when did the prank take place?

[KathyK]

No: HPFGUIDX 83276

Kneasy wrote:
 
>It also causes me to wonder where the Gang got the idea of becoming 
Animagi. Dumbledore, perhaps? Making sure that Remus' friends could 
guard him and make sure it never happened again? I've never believed 
that DD didn't know about their Animagus activities and I've 
wondered why he didn't do anything about it, but if he actively 
encouraged it as an extra safeguard....<

An extra safeguard against Lupin the werewolf hurting anybody else 
each month?  Lupin posed more of a danger running around with his 
animagus friends than he did locked up in the Shrieking Shack, the 
prank being an exception.  

Sirius and James may have been "able to keep a werewolf in check"* 
but as Hermione pointed out "That was still really dangerous!  
Running around in the dark with a werewolf!  What if you'd given the 
others the slip, and bitten somebody?"*

And Lupin agreed: "And there were near misses, many of them."*  

If he'd been locked up in the Shrieking Shack like a good little 
werewolf instead of having his friends let him out every month for 
some fun and adventure, he would have posed a threat to no one other 
than himself.  

I agree, I don't see either how Dumbledore could not have known 
about the Marauders being animagi.  I even have no problem believing 
he encouraged their little project.  But I don't think it had 
anything to do with keeping people protected from Lupin.

KathyK (still thinking the prank took place sometime after Pensieve 
2)

*All quotes are from PoA US paperback ed, 355