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CHAPTER FIFTY NINE - 🍂 ୧ nastily exhausting . . .
wizarding test ও🦌

THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED DAY HAD ARRIVED – the N.E.W.T.S exam had commenced. All the 7th-year students had harboured trepidation, even those who had studiously applied themselves in their studies. The prospect of facing the formidable exam induced a sense of foreboding among them.

The usual banter and lighthearted mood that pervaded the Great Hall were conspicuously missing. Instead, an air of solemnness and tension hung over the room. The 7th-year students sat silently, their faces etched with a mixture of nervousness and determination. The sight of the professors walking between the tables, handing out parchments, only added to the mounting suspense.

James, sitting between Sirius and Remus, felt his heart pounding in his chest. He had been one of the last to finish his preparation, relying more on his knack for improvising than actual studying. He glanced around the hall, seeing the anxiety written on the faces of his fellow students, and silently admitted to himself that he hadn't fully considered the enormity of the exams until now.

As he sat there, his tension evident, Autumn, seated behind him, extended a comforting gesture. Seeing his anxiety clearly displayed, she reached over and gently patted his tense shoulder in a show of reassurance.

The unexpected touch of her hand on his shoulder stirred James out of his anxious reverie. He swivelled around, surprised to find Autumn's reassuring expression. He let out a shaky breath, a hint of a grateful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Thanks," he whispered, the tension in his voice betraying his nerves.

Autumn returned his smile, her eyes showing a hint of understanding. She leaned forward slightly, her voice barely audible above the silence. "You'll do fine, James. We've all studied and prepared as much as we can. Just trust yourself, and don't let the pressure get to you."

James nodded, her words providing a momentary sense of reassurance. "Yeah, you're right," he muttered, running a hand through his messy hair. "I just wish these exams were more about practical skills instead of all this theory."

Autumn chuckled softly, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You would say that, wouldn't you?"

She paused, contemplating her next words. "But you know, sometimes theory is just as important as practical experience. It gives you a foundation to build upon. And trust me," she added with a hint of sarcasm, "you could use a bit more theory in that head of yours."

James feigned offence, clutching his chest dramatically. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, though a hint of a grin was forming on his face.

Autumn raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "Oh, you know exactly what it means, James. Your practical skills are unquestionably impressive. It's your grasp of theory that's a bit...lacking."

James let out a mock gasp, pretending to be outraged. "My grasp of theory? Lacking? I'll have you know, I have a profound understanding of the art of...of..."

He paused, realizing he had no idea what he was talking about. His attempt at feigning offence was ruined by the evident lack of theoretical knowledge he possessed.

Autumn smirked, unable to suppress a chuckle. "See what I mean? You haven't got the faintest idea about half the spells we've learned. It's a miracle you can even transform into your Animagus form."

James mock-glared at her, his pride wounded. "Hey, my Animagus form is an undisputed masterpiece. And I'll have you know, I don't need theory to be an absolute menace as a stag."

Autumn chuckled softly and patted his back, as she observed the exams about to commence. "You'll do fine, James," she reassured him. "Just relax," she added, her tone supportive.

James took a deep breath, trying to relax as instructed. The comforting pat on his back seemed to alleviate some of the tension knotting his shoulders.

He looked sideways at her and gave a wry smile. "You're enjoying this, aren't you? Watching me squirm."

Autumn feigned innocence, a coy smile playing on her lips. "Me? Enjoying seeing you squirm? I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm just being a supportive girlfriend."

She struggled to maintain a neutral expression, clearly enjoying his discomfort.

James rolled his eyes good-naturedly, knowing full well she was loving every moment of this. "Right, supportive and completely innocent. That's you, alright," he retorted, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

She chuckled, unable to maintain her act any longer. "Okay, so maybe I'm enjoying this a tiny bit. It's not every day I get to witness you squirm like this. It's quite endearing."

He pretended to pout, but the corners of his mouth tugged into a grin. "Endearing, huh? I'm about to face the most terrifying exams of my life, and all you can think is that I'm endearing."

She laughed softly, her eyes sparkling with affection. "Oh, James, you could be facing a horde of boggarts, and you'd still manage to be endearing. That's just who you are."

He mock-groaned but secretly couldn't deny the fluttering in his chest at her compliment. "You're going to be the death of me, you know that? Being adorably supportive while I'm trying to be serious."

