A Carrot a Day Keeps the Bagpipes Away

Sirius, James, Remus and Peter, aka, The Marauders, arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast to the sound of bagpipes accompanied by singing. The melody had been following them around for a few days now, and Sirius was nearing his breaking point.

“Where is that racket coming from?” he grouched, stretching his long legs out under the table.

“I seem to remember you commenting that we needed to get some theme music,” James quipped, grinning at his mate’s discomfort.

“But bagpipes, Prongs? Bagpipes?” Sirius frowned, “the singing I can handle, but the pipes will drive me mad.”

“We are in Scotland,” Remus put in reasonably.

“It doesn’t mean we have to listen to their music,” Sirius countered. “I think it is a plot against me,” his eyes narrowed shrewdly; “I think Snivellus is behind it.”

James laughed aloud, “So what you are saying is that ‘ole Snape concocted a plan to drive you mad by sending an invisible bagpipe player to follow you around?”

The eyes of all four boys swept to the Slytherin table where the aforementioned Snivellus was sitting alone. Or nearly alone, anyway, as Kazz was never too far away, nor was Emma who was stealing glances and seemed to be taking notes on his breakfast selections for a news article.

“Well who else could it be?” Sirius asked irritably, “only someone who overheard us talking about theme music would annoy me this way.”

“Well that narrows it down,” James rolled his eyes, as Sirius was famous for having stalkers. “Besides, what makes you think this is directed at you, Padfoot? Conceited much?” he teased.

“Well you could consider other possibilities, before assuming it’s Snape,” Remus spoke up again attempting to prevent a conflict between the friends.

Once more, the boys looked around the Great Hall for the usual suspects. At the Hufflepuff table sat stalker Tina, her eyes taking in everything that went on in the Hall. Sirius looked away from the girl’s steady gaze, as she always seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.

At the Ravenclaw table, sat Lissy and Erin, who strangely enough seemed to be eating cupcakes for breakfast. The girls looked up from their pink icing and waved cheerfully. Peter nibbled harder on his carrot in response, and Remus made a show of buttering his toast, the girls made him uncomfortable.

At the Gryffindor table, Katy (or was it Jen?), was lurking in plain site, a pretty red haired girl sitting across from her. At the sight of them, James ruffled his hair and shot them his most winning smile.

“This is getting us nowhere,” Sirius exclaimed, as the sound of the bagpipes and the ghostly singer seemed to get louder. “Peter! What is with you and those carrots?” he turned his ire on something he could see.

Peter jumped and paused from his nibbling and perusal of the girls with the cupcakes, “my mum said I should eat better,” he stammered.

“Well, I’ve lost my appetite,” Sirius declared, getting up from the table and storming out of the Hall, the sound of bagpipes trailing behind him. James tore his eyes from the red haired girl and followed suit. Remus sighed, abandoned his toast and was on James’ heels. Peter gave once last longing look at the cupcakes, munched his carrot and tagged along with his friends.


***


Unfortunately, the day did not improve for the Marauders, as the music followed them everywhere. In every class, out by the lake, even the Gryffindor Common Room (though it was mostly the singing there) and outside the boy’s lavatory.

"At least... that's what we THINK happened..." Remus was explaining to Peter in the hallway after History of Magic class, being the only one who could concentrate on schoolwork.

Sirius, who could tolerate the annoying bagpipes no longer, shouted in frustration to all students still assembled after class, “I’ll give anything to the person who can stop this noise!”

Tina, who was stalking nearby, stopped dead in her tracks, a big grin on her face. Katy and Lily paused from their discussion with interest. Lissy and Erin looked over in astonishment at the mad Gryffindor pulling his hair out in front of the school. But suddenly, Erin, catching sight of a trace of movement over Sirius’ shoulder sprang into action. A cupcake appeared in her hand which she threw with great force at her target. Misunderstanding the gesture, Peter reached up to catch the flying pastry which in turn hit his hand and sent the carrot soaring instead.

Sirius swung around only to find himself connecting with something hard behind him. A bagpipe appeared from nowhere and there was a loud “fwump” and a sickening gurgle as the flying carrot landed directly into one of it’s pipes. An invisibility cloak fell away to reveal Kris playing the pipes and Jan singing into a hairbrush.

