A Bit Big Headed

                                    

                                          
It was the start of November, and four weeks before the first game of the Quidditch season; Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. James was putting the Gryffindor team through their paces with a new training regime, although in Sirius's opinion, Hufflepuff was just too easy to beat.
                          
Meanwhile, Sirius, James, and Remus were sitting in Defence class on the first day of November, a Monday.
                          
Their Defence teacher was Professor Gatherey. He was tall with dark hair and wore a long grey coat with a little brown hat. Rumours went that he had spent two whole years in a werewolf community, and he wasn't even a werewolf. Others said that he had been an agent for a secret part of the Department of Law Enforcement. But the only other job he had ever mentioned was that he had been a curse-breaker for Gringotts Bank. He was teaching the class how to cast non-verbal spells.
                          
"I want you to think about the spell in your head", Professor Gatherey instructed the students.
                          
They had now paired up facing each other, wands at the ready. Sirius was facing James. All the students set to work trying to jinx and block each other without saying a word. At first, Sirius and James were whispering the curses out the side of their mouths, like almost everyone else in the room, but they actually found themselves trying during the last part of the lesson. The Hufflepuff Quidditch captain, Bertram Aubrey was trying so hard his eyes were popping.
                          
Remus was the first to actually achieve it, much to the relief of Professor Gatherey. Sirius managed to next, followed by James.
                          
A few others in the class managed the feat. Lily knocked Marlene over with her silent Stunning Spell, and Alice had performed a voiceless jinx on a Ravenclaw. Not long after, the lesson ended and they headed out to lunch in the grassy courtyard.
                          
"Did you see Aubrey?" asked Sirius loudly, as Bertram and some Hufflepuffs sat down near them, "His eyes were nearly popping out of his fat face".
                          
"Yeah", laughed James.
                          
"Do you think our team will make it this game?" Sirius heard one of Bertram's friends ask.
                          
"Oh, definitely", smiled Bertram, "The Gryffindor team was good last year, they had talent and a good captain. But I think they're lacking in leadership this time 'round. Potter's just a pretty face, I'm afraid. Doesn't know what to do with his team, I've heard."
                          
"And who've you heard that from?" asked Sirius loudly, standing and turning to face Bertram, "A bunch of Slytherin sods, no doubt."
                          
"If you must know, I heard it from Macnair", said Bertram, "But that doesn't make what I say any less true."
                          
"That I'm a bad team captain?" demanded James, "Or that I'm just a pretty face. Because I mean, my face is quite wonderful, I agree, but I do have other things going for me too, you know."
                          
"Which is more than he can say for himself, James", said Sirius, looking to goad Bertram, "Aubrey's ugly and stupid. Just look at him. No wonder he's jealous, with us two beauties in front of him, he just can't compete!"
                          
"Go ahead and defend your boyfriend, why don't you, Black," Aubrey said gruffly, "You're too big-headed for your own good Potter, need a good thrashing on the pitch to put you in your place."
                          
"I'll show you who's too big-headed," James said coolly.
                          
He drew his wand quickly from his pocket. Sirius notice a small crowd had gathered around. Mostly Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, considering the Quidditch match coming up, and the fact that both captains had joined the fight.
                          
"Engulfio!" shouted James.
                          
Sirius watched as his friend pointed his wand at Aubrey's head and hexed him. He watched with amusement as it started to swell. The two of them stood there laughing.
                          
"You four boys!", shouted a voice that unmistakably belonged to Professor  McGonagall.
                          
Sirius whipped around his dark hair over his eyes, to see the angry Professor striding towards him and his friends. Aubrey's head had just gotten large enough for him to keel over with the weight of it.
                          
"Yes, you four. My office, now, while I take this poor boy to the hospital wing," with that, she waved her wand, making Aubrey hover above the ground, and headed off in the direction of the hospital wing.
                          
                                ##
                          
Half an hour later, Sirius along with James, Remus and Peter, were in McGonagall's office receiving a long lecture on their 'unruly' behaviour. Sirius was leaning back in his chair haughtily, looking up at the ceiling with his head back, slightly annoyed that McGonagall was wasting his time; he knew what he did was 'wrong', it didn't stop him from doing it. James was sitting next to him with his head resting on his fist, looking bored, while Remus sat on Sirius's other side with his hand on his brow, covering his eyes in exasperation. Peter was next to Remus, fidgeting and swinging his short legs.
                          
"- not to mention that hex has been made illegal at Hogwarts for many a year", McGonagall turned to the four boys. Sirius looked at her, half impatient, half expecting. She seemed to have finished ranting and was now getting to the important part. Sirius could tell all this, having had lots of experience with teachers handing him out punishments, "I will take fifty points from Gryffindor for you two, Mr Potter and Mr Black, and twenty from Mr Lupin and Mr Pettigrew."
                          
"Professor, Peter did nothing wrong", said Remus, receiving a look of grateful relief from his small friend.
                          
"And neither did you", James said to Remus, in a somewhat forceful tone.
                          
"Yeah! Professor, Remus didn't do anything-" Sirius's attempt at defending his friend was cut short by the Transfiguration teacher.
                          
"That is exactly my point", McGonagall said, "Remus, I expect you to, as a Prefect, make sure your friends act appropriately, and if they do not, I would hope you would enforce the school rules. This, sadly, does not seem to be the case."
                          
Remus hung his head a little and looked at his feet.
                          
McGonagall turned her back to them, looking out her office window. Sirius shrugged apologetically to Remus.
                          
She continued, "And you will all attend four detentions each, starting tomorrow. I regret this, as your head of house, but I must punish you for your unlawful actions."
                          
Sirius mouthed her last sentence to James and pulled a stupid face to go with it. James smiled back and Peter hardly suppressed a chuckle, but Remus looked rather unimpressed.
                          
McGonagall showed them out of her office and they walked into the cold corridor.
                          
"Way to go guys, do you always have to be so immature?" Remus asked, turning on them.
                          
"But Moony, what's life without a little fun and jokes?" said Sirius.
                          
"Besides, he deserved it, talking about the team like that", James said, with an air of finality.
                          
                                ##
                          
The next day, a third-year came to the four friends with a note, while they were in the common room. It was from McGonagall. It informed them where they would be spending their detention after classes that day. To Sirius's dismay, he and James were in different detentions. James and Peter were stuck with Slughorn, and Sirius was off to help Professor Flitwick with Remus.
                          
"Look Moony, you and I are off for a lovely time with old Professor Flitwick," said Sirius to a half embarrassed looking Remus.