Ethereal

♦ 040 ♦

The Order of The Phoenix

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Sadie was hidden by a large pile of books when Harry, Ron and Hermione joined her.

"Hey Sades," Hermione said as Sadie looked up from her parchment.

"Hey," the pink-haired girl said quickly before returning to work. People were coming back from dinner now as the group of four sat together.

"Shall we do Snape's stuff first?" said Ron, dipping his quill into his ink. "The properties. . . . of moonstone. . . . and its uses. . . . in potion-making. . . ." he muttered, writing the words across the top of his parchment as he spoke them. "There." He underlined the title, then looked up expectantly at Hermione and Cassie. "So, what are the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making?"

But Hermione was not listening. She was squinting over into the far corner of the room, where Fred, George and Lee Jordan were now sitting at the centre of a knot of innocent-looking first-years, all of whom were chewing something that seemed to have come out of a large paper bag that Fred was holding.

"No, I'm sorry, they've gone too far," she said, standing up and looking positively furious. "Come on, Ron." Sadie looked up confused and saw the furious look on Hermione's face.

"I, what?" said Ron, plainly playing for time. "No, come on, Hermione. . . . we can't tell them off for giving out sweets."

"You know perfectly well that those are bits of Nosebleed Nougat or, or Puking Pastilles or. . . ."

"Fainting Fancies?" Harry suggested quietly as Sadie smirked at him.

One by one, as though hit over the head with an invisible mallet, the first-years were slumping unconscious in their seats. Some slid right on to the floor, others merely hung over the arms of their chairs, their tongues lolling out. Most of the people watching were laughing. Hermione, however, squared her shoulders and marched directly over to where Fred and George now stood with clipboards, closely observing the unconscious first-years. Ron rose halfway out of his chair, hovered uncertainly for a moment or two, then muttered to Sadie and Harry, "She's got it under control," before sinking as low in his chair as his lanky frame permitted.

"I'm not missing this," Sadie said, running after Hermione.

"That's enough!" Hermione said forcefully to Fred and George, both of whom looked up in mild surprise. Sadie grinned innocently as she watched them.

"Yeah, you're right," said George, nodding, "this dosage looks strong enough, doesn't it?"

"I told you this morning, you can't test your rubbish on students!"

"We're paying them!" said Fred indignantly.

"I don't care, it could be dangerous!"

"Rubbish," said Fred.

"Calm down, Hermione, they're fine!" said Lee reassuringly as he walked from first-year to first-year, inserting purple sweets into their open mouths.

"Yeah, look, they're coming round now," said George.

A few of the first-years were indeed stirring. Several looked so shocked to find themselves lying on the floor, or dangling off their chairs, that Sadie was sure Fred and George had not warned them what the sweets were going to do.

"Feel all right?" said George kindly to a small dark-haired girl lying at his feet.

"I, I think so," she said shakily.

"Excellent," said Fred happily, but the next second Hermione had snatched both his clipboard and the paper bag of Fainting Fancies from his hands.

"It is NOT excellent!"