(Eng) Weasleys, Pranks and other Curses

09

Sleep had been out of the question that night, and judging by Madeline's critical look at breakfast, it was visible in my face as well. But before she could say anything about it, a bunch of Gryffindor boys came in. Most of them laughed loudly, only one complained louder.

"Get your filthy hand out of my face!" Another redhead. Ronald, if I remembered correctly.

"Oh WonWon! There's nothing dirty about it! Haven't you been paying attention in sex ed? It's actually very healthy!"

"Ugh," Ginny cursed, pushing her plate away from her. "Boys are so gross!"

Katie, on the other hand, giggled with one hand in front of her full mouth. She had been sitting with us more often since her accident. Contrary to my expectations, she was surprisingly girly. Maybe I was prejudiced against Quidditch and the players after all. "What did they do this time that was disgusting?" she wanted to know, immediately destroying my pink-girlish image again because she couldn't hide her wide grin.

"Ron just wanted to take a shower in peace," Madeline explained, who of course already knew about the latest gossip. "But apparently one of his brothers got there before him and enjoyed the solitude. If you know what I mean." She was giggling now just as her sister had before.

I, on the other hand, choked heavily on my cereal.

"Fred or George?" laughed Katie as she leaned over the table to pat me on the back.

"Does it make a difference?!" complained Ginny, clearly wanting to change the subject even more than I did.

"Maybe," Katie continued to grin as I finally caught my breath.

"Speaking of," Madeline turned back to me. As different as the sisters were, when they teased me, you could clearly see their kinship. "Where have you been so late tonight, anyway?"

"Oh shit!" cursed Katie, slapping a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. "Wasn't that Weasley all alone after all!"

"Bullshit!", I screeched far too shrilly and far too loudly.

"I was summoned?" Fred landed on the table next to us with a clang, resting his face quite innocently on his elbows.

"That depends," laughed Katie, who couldn't always tell the twins apart. "Were you really alone when Ron barged in?"

Fred grinned teasingly. "Is that an offer? I had no idea Katie!"

Ginny made throwing up noises and I rolled my eyes gratefully in her direction.

"Don't worry, sis. To my regret, the object of her desire is sweet Georgie. I wonder who's been keeping him company in spirit." With a spiteful laugh, the twin straightened up again. No one missed his glance at me and again all heads turned to me.

"Never!", I stammered, still helpless when it came to verbal repartee.

Fred pinched me roughly on the cheek. "You're the best advertisement we've ever had. How can we ever thank you?" He was still laughing as he walked back over to his brothers, who were still scuffling like kindergarteners.

Three sets of eyes attacked me with silent questions. Even though these girls weren't as loud and wild as the boys, they were just as relentless.

After we finished breakfast, Madeline and I had transformation and I was more grateful than ever for the strictness of our homeroom teacher. It was the only way I finally had some peace of mind to focus on my lessons.

Appropriately for the approaching fall, we were to transform a pumpkin into a turkey. I had just managed to make my vegetable cluck when I carelessly looked out the window. The classroom faced out onto a courtyard, only to be closed off again by a wall of windows on the other side. My gaze wandered up the old ivy, to the windows and -.

George Weasley was leaning against the window, grinning cheekily in my direction. Immediately I lost focus and with a loud poof my pumpkin turned into two white doves.

McGonagall expertly recaptured the birds. "At least it has feathers," she said with a skeptical look. "But two at once? That's quite an accomplishment." She turned the animals back and there was another single pumpkin on my table.

Madeline nudged me with her elbow. But here among us, her smile was decidedly more compassionate. "Lovebirds? Really?" she asked when the teacher was far enough away.

The thought hadn't even occurred to me. Immediately, the blood rushed to my cheeks. "Madeline," I breathed, ashamed. "I'm only going to say this once, and you have to swear not to tell anyone."

She nodded eagerly and moved our pumpkins so we were hidden behind them.

"The potion not only works, it's much stronger than I thought."

Madeline bit her lip. "So first of all. When are you going to start calling me Maddie? And second. It's really no secret. George has been hanging around you ever since that day. I was going to ask you anyway, how do you do that, stay away?"

I almost answered honestly, but then my pumpkin cleared its throat. Startled, I slid back in my chair, but the voice belonged only to McGonagall and not my pumpkin.

"If you two are done then? How about a little more practice. You of all people Miss Bell. I want to see feathers!"

Hectically, we began waving our wands again and muttering the words that would turn our pumpkin into a feathered creature.

"Who knows," Madeline - Maddie - whispered after a while, nodding toward the window. "Maybe he'll turn your pumpkin into a carriage if you ask him to."

Poof! And my pumpkin turned into a pillow because I had dropped my wand.

"Feathers, after all," I implored McGonagall as she came over to us for the third time that hour.

Still on my way out, I latched onto Maddie to whisper in her ear. "You bought a potion too didn't you? How long are the effects supposed to last?"

"They advertised that you have a month to win the heart of your loved one. So I'm thinking four weeks."

It hadn't been two weeks yet and I was cursing myself and my tendency to rely too much on fortune telling.

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I just finished translating this story and I hope you will like it as much as I liked writing it!

English is not my first language so if something sounds off, please let me know! Especially the terms used in the HP-Universe!