"Well it isn't your standard langlock if it won't end with a finite incantantum," Sirius said, dropping the Charms textbook he'd yanked from Remus's bookshelf the moment they'd all returned to the Marauders' dormitory.  They'd foregone lunch to try and fix James, but there was nothing that had worked, and now the time was creeping along toward their being late. McGonagall would certainly not approve their tardiness, but, as Sirius had put it, it was just too weird having a Silent Potter and the spell needed reversing as quickly as possible.

Even if that meant facing the wrath of Minnie for being a smidgeon late.

They'd tried everything in the book, though, every reversal and tongue-release spell they could find and not a single one had done the trick. James's throat was as hopelessly closed as ever. Sirius clapped shut the book and sighed, looking at James from where he'd perched himself on the edge of the desk as James sat in a backwards desk chair, looking from one to the next of them, a fair bit desperate.

"C'mon you lot. We're the Marauders. We ca do better than this! Especially you, Remus. Any last ideas how to throw it?" Sirius looked up at Remus and Peter, whose eyes were still wide with shock at the story Remus had been telling him about how Garm had acted during DADA and how James had gotten the langlock to begin with.

"Nope," Remus replied. "I'm at my end, unfortunately mate. I reckon it's got to be some sort of personal spell, something tied to his wand or some sort of... password... or some bullocks we're never goin' to guess." He sighed.

Peter shook his head. "If Remus doesn't know, I certainly don't have a clue!"

James looked rather dejected.

"There's nothing for it mate, you'll have to go to Transfiguration and get Minnie to sort it out," Remus said. He got up and started shrugging on his jumper and grabbed his scrolls for class. "Which she might not do if we don't haul our arses down there now."

James was sure he was about to be in loads of trouble. Somehow he envisioned McGonagall's allegiance would be toward the teacher whose rule had been broken than to himself and he imagined himself (silently) sitting in a detention over the weekend.

Remus glanced at his watch. "We're late already. She'll say it serves you right." Remus tucked the stuff into his bag and swung it over his shoulder.

Sirius grinned up at the ceiling as he slid off the desk, a wistful expression on his face, "Bugger I can't wait to see Min take the mickey out of Garm..." His grin twisted with evil amusement. "Yeah... Just picture it. The poor bloke has no idea what he's in for."

James's shoulders shook with silent laughter. 

"We could sell tickets to this," Sirius said, straightening up.

Remus said, "What you could sell me a ticket to right about now is lunch, but that's alright..." Remus patted James's back. "Worth being famished for you. Sort of. Anyway. Let's go." As though in response to Remus's words, Peter's stomach growled. They all looked at him. "Bloody hell, that sounded like a damned dragon," said Remus.

"Big belly, big sounds," Sirius said, and they all laughed - including Peter, who patted his round belly affectionately.

"Poor empty bloke," Peter said, then, "Oi, I'll knick us some sandwiches and things from the kitchens while you lot go to class." The beauty of Peter's free periods was the promise of always being well fed. 

"Brilliant," Remus said.

James nodded.

"Thanks, Wormtail," Sirius said. "Hey, get some extra - If we get James's voice fixed, I vote we go out to the Shack tonight, see what the status of our clubhouse is, see what needs sprucing up before the Full Moon next week. Yeah?"

"Yes!" Peter squeaked, who'd missed out on the camping trip over summer and was deeply excited for one. "I'll be sure to get us loads and loads of food!" He rubbed his hands together eagerly.

James opened his mouth to say enough for Lily too  but he just silently choked on his tongue for trying it and Sirius glanced over at him. "If you were about to suggest bringing Evans along, then you deserved to choke on that flappy thing of yours. It's been too long since it's been just the four of us and the way you two are cozying up, it won't be long before we're stuck with her all the bloody time."

James would have argued but he couldn't.

Remus did it for him. "Didn't stop you when it was us."

"Yes well, you're one of us already aren't you?" Sirius said.

"And Lily isn't? She's only your bloody female doppleganger!" Remus argued, "It's as though James is dating you but with breasts."

James made a face and shook his head firmly no as Sirius made a gagging sound, "Oh you're putrid," Sirius said, pushing Remus, "Gods alive, you sick bastard. Why would you even -- even think that... gaaaag."

Peter leaned in to James as Sirius loudly went off down the corridor, followed by Remus, "I'll get enough for Evans too, don't worry." He smiled and James smiled back, patting Peter on the shoulder.