“Snape followers!” someone shouted as the thwarted pranksters dropped their instruments and took off at a run.

“Aren’t you going to follow them?” James asked Sirius who was looking on in amusement.

“Too much trouble,” Sirius waved the idea off and picked up the bagpipes from the floor, “we’ll be ready for them next time, and I told you Snivellus was behind this." He pulled the carrot out from the pipe and offered it back to Peter. “It looks like eating better did save the day,” he quipped.



The Dare:

*Someone must say "At least... that's what we THINK happened..."
*A carrot must somehow save the day.
*You must mention at least three other SS members by name in your fic
*Marauder madness, please
*Someone must sing into a hairbrush, accompanied by someone on the bagpipes.

Hehe....I'm first.... *Cough*Even though it took me a while to read...

Hehe…I haven’t done this in a while…

The best beginning anyone can ask for! Mauraders Love I’m only second to you Lis!

Hehe, That’s so like Siry…Jumping to conclusions…But Bagpipes? Wtf? Lmao…I always like to read the dares before I read the stories… and I’m getting a really freaky idea… …**Reads on before jumping to conclusions herself**

I actually thought Remus would say the second bit…Than again, maybe this is when James is still all lovey-dovey over Lily when it seemed he had no chance….

**SQUEE** Yes, I’m horribly evil …I poke my head in everything… ESPECIALLY if it includes my Lissylove or Siry! **Cough** Right Liz? I try to read everyone’s mind and never reveal my top secret stalking powers …:muah:
Speaking of cockiness, Lmao…I guess no Lily…But it’s definitely something James would do!

Okay, I have no clue what the bagpipes have to do with everything…Surely they’d annoy Siry but why? Time to play detective…**Cough** Yes, I can make-believe I save Siry from it **Cough**

MAUAHA…YES! THE RQT WOULD DO ANYTHING! **Wonders** I’d so torture everyone who dare messes with my SS!

LMAO! CASS SAVES THE DAY! **Looks around for Mini me** That was hilarious! Caught me totally off guard…Then again, it was Snape’s fault!

**Hides all the candy I have yet to be eaten** Hehe…Candy= gooooooooooooooood… I can eat healthier tomorrow…**Cough**


Sadly, We’re at the end… I can’t wait for the next one!

Lots of Luff,
~~RQT


:worship:

~~RQT XD

whoa! That's good. Lissy, you should do more of these if you have time when you're not doing mod duties or being stalked by us Sirius Black's Second Chance fans (we're fans of you, too!).

~from me

That was hilarious. I've always wanted to play the bagpipes and who better to accompany than the lovely Jan... and for a good cause!! *snape follower*

I can't wait for your next one. It almost inspired me to pick up mine again but, there's another fic that I should be updating at the moment.


EDIT: I wonder what happened next?

I KNEW Remus loved me. I knew it. Back of Tonks-y.

*huggles* You're mad funny. I'm so glad you accepted my dare... and maybe you could issue a dare for me to accept. *whistles*

Lissy!

That was great!

Hehehe. I know Lily.

Wow!!!!!! That was brilliant, Lissy! It's so nice to read your writing again after so long... I've been missing Sirius Black's Second Chance like crazy. Waiting for that upcoming post next week!

Anyway... back to the EEFFD. I like the way you connected the carrot and the bagpipes. I could never have done that. And by the way... next time make me stalk Sirius with Tina too!

OMG that was brilliant. And deliciously evil, of course!

I've always wanted to sing along to bagpipe music. Oooh. Can I keep the cloak?

Welcome to the Evil Elite, Twinsie! Your blood oath papers are in the post. Please fill them out in triplicate and owl back the goldenrod and pink copies. Keep the puce.

Thank you all soooooo much! I wanted to add everyone from my Sirius thread in there, but I'm just not that clever I love you all for reading!

Here is my next EEFFD...

I think this thread is going to turn into a Marauders fic...



