Lucinda Evans - still in progress

Chapter 22 - Pranking War

"You know, you have a grand gift for silence, Ernie. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion," Mer says while we continue drawing mustaches on the kitten plates in Umbridge's office.

"You said I just had to stay guard. I don't want anything to do with this. So hurry up!" Ernie orders in a panicked voice.

"We're almost done so get your soul out of that gutter," I snigger.

"I still can't believe you agreed to do this," Ernie groans in a complaint. "You of all people, I thought would be against this."

"The key is to look innocent, Ernie. Believe me, you can get away with lot's of stuff if they believe you would never be capable of doing the thing," I explain while finishing the last mustache.  "Done!"

To finish it up we release the frogs in her office and put a spell on them that if she wants to get rid of them by magic they will start multiplying.

"Finally, now let's get out of here before she comes back," Ernie says before we make our way to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Oh, don't worry. I know this will be a marvelous dinner this evening," Mer giggles remembering what we did before we went to her office. We were in the kitchens to put laxatives in her food. "Yes, a fun evening it will be."

-----

Halfway through dinner, there are little sounds coming from the High Table. Mer and I look at each other since we know the laxatives are kicking in. 

"We're so having detention this week," Ernie sighs next to us.

"She doesn't know it was us," Mer winks at him before taking another bite of beef.

Umbridge gets up from her seat and starts walking between the tables towards the exit.

"Professor, you totally look Toad-a-Licious today. Has anybody told you yet?" George says when she walks by them.

"Mr Weasley, I think you and your twin brother would like to join me in detention tomorrow evening. I'll expect you at five o'clock," she says with a forced smile on her face.

"Professor, you made my cookie cry," Fred says just before she turns around and continues walking towards the exit.

-----

"You are so immature," Hermione says to Mer who isn't able to stop laughing since we left the Great Hall.

"Immature is just a word that boring people use to describe fun people" Mer replays before she sticks her tongue out.

"Yeah, sure."

"I thought it was brilliant," Harry says excitedly.

"Thank you," I comment this time and bow a little. A big smile on my face while I think about Umbridge's face when she walked out as fast as she could.

"That was you two?" Fred asks.

"That was genius!" George continues.

"You know, crazy is the new normal," Mer says and takes my arm and hooks it with hers.

 "I helped too. I stood watch," Ernie says proudly.

"He's our pupil. He still needs lots of learning in the ways of pranking, especially on how to act natural," I say and smile innocently at the end like I'm explaining something about a potion.

"We need to raise our game, Fred."

"Yes, we do George. We can't lose to them when it comes to pranking."

"Maybe we can involve other teachers next time. Like Dumbledore!"

"Dumbledore? So, you two are planning on growing old and having matching Dumbledore-like beards! I mean, you could even braid each other's," Mer says while we take our leave. We need to get ready to plan our next prank.

-----

The twins do have a marvelous prank too. They ornamented all her robes with a bit of a schottisch tint. And every time she tries to turn them back to their normal pink colour, they catch fire. When we thought she looks awful in pink she looks even worse in green.

The twins, Mer and I decided on a truce during the Chrismas holiday since we are going back to 12 Grimmauld Place. 

Mer is really excited to see her father again. She just can't wait to see him. She was mad when we heard the Weasley's and Harry left a few days earlier because something happened.

"Why is it we had to stay behind?" Mer asks demanding just a mere second after she walked through the door.

"Mr. Weasley was attacked while on a mission. He's in St. Mungo's now, hospital for magical maladies and injuries," Remus answers in a calm tone without looking up.

Mer and I look shocked at each other before she makes a small; "Oh."

-----

'We have confirmed that 10 high-security prisoners in the early hours of yesterday evening did escape. And of course, the Muggle prime minister has been alerted to the danger. We strongly suspect that the breakout was engineered by a man with personal experience in escaping from Azkaban notorious mass murderer Sirius Black, cousin of escapee Bellatrix Lestrange.'

We are only one day back at Hogwarts and this is all over the newspapers. 

"I see your father has been busy, hasn't he Merope?" a lovely but irritating voice says from behind us. Mer and I turn around in our seat and see Draco with Pansy next to him. Crabbe and Goyle are seated behind them and are sneering.

"Drop it, Draco," I say wand try to turn Mer back around but she refuses.

"What is it you want this time, Drakey-poo? Oh, you don't like that nickname? Last time your mother called you that you didn't seem to mind, though."

"Leave my mother out of this," all the fun from teasing her is wiped off his face so now only pure anger is on it, "And don't call me that!"

"What would you prefer? Blondie? Or maybe Ferret Boy?" Mer asks in a sweet tone.

"Don't you dare!" he hisses.

"Mr Malfoy, Miss Black, would you please pay attention during my class," Professor Flitwick reminds us.