She leaned over slightly, her voice teasing. "Oh, come on, James. You love it, and you know it. And I promise, I'll continue being adorably supportive every step of the way."

He chuckled, his earlier tension slowly ebbing away. "You're insufferable, you know that? Bringing out my soft side just when I'm supposed to be all tough and composed."

Autumn smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkling. "Someone has to remind you that you have a soft side beneath all that bravado, and who better to do it than your irresistibly adorable girlfriend?"

James couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter. "Irresistibly adorable? Now you're laying it on a bit thick, don't you think?"

He knew he was merely pretending to be annoyed; in reality, her playful banter was exactly what he needed to calm his nerves.

Autumn's laughter filled the air, her eyes sparkling with affection. "Oh, James, you act tough, but deep down, you're just a big softie. I've got you wrapped around my finger, and you know it."

James let out an exaggerated sigh, but his smile betrayed his true feelings. "You're right, you've got me wrapped around your little finger. I don't stand a chance against your irresistible combination of wit and charm."

Autumn chuckled and waved her hand, signalling for him to turn around.

James raised an eyebrow, an amused smile playing on his lips. "Am I being told to face the front already, love? I thought you were going to continue distracting me with your irresistible flirting."

He playfully sighed as he turned to face forward, and Autumn scolded him with a playful tut. "After our exams," she said pointedly, a smile on her lips.

James mimicked a pout, feigning disappointment. "You're no fun, you know that? Making me wait until after the exams for your irresistible distractions. I'll have you know, my attention span is already being tested enough as it is."

Autumn chuckled, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, James, you'll survive. Think of it as an incentive to do well on your exams. The better the results, the sooner you'll get to be distracted by my irresistible charms."

...

The first week of exams proved to be even more rigorous than the students had anticipated. Yet, when the first weekend arrived, it offered a much-needed respite. While some students took the opportunity to unwind, others saw it as a chance to buckle down and study, trying to strike a balance between relaxation and preparation.

James, exhausted from his first few exams, found himself in between both camps. On one hand, he wanted to unwind and forget about the stresses of exams. On the other, he felt the nagging guilt of not studying enough. To his frustration, his mind remained preoccupied with the exams and their impact on his future.

As the weekend progressed, the group got out of the castle for a short time to a secluded spot in the grounds, where they settled down, shaded by a large tree. James appreciated the change of scenery and the fresh air, but his thoughts remained clouded with the looming exams.

Sirius, always one to notice James's mood, leaned in, nudging him gently. "James, mate, you look like you're about to explode. Relax, would you? You've been studying nonstop since we started."

James let out a weary sigh, running a hand through his messy hair. "I know, I know. I just can't seem to quiet my brain. The exams are everywhere I look, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm not prepared enough."

James mumbled, his voice just loud enough for Autumn to catch his words, "I should have studied more instead of practising."

Autumn responded with a reassuring tone, saying, "I wouldn't say that, James." She continued, "We learned a lot with our practice, and without even realizing it, it helped us tremendously for the exams."

James let out a half-hearted huff, "I guess, but I can't seem to shake this feeling that I'm not prepared."

Sirius chimed in, his tone light, "Mate, you're never prepared. You procrastinate until the last second, then whip out a miracle just in time."

Lily lowered the book in her hands, stood up, and suggested, "Instead of moping around, how about we do something fun instead?"

James raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest in his eyes, "Fun, like what?"

Sirius chimed in, a smirk on his face, "Now, now, Evans, do I detect a hint of boredom in your voice? Could it be that exams have you craving some mischief?"

Lily rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile. "Mischief? More like a little less studying, for a change."

Autumn chuckled, joining in, "Well, you know we're all about balance, right? A little break from the books can't hurt."

Raven lowered her book and sighed, "All right, you've got a point. I think my brain may actually explode if I read any more."

James thought for a moment and then spoke up, "Any ideas on what we could do to unwind?"

Sirius shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Why overthink it? Let's just have some good old-fashioned fun."

Remus, who had been quietly observing the conversation, piped up with a suggestion, "We could always pull a prank on someone."

James's eyes lit up, a grin spreading across his face. "A prank, huh? That sounds like a brilliant idea."

Peter, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up, "But who should we target? We need to choose someone who'll make it worth our while."