The Marauders’ Gift


Sirius shifted restlessly in his seat at the Gryffindor table, and his companions could tell he was in a dangerous mood. Once again, the four friends sat at breakfast in the Great Hall. Ever since the incident with the bagpipes, it was obvious that Padfoot had something on his mind. It was only a matter of time before he acted upon it.

“We need to make him pay,” Sirius finally spoke.

“What for? The food here is free,” James joked, deliberately misunderstanding his friend.

Not fooled, Sirius leveled his gaze at James, “you know what I’m talking about,” he replied. “He’s toying with me, and even worse, he’s getting girls to do his dirty work for him.”

“What makes you think they didn’t act on their own?” Remus asked.

“Nah, Padfoot is right, Snivellus was behind it,” James asserted. “Besides, he deserves retaliation for plenty of other things, anyway.”

“Like breathing,” Sirius nodded.

At this, Peter broke out in laughter, nearly choking on the banana he was eating for breakfast.

“Take it easy there, Wormtail, no dying before class,” Sirius quipped.

“Still trying to eat healthy, are you?” James asked with a raised eyebrow, as the boy didn’t seem to have lost any weight.

Peter flushed and nibbled more furiously on the banana.

“I feel like having a cupcake,” Remus spoke up unexpectedly, his gaze drifting to the Ravenclaw table as he spoke.

“I want some of my mum’s apple pie,” Peter said wistfully and cast the banana peel aside.

At this moment, the boys were interrupted as a fourth-year Gryffindor came up beside Sirius and muttered, “Your order is finished, sir,” and passed him an object unseen.

“Thanks, mate,” Sirius replied as the boy moved on.

“Well?” James asked impatiently, as Sirius made no move to enlighten them.

“Well what?” he grinned, teasing.

“Your order?” the others asked in unison.

“Oh! That… I ordered a present for our dear friend Snivellus,” Sirius placed what looked like a can of hairspray on the table for the others to see.

“Hairspray?” James asked quizzically.

“Not just any hairspray, Prongs,” Sirius said proudly.

“What does it do?” Peter asked, practically twitching with interest.

“When are you giving it to him?” Remus asked at the same time.

“You’ll just have to wait and see, and I’m not giving it to him,” Sirius answered, “that’s what we have minions for. Oi! Minion! Over here!” he called to a passing first-year.

The first-year walked over, a grin on his face, eager to do the bidding of the famous Marauders. “Yes, sir?” he asked.

“I need you to deliver this to old Snape over there,” Sirius pointed to the Slytherin table where, as usual, the student in question sat eating alone, a brooding expression on his face.

The small boy gasped, “is he going to hex me?”

“Not if you’re fast,” James said reassuringly.

The first-year gulped in fear, but took the can and ventured across the Great Hall. “This is for you,” he squeaked to the scowling Slytherin.

Snape looked at the can disdainfully and began to reach into his robes.

The Gryffindor yelped in fear, the hairspray flew out of his hand and into the air as he ran away. The can landed hard in the middle of the Slytherin table and immediately started to spin, spraying an obnoxious pink and puce substance over all over the students near it, including Snape. A terrible smell began to hover over the Slytherin table…

Sirius and James fought to catch their breath from laughing and Remus leaned over to help Peter who had fallen out of his chair, as the nearby Ravenclaw table ran from their seats to get away from the cloud of fumes beginning to spread their way. The Slytherin table was in an uproar.

“We couldn’t have planned that one,” Sirius gasped, and suddenly felt a pinch on the nape of his neck.

“Well you can plan on this,” Professor McGonagall said through gritted teeth. “Detention. Meet me in my office after your first class. All four of you,” she added and pointed to her watch, “you’d best be on time,” she stated before walking away.



