Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and Whatnot

The news of Harry Potter dating Ginny Weasley travelled fast around the school. It’s pretty much all anybody talked about. I thought it was great, Harry was grinning like a fool most of the time, and it was nice for him to be talked about over something that didn’t have to do with the Ministry, or Death Eaters, or the Dark Lord.

“You’d think people had better things to gossip about,” said Ginny, reading the Daily Prophet, as we all sat in the common room. “Three dementor attacks in a week, and all Romilda Vane does is ask me if it’s true you’ve got a hippogriff tattooed across your chest.”

Ron, Hermione, and I burst out laughing.

“What did you tell her?” asked Harry.

“I told her it’s a Hungarian Horntail,” she said, turning a page of the paper, “Much more macho.”

“Thanks,” he grinned. “And what did you tell her Ron’s got?”

“A Pygmy Puff, but I didn’t say where”

Ron scowled as Hermione and I laughed harder.

“Oh, I can have fun with that” I said.

“Watch it,” he said, pointing at Harry and Ginny. “Just because I’ve given my permission doesn’t mean I can’t withdraw it – “

“’Your permission,’” scoffed Ginny. “Since when did you give me permission to do anything? Anyway, you said yourself you’d rather it was Harry than Michael or Dean.”

“Yeah, I would,” he grumbled. “and just as long as you don’t start snogging each other in public – “

“You filthy hypocrite! What about you and Lavender, thrashing around like a pair of eels all over the place?” said Ginny.

Hermione and I laughed again.

"I didn't thrash," he muttered, "and we weren't any worse than George and Caroline"

"Whoa now, why bring me into this?" I said.

"No, they were fine at first, and they at least try not to snog in front of people," Ginny said, "they just happen to be kind of bad at it"

"Eh" I shrugged, "you can't be great at everything"

Hermione laughed and Ron just scowled again.

It was about about a week later that Harry got another note from Dumbledore. We waited up for him in the common room to see what was going on.

“What does he want?” Hermione asked, the minute Harry stepped through the portrait. “Harry, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he said quickly, before racing up the dorm stairs.

He ran back down and skidded to a halt in front of us.

“I’ve got to be quick,” he panted. “Dumbledore thinks I’m getting my Invisibility Cloak. Listen…”

He quickly told us about Dumbledore’s plan, as well as what he thought he discovered about Malfoy.

“…so you see what this means?” he finished. “Dumbledore won’t be here tonight, so Malfoy’s going to have another clear shot at whatever he’s up to. No, listen to me!”

All of us shut our mouths against the protestations we were about to make.

“I know it was Malfoy celebrating in the Room of Requirement. Here – “he thrust the blank piece of parchment I knew to be the Marauder’s Map into my hands. “You’ve got to watch him and you’ve got to watch Snape too.”

“Aye, aye, cap’n” I saluted.

“Use anyone else you can rustle up from the D.A., Hermione, those contact Galleons will still work, right? Dumbledore says he’s put extra protection in the school, but if Snape’s involved, he’ll know what Dumbledore’s protection is, and how to avoid it – but he won’t be expecting you lot to be on the watch, will he?”

“Harry – “ Hermione began, looking scared.

“I haven’t got time to argue, take this as well – “ he put what looked like socks into Ron’s hands.

“Thanks,” said Ron. “Er – why do I need socks?”

“You need what’s wrapped in them, it’s the Felix Felicis. Share it between yourselves and Ginny too. Say goodbye to her for me. I’d better go, Dumbledore’s waiting – “

“No!” Hermione said, as Ron took out the little bottle, awestruck. “We don’t want it, you take it, who knows what you’re going to be facing?”

“I’ll be fine, I’ll be with Dumbledore. I want to know you lot are okay…Don’t look like that, Hermione, I’ll see you later…”

And then he was off, back through the portrait hole and towards whatever mission he had in store.