PRANKSTER [1] ↝ C. DIGGORY

forty-five

Clary leaned back in her chair as she studied the five glasses filled to the brim with vinegar sitting in front of them, each one placed in front of her, Newt, Vasantha, Fred, and George, respectively. She watched apprehensively as each of them took out their wands, aiming at the glass before them and praying she'd finally get the spell right this time.

"Ready?" Clary asked, briefly looking up at her friends though trying not to break her concentration.

"Ready," Fred and George chorused.

"Just remember, if it explodes, Pince will kick us out of here." Vasantha warned them as they turned back to the glasses.

George scoffed. "That better not happen twice." he mumbled, eyes fixed on the liquid in the small glass as he reminisced on their class earlier that day. "It's bad enough we have to practice this more for extra homework."

"One, two, three," Clary counted off softly, the incantation tumbling from each of their lips as they focused on the objects in front of them, smiling softly as the clear vinegar in her glass began to darken considerably in color, taking on the dark red hue of the wine that now sat in its place.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." Vasantha said triumphantly, dancing around in her chair and pointing to the glass of wine that now sat in front of her.

"I tell you, George," Fred said, his eyes landing on where Newt had managed to turn his vinegar to wine as well, but in front of the two redheaded boys each now sat a frosted glass filled to the brim with ice. "We must just be too sophisticated for this spell. It knows it can't quite live up to our expectations."

"You're absolutely right, Freddie." George agreed, looking back up at his sister, girlfriend, and friend with a snarky grin. "So we must just be too sophisticated for you lot, as well."

"Okay," Vasantha said nonchalantly, scooting further away from George and closer to Clary. "Your loss,"

Newt and Clary chuckled as George's face dropped in response to Vasantha's words, the former rising from his chair and slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"I should be going," Newt announced, bidding the rest of his group goodbye. "I told Katie I'd meet her down at the Great Hall to get dinner tonight, and it's almost six."

"Well, go on!" Clary urged her friend, nudging him forward in the direction of the exit. "Go have fun on your date!"

"I wouldn't necessarily consider dinner in the Great Hall a date," Newt said nonchalantly.

"It's a date," Clary insisted, watching with a knowing smile as he made his retreat from the library, leaving the four of them alone.

"Ah, young love," Fred said with a grin, still looking in the direction Newt had gone. "Happens to all of them eventually,"

Soon after Newt's departure, in his place came Cedric, walking briskly past Madame Pince's desk and rounding the corner around the nearest bookshelf, rushing once more as he'd left the librarian's sight. The other Hufflepuff boy finally reached the table, face flushed and attempting to catch his breath, as if he'd been running a great distance.

"Merlin's beard," George said, taking in Cedric's appearance, brows furrowing together in confusion. "What the bloody hell happened to you?"

Cedric took a seat in the chair that had been occupied by Newt only moments before, catching his breath and regaining his composure before finally looking back at the group, who all watched him with bated breath, waiting for his next move.

"We were down at the Quidditch Pitch," Cedric started, "learning about the Third Task. I was on my way back up to the castle with Fleur and a couple of the other professors when Harry came running up, saying Crouch had appeared in the forest, and was waiting with Krum. By the time we'd gotten back, Krum was stunned on the ground and Crouch was gone."