Kris' Dare:

* Someone has a craving for pie (you choose what kind)
* Snape must play a role (big or small)
* You should include the following items: hairspray, a watch, and a banana

Due Due: Feb. 24, 2006... Fancy that... I'm on time again

Go, Lissy! that was great! no, not great! awesome! you're such a great writer, write more! lol

You’re saying that like it’s a bad thing! **Squee** The more on the Marauders, the better! Then again, I’d read all that you write anyway so yeah…

Hehe, Siry always jumps to conclusions doesn’t he? Well, he has good reason. It involves Smape so something fishy must be going on…**Forgets about all the powerful Smape loving mods**
Hehe…Eating healthy? Lmao. At least we’ve advanced from eating carrots…Fruits are goooooood. I wonder what/who will save the day this time…
Hehe, Speaking of using people…**Cough** The RQT would be willing to do Sirys dirty work any day in heartbeat.
*I wonder what the object is though…Order?
Stalkers are better than minions… Lmao…XD
Hehe…As funny as this is and as entertaining as it might be to read…I think detention is nearby as well… Hehe, I think we’ll get to this detention before we get to the one in SBSC….Hehe, Either way, it’ll be mucho interesting.
Tsk Tsk…Hehe. So obvious...

Can’t wait for more Liz! :worship:

Lots of Luff,
~~RQT XD

*cracks up* It's so baaaad but, still funny.

*loves on you* Though, it might have been fun to have some of the SSers make a repeat appearance (even if we knew they were there )

hehe *huggles Kris* next time for more SSers! I actually do have ideas But they were too difficult this time around...

Remus loves me. Bahaha... I'm the SS Tonks. I am! OMG. *falls down the stairs*

And I'm still cold.

I mean... nice job. Love you times 100 and anything you write... I'm your #1 fan.

Lovin' it! Love the Marauders! Gotta love the energy spent on their shear inventiveness!

That was awesome. You need to dare, Lis.

That was really cool!!!!!! Waiting for the next one... and for SB's Second Chance as well!!!!!!!!!

The Lion and the Lamb


Lily Evans squinted at her reflection in the mirror in the Gryffindor common room, not liking what she saw there. For one thing, she was dressed as a lamb, of all things. Her dress robes were snowy white and patterned to simulate the wool of a new spring lamb. Her red hair was decorated with green spring-like ribbons and clover garland, and though they offset her green eyes quite nicely, she was never into such decorations. It was ridiculous. She couldn’t help but wonder who had decided it would be fun to have a Spring formal and to vote for two students to be the dance’s Lion and Lamb of March. Whoever it was, they were at the top of Lily’s ‘hex list’. The very next on her list would be the people who voted for the dance’s lion…

“It is quite ridiculous, isn’t it?” Sirius Black commented, straightening his lion’s mane cape and the green garland on his dress robes.

Not realizing she had spoken those words aloud, Lily turned her green glare to the speaker, her date for the dance. “I don’t know what you’re complaining about,” she grumbled. The boy looked majestic and she was sure he knew it. Mentally she added him to the hex list.

“Well, I’m the one whose best mate wants to curse him for going to this thing with his girlfriend!” Sirius complained, but looked not at all worried. “This green tie is too Slytherin for my taste,” he added, as he joined Lily by the mirror and covered the tie with lion’s fur.

Lily grudgingly made room at the mirror for him. The ‘best mate’ in question wasn’t happy at all when he heard the results of the voting. But since James hadn’t seen fit to ask her to dance at that point, Lily saw it as his just reward for inaction.

As though he knew he was being spoken about, James appeared in the common room. “That’s quite a new look for you, mate,” he joked, though Lily could hear a slight edge to the boy’s tone. James was wearing leaf green dress robes (as all were required to do for the dance) and on his arm, Katy (or was it Jen?) looked lovely in pale green. He deliberately avoided Lily’s green eyes and ruffled his hair as was his habit. The hex list just got longer, Lily thought.

“It’s itchy,” Sirius scowled but continued his preening. “But we all must make sacrifices,” he sighed. “It’s not my fault half the girls in the school voted for me,” he added and Lily knew he was making a point.

“It was likely more then half,” James laughed.

“Well, I hate to brag,” Sirius winked, “I think that Tina girl voted more then once.”

Lily snorted indelicately, she knew for a fact that this was true, the girl was obsessed. She opened her mouth to comment, but was interrupted by a very strange sight.

Peter Pettigrew had entered the room, and he seemed to have taken the green spring theme to heart. The boy was wearing green from head to toe, even his hair and his skin had a faint greenish hue. On his head was a large hat with a buckle and hit feet sported a pair of buckled shoes.