Sirius chuckled, a smirk on his face. "Oh, don't worry, Peter. I think I've got just the target in mind."

The group exchanged curious glances before turning their attention back to Sirius, eager to hear his suggestion.

...

The group of pranksters had planned their mischief-making with great enthusiasm, but their attempt at causing chaos took a turn for the worse. Instead of executing their plan flawlessly, they were split into two groups and sentenced to detention with their respective professors.

While Autumn, James, and Sirius were attending detention with Professor McGonagall, Remus, Raven, Lily, and Sirius were serving their punishment under the watchful eye of Hagrid.

The detentions went as expected. McGonagall, stern and no-nonsense, lectured the trio about their reckless behaviour and assigned them a task to polish all the trophies in the trophy room.

Meanwhile, Hagrid, with his kind demeanour, had a different approach. He set the group to work repotting some struggling Gillyweed plants in the greenhouses.

James and Sirius groaned in unison as they were handed the task of polishing the trophies.

James grumbled, "Why do we always get stuck with the most monotonous detentions?"

Sirius, dusting off a trophy, nodded in agreement. "McGonagall certainly knows how to make us suffer."

James picked up another trophy and looked at his reflection on the polished surface. "Could be worse, I suppose. At least we're not out in the Forbidden Forest."

Sirius chuckled. "Oh, don't tempt fate, mate. You know Hagrid would have us there in a heartbeat if he had the chance."

James cast a discreet glance in Autumn's direction, taking note of her frustration as she diligently polished a massive trophy while seated on the floor. The corners of her mouth were turned down in a disapproving frown, a clear sign of her displeasure at the turn of events.

Despite her efforts to keep a low profile, James couldn't help but reflect on the incident that led to their current predicament. Autumn had nearly evaded capture, but he and Sirius had caught up to her, compelling her to join them in bearing the brunt of the consequences.

A pang of guilt settled in James's gut as he observed Autumn's expression. It was his and Sirius's fault that she was now stuck in this situation. He knew she was capable and more than intelligent enough to have gotten away easily.

He leaned in closer to Sirius and whispered, "You know we forced her into detention, right?"

Sirius, who had been polishing a trophy, paused and shot James a sidelong glance. "I know, mate. But she's been in tougher jams with us before. She'll be fine. Besides, a little detention never hurt anyone."

James let out a frustrated sigh, knowing Sirius was right. Autumn was resilient, and she could handle herself. But the pang of guilt still nagged at him, refusing to subside entirely.

He decided to try and engage with her, hoping to lighten her mood. He approached her, feigning a carefree grin. "Hey, love. Enjoying polishing the trophies?"

Autumn shot him a withering gaze, her frustration evident in her eyes. She paused in her task, still seated on the floor.

"Do I look like I'm enjoying this?" she responded, her voice laced with irritation. "I could have been somewhere else, studying or relaxing. Instead, I'm stuck here, thanks to your brilliant idea."

James flinched at her harsh tone. He had expected some annoyance, but her irritation cut deeper than he had anticipated. He attempted to deflect her anger with a casual shrug.

"Ah, come on, it wasn't all my idea. Sirius played a part in this, too."

Autumn's voice was filled with irritation as she continued to wipe the trophy rather forcefully, her frustration evident. "I was so close to getting away when you decided to grab me," she grumbled.

Sirius, attempting to downplay their predicament, shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Well, at least the others are in detention too," he said.

This only seemed to fuel Autumn's anger further as she retorted, "But look at them! They're having an easy detention, while we're stuck here cleaning trophies all night!"

James bit his lip, struggling to find the right words to placate her. He knew she had a point, but he couldn't change the situation now.

"It's just a bit of polishing," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It could be worse. We could be outside in the cold, or mucking out the Quidditch sheds or something."

Autumn's irritation flared again at his nonchalant response. "A bit of polishing? You call this a bit?" she exclaimed, gesturing towards the rows upon rows of gleaming trophies, "This is going to take us all night! And the others get off easy with repotting plants?"

He swallowed hard, sensing he was making things worse. "I know it's not ideal, but we can't change it now. Just try to focus on the positive. We're together, and it's not forever," he said, attempting to salvage the situation.

Autumn snorted, her irritation only growing. "Positive? What is positive about this? We're stuck here when we have exams right around the corner. And we're not studying. We're not preparing. We're just polishing stupid trophies!"

