I awoke the next morning to hear someone banging on my door. As the only Slytherin girl in my year, I had my own room, something I enjoyed very much. I'd been offered a place to sleep with a younger year or an older year, but I had politely declined, letting Professor Slughorn know that I enjoyed having my own space. Another benefit from being the only girl in my year was that I was automatically Prefect, although I rarely ever used the badge to my advantage because I thought it unfair.

"Elise, if you're in there, Snape wants you!" Someone hollered from outside the door, and I groaned, rolling over in bed and checking the clock I kept on the nightstand.

12:34 PM

"Merlin, its past twelve already?" I yawned, before rolling over and falling off of the bed with a graceful thud.

Scrambling to my feet, I poured Eliza a bowl of food to eat later (she was nowhere in sight), pulled on a jumper and pants before shoving my feet into shoes and sliding down the staircase.

Severus was waiting at our usual spot by the window, absentmindedly petting Eliza. He greeted me with a smile as I approached, tying my long hair into a ponytail.

"Hey Sev, when did you get up?" I yawned again, and he chuckled, yawning himself.

"Just a few minutes before you, Narcissa told me all about breakfast this morning. Said that Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew were all sprouting new looks. Said it was hilarious, and that they sure looked confused and angry." He chortled. I grinned happily, reaching over to pet Eliza as well.

"Well, I want to see it myself. Lunch should be starting soon, why don't we head on down?" I suggested, fiddling with the hem of my sweater.

"Ooh, let's, I'm starved." Severus said enthusiastically. I loved it when he got excited and when he was happy, it felt great to see him not gloomy and sad.

"I'll ask Lily if she'd like to sit with us, if that's okay with you." I spoke, and Severus nodded.

"I'm fine with that." He agreed, and we exited the common room, making our way over to the Great Hall.

I abandoned Severus to save Lily and I a seat and jogged over to the Gryffindor table. I'd barely gotten a good look at the "marauders," as they called themselves, before I bursted into laughter.

"Ohh!" I cried, tears of amusement sprouting from my eyes. "Oh, what happened to you guys?"

A shark opened its mouth, filled with large and pointy teeth.

"Dunno, but Merlin, when we find the culprit...they're going to get it!" The voice of Sirius emerged from the mouth, before the head switched to that of a cow.

"Well, whoever did it is excellent at transfiguration." I chortled. "Hey Lils, wanna sit with Sev and me?"

"Yes please, these four are quite unbearable today." She said gratefully, taking my outstretched hand and walking with me back over to the Slytherin table. A few people looked up at the sight of a muggleborn at the pure-blood maniac house, but they'd gotten used to it by now.

"Hey Lily." Severus greeted, a smile lighting up his face. "So...? Are Potter and Black thoroughly pissed?"

"Language." Lily scolded, although to be honest, she wasn't exactly innocent herself. "They're seeking revenge as we speak. Still don't suspect anything though, bloody idiots."

"Language!" Severus scoffed in mock outrage. "Language! Why, I hadn't even said a word!"

Lily rolled her eyes and turned to face me. "So, did you make it back to your dorms without getting caught?"

"Safe and sound, as usual." I confirmed.

A loud screeching filled the hall as the daily post swooped in, and I scanned the skies for the familiar family barn owl, Picket. I didn't know why I still hoped they would send me a letter, my family hated me because I was in Slytherin. They had all been proud Gryffindors, brought up hating the house as there had been many rivalries between students.

I'd always been the oddball though, and I thought they should've expected me to be in Slytherin. I remembered the only time they'd ever sent me mail, the second day of first year. A howler, proclaiming their disgust and disappointment in me, me, the Slytherin, the family traitor, the family filth.

"Cas? Helllooo? Cas?" Lily was waving a hand in front of my face, and I realized with a start that I'd zoned out.

"Oh! Sorry, zoned out there."

"Yeah, I figured, you've been starring at Abbott's behind for the last three minutes." Severus said, and I flushed slightly, slapping him scoldingly on the arm.

"Shut it, Sev."

"Hey! Watch your language, Merlin!" He exclaimed, shooting a glance at Lily who sighed exasperatedly.

"Honestly Sev?" She groaned, twirling a lock of fire around her pinky. "You're never going to forget that, are you?"

"Never." He replied with a cheeky grin.

"Honestly, I don't understand why the 'marauders' bully you, you're so similar in personality. I guess they just don't know you, Sev." I sighed, patting Severus on the arm. "You guys are all cheeky, smart, pranksters!"

"Please don't compare me to those gits." Severus pleaded, running a hand through his long hair. "And while I know that yes, if I'm in a mood I am similar to them, I also won't stand for the kind of things they stand for, like bullying and mean teasing."

"And that's why we love you." Lily said, hugging him from the side. "And why I absolutely despise them. Oh Merlin, there goes McGonagall."

The professor in question had walked over to the four boys, gesturing towards their constantly changing animal heads. Sirius, or at least, who I assumed was Sirius, had his hands in the air, waving them frantically. The chubby one, Peter, wasn't paying any attention to Professor McGonagall, still stuffing his mouth full with sandwiches and tarts.

With what looked like an eye roll, Professor McGonagall lead the boys out of the Great Hall, Peter only following when he realized they'd left him.

Severus, Lily and I shared a look.

"Best. Prank. Yet!"