(Eng) Weasleys, Pranks and other Curses

19

I had asked that at least Ron and Harry be released from "guard duty". I didn't really know them and it would be very uncomfortable to spend hours with them. And what if I had to go to the bathroom? Surely not!

But that meant someone else would have to fill those six hours. Bill promised to come up with something but when the evening came and everyone else had done their duty for once to entertain me, I felt bad about my demand.

"I'm putting you to so much trouble," I apologized for the hundredth time to Misses Weasley, who had taken the last shift to get me ready for sleep.

"Oh, come on! It's lucky you're not alone, isn't it? Who else would have noticed in time that the condition had worsened?" She shook the blanket open and spread it over me with a flourish. "You really need to stop worrying about this so much. It's not good for the immune system." And then after an appraising glance, she added, "You're keeping my boys from getting into bigger trouble than I've ever managed. More! This is the first time I've seen them put their skills to good use. I have you to thank, and that outweighs any guilt you might feel." One more time she made sure I was firmly under the covers, then she smoothed my tangled hair. "Now try to get some sleep. The boys are about to bring back the second bed, but you don't have to worry about that."

Sure enough, as if on cue, the door opened. "Get out of the way, Mom. This thing is heavier than it looks."
"I hope you feel bad that your underage sons have to work so hard when this job could be done so quickly with a single spell."

"You've done more than enough magic already," Misses Weasley insisted, taking a step aside to let the twins through. "If your father gets in trouble at the Ministry again because of you, I'll pull your ears out!"

The twins let go of the bed gruffly.

Ginny had shown me the video Lee Jordan had made of the Quidditch game. Or at least of the part when everything had gotten out of hand.
The first scream had not been a cheer, as I had assumed, but the appearance of the fog vulture. The game had been stopped immediately and the teachers had had to evacuate the field. But George had remained on his broom. His eyes had immediately shot to the tower. As if he had suspected something. Even before the bird had come out with me, he had intercepted an approaching bludger as if it were a football and had shot toward the tower. It was as Ginny had told. No sooner had the vulture flown out the window with me than George had thrown the confused bludger into the air and had hit him so hard that the bat had splintered.
None of the teachers had been able to stop him, though more than one had tried. Moreover. All I remembered was that he had caught me and broken through the window of the hospital wing. What I hadn't caught was that the fog vulture had tried another attack on us, but George had dived under the talons like it was the easiest thing in the world.

I was ashamed of the way I had treated him before. Just because I had been a little miffed.

"And again," Bill interrupted my thoughts. I'd be lying if I said I'd gotten used to the taste. But it was easier for me to stop showing my disgust. "We've been playing Snape explode for who will have the honor of spending the night with you," he reported, beaming as he uncorked the potion bottle. "And since Percy is too fine to share a room with us, we even have a bed to spare."

"Who lost? Or won?" Even though Bill had said honor, I was pretty sure no one was particularly keen on getting up several times a night.

"Me," George grumbled, coming back into the room with a pillow and blanket.

Bill administered the medicine and I didn't even try to hide the disgust. It was obvious. But Bill kept bending down to me. Casually felt the fit of the bandage before whispering to me. "Otherwise, he's better at the game. I wonder if that was intentional."