Prankster's Champion - A Harry Potter Fanfiction

Chapter Eleven

"Why did you enter the tournament?" George and Magnus were standing outside the owlery, bundled up against the cold. Fred was inside, taking his time to get an owl to send a letter.

It had been nearly three weeks since the champions had been chosen, and Magnus was finally getting used to some of the attention. He'd been hanging out with George and Fred quite often, and also trying to help Harry out. He'd done what he could to hang around with Harry and defend him against the many unjust accusations. Magnus had even gone so far as to blast some of the badges that Draco had created out of his hands whenever he saw Draco with another box of them. It hadn't helped much, and thus put Magnus into a bit of a bad mood at times. But while he was with the twins, he tended to find himself rather amused and enjoyable.

"It's not like you need the money," George added, blowing on his hands to try and warm them. Magnus laughed, watching George try to warm his hands, and stepped over.

"I'm a daredevil, why else?" Magnus grinned, waving for George to stick out his hands. The twin did and Magnus wrapped his own hands around George's, his enchanted gloves taking effect rather quickly and warming up both of their hands. "I like the rush of being in danger, whether it's being around dangerous creatures or dodging iron spheres." They both laughed, Magnus's eyes not once shifting up from staring at their hands though.

Magnus had grown taller in the past three weeks, a very fast and sudden growth spurt. He'd gone from the sixth year that looked like a second year, to actually looking his age, though he was rather lanky for now. It had left his body aching for a good portion of those weeks, growing pains all over and he'd often have to see Madam Pomfrey for the pain, which didn't help his image, nor his want to help Harry.

"So not even the fame or the bragging rights? Just because it meant danger?" Magnus finally looked up at George's face, seeing worry in his eyes. He still had to look up in order to see George's face, but it was far less of a difference than three weeks before.

"That's why I do anything," Magnus released George's hands and turned around, clasping his hands behind his head while walking a little ways away. "I never got to do much outside of quidditch before. My parents were always worrying for one reason or another." He stared up at the sky, watching the few clouds roll by.

George raised a brow and leaned against the owlery wall, stuffing his hands into his pockets while they were still warm. "Why did they worry so much? We're wizards, healing isn't hard."

Magnus chuckled, spinning on his heels to look at George. "I was a sickly kid. It started out easy to treat with some potions when I was little, but it got real bad about a year before Hogwarts." He started to rock back and forth, going up on his tippy toes before rolling back all the way to his heels, and repeating. "I haven't really told anyone else about this actually. I think Roger is the only person who knows I was more than just an unusually short guy."

He could see the edge of Fred through the owlery door, knowing the twin was listening, but didn't make any effort to hide it. "I guess that's probably why I was so short. Whether it was me being sick so much, or the potions' after effects." Magnus sent George a grin, "either way. I just like to have fun now. And fun for me is looking danger in the face and laughing."

"You really scare me sometimes," George laughed, shaking his head. Fred walked out of the owlery a moment later, grinning. "Sent the letter then?"

"Yup! If he doesn't talk to us now, we're gonna have to trap him." The three laughed before they began walking off towards the Great Hall for lunch.

Magnus forwent the Hogsmeade trip as the weekend rolled around, instead taking respite in the library. It had been some time since he'd been in the library, and he felt more relaxed as soon as he walked in.