With Stars in Their Eyes
FAILED PRANKS
Most others in my house stuck their noses up at Herbology. In their opinion, it was a dirty class with foul smelling plants and a frumpy old professor. I, on the other hand, was quite fond of the subject. I liked caring for the unusual plants and spent a lot of time in the greenhouses… so much time that Professor Sprout suggested I skip ahead to take Seventh Year Herbology and then work as her in-class aid during my final year.
I never considered myself to be an intelligent person (since I was to be smart, but not smart enough to scare away a husband), so her request took me by surprise. Nevertheless, I eagerly accepted her offer.
It was there in the greenhouses that I met a shy Gryffindor boy named Neville Longbottom. He was a year younger than me, but we got along swimmingly. Well, after the realization that I was not a poisonous snake out for blood, nor was he an arrogant lion prancing about the castle with his tail in the air. In fact, we seemed more alike than anyone I had ever come across at Hogwarts. I rather liked him even if our friendship was limited to the greenhouses.
"Fanged Geranium are really not that difficult to take care of," I explained to Neville as we watched the small green plants nip at one another, "but this cluster haven't been cared for in a few days, so they'll be a little testy."
Neville smiled excitedly, "But that's good because by the time I take my O.W.L.s, I'll have this down!"
As we carefully worked with the fanged plants, I overheard laughter coming from outside. Peeking up through the window, I saw a group of red clad Gryffindors walking in their Quidditch uniforms. There were the three female Chasers the boys in Slytherin always complained about, followed by Harry Potter and his lanky red head friend, and finally, the two ginger boys I noticed much more often ever since my third year. Even though their pranks were often targeted at my own house, I secretly found them rather amusing and clever.
"Ouch!" Neville yelped. I hurried to look at what happened and saw his finger was bleeding.
"Are you alright?" I asked while taking his finger to examine the wound. It wasn't bad, barely broke the skin.
Neville nodded, his cheeks red, "Fine, it just scared me a little."
"Longbottom!" A voice called from the entrance. We both looked up to see half of the ginger team standing in the door. "I thought I heard your voice."
"Uh, hello… Fred?" Neville mumbled, wiping the blood off on his pants.
He shook his head, but smiled anyway, "George, actually, but what are you and your friend up to? Gardening, eh? Fascinating."
As the boy talked, I noticed his shadow sneaking behind Neville with a glass jar. His hand was hovering over the lid that was strangely shaped like an umbrella. Given the ginger twins' history, I knew what to expect from them sneaking around with odd jars in their hands.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" I exclaimed, pointing my wand at the lid.
Neville spun around just in time to see the black umbrella fly up and hit the Weasley boy in the nose and continue to float above his head. With anger, and a little awe, I watched the umbrella grow and morph into a dark cloud. There was a crack of thunder, and then a shower of rain fell down solely on the failed prankster.
Fred groaned through the heavy rain, "Bloody hell! Now I'm going to be stuck like this for an hour!"
"Serves you right," I scolded him with narrowed eyes. "Maybe you'll think twice before pranking Neville again."
"Who are you?" Fred asked impatiently. When I didn't answer, he stared at me until his eyes spotted my tie. He blinked several times, and I watched anger melt into surprise. "Wait… you're a Slytherin? And you stood up for Longbottom?"
"Yes," I replied quietly as if reluctant to admit the good deed.
"Strange."
"More strange than you antagonizing someone in your own house?" I questioned curtly. The ginger opened his mouth, but said nothing. Without waiting for an answer, I began to gather my belongings. I turned my back to the damp boy and said to Neville, "I best be going. Goodbye, Neville."
I scurried past the drier Weasley twin, ignoring his gaping, and hurried up to the castle. During the long walk, a tiny smile crept onto my face. It felt rather good to voice my opinion and stand up for a friend… and the dumbstruck look on Fred Weasley's face was certainly one to remember.
I never considered myself to be an intelligent person (since I was to be smart, but not smart enough to scare away a husband), so her request took me by surprise. Nevertheless, I eagerly accepted her offer.
It was there in the greenhouses that I met a shy Gryffindor boy named Neville Longbottom. He was a year younger than me, but we got along swimmingly. Well, after the realization that I was not a poisonous snake out for blood, nor was he an arrogant lion prancing about the castle with his tail in the air. In fact, we seemed more alike than anyone I had ever come across at Hogwarts. I rather liked him even if our friendship was limited to the greenhouses.
"Fanged Geranium are really not that difficult to take care of," I explained to Neville as we watched the small green plants nip at one another, "but this cluster haven't been cared for in a few days, so they'll be a little testy."
Neville smiled excitedly, "But that's good because by the time I take my O.W.L.s, I'll have this down!"
As we carefully worked with the fanged plants, I overheard laughter coming from outside. Peeking up through the window, I saw a group of red clad Gryffindors walking in their Quidditch uniforms. There were the three female Chasers the boys in Slytherin always complained about, followed by Harry Potter and his lanky red head friend, and finally, the two ginger boys I noticed much more often ever since my third year. Even though their pranks were often targeted at my own house, I secretly found them rather amusing and clever.
"Ouch!" Neville yelped. I hurried to look at what happened and saw his finger was bleeding.
"Are you alright?" I asked while taking his finger to examine the wound. It wasn't bad, barely broke the skin.
Neville nodded, his cheeks red, "Fine, it just scared me a little."
"Longbottom!" A voice called from the entrance. We both looked up to see half of the ginger team standing in the door. "I thought I heard your voice."
"Uh, hello… Fred?" Neville mumbled, wiping the blood off on his pants.
He shook his head, but smiled anyway, "George, actually, but what are you and your friend up to? Gardening, eh? Fascinating."
As the boy talked, I noticed his shadow sneaking behind Neville with a glass jar. His hand was hovering over the lid that was strangely shaped like an umbrella. Given the ginger twins' history, I knew what to expect from them sneaking around with odd jars in their hands.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" I exclaimed, pointing my wand at the lid.
Neville spun around just in time to see the black umbrella fly up and hit the Weasley boy in the nose and continue to float above his head. With anger, and a little awe, I watched the umbrella grow and morph into a dark cloud. There was a crack of thunder, and then a shower of rain fell down solely on the failed prankster.
Fred groaned through the heavy rain, "Bloody hell! Now I'm going to be stuck like this for an hour!"
"Serves you right," I scolded him with narrowed eyes. "Maybe you'll think twice before pranking Neville again."
"Who are you?" Fred asked impatiently. When I didn't answer, he stared at me until his eyes spotted my tie. He blinked several times, and I watched anger melt into surprise. "Wait… you're a Slytherin? And you stood up for Longbottom?"
"Yes," I replied quietly as if reluctant to admit the good deed.
"Strange."
"More strange than you antagonizing someone in your own house?" I questioned curtly. The ginger opened his mouth, but said nothing. Without waiting for an answer, I began to gather my belongings. I turned my back to the damp boy and said to Neville, "I best be going. Goodbye, Neville."
I scurried past the drier Weasley twin, ignoring his gaping, and hurried up to the castle. During the long walk, a tiny smile crept onto my face. It felt rather good to voice my opinion and stand up for a friend… and the dumbstruck look on Fred Weasley's face was certainly one to remember.