Downstairs, Lily was waiting for them in the hall.

"It's still not off?" Lily asked, joining James, Remus, and Sirius in the corridor. 

"Nope," Sirius said. "Been pleasantly quiet the last few hours." He smirked as James gave him a particular gesture.

"Did you try finite incantantum?" Lily asked.

"No, we thought that the most obvious spell would be a waste to even try," Sirius rolled his eyes. "What do you think we are? Idiots?"

"Only some of you," Lily answered slyly.

 "Honestly, Lilith Joplin Evans, break another little piece of my heart!"

Lily took James's hand, ignoring Sirius - who was now singing rather loudly as he wiggled his bum and danced down the stairs - "Don't worry, love," she said, looking sadly at James, "It'll be alright. Minnie will fix it."

"Yeah, Minnie will have Garm's head served up on a silver platter," Remus said, sounding amused.

Sirius was too busy singing ("C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon and breaaaaak it! Break another little piece of my heart now baybeyyyy...") to add a comment in.

Lily put her arm around James as they walked, and stroked the back of his neck comfortingly. As she did it, James reckoned the whole ordeal was worth it if Lily would just keep touching his neck like that.

They arrived to the Transfiguration corridor to find that Professor McGonagall was waiting in the hall looking quite stern as they approached. "Late to class! And not just a couple minutes, mind, but a good quarter of an hour! The whole lot of you! Not very good behavior from the Headboy and girl!" Her Scottish accent was always so much thicker when she was angry, and James shied a bit, but Lily gently put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him forward... McGonagall's eyed Lily's hands on James and raised her eyebrow, guessing what his distraction might have been. "What do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Potter?"

"About that, Minnie — he can't really say much of anything, really." Sirius cut in and he proceeded to tell her the whole story about their Defense course and what Garm had done. As he spoke, McGonagall's face grew darker and darker, the lines between her eyes deepening, and her lip getting tighter and more straight with every passing word. Finally, she cut him off as he was recounting his plan to sell tickets to the match of McGonagall v. Garm. "You're a shoe in to win," Sirius said, "D'ya want in early on the betting?"

"IN!" McGonagall's voice rang sternly.

"Sure, I'll cut you in -- what'd'ya wanna bet --"

"I MEAN IN THE CLASSROOM!" She snapped, and McGonagall pointed to the open Transfiguration room, "The lot of you. Aside from you, Potter. The rest of you are to read the second chapter of your textbooks until we return. Potter, let's go and sort this out."

Sirius grinned. "But - I want to come along and see you kick some ass, Minnie."

She stared at him witheringly, "Mr. Black, do I need to cast a charm which keeps your eyeballs from moving from that textbook in order for the lesson to listen to your professors sinks in for the day?"

Sirius snickered and elbowed Lily, "She's threatening to transfigure me into Remus."

"GET IN THE CLASSROOM MISTER BLACK, so help me Merlin!"

Sirius snickered but followed Remus and Lily into the Transfiguration classroom quickly, squeezing past them both to be the first in and seated. McGonagall waved her wand to slam the door to hide Sirius's beaming face, then turned. "Come along, Potter," McGonagall said and she started down the hall, walking swiftly, her fist balled about her wand.

James glanced back at the classroom door, and then hurried to catch up to her, hands in his pockets as he trotted quickly along to keep up with her fast pace. He was equally excited and terrified what sort of scene awaited him in the Defense room.

Frek was teaching a classroom full of fifth years about advanced shield and blocking techniques when McGonagall blew open the door with her wand and marched in, followed by James. Heads turned (one of them being Regulus Black's) to look at McGonagall as she approached the desk in a temper so complete that Frek dropped his wand to the floor with a clatter and a squeak of nervousness. "M-Missus McGon-ee-gull, ma'm," he stammered, cowering slightly, "Whats'in done brought you about the Defense wing in the mid'l'o' the day like this?"

"Mister Vickermann," she said as she approached, ignoring his greeting and question. McGonagall looked at the empty teacher's seat, "Where is Mister Tyr?.... The one who is supposed to be teaching this class?"

"Oh Messer Garm's gone ter bed with a headache," Frek said, voice shaky. "Asks not to be disturbed, he did." Frek spotted James. "Iffen this is in regards to Mr. Potter's punishment, I assures you that it was mostly deserved and you'll be hard put ter make Garm go back on it."

