Chapter 8: Twins Master Plan
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. IT BELONGS TO JK ROWLING.
A/N: Read, enjoy, and remember not to take either life or my writing too seriously.
Fred folded his arms and looked at Harry as if explaining something obvious.
"Clearly you don't understand the situation," he said.
George nodded seriously.
"Allow us to explain."
"This year was shaping up to be rather dull," Fred continued.
"No Quidditch season," George added mournfully.
"And ever since the visiting schools arrived," Fred said,
"Filch and the professors have been watching us far more closely than usual."
"Which means," George continued thoughtfully, "that the most entertaining pranks would naturally target—"
"The Triwizard Champions."
Fred raised a finger.
"Now we obviously couldn't prank you, Harry."
George smirked.
"Well… not too much anyway."
Fred shrugged.
"And Cedric Diggory is far too decent a fellow."
George nodded sagely.
"We learned a long time ago that it's dangerous to mess with Hufflepuffs."
Fred added,
"That loyalty thing they've got going on can get intense."
"So that left us with two remaining targets," George concluded.
"The Beauxbatons champion…"
"…and Viktor Krum."
Fred shuddered slightly.
"Madame Maxime terrifies us."
George nodded vigorously.
"She's larger than Hagrid."
"And getting anywhere near Krum is impossible," Fred continued.
"All those girls following him everywhere."
George's grin returned.
"But now…"
Fred leaned toward Harry.
"You've given us Ron."
George clasped his hands dramatically.
"Our own brother."
Fred nodded approvingly.
"As a Triwizard Champion."
George looked extremely pleased.
"So you see, Harry…"
Fred finished the thought.
"You've given us a priceless gift."
Harry looked uncertain.
"Well… glad I could help?"
Then he added nervously,
"Just don't go too far with him, alright?"
Fred and George exchanged identical innocent expressions.
"Would we ever do that?" they asked together.
Harry suddenly felt very worried about Ron's future.
None of the students noticed the small beetle with unusual markings around its eyes landing quietly on the back of Colin Creevey's robes.
The insect had been flying around Hogwarts ever since the Triwizard Champions had been chosen.
And it had a purpose tonight.
The beetle remained hidden under Colin's collar while he enthusiastically photographed
Harry and Hermione.
Later that evening, when Colin returned to his small magical darkroom to develop the pictures, the beetle waited patiently.
Once he finished and left the room, the beetle transformed.
Standing there now was a woman.
She quickly selected one of the photographs showing Harry and Hermione kissing.
Smiling with satisfaction, she turned back into a beetle and flew away.
She now had the story she needed.
After dinner Harry and Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room.
The moment they climbed through the portrait hole they immediately noticed something.
The smell.
Apparently Ron had already visited the common room earlier.
"Oh Merlin," Harry said, his eyes watering instantly.
"At this point I'd rather sleep in the Forbidden Forest. Being eaten by an acromantula might actually be more pleasant than this."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Don't be ridiculous."
She pulled out her wand.
"I'll teach you a charm that creates a barrier around your bed to block unpleasant smells."
Harry nodded quickly.
Out of pure desperation, he mastered the spell in less than ten minutes.
He even learned an advanced air-cleansing charm.
Together they eventually managed to remove the lingering odor from the entire common room.
Harry sighed in relief.
"At least you don't have to share a dormitory with him."
Hermione gave him a sympathetic look.
"No," she admitted. "But I might need to put protective wards around my bed tonight."
Harry frowned.
"Why?"
Hermione hesitated.
"Ginny."
Harry blinked.
"What about Ginny?"
Hermione sighed.
"She's not very happy with me right now."
Harry still looked confused.
"Why?"
Hermione stared at him.
"You do realize she's had a crush on you for years, right?"
Harry blinked again.
"I thought she got over that."
Hermione shook her head.
"Not likely."
She leaned closer.
"I've even seen her practicing writing 'Ginevra Molly Potter' on scraps of parchment."
Harry looked horrified.
"You're joking."
Hermione shook her head again.
"One time I walked in and she was practicing wedding vows."
Harry sputtered.
"But she's like my sister!"
Hermione smiled slightly.
"I'll handle Ginny."
She stepped closer.
"You're mine now, Mister Potter. I'm not letting you go."
Then she pointed toward his books.
"Now kiss me… and then get your homework. We still have assignments to finish."
Harry obeyed immediately.
After all, a good boyfriend knew when to follow instructions.
Later that evening Harry and Hermione were finishing their homework in the common room when Ron suddenly stomped down the staircase.
He saw them sitting together.
Without saying a word he turned around and went back upstairs.
As he disappeared, a small sound followed him.
"Pbrrrrrp."
And with it came another unpleasant smell drifting down the staircase.
Harry watched the stairs for a moment.
"I really need to talk to him."
Hermione nodded slightly.
Harry held his breath and hurried upstairs.
He paused outside the dormitory door and took two deep breaths of fresh air before opening it.
Inside, Ron was lying on his bed.
"Hey Ron," Harry said cautiously.
Ron looked over at him angrily.
"You had to do it, didn't you?"
Harry blinked.
"Do what?"
Ron sat up.
"You couldn't let me have one moment of attention."
Harry frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
"You kissed Hermione right when everyone was finally cheering for me!"
"Pbrrrrrp."
Harry winced.
"That wasn't what I was doing," he explained.
"I had promised Hermione I'd kiss her in the Great Hall. I figured everyone would be watching you so she wouldn't be embarrassed."
Ron snorted.
"Yeah right."
Another noise followed.
"Pbrrrrrp."
"Just leave me alone," Ron said bitterly.
"Go back to your girlfriend."
The smell grew worse.
Harry's eyes began watering.
"I just wanted to make sure you were alright."
Ron scoffed.
"What, are you crying now because someone else finally got attention?"
Harry's patience snapped.
"I gave you that attention!"
He took a breath.
"I wanted you to have your chance."
Ron waved him away.
"Just go."
Another wave of odor hit.
Harry finally surrendered.
"Oh Merlin…"
He rushed downstairs.
Hermione looked up when he returned.
"How did it go?"
Harry sighed.
"Not great."
"He thinks I kissed you to steal his spotlight."
Hermione frowned.
"But that's not—"
"I tried explaining," Harry said. "But from his perspective it probably looked that way."
Hermione sniffed his robes and grimaced.
"Yes… I can tell."
At that moment Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnigan entered the common room.
Harry quickly warned them.
"Ron's condition is still active upstairs."
They immediately looked alarmed.
Harry explained the smell-blocking spell Hermione had shown him.
Hermione then spent the next forty minutes teaching all three of them how to cast it.
By the time Harry said goodnight to Hermione—with a kiss that almost rivaled the one in the Great Hall—the dormitory air had mostly been restored.
Harry cast the odor barrier around his bed.
Soon he fell asleep dreaming about a beautiful, bushy-haired witch.
~•~•~•~•~••~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Thank you for reading!
See you in the next chapter ✨
Thank you very much for all the support and donate power stones!!
Do Comment, anything just comments and Donate Power stone!!
If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! Your feedback means so much. And feel free to comment on where you think the story should go next—I'd love to hear your thoughts on the future direction!