"Occhio per occhio." -Alice Fortescue

"So, are you in?" Marlene lent forward, fingers laced together as she eyed the four boys intently. This was starting to feel a lot like a 'life or death situation' Even though it was far from it.

James lent forward from his armchair, mimicking Marlene's actions. "What's in it for us?" 

Sirius slammed a palm against the coffee table, "Yeah! what's in it for us?"

"What's not in it for you?" Marlene states.

Alice walks over from behind Marlene's armchair, and slams her hand on the coffee table. Everyone looks at her in confusion, "I JUST WANTED TO BE INCLUDED!" She cheers.

Lily is the next to speak, she paces, a serious look on her features. "I agree with Marls." Marlene grins cockily, "You get to pull a prank, on the Prewett twins! The God's of pranks at Hogwarts." Lily paused for dramatic affect, letting her words sink in. "You get to show them up. Make it known that you aren't people to be messed with. And you get to defend Lalia's honour."

"Isn't that the highest form of chivalry?"

James nodded in agreement, "I don't see why we should object. We need to make ourselves known boys." He turns to the other three.

Remus sighs, "I seriously don't know why I'm here..." He licks his finger, and flicks the page of his book.

"Yeah! we need to make it known that we aren't to be messed with." Peter agrees.

Sirius walks up to the coffee table, slamming his palm on it again. "I just wanted to do that again."

Marlene reclines back in her chair, a coy smile on her lips. "So, gentlemen. Do we have a deal?"

James leans closer, "I need a word, with my associates." 

Marlene lent back in the armchair, watching as James stood up and huddled with Peter and Sirius behind the armchair. "Remus!" James hissed through his teeth. Remus sighed, stood up, head still buried in his book.

Remus stood huddled with the boys, he licked his finger again and flipped the page.

"Alright." James stated, as the circle of boys leaned their heads closer together. "I think we should do this! like how dare they do that to our friend."

"-By accident." Remus interjects.

"They still did it." Sirius hisses, "Beside the plan is fool proof- Dumbledore proof even! it's brilliant."

"Besides," Peter squeaks up, having to go on his tip toes to so much as reach near their heads. "We get to play a prank! be mischievous, break some rules even!" At Peter's words, James grinned wider.

"I'm proud of you Peter." James clapped a hand on the blushing Peter's back.

The boys turned to a still reading Remus, "You in?" Sirius asked, making Remus' eyes flicker up from his book. A smirk grew on Remus' face, "I'm in."

"Why do they need a conference?" Lily was pacing again.

Lalia spoke up for the first time, "Maybe they don't want to get in trouble?"

Marlene scoffed, "Maybe Peter and Remus are thinking that- but not James and Sirius."

"They'll do it for sure."

Lalia felt unsure about Marlene's 'they'll do it for sure' statement, they were friends sure, but they hadn't known each other that long.

James looked over his shoulder, muttered something under his breath and finally the circle of boys dispersed. James plonked back on the armchair, leaning forward with his hands clasped together.

Sirius stood at his right side, eyes narrowed and arms crossed over his chest.

Peter and Sirius stand on the sides of the armchair awkwardly. Marlene leans forward, hand outstretched. "So boys, do we have a deal?" She smirked.

James took her hand in his softly, doing a firm, singular shake. "We have a deal Miss Mckinnon."

Lalia couldn't help but feel slightly nauseous. They were all in  their positions, but as Lalia looked through the crowd of the overly crowded corridor she couldn't help but have second thoughts.

From a platform in front of her, but a level up, Lily put the thumbs up and mouthed the words 'Twins incoming.' Lalia gulped. From further down the hall, she heard Marlene and Alice whistle loudly with their hands cupped around their mouths.

Peter who was in the corner of the hall, nodded his head at the noise, and made a 'fluttering bird' action with his hands. Sirius and James nodded feebly and turned to Remus flapping their arms up and down.

Remus, who was two levels higher than the rest of them nodded and adjusted his grip on the rope he was holding. 'Amos in sight.' He mouthed to everyone.

