any of them about how Slytherins planned retailiation.

The day dragged by and the detention took even longer. Peter and James cleaned the many telescopes and applied oil as directed and Sirius and Remus scraped lichen off the battlements and parapets by hand. By the time they were finished, around midnight, they were exhausted.

McGonagall ushered them down the steps and to the portrait hole covering the Gryffindor entrance. The trip was done without a sound from anyone. Once there, she stopped them and made them face her. "I hope you boys will reconsider taking dueling challenges in the Tower from now on?" she asked imperiously.

"We accepted," corrected James wearily but added when he saw McGonagall's glinty glare, "and no, we won't do it again."

"Learned our lesson," agreed Peter.

"Don't want to set foot in the Tower ever again," Remus added ferverently.

She nodded briskly and the four of them tropped tiredly into the common room. It was nearly empty, only a couple of six years studying at a table in the corner, so the four of them collapsed in the chairs near the fireplace.

"I officially hate fungus," groaned Remus, rubbing his reddened hands gingerly.

"I'm allergic to the oil," lamented James. "I'll have to remember that." He sneezed for emphasis.

Peter just groaned tiredly while Sirius grimaced.

"Snape ratted us out," Sirius said after a long moment's silence.

"Filch saw us," Remus contradicted.

"No, I mean about the duel. Filch wouldn't have known about that. The Slytherins told him and I'm laying my bets on old Severus."

"Probably, but frankly, right now, I don't care." Peter hauled himself up and headed for the stairs to the sleeping chambers. "I'm going to bed."

"G'night, Peter," they mumbled at his retreating back.

"Snape and his group have to pay," groused Sirius.

"They are," James replied. "They got a week's detention with Filch. All of them got caught."

"Sounds fair to me," snickered Remus. "We only got one night with McGongall. Who knows what they'll be doing with Filch. He hates students."

"Yeah I suppose," pouted Sirius.

"Well, mates, good night."

"Night, Remus," yawned James.

"Sweet dreams," Sirius added, his eyes still speculative.

May 1st came and went with little fuss and Remus spent the bulk of his time looking up more information on the Beast, which was very little. He was starting to get worried that the school year would end without the mystery being solved. Something about that happening was sitting wrong in his mind.

The full moon was toward the end of the month and was approaching quickly. Remus decided that he needed to bring the confrontations to a head and prepared. He snuck out to the Weeping Willow a few evenings before the full moon and rigged some spell traps near the front door of the shack, on the inside. He also used the secret passage to Honeydukes to set up magical traps around the shack as well. Confident he'd done all he could Remus just had to wait.

It was James that threw Remus' carefully crafted plans into a tailspin. The day before the full moon none of the four said a word but the next morning, James was teeming with a plan.

"Know any good protection spells, Remus, from those books in the Restricted Section?" asked James as they ate their breakfast.

"None I haven't told you," Remus said as he chewed his toast and jelly. "Why?"

"We're going Beast hunting tonight." James shared a sly grin with Sirius while Peter looked slightly alarmed.

"Too bad you'll miss it," added Sirius. "You think you can talk your dad out of the visit home this month? I mean, the year's almost up and you'll have the whole summer to spend with him."

His brain reeling, Remus stammered, "H-he's helping m-me with p-potions."

"Cheater," ribbed Peter good-naturedly. "Wish my dad would help me with charms." Remus gave a wan smile, his heart beating a hard staccato.

"Well, we'll tell you all about it tomorrow morning then but at least you can help us plot." Sirius gave a cackle of evil glee but Remus avoided James' eyes. Those hazel orbs showed the speculation that Remus knew James was doing. Without a doubt, keeping the secret from James was going to be very difficult indeed.

"Perhaps we should just Dumbledore," hedged Remus.

"After we get proof," agreed Sirius amiably, stealing James' last sausage. James paid no mind, still staring at Remus. "Right, James?" prodded Sirius, waving the sausage in front of his friend's face.

"Yeah," James agreed absently. He had a faraway look that made Remus very nervous. James' eyes met Remus' when he said softly, "After."