like a redheaded stepchild

Chapter 2: Sleepy the Wonder Turban

The Halloween Feast was something that Harry had been looking forward to. With the Dursley's, Halloween had been a chance for Harry to go out and get some candy for Dudley, which was pretty boring especially since he was always a ghost in a raggedy bedsheet and never anything interesting. With the Weasleys, Harry actually got some Halloween presents; chocolate pumpkins from Fred and George and a self inking quill from Percy (it was a "respectable" gift). Ron had given Harry some of his chocolate frog cards, and Harry had blushed at receiving so many gifts.

"I didn't get any of you anything," Harry admitted.

"It's ok Harrykins, we expect something extraordinary for christmas," Fred said. Harry was finally able to tell the twins apart thanks to a mole on George's neck, though he wasn't entirely accurate.

Thinking of the large amount of gold in his bank vault, Harry resolved that each and every Weasley was going to get something really special. After all, it was going to be his first Christmas with his new family.

After classes, the Weasley's carved pumpkins together out on the lawn. Fred and George had carved a pumpkin in a shrieking banshee face, and dubbed it "mum." Even Percy had smirked at that one, and Ron and Harry found it rather hilarious. Harry carved a rather simple jack o'lantern with a smiling face and buck teeth, having never before had the chance to partake in the Halloween tradition. Ron had made himself a golden snitch lantern, and Percy had made a very intricate depiction of the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. When they were finished, Percy conjured some witch lights and placed them in each pumpkin, where they cast spooky shadows over the lawn.

That done, they all headed inside for the rather excellent feast. Ron and Harry had just about demolished an entire head of ham together when the nervous professor Quirrell burst into the hall.

"Troll in the dungeon!" he cried. "Thought you ought to know."

Then he fainted.

It was immediately bedlam. The headmaster ordered everyone back to their dormitories, but Harry noticed that Hermione was missing. She had run off when Ron had insulted her lack of social graces in charms, and had not been seen since.

"Percy, Hermione's gone," Harry told the older boy. "I think I heard Lavender and Parvati saying she was hiding in the girls lav on the ground floor."

Percy's eyes widened. "That's near the entrance to the dungeons!" He looked around for a professor, but they'd all scampered off to deal with the troll. "Right then, we'll handle this. Fred, George, come on."

Harry and Ron tagged along as well, and the five red heads hurried to the girls bathrooms. There, they found a giant troll peeking into the door. Percy held out his hand, stopping his brothers from continuing. "We'll have to distract it," he said quietly. He turned around. "Harry, Ron, go get a professor and tell them we've found the troll. Fred and George, have you got anymore of those firecrackers? I want you to throw some down the hallway. We'll try to lure the troll into a classroom and contain it there."

"One problem with that guv," Fred said.

George pointed behind them. "The trolls gone into the lav. Why don't we trap it there?"

"Because that's where Hermione is!" Ron cried, and he and Harry darted forward after the troll, the other Weasley's hard on their heels behind them.