Slytherin Weasley

Chapter 24

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madame Pomphrey was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students. Her pepper up potion worked instantly, though it left the drinking smoking the ears for several hours.
Percy had  bullied Ginny into taking one and the steam pouring out from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire.

Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose, the flower beds turned to muddy streams and Hagrid's pumpkin swelled to the size of garden sheds. Despite this I work the team hard on the train at least three times a week no matter what the weather.

I was walking down the marble staircase in the entrance hall, on a drizzly morning close to Halloween, when I spotted two ginger heads bobbing up and down ahead of me in the crowd.

"Oi" I yelled, pushing through the people in front of me. Several people turned, but Fred and George kept walking. "Fred! George!" I tried again. This time they stopped and turned looking for the source of their names.

"Oh hi Immy." George said when he saw me, pushing my way past the last couple of people.

"I've got a bone to pick with you two." I said, levelling a finger at them.

"Oh yeah?" Fred said, "What for?" and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You've been spying on my team training!" I said and levelled a finger at them. They exchanged a look and shrugged. 

"So what?" George asked. I scowled. 

"Awww, is little Immy angry?" Fred cooed and and tousled my hair. I smacked his hand away.  

"NO!" I huffed. "I thought I'd make use of your spying and see if you had anything good to report." 

"Ehrmmmm" Fred said and reached up to scratch the back of his head as George mumbled. 

"sevengreenblurs." 

"What was that?" I asked smugly, cupping my hand to my ear. 

"You're seven green blurs." George said, through gritted teeth. 

"That's what I like to head." I said with a smile. I turned to go to the great hall, as I continued. "I'll be seeing you at practise boys." And walked away with a sly wink. 

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By the time Halloween arrived, I was happily anticipating the Halloween feast; the Great Hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid's vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in, and there were rumours that Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment. 

The feast was decadent. Huge tureens of mashed potatoes, green beans and gravy filled the table. Succulent roast beef that melted the second it hit your tongue and small cauldrons filled with pumpkin juice, and floating spheres that looked suspiciously like eyeballs.  This was followed by a vast expanse of deserts. Pumpkin pies, treacle tarts and ice cream. Anything you could think of. 

Daph, Addy and I all ate until we were groaning. 

"Why do I always do this to myself?" Addy moaned. 

"Because it's so good." I said and stretched as the people around me started to stand up. 

"Can we wait just a minute?" Daph said and we both nodded in no rush to leave. 

When we finally made it out to the entrance hall, there was a commotion going on up the marble staircase. A rumble, as though of distant thunder echoed around the corridors as we pushed our way up the stairs and into the corridor. Students pushed in from either end of the corridor and the chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the we all noticed the scene in front.