"Well, I am most sorry but that is simply unacceptable!" McGonagall turned to the private office and, as all the students gasped and began to chatter to one another behind her back, she blew opened that door as well without so much as a blink of hesitation, and went barreling in. James hesitated slightly, then trotted after her once again, eager to - as Sirius had put it - see Minnie kick some arse.

Garm had been laying across the couch, a cold compress on his forehead, groaning. He swore in disapproval as the door opened with a bang. "Merlin curse you Frek! I've already told you twice not to bother me and — Minerva!" He had sat up and seen who it was that had entered, his compress falling to the floor in his surprise as he scrambled to his feet. "Well isn't this -- unexpected. What brings you by?" His eyes met James's.

"Garmolin Winnifred Tyr!" McGonagall shouted, pushing James to the forefront. "What is the meaning of this boy's silent condition?"

Garm stared at James for a long moment, then looked at McGonagall. "He spoke out of turn."

"Release his tongue. Now." She was staring very sourly at Garm. If there was even a drop of amusement in her, she was not showing it.

Garm however, was very amused, and his mouth curved into a wide smirk. "My how you've changed Minnie, since the olden days..."

McGonagall's eye narrowed.

"You would've had a good laugh back in school! Hey, just imagine if it was old Flea this happened to... Would've been great ...just tickled ... to see him shut up about himself for even a moment, am I right?"

"Re.Lease. This. Boy's Tongue. Now." The words were ice cold and deliberate.

Garm chuckled. "We could duel for it. Like the old days? You and me and -- what, Al and little old Fil?"

"Trust me, Mr. Tyr, you wouldn't want to duel against me," McGonagall's voice was sharp. "Particularly in the state of mood I am in and am pressed deeper into with every passing moment you have'na released this boy's tongue!"

Garm grinned and leaned in a way that made his hair look too heavy for his neck to hold up, a mocking grin playing about his face, his tongue slightly out and his teeth glinting. James noticed for the first time that his canine teeth were whiddled sharp like the way Fenrir Greyback's were - though not quite as noticeably. But close. He made a mental note to mention it to Remus and see what he thought of it. 

"I think I know a fair good more curses than you do, Minerva. I am the Dark Arts teacher, after all." Garm chuckled.

"Do you know more curses than I do?" she challenged, drawing her wand, "And just how sure are ye about that?"

There was a long pause as they considered one another, staring into each others' eyes. Garm's eyes flickered to Minnie's wand in her fist. Garm drew his wand as well and James was very near to thinking about jumping out of the way of what was sure to be a bloody terrifying duel (he had no doubt McGonagall would win), but instead of squaring off, Garm simply waved the wand and released James's tongue lock.  "Better?" he asked.

McGonagall nodded as James rubbed his throat. "Good enough for right now, at least. But I will have you know, Mr. Tyr, that I will speak with the Headmaster about this and see what he makes of you! In nearly twenty-years of teaching at this school, I have never seen anyone punish a student like that! It's ridiculous!"

Garm shrugged, "Yes, well, a good deal of things are ridiculous about here, aren't they?"

McGonagall made a face, but instead of replying, she snapped, "Come, Potter. Back to class." She turned and ushered James out, but paused in the doorway herself,. Garm stood before the couch looking after them with a funny expression on his face. "You know, Mr. Tyr, I am aware of everything you've gone through - with Sabrina and you so-called mission. But I'll have you know that if Sabrina could see you now —" she let the sentence hang, her head shaking with the weight of the words she was thinking.

Garm's voice came quietly, with a bit of a tremble to them. "Then she wouldn't want to look."

McGonagall stared at him. "Not at the moment, no."

He nodded, "I'm well aware, don't you worry your bonnie mind about that." And he waved for her to leave. "Go," he commanded, and the moment she'd stepped out, he slammed the door with magic behind her.

Frek and the students in the classroom all were staring at the office door with gaping mouths. James wondered if McGonagall's voice had carried loud enough for them all to have heard. She didn't even blush as she marched James out the door and down the corridor.

"That was brilliant, Professor," James used his newly returned ability to speak, looking at her in admiration.

McGonagall stopped and turned to face him. "You'll do well, Mr. Potter, to remember this and to follow Professor Tyr's rules from now on. He is not a man to be crossed. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor."

She nodded curtly and turned again, walking swiftly down the hall.