“What are you dressed as Peter?” Lily had to ask, aghast.

“Well I be a leprechaun, dontcha’ know?” he drawled in an Irish accent and sprinkled clover on them.

Sirius and James’ laughter was anything but innocent, and Lily turned to them angrily, “what did you do to him?” she accused.

“Well, he was awfully sad about not getting a date to the dance,” James replied.

“And he’s so much happier this way,” Sirius laughed as Peter started whistling the ‘Irish Spring’ song.

“So you put a spell on him to make him think he’s a leprechaun?” Lily shook her head, her green bows fluttering.

“Well, it’s reversible, though I kinda like it,” Sirius replied as Peter started to do a jig. “Shall we get going?” he extended his arm to Lily.

“Oh yes!” Peter cried enthusiastically, “there be gold at the end of this rainbow!” and he tossed a bar of soap.

“Where is Remus?” Lily asked, looking around.

“Oh, we’ll meet him there,” Sirius replied, “he’s picking up his date over at Ravenclaw tower.”


The Great Hall was sea of green. Green decorations fluttered from the ceiling, the walls were enchanted to look like rolling hills and fields, and beneath their feet was green grass and clover. The tables nearly groaned with the weight of green food (though oddly enough, the cupcakes were bright pink). All of the students and the staff wore green as well, in various different hues. At the front of the hall sat what looked to be a real living lion and lamb, with Hagrid tending to them. There was also a band of musicians dressed as leprechauns who played a merry song. Peter clicked his heels in excitement and ran to join them.

“’Tis good to see a fellow leprechaun!” he enthused.

Across the hall, Lily caught sight of Severus Snape in deep emerald green. Surprisingly, he had not one, but two dates. On his arms were Jan, who seemed to be singing, and Kris who wore a set of bagpipes.

“I knew it!” Sirius growled beside Lily.

“Oh no you don’t,” she replied through gritted teeth, “you are not starting that again, this is going to be bad enough.”

“As you wish, my lamb,” Sirius drawled and bowed to her, though Lily could almost see him filing away his thoughts of vengeance for later.

“And I promise I will hex you if you call me that one more time!” she hissed.

“What, am I not your lion?” he asked loudly in mock horror and a number of girls nearby turned to look at Lily accusingly.

Lily raised her wand threateningly and Sirius grinned back at her, though he did stop teasing.

“The cupcakes should be green!” a voice hissed nearby and Lily saw Lissy raise her wand, and the cupcakes changed color. Seconds later, however, they were bright pink again.

Confused, Lily looked around and finally spotted Erin, on Remus’ arm lowering her wand with a smile, “I am in charge of the cupcakes and what I say goes.”

“I think they look nice pink,” Remus agreed, though the cupcakes had already turned green again.

“Green!” cried Lissy.

“Pink!” Erin replied. Lily had a feeling the two would keep it up all night.

The evening went pretty much as Lily expected. The formal kicked off with the lion and lamb sharing the first dance. It was over quickly, to Lily’s relief, and Sirius was soon free to dance with the girls who voted for him (Tina managed to capture him seventeen times and Nazneen almost as many). James had his share of partners as well, and Lily made sure to accept as many invitations as she could. She’d dance with Snape out of spite if she could, but Jan and Kris kept a firm grip on the Slytherin, not that he had many offers. Only Remus and Erin seemed to stay together and Lily soon noticed that the cupcakes stayed green more then pink as the evening went on.

Lily was about to call it a night and sneak back to the Gryffindor common room when she felt herself swept up by Sirius once again. “So why aren’t you dancing with him?” he asked.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she replied casually as she ducked under some green streamers.

“Face it, you want to dance with him and he wants to dance with you, so get over it,” Sirius pursued.

Lily pursed her lips and would have argued, but Sirius drew them close to where James and Katy were dancing and looking unhappy. Smoothly he cut between the couple and twirled the now smiling Katy away, leaving Lily in her place.