So with Lalia in the centre of the hall, Lily on the platform, James and Sirius situated on the stair rail to the right. Remus on the platform above them all, with Alice, Marlene and Peter scattered around the crowd- the lions braced themselves.

Would this work?

There was only one way to find out.

Lalia inhaled sharply, as the two lanky, redhaired figures sauntered through the crowd and towards her. She squeezed her eyes shut, and felt herself growing slightly taller, her hair becoming slightly shorter with a fringe covering her forehead.

Her eyes opened, and she looked down at herself. She had turned into Molly Prewett.

Upon seeing her, the twin's faces brightened. "Molly!" Fabien called, waving rapidly at her.

Lalia/Molly gave them a surprised look, and swiftly turned on her heels and speedily rushed down the opposite side of the hall, towards where Amos supposedly was talking to a Ravenclaw girl.

Lalia/Molly made sure to glance in Amos' direction as she sped past. Amos perked up, no longer leaning against the pillar of the wall. "Sorry, catch you later." He dismissed to the Ravenclaw girl, and hurried after Lalia.

"Molly!" Amos called, jogging after her desperately with his Hufflepuff robes streaming behind him. The Prewett twins gave each other disapproving looks, and pushed through the crowd in attempts to catch up to Amos.

"HEY!" The twins yelled in unison, grabbing Amos by his shoulders. Amos turned around sharply, eyes narrowed. "I thought we told you to leave our sister alone." Gideon snarled.

"I was just going to ask for Herbology notes."

The boys scoffed, with them both rolling their eyes. "You've been after her since first year, take a hint will ya?" 

Lalia weaved through the crowd, meeting Peter in the corner. Peter gave her a look of admiration, "Do the signal." Lalia whispered rapidly, as her red hair faded to blonde-white and she became herself again.

Peter's eyes found Lily's, and he lifted his hand high in the air, waving it around rapidly. Lily put her wand to the side of her throat, and whistled loudly for everyone in the hallway to hear.

It was the crowning signal.

In one swift moment, James and Sirius heaved buckets of green 'charmed' paint onto the stair rail and tipped it over the edge.

Marlene and Alice rushed through the crowd, weaving between the students in a hurry. "Petrificus totalus!" They yelled, wand pointed directly at the trio. The three boys fell down to the marble floor with three loud thuds.

And as the boy's fell to the floor, eyes wide in horror they watched as neon green paint streamed down on them. The neon green paint hit the three boys, spilling out onto the hallway all around them. James and Sirius dropped the buckets, and high fived, running away before anyone had seen what they'd done.

Marlene and Alice joined the crowd that had formed around the boys, pretending to gape in horror. Remus yanked the rope, but something was wrong- "It's stuck!" He whisper shouted, to which Lily gave him a confused look.

"What's taking Remus so long?" Lalia whispered in a panic, eyes roaming the platforms.

'It's stuck!' Remus mouthed to Lily.

Lily's eyes widened, and she turned on her heel rushing up the stairs in a panic. Lalia's eyes roamed the platform where Lily was supposed to be standing. Her brows wove together in confusion, as she watched the red head girl recede out of view.

"What's she doing?" Peter whispered, as he followed Lalia's gaze.

"I dunno... but Remus needs to hurry, or we'll all get caught."

Lily reached a panic stricken Remus, her breath coming out in a pant. Remus yanked on the rope, eyes wide. "It's stuck, it's stuck!" He repeated. Lily came to his side, her hands grasping the rope.

Lily and Remus heaved, yanking at the rope harshly. 

At the sudden pull, the rope slid from their fingers like planned and unravelled a big white sheet. The white sheet was made into a banner, and bared Alice's neat handwriting.

'Occhio per occhio' the banner said, the words dripping in vibrant green paint.

Lily and Remus shared a knowing grin, and rushed back in the direction of their common room. The remaining of the lions, slowly backed away from the crowd and tried to look casual as they too went to meet up with the other's in the common room.

An eye for an eye.

end chapter

A/N: I wonder what Lily decided to charm the green paint with...? :D