James's frustration mounted as well, mixing with his guilt. "I know, I know, but what do you want me to say? We made a mistake, and now we're paying for it. We'll get through this detention, study our asses off later. It's not the end of the world."

Sensing the mounting tension between James and Autumn, Sirius wisely decided to focus back on his task of polishing the trophy. He purposefully let out a cough, prompting both James and Autumn to turn their attention away from each other, preventing a potential escalation of their argument.

Sirius understood the need to ease the mounting tension in the room. He hoped that by providing a distraction, both James and Autumn would have a chance to cool their tempers and avoid further conflict.

James and Autumn snapped out of their argument momentarily, turning to look at Sirius. The interruption had broken their focus, and both seemed slightly embarrassed.

James cleared his throat, realizing he had allowed his frustration to get the best of him. He glanced at Autumn, seeing the same realization mirrored in her eyes.

"Right," James mumbled, "Just focus on the task, I guess."

Autumn gave a brief nod in agreement, her irritation slowly dissipating but still lingering beneath the surface. They both resumed their tasks in silence, the tension gradually subsiding, though not entirely gone.

As they continued their chore in silence, the weight of the situation began to sink in. James glanced over at Autumn, noticing the expression on her face. He knew she was still feeling frustrated and annoyed.

Feeling compelled to say something, he spoke up, his voice gentle. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make things worse. I know this sucks."

Autumn paused her task and looked at James, her expression softening slightly. She could hear the sincerity in his voice and knew he was genuinely apologetic.

"It's not just that it sucks," she replied, her voice calmer now. "It's the fact that we're stuck here instead of studying for exams. We could have done so much more with this time."

Sirius knew that defusing the tense atmosphere was crucial, so he responded with a grin, "Well if we think about it, our plan kind of worked. We wanted to skip studying, and we sure did! Tomorrow's Sunday anyway, which means we can just buckle down and study all day if we have to."

His lighthearted remark was designed to shift the focus away from their punishment and redirect their attention to the silver lining of the situation.

James chuckled, a hint of a smile appearing on his face, realising that Sirius was deliberately trying to ease the tension.

"Yeah, I suppose you have a point there, mate," James admitted, appreciating Sirius's attempt at diverting their attention. "But I doubt McGonagall would see it that way."

Autumn couldn't help but crack a small smile at Sirius's comment. His attempt to lighten the mood had worked somewhat, and she appreciated the effort.

"True, I doubt McGonagall would appreciate that train of thought," she agreed, "But I suppose we can't change our predicament. And we do have tomorrow to dedicate to our studies."

Sirius couldn't help but smirk amused that his attempt to lighten the mood had worked. He chuckled softly, "Okay, glad we're on the same page. Remember to name your first kid after me because I saved you two from a fight," he teased.

Autumn rolled her eyes at Sirius' remark, quickly retorting, "As if we'd ever name our kid after you."

James chimed in with a playful grin, "Yeah, we're definitely naming our first child Elvendork."

Autumn shot a playful glare towards James, clearly disagreeing with his choice of name.

Sirius let out a hearty laugh, clearly entertained by their banter. "Oh, come on, my name is not that bad. And Elvendork? Really, Prongs? You're setting that kid up for a lifetime of ridicule."

James feigned offence, holding his hand to his chest in mock hurt. "Excuse you, Padfoot, my naming skills are unrivalled. Elvendork would be a name of great distinction and uniqueness if I do say so myself."

"Unrivalled, huh?" Autumn interjected, her voice tinged with disbelief. "More like unparalleled in its ability to attract ridicule. Just imagine our poor kid trying to introduce themself at school."

James chuckled, enjoying the playful banter. "Ah, but think of all the unique nicknames they could have. Elf for short. Or Dork, for when they inevitably turn out to be a huge nerd like you."

Autumn shook her head, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "Great. Not only are we setting our kid up for ridicule with the name, but now we're also planning on calling them Elf or Dork. Parenting perfection at its finest, truly."

Sirius chimed in, unable to resist joining in on the banter. "Well, at least they'll have a sense of humour. I mean, growing up with parents like you two? They'll need it."

James mock-glared at Sirius, pretending to be offended. "Now, that's just hurtful, Pads. We'd be hilarious parents. Our kid would have a great sense of humour, just like us."