Lily would have strode off at that moment, but something in James eyes’ made her pause and the angry words to melt before she said them. They spoke but rarely the rest of the night and soon the melody of the bagpipes, the flashing pink and green cupcakes, and the clovers being thrown by Peter faded away and Lily didn’t want to dance with anyone else.


Cassirin's dare:

*In honor of March, you must have a lion and a lamb.
*I want loads and loads of green/green items mentioned.
*Someone erroneously (wrongly) believes they are a leprechaun.
*There is a fight over pink vs. green cupcakes.
*A female character must be the main focus.

Due: March 2, 2006

Bahahahahahahaha I love it Lissy! *bows to the amazing writer*

Lissy love!

You make me giggle. Peter is a very good leprechaun. Am I making Lily jealous? lol

I sense someone has a crush on Sirius.

Remus loves me.

And... I so love that we had a lil "Sleeping Beauty" moment over the cupcakes. Teehee... I'd love to fight over cupcakes with you.

Kris looks dead sexy in bagpipes, don't you think?

I've always wanted to learn to play the bagpipes. How did you know that was my secret (though, not so secret anymore) ambition? I meant to ask that after the first one.

How very Sleeping Beauty of you. Cass is gonna love it!



That was awesome. *loves* I especially love how you've managed to spin each of your tales as pieces of a whole. It's nice to have the consistency even in fics that are quite different from one another.

Brilliant! You are creme de la creme of evil eliters, my twin.

I’m so behind! But, I’m finally getting to it. Better late than never, I guess! Hehe, You said I get to dance with Siry….**Reads excitedly**

Hehe, Catchy? ROTFL. That’s so funny. I sort of see the lion idea but lamb? Wtf? Hehe, **Keeps reading**

DEFINITELY NOT WHAT ITHOUGHT! Hehe, Lily as a lamb? Things keep getting weirder…Muahah, James is gonna be the Lion? Aww, So cute!

Hehe, Now I get it! LOL. What an idea? How in the world did you come up with this? You’re unbelievable Liz. XD
HUH? No way! Oh, Come on! *Whines* I guess it’s okay but you’re making Lily look dangerous. Who knew she had a “hex” list…Scary thought. I guess, “thinking” about it never hurt anyone. Hehe, Someones gonna be mad! Where’s our other fav Maurader?

Such a Siry thing to say! LOL. Hehe, So James and Lily are together here? Seriously, Liz, this has turned into a Mauarder Times Fic! I always wished and fantasized about you writing something like this and it’s happened! Hehe, XD Hopefully, the challenges will keep coming at you…XP

Hehe, Well DUH! Who wouldn’t vote for him? I’d probably have started a whole obsessing Fan Club just to get him at the top! Hehe, And you said I still get my lil dance at the party! This story couldn’t get any better! XD
Hehe! I would’ve so done that! Lmao. I probably only left before they kicked me out. For Siry, I’d do anything and everything! Obsession is awesome when it’s this good! XD

“ Hehe, I’d have hexed him into being a dwarf but Leprachauns work too! That’s so bog though. He does sort of give off the whole “Irish vibe” doesn’t he? Hehe…XD
OOOOOOH, Remus is a big shot here! Hehe, Wonder who it is…But, it’s definitely like Remus to never keep his lady waiting!

:roTfl: LMAO! Hehe, that would look so funny…XD

Hehe, Theres the Lily I know! As for Siry, he’ll get back at them eventually. I’m still looking forward to the Detention! That is, if you plan on one! XD

Cat fight! Hehe, XD I never thought you’d be a perfectionist (To some degree) Liz. I don’t know. You seem so laid back…down to earth…Hehe, but I guess the cupcakes just had to be green!
**BEAMS** Hehe, Who’s this Nazneen? Siry is mine! ALL MINE! But, I guess I can share…After all, I’d need fans to be part of my fan club… Deep down, he’s still all mine! No one else can have him! Hehe, I’ll only give him up to my Lissylove!
AWWWWWWWW. THIS IS TURNING INTO A MAUARDER TIMES FIC! That’s so cute and it just keeps us anxious for more!
I <3 this thread Liz. Keep them coming…XD

~~RQT XD

lol, loved it!!, your very good writer Lissy!!, keep it up!!