And so it begins (Open, preferably Marauders)

[Remus Lupin]

Remus looked from one to the other in amazement. "But I was joking?" He scratched his head and just looked speechless for a moment, before nodding at him being the distraction. "OK I'll keep McGonagall busy while you two lay the trap."

He sat back and wondered how on earth they were going to create a magical map, and learn how to become animagi all in one term. He sighed.

[James Potter]

"Come on Remus, if anyone can come up with a way of doing it, you can. It would be perfect!" He grinned. "Well of course, with me and Sirius helping you it will be perfect. With just you it would have boring stuff on it." He chuckled. "I can get the fireworks in place if you stand look out Sirius. Just make sure that the door is covered. We should be OK if no one comes in from the staff entrance at the back of the top table."

[Sirius Black]

"Yeh, if anyone can make a map like this we can." he said with a grin.

"Hang on, hang on. How are we getting into the great hall before all the teachers?" it was all very well dividing out jobs, but they had to get to the right place first.

[Remus Lupin]

"Calm down guys!" Remus said raising his hands in a quieting way. "Look McGonagall will be the one to distract, as she has to put the sorting hat in place. So if I can catch her first, then she will be late setting up. What If you and James slip past while everyone's crowded around me, as I suddenly collapse? That should keep them busy for a minute or two."

[James Potter]

James looked thoughtful for a moment and then a flash of inspiration hit him. "Look I have just the thing. My dad gave it to me over the summer holiday." He stood up and went to his trunk, he fished about a moment or two and he eventually pulled out a long shimmering cloak. He held it up triumphantly. "This will get us in unseen!" He said with a huge grin on his face.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius looked curiously at the silvery cloak for a moment before asking the question he was sure Remus wanted answered as well.

"What is it?" he said incredulously, how could a cloak help them get anywhere unseen?

[Remus Lupin]

Remus looks at James, then the object that he was holding. He scratched his head, thinking probably the same thing as Sirius. Just how was this piece of cloth, going to help them get into the great hall unseen.

*James, it's a nice cloak, but just exactly is this going to help?"

[James Potter]

James just stood there grinning, looking from Sirius to Remus he rolled his eyes and spoke. "This is a rare cloak. It's an invisibility cloak." To demonstrate, he wrapped the huge garment around him, so when it was covering his whole body, apart from his head. Sirius and Remus would only be able to see James' head.

James grinned at them and did a quick twirl. "It's an old family heirloom apparently. Dad recons I'm old enough to have it." James took off the cloak and handed it to Sirius so he and Remus could look it over.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius watched as James swung the cloak round himself, and his mouth fell open as James' entire body disappeared, leaving just his head.

"Invisibility Cloak?! That's amazing, I wish my family heirlooms were that awesome!" he stood up and reached for where James' stomach should have been, and felt it there, he saw a slight shift in the air, which must have been the cloak moving, but nothing else.

[Remus Lupin]

Remus's jaw dropped as James all but disappeared in front of him. He felt a slow smile creep across his face and he stood up to inspect it closer. "This is amazing! I agree with sirius. I wish my family had heirlooms like this." He grins. We are going to have so much more fun this term.

[James Potter]

James grinned and nodded. "Oh yes, this will also get us into the restricted section. Once we get a permit we just sneak in behind Remus and we're home free!"

He looks at his watch. "We should think about getting changed. We'll be arriving soon."

[Sirius Black]

"Yeah, you're right, it's got quite dark now. So we're agreed? Remus distracts McGonagall, and we sneak past everyone into the great hall and set up the fireworks. Than at the end of the feast we set them off, don't want to waste the lovely house elf cooked food do we!"

He grinned and put all the left over food in his trunk with the gum he'd bought then pulled his robes out, getting changed ready for their arrival at Hogwarts, this year was going to be a year to remember.

[Remus Lupin]

Remus looked at James and they both nodded in agreement about the plan. He then grabbed his things from his trunk and threw in the remaining chocolate frogs for later. Remus then started to change into his uniform. He could feel the excitement building for the start of a very interesting term.