Sirius chuckled, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. "Oh, absolutely. I can picture it now. They'll grow up telling jokes just as awful as yours, Prongs. And you know what they say, like father, like child."

James sighed dramatically, a smirk on his face. "Well, if they inherit my wit, they'll be the bell of the ball. Just imagine them charming everyone with their terrible jokes and sarcasm. They'll be irresistible."

Sirius let out a grumble, expressing his concerns about the possibility of having a mini-version of James. "I hope your child takes after Autumn because having another version of you running around would be a never-ending nightmare," he said.

Meanwhile, James feigned offence, letting out an exaggerated gasp as he feigned shock at Sirius' words. "How dare you? A mini-James would be an absolute blessing for the wizarding world!"

Autumn couldn't help but laugh at their banter, enjoying the playful exchange. "I don't know, Sirius has a point there," she teased. "One James is more than enough. The world couldn't handle two of him at once."

James clutched his chest, pretending he was wounded. "Ouch, love! You're supposed to be on my side."

Autumn smirked, enjoying messing with James. "I am on your side, love. Just not on the side of having two little James' running around causing chaos."

Sirius smirked, clearly relishing in their banter. "See? Even your own girlfriend knows the truth. She knows that having two Jameses would be akin to unleashing a chaotic storm upon the wizarding world."

James feigned hurt once more, dramatically resting his hand on his forehead. "You wound me, both of you. Do you have no faith in my parenting abilities? I would mould my mini-me into the most charming, charismatic, yet slightly chaotic individual to ever grace the Hogwarts halls."

"Slightly chaotic?" Sirius interjected, raising an eyebrow. "James, we're talking about you. You're the definition of chaotic. Any child of yours would be a storm in miniature form."

James chuckled, unable to deny the accuracy of Sirius' description. "Alright, alright, I suppose you do have a point. But can you imagine the pranks we could pull off with two of us? The chaos we could unleash together?"

"Merlin's beard," Sirius muttered, grinning in amusement. "I can already envision the mayhem. Double the trouble, double the pranks. It would be simultaneously glorious and horrifying."

"Precisely!" James exclaimed, a mischievous glint in his eye. "We could cause mayhem like never before. Just imagine the shenanigans that two pranksters like us could get up to together. It would be legendary."

Autumn rolled her eyes playfully, feigning exasperation. "Oh, Merlin help us all. Two of you together would be a nightmare. I can already picture it - you both running around pranking everyone and causing chaos. Everywhere would be in shambles within a week if you got any ideas together."

James chuckled, unable to deny the truth in Autumn's words. "But just imagine the absolute havoc our child could wreak, love, They'd make our younger selves seem like saints by comparison."

Sirius chuckled and chimed in, "Oh, absolutely. Your child would undoubtedly inherit your chaotic tendencies, James. They'd be a force to be reckoned with, causing mayhem wherever they go."

Autumn nodded in agreement. "I can already imagine the looks of despair on Professor McGonagall's face and Dumbledore's, trying to keep them under control."

The trio allowed themselves to indulge in a brief moment of imagination, picturing the chaos that would ensue if they had a mini-James in their midst. Autumn couldn't help but let out a sigh of dread, while Sirius and James howled with laughter at the thought.

...

The second week of N.E.W.T.S. testing had begun, and the week had proven to be less challenging than most had anticipated. Some students had chosen to take the full week's worth of exams, others had opted for half the week's worth, and a few had chosen just 1-2 exams based on which ones they had qualified for. The intensity and extent of the exams varied among the students due to their individual qualifications.

A mixture of relief and excitement hung in the air as the students prepared for their exams. Conversations about the difficulty of the tests and the results of their own efforts filled the halls. The N.E.W.T.S. had always been a source of stress and competition among the students, and this year was no exception. Teachers and professors watched the students closely, knowing that the results would determine the paths they would take upon leaving Hogwarts.

Raven, Lily, and Remus had diligently tackled the entire week's worth of N.E.W.T.S. exams. Meanwhile, Autumn, James, Sirius, and Peter had a slightly lighter load, with only a half week's worth of exams to handle.

As the weekend arrived, the entire group found themselves gathered in the same spot as they had been the previous weekend.

