Fiction Contest > December 2006: Liking Pudding (Meggy S.)

"This has to be the most ridiculous assignment ever in the history of Hogwarts."

"I quite like it," Remus said, scribbling away.

"Yeah, man," James approved. "It's easy and we're guaranteed a good grade." He sat up a little straighter and glanced over Peter's head towards the end of the table, where Lily was sitting with a group of her friends. Hearing snickering, he faced the Slytherin table where Snape was watching him with a smirk.

"Keep your tongue in your mouth, man." Sirius looked down with dismay at the paper in front of him. How was he supposed to make two whole New Year's resolutions? It's not like someone could just be expected to become a new person....

"Done!" Peter squealed, setting his quill down and looking rather pleased with himself.

"What?" Sirius asked, grabbing his paper quickly. "What could you have possible decided for your New Year's resolutions?"

"I," Peter said, taking the paper back timidly, "have decided to be braver. You guys are always saying that I'm a chicken, and I'm going to prove that I'm not. I have also decided that I'm going to be much more studious, and I hereby give up all tropical fruits."

"Studious?" James asked, disbelievingly. "Nice. Two point vocabulary word, but what's with the fruit thing?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, then turned to face Remus. "What about you?"

Trying not to smile, but still somewhat content, he handed his paper over silently. Sirius read the paper, growing increasingly impatient, and then threw it over his head.

"I, Remus Lupin," recited Sirius mockingly, "do hereby vow to: 1) no longer allow my friends and enemies alike to copy my homework, tests, or quizzes, and to 2) give myself more credit for the work I accomplish both in and outside of the classroom."

"That has Moony written all over it," James agreed. "Mine's way better."

Sirius, now more aggravated than ever, testily took the paper of his dear friends and read it quietly, his lips moving with the words.

"My first New Year's resolution is to study more, especially for McGonigall, who I believe will personally kick my arse if I don't at least get an 'Acceptable' this semester. My second New Year's resolution is to try and win Lily Evans by whatever means necessary until she, at long last, agrees to go out with me and becomes my girlfriend."

Sirius, Peter, and Remus all began laughing at once. Turning red, James angrily snatched his paper back. He folded it over and stood up. Walking over to Professor Sinistra at the head table, he handed it to her and sweetly said, "Here you are, ma'am."

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. Now, please, sit down."

James shrugged, but then sat down on the floor in front of her table.

"Mr. Potter."

"Sorry." He stood up, brushed himself off, and went back to Sirius' side. "What 'cha writing, Paddy?"

"Ha!" Padfoot cried, scribbling words onto is paper frantically. "How's that?"

James took the paper, somewhat afraid of what he would find. It said: "My name is Sirius Black and I am deciding to be even more charming for all the ladies out there, and I also give up pudding."

"Pudding?"

"Yep?"

"But why?"

"Why not?"

"You don't even like pudding!"

"All the more reason to give it up. I don't like, so I can't possible be temped to eat it."

Remus, who was listening on this conversation, chuckled. Sirius instantly rounded on him, saying, "Why are you laughing?"

"Because it's ludicrous."

"I'm ludicrous? Well at least I don't go prancing about in the nude, no do I?"

Moony's smug smile disappeared from his face, and James couldn't help but laugh at his two best friends. "Do you reckon," he began, "that I should have mentioned something about Quidditch in my paper?" He looked down at the floor, suddenly lost in thought.

Peter glanced around at his friends. "Do you think I should have been more specific when I said 'tropical fruits?'"

James looked up at Peter. "Coconuts would make good bludgers," he said, nodding knowingly. "And a fair bit less painful."

Right on time, Lily Evans walked into class. James desperately tried to not look foolishly stupid in front of her, but leave it to Padfoot to mess that up. James was just sitting at his desk, making sure to keeping his eyes at eye-level with Lily as she handed a scroll to the professor, when Sirius shoved him into the aisle. Turning red, James scrambled to his feet.

"Uh, hey, uh, Lily."

"James," she replied, not giving him a second thought as she made her way back to her friends.

James left the Great Hall then, but only to take a passageway into the kitchen. He was immediately greeted by hundreds of squeaking elves.

"Oh, it's Mr. Potter!" one of them yelled. "What can we get you?"

James smirked in a very Snivillus-like way. "I need a big bowl of pudding."
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"I could tell he was trying to impress her, so I just gave him a little push."

Peter laughed hysterically while Remus only shook his head disapprovingly. He was just about to say something stern to Padfoot when something caught his eyes. Above Sirius' head, holding the biggest bowl of pudding known to mankind, was James, who was desperately trying to contain his laughter.

Sirius stopped, noting that Remus was no longer listening to him and instead looking past him. He slowly faced behind him, asking "What are you--?"

WHAM.

Three members of the Marauders began laughing uncontrollably , and let's just say Sirius wasn't one of them. Surprisingly to James, even old Remus was cracking up, clutching the side of the table for support. As more students looked over and saw Remus, the entire Great Hall eventually erupted in laughter.

"How's that for not liking pudding!" James screeched.

After a few seconds Lily Evans walked up to the scene, not looking very pleased. Rather than yelling at James, as she normally would have done, she instead stuck her hand out and scraped away some of the pudding from Sirius' face with her finger, licking it before she left again.

James' face filled with anger towards Padfoot.

"Did you just see... Did she just...? Pudding... "

This time it was Padfoot's turn to laugh. She look a lick of the pudding and grinned at his best friend.

"I love pudding."

THE END