-sily under his arm and looped it over George's head for a goal.
Ron was roaring with laughter at the other end.
"No fair!" Fred protested, rubbing his stinging forehead.
"Was too." George chuckled. "Be on your guard."
Harry looked around. "Where's Neville?" There was no sign of him.
"Up here." A meek voice said.
Everyone looked up and sighed.
Neville was dangling from a very large spruce, about twenty feet off the ground.
"Okay, maybe you should stay with your feet on the ground." George said timidly.
"How do I get down?" Neville said shrilly, starting to panic.
"Not to worry, not to worry." George said, looking flustered. He uncovered his wand.
"What are you doing?" Ron yelled.
"Getting him down." George said, performing a Hover Charm on Neville.
Neville floated ominously, his mouth open in a silent howl.
"Oh, this is quite tricky." George said.
"No kidding." Harry said weakly.
He could see beads of sweat pop out on George's forehead as he fought to maintain his balance.
Ron was hiding his eyes.
Fred was gnawing on his fingernails.
"What a day." Harry sighed.
Five minutes later, Neville was safely on the ground, but still white.
"I think he's in shock." Ron grunted, pointing his wand at Neville and muttering an incantation.
Neville immediately started laughing hysterically.
Fred rolled his eyes. "You really overdid that Cheering Charm, Ron."
Ron grinned. "Well, at least he's happy."
George pointed his wand at Neville again, intending to do a counter-charm, but Harry raised his hand. "I think we've spellcasted him enough today."
"Amen to that." Ron chuckled. "Let's grab some food."
They dragged Neville as one toward the house.
"Dear, dear, what happened?" Mrs. Weasley greeted them, wiping her hands on a tea towel.
Mrs. Weasley glanced down at Neville, half bemused and half disapproving.
"Well, at least he seems to find it funny."
"We have Ron to thank for that." Fred said sarcastically.
"Come on." Ron protested mildly. "You have to admit, it's much better than him looking like he's just been Petrified by some Basilisk."
Everyone chuckled nervously.
"That part at least is true, little bro'." George said. stroking his chin. "But look at it this way. Once the reverend ends his speech, Neville starts laughing. Bill kisses Fluer, Neville starts laughing. Bill and Fleur fly off on the Hippogriffs to their honeymoon, Neville starts laughing."
"Oh." Ron said, looking downcast.
Mrs. Weasley laughed. "I'm sure we can calm him down enough before something like that happens."
"Yeah, you do that, mum." Fred said. "We're going to our room to make some 'preparations', if you don't need us in the kitchen."
"Oh, no." Mrs. Weasley said happily. "We're doing wonderful. I expect we could feed a tribe of giants and still have some left over."
Everyone stared at her blankly.
"Okay, maybe I was exaggerating." she said. "But you get the point. We'll have plenty for everyone. Even you, Ron."
Ron turned bright red. "Mum, I know I eat lots, but even you have to admit I need to gain weight. I've been lanky for a while now."
Harry snorted. "Lots? Every time at the Hogwarts opening feast, you make the other Gryffindors look like pansies."
"He makes Crabbe and Goyle look like they're nibbling." Fred added.
"Anything to say for yourself, Ron?" said George.
Ron began to say something, but his stomach emitted a vicious growl. "I'm hungry."
Gender: Female Location: running down the street naked! ;)
*laughs hysterically* man! I have missed your stories Dark your still great at writing… and if I may say so you have improved. I’m lovin your story it’s making me laugh… I’m interested in how things are going to change after the wedding. Anywho fabulous work D *claps* now that my summer has settled down a bit hopefully I’ll have more time to come read your story. Keep it up!
~HP~
“Well, we’re off to our room.” Fred said lazily.
“Preparations to make,” said George. “For the wedding and all.”
Mrs. Weasley raised an eyebrow. Neville giggled.
“Don’t worry, mum.” Fred said jovially. “It’s entirely innocent. Only a bit of fun.”
Harry scoffed. “Over the years, we’ve had quite a load of experience with what you consider ‘a bit of fun’.”
“Too true, that.” Ron added. Neville cackled.
Mrs. Weasley stared at the twins, then shrugged and started back in. “As long as it doesn’t involve humor at someone else’s expense.”
“Mum, eighty percent of the humor in this world, Magical or Muggle, is at someone else’s expense.” Fred grumbled.
“I suppose.” Came the exasperated reply.
Neville chortled.
“How long does the Cheering Charm last?” Ron asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, a normal one lasts for about an hour.” Fred said thoughtfully. “But you seem to have really overdone it, so I’d say at least two.”
Harry did some quick mental calculations. “He’ll spray food over the table at lunch.”
“Still, nothing a few household Charms can’t fix.” George shrugged.
They stomped their dirt-caked feet on the back door. “Coming to see it?” Fred said, turning to head upstairs.
“Nah, Harry’s guests are due to arrive soon and we want to meet them.” Ron said, looking at Harry pointedly. Harry understood in an instant.
“Alright, sorry you’ll be missing out on the fun, little bro’.” Fred chuckled. He and George headed up the stairs to their bedroom.
“No, I’ll be fine.” Ron muttered in a low voice.
“Time to hide.” Harry said.
A few moments later, they heard a minor explosion, followed by a rather ominous splat. Following it came the resulting fury.
“RON!”
Grinning cheerfully, Ron and Harry both ran into the pantry, a very messy and smelly Fred and George hot on their tail.
“Colloportus!” Ron said, pointing his wand at the door. It sealed with a loud squelch, and just in time, too; there was the sound of two loud thuds and a squelch.
“We’ll get you, little bro’!” Fred snarled. “You have to eat and go to the bathroom sometime!
Ron took something out of his pocket. It was a Decoy Detonator. “Cover your ears,” he advised Harry.
Harry wisely took the advice.
Ron wound it up, dropped it on the floor, and it started walking slowly on short, hesitant legs in the general direction of the pantry door. He yanked Harry’s arm, ushering him through a secret side passage and shutting the door after them.
“Lumos.” He muttered, illuminating a crude stone chamber. “Fred and George know about this place, they used it to hide from mum when she was in a fierce mood. What they don’t know, however, is that I built an escape route into it.”
He pushed slightly at a part of the wall and Harry saw that it was only a cloth, cunningly dusted down and dirt-caked to look like a part of the wall, same as any other.
“Smart.” Harry admired.
“Thanks, mate.” Ron said. “Come on, let’s hurry, that Detonator is pretty loud. We’ll emerge into the broom shed.”
Some distance behind them, an extremely loud squeal sounded, followed by the muffled shouts of the twins. Both of them grinned appreciatively in the dim light.
“Why’d you need an escape route in the first place?” Harry wondered.
Ron shrugged. “Sometimes to find truth, one must move mountains.”
KMC Community Forums
Jul 5th, 2006 03:54 AM
*nudge nudge*