They sprawled out on the grass on the grounds of Hogwarts, the weather warm and sunny, providing a perfect backdrop for their relaxation. Autumn, Raven and Lily were reading their favourite books, while Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter engaged in a lively discussion about the various N.E.W.T.S. they had taken that week.

Sirius, always the most opinionated of the group, began speaking passionately. "Mate, I swear, I've lost brain cells taking these exams! Some of those questions were just cruel."

James chuckled in agreement. "Tell me about it. I'd rather face off against a herd of hippogriffs than have to calculate the exact boiling point of Bubotuber pus again."

Peter, who had been quietly listening, added in his own thoughts. "Honestly, I think the practical exams were the toughest. I had to transfigure a chair into a bird, and I ended up with a winged armchair instead. The professors didn't seem too pleased."

Remus chuckled at Peter's predicament, chiming in with a smirk. "Well, at least you got the wings part right. Partial credit, perhaps?"

Sirius couldn't resist taunting Peter just a little. "Winged armchair? Sounds like you're on your way to a new career as a furniture designer, Wormtail."

Peter playfully chucked a blade of grass at Sirius. "Oi, shut it, Padfoot. Let's see you try to transfigure a chair into a bird. I bet you'd end up with a stool with wings or something."

Sirius laughed and dodged the flying blade of grass. "Fair point, Wormtail. Transfiguration was never really my speciality. But you gotta admit, that winged armchair would make a perfect addition to our common room."

James nodded in agreement. "A flying armchair does sound pretty cool. We could definitely use something to liven up that boring old common room."

Lily, who had been quietly reading her book, chimed in from the sidelines. "Or we could just try to keep our common room tidy for once instead of relying on winged furniture to add some excitement."

Raven raised her gaze, pretending to be astonished as she exclaimed, "Are you really claiming that you don't have floating furniture in your common room? That sounds so lacklustre and unexciting. Our couches constantly float around our common room you know." Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.

To her delight, the boys appeared taken aback at her words, their eyes widening in surprise, not realizing she was joking.

James, unable to contain his curiosity, leaned forward intently. "Wait, what? Your furniture floats in your common room?"

Sirius and Peter exchanged bewildered gazes, both equally dumbfounded by what they had just heard. Even Remus seemed to waver in his scepticism.

Raven snickered, enjoying the shocked expressions on their faces. "Oh, you guys are so easy. Of course, our furniture doesn't float."

James blushed in embarrassment, realising he had fallen for the prank. "Oh, right. Duh. Of course, it doesn't. You really had us going for a moment there."

The others chuckled at James' embarrassment, but Peter still looked bewildered. "So...wait. Your furniture doesn't really float?"

Remus nodded. "No, Pete. It doesn't. Raven was messing with us."

Peter let out a sheepish chuckle, feeling a bit silly for falling for the prank. "Right. Of course. Got it. No floating furniture in the Ravenclaw common room. Noted."

Sirius playfully punched Peter's arm. "You really believed that? Mate, you're too gullible sometimes."

Lily couldn't help but sigh, rolling her eyes as she watched the boys fall for Raven's playful antics. "Honestly, all four of you were almost fooled by her," she stated dryly, her gaze fixed on the boys with a deadpan expression.

James ran his hand through his hair, still feeling slightly embarrassed. "Hey, in our defence, Raven had us going for a minute there. It sounded pretty cool."

Sirius chimed in, trying to save face. "Yeah, we were just playing along. We didn't actually think there were floating couches in the Ravenclaw common room. Right, Wormtail?"

Peter nodded, trying to look nonchalant. "Right, of course. Just playing along. Definitely didn't believe it for a second."

Remus made no effort to hide the fact that he nearly fell for it.

Autumn, who had been silently observing the whole exchange, finally spoke up. "You guys really did believe her. It was pretty obvious she was joking though."

James shot Autumn a mock glare. "Oh, don't you start piling on now, love."

Autumn smirked, enjoying this moment of playful banter. "I'm just saying, it was pretty funny watching you all fall for it."

James let out a dramatic sigh, feigning defeat. "Fine, we were gullible. We fell for it. Can we move on now, please?"

Sirius chuckled, thoroughly amused by the whole situation. "Yeah, let's move on and accept the fact that we were fools for a moment. But I gotta say, Raven, that was a good one."

Raven smiled triumphantly, proud of her ability to toy with their gullible minds. "Thanks. I guess sometimes I can be somewhat convincing."

