Prankster Princess

It’s been sort of constant since I came to Hogwarts, really. I didn’t have any friends, and I didn’t know anyone, so it was kind of shocking when, out of the blue, two people seemed to pop out of nowhere and ask if I wanted to help them with something. Turns out that what they needed help with was developing a charm for one of the various products they were designing for their joke shop. I thought they were just kidding, but I found out pretty soon that they weren’t even close to joking about that. I guess it was that first day, sitting in there and laughing at them acting like idiots, that I actually started to make my first friends. ‘Gred’ and ‘Forge’ Weasley.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love them like brothers, but they need some competition around Hogwarts, and I’m just the one to compete against them. So, since two weeks after term started, I’ve been working on something really good. Something so good it’s going to knock their socks off. The thing is, I’m having trouble working all the kinks out, so I’m not going to spill just yet.

Another thing about Fred and George - that’s what those two pranksters that I’ve begun to make friends with are really called - they stood up for me. Before they even knew me.

I was running a bit late, but I would make it on time. My definition of ‘late’ was being only five minutes early to the first class. So I was late by my standards, but I was even later when

I bumped into someone and fell down.

“Oof - I mean, I’m so sorry, I was in a hurry - ” I began apologizing to the tall, thin blonde girl glaring at me, but she interrupted.

“What business does some clumsy new girl have at Hogwarts? You’re probably a Squib, anyway, since you’re so late, so why’d you even come in the first place?”

Without another word, she started to walk away, nose in the air.

“Hey,” two voices said in unison, “That’s not very nice.”

“Yeah,” I turned to see two ginger haired boys walking up behind me. “You can’t just insult the new member of our house like that.”

“Especially not in front of us. You remember what happened last time we caught you doing that, hm?” the second of the two spoke up, smirking at the rapidly paling of the already pale girl’s face.

“I’m not scared of two blood-traitors. My mother - ”

“Yes, yes, we know,” the first of the two sighed. “Your mother has influence in the ministry, doesn’t she? Who cares?”

“I don’t give a damn,” the second twin answered. “It wouldn’t matter to me if her mother was
polishing You-Know-Who’s shoes.”

“Nice rhyming, George.”

“Thanks, Fred.”

“Enough of your freaky twin thing!” the blonde growled. “I never want to see you freaks again!”

She stormed away.

“Job well done!” the twins said in unison.

“Er…thanks…?” I managed, and they turned from where they had come to a stop, between where the blonde Slytherin girl had been and me, and they grinned.

“No problem!” Said twin number one. “I’m Fred, by the way, Fred Weasley.”

“Same! Only, I’m George, not Fred.”

They laughed, and I grinned half-heartedly.

“Thanks again, Fred and George, but I really should get to Transfiguration - ”

“Oh, by Merlin’s saggy under drawers, we’re gonna be late!” Fred groaned.

“McGonagall will kill us if we’re late again!” George threw in.

“Come on!” They cried in unison, each grabbing one of my arms, and with we ran all the way to Transfiguration that day.

I really don’t know what possessed me to oppose my first almost-friends here at Hogwarts, even in a friendly way, but working on my prank fires me up in a way that I haven’t been fired up in a few months. It makes me feel alive again, if just for a short amount of time.

“V-e-e-e-r-a-a-a!” the twins elongated my name needlessly, and I sighed and turned to the sound of their voices.

“Yes?” I said, grinning as they walked up, casual as can be. No one really approached them, but I knew of at least five or six girls who liked them - for each of them.

“We might have a little job for you…” Fred said cheerfully.

“…so, wouldn’t you please just wander down to the kitchens with us…” George continued
with a grin.

“…and we can then fill you in on the details!” Fred ended, scratching the back of his head.

“Sure, might as well.” I got up from my chair - one I’d conjured myself by the window - and smiled. “Let’s get going, shall we?”

They blinked, as thought wondering how it could possibly be so easy to drag me into another of their plots, but then hitched their grins back in place and off we went.

We ended up having to sneak back to the common room, being as we’d talked until about eleven and couldn’t make it back to the common room by nine. We said goodnight, then went to our respective dormitories. I collapsed immediately upon my bed, tired and thankful that tomorrow was already a Saturday.

What I was not thankful about was that I had that dream again.

Henry looked around the corner, muscles tensed.

“Sis,” he said, “I’m scared.”

“Hush, Henry,” I whispered. “Mum and Dad will be home in just a few minutes, I already sent Phoebe with a letter.”

Phoebe the owl was so reliable that it calmed my seven year old brother. “Sis, what now? What do they want?”

“I said hush!” I whispered frantically as footsteps drew nearer to our hiding place under my bed. “We don’t know who they are, so we don’t want them to find us.”

He just nodded, a frightened look in his eyes. Whenever I would look back, I always think I should’ve told him that it was like a game of hide and seek so maybe he would’ve been quieter. He was only seven, he didn’t know any better.

All movement had ceased, so he started wiggling, then sighed. “C’mon, Sis, I think they’re gone!”

Then he was grabbed by the ankles and dragged screaming from underneath my bed, with me soon to follow.

“Here they are, boss,” one said.

“Good.” A female voice said. “We’ll take the boy and leave the girl. Just…shut her in the closet or something.”

“Right.”

“Sis! Sis!”

Darkness surrounded me.

“SIS!”

“Henry…Henry!”

There was silence.

“Henry! Henry! Henry!” tears were streaming down my face in the total darkness of the closet that had been sealed closed with Alohomora. “HENRY!”

There was no answer.

I awoke in a cold sweat, curled in the fetal position, with sobs constricting my throat and tears streaming down my cheeks.