Remus smirked, shaking his head in mock disapproval. "Oh, come on. Don't encourage her. Next thing you know, we'll be believing the Hogwarts rumour mill and chasing after Dragons in the Forbidden Forest."

Peter let out a nervous chuckle, picturing a scenario in his mind where they were indeed chasing after dragons. "Ha, yeah. That would be ridiculous. Can you imagine us trying to wrangle a dragon? We'd be toast within minutes."

James chuckled, trying to picture the scene in his mind. "Speak for yourself, Wormtail. I could take down a dragon. Easy."

Lily just rolled her eyes, clearly not buying it. "Right, Potter. You'd be running away screaming before the dragon even got close."

James feigned offence, clutching his chest dramatically. "Excuse you, Evans. Have you no faith in me? I'll have you know I'm very brave when it comes to facing dangerous creatures. I'd slay a dragon in a heartbeat."

Sirius chimed in, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Yeah, right, Prongs. You can barely stand up to Professor McGonagall without shaking in your boots. A dragon would send you running back to your mother."

James shot a look of mock outrage at Sirius. "Hey, I resent that. I'm brave. I'll prove it. Give me a sword, and I'll take on a dragon right now."

Peter's eyes widened in shock. "Oh, no, mate. Don't give him ideas."

But James was already in full dramatic mode now, grinning with excitement. "You know what? Let's do it. I'll show you all how brave I am. We'll go to the Forbidden Forest and find a dragon."

As James began to stand up, Autumn promptly grabbed hold of his robes, preventing him from making any further moves. With a defeated expression on his face, he grumbled in frustration under his breath.

The others quickly burst into laughter at the scene unfolding before them. After a moment, they resumed their conversation, chatting nonchalantly about various random topics.

James sulked as he sat back down, still pouting about being stopped from his 'brave dragon hunt'.

Autumn smirked at him, clearly amused. "You're ridiculous, you know that, love?"

James huffed, crossing his arms. "I was serious, you know. I would've done it."

Sirius chuckled. "Sure you would have, Prongs. But let's face it, you'd be more likely to be eaten by the dragon than actually slay it."

James shot a glare at Sirius, but he knew they were right. He couldn't help but chuckle at himself. "Okay, fine, maybe you're right. I probably would have run away screaming within the first minute. But a boy can dream, can't he?"

Remus smirked, teasing James further. "Ah, yes, dreams of heroic dragon hunts. So very becoming of a Head Boy to daydream about such things, Prongs."

James rolled his eyes, realising Remus had a point. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll stop dreaming about dragon hunts and remain the responsible Head Boy I'm supposed to be."

Peter chuckled. "You've got a long way to go before you're the picture of responsibility, James."

James shot a playful glare at Peter. "Watch it, Wormtail. I can still turn into a stag and stampede all over you if I want."

Peter held up his hands in mock defence. "Hey, hey, no need for threats, mate. I was just joking. No need to go all beast mode on me."

Sirius chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the banter. "Yeah, save the stampeding for the next Shrieking Shack visit, Prongs."

James rolled his eyes once more, but he couldn't help but grin. "Oh, ha ha. Very funny, Pads. But yes, I'll save the stampeding. For now, I'll just dream of being responsible."

Autumn couldn't help but join in on the teasing, a small smile playing on her lips. "Ah, yes, such responsible dreams. Perhaps one day you'll even learn to tie your shoelaces like a real adult?"

James let out an exaggerated gasp. "Excuse me, love. I'll have you know that I am capable of tying my own shoelaces. I just prefer the messy, rugged look."

Autumn raised an eyebrow, a playful challenge in her eyes. "Is that so? Well, prove it. Prove to me that you can tie your shoelaces like a responsible Head Boy."

James chuckled, always up for a challenge. He leaned forward theatrically, pretending to struggle with his shoelaces before deftly tying them. He looked up at Autumn with a mock-smug expression, a grin on his face. "See? Perfectly tied. And I didn't even need a tutorial."

Autumn let out a small giggle, impressed by his demonstration. "Well, colour me surprised. You've managed to tie your shoelaces like a responsible adult and without any help. Now if only you could learn to wake up on time..."

James pouted playfully. "Hey now, let's not get carried away. Baby steps, love. We're still working on the shoelaces. The waking on time thing